weekends required

I've heard Ed Young Jr. say it a thousand times. "It's all about the weekend." It's true. Those of us in church ministry have said "yes" to working weekends. It's not for everybody, but it certainly is the job.

As I strive to create a leadership culture at our brand new church that will serve the needs of the un-churched and de-churched people of our area for decades to come, this feels like a huge issue.

If you serve on a church staff or ever hope to someday, here are a few things to consider:

• You will work weekends . . . and you will often get what feel like "better offers" on some of those weekends.
  
• You will work some of the major holidays . . . and your extended family will not like it, nor will many of them understand. Christmas and Easter are two of the biggest "family" holidays our country observes. They also happen to be two of the biggest times of the year when people will give church (and God) another try. Is that when we want our best and brightest leaders sitting at home sipping eggnog or hunting for plastic eggs?
• Your attitude about all this makes a 100% difference. Do I have to work weekends or do I get to work weekends? Do I have to work holiday weekends or do I get to work holiday weekends?
  

I'm ashamed to say it, but I served on a church staff for years before I began to really get this concept. Church leaders, the world is not sliding toward a better position and our job is not going to get easier. It will require us to set ourselves aside at times. In short, it will require a cross that is heavy to bear at times. Are you willing?