Recently, I completed teaching the Membership Class at the Church I lead, along with our Next Steps Pastor, Gary. Once completed, I wait a week for them to review the material I did not cover, and then I schedule a follow-up with everyone who attended. I will answer all the questions about what we believe and about how we do things here in the Church. My time with them lasts anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour. As they are leaving, I give them a ministry list and tell them to look it over. Gary will contact them to follow up and encourage them to serve as a volunteer somewhere in the Church.

I have a dream about how that meeting with him will go. I want them to show up having read through the list and be completely ready to start serving. There will be no hard push or prompting to get them involved. This mythical person will take ministry seriously and is prepared to use their gifts for God. All they need is a few connections and a little instruction, and they will handle the rest.

Once they have chosen their ministry, they will make sure the leader knows when they are available. They will plan their Sunday mornings around serving and will find joy in using their lives in the service of the Lord. As a result, I trust their choices as they move this ministry forward with vision and direction. They will become a priceless asset to the Church with their selfless service and deep commitment to making Jesus famous in our community.

Granted, this rarely happens, but I keep dreaming … and praying for it.