Sometimes we don’t always have a choice in what we get to do.  Especially in ministry.  While I am called to student ministry, and am paid to do student ministry, I sometimes find myself doing non-student ministry things.  Even within student ministry, I have specific duties that I am expected to fulfill, and do with excellence, and then there are the things that don’t fall under the category of things I am supposed to do, yet at the end of the day, they are piled on my desk.   Nobody wants to do certain things.  That is completely human.  The problem with that is, while we don’t want to, we often have to do certain things.  Maybe it’s a specific task to keep leaders informed, or something to help retain first timers, or maybe you don’t even know the purpose, but your pastor asked you to do it.  Either way, if it has ended up on your desk, your name is now tied to it, and it is yours to accomplish.

Often times, I find that in these tasks that I have no desire to accomplish, I also loose my desire to accomplish them well.  This becomes an issue, because it is just plain unbiblical.  While we may not see the point, the task we are assigned has one, and probably a good one, and while I may not want to do it, that does not give me an excuse to give it my second best, for a couple of reasons…

…I’m called to do all things for the glory of God. (1 Cor. 10:31)
Ok, so I know I’m totally pulling the ‘Christian-card’ on this one, but seriously.  In life, ministry, and work, we really are called to give everything our best because it is supposed to glorify our King.  This does not mean give our best to the things we like, or the things we are called to, or the things we think God wants us to do, it is ALL things. 

…my pastor said so.
I do not believe in blindly following the lead of your pastor, putting him on a pedestal, and listening to every word He says.  I do believe in praying about joining a church, believing that God called that pastor to that church, and trusting that said pastor is following God in all of his decisions.  Because of this, I trust that when I am asked to do something, whether I see the purpose or not, I need to follow the lead of my pastor and do what He asks.  If I don’t understand the purpose, it is ok to ask the why, but not until I have begun to obey.

…it has a purpose, so it will be used.
Depending on what the task is, chances are, it will effect someone else.  While I don’t get excited or passionate about it, there is still a purpose, and it is still a reflection of my church.  Everything should be done with excellence, no excuses.  If I am making a pamphlet that will be passed out to people within the church, it needs to be good enough to carry the name of the church on it.  The bar has been set a long time ago, I need to maintain, if not raise the bar in everything I do, as a member of the team, I must be a team-player.

…my name is on it.
This has nothing to do with pride, this has everything to do with opportunities.  If I do something and it is not my best, and someone asks who did it, they immediately think that is a reflection of my work.  At the end of the day, I want everything that has my name, or my ministry attached to it, to resemble excellence, so that more opportunities/respect/open doors can come the way of me or the ministry that I am a part of.

At the end of the day, I love my job, and would do anything asked of me.  I need to accept the challenge to do it all with excellence, no matter the task.  I am called to excellence, I am called to this church, and I am called to serve.  It’s time to do work!