The Great Resignation and the Church
Hey everyone,
You would have to live in a cave to have not heard about “the Great Resignation” which refers to the 33 million Americans who have quit their jobs since the Spring of 2021. I just read an article today that suggested that instead of calling it the great resignation it should be called “the Great Reshuffle” because half of those who quit during this time made career changes.
So much has been said and reported about the great resignation that it seems hard to believe that there is anything more that can be said. That’s where I come in because I haven’t read too much about the great resignation and the church. But the church HAS been impacted by this.
Just this week our Technical Director, Kyle resigned from his position. I’m pretty bummed about his departure, but I am super grateful for the almost 5 years that he has served at Believers. His skills have helped to make Believers more effective in our mission of engaging our community with technology, and I’m super grateful for all that he did to get us through the pandemic. While reading this, say a prayer for him and his family as they determine their next step, and while you’re at it, say one for Believers too. We are in the process of trying to effectively align a smaller staff to accomplish our mission more effectively than ever!
While we HAVE had a couple of staff resignations in the last 6 months or so, my thoughts around the Great Resignation and the Church have more to do with volunteers. Let me share an example of what is happening in the church by describing what is happening in the realm of restaurants, something most of us have experienced first-hand. As life returned to slightly more normal in the last handful of months, we saw “Help Wanted” signs in just about every restaurant. Customers were starting to return and they didn’t have the staff to serve them effectively and efficiently. Some of those signs have come down, but for the most part, the consumers are growing more understanding with waiting longer to be seated or served.
While we are more understanding of those long waits, we don’t often consider how those who ARE working are being impacted! They are growing more tired with every shift they work as they push themselves to serve more customers with the same amount of staff they had when things were just opening up. A shorthanded kitchen causes delays in food being served. A shorthanded front of house often makes getting a seat and getting served take longer. Often, those who ARE working are dealing with complaints caused, not by them, but by the fact that they are shorthanded. Some of those staff are now feeling burned out and underappreciated. It’s tough out there.
Now to the church. As our attendance starts to climb, many serving on our Impact TEAMs are trying to serve MORE people with the same amount of volunteers on their teams. That’s hard to do! Some of our volunteers are working both services on a Sunday morning just to help meet the needs. I applaud and appreciate everyone who is serving on an Impact TEAM. You are doing an amazing job! Just in the last few weeks, we have had dozens of First Time Guests come to Believers and they are looking for something. What do they want?
- They want to be seen and noticed. They have been struggling just like everyone else over the last couple of years.
- They want to connect with community. There is an epidemic of loneliness in our culture right now.
- They want to know how faith can inform their experiences. What is God up to? Can He be trusted? Will things be okay? They are looking for answers.
- They are looking for a reprieve from the toxicity that they see around them. They think maybe the church can be an oasis in this dark world.
If you are reading this, you are likely fairly well connected at Believers. I understand that you needed a break, but…let’s not resign from volunteering! People are coming…and YOU have something that could help them in this critical moment of their lives. If we ALL do our part, everyone will have the chance to 2W. Do you remember what that is?
Work in one service and Worship in the other. That’s sustainable. You serve in one service and you fill up in the next one. We don’t want ANY volunteer burning out or feeling underappreciated. Let’s turn the Great Resignation into the Great Reengagement! If we will do this well, I believe we could soon find ourselves in the middle of a Great Revival as the Body of Believers effectively serves a community that is hungry for Jesus!
Looking forward to seeing you Sunday as we continue our series “What in the World.”
Pastor Jamey
P.S. If you ARE currently serving on an Impact TEAM, make it your mission to double yourself by inviting 2 people to start serving with you. Together we can let our community know that Jesus is FOR them!