Playing Our Role

     Although we have been a part of the body of Christ for a long time, we are growing in our knowledge of what it means to act as a member of the body. Being in a full-time ministry position has magnified both the strengths and weaknesses of ourselves, as well as our teammates.
     At first, recognizing the differences between ourselves and the other members resulted in a lot of frustration. Why don’t they do it THIS way? Why do they expect me to know how to do THAT? Couldn’t they have thought about THIS? I am not adequate for that particular job. Frustration seemed to be a part of the transition into ministry.
     It was not until fairly recently that, we started to recognize how the strengths of others were perfectly suited to make up for our weaknesses, or vice versa. If everyone in the kitchen was relationship-driven, deadlines might not be met, and meals might be missed. On the other hand, if everyone in the kitchen was task-driven, we might miss ministry opportunities with hurting people.
     We are daily finding examples just how God created us to be unique, and to complement each other, so that the body of Christ is not lacking in any good thing. Differences may have been a frustration before, but we are trying to view them now as beautiful.
     “But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where He wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”” 1 Corinthians 12: 20-22
     As we learn more of what it is to be the body of Christ, we are then reminded exactly why it is that we are here, because as a body God uses us to help reach the unreached here in Alaska. We need the body, and God uses us for His purpose, so that we might have a part to play in lives being changed, like the life of Mark.
     During the first night of camp, our speaker spoke about creation, and how God designed us. She also made a comment about how we did not come from monkeys, and how evolution did not line up with the Bible.
     After chapel ended, Mark stayed in his seat to talk to his counselor. He was crying tears of anger, and was adamant that our speaker was wrong. He had learned about evolution his entire life, and spent that first evening trying to defend his side. He got heated in his discussion, and it appeared that he was in for a long week.
     However, the week brought him into many discussions with his counselors and the speaker. Mark walked away with a transformed mind and heart, as he accepted Christ into his life!
     Mark is one of many stories of lives that have been changed through the work of this Echo Ranch Bible Camp. We are reminded that God is moving mountains in individual lives, as we continue to simply do the day-to-day tasks.
     “Moreover, I will give you a new heart, and put a new spirit within you; and I will recover the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 36:26
     God draws individuals to himself through the body, may we rejoice in the part we can play in the body of Christ so that others may hear the greatest story ever told.