Image: Edi Libedinsky | Unsplash

Today's article was written by Bernie Harding, the community pastor of Peel Elim Community Church, where her husband is the pastor. Peel is a town of 6,000 people on the Isle of Man. Bernie is responsible for running the community centre, kids church, some evangelism projects, bible studies … “a bit of everything, as you will know is the way in small churches.”

The Faithful Member

I see you, small church people.

I see you when you serve in a small, unnoticed church.

I see you encouraging your pastor with a smile when yet another one bites the dust.

I see you who turn up to serve week-in week-out because there isn’t a kids’ church team, you are the kids’ church team. I see you investing in kids’ lives and discipling them in their walks with God.

I see you mums and dads who bring your babies along when there’s no crèche (nursery) so you spend the whole meeting in a room on your own with the baby, thinking “should I have just stayed home?” I see you getting up and out of the house to be at God’s house.

The Pastor’s Family

I see you pastors who put as much time into preparing a message for 20 people as someone who is preaching to 2,000 people. I see you putting the chairs out.

I see you pastors’ kids who are sometimes the only kids at church. I see you carrying a weight that you didn’t choose but doing it so willingly.

I see you pastors’ spouses who carry as much of the load as the pastor, and there is nobody else around who you feel understands. I see you, and I understand.

There For Each Other

I see you faithful people who always have your pastor’s back. I see you trying to hide confusion with a nod when the pastor announces his latest idea.

I see you, and I am so thankful for you.

And more importantly, God sees you.

Keep going.

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