There was another lesson from the time with the men that I wrote about yesterday. But first, a little background. I shared last week about the aircraft carrier metaphor. It takes all of us to get the job done! I’ve seen this recently in my reading of 1 Corinthians:

Remember, it is the same Holy Spirit who distributes, activates, and operates these different gifts as he chooses for each believer. Just as the human body is one, though it has many parts that together form one body, so too is Christ. For by one Spirit we all were immersed and mingled into one single body. And no matter our status—whether we are Jews or non-Jews, oppressed or free—we are all privileged to drink deeply of the same Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12.11 – 13, TPT

If it takes all of us, why do we sometimes think we have to be able to do everything or reach everyone? I was with a Navigator colleague recently who expressed a desire to be more effective in reaching the poor. His challenge is that he, like many of us, is a college-educated engineer. While I admire and share his desire to be used by God to reach all kinds of people, I also need to recognize my limitations and understand that God uses all kinds of people!

Back to my meeting with the men last week, all of whom attended Rocky Mountain Calvary Church in Colorado Springs. I’m a huge fan of that church and Calvary Chapels in general because they seem to do a really good job of attracting all kinds of people. One of my favorite staffers there is Donny the facilities manager:

I was talking with a black guy at the Bible study, and he told me that the first guy he saw when his wife finally dragged him to visit Rocky Mountain Calvary was Donny. “I thought he was homeless.” His wife said, “No, that’s Donny and that’s the way he dresses.” My new friend heard a message loud and clear: “Everyone is welcome here.”

This is how Donny describes his ministry:

I have been the facilities and grounds manager of RMC since December 1998. I am responsible for overseeing building maintenance and special events setup. I also supervise community service workers assigned to Rocky Mountain Calvary.  I am truly thankful to the Lord for allowing me to minister to people’s hearts as well as providing them work to do with their hands.

“I also supervise community service workers…” These are people the criminal justice system sentences to “community service.” Donny takes them, up to eight at a time, and tries to turn them around.

It takes us all. Another friend told a story about someone he knew who owned a Porsche. The Porsche owner led a rich guy to Christ while they were riding in that Porsche! My friend said, “I couldn’t have reached that guy in my old Toyota Corolla! Donny ministers to people who wouldn’t connect with me very well, but they connect with him. There are people I connect with who would have trouble with Donny. And on it goes.

But God has carefully designed each member and placed it in the body to function as he desires. A diversity is required, for if the body consisted of one single part, there wouldn’t be a body at all! So now we see that there are many differing parts and functions, but one body. (1 Corinthians 12.18 – 20, TPT)