Working till Jesus Comes

If the Lord wills, in January I will celebrate (real personally, privately, and quickly) being a pastor for twenty years.  God blessed me with a pastorate when I was a seminary student and did not consider myself a candidate for such a position.  Those dear folks took me in, gave me their scrap furniture to furnish the parsonage, fellowship leftovers to eat, and room and space to grow and learn.  I carpooled with three other guys and commuted 250 miles four days a week to seminary.  Whatever was left after the ride, the classes, and the Greek and Hebrew homework, I gave to that church.  It probably wasn't much, but I tried and God blessed it.  I was there 3 1/2 years and then went back to South Carolina and pastoring in a community very close to where I was raised.  They took a chance on a 26 year old and we grew together.  Eleven years I served there and they were all blessed.  Almost five years ago, I began the conversation with a church in Houston, MS that became the next big move for my family.  Once again, God has blessed me with a wonderful congregation and a splendid opportunity.  I hear horror stories from preachers that talk about disgruntled groups that rise up, women that stir up, and men that throw up (no, I'M kidding!)...men that throw down.  I've never been through such an atmosphere and pray that I am not so blind, self-consumed, or marked to go through too many such  episodes. 
I have learned that God gives order to chaos when you get out of the way and let God do what He wants to do.  Notice how the church of Acts did it-  ¹ Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution. ² And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. ³ Therefore, brothers,^] pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. ⁴ But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”- Acts 6:1-4 (www.lifejournal.cc)
The only thing I remember about geometry is the hypothesis concept that we had to learn.  If this, then that.  Let me give you an IF, THEN statement for the church.
If the people that are not doing anything for the Kingdom are the ones that complain, then keep everybody busy in the Kingdom.  I have found over the years that everyone needs some responsibility in the church (whether it is assigned to them in an official position or they just see what needs to be done).  If people are not busy, trouble will brew quickly.  It is the job of each and everyone of us to do what needs to be done for the Kingdom.  When we do that, God will bless our efforts and we will grow in Him and closer together.  Find the task that God would have for you and get busy serving Him.   You will be blessed and so will others around you.  Serve Him today by encouraging someone and praying about what God would have you do!