It’s really easy to lose perspective.
Deadlines, rough drafts, deciding which font to use, racing to get your files to the printer, frustration over the time it’s taking for a video to render, forgetting to save the document you’ve been working on only to delete it, agonizing over the perfect image to use, people asking for way too much with so little time… it’s easy in the life of church communications [whatever that may look like for you] to lose your focus.
What we do matters but why we do it is more important.
In a hyper-connected, image driven world that’s only growing more complex and louder each day, we have a unique opportunity to bring order to the chaos and elevate the message of our church [and ultimately, the message of the Gospel] to a world that’s searching for something true, authentic, and real.
We may never preach a message or lead a worship service but the various things we do intersect people we may never know. Whatever we do…be it designing a website, brochure, postcard, signage that directs people where to go, or a video that shares a story or communicates a message… matters deeply. Communications connect people, and we do what we do because people matter.
Knowing how to effectively communicate requires much more than skill [although that helps!], but takes discernment, wisdom, and ears attuned to God’s voice.
Unfortunately, distractions are numerous and it’s easier to focus on what we’re doing and forgetting why we’re actually doing it. It’s crucial that we change our perspective and realize our focus should be driven by something greater than a deadline.
Those perspective-changing moments come in many different ways.
For me, this past Sunday was one of them.
One Sunday each summer, our church gathers on the shores of Lake Michigan in the early morning hours just after sunrise. Hundreds of people dot the shoreline and a nearby pier to watch nearly 100 people go public with their faith in Christ by being baptized.
It’s my favorite Sunday of the year.
Words can’t begin to describe the sight of people of all walks of life and backgrounds, with so many different journeys, that led them all to this point. Friends, family, and small group members wade into the frigid waters [yes, even though it is July] to support their loved ones as they make a public display of an old life that is now buried and a new life that is raised with Christ.
What adds to the beauty of the day is the fact that the city skyline envelops the background… a striking visual reminder of why we do what we do: seeing lives transformed in the city.
With the wet sand underneath my toes, watching all that was going on around me, I got a lump in my throat.
It was one of those moments of clarity… a perspective-changing moment.
I looked out and thought…”THIS is why I do what I do.”
All of the little things that bog us down in our daily routine matter, but what matters most is how they help us shape and share our story, inviting people to find their place in God’s Story.
That’s what it’s all about.
So as you start off a new workweek, which will undoubtedly be busy and chaotic, take a moment to step back and reflect on why you do what you do. For me, I’m printing a copy of that picture and putting it above my monitor so I have a visual reminder of why I do what I do.
What does that look like for you? What could be a simple reminder for you this week? Take some time to reflect and think of how you can keep your perspective amidst the craziness.
What you do matters, but why you do it is what it’s all about.
Baptism videos can be a bit of a show-and-tell for some, and you probably won’t know any of the faces in this video, but to me this is a beautiful picture of what God has done in our church and reminds me why we do what we do.
Enjoy.
