'HERE, MINISTER WITH THIS BROOM!"

     It was 1982. I had just graduated High School and was spending my Saturday night hanging out at the Servants Quarters Coffeehouse, a coffeehouse my church, Smithtown Gospel Tabernacle had hosted for many years for the College and Career age group. The coffeehouse was a place I loved spending time at as a teen. Our group met at the school cafeteria and not only did we enjoy food and fellowship with one another, we enjoyed musical talent that came to us each week as well as the Word of God being shared. The Coffeehouse ran from 8 p.m. to midnight. The set up took some time as we had to make a school cafeteria look like a coffeehouse. The fun part of every meeting was the cleanup. Well...not exactly fun but it was hard work. At that point of my life, I knew I had a calling on my life for full time ministry and had already decided to attend Northeastern Bible College in New Jersey. Yet that night, I didn't realize I was about to learn a life lesson. As we were all busy moving tables and chairs and carrying them into a storage closet, as I walked out of the storage area, Keith, one of the other workers handed me a push broom and said," Here, minister with this broom." My first reaction was "How dare you ask me to sweep the floor! Who do you think you are talking to? There are many others who can sweep a lousy floor! Why ask me? I want to be a missionary!" As an eighteen year old, I never connected ministry as "sweeping a floor." Ministry to me was preaching, singing, sharing your faith with others and serving as a missionary in some foreign country. Definitely NOT sweeping a floor.

    That fall I entered Bible College and needed to find a job, preferably on campus. I was offered a job my Freshman year I the housekeeping department cleaning toilets and yes, sweeping floors. It was a job I had for the entire year. I can't tell you I exactly enjoyed it. IT WAS A JOB! I was very annoyed if anyone (an NBC staff member) complained that they didn't think the bathrooms were clean enough. I did try my best. One thing I did learn was that sweeping the floor, vacuuming, cleaning a bathroom or moving tables and chairs into a storage area are just as important as preaching or teaching when it comes to ministry. I learned that every church has a "Secret Christian." No, not a Christian who keeps Jesus a secret. A Christian who serves God and is not looking for credit or recognition. A Christian who is willing to sweep a floor and minister with a broom. Think about other "Secret Christian" roles we can play in church. The person who runs the sound, a nursery worker, those who set up coffee in the morning at church, those who volunteer by vacuuming, planting flowers or setting up the food pantry. Colossians 3:17 tells us

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." What we do, whatever it is, it is for the Lord. We might be called to preach, be a teacher, sweep a floor, hold a baby in the nursery, work a puppet, clean windows at your church or even drive a van full of kids to a camp. I remember being told to always be faithful in the little things. Because of that advice, I always made sure I gave 100% whether I was preaching to kids or sweeping a floor after an event. 

     So, in 2019, a day after Super Bowl Sunday, lets "Minister with that broom!" Its All for Him!!

Until next time!!