Lack of Common Sense & Courtesy

I know why people don’t always like Christian’s! We, Christian’s are to love one another however a person is more likely to be abused mentally and emotionally in a church setting by being exposed to a lack of common sense and courtesy. 

Example: On this past Sunday, while I was preparing the Fellowship Hall for the newcomer party, I went to get a spare key out of my desk (since my part time, office manager job is at my church and I truly do love this job), only to found 3 people sitting at my desk.

Now, I know this shouldn’t bug me and I don’t want to sound baby-ish but seriously! How would anyone feel walking into their office to find someone else sitting at their desk having a meeting? They were having a pow-wow in the church office, sitting in my chair at my desk.  Just because this is a church and not a normal office doesn’t excuse you from common respect of others stuff!  They did not even move when I came into get something! It is my strong belief that the church office needs to be locked and left alone on Sunday mornings with the expectation of children’s ministry when they need copies and the staff due to confidential paper work and bookkeeping supplies.

This possessive feeling stems from being the youngest of eight; I was raised with the beliefs that if it’s not yours don’t touch it. I am totally willing to share but you need to ask first. Common courtesy! Also, I had to completely reorganize how everything because it was not organized when I started.

Over the last year and half I have realized just how awful Christian’s are with common courtesy!  Now, I’m not saying that I hate Christian’s, I do not!  They can be truly great people in this world. I just believe I have a general dislike of people all together not just Christian’s simply due to stupidity. But common sense in the church seems to completely and utterly disappear! Poof! Gone!

Poof! Common Courtesy/Sense Gone with the shake of a rattle!

 It’s like no one understands that a church office still needs to run like a normal business at the end of the day.  We run a little slower because our boards are made up have individuals who volunteered to help on top of their full-time jobs. That’s why assistance applications can take up to 8 weeks to get a response!

Also, people need to respect their pastor’s more! Pastors are our spiritual guides in this world and are trained to help us deal with questions and be there for us in hard times. HOWEVER, do not forget that you are NOT the pastor’s only parishioner. Most pastors have their own families and own lives that they need to live and they are not at your “beck and call.” So, do not get angry if it takes them awhile to get to you.  Especially, when there have been a lot of illnesses in the congregation and the senior pastor has only been there a few months!

Respect Helps Move You UP!

So, basically, respect your church staff! Do not be rude to them! Always email or call them when they are in the office, not Sunday morning (it makes them not want to come to worship and 90% of the time we forget your request)! Do not touch or take what isn’t yours (we’ve had a real issue with things magically disappearing and never coming back and it costs the church money just like you)! And with a new pastor comes new changes! Churches need to be like water, going with the flow of the times, it can form to any shape but the make-up (beliefs) are still the same! New generations in charge means changes in communication and processes! Deal with it!

I love being a Christian but Christian’s need to learn to be good advocates for Christ in a secular world without losing their way and maintaining common sense and courtesy!