“Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 NIV).
Here we are in the middle of another week. The last weekend is behind us and we have our sights set on the plan for the week ahead. There are many meetings and countless cups of coffee between now and our next weekend service. Whatever ministry burdens you are carrying or victories you are celebrating, one thing is for sure: God sees the work you are doing, and we see the work you are doing, and it matters. So let’s jump into the rest of this week fully empowered and encouraged.
To all the audio engineers — we act like we know what we want in our in-ear monitors, but the truth is we don’t know. Thanks for putting up with us, for making us sound better than we ever thought we could, and mostly, for making sure the Good News of Jesus Christ is clear week in and week out. We honor you.
Lighting designers and operators, for every minute you’ve spent choosing the right shade of blue, we honor you.
For you ProPresenter-clickers, for mastering the exact millisecond to click to the next slide and making sure it says “angels” not “angles,” we honor you and we hold you in the highest regard.
Camera operators, video directors, and video team, we honor you for not dropping your camera and for taking all the right shots. We honor you for rolling with countless changes and making the platform look good. But mostly, for always making sure Jesus is the brightest light.
Vocal team, you sing and in our minds, we think, “That’s how I’ve always wanted to sing to my Savior.” Your preparation, your confidence, your joy, and your humility make such a difference and free us all to sing our own hallelujah. We hold you in such high regard.
Students, there are so many things vying for your attention, and in the midst of it all, you choose to serve. We see you and we hold you in the highest regard. This is your church — not your church tomorrow or when you graduate, but your church today.
Band, your peers are going to bed around the same time you are getting up on a Sunday morning. You go off to serve the church. You give us something to sing to, to dance to, and for our tears to blend in with. We hold you in the highest regard.
Vocal directors and music directors, you do the impossible. You keep us all informed, rostered, and prepared; you fill in the gaps when something falls through; you know our strengths and our weaknesses, and you lovingly lead us week after week. We honor you and hold you in such high regard.
To the service producers, the worship pastors, the stage team, the production folks, and the prayer people: You wake up in the middle of the night wondering if that song combination is right for the moment. You stay up late, get up early, and you wonder. You get emails with changes and instantly click into solution mode. You seek the Spirit of God and his will over your own, and that makes all the difference. We honor you so deeply and hold you each in the highest regard.
Not one of us was called to just run cables or just play an instrument or just sing — we were all called to set the table for the Miracle Maker to do what he does best. Every time someone crosses that line of faith, there’s a party in Heaven. We get to affect the atmosphere of Heaven. Yes, be empowered and be encouraged. We get to be a part of that!
