Donald Miller was talking with a heart surgeon who has done marvelous work helping thousands of people aside from his practice. “When I asked why he desires to help so many people, his answer surprised me. He said ‘because it’s fun.’ And then he went on to say ‘I like helping people because I enjoy it, I’m the opposite of an evangelical.’ I don’t know if he knew I was a Christian, but the comment came like a curveball and I had nothing to say. I was so accustomed to the passive guilt complex so many of us hear week after week and in book after book that I knew he’d have no shortage of evidence that Evangelicals are constantly being made to do good things they don’t really feel like doing.”
It made me think. My profession now is magazine editor. I have fun. I travel around, meet lots of smart, interesting people. I write about trends in technology and manufacturing. People respect what I write. On the other hand, I teach–lots of things. I have fun doing all that. Even when it all comes together at once and I feel overwhelmed (like now, I’m on a business trip, trying to write, study so I can write this blog, do tons of things for the soccer program in western Ohio, and think about how to fix some things around the house), I still have fun helping.
That passive guilt feeling engendered by so many churches.
Miller says “ought to” are two words that kill enthusiasm. Jesus taught some “oughts.” But he basically brought his disciples together with a vision of doing important work for the people. Are you working for the church because you ought to? Or because you’re doing things you enjoy? It can be fun helping people. If it isn’t, it’ll probably show in your attitude. So you should look for something else to do.
Faith Venture 
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