This weekend we celebrated the retirement of one of our event team members who keeps everyone safe on the road. He stood at the center of everyone’s attention (a place he hates) and said, “This is a ministry for me.” And it struck me that everyone feels that way about what they do at our events. (Please note here that “ministry” does not always equal “fun” or “peaceful” or “lovely.”)

For the simulcast events to take place, incredibly talented people use their gifts and talents to do the ministries of administration, of marketing, of customer service, of unloading boxes, of selling resources, of taking pictures. The ministries of lights, of screen lyrics, of microphones and stage directing, of cameras, of computers and the technology it takes to get a live feed around the world practically glitch-free, of translating in Spanish and ASL. And yes, the ministries of teaching and leading in worship and shepherding an audience through the day. But also the ministries of prayer and compassion, the ones we may never know about, and the ministry of invitation.

Sometimes we who are used to this make jokes about the ministry of taping up signs or the ministry of going to get coffee. When really, this is what ministry is. Doing what needs to be done, doing what God has gifted you uniquely to do or placed you uniquely to do.

Ultimately, we do these things so that He can minister to the hearts of others. I don’t always get to go to our events, but this weekend my job was to tweet and Instagram and Facebook, answering questions and posting quotes and videos. And that was a ministry for me.