Extending Grace


I’ve learned much from Roger Allen (Senior Pastor of Common Ground) over the last 6 years. In leading people and working with a volunteer labor force, he is good in dealing with people and extending grace. He always says, “You never know what they maybe going through so give grace” when they fail to show up. There is accountability but it’s accountability with grace. I have to admit, with my personality, I’m an extremist with everything. In my commitment to God and His church, I am either all in or not in at all so it’s hard for me sometimes to understand when people say they will do something for God or the church and never do it or do it half hearted.

We had something that happened Sunday that broke my heart and again Roger encouraged me to give grace. I’ve been getting my arms around our little church’s children ministry and getting it to run smoothly. We have two very committed ladies who are taking turns leading the weekly children church. They are both very committed and I thank God for them every week. In the 6 years I’ve been with Common Ground, I’ve known a different lady who has committed twice to help with the children’s ministry but either doesn’t stick around or drops the ball completely. The lady knows her stuff with children’s ministry and has worked in this ministry at other churches but seems to never follow through when it comes to our little church. She is back with us and wants to help with this ministry. She’s filled in during the summer and I know she is ready to get connected in the rotation. I had scheduled a meeting after church this past Sunday to discuss the plan for the fall and I had a call from her helper before I left for church. The lady was on her way to a local amusement park with her grandchildren. Through text messages, I saw that she had forgotten about the meeting and didn’t see the reminder e-mail. What broke my heart is that she says she is committed but she doesn’t come to church on the weeks she’s not teaching. I will extend grace when I call her this week and let her know what the plan we discussed on Sunday for the fall.

In my Bible reading today, God allowed me to see 1 Thessalonians 2: 7 (But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.). With Ripley, my 21 month old daughter, I extend grace to her all the time because she is learning to obey Teresa and me when we are trying to teach her. I think that I should extend the same to the people that God has entrusted me to shepherd. I am so thankful to God for giving me eyes to see what He wanted me to see today in His love letter to me.