On a couple of occasions since we have been here, different people have asked me if I minded sharing the class and preaching load. Each time, I told them I would be happy to allow someone else to teach or preach on occasion. This is not because I am trying to get out of work, but simply put I see part of my job as training others to teach and be productive workers in His Kingdom thus strengthening their faith. As one of my professors used to tell us, our job was to work ourselves out of a job. By this he meant our job was to train others to handle our duties when we were not around to do so. This included but was not limited to our teaching responsibilities. People learn by doing, making mistakes, and then trying again.
Before moving overseas, I offered my services to the local preacher on a couple of different occasions to hone my preaching skills and give him an evening or two off. However, he was either unwilling or unable to relinquish his pulpit. Maybe he thought the elders would be upset. Perhaps he felt threatened by me (I have no idea why!). It is possible he had a year-long plan and he did not want to get off-track. Whatever the reason, I never understood this refusal in light of what I had been taught at Harding and what I had read in Scripture.
And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by the craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body,, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.
-Ephesians 4:11-16
Some are better preachers and teachers. Some are better song leaders. Some are better at offering prayers up to God. One thing that the mission field helped me fully realize was that people need to be ready to step in and do whatever is needed even if they are not particularly “qualified” to do so. This is not limited to the leadership duties in the public worship of the church. This includes visiting the sick, encouragement, leading a Bible study, praying in a Bible study, and much more. It does not matter if we enjoy these or not. Our goal should always be to do things that will glorify God and build up His church. When we take on different responsibilities, whether publicly or not, our faith grows and we are less likely to be tossed around like children.