El Rancho: Part Deux
So next up for the World Racers El Rancho Edition is handling the hospitality side of the New Wine renewal conference right here in Waikanae. There are somewhere between 600-800 people here…which means there are A LOT of behind the scene things to be taken care of. So this ministry is going to look totally different than last weeks. At the kids camp we were right in the middle of kids lives, loving them, serving them, revealing Christ to them. A ministry that was easy to get excited about. God not only overwhelmed me by His goodness, but we also got to see immediate fruit. This ministry…not so much. We won’t necessarily get to see the “fruit” we tend to look for.
On Tuesday we had meeting with Rob (the Director of El Rancho and stud extraordinaire. He’s that stunning man to the left) and he told us what the week would look like for us. There were two jobs we would be helping out with: Kitchen duty (i.e. setting up for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, tea (which is actually dinner), and supper (which is actually evening tea), I know what you are thinking…is that a joke?? But no no, they are actually very serious about their tea breaks here, it is, and I quote “unacceptable not to have a tea break. It kind feels like we are hobbits from the Lord of the Rings with how many times we eat!) (That might have been the longest parenthesis explanation ever…) Where was I…ah yes, our other job would be…BATHROOM DUTY!
Rob actually explained Bathroom duty first, and right as he was speaking, God very clearly said to me, “Danny, that is your job. Don’t not back out.” So a little begrudgingly I raised my hand to volunteer.
Who knows or cares who cleans the bathrooms right? It’s just something that has to get done, but ohhh someone will take care of it I’m sure…well looks like that person will be me this week! See I’ve always been active in the flashy ministries, the one where everybody sees you…and I’ve always rather liked that. Leading bible studies, or preaching, or evangelism, I’ve gotten accustomed to being out front. But thankfully God prepared me for this moment at training camp in October. I was alone in the woods one day and God spoke to my heart about how I serve Him. He revealed to me that I have always sought out the high exposure ministries while ignoring and even looking down on service ministries. What He told me was that if God has called you to do something, it brings Him the same amount of glory no matter what He has called you to do. God doesn’t NEED us to share the Gospel or to save people. We call ourselves the “Two Crew” or sometines “Potty Patrol”
He is the one that saves, and He has offered evangelism as a blessing to be enjoyed. But true holiness is just aligning yourself to the Fathers will and thus living the life that Jesus lived. Well, this week the Father’s will for my life is to clean toilets and mop floors. So dangit, I’m going to do it with my whole heart and as much joy as I have inside of me.
To be honest it’s not even that hard. Rob and the rest of the El Rancho staff have been supernaturally generous and loving towards us. You cannot deny the Holy Spirits movement in this place and these people. And the attitude is infectious. I want to bless them anyway I can because of the love they have for God and others! It’s such a beautiful thing to see, the love of Christ knitting us together in service and preference towards one another. This is the life that Paul talked to us about in Philippians Chapter 2. This is the Kingdom of God invading earth. Rob likes to say that, “you are never so close to Jesus as when you are scrubbing toilets.”
1If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
