Mother’s Day was a through the roof success at our house: I cooked brunch for 11 and hosted a second party for 30 in the evening. I got up early (for me), went to bed late, and am walking on sticky floors yet again. I generated four bags of trash in three hours, washed loads of wet pool towels and had a dog throwing up from all the bits and pieces fed to him by well-meaning but misguided guests. And this madhouse was an amazing success. Here’s why.

Last night we welcomed a new staff member to our team at Christ Fellowship. His name is Dale Hudson, and he will be the new Children’s Director at CF. He and his wife Pamela and two sons, Joshua and Caleb, were in town for a house-hunting trip, so we through an impromptu party to introduce the Hudsons to some of the characters that wander through the Christ Fellowship world. We mixed staff couples with lay leaders, students and adults and children, broke out the Guitar Hero and generally had a good night. Several people asked me why we would throw this party on Mother’s Day, and why we do that over and over again. My reply is that using my home to intentionally create the kind of community God loves brings amazing benefits to me, my family and my church home.

  1.  Ministry happens in the unplanned moments. I sat with our Student Ministries director and one of his staff members (who happens to live with us) while they were discussing new series, new service times, priorities. Because they had open, teachable spirits they were able to glean input from students who were present, other staffers in other areas of the church, parents, an elder, and the lead pastor. If you tried to “call a meeting” for that kind of input, you’d still be coordinating schedules.
  2. Relationships develop over coffee. This is a sacred saying for me, though I’d like to find a snappier way to phrase it. True, nonetheless. I watch the gang clustered around our coffee machine compulsively pushing the espresso button and bonding in a different way than is possible in the halls of a church. When you know that rough and rugged guy uses Splenda in his coffee you somehow have a deeper insight into his character! In my home I have seen ministry relationships form and deepen. Unscheduled time in my house is a time when we can throw crazy, off-the-wall ideas out into the discussion forum and wait for them to germinate in a new, creative outpouring.
  3. Mentoring is natural in a home. Last night’s mentoring opportunities ran the gamut: ministry mentoring from older staff members to younger, teenage girls helping young girls feel comfortable with who they are in a big group (including helping them with bathing suit choices…no small feat!), older moms to younger moms, even experienced drivers (of golf carts) to inexperienced drivers!
  4. Pastors are people too. I love exposing new staff members to their pastors and watching them find out just how human they are. I also love having teenagers watch the leaders of their church interact with real life. I watched our Student Ministries guy singing High School Music karaoke with his daughter, while several of his high school students watched with rapt attention. They adored this moment of dad-daughter interaction, and they learned from it. My own children have learned — over years of this kind of exposure — that their pastors are genuine and real on and off the stage. They will never be fooled by hypocritical pastors into thinking that “all” pastors are like that. Priceless.

Can you think of a better Mother’s Day than to give those kinds of gifts to your family and friends? I can’t! I am so thankful that so many were willing to come share their night with us and invest in their relationships with each other.