Picture this: a church – not one of those scandal-ridden ones, but one that truly reaches out to its community. When a hurricane wreaked havoc, they did the real Christian thing. They dipped into their funds, took the homeless off the streets, and lodged them in hotels. They fed them until these folks had roofs over their heads again.
The Volunteer Trap in the House of God
As with any institution, they needed volunteers. Meet OP, a 50-year-old man who has a knack for avoiding conflicts.
Just Being Helpful
He’s the guy who just can’t say no, especially when he’s already there. It’s a classic case of a helpful nature being exploited. When you can’t say no, you end up doing all sorts of tasks.
Coffee Chaos in the Church Kitchen
One day, they asked OP to make coffee, not for a small group, but for a crowd of 150. Despite not being a coffee drinker, OP agreed.
Something Bizarre Happened
There was training involved, which he dutifully underwent. But when it was his day to step into the kitchen, something bizarre happened.
Leave Now
Someone barged in and chased him out. No discussions, no arguments, just a demand that he leave!
A Question of Kitchen Politics
OP left to avoid any discord. He supposed they must have been fed up with volunteers helping themselves to the food.
He also wondered if it was because he was a man in a predominantly female-run kitchen. But he had had enough.
He vowed never to make that coffee again. If he wasn’t welcome in the kitchen, they could make their own coffee.
Security Scuffle at the Sanctuary
Then came the security job. OP lived and worked near the church.
He was ideal for the role because he could get to the church quickly if the alarm went off.
Starting a New Role
They trained him, gave him the codes, and he was all set.
But then came another twist: The person who trained him mentioned that a higher-up didn’t want OP in the security role because he wasn’t a church member.
The Price of Membership
Membership wasn’t just about attending church or donating money. It involved a public declaration of allegiance and a baptism in front of the entire congregation.
Any previous baptisms didn’t count. It was a spectacle that OP disliked.
Plus, he remembered a Deacon telling him to go elsewhere because his kids were loud. So, he decided not to become a member.
The Unsaid Power Struggles
The lady who trained him probably thought that by sharing the anonymous objection, she could persuade OP to become a member. OP had different plans.
He graciously agreed with the anonymous person and decided to step down. He said that the church’s security officer should be someone trusted by the whole congregation.
A Consensual Volunteer Journey
The pastor tried to intervene and downplay the significance of church membership. But OP wasn’t interested.
He believed that volunteering should be consensual. He didn’t want to spend his time arguing with self-appointed gatekeepers. He could be using that time to relax or read a book.
A Tech-Savvy Volunteer’s Final Stand
OP still helps out occasionally with one-off tasks and has a regular technical duty that nobody bothers him about. But for everything else, he’s learned to say no.
He knows there’s always that anonymous person who might object. He doesn’t want to join a committee only to be told about objections later.
His journey has taught him one thing – sometimes, saying ‘no’ is the best option.
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The post He Was a Total Yes Man…Until He Tried Working With His Local Church first appeared on Career Step Up.
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Source: Reddit
