The golf cart would beep, but it would not move. It was not on a green somewhere, mind you, but in our church fellowship hall where it normally is. We use it to shuttle people from the parking lot to the church during special events and even just on normal days for some of our seasoned citizens. But last week, when I went to move it, beeping, but no moving.
Within minutes, I had my ratchet set and electrical kit there. I took the negative cables off all of the batteries, tested each one and found that three of the six batteries were at nearly zero volts rather than the required eight volts. When any battery for some reason drops below six volts, the charger will no longer operate for any of them, and they all die one by one. But with each one now disconnected from the others, I was able to put a trickle charger individually on the low batteries. When each one reached at least six volts, I hooked everything back up, and the charger began charging all of them to the appropriate level. And now, at tomorrow’s ladies meeting, we should be able to offer a few hundred ladies a ride to the fellowship hall and church if they desire it.
Outside, one of the lights that is supposed to shine on our building is going on and off at regular intervals during the night. And this tells me that the gentleman who installed the photoelectric eye recently to replace the malfunctioning one (Me, I am the one who goofed) inadvertently switched the red and black wires. So today, I will switch those back, and all should be well.
Yes, I am going somewhere with this, but please let me give you another maintenance note before I get there. Last month, one of the urinals in the men’s restroom started leaking constantly. On the front of the flush valve is a little cap nut. By removing it, I exposed a screw that, when I tightened it down, stopped the water flow. Then I removed the entire valve, changed the gasket, reassembled everything, loosened the screw, reinstalled the cap nut, and it now works as it should with no leaking.
And I did not know how to do any of this before I became a pastor.
I knew from the time I was very young that I was called to preach. But truthfully, as I got to be an older teenager, I was pretty nervous about it. And this was not out of fear of difficulties or worry over finances. No, my nervousness stemmed from my innate restlessness. I absolutely dreaded the idea of a sedentary life bound to a chair behind a desk. I grew up playing sports and fighting and exploring, and boredom seemed to me a fate worse than death. Nonetheless, I answered the call — and God then seems to have smiled and said, “Awesome; now, let’s make sure you will never be bored a single day for the rest of your life.”
I do spend a great deal of time at a desk; I am at my church office desk now, writing this column. I have a lovely desk and office at home as well. I preach and teach on average 12 to 13 times a week, so there are many long hours sitting and studying. I have written 40 books thus far, which means a lot more time sitting and typing.
But I also make furniture. For a photo prop at our ladies meeting, my dear bride requested a handmade wooden kitchen island. A couple of hours later, a pile of scrap lumber was a beautifully sanded wooden island. And I make custom stairs with under-stair storage as well. That has actually been my project for the last three weeks in our family life center. It will allow easy access to the huge storage and maintenance platform over the kitchen wing, and it is 90% finished. And if I may say, they are really nice, including the 15 cabinets under the stairs that will now hold the bins of our tablecloths, napkins and runners.
A couple of weeks ago, Dana noticed that the heavy plastic guard under the front bumper of the church transit van was hanging down on one side. Upon examination, I found that a part of it had torn loose. It took about 15 minutes to put it back in place with a washer large enough to keep it there. And it looks pretty good sitting next to the rock-look concrete wall that a couple of great men from the church and I just stained a lovely brown, which was also a first for me.
I have gotten to build handicap ramps, rip out and replace rotting bathroom floors for some of our widows, do elaborate landscaping and even build a brick mailbox. I have done roofing and flooring. I don’t do much automotive engine repair; unless someone cares to teach me, everything under the hood will pretty much remain a “thingy.” I have also gotten to travel to 14 countries and a bunch of states preaching revivals, family conferences and youth rallies.
Here is the point to every bit of this: serving God is not boring in the least, so if he has called you to serve, then do it, full speed ahead. You will lead sinners to Christ, impact lives, encourage the weary, comfort the hurting and guide the wayward. And, if you like, you will also get to build and repair and beautify and maintain both the house of God and the homes of others who cannot do for themselves. You will never get to clock out, but you will never have to clock in, either; you will experience a life where, at any given moment, day or night, all of your plans can change in a split second of time.
If God calls, I highly recommend answering.
Bo Wagner is pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church of Mooresboro, North Carolina, a widely traveled evangelist and the author of several books available on Amazon and at wordofhismouth.com. Email him at 2knowhim@cbc-web.org.
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