A Look Behind the Scenes at a Women’s Conference

This week I get to attend one of my all time favorite conferences for women. I think a disclaimer is due; it’s held at the church I call home. So yeah, I’m a little biased. I enjoy gathering together with other women to worship and learn more about the Lord, as I’m sure many of you do to. The following is not unique to my home church, it happens in any women’s conference.

We walk into the event with ticket or phone bar code ready, and join the throngs of women excited and eager to be there. The air fills with  sweet perfume and high pitched chatter…

..and so it begins.

We’ve made it through the main doors and into the sanctuary. Found seats and saved several for our friends. Right on time the lights dim, the first musical note rings out like a call to attention. We stand and join our voices with the gifted, talented musicians and vocalists leading us in worship to the Lord.

Session after session anointed speakers bring God’s truth to our thirsty hearts. We leave filled to the brim, encouraged and inspired. Inspired to stand on God’s truth. Inspired to be brave. Inspired to move forward. Inspired to be used by the Lord.

Except, our being used by the Lord looks a lot different to those we admired on stage. We can feel unnoticed, seen by only a few and we are left thinking our contribution to the kingdom work is insignificant in comparison.

Yours, LORD, is the greatness and power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11

Any conference would be a flop if we didn’t have those who minister to us from the stage. I so appreciate how they use their time and talents for the Lord. They don’t do it for the applause. It’s their act of service and worship to the one who gave them the talent in the first place.

The Hidden People

For all the people we see on stage, leading, singing, dancing, acting and speaking know there are far more behind the scenes using their God given talents. They are the ones who work the lights, sound and cameras so we can see a close-up on the big screen. They are the ones who put the pens and booklets on the chairs for our use. The behind-the-scenes people make the coffee, order the box lunches, and while we sit in the meeting soaking up the atmosphere, they are busy moving tables into the foyer placing box lunch, after box lunch, after box lunch on those tables for our convenience.

They volunteer as greeters, welcoming us with their warm smiles. They keep the restrooms clean and restocked with supplies. They sell the mech we want to buy. They make sure the onstage people are fed not only on the day of the conference, but also during practice on the weeks leading up to the conference. They cover us in prayer starting months before and during the services. The list is endless, too many behind the scenes activity to mention, but you get the idea, don’t you?

Act of Worship

From conception to delivery. On stage or behind the scenes. Paid speaker, or volunteer. Everyone has a role to play and no one role is more important than the other. Whether we stand on a stage or work behind the scenes lets do it as an act of worship to the Lord.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters. Colossians:3:23

Serving as an act of worship invades every part of our lives. Let’s serve the Lord joyfully wherever and in whatever field we find ourselves.

Unseen by the many. Noticed by the few. Always seen by God.

Are you a behind the scenes or an on stage person? Maybe you do both. Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Live life radiant in Christ

Helena

Photo Credits: Crowd singing. Edward Cisneros/Unsplash. Yellow Tulips; Unsplash