When Serving Feels Optional: Why Showing Up Matters More Than You Think

Lately, I’ve been carrying something heavy on my heart — not out of frustration, but out of deep care for the church and the people God has brought into our midst. Each week, something sacred happens. We gather. We worship. We listen. We pray. We open ourselves to God’s Word. But beyond all the visible elements of a service, there’s something invisible that holds it all together — the quiet, faithful presence of those who choose to show up, again and again.

I say this gently — that when some of our leaders, volunteers and people who deeply love the church aren’t around, it makes a real difference. Not just in logistics or planning, but in the atmosphere. In our ability to connect with new folks. In how supported or stretched the rest of the team feels. Even in how we, as leaders, stay encouraged.

We might think, “I’m not on duty this week,” or “I’m not leading anything today, so maybe I can sit this one out.” But here’s the thing: being present is part of how we lead.

Your presence is a powerful gospel witness. Just being there — standing in worship, making eye contact, catching up with someone over chai — tells others: “This matters. You matter. God is doing something here, and I want to be a part of it.”

Church was never meant to run on programs and rotas. It’s built on relationships — and relationships need consistency, presence, and availability.

This is especially true for those of us who have taken up leadership or committed to serve in some capacity. It’s not about guilt or performance. It’s about understanding that our presence is part of our discipleship. I wonder if part of the challenge is that we don’t always talk about this clearly. We don’t want to sound legalistic or demanding, but maybe we’ve swung so far in the direction of grace that we’ve forgotten that accountability is also an expression of love.

So here’s my invitation — especially to those of us who lead or serve in any visible or invisible way: Let’s not treat Sundays as optional. Let’s not underestimate the value of simply being present.

Even when we’re not “on stage,” we are still being watched, still influencing, still helping build the culture of our church.

Let’s keep the conversation open.

• How can we talk about this in ways that are helpful, not hurtful?
• What might it look like to carry this sense of shared responsibility as a joy, not a burden? ​
• I’d love for us to wrestle with this together — because I really believe the health of our church depends on it