Lessons the circus taught me about support teams

A few weeks ago the circus came to town. On a whim, my wife and I decided to take our children. We’re glad we did. Our family enjoyed a much needed break from our regular routine.

Throughout the two hours of pure entertainment, I was amazed and awed by the talented performers, the exotic animals, and the superb band. But what really caught my attention was the adeptness of the support staff. These guys, dressed in black, were constantly involved behind the scenes helping with various aspects of the show. These “men in black” juggled a lot of tasks:

• They intuitively moved what seemed to be hundreds of props in and out of the ring to their exact specified location for the various acts.
• When a flying trapeze artist was jumping onto another trapeze artist, these guys were standing nearby ready to catch or stabilize them if they lost their balance.
• When a ring of fire needed to be put out, they had the proper equipment in place, just outside of the ring, ready to extinguish the fire at just the right moment.
• These guys stood guard outside the ring when it was converted into a giant cage in which a half dozen or so lions played with one extremely dangerous and crazy lion tamer.

What’s more, these guys weren’t blundering around trying to figure out where to go and what to do. They clearly knew their places during each act, and were on location without wasting any time or effort. Clearly, these guys understood the importance of their responsibilities, and they took their duties very seriously. In many cases, their attention to detail and effort was a matter of life and death, especially if something were to go wrong. Imagine: should someone fall or something go wrong, people’s very lives depended on these men. Now that’s responsibility!

As you can tell, I got very distracted at the circus.

If you are considering becoming part of the support team at your church, here are some important questions you should ask yourself:

• Can I be counted on to be in my place?
• Can others depend on me to do the job?
• Will I consistently perform the tasks required?
• Am I willing to wear many hats, as the jobs require?
• Am I able to purposefully serve, regardless of potential personal discomfort?
• Am I really willing to take on the responsibility required of me?

In the circus, the most important people in the show aren’t the clowns, the ringmaster, or any of the performers. The most important people are the support staff. They’re the reason the show can go on.

Church is no three-ring circus (or at least, it shouldn’t be), but it is the “main event.” All the more reason to have an excellent support team!

Related posts:

1. The value of music lessons for children