Is this spiritual abuse?

[Gentle Lamb]

Why is there such an emphasis in asking new converts or people who have newly joined a church to become a church worker/volunteer instead of there being an emphasis on building them up spiritually and what can be done to address it? This has happened to me many times as I've attempted to join a new church and looking back, I realize how harmful it was for me spiritually to be pressured to join a church worker group when I was just newly returning to Christ as a baby Christian. Instead of learning and focusing on the basics of the faith to be built up in them, I was busy as a church worker, and the mistakes I made, spiritual abuse I suffered, and the events that followed were a result of not knowing and understanding basic principles of the faith such as the importance of forgiveness, the importance of growing in the fruit of the spirit, bearing trials patiently, etc. Is it a form of spiritual abuse to push new converts to just quickly become a church worker instead of focusing on discipling them?

 

[Laodicean60]

Your feeling of pressure or guilt is your own. Churches always need help but if they are forcing you, leave. I've been to several churches throughout my lifetime and the preacher sometimes asks for help at certain times of the year or to join the ministry and I've helped at certain events. I never feel guilty when I say no because my life is my own.

 

[peaceful-forest]

I'm not sure if it's considered abuse. I remember when I was first saved and had joined a church, they wanted me to volunteer with the nursery. The pastor was very good at getting people to do what he wanted, whether they wanted to or not.

You have reflected on the situation and have learned from it. The next time you join a new church and you get asked to volunteer or work there, if you don't want to do it, tell them no.

 

[Bobber]

Why is there such an emphasis in asking new converts or people who have newly joined a church to become a church worker/volunteer instead of there being an emphasis on building them up spiritually and what can be done to address it?

Not sure you can make such a universal statement that such applies to all churches. OK you say that's what you've experienced....I can accept you've flet this way.

This has happened to me many times as I've attempted to join a new church and looking back, I realize how harmful it was for me spiritually to be pressured to join a church worker group when I was just newly returning to Christ as a baby Christian.

Well this isn't always an easy thing for church leaders to figure out. So tell us what exactly is your comfort zone of time whereby you'd say OK now I"d like to get involved. There's a ditch on the other side of the road where people come week after week and it goes for a year or two years.....and they don't help with anything? Are you saying that's right?

Instead of learning and focusing on the basics of the faith to be built up in them, I was busy as a church worker, and the mistakes I made, spiritual abuse I suffered, and the events that followed were a result of not knowing and understanding basic principles of the faith such as the importance of forgiveness, the importance of growing in the fruit of the spirit, bearing trials patiently, etc. Is it a form of spiritual abuse to push new converts to just quickly become a church worker instead of focusing on discipling them?

So tell us what's your comfort level of acceptable time? Some churches have two services and they need workers to pull it off. Actually I do think churches can cut out a lot of things that need workers. If you've got them you've got them fair enough but always seeking to have ushers, Sunday school for kids a caffa for refreshments......parking lot people.....church can function church without a lot of those things......Remember though......if they drop off these things don't be saying, How come they don't have this??????

 

[Bobber]

I'm not sure if it's considered abuse. I remember when I was first saved and had joined a church, they wanted me to volunteer with the nursery. The pastor was very good at getting people to do what he wanted, whether they wanted to or not.

Many times their vision is to seek to get everyone somehow involved. I'm guessing some have taken courses how to delegate authority. I like to do something to participate in chruch but one has to be very careful.....know what's really happening to you. It's so easy to do one thing......and then you're invited to do another thing to.......before you know it you're go, go, go, go.

When you're supposed t have a week off another phones in and can't make it...they ask you to cover....before you know it that get's happening every week. Should say this though too.....all this can be fine if a person feels good a bout it. Some do like always being busy and consider the more they do the more they may be pleasing God more as being his servant. Everyone needs to pace themselves in exactly to what measure one feels comfortable in doing church work.

You have reflected on the situation and have learned from it. The next time you join a new church and you get asked to volunteer or work there, if you don't want to do it, tell them no.

One can do that if they like. Would be nice though if everyone did at least something.

 

[Studyman]

Why is there such an emphasis in asking new converts or people who have newly joined a church to become a church worker/volunteer instead of there being an emphasis on building them up spiritually and what can be done to address it? This has happened to me many times as I've attempted to join a new church and looking back, I realize how harmful it was for me spiritually to be pressured to join a church worker group when I was just newly returning to Christ as a baby Christian. Instead of learning and focusing on the basics of the faith to be built up in them, I was busy as a church worker, and the mistakes I made, spiritual abuse I suffered, and the events that followed were a result of not knowing and understanding basic principles of the faith such as the importance of forgiveness, the importance of growing in the fruit of the spirit, bearing trials patiently, etc. Is it a form of spiritual abuse to push new converts to just quickly become a church worker instead of focusing on discipling them?

In my experience and as a result of study, what you have experienced is dealing with religious businesses. To survive, these businesses need participating members to support their business financially as well as physically. Some 30 years ago now, because of this very thing, and the doctrines and traditions which didn't square with what the scriptures actually said, we left these many religions, and started studying for ourselves, placing our trust in God to reveal Himself to us, outside of mainstream religions of the world we were born into.

It was the same for those born in Paul's Time, in my view, with the Jews religion, and their manmade shrines of worship and religious traditions which caused those who followed them to Transgress God's Commandments.

If a person is seeking a religion, they are many and easy to find, but a person is then relying on the philosophies of men to guide them, which changes from one religious business or sect to another as they compete for contributing members without which their business could not survive.

But if a person is Seeking to know the One True God, And the Jesus of the Bible that this God sent, they can be found in the comfort of your own homes, in study of the Scriptures which Paul said were trustworthy "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness".

As Promised, we have the Oracles of God in our own homes now, and do not need to rely on corruptible men, to learn about the God of Abraham, and His Son who this God sent.

I highly recommend this avenue to God, especially given all the warnings in scriptures about "many" deceivers coming in Christ's Name.

I am, of course, a nobody, nevertheless, I have found that God is faithful to reveal Himself to those who are Seeking Him from the heart.

It's not always easy, and there is a cost, as the Jesus of the bible teaches, but what is gained, is far greater than what is lost in my experience, even in this world, not to mention the world to come.

If you are truly seeking Him, you will find Him.

 

[peaceful-forest]

I also wanted to add that you should ask God what He wants you to do. He may or may not want you to serve at a particular church.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Why is there such an emphasis in asking new converts or people who have newly joined a church to become a church worker/volunteer instead of there being an emphasis on building them up spiritually and what can be done to address it? This has happened to me many times as I've attempted to join a new church and looking back, I realize how harmful it was for me spiritually to be pressured to join a church worker group when I was just newly returning to Christ as a baby Christian. Instead of learning and focusing on the basics of the faith to be built up in them, I was busy as a church worker, and the mistakes I made, spiritual abuse I suffered, and the events that followed were a result of not knowing and understanding basic principles of the faith such as the importance of forgiveness, the importance of growing in the fruit of the spirit, bearing trials patiently, etc. Is it a form of spiritual abuse to push new converts to just quickly become a church worker instead of focusing on discipling them?

Can you possibly do both, learn and grow in your faith and help others who are in the Body of Christ with you?
Blessings
PS: IMHO, asking for help in a congregation is not spiritual abuse.

 

[Gentle Lamb]

Can you possibly do both, learn and grow in your faith and help others who are in the Body of Christ with you?
Blessings
PS: IMHO, asking for help in a congregation is not spiritual abuse.

The issue at hand is how can a new convert focus on growing in faith when constantly being pressured to join a ministry not to be served but to serve when they don't know the basic principles of the gospel? Are there any church models with more than a 3 week new believers class? Is there a church model where new believers are carefully tended to for a lengthy period of time where there is no demand placed on them other than for them to learn and grow in the faith?

I also wanted to add that you should ask God what He wants you to do. He may or may not want you to serve at a particular church.

How would a new believer even have the spiritual maturity to even know to pray and ask God what they should do? I have seen this in so many churches where it's just fast tracking new believers to become a member of the church and to join a ministry where they serve and become so busy in church whereas they are not necessarily being tended to spiritually. Usually a lot of drama follows.

In my experience and as a result of study, what you have experienced is dealing with religious businesses. To survive, these businesses need participating members to support their business financially as well as physically. Some 30 years ago now, because of this very thing, and the doctrines and traditions which didn't square with what the scriptures actually said, we left these many religions, and started studying for ourselves, placing our trust in God to reveal Himself to us, outside of mainstream religions of the world we were born into.

It was the same for those born in Paul's Time, in my view, with the Jews religion, and their manmade shrines of worship and religious traditions which caused those who followed them to Transgress God's Commandments.

If a person is seeking a religion, they are many and easy to find, but a person is then relying on the philosophies of men to guide them, which changes from one religious business or sect to another as they compete for contributing members without which their business could not survive.

But if a person is Seeking to know the One True God, And the Jesus of the Bible that this God sent, they can be found in the comfort of your own homes, in study of the Scriptures which Paul said were trustworthy "for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness".

As Promised, we have the Oracles of God in our own homes now, and do not need to rely on corruptible men, to learn about the God of Abraham, and His Son who this God sent.

I highly recommend this avenue to God, especially given all the warnings in scriptures about "many" deceivers coming in Christ's Name.

I am, of course, a nobody, nevertheless, I have found that God is faithful to reveal Himself to those who are Seeking Him from the heart.

It's not always easy, and there is a cost, as the Jesus of the bible teaches, but what is gained, is far greater than what is lost in my experience, even in this world, not to mention the world to come.

If you are truly seeking Him, you will find Him.

Your response actually makes the most sense. It makes me wonder if the house church model is the answer to this issue. I have seen churches placing heavy financial burdens on the congregation members and heavy demands on time as well. All of this is to the expense of the study of the word of God and actual spiritual growth and churches like that are usually under poor leadership and full of drama. The Bible says we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together but should exhort one another. It is actually hard though, in the modern church, to even learn much about the word of God each time you go as the emphasis tends to be on other things during the service. I was a Christian for years and I was always hearing parts about the Bible that I had never heard of before because I was not instructed to read through the entire Bible. I was mainly dependent on scriptures I heard in church. My main point however is about actually being able to grow spiritually as part of a church. I have found that the main way I have grown through my faith is through my own personal study of God's word and it shouldn't be that way with the amount of time that I have put into being part of churches. More of my spiritual growth should have come from fellowship and study of God's word with other brethren. Being part of a church ministry becomes more like busy work than something that would lead to spiritual growth and development.

Not sure you can make such a universal statement that such applies to all churches. OK you say that's what you've experienced....I can accept you've flet this way.


Well this isn't always an easy thing for church leaders to figure out. So tell us what exactly is your comfort zone of time whereby you'd say OK now I"d like to get involved. There's a ditch on the other side of the road where people come week after week and it goes for a year or two years.....and they don't help with anything? Are you saying that's right?


So tell us what's your comfort level of acceptable time? Some churches have two services and they need workers to pull it off. Actually I do think churches can cut out a lot of things that need workers. If you've got them you've got them fair enough but always seeking to have ushers, Sunday school for kids a caffa for refreshments......parking lot people.....church can function church without a lot of those things......Remember though......if they drop off these things don't be saying, How come they don't have this??????

A ditch on the side of the road is merely a one or two afternoon project that takes a few volunteers and a few hours. Joining a church ministry is a different thing and a far different time commitment. I have even seen posts on CF about people who volunteer at church being burnt out because they are doing so much in church. Being burnt out does not even align with the gospel message. Jesus calls us to him to rest in Him Matthew 11:28. Between Mary and Martha, Jesus preferred the actions of Mary, who took the time to sit at Jesus feet and spend time with Him, rather than being busy and not even having a minute to sit at His feet. The modern church model is training everyone who walks through the doors to be like Martha to the extreme and even worse. Churches shouldn't be so busy and new converts should be discipled to learn the principles of the gospel for more than a few weeks, it takes time to learn the principles of the gospel. Jesus spent 3 years teaching His disciples. The only new believer/baptism class I ever attended was maybe like a 1 afternoon session, after which I was then baptized, pressured into joining a ministry and then subjected to a lot of spiritual abuse because I was a new believer with a lot of issues to work through and I had no spiritual maturity or any other maturity to deal with anything that came my way. If I had been able to learn the principles of the gospel and their importance, things would have been so different. Do you know of any church model that holds new believers accountable, patiently discipling them for months or even years before even making demands on them to join ministries to spend their time to serve and lead?

I'm not sure if it's considered abuse. I remember when I was first saved and had joined a church, they wanted me to volunteer with the nursery. The pastor was very good at getting people to do what he wanted, whether they wanted to or not.

You have reflected on the situation and have learned from it. The next time you join a new church and you get asked to volunteer or work there, if you don't want to do it, tell them no.

I know and understand that now, but I didn't know then, and I was so eager to help! New converts are so eager to do anything because of their newfound love for Jesus. Getting them to just join a ministry instead of teaching them how to follow the principles of Christ first is backwards, isn't it?

Also this, what you said... The pastor was very good at getting people to do what he wanted, whether they wanted to or not.

This is a big problem in churches. Too many pastors are good at that!

Your feeling of pressure or guilt is your own. Churches always need help but if they are forcing you, leave. I've been to several churches throughout my lifetime and the preacher sometimes asks for help at certain times of the year or to join the ministry and I've helped at certain events. I never feel guilty when I say no because my life is my own.

That wasn't the point I was trying to make. Also, it's very easy to tell someone to just leave a situation, but as for all things, much easier said than done. My point is, shouldn't new believers be discipled first for a lengthy period of time before even being allowed to serve in any ministry and where is the church model that does this with new believers?

 

[Paidiske]

Why is there such an emphasis in asking new converts or people who have newly joined a church to become a church worker/volunteer instead of there being an emphasis on building them up spiritually and what can be done to address it?

I would say that learning to use one's gifts in service, as part of the body of Christ, is part of building someone up spiritually; and that's probably at least part of why you've observed the pattern you have.

Is it a form of spiritual abuse to push new converts to just quickly become a church worker instead of focusing on discipling them?

I'd say it is becoming abuse if it's more than an invitation, but there is pressure or coercion about it. I don't think it's spiritual abuse to invite people to get involved in some way.

The issue at hand is how can a new convert focus on growing in faith when constantly being pressured to join a ministry not to be served but to serve when they don't know the basic principles of the gospel?

Ideally both service and learning should be happening in parallel, for all of us throughout our lives. If service work is so much that it's crowding out space for learning, that's a problem.

Are there any church models with more than a 3 week new believers class?

Sure. Various catechumenal models come to mind.

Is there a church model where new believers are carefully tended to for a lengthy period of time where there is no demand placed on them other than for them to learn and grow in the faith?

Well, again, service is part of how we grow, so if I were designing such a lengthy learning programme, I'd build service into it.

 

[seeking.IAM]

I believe there is another possibility that has not been mentioned here. Least wise not that I read. There is a school of thought in church growth that involving new persons in one activity or mission of the church is more likely to give them a sense of belonging and keep them engaged in the church. In such cases, there is a (perhaps misguided) wish to keep newcomers, not to inflict discomfort or spiritual abuse. I think the biggest error in church growth attempts is to try to fit newcomers into what the church thinks they must want rather than finding out and trying to satisfy what they really do want. Different people want and need different things from a church. In any case, I advise you to have the confidence and freedom to say "no." Walk your own walk.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

The issue at hand is how can a new convert focus on growing in faith when constantly being pressured to join a ministry not to be served but to serve when they don't know the basic principles of the gospel? Are there any church models with more than a 3 week new believers class? Is there a church model where new believers are carefully tended to for a lengthy period of time where there is no demand placed on them other than for them to learn and grow in the faith?


How would a new believer even have the spiritual maturity to even know to pray and ask God what they should do? I have seen this in so many churches where it's just fast tracking new believers to become a member of the church and to join a ministry where they serve and become so busy in church whereas they are not necessarily being tended to spiritually. Usually a lot of drama follows.


Your response actually makes the most sense. It makes me wonder if the house church model is the answer to this issue. I have seen churches placing heavy financial burdens on the congregation members and heavy demands on time as well. All of this is to the expense of the study of the word of God and actual spiritual growth and churches like that are usually under poor leadership and full of drama. The Bible says we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together but should exhort one another. It is actually hard though, in the modern church, to even learn much about the word of God each time you go as the emphasis tends to be on other things during the service. I was a Christian for years and I was always hearing parts about the Bible that I had never heard of before because I was not instructed to read through the entire Bible. I was mainly dependent on scriptures I heard in church. My main point however is about actually being able to grow spiritually as part of a church. I have found that the main way I have grown through my faith is through my own personal study of God's word and it shouldn't be that way with the amount of time that I have put into being part of churches. More of my spiritual growth should have come from fellowship and study of God's word with other brethren. Being part of a church ministry becomes more like busy work than something that would lead to spiritual growth and development.



A ditch on the side of the road is merely a one or two afternoon project that takes a few volunteers and a few hours. Joining a church ministry is a different thing and a far different time commitment. I have even seen posts on CF about people who volunteer at church being burnt out because they are doing so much in church. Being burnt out does not even align with the gospel message. Jesus calls us to him to rest in Him Matthew 11:28. Between Mary and Martha, Jesus preferred the actions of Mary, who took the time to sit at Jesus feet and spend time with Him, rather than being busy and not even having a minute to sit at His feet. The modern church model is training everyone who walks through the doors to be like Martha to the extreme and even worse. Churches shouldn't be so busy and new converts should be discipled to learn the principles of the gospel for more than a few weeks, it takes time to learn the principles of the gospel. Jesus spent 3 years teaching His disciples. The only new believer/baptism class I ever attended was maybe like a 1 afternoon session, after which I was then baptized, pressured into joining a ministry and then subjected to a lot of spiritual abuse because I was a new believer with a lot of issues to work through and I had no spiritual maturity or any other maturity to deal with anything that came my way. If I had been able to learn the principles of the gospel and their importance, things would have been so different. Do you know of any church model that holds new believers accountable, patiently discipling them for months or even years before even making demands on them to join ministries to spend their time to serve and lead?



I know and understand that now, but I didn't know then, and I was so eager to help! New converts are so eager to do anything because of their newfound love for Jesus. Getting them to just join a ministry instead of teaching them how to follow the principles of Christ first is backwards, isn't it?

Also this, what you said... The pastor was very good at getting people to do what he wanted, whether they wanted to or not.

This is a big problem in churches. Too many pastors are good at that!




That wasn't the point I was trying to make. Also, it's very easy to tell someone to just leave a situation, but as for all things, much easier said than done. My point is, shouldn't new believers be discipled first for a lengthy period of time before even being allowed to serve in any ministry and where is the church model that does this with new believers?

Sorry to break this to you. Christianity is all about serving others not self. Be blessed.

 

[Bobber]

I have even seen posts on CF about people who volunteer at church being burnt out because they are doing so much in church. Being burnt out does not even align with the gospel message. Jesus calls us to him to rest in Him Matthew 11:28.

Well they can back out of it if they want. Just do it. But you can't expect churches which need help not seek to solicit people's support.

Between Mary and Martha, Jesus preferred the actions of Mary, who took the time to sit at Jesus feet and spend time with Him, rather than being busy and not even having a minute to sit at His feet.

You sure you're not seeking to make any involvement in ministry of helps as being extreme. You sure you're not just saying all this to justify not being a support whatsoever? Look I'm with you with people getting involved in too much. But surely there's a little something that everyone can do. No if they don't want to fine.....but I think they're missing out on understanding we are supposed to work as a team. And one doesn't have to interpret this as mere legalism....it's just spiritual sense.

 

[com7fy8]

Why is there such an emphasis in asking new converts or people who have newly joined a church to become a church worker/volunteer instead of there being an emphasis on building them up spiritually and what can be done to address it?

If a church is wrong, it is possible the people are not Christians. And will Jesus trust His newborn sheep to wolves? John 10:1-30 to me means that Jesus gives us genuine pastors.

I do not think you are doing this but > it seems there are people who find only churches that do things wrong. And they welcome this as their excuse to just criticize wrong people, instead of get with a real church which will require them to get real with God and grow up in Jesus.

And there is another possibility. A church can have the people who do things right. But others are the abusers, who can seem like leaders and representative of their churches. But the genuine ones quietly and humbly do things right, meanwhile. And they can meet with newly saved people and help them, even right while the wrong ones might try to influence new converts. And Jesus makes His sheep able to tell the difference.

But, yes, if you have communication with people in a group, and you know they are Christians but they need correction, I would say have hope for them, and offer how you see they could do better. There are genuinely Christian people who listen to correction.

If you find a real problem in a church, maybe first it is best to pray and get clear with God about what to do. And my experience is He can have me find who in a church are real Christians, and work and share with the real ones, and see how they are handling problem members.

And if God does not bless you with real ones in a place, possibly He will have you find Christians elsewhere, and then you can pray and share with each other and do what prayer has you in agreement to do.

 

[anetazo]

Ephesians chapter 3 and Corinthians chapter 12 to document, we all have diversity of gifts and abilities.

Not everyone can be teachers and pastors. Body of christ has different functions.

One person maybe Good at making money and helping the poor. Or good at singing in the choir. Or has charmisa to brighten up person who is sad.

Volunteers at soup kitchen is righteousness. Good works. James chapter 2 to document faith and works.

I'm not knocking churches down. But some are manipulative and do abuse people. Even use guilt trips on congregations.

What ever gifts and abilities Jesus gave us. Do your best.

If place abuses you. Don't go thier anymore.

Christian people are not walking mat for anyone.

I hope this helps.

 

[Studyman]

Your response actually makes the most sense. It makes me wonder if the house church model is the answer to this issue. I have seen churches placing heavy financial burdens on the congregation members and heavy demands on time as well. All of this is to the expense of the study of the word of God and actual spiritual growth and churches like that are usually under poor leadership and full of drama. The Bible says we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together but should exhort one another. It is actually hard though, in the modern church, to even learn much about the word of God each time you go as the emphasis tends to be on other things during the service. I was a Christian for years and I was always hearing parts about the Bible that I had never heard of before because I was not instructed to read through the entire Bible. I was mainly dependent on scriptures I heard in church. My main point however is about actually being able to grow spiritually as part of a church. I have found that the main way I have grown through my faith is through my own personal study of God's word and it shouldn't be that way with the amount of time that I have put into being part of churches. More of my spiritual growth should have come from fellowship and study of God's word with other brethren. Being part of a church ministry becomes more like busy work than something that would lead to spiritual growth and development.

Remember or at least consider that Noah, Abraham, Moses, Caleb, Joshua, Rehab, Shadrack, Zacharias, Simeon, Anna, the Wise men, Peter, Cornelious, Paul, James, John, Matthew, there are more, these men make up the "Church of God" in which the Jesus of the Bible is the High Priest, and His Father, the "One True God" that Jesus said to know is eternal life, is over all.

Eph. 4: 4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Listen to what the Scriptures said about the "assembly" you invoked.

Heb. 10: 21 And having an "high priest" over the "house of God"; 22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised 24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting (strongly encourage or urge (someone) to do something) one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. 26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,

27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

In Paul's time, there were religions whose leaders professed to know God, "but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate." These religions promoted traditions of man, which caused those who followed them to "Transgress God's Commandments". (Willfully Sin)

I don't think this is the "Assembly of believers" Paul was speaking to when he spoke about the assembly. In my understanding, if I am in a closet, just me alone with Jesus in my mind, studying God's Word from the heart, I am part of the Assembly. "Where two or more are gathered".

In my journey, and please understand that I am a nobody, nothing, I am only sharing my experience, my wife and I with our young daughter left the religions of this world pretty much for the same reasons you outlined, with more emphasis I guess, on the glaring difference between what the church I attended (Baptist) promoted as doctrine, and what the Scriptures actually taught. It was only a couple of years later, by complete accident, we came into contact with another family who experienced the same things as you and I. We are now a group of 17 after 27 years.

I say this to encourage you, you won't be alone in your journey should you choose to embark, if you are seeking God with all your heart. It's no picnic at first, and as the Jesus of the Bible teaches, there is a cost, and men who fall on this Christ are broken. But the man that this chastisement creates, is a new man for sure. I highly recommend the journey, although this world will become your enemy.

 

[linux.poet]

It may not be abuse, but it may be spiritually unproductive. If I were to design a training program for new believers, I would put an emphasis on Bible reading and prayer, an emphasis on spiritual discipline and learning. They need to be reading the Gospels, the letters of Paul - basically the entire new Testament so they know what is expected of them in the community of believers. They also need to be taught prayer basics: when to pray, how to pray, who to pray for, what to pray about, and so on.

As for service, I would go with a policy of little restraint and no obligation. If a new believer wants to help move chairs or paint walls, by all means let them help! But for those with the gifts of prophecy and faith and prayer, an overemphasis on service can be crippling. Same for the gift of teaching, which requires even more learning and dedicated study of the Word. New believers should not be in teaching positions without proper training, and should instead focus on learning and growing.

Basically, for those with serving gifts, a new believer training program would be teaching them what Scripture applies to their actions so that they may serve the body appropriately. Those with speaking gifts should "graduate" from new believer training into a Bible study or prayer group where their abilities can best be used to edify the body, and those Bible studies should have the contact information for local seminaries on file for those in the Bible study who want to learn even more. That would be the ideal model for new believer "onboarding", as it were. Whether that can be implemented or not is something for the pastors to ponder.

 

[tdidymas]

Why is there such an emphasis in asking new converts or people who have newly joined a church to become a church worker/volunteer instead of there being an emphasis on building them up spiritually and what can be done to address it? This has happened to me many times as I've attempted to join a new church and looking back, I realize how harmful it was for me spiritually to be pressured to join a church worker group when I was just newly returning to Christ as a baby Christian. Instead of learning and focusing on the basics of the faith to be built up in them, I was busy as a church worker, and the mistakes I made, spiritual abuse I suffered, and the events that followed were a result of not knowing and understanding basic principles of the faith such as the importance of forgiveness, the importance of growing in the fruit of the spirit, bearing trials patiently, etc. Is it a form of spiritual abuse to push new converts to just quickly become a church worker instead of focusing on discipling them?

For new believers: "As newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby."
For believers who need spiritual growth: "Do not forsake the assembling of yourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another to love and good deeds, as you see The Day approaching."

IOW, all Christians need teaching, and a discipline to study the Bible to get familiar with what Jesus commands, and the wisdom of the ages. In this way, we all get the appropriate words and attitudes for correcting one another when anyone is wrong in words, deeds, or attitudes.

When it comes to needs of the church, the needs must be met by someone, because the church is the people who gather there. Every need has to be related to people who attend. However, it has to be presented in a manner of kindness.

I once had an experience where I was pressured into leading a church group in a remote location, so it made replacing the leader a big chore for the pastor (who lived and ministered 2 hours away). He had to replace a departing leader, and wanted that leader to recruit a replacement. I was recruited, since at the time I thought saying "no" was sinful. Since I was a new Christian at the time, it was not appropriate for me to be a leader, and a serious problem showed up after 2 months.

My point is, pressuring people to serve is not the way it should be done. There should be kindness expressed, even if the recruiter thinks you are well-qualified for the job. If people are well educated in the gospel and exampled by "joy inexpressible and full of glory," then people will be asking to serve wherever they can. People should be wanting to follow Jesus, wherein He said "the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve..." No one but God can make a person want to serve. However, that might come through some persuasion, that is, godly counsel, not pressure or insistence.