Argh!!!

I don't understand why people have to be so judgemental. Or critical. Or whatever in between. Demanding, period.

I fully disagree that full-time ministry = full-time church worker. People in FTM have got working hours too you know. FTM merely means... you spend all your working hours in one particular ministry. And that is that. Yes, perhaps you have the occasional ad-hoc stuff... but surely, that doesn't mean that we should be expected to be on-call 24 hours. We have families to attend to (well, I don't actually - not in Penang at least), friendships to work on, personal matters to cope with, the need for rest-time... just like everybody else.

Yeah, I know it's supposed to be a ministry of grace. And don't get me wrong. I enjoy ministry even if it's beyond my working hours... but only if I'm not expected to do it. I am not expected to lend people shoulders to cry on in the middle of the night. But I want to. I enjoy serving in other ministries, even if it's nothing to do with CMC or it is after working hours. I even enjoy the occasional ad-hoc, you know. Emergencies are still ok. Call me, and I'll see how I can help you.

But don't come and tell me that I MUST avail myself to do something (after working hours) just because I do FTM and FTM means being a full-time worker at church. Hallo! That is so wrong. Get this right. If I have other obligations or commitments after working hours as stated in my employment contract, I can't be there. I apologize if this makes me sound so uncommitted. Well, I think it would be much easier for me to stay committed if I stuck to what is officially stated in the contract.

Yeah. I know I have to humble myself. Do the not-so-fun stuff as well as the fun stuff. But, that doesn't mean I'm going to be a pushover doormat!

I don't want to over-complain. Sorry if I did. I don't want to seem like I am secularizing my work. But sometimes, it is way TOO MUCH!

I might regret this blog-entry one day...

Perhaps, I ought to state my working hours at the bulletin back-page, where they placed my phone-number. But I think that's unfortunately out of the question.