Well, I did a post discussing my one-year Lakewood anniversary last time around, so why not give it another go?

The biggest change over the last year, for my part, has been that I've done a bit more volunteer duty around the place. It doesn't really take long before you look around and realize you're one of the old-timers around church. On the surface, it's an odd calling to have an introvert like myself facilitate a small group discussion for Koinonia or greet folks for Compass Class. But I'm reminded of my days working in retail to put that into perspective. At some point late in my decade-plus of retail work, I remember interviewing for something (whatever memories I haven't suppressed from that era are all a blur) and getting one of those questions that, if I were the one asking, I'd be on alert for some stock answer like "Oh, I just love being around people." You know - those answers that you're supposed to give in order to make the interviewing manager smile approvingly. The answer I wanted to give, of course, was something sarcastic like "I'd just as soon be left alone to my thoughts if you don't mind." Obviously, I'm not likely to be confused as a people person. But I did rather well in retail if I dare say so. My explanation for that isn't that I just loved being around people, but rather that I just learned to co-exist comfortably and peacefully with them. Besides, most people are good folks, right?

As luck would have it, I've since managed to find myself in my own little ministry of "button-pushing" behind the AV console (I'd be the "V" half of that equation). Not a bad fit, really. I still get to jump into a small group pretty much whenever I so desire. The greeting gig earlier in the nights is made easy by virtue of knowing most of the people that show up each week for Compass Class. So even that's not so bad.

As any walk of faith progresses, there's a number of things that may not be a negative, but they do require some attention until they do become a negative. You get used to a lot of things when you've got a routine. I can pretty much name everyone I'll run into at the bookstore before Compass Class. I can usually identify who shows up in precise order for class. I no longer have to make use of a watch when I wonder what time it is during a Joel Osteen sermon. I can tell time by the pace of his sermon. Honest to God about that.

The potential downside to it all is this: when other people go through their own seasons that alter their routine, there's a similar season of adjustment to go through on my part. There's people you get used to seeing and then you don't. There are people you get used to spending just the right amount of time with each week ... and then you don't. I'd be lying if I said there weren't people I honestly miss seeing on a regular basis at church. That takes quite a bit for an introvert to admit to, I think.

There can be a fine line between ritual and building community, and that's basically where I'm going with all this. The necessities needed to establish personal bonds take time. That leads to ritual ... which isn't all bad. So long as it's done willfully, freely, and cheerfully ... and strengthens the bonds of fellowship you've begun building. At it's worst, you can find yourself marching in a circle around your mountain when you should be doing other things. At it's best, you can finish each others' sentences.

All of that just adds to growth, though. There's always someone new walking in the doors of Lakewood. And with thousands of people on hand, you've got to think there's a community of likeminded folks just waiting to come together and strengthen each other in their own walk. Personally, that's about where I find myself ... somewhere near the tipping point to create that something new. What that is, I'm not even remotely sure of yet.

And that, in sum, may be the one thing that I believe I've refined a bit more over the course of the last year. One of the motivations for me leading small groups was that I was tired of getting mixed results in terms of quality discussion at whatever table I was at. Instant fix: be the facilitator. Voila! Want to see your study group grow? Volunteer to help it grow, even if all that means is greeting folks at a table so that other folks can be the social butterflies that God created them to be.

All that to say that what I concluded last year is pretty much the same truism this year. Joel tells us that we won't go out the same way we came into Lakewood and I'm just left to conclude that he's right. Besides, many of the same things that I love about the church are still there. The music's still inspiring, the sermons still resonate long after they're delivered. And occasionally you see someone you haven't seen in a long time.