I volunteered at Engage and all I got was this horrible cold

It's not really true. I got more out of the Engage conference than just a cold. But today marks my first sick day off college for the year. Hot drinks and West Wing episodes are the order of the day. I was ushering at the Engage conference this past weekend in the cool winds of Katoomba. I woke up Sunday morning on deaths door, but pushed through the headaches, the blocked nose, the sore throat and the mild vertigo to still be of some benefit as an usher. Closet germaphobes will be pleased to know I chose the role where I had least contact with people.

The Engage conference is for young workers. One of the organisational peculiarities is each delegate has their paper ticket replaced with one of those rubber wristbands when they first show up. As ushers/bouncers we aren't allowed to let people in the auditorium if they don't have their wristband. If they've left it in the car they've got to go back and get it, or else pay $5 to get it replaced. I'm told its a safety thing. But still, it feels a bit wrong accusing Christians of dishonesty and not buying a ticket. Well, at least it felt wrong for a while.

This 'thinking well' of people is a clear example of my doctrine of sin not being applied to real life expectations.

I don't know if you've ever ushered at a Christian conference, but let me tell you, it's discouraging. You can make eye contact, have a big smile, throw your arms up in the direction you want people to go... and they'll completely ignore you. That's right, your friendly Christian usher is ignored or disrespected or just plain rebelled against. At one stage, a fellow usher and I were just lied to right to our face. People had two options: the coffee tables or the main seating area. We were trying to encourage people into the main seating unless they said 'We want a table.' About five groups in a row, as we pointed them into the second row said, 'No, we're getting a table'. That was fine until they walked straight past us, past the tables and into the tenth row of seats. If you really care that much about not sitting at the front, just tell us. Don't lie about it.

One more gripe: If you're waiting for people, perhaps you could meet outside before coming in. That way you wouldn't have to cordon off 37 chairs for your entourage and then protect those seats for the next 30 minutes from well-meaning people who are trying to fill-up the empty chairs. It's especially frustrating when those 37 people are on the other side of the auditorium madly trying to protect your seat as well.

Okay, so maybe the cold is making me a bit grumpy. But I haven't seen such rampant disobedience to authority since my Scripture teaching days at Lidcombe Primary School.

However, I still hope to usher again next year. I see this disobedience not purely as a discouragement, but also as a challenge! Next year I'm bringing a whistle. I want to be like one of those British cops who doesn't speak, just points you in the right direction as a shrill blast issues forth from the whistle. If people disobey, I'll just whistle louder. I'm banking on shame being a stronger motivating force than obedience.