James 1:22- Be doers of the word, and not hearers only.This week, our church hosted a ministry fair. Pastor Mike put together a 55 page book of all the ministry needs and opportunities in our church! They passed them out last weekend, asked us to thumb through it and pray about where we need to serve.
His message was short, but very good! He said that in most churches, 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Yet, we're all given gifts, that means each of us. 1
Corinthians 12:7 says "Each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." This means that every person should be involved in some aspect of service. God has enabled YOU to fulfill a particular role! :) Service should permeate our lives! We're to always be growing, moving forward in our Spiritual walk and maturing.
I thought about my friend Chiara. Thursday nights, she and her husband lead our Thrive Marriage ministry at church. On Wednesday, she co-leads a Women's Bible Study table and every other Sunday she blesses Mommies of the church by watching the babies in the nursery! I think about Jen who teaches the 2's class on Saturdays and leads a table at Navigating Motherhood. Sarah also leads at Navigating Motherhood and leads a group with her husband at Thrive. There are a lot of other things these women are involved in at church too including accountability and leading women through the partners program.
I really started to evaluate what I do for the church and felt very convicted. I don't merely want to be a consumer. I bring the kids to church Sunday to "hear" but, I don't "do" anything for the church. I come on Wednesday mornings to Bible study to "hear" but I don't "do" anything.
Pastor Mike said that it's his job as Pastor to instruct the people of the church so they can be adequately prepared to do something. We're not supposed to be there to "get" something. Also, when we serve at church, it's the MOST important way we can spend our time here on earth because, when we're serving God's people, I'm serving God! The longer we've been attending church, the more prepared we should be to lead.
I really liked another thing Pastor Mike said regarding "Spiritual Gifts". So often we take the "spiritual gifts" test when, in the Bible there's no set list of gifts presented! We stumble over this "gift list" so much that we don't get involved cause, "it's not my gift". We need to have more of the "ATAPAT" attitude. That means "Any Thing, Any Place, Any Time", just be willing to "do"!
I liked too that it doesn't have to be a lifelong commitment to one ministry. We can try things out for a few months and see how we like it. Also, sometimes God may call us to different ministries. I LOVED serving in AWANA for years but our AWANA ministry at church meets the same night as our Thrive Marriage Ministry. I'd love to get involved in AWANA again someday but right now we're serving in Thrive! (and loving it by the way!)
This week, I started putting Christian in the nursery! That's probably why I was able to hear all of this weeks sermon! ;) Before he was born, Abby and I were serving in Navigating Motherhood kids ministry and doing Saturday night toddler ministry. It's time for me to get involved again! :)
I really enjoyed reading through the "Opportunities to Serve" booklet. It's amazing seeing how God is working in our church! I had a lot of fun running from table to table signing up for different ministries to help in!
If you're free on May 10th, we're having Compass Bible Church's 3rd Annual Spring Tea from 11:00am to 2:00pm and Pastor Mike's wife Carlynn will be speaking! I'll be hosting a table too! :) My Haviland China and Heisey Crystal will finally get some use! ;)
Something else to think about...
What church do you call home? Are you 100% committed to one church? How are we serving?
Remember, we're not supposed to jog our way through the Christian life. We're running the race to win the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
Hebrews 12:1-3 Since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart.
