The ROAD to serving
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)
As Christians, we follow a Saviour who is the epitome of servanthood. In leaving the glory of heaven and being born on earth as a human being, Jesus ‘took the form of a servant’ and lived a life of humility which led him eventually to the death of the cross. In Philippians 2:5-8, Paul urges the church to have this same servant-hearted mind of Christ; just as Jesus lived a life of humble service for others, so ought we as by grace we live Christlike lives. Likewise, in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul’s analogy of the church as the body of Christ underlines the fact that though Christians may be very different from one another in all sorts of ways, we are all united together as one in Christ, and each member has a vital role to play in serving the rest of the body.
However, many Christians struggle to get beyond this and to figure out exactly how they are called to serve in the life of the church. In this blog post I want to suggest four ways in which we might be guided into a life of serving in the church. The four points come in no particular order, other than the fact that they conveniently spell out the word ‘ROAD’.
Recognition
As you get involved in the life of your local church, before long other Christians will start to recognise in you certain gifts that God has given to you. That recognition might be a formal thing, such as the church ordaining you to the ministry, or a congregation voting for you to be an elder or a deacon, or the session approaching you because they think you are cut out for a particular role in the life of the church. Or, the recognition might be much more of an informal thing. It may simply be someone in the church commenting on how blessed they were by your encouragement or generosity towards them. Speak to your fellow church members: how have other Christians recognised in you certain gifts for bringing blessing to the church family?
Opportunity
Look around at your church and simply ask the question, “where is help needed?” In every church there will be plenty of opportunities for you to serve. It might be a ministry that needs another leader or helper. It might be that there is someone in the church who needs help with something practical, or encouragement in the faith, or care and compassion. Whatever it is, if there is some need in the church family, and that need is clearly before you, it is an opportunity for you to serve. What needs can you think of in your church family? What opportunities to serve have presented themselves to you?
Ability
There are certain things that you have the ability to do. Perhaps you are very able when it comes to practical work. Maybe you are able in showing care and concern for others. You might be able with technology. Some have been blessed by God with the ability to show generosity to other Christians in need. Some have the ability to teach God’s word, in a variety of contexts. Ask yourself this, what are the abilities that God has given you? God has given gifts to every Christian, the Spirit apportioning to each one individually as he wills (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). How has he given you gifts for serving in the church?
Desire
As you seek to serve him, God will stir in your heart the desire to serve in a particular way. He may give you a concern for a particular form of service, whatever that may be: youth and children’s work, office-bearing, mission work, practical help, and so forth. Pray that by the work of his Spirit within you God would stir your heart, giving you a godly desire to serve him by serving the church family in a certain way.
In the providence of God, these four things will converge for you, showing you a ‘ROAD’ for serving in the church: a desire to serve in a certain way, the ability and opportunity to do so, and recognition from other Christians that by serving in this way you are bringing blessing to the church family, so that when each part is working properly, it makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love (Ephesians 4:16).
