How ought the believer to serve the church?

There are many weaknesses inherent in the mindset that sees the church like a shopping mall. The seeker sensitive movement has encouraged the church to see itself as a business, marketing the gospel to increase market share. This sands down the offense of the gospel, turns God Himself into product. Perhaps worst of all it turns the church goer into a consumer.

In an earlier piece we considered how the church does in fact serve the believer. The church is, after all, a gift from God Himself. We receive immeasurable and innumerable blessings from His bride. Yeah and amen from my corner of the sanctuary. While we receive from the church, the relationship between the church and the believer isn’t a transactional one. We are called, nonetheless, each of us, to serve the church. But how?

You may have heard this nugget of wisdom, that the greatest ability is availability. In light of that, before we look at specifics of what we can do in service, we begin with the blessing we bring by simply showing up eager to serve. The body is served best when each member of the body recognizes his or her calling to be of service to the body. Before you catalogue your giftings, start here- I came to help.

What we find in the various listings of giftings in Scripture is a clear clue about what kind of help is needed. We serve the church when we fill the gaps. Whether you have the “gift of administration” or not, the church is likely to be served well if you can bring organization to the table. You need not have the “gift of hospitality” to make a meal for the young mother who just gave birth, or the widow who just buried her husband.

Every team needs a utility player, if not many of them. But such doesn’t erase the need for experts. It’s a good thing to study up on your giftings. This need not be either a mystical nor bureaucratic exercise. God may not whisper in your ear that you are supposed to sing solos on the Lord’s Day. You don’t have to apply a #2 pencil to a bubble test then plug it into some whiz-bang gift assessor program.

No. Your gifts are likely discovered by this complex algorithm- look for the intersection of what people tend to tell you you do well, and what you like to do. X marks the spot.

The church is, of course, a body of differing members. When you serve the members you are serving the body. When you serve the body you are serving the members. Whether you are front and center before the gathered throng, or toiling in obscurity, never lose sight of the glorious truth that the Head of the church has not lost sight of you. We don’t serve to be recognized, but to serve.

That said, allow me to conclude with something everyone can do to serve the church. Speak words of encouragement. Not for things that should be discouraged. But for everything else, big and small. When you are blessed by the gifts of others, let them know. It will mean as much to them as it means to you when someone lets you know.

This is the fifty-first installment of an ongoing series of pieces here on the nature and calling of the church. Stay tuned for more. Remember also that we at Sovereign Grace Fellowship meet this Sunday July 6 at 10:30 AM at our new location, our beautiful farm at 11281 Garman Road, Spencerville, IN. Please come join us.