Serving

Recently, my pastor, Don Williams, sent me this picture of me helping collate Bibles. Growing up, our church was involved in the Scripture ministry. We would collate, bind and prepare John and Romans, New Testaments and sometimes Bibles for different languages around the world. What a worthwhile endeavor! As a family, we would involve ourselves regularly in this process.

Looking back, I am thankful for my parents, Jim and Dawn Kagin, who made church, the faith of our pastor and the work of the Lord a priority in our lives. Some good activities were sacrificed in order for our family to serve the Lord in this way. I am thankful for a pastor who provided opportunities to serve the Lord in and through the local church. As a young man I really enjoyed spending time with him in the printshop and helping in the with the Scripture ministry. My parents encouraged me to be a help to my pastor and I owe so much to his influence in my life.

Parents and grandparents, never underestimate the influence of your priority choices today! Align your priorities with Christ’s priority — serving others and doing the will of God.

“So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” (John 13:12-17)

Does God have a specific task and calling for every believer in the local church? Yes! Yes! Yes! Beginning with Christ and His disciples and throughout the New Testament, God teaches believers that we were saved to serve. While the world has always despised serving others and promoted being served, the Bible teaches us the exact opposite. All those who follow Christ should be servants.

In many churches today, there is a dangerous philosophy that has crept in. It is the idea that the pastor and staff are paid to do all the serving. With this philosophy, soulwinning, cleaning, maintenance, vehicle repairs, lawn care, snow removal, hospitality, care for the hurting, widows and fatherless and much more is hired out to staff. The Bible says in Ephesian 4:11-12 that the very purpose of a pastor is to develop believers to serve in the church. “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” (Ephesians 4:11–12) Yes, the pastor is to serve and one of the greatest ways he can serve believers is by developing them to serve. Certainly, a part of this development, is personally modeling a servant’s heart just like Jesus did for His disciples in John 13.

As a believer, don’t buy into this philosophy that you come to church to be served. You have a vital part in what God wants to do in your church and community. William McDonald aptly said, “Limitation of Christian service to a select class of men hinders the development of God’s people, stifles the cause of world evangelism, and stunts the growth of the church. The distinction between clergy and laity is unscriptural and perhaps the greatest single hindrance to the spread of the gospel.”

I encourage you that if you do not already have a place to serve in your church with your God-given gift, this Sunday, ask your pastor how you can serve. Don’t wait to be asked. Be eager to serve.