Get Going

The body of Christ functions in a way in which we can minister to one another, as well as to minister to the people around us whom we are called to serve. In 1st Peter chapter 4, we can read:
10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

We have been given opportunities to serve in and through the local church, as well as through ministries that serve our communities.  If we are willing to share the love of Christ, which by its nature - His nature - we should possess that willingness, then God will open doors for us to show His compassion. We can recognize opportunities to serve someone else, through which the love of Christ can flow, resulting in His will being done, His name being glorified, and our lives - and theirs - being enriched.

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The Bible instructs us regarding the relationship between faith and activity. We are not saved through activity - it's not a matter of good works outweighing bad or working our way into God's good graces. From our salvation through faith, we produce fruit to honor God. We can read in Philippians chapter 2:
3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.
4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

The local church gives Bible-believing Christians the opportunity to be taught the Scriptures, to fellowship with other believers, and to be mobilized to serve.  I came across a study that Tony Morgan of The Unstuck Group on the topic of volunteerism.  Morgan had acquired data from some 300 churches, and he relates: 

I compared the churches in the top 25% for volunteer engagement to the churches in the bottom 25% when it comes to engaging people in serving roles. I wanted to specifically compare churches with high volunteer engagement to churches with low volunteer engagement.

Here are some of his conclusions:

Morgan stated that, "The churches with higher volunteer engagement are reaching four times more new people." And, these volunteer-oriented churches are "reaching more people for Jesus....They have 40% more decisions to follow Jesus. Could it be that when people serve other people it encourages people being served to take their next steps toward Jesus?"

He also notes that the churches with "high volunteer engagement" are growing, even though the churches on the lower end of the volunteer spectrum have more people.  These volunteer-engaged churches are also more likely to have people involved in home groups, have more volunteer leaders, and more likely to offer online services. 

On the other end of the spectrum, "Churches with low volunteer engagement have 67% more debt" and have more boards and committees. Morgan notes, "The data clearly indicates that more people in meetings means you probably have fewer people who are serving."

He writes:

Of course, what can’t be captured in this data is what happens in a person’s heart when they begin serving other people. Not only does that impact the life of the person being served, but I think you would agree, there’s also something that happens in the life of the person doing the serving.

That would include, it seems, based on his experience, getting one's eyes off himself or herself.

Let's camp out there for a moment - the beauty of service.  We have the capability to reflect the characteristics of Christ; we are instructed to humble ourselves before the Lord and put the needs of others above our own.  So, we have to walk in that state of humility, in which, we are more likely to show His love.

With this call to get involved, we can ask ourselves, "What are we waiting on?"  We can resist procrastination and resolve in our hearts not to become stagnant.  We can recognize that the trajectory of service is to move forward, to grow, to impact the lives of people, including our own.  Morgan concludes by saying:

When I’m serving other people, I’m worrying less about the challenges I’m facing in my life.

When I’m serving other people, I feel more connected to the Body of Christ and the mission God has given the church.

When I’m serving other people, I can’t help but experience a sense of fulfillment that I’m making a difference in someone else’s life.

When I’m serving other people, I pray more because I want people to experience God’s love through me.

When I’m serving other people, it stretches my faith as I trust God to do what only he can do.

You can’t put numbers on any of that. But, at least for me, I’m convinced that there’s more to serving than the serving.