Church is Ministry

Bottom line

Each of us is called to serve

Opening Line

Have you ever been a part of a group or a team where someone wasn’t pulling their weight?

Introduction

It can be really frustrating. The whole idea of being part of team is that everyone has a role, a responsibility so that it doesn’t become overwhelming for any one person. If someone chooses to not do their part, then everyone else has to step up to make sure the goal is met. In the end, everyone gets credit, but some of the people are exhausted and burnt out, and while the others take equal credit.

If you are on the side of pulling extra weight, trying to fill holes, you will find yourself unwilling and resistant to get involved in the future, especially if the slackers are going to be involved as well.

Main Point

This is the challenge that the Western Church often runs into. The stats around people serving at church has remained consistent. About 20% of the church’s congregation serve in some capacity. That means 80% of the church shows up on Sunday, listens to the worship and the preaching, and goes home thinking that is all there is to church. Meanwhile, a small team show up week after week, give their time and energy, and slowly but surely become worn out. This is the story of a lot of churches, and what is left is the pastor doing everything.

Why it matters

I wanted to start out pointing out this reality for a lot of faith communities because I am encouraged by the fact that this is not our reality. Since the last Ministry Expo, we have averaged 37 people on Sunday morning. In that same time, our ministry team was also 37. That doesn’t mean that everyone who comes to OneChurch serves. There are a lot of people who do not show up every week. However, it does mean that a large percentage of our church is involved. So great job OneChurch! Thank you for stepping up and using the gifts God has given you to advance the church and the Kingdom of God.

So this morning has two goals. One is to encourage you who serve to stay the course. You living out your faith in a very tangible way, and the growth that OneChurch has experienced is directly correlated to your involvement. The other purpose is to encourage those who may be sitting on the sidelines to consider stepping up. Scripture is clear that the gifts and interests you have are given to you by God, and you are use them for kingdom purposes.

Scripture

To start, I want to remind us of our motivation for why we do what we do.

1 Corinthians 9:22–23 NLT

When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings.

The Apostle Paul lays out for the church in Corinth that as an apostle, he deserves to treated with special regard, yet he lays down all those rights in order to remove any barriers that might hinder people from hearing the gospel.

This is why the church operates; this is why you serve. The ultimate goal, as we talked about last week, is to make disciples. Our purpose for existing, the avenue with which we will achieve this goal, is loving God and loving people. The best way to do both is to make disciples. Why? Because God’s desire is that all will repent and have a relationship with Him. Because the best way to love someone is to introduce them to the One who will change their life for the better. Making disciples is the purest way to fulfill both of the great commandments.

When you serve, you open the door for people to accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. Some of you are literally opening the door for people. Some of you will do it here at church, while others will serve through their small group, making a guest feel safe and at home to engage with the Word for the very first. All of these acts of service is how each of you minister. This is how the Apostle Paul puts it in Romans 12:6-13

Romans 12:6–13 NLT

In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.

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Paul is presenting this as the baseline characteristics of being a disciple of Jesus. This isn’t how you are supposed to act only when you are serving; serving is supposed to be an extension of who are you at all times. Sure he starts by calling the church to identify what their gifts are, but he moves to saying that as you live life, as you use your gifts, this is what your life should look like.

Peter picks this up in his letters. 1 Peter 4:10-11

1 Peter 4:10–11 NLT

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.

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The important thing to remember is that these lists and others like them are no exhaustive. The goal of the author when they makes these lists is not to make someone feel like that can’t serve or don’t have a place. If you’re sitting there thinking, “I’m not a leader so I don’t have a spot.” “I don’t like teaching or speaking so I don’t have a spot.” The idea that Paul and Peter are trying to communicate is that no matter what you gift, use it with all your might and to the glory of God. If you are crafty, you can serve at Kidz Club because we need a craft person. If you have a passion for taking pictures or telling a story, we could use your help with our social media. It is not that you can’t use your gifts, you just need to think about your gift in a different light. Some of you may have gifts that have never been used in a church context and you may believe it simply doesn’t fit. I want you to know that it fits in a way that just hasn’t been thought of.

Transition to Application

So why do you need to serve? Because God has given you gifts to be used for His glory and to advance the kingdom. But there is another reason. In the height of the COVID lock downs, Forbes released an article about the importance of strong community, and how isolation was not only having negative impact on people in the moment, but there would be long term effects of the isolation. The solution they presented was strong, healthy community for everyone. They would go on to list three ingredients for strong community, one of which was purpose. A healthy community has purpose, has a direction.

Our direction is to help people love God and love others in biblically healthy ways. Our goal is to see more people in your community become disciples. So how do you get involved in helping us meet goal and live our purpose?

Main To Do

This morning we are going to give you opportunity to do a couple of things. First, I want you to think about some of your gifts and talents. At each of your tables, there is a list of spiritual gifts. I want you to identify which of the gifts you think you have. Then I want you to ask the people at your table which gifts they see in you. Most of you have been sitting together long enough you should be able to see these things in each other. If you’re new, that’s OK, there are a couple copies on the table, you can take it home and ask someone what they think.

Then I invite you to go to the back and look at the different spots you can plug in. The primary table I want you to think about is the small group table. We believe that small groups is essential to your growth as a believer, it may be the place you are most comfortable serving.

The tables are going to stay up for a few weeks, so there is no rush to write your name down. The goal is to serve. The goal is to use your gifts to the glory of God and the advancement of the kingdom.

Why it matters

If you serve, it will help you remember that faith is not all about you. Your faith is best experienced in community, and it grows when you serve. You become part of something bigger then yourself, and not just being part of the church. You become part of a global movement that started 2,000 thousand years ago, set on saving the world through making disciples. It will be life giving, and you will grow in your faith in ways you couldn’t imagine.

If you don’t serve, then you miss out on all of that. Your faith will lose its drive and purpose, and slowly but surely your sure footing will disappear. You will become susceptible to the lies of the world, and soon your faith will be that thing you once believed, having no impact on your life whatsoever. Your spiritual life depends on your willingness to get involved and serve!

Closing Line

So, where are you going to get plugged in?

Discussion Questions

1. What stood out from this morning’s message?

2. What are your spiritual gifts? If you’re not sure, go over the spiritual gifts list on the table.

3. What ministry would you like to serve in? How can you use your gifts?