Volunteer Appreciation

Well, this is a volunteer appreciation luncheon, so I assume at some point I’m supposed to say, “Thank you,” so let me just go ahead and say it…

Thank you.

Ok, ok, forgive the humor, but honestly, I do want to say thank you to all of you who have given of your time to serve the Kingdom of God and Jesus Christ. Whether you work on the nursery rotation, children’s ministry, youth ministry, greeters, tech booth, worship team, however it is you serve, I honestly want to express my sincerest appreciation for you give of your time, your efforts, your talents, to serve the Lord… Not for your own gain, but for the simple fact that you love God, you love the church, and you love the mission.

Truly, you mean so much to me, and your efforts for the advancement of the Kingdom here in Cassville, Georgia and beyond make a meaningful impact. Whether you see it or not, your efforts to serve God and His Church are used in mighty ways each and every week.

Nursery workers, you don’t know whose child you are keeping that is coming to church with such baggage and anxiety that that short hour and 15 minutes in the Body of Christ, worshiping our God, can do for that parent.

Tech booth, you guys help in tremendous ways as you help the front of the room be heard and seen, even across the airwaves through our digital ministry.

On Wednesdays, there’s a team of heroes who meet each week to teach kids the Bible through fun activities and lessons, and I suspect we’re about to see a resurgence in our Wednesday night ministries. You guys are gonna need some more help here soon, huh?

I can’t mention every ministry here in this short talk, but what I can do is exhort all of you to keep the mission in mind as we start the Fall.

So I would like to read from Colossians, if you’ll allow me. And as we do, I want you to hear the thread of “mission” as we go through these few passages.

Colossians 1:5b–8 (ESV)

Of this you have heard before in the word of the truth, the gospel, which has come to you, as indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

Colossians 2:8 ESV

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Colossians 3:1–3 ESV

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

Colossians 3:16–17 ESV

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 4:5–6 ESV

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Colossians 4:17 ESV

And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

If I could just make a few observations about the mission of the church as laid out in Colossians, and how this relates to you as you serve the Lord in the context of our church body:

The Gospel will always bear fruit (First passage)

Be like Epaphras

Faithful - Will not stray to left or right… He will follow Jesus and obey the Truth

Servant - He will lay his life down for the sake of the mission.

Christian - Distinctly a follower of Christ. He’s not filled with platitudes or just being nice. He wants people to know His savior!

The Mission of defying false teaching

Discouraged? Remember, the true blessing is above us, not always among us.

Remember WHY you do it… to the Lord Jesus Christ!

Be ready with the Gospel!

Every church has a ministry… Let’s fulfill ours. Let’s be on mission.