As most of you know my husband is on staff at a church. We have now been serving in the ministry for about 7 years and in 3 different churches. When I met Mark I knew that I would love to be his wife and partner in ministry. I grew up in the church and I had always wanted to be a pastors wife. After 7 years I know this is where God wanted me as well.
I have stepped inside the church today to share a little bit of what is going through my head. Today as I was standing outside in the 30 degree weather washing the windows of the firehouse I began to think about why I was doing what I was doing. Was I doing it because Mark is on staff here? Was I doing it because I was asked to? Was I doing it to get credit for doing something? As I sat outside I realized that there isn’t much of a thought to it. I saw that the windows were dirty(due to winter weather) and thought I would come in this morning and wash them. Not out of obligation, but out of honor. I am sure you are thinking “An honor, to clean windows? This girl must be crazy!” The truth is, I AM!!!
As I processed through this I began to think “where is everyone else?”
In all three churches Mark has been on staff at, we have run into the same problem. Serving. Not that there are too many people to serve too but there are not enough people to serve the people. You can easily pick out the core group of people who serve 100% and fill in all of the gaps that are lacking. My question is if the church is full then why are we having trouble filling positions of service. When I clean the firehouse, decorate for an event, or help lead worship, I get excited that I GET to serve. That I am even considered worthy enough to serve.
This blog is absolutely nothing about what I am doing personally. I am not looking for praise and affirmation, or even a thank you. I am realizing that there is a desperate need in the church for service and a very short line of people who are eager to serve. When I am at my church I feel like it is my home. I want to take care of it so that is in excellent condition when people come in to worship. I don’t think that people don’t serve because they are too busy, because I am one of the busiest people I know. I don’t think people don’t serve because they are lazy and don’t want to. I think people don’t step up to serve because they don’t feel needed or worthy.
Well I have to share with you that I am totally unworthy to serve. I am far fromu perfect and have to lay down my struggles and disappointments just like the rest. The church is in GREAT need of people to serve. And NOT do it because it is expected, but because it is an honor! Spend one hour a week serving at your church. Teach at Kid’s City, run sound or lights, hang around to clean up after people leave, come in early make coffee and set out snacks, there are 101 ways to serve in a church. When we serve the needs at the church we can serve the needs of the community. If we are half heartedly serving from a place of obligation verses a place of honor, our ability to reach, love and serve people is stifled by our purpose for doing it. When we take it on as an honor or ability to reach, love, and serve people becomes multiplied exponentially. Not because we can help more people, but because God honors a servants heart!
If you call yourself a Christ follower and your goal is love on, help, and encourage others. Then find a place of gratitude to serve from. I am so thankful that I get to wash windows.