Today thousands of local churches are dying because of Christians unwilling to serve. They sit on the sidelines ... and the Body suffers. @RWToolbox
I saw that quote this morning. It is so true. I wish it weren't.
It makes us an embarrassment to God. We make him look bad.
Jesus came not to be served but to serve. As his followers that should be our mantra as well.
So, how are you going to serve today? How can you serve at work? How can you serve your family? How can you serve the person who serves you your lunch? How can you serve your boss? How can you serve your roommate?
Let us be known as a people who is in the game for the good of the body and the good of the world. It happens when we serve.
1 comment:
I think a lack of serving is going to take more than telling people they need to serve. We all know we need to serve. We were made that way. But our entire culture-- our schools, our neighborhoods, our jobs... even (and maybe especially) our churches-- are built around individuality. Aloneness. As Christians, we can SAY we value community, but if we don't DO it-- if we don't LIVE it-- then what kind of message are we sending? Is it because we don't really believe it's possible?
Serving needs to be an overflowing of the life of Christ that is developing in the church. It needs to be what cannot be contained as we grow and learn together-- what happens when we allow head knowledge and heart change to move to what we (collectively) do with our hands-- how we live-- with each other and with the world. It needs to be the result of a new kind of culture-- a move decidedly against what we know and are comfortable with as "normal." It cannot be a program or a function or an aspect-- but rather, what naturally IS because of who we ARE.
I think when people are not serving or not giving or not living in ways we know they should... it's easy to focus on the outward-- the action. But every other aspect of discipleship is guided and born out of relationship. Why should serving be any different?
All that to say-- this quote "Today thousands of local churches are dying because of Christians unwilling to serve. They sit on the sidelines ... and the Body suffers."
I don't think the Body is dying for lack of serving. I think lack of serving is one of the symptoms of the Body dying-- of the Body not BEING the Body. It may seem like a subtle distinction, but I think it's one that deserves more than a cursory glance.
But as you may notice, I'm not opinionated about this topic or anything... : )
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