Are you looking to get involved in ministry? Now that summertime is over, many congregations are increasing their activity level for the rest of the year. This means they will need your help to do all they desire to accomplish. National Back to Church Sunday (September 15) is the perfect time to get involved.
Perhaps you hear God calling you to get involved in ministry but aren’t sure where to begin. Please don’t fret, I have some advice to help you make the right decision regarding how to serve.
But before offering advice about ministry involvement, let’s discuss the importance of serving.
3 Key Terms Related to Getting Involved in Ministry
Defining the Terms Serve and Humility
Serving others can occur in several forms and comes from the root word serve. Webster’s Dictionary suggests to serve means “to answer the needs of” and “be enough for.” Google defines serve as performing duties or services for an organization (such as a church).
Since this article focuses on serving in a church-based context, a biblical view of service is appropriate.
The Greek word diakonia comes from the word diakonos which means servant. Diakonia refers to the care Christians show others through service which mirrors Jesus’s example.
Following Jesus’ example requires humility. The Greek word for humility is tapeinos,’ which involves being lowly in spirit. Individuals with lowly spirits are humble servants.
New Testament Examples of Serving
John the Baptist
John the Baptist is a great example of a humble servant. He is a beloved disciple of Jesus Christ who understands his responsibility to prepare the way for the Lord’s coming.
Scripture proves this as John the Baptist doesn’t seek acknowledgment from the crowd listening to him. Instead, he testifies about Jesus’ eternal existence as the Son of God “who became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1-14, New King James Version).
John also serves the Lord by humbly admitting Jesus’ ministry is greater than his (John 1:15). The beloved disciple also admits he is not worthy to be Jesus’s slave or untie his sandals (John 1:27).
Jesus and The New Testament Church
Though Jesus is greater than John the Baptist, he too exhibits humility through serving others. During his earthly ministry, Christ serves others by showing compassion for the sick and lame (Matthew 5:21-34).
Jesus also serves others by offering forgiveness and mercy to sinners (John 4:23-25, 8:1-11). Some readers may take Christ’s kindness for granted since he is our Lord and Savior.
However, Christ’s service separates him from hypocritical religious leaders whose piety is insincere. (Matthew 23:1-7). Philippians 2:5-8 proves the sincerity of Jesus’ love as he humbles himself to the point of death on the cross.
Suffering crucifixion on the cross allows Christ to serve humanity by sparing believers from God’s full wrath. In turn, believers receive eternal salvation and play their part in spreading the Gospel.
The disciples experience the joy of spreading the Gospel by establishing the New Testament Church.
Establishing the New Testament Church came with the challenge of having to resolve civil matters. The disciples handled civil matters such as unfair food distribution (Acts 6:1-2). Consequently, deacons now handle civil matters so the disciples could focus on preaching and teaching (Acts 6:3-7).
Advice for Those Who Desire to Get Involved in Ministry
Pray and Assess Before Getting Involved in Ministry
Along with alleviating the burdens of church leaders, serving should occur as believers are to be a living sacrifice for God. Being a living sacrifice means using our gifts to serve the Lord enthusiastically with love for others (Romans 12:6-11). Serving the Lord enthusiastically is something all Christians are encouraged to do.
Maybe you have this desire but are unsure how to start serving in ministry.
Before getting involved in ministry pray. Praying is an opportunity to talk to God about your desire and discover his will.
Be open to whatever God calls you to do because he gives you the desire to do what pleases him (Philippians 2:13). Though uncomfortable at times, striving to please God is how we walk in obedience and draw others to him.
But how can we draw others to God without knowing what gifts we possess to serve them best?
Therefore, I encourage you to take a spiritual gifts assessment to discover your God-given abilities. These abilities can determine which serving opportunities are appropriate for you.
Recently, I decided to assess my spiritual gifts using the Discover Your Spiritual Gifts survey. This test reveals my best qualities are using wisdom, faith, teaching, and encouragement. Now, I ask God to give me opportunities to cultivate these gifts to bring him glory.
See Where There’s a Need
Along with becoming aware of your spiritual gifts, you can also participate by seeing where there’s a need. Many churches will either make announcements or host ministry fairs to acquire volunteers.
Both forms of involvement are a huge blessing for me. I became a member of the newsletter team at my church after hearing an announcement about needing more volunteers for the multi-media ministry. I also became a part of the intercessory prayer ministry by attending my church’s ministry fair.
Serving in these capacities helps strengthen my writing skills, enhances my prayer life, and encourages congregants. Being a part of these ministries allows me to learn from believers who are serious about their relationship with and service to God.
Be Mindful and Remember
Serving God through these and other ministries is a joy but also time-consuming. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of trying to balance work graduate school, and church ministry responsibilities.
I felt overwhelmed and bound by endless responsibilities. Therefore, I urge you to be mindful of your other obligations before making commitments you cannot keep.
It’s better to say no and let someone fulfill a need than to commit but fail to meet obligations. Remember God wants our yes and no to be consistent (Matthew 5:37).
God also wants us to remember our service is for his glory, not public praise. This is noteworthy since serving may bring you into the spotlight or leave you behind the scenes.
Either way, we should emulate John the Baptist by serving with humility. Without humility, ministry becomes self-serving tasks that cease when people do not get the recognition they expect.
With humility, serving becomes an act of love helping transform individuals, families, communities, and countries for God’s glory. When God is glorified with our lives on earth, we will hear well-done good, and faithful servants as we enter into his presence for eternity (Matthew 25:23).
Do you have advice for individuals looking to participate in ministry? I’d love to hear your perspective. Your comments are greatly appreciated!
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