Encouraging Your Church Family to Serve

Just before Christmas last year I saw a lovely video clip of a young boy sharing with his mum that he had been given the part of “the third door holder" in a Christmas nativity play. The little boy was overjoyed with the role that he had been given to the point that he called it a classic nativity part and celebrated like he had scored a goal. “Get in there!” was the little boy’s response. He didn’t care that it wasn’t one of the starring roles like Joseph, or a wise man, or even the donkey; he was more than happy to be a door holder. He was just delighted that he got to be part of the performance.

I don’t know what was said to him by his parents or his teacher about the nativity play, but whatever was said it was compelling enough to capture the imagination of this kid. He saw his role in the overall performance as important—and was happy and willing to be part of it.

Share the joy of serving God

As church leaders we want God’s people to serve him, but sometimes with the busyness of life, and the aftermath of holiday seasons like Christmas, trying to encourage people to serve in the life of the church can be challenging. We can be tempted to find weird and wonderful ways to encourage and incentivise people to serve. But the worst thing we can do is give people a reason to serve that is less than the wonder and joy of the gospel of Jesus. That’s the only reason Paul gives in Romans 12:1

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (ESV)

When you are captured by the mercy and grace of God in Jesus, the rational response is to give the whole of your life (which is now blameless and holy before God) to him. This is the reason we give to people to serve God—it’s the mercy and grace of God in Jesus—nothing less and nothing more is required. And when that is our motivation to serve, serving God and his people is a real joy. I want to encourage you to share the joy of serving God with your church, in what you preach but also in how you yourself serve.

The worst thing we can do is give people a reason to serve that is less than the wonder and joy of the gospel of Jesus.

Later, in Romans 12, Paul says in verse 11:

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. (ESV)

He is saying that when we serve the Lord, it requires an enthusiasm and a passion for God, and we must not be lazy in this respect. So, as leaders, does our joy for serving God ourselves shine through both in how we call people to serve and also in how we serve?

I want to encourage you, considering the gospel, to share the joy of serving God.

Share the joy of why we serve God

In my book Serve I talk about the joy Jesus had as he served his Father and us. We know joy when we realise what it took for us to have any part in serving God. And as leaders, we know the joy of what God is doing in and through us (displaying his glory to the world, John 15:8, 11) as we serve him and his people.

So, share this with your church. Share with them that God is displaying his glory to the world and pushing back darkness as they serve him. Let them know that as they care for people, turn up early to greet people, give up time to teach the Bible to children, or forgo time in front of the TV to serve their neighbours in the name of Jesus, God is being gloried—and their good deeds, even if people think they are nuts, are being seen by them, and the Bible tells us in 1 Peter that one day they will also glorify God when Jesus returns because of them.

The greatest joy of serving God is when people ask Why are you doing this? And then we can speak of the greatest Servant, the Lord Jesus.

So, share the joy of why we serve God.

Share the joy of seeing the fruit of serving God

When we are serving God, he somehow is weaving our work into his purpose for his glory and our good, and he promises that our labour for him is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The greatest joy of serving God is when people ask Why are you doing this? And then we can speak of the greatest Servant, the Lord Jesus.

That means there is fruit for our service; it’s not a waste of time. And, as leaders, God has given us a front row seat to watch his Son build his church. His service and work is always profitable, so share with your people the fruit of service and share with your church the joy of seeing that fruit, however big or small, because all is significant.

So, as we seek to encourage our people to serve God and the church, let us proclaim the wondrous reason for serving him—the gospel of Jesus—and let’s have a “Get in!” attitude to our service and the fruit that it brings. And however big or small our service for God, it’s always a classic part in the grand narrative of his glory and good in the world.