Replay: We have permission to serve
Two years ago, I wrote a post called “Permission to Service.” The post was actually the conclusion to a short series on the topic of women serving. However, this post is not just about women. It’s about all of us. In Christ, we are all part of the New Covenant priesthood, and through his Holy Spirit, we are all called and empowered to serve God by serving others. In other words, we all have permission to serve. We do not have to get permission from anyone else. Your permission and your commission comes directly from God – who also directs you and empowers you to serve.
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Permission to Serve
This post is the final post in my series on “women in ministry,” or, as I like to say, “women serving others.” (see “Spiritual Gifts and Women,” “Spiritually Gifted Women,” and “Women Serving in Context“) However, this post is not about women specifically. Instead, it’s about all of us, including women.
Originally, this post was titled “Serving for the Rest of Us.” But, my friend Wes from “a mission-driven life” left a comment on facebook about some of the previous points in this series. His comment gets to the point of this post, so I took the title from his comment, and even changed a few things in the post to go along with his comment. This is what Wes said:
[W]hat I really liked about the post is that you distinguish between gifts and offices. I agree with you. And while your post is about women, its also about other people, like me, who isn’t serving in an office, like elder or deacon, but who believes that I can still serve the church with the gifts God has granted me, without feeling like I need “permission” to serve.
Women and men are gifted by God through the Holy Spirit in various ways for various types of service and various opportunities to serve. God gives these spiritual gifts according to his will so that we can serve one another. When we serve one another, we bring glory to God.
When we use terms like “ministry” instead of “service,” we often make service into something that only certain people can do. If this perception hinders us from serving others, then we’ve missed something very important – important to ourselves and to others. In fact, not only are we missing something important to ourselves and others, but we are hindering the growth of the church, because the church grows when EACH believer is serving one another.
Thus, someone who is a child of God has been gifted by the Holy Spirit of God. That person has been ordained by God as a minister of God to serve other people. Failure to serve others would be similar to any other act of disobedience.
Certainly, there are contexts for service. I’ve briefly mentioned some of the passages of Scripture that could (and I think do) limit the contexts of women serving. However, there are other passages that limit the context of anyone serving. Women are not lesser servants because of certain passages any more than others are lesser servants because of other passages. The church NEEDS the service of all believers.
So, as a child of God, we are ministers together, and each of us is a minster separately. We have permission to serve. We have license to serve.
Those of us who are leaders in the church must make sure that we encourage everyone to serve, not just other leaders. Similarly, we should give opportunity for others to serve. This would include both speaking and non-speaking acts of service.
We also must realize that we are not perfect. None of us individually is perfect and we are not perfect as a group – whatever group we’re talking about. We must give each other grace and offer each other mercy as we attempt to serve one another. We will get it wrong on occasion.
Eventually, as we attempt to serve one another, someone is going to serve someone else in a manner that is considered to be incorrect. While we can help one another learn through these times (and, remember, we both need help, not just the one that we think is wrong), let’s also recognize the intent and purpose. If they purpose is trying to serve in love for the purpose of building up the body of Christ, then let’s glorify God for it!
If we only allow perfect service… then we’re in big trouble. Thank God that he is merciful and works through broken vessels. (And, before someone says it, yes, we should never be satisfied with our current level of imperfection, but should instead continue to disciple one another.)
So, to end this post where Wes began it: We have permission to serve.
Replay: When we had nothing to offer them but ourselves
Three and a half years ago, I wrote a post called “No produce, just relationships.” Often, when we find someone in need, God will lead us to provide for those physical needs. However, as much as the people may need that physical help, they need something else even more. God works through relationships, and when we pour our lives into other people, we are bringing Jesus Christ with us. Here is a real story that God used to teach me this lesson.
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No produce, just relationships
At the beginning of the summer, our family and some friends began to visit a local government assisted housing development. Cathy, a friend of ours who is part of the church with us, introduced us to many of her neighbors, and we met other neighbors while spending time in the neighborhood.
When we started visiting the people in this neighborhood, we would take them small bags of fresh produce or fresh baked bread. Why? For several reasons. 1) The produce and bread were small tokens to demonstrate our concern for them. 2) Often charitable groups bring in old produce, breads, cookies, and cakes that other people would not buy. We wanted to give them something that anyone would want… not leftovers. 3) We wanted to give vegetables, fruit, and wheat bread to encourage a healthy lifestyle. 4) We were hoping the produce and bread would give us opportunities to serve them in other ways, including opportunities to proclaim the gospel.
A few weeks ago, the lady that runs the produce stand (Vivian – which is another story altogether) told us that the stand was closing. That morning, as we told the people in the neighborhood that the produce stand was closing, they all said about the same thing: “You’re still going to visit us, aren’t you?” Our weekly visits had turned into more than an opportunity to hand out produce. We had begun to build relationships with the neighbors.
So, throughout the week, I often find myself thinking about and praying for Cathy, Dennis, Tina, Mrs. Jeans, Shonna and her children (Marvin, Laruen, and Mya), Mrs. Woodlief and her son Benny, and Mrs. Fort. We’ve met a few other people in the neighborhood, but these are the ones with whom we usually spend the most time. These are the people who have opened their homes and their lives and have invited us in.
If you think about, please pray for Dennis. His father passed away last Friday, and the funeral is Monday.
And, pray for Cathy. She’s struggling with health issues – emphysema and back pain.
Also, pray for Tina. Tina’s son died from an overdose a couple of weeks ago. Tina ended up being hospitalized herself because of emotional issues a few days later. Now, she is dealing with several other issues related to her ex-husband and former care giver.
Pray for Mrs. Jeans. She had skin cancer on her ear last summer. The doctor removed part of her ear, but now something else is wrong. She has also been struggling with health issues, including a couple of weeks with the flu. Plus, her nephew is having family issues also.
If you ask Mrs. Woodlief, she’ll tell you to pray for everything. But, we know that her foot often hurts her, and she has to walk with a cane then.
And, Mrs. Fort will always tell you to pray for her knee. When the weather changes – which has happened alot lately – her knee hurts as well. If you think about it, also pray for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren who live with Mrs. Fort.
We can no longer offer these precious people fresh vegetables and fruit. We still carry fresh bread occasionally. But, they’ve let us know that they don’t want the produce and bread as much as they need the relationships. For many of them, we’re their only support system. We don’t have much to offer financially, but we can and do offer the love of God as often as possible.
Do you think there may be someone out there waiting for you to demonstrate the love of God? Why not start getting involved in someone’s life today?
Mutuality: Sharing Life in Christ Together
For the last few days, I’ve published a short series connecting mutuality and various forms of service for the same of the gospel: 1) itinerant (apostle) service, 2) teaching service, and 3) shepherding service. In each case, I stepped through the life of Jesus in the Gospels and the life of his followers in Acts and the various letters of the New Testament to show that these types of service were the work of all believers, not just the work of one or a few.
Now, I could have focused on any type of service. However, I picked these three because among the church people usually assume that only certain people carry out the work of itinerant service, teaching service, or shepherding service. Relegating these types of services to only one or few damages the health of the church.
Before I go much further, I want to point out that I DO believe that only some people are gifted as apostles (itinerant servants), or as shepherds, or as teachers, in the same way that only some people are gifted as encourages, or contributors, or helpers. However, just as all believers can encourage, give, or help, all believers can also serve in an itinerant fashion, or by shepherding, or by teaching. In fact, those gifted in certain ways should help all believers learn how to serve in that way. That is “equipping.”
This idea of mutual service (ministry) is carried over into the many, many “one another” passages of Scripture – some of those passages even include the same types of service as I’ve talked about here (i.e., “teaching one another”). The “one another” passages of Scripture point to a fellowship that we have with one another in the Holy Spirit. This fellowship is a sharing of life – sharing our life in Christ as we share our lives with one another.
In this kind of fellowship, “one way” service is out-of-place. Why? Because the service itself does not arise from within ourself but from the life of the Spirit within us. And, the Spirit is not ONLY in me. The Spirit is in each of us. The Spirit that gifts me and empowers me to serve in various manners is the same Spirit that gifts and empowers others to serve in various manners.
It is the Spirit in me that “qualifies” me to serve. (“Qualify” is the wrong word; but you understand what I mean.) But, in the same way, the Spirit “qualifies” others to serve as well. If I refuse to serve others as God directs me through his Spirit, then I am hindering the work of the Spirit. In the same way, if I refuse to accept the service of others as God directs them through his Spirit, then I am also hindering the work of the Spirit.
Just as Christ is my life, he is also our life together. As we share in Christ’s life, we also share in life together by the Holy Spirit. This same Spirit gifts us and empowers us and works through us to serve one another. This is the mutual life that we share in Christ together.
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Series on Mutuality and Service
In Jesus, we rest while working hard
For those who are in Jesus Christ, he is our Sabbath – our rest. The author of Hebrews makes that clear in Hebrews 3-4. Also, Jesus said, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 ESV)
There is a danger, though, in assuming this “rest in Jesus” means “no hard work” or “no labor.” In fact, the opposite is true. Life in Christ is hard work on behalf of others – service, works, labor, struggles, etc.
Here are just a few passages that demonstrate and encourage hard work from Jesus followers for the purpose of helping others:
…But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Matthew 20:26-28 ESV)
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. (John 13:14-17 ESV)
And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:9-10 ESV)
For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. (1 Thessalonians 2:9 ESV)
So, good works and hard labor are not bad words for a person who is in Christ. In fact, this type of labor on behalf of another should be the normal part of the life of a disciple of Jesus Christ.
Jesus does not give us rest apart from hard work. Instead, he is our rest in the midst of our toils and labors.
We shouldn’t fool ourselves. This kind of hard work and service is exactly what Jesus meant when he said, “Love one another.”
Updates to Email Subscriptions
For the last few years, I’ve included the option to receive email updates whenever I publish a new article on “The Assembling of the Church.” Several people have signed up for that option over that time.
However, a few weeks ago, the process that sent out the emails broke. So, no email updates have gone out in that time.
I have tested and installed a new email subscription application. All of the people who were already subscribed to receive emails are still subscribed under this new process.
Now, people who subscribe to email updates will receive one email each day at approximately 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time USA). That email update will include the titles of any new posts that I’ve published since that last email update.
Also, each email will include the option to unsubscribe from any future email updates.
If you are interested in receiving updates via email, enter your email address in the subscription form here. (Or, click the email envelope in the upper part of the sidebar on the right side of this page.)
If you are NOT interested in receiving email updates, then ignore this post. 🙂
He saved us, not because of our good works, to do good works
There is a famous passage in Paul’s letter to Titus that is often used to explain that God does not save anyone because of their good works: [H]e (i.e., “God our Savior”) saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy. (Titus 3:5 ESV)
This is a very important statement that Paul writes to Titus, and one that we must always keep in mind. We must never slip into thinking or living as if God saves us or accepts us because of our good works. As Paul says, God saves because of his mercy, not because of our actions.
With that said, let’s look carefully at Paul’s statement in context:
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people. (Titus 3:1-8 ESV)
In the passage above, I’ve highlighted the section in which Paul emphasizes that salvation is a work of God according to his mercy, through Jesus Christ, by grace, by the washing and regeneration of the Holy Spirit. Every phrase in the bold section points away from our works as the reason that God saves us.
Now, look at the sentences before and after the bold part of the passage above. In both sections, Paul emphasizes good works. In the first part, he says believers should be ready for “every good work” and lists several different examples. In the last part, he says that those who believed in God should “devote themselves to good works.” In fact, he says good works are “excellent and profitable.”
While we’re thinking about these things, we can’t forget Titus 2:1-15. In that passage (which leads up to the one above), Paul focuses on older men and older women helping younger believers do good things. He even says that God is redeeming a people who will be “zealous for good works.” (Titus 2:14 ESV)
These two passages (Titus 2 and Titus 3) should be a good reminder for us. Yes, in the middle of Paul’s exhortation toward helping other brothers and sisters to do good works, he reminds Titus (and us) that we are not saved by those good works. However, if we stop there, then we will miss that Paul is focusing on good works throughout these two chapters.
For a child of God, are good works important? Absolutely! Are we saved because of those good works? No, of course not. But, they are extremely important.
So, be zealous for good works. Be ready to do every good work. Devote yourself to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people, especially for those of us who are saved by the grace of God.
This is NOT what I signed up for…
Most of you know that I’m currently in a PhD program. Actually, I’m in the last stage of that program: writing my dissertation. My PhD mentor is Dave Black.
For those who are considering entering a PhD program, I must caution you to consider who you choose as your PhD mentor very carefully. That person will (probably) have a great influence on your life. Hopefully, your mentor will influence you academically and spiritually.
So, how is my PhD mentor influencing me? Check out his blog post (at the link above) from Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 9:26 p.m.:
Personally, I’m not all that eager to raise up a new generation of leaders. I want to raise up a new generation of butlers and scullery maids. A generation of nobodies who are content to be obedient to the simple teachings of Jesus. A generation of Christ-followers who die to family, fame, fortune, success, patriotism, and the American Dream. A generation of Dietrich Bonhoeffers who realize that “when Jesus calls a man, He bids him come and die.” I want to raise up a generation of men and women who give without counting the cost, who deny themselves, who willingly take the cross as the path of union with Christ, in whom there is no trace of triumphalism, who put their lives at Christ’s disposal with unconditional surrender, who place Christian allegiance over their national allegiance, who act as though they were part of an upside-down kingdom, who die to all claims of the self-indulgent life, who refuse to lionize success or repudiate pain, who “share in suffering as good soldiers of Jesus Christ” (2 Tim. 2:3), who stand high and lift their drooping heads because the Son of God inhabits their lives in the power of His resurrection.
When I first came to seminary, this is not the path that I signed up for. But, it is definitely the path that I’m on now.
I’m not bragging. I have nothing to brag about. But, this is where Jesus Christ has led me. And, I thank God that he has brought me into contact with Dave Black, his wife BeckyLynn Black, and many, many other people who not only exhort me toward service in the name of Jesus Christ, but, more importantly, they model it.
You can and must become a leader in church unity… but it may come at a cost
Last week, Ed Stetzer published an interview with Jason Dukes, the author of a new book called Beyond My Church: Thinking and Living So That the World Might Know. (See his post “Beyond My church: A Book Interview with Jason C. Dukes.”)
I like the idea of the book – encouraging followers of Jesus Christ to look beyond the fences created by their “local church” in order to interact with the church of God that is all around them.
In the second question/answer of the interview, Ed and Jason touch on a topic that (I believe) is one of the main hindrances to actualized (real, relational) unity among the body of Christ:
Is this a book that only pastors and paid church leaders can appreciate, or can every follower of Jesus begin to think and live beyond their church, and if so, how?
It is absolutely a book for every follower of Jesus. Two reasons why. First, unfortunately, many pastors live either under the pressure to “grow their church,” which is an extremely anti-biblical thought, or they live stifled by their own insecurities, which creates a sense of competition and distrust between local leaders. Often times, our distinctive understandings of secondary theological ideals hinder pastors’ connection, as well. Thus, it is imperative that every follower of Jesus lead out in cultivating for unity around mission among followers of Jesus in a city, therefore encouraging their pastors to emphasize and prioritize for it.
This can be done in the very ways that they cultivate for “beyond me” living in their families, among their neighbors, in the marketplace, among leaders in the city where they live, and even in the ways that they think of the church in the city. There is actually one chapter per each of those topics in the book, offering suggestions for how “beyond MY church” thinking and living can be cultivated. We need a vision for “on earth as it is in heaven” in the communities where we live, not a vision for succeeding as individual local churches. And followers of Jesus who make up those local church families can be key catalysts in enabling and allowing their leaders to feel secure to think and live “beyond MY church.”
Yes, I agree completely that “it is imperative that every follower of Jesus lead out in cultivating for unity around mission among followers of Jesus in a city.”
However, we must admit that most modern church organization are leader-centric (pastor-centric), even if they do not want to be. So, the influence and desires of the leader(s) carries much weight among the believers who see themselves as part of that “local church.”
What would happen if these followers of Jesus Christ “led out in cultivating unity around mission among followers of Jesus in a city”? Well, they may start giving to needs other than their local church budget. They may start meeting and/or serving with others at times when their local church meets. They may start hanging out with and fellowshiping with people who disagree with their local church statement of faith or covenant.
What is “the pastor” going to say about that?
While I know there are exception, I’ve seen many, many examples of church leaders who are cheerleaders for unity among the body of Christ, as long as it doesn’t affect their own “local church.”
Don’t start a movement; start caring for those around you sacrificially.
The title of this post comes from another post by Dave Black. Yes, after not linking to his site for some time, I’m now linking to him twice in only a matter of days.
This time, he’s talking about “archy” and specifically “Christian archy” – both his book by that title and submission to God’s reign.
This is what he says (on Monday, February 6, 2012 at 7:57 a.m.):
Any Christian movement or ideology that takes the place of the cross has absolutely no biblical or theological foundation for its existence.
This is one reason I am reticent to identify myself with the “homeschool” movement or the “agrarian” movement or the “church growth” movement or other similar movements. Dietrich Bonhoeffer stated a beautiful spiritual truth when he wrote, “The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community.” Many modern evangelical “causes” or “movements” are, frankly, in love with their causes and movements. We are tempted to enshrine our programs in golden calves and “Christian” bureaucracies. Indeed, once you start a 501(c)3 you feel obligated to do all you can to perpetuate your organization. You fight for the limited resources that are out there while forgetting that God is bigger than our petty organizations. Bonhoeffer was right. When we love our “dream” or “vision” more than the reality, we end up destroying both.
I want to make a modest suggestion: Our goal should not be to establish our majestic mega-church models but to embrace a “movement-less” kingdom that grows by simply caring for those around us sacrificially.
Yep. That’s it. When we submit to God as our one and only king, he leads us to follow his son, Jesus Christ. And, what did Jesus say about his own life on earth: “I did not come to be served, but to serve.”
That’s our calling as well: serve!
I’m not interested in any kind of movement, other than the way God moves in my life and in the lives of the people around me to serve and care for others.
But, I’ve found that’s the most difficult movement to take part in… I keep getting in the way.
Exhausting ourselves for the sake of others
My friend Lionel at “a view of the woods” doesn’t blog that much anymore. Something about life and work and school and family and other lame excuses. Anyway, when he does blog, it is well worth reading. For example, consider his latest post “Exhausted For Love’s Sake.”
Lionel admits that he’s been very tired lately… but what has been making him tired? Being tired is not a problem… what makes us tired or exhausted could indicate a problem.
I love the way he describes this:
Paul writes in 2 Corinthians about his current state of life (and no I am not saying we have to live like Paul or should aspire, but we can learn from him). He was hungry, tired, naked, threatened, beat all for the Gospel. He had no notoriety, was not climbing the corporate ladder, was not chasing more education or a higher paycheck, actually he says in another letter “I count it all a loss”. Paul once he met Christ decided to forfeit those things I have decided to exhaust myself for them. While he decided to be exhausted for people, I have been exhausted for stuff. Stuff will burn, loving people builds eternal value. I am exhausted for the worthless, Paul, exhausted for the priceless.
Thanks for a great post and great challenge, Lionel!
What do you think? What are you being exhausted by?