Membership Update - Using My Gifts to Serve (July 2010)

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 12:01 AM

Two months ago I began a Membership Series for our Gateway members (and anyone else) that is intended to help us grow and become more and more like Jesus Christ. I'm using a tool that we at Gateway call the GUIDE (which is a part of our Membership Covenant). It's an acronym that both describes what a "fully devoted follower of Christ" looks like, and at the same time lists biblical disciplines and practices that God has given us to guide us in our spiritual journey. You can read more about the GUIDE in my May Update.


This month I turn to the "U" of GUIDE, which stands for: "Using My Spiritual Gifts to Serve." We understand this to mean that "I will seek opportunities to serve my church family utilizing my gifts, talents, and time."


The reason we serve begins with Jesus himself, who said: “‘For even the Son of Man (a title Jesus used for himself) came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.’” (Matthew 20:28 NLT2) Jesus came to serve, and those who follow him do likewise. Certainly, obedience is a big part of following Jesus. But we also follow (and serve) out of gratitude for all he's done for us, including especially his death on the cross. We live out the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-40) to love God and love our neighbors through serving. And the Bible teaches that if we claim to have faith but don't live it out in our daily lives, then our faith is "dead and useless." (James 2:17 NLT2) It's no faith at all.


But there's another very important reason we serve - it not only reflects that we are trying to live as Jesus lived, it also helps us actually become more and more like Jesus:



“Christ chose some of us to be apostles, prophets, missionaries, pastors, and teachers, so that his people would learn to serve and his body would grow strong. This will continue until we are united by our faith and by our understanding of the Son of God. Then we will be mature, just as Christ is, and we will be completely like him.” (Ephesians 4:11-13 CEV; italics added)


The Bible says that in learning to serve, we will become "completely like him (Christ)." Serving grows us as it teaches us to put our faith into action. And again, faith means nothing if it's not lived out in our daily lives. Our lives bear this truth out:



  • In one study, when folks in a congregation were asked, “To what extent has your ministry or service to others affected your spiritual growth?”, 92% answered positively, and none responded that ministry had had a negative effect on their spiritual growth.
  • Over half (58%) of those who were not actively ministering to others felt either “not satisfied” or “somewhat satisfied” with their level of spiritual growth. 
  • And a recent study makes it clear that “serving is one of the most important expressions of being Christlike”.


We have a high expectation that members of Gateway will serve. It's not to keep our members busy or to handle things we can't get to. It's our calling as a church to lead us in obedience to Christ and help us become more and more like him. We were made for this! "God has made us what we are, and in our union with Christ Jesus he has created us for a life of good deeds..." (Ephesians 2:10 TEV)

I wish I could tell you that everyone in our church family is so convinced of this that we have all the volunteers (or, a better word might be servants) we need, but that's not the case. There's not a Sunday that goes by when we don't need loving Christ followers serving in our children and student areas, serving on our Team Gateway (hospitality) or in our Arts Ministry (performing and technical). We also have a Great Day of Service coming up July 31st, and there are always other mission opportunities. 

Some of you reading this right now have been gifted by God to serve in some of these areas, but you aren't ... and there are folks missing out because you aren't doing your part! And those of us who are regularly serving have a responsibility to carry this value to others and encourage others to serve.

If you have a question about where to serve, contact any of our staff or a friend who is already serving, or just try something for a while and see if it clicks for you. The first area you try may not be the right fit for you, but stay with it and you will find the place you were created for, that fulfills you, that grows you, and that blesses others. And in the process, God will be working in you, transforming you, growing you!

Membership Update - Growing in my Relationship with Christ (June 2010)

Posted by Randy | Labels: , , , , , , , , , | Posted On Thursday, June 10, 2010 at 3:40 PM

Last month, as I began this monthly column for our Gateway members (and anyone else), I talked about the GUIDE. I said the GUIDE (which is a part of our Membership Covenant) is an acronym that both describes what a "fully devoted follower of Christ" looks like, and lists biblical disciplines and practices that God has given us to help guide us in our spiritual journey in order to become fully devoted. Listed below is the GUIDE:


G - Growing in my relationship with Christ
U - Using spiritual gifts to serve
I - Involved in biblical community
D - Dedicated to reaching others
E - Exercising stewardship


Over the next few Updates I'll be examining each of these in more detail, beginning with the "G," which expands to say, "I will pursue a growing relationship with Christ through scripture, prayer and the spiritual disciplines."


The key word here that often gets lost in understanding and living the Christian life is "relationship." A relationship doesn't just happen - we have to work on it. Growing a relationship with Christ is no different.


Part of our Life Journal reading this past Wednesday (June 9) was Ecclesiastes 12, written by King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live. There is a pessimistic, cynical outlook on life through much of Ecclesiastes as Solomon drifted away from God in his later years and wrote this work. But, as he concludes this writing, his last chapter opens with this statement: "Don't let the excitement of youth cause you to forget your Creator. Honor him in your youth before you grow old..." (12:1, NLT2; italics added)


God drew my eye to this verse and the ones that followed. Solomon tells us not to "forget" our Creator. Then, he proceeds to repeat this by saying, "Remember him (God, the Creator)..." seven more times.  Before it's too late, Solomon says we need to remember our Creator. Why? Because we have a natural tendency to forget!


Practices such as reading our Bible daily, praying, reading spiritual books, meditation, journaling, listening to Christian music, etc., are ways God has given us to "remember" Him. (I think of them as sort of powering a "God Radar" that helps me stay tuned to Him and what He's doing in me and around me.) They are especially helpful in times of trial and adversity, but they really do make a difference all the time. 


Doing these practices isn't meant to be legalistic. Legalism is about checking something off my list as an accomplishment, while relationship is always about investing and giving more. Legalism always leads to the idea that if I do these things God will reward me, and likewise, if I fail to do them, He will punish me. Nothing could be farther from the truth! These practices are fundamental to helping us become more like Christ, and not just to please him.


I'll admit there have been many times in my life when I simply read to "check it off my list." But, God has been showing me that's not His purpose or desire for me...or any of us! He wants our relationship to grow, and He's teaching me to approach scripture and prayer and all the other disciplines as ways to get to know Him better and be influenced by Him. They are ways to help me remember who I am and Whose I am. They keep turning my focus back to Christ instead of on me. They prepare me so that when the Holy Spirit does move in my life, I'm ready to respond and grow.




One thing I've realized is that just as no two relationships on earth are the same, or developed in exactly the same way, so no two relationships with Christ are exactly the same or develop in the same way. However, spending daily time with God and His Word, the Bible, and prayer are almost always a part of the life of a Christ follower who is being grown by God.



We offer the Life Journal as one method of investing time daily with God and His Word. We have journals available for sale or you can go to our website and read and journal online free. I've also recently discovered that there is a free Bible app - YouVersion Holy Bible from LifeChurch.tv - for the iPhone, Blackberry, Android operating systems and more that includes the Life Journal reading plan right on your phone.


There's nothing magic about the Life Journal, but it works for me and for many others in our church family. If it doesn't work for you, find another reading plan or another system. Talk to any of our ministry staff about what they do. Go to a Christian book store or look online. The main thing is to do something, because the easiest thing really is to do nothing. And when we do nothing, our relationship with Christ cannot grow, and, in fact, will shrivel. That's not God's desire, and it isn't mine either! 
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)