Reflections on Service

The stress of the Christmas season is almost over here at First Baptist. The major outdoor and indoor productions are finished. Our Christmas Eve morning service will be some work but nothing compared to what we have been through. I’m looking forward to a few days off since I haven’t had one in several months. This time of year I start to reflect on the year past and I thought I would share with you.

I know you have all heard that 10% of your congregation does 90% of the work or something to that affect. This year and especially this past couple of months I have found that to be very true. Project after project, production after production I see the same people contributing their time and talent. After a while though you see the weariness in their face as they are used and abused by the church. I know that I hate to say no to anything but it is becoming easier.

So what so we have to do to get people to serve. Jesus said to His disciples that the “harvest is great but the workers are few” and the same goes for the work of media ministry. As we do our part in the harvest we are most certainly few. Notice what Jesus says in Matthew 9:38

So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.”
Matthew 9:38 NLT

How about that? We should ask for more workers. We should pray to God for more workers. God is the one who does the calling on a person’s life for His purpose and service. God may give us discernment whereas we can see the potential in someone for the Lord’s work in the same area that God has given us.

Secondly we have to let people know that there is a need. I let the staff know that there is a need. I let the worship planners know that there is a need. I let the prayer warriors know that there is a need. I’m always looking for just a hint that someone has technical aptitude but more importantly a servant’s heart. When I see that in someone I let them know that there is a need and actively attempt to recruit them.

I believe that we also need to communicate to our entire congregation the vision that we have for media and technology in our churches. When people see and hear that you have long range goals and a clear objective for your ministry then they are more likely to want to know more or be a part of something that is well planned and structured.

One of the fundamentals of service is that people need to be of the mind set that all they have from health and finances to time and resources all belongs to God and He has made us stewards of those things. Instead of putting aside time for service we should be praying to ask God how He wants us to serve Him with the time He as given us.