Humble Service

Recently we welcomed thirteen people into Full Church Membership of our fellowship – something of a record for us and evidence of God’s faithfulness.  As a Church that upholds full belief in God’s word, the Bible is taught at every service and that is important to us because it is only through the Bible that we learn of God’s plans for us, His children.  Here is a passage that teaches us about functioning together.

Humble Service in the Body of Christ

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.  For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.  We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.  If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Romans 12v3-8

So, what are our intentions when we declare we want to take up full membership within the fellowship?  When I became a full member of our Church, I wanted to make a commitment to my new family, to acknowledge that we were all the same in Christ and as such we were a whole.  I wanted to be an active part of the family and I knew I was also making this commitment to God.  I became a full member here in DEC back in the 90s after attending for just under a year.  Since that first day I walked in the door I found a family that helped me to grow spiritually under the Pastor’s teaching; a family of older brothers and sisters (mature Christians) who I could talk things over with; a family who would pray for me and with me.

A natural part of being in the family is wanting to do our best for each other and the fellowship is where we can use our talents to help and to keep things running.  Whether that takes the form of being a teacher in Sunday Explorers, a Youth-Leader for the many groups we run or playing the piano during the services; all are a vital part of our fellowship.  Now I don’t have a talent for any of those, but I am a dab hand at working in the kitchen, even something as humble as making the tea and washing up is a service cheerfully done for the Lord.

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3v23-24

Are you part of a fellowship you feel is your family in Christ?  If not, why not?  And if you are, do you do your best for them in love?