Monday, January 1, 2007

Servanthood

Here goes the first post in the journey through the Bible. The reading for 12/31/06 (Sunday) was Romans chapters 1 & 2. There a lot of great things in these chapters, way more than I would have room or time to write about here. Some of my favorite verse are 1:1, 1:12, 1:14, 1:16 & 2;4. Since I want to keep each of these blogs somewhat short, sweet and simple, I am going to focus on Romans 1:1 today:

"Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus..."

That is a word and an attitude missing from many beleivers lives today.

Servant.

What would happen to our country, to our world if every beleiver began to live like a servant? The possibilities boggle my mind!

What would happen if when people went looking for a new church, they didn't look for the one with the hip, cool, new-fangled, high-tech worship band and gagedtry, but instead went looking for a church that needed servants?

What if we chose a church based on ways to serve, instead of ways to be served?

Maybe the reason that the little church down the road doesn't have all the new-fangled, high-tech etc., etc., is becasue no one is willing to come and serve in the capacity to provide what is needed for that church to have it?

What if the reason the church across town doesn't have a youth group, or a mens group, or a womans group, or a college age group, or a singles group, or a group for people who like hamsters (ok, I'm being sarcastic, but you get the point), is because no one wants to go and serve and work and get those particular groups off the ground?

What would happen if all beleivers lived life at work, at home, in their neighborhoods with the servant attitude?

What would happen if every Christian man decided to mow his neighbors yard for year?

You may think I'm being ridiculous, but think about it for just a minute.

Even as a pastor, I am called to be a leader of the flock that God has entrutsted me with, but I am to be a servant leader.

I remember a few years ago, Burger King had the jingle on their comericals, "Have it your way at Burger King." That's ok for burgers and fries, but not for believer and church. It is not supposed to be my way or your way, but His way.

I think church would look very different if we all came with the servant mentality.
I think church would sound very different if we all came with a servant heart.
I think church would feel very different if we all came with a servant spirit.

Because just like in tennis, when it comes to the life of a follower of Christ, its' all in the serve.

Pastor Dave

2 comments:

Steven Simpson said...

Dave,

Preach it brother...! Right on, a servant heart, starts with a humble heart. Humility, humility, humility...I'm not in charge God is...Thanks Dave and God bless...

Steve

Deena Peterson said...

wow...that's powerful stuff from a little tiny verse. But Paul does have a way of packing a punch, doesn't he? As wonderful as church is, it would be so much more if we all came to serve. And that's hard, because this world wants us to slave, and we sometimes get the two mixed up. We serve out of willing hearts. We serve out of love. We serve out of choice.
Cool thoughts, from a cool pastor dude!