Thursday, October 21, 2010

serve vs. volunteer

If the local church is driven by task management then all we ask people to do is volunteer to be "a part" of the church.  If the local church is driven by discipleship then what we do is ask people to serve the community.  Serving the community is what Jesus came to do (Matt. 20:28) and in serving the community we become more like Jesus..."that's people becoming the church."

We need to stop looking at volunteerism as asking people to do something for church leadership.  Rather, we need to look at it as something they do for their community and for the least of these.  Jesus said when we serve the least of these, we serve him (Matt. 25:40).  And when we serve Christ we become more like him.   That sound like discipleship to me.  Leaders need to see serving in the local church as a part of an individuals discipleship process.  That way there is longevity in service and there is greater purpose behind asking people to serve.

"Serving the Community...Becoming the Church" I like the way that sounds.

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