Volunteering vs Serving

​Like most churches, we have a small group of volunteers. We have members who have volunteered to work in the nursery, to clean our building, to keep the grounds mowed, to operate the sound system, to sing on the Worship team, to teach our classes, to serve on the Leadership Team, to mention but a few. Without these “volunteers,” our church could not conduct its ministry.

​BUT, when we investigate the Word of God, it never speaks of volunteers. It speaks of those who serve freely and who recognize they have a joyful obligation to serve others in whatever manner they are capable.

Nowhere in Scripture do we have the slightest hint that God’s people are to volunteer. Rather, the Scriptures indicate that the use of our gifts should be considered a joyful responsibility. It is for that reason that I do not like the term volunteer when thinking of God’s people serving the body of Christ. The term volunteer may give a believer the idea that he has an option whether he is willing to serve in a certain capacity, and that if they choose to serve in that capacity, they are going beyond their actual responsibility (they are “volunteering”)—and therefore they have done something meritorious.

Peter writes, “God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. (1 Peter 4:10-11 NLT)

Remember, serving is about doing for others without any direct benefit for yourself. Serving is for what God did for you.

Make Every Day Count!

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