Philosophy Of Serving Christ

God wants all of His adopted children to be fruitful.  In John 15 we are told that if we want to be fruitful we need to abide in Christ, and that if we do abide in Christ we will be fruitful.  In 2nd Corinthians 5:15 it also says of Christ, "and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised."  We are to abide in Christ, live for Christ, and thus be fruitful.

The problem is that in our culture, with all its distractions and temptations, it's easy to stop doing that, or to do so only halfheartedly.  To combat this, most of the ministries in our church are focused on getting believers' hearts back where they ought to be, fixated on Christ.  With their hearts in the right place and God's word in their hands, believers are then equipped and ready to go back out into the culture around them, glorify Christ, and fulfill their part in the Great Commission.

God's word also tells us that each believer is not only to take part in this process of building up the body, but also given a special gift designed to help them do so.  What this means is that if a Christian is lazy, not fulfilling the role God has given them, then the whole body of Christ suffers.  They won't be equipped to the degree they should be.  They won't be as mature in Christ as they should be.  They won't be reaching out to the lost and glorifying Jesus in the culture around them to the degree that they should be.  When this happens the church suffers and the whole world suffers.

So each believer at our church is encouraged to abide in Christ.  Attend the ministries designed to build you up and keep your heart in the right place.  Stay living for Him and not for yourself.   Then, as part of that abiding ask Jesus how He has uniquely designed you to help others grow in maturity in Him, building up others in the body of Christ.  It might be through encouragement or teaching, being there to help in a time of need or sharing the musical talent God has given you with others.  But regardless, you have a role God has given you that is vital to the body of Christ.  If you want to serve Christ, this is the place to start.  Walking off to do something while leaving a sick church behind you is not glorifying to Him.  Pray about how Christ would have you serve Him today.