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I
Will Find My Place of Service
There
is a big difference between showing up at church and BEING the church. Using
your God-given gifts and talents enables you to be part of something much
greater than yourself. Serving is the bridge that will take you from attending
to belonging. When you serve in a chosen ministry area, you have an opportunity
to make a real difference.
Why
is serving so important?
Serving
is simply “Love in action”. Our
faith includes believing, belonging, as well as being a blessing to
others. Jesus provides us
with a perfect example of a servant giving others God’s love in practical
ways. Jesus also asks those that
follow Him to follow His example as a servant.
Jesus said:
‘Come, you who are blessed by my
Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation
of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I
was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited
me in, 36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you
looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37“Then
the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you,
or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a
stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When
did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40“The
King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least
of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’
Matt 25:34-40
I
want to make a difference – how can I Serve?
Followers
of Jesus are called to Love God, and love our neighbors.
We are to be mobilized for ministry.
How do we love our neighbors? We
serve them in practical, down-to-earth ways.
How
do I know where to serve?
First, you’ll
need to discover your gifts and what direction God wants to send you.
You will gain insight into how God has specifically designed
you to serve by completing a Spiritual Gifts Profile.
In addition to your spiritual gifts, God has equipped you
with everything else you need to serve. This custom combination of
capabilities is called your SHAPE.
S
– Spiritual Gifts:
As a believer, you have been given at least one spiritual gift.
Discovering your spiritual gifts is imperative to maturity and effective
service
H
– Heart or passion:
God gave you a heart passion. This
might be a love for kids, for organizing, creating, playing music – anything
that “floats your boat”. Discovering
your passion will make your service fulfilling and fun.
A
– Abilities:
You have unique abilities that others don’t have.
It might be a technical skill, a talent, an understanding of a subject,
etc. Because God provides
everything you need to serve, your abilities provide a good clue as to where God
plans for you to serve.
P
– Personality:
Your personality is important to your service.
Some people are naturally outgoing, some introverted.
Your service needs to fit your personality.
E
– Experiences:
Your life experiences are invaluable to your service.
Your education, your painful experiences, your vocation, and your
spiritual history are pivotal resources in serving others.
Can
God really use my SHAPE?
Yes! The
Bible teaches that each of us are specially equipped and called to serve.
This is why we believe that every member and person who attends LAC
regularly, has a role to play in accomplishing our mission and vision. The good
news is that, as believers, we have all been given what we need to serve in the
unique place God intends for us to serve. God
never asks us to serve in a way we’re not able - we simply need to be willing
to give our gifts away.
Join
us as we discover and apply our gifts to love others – like Jesus did!
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Lockport
Alliance Church|Web
