More Than a Service Project
What happens after we serve others that are important to us?
I think one of the things the Church has gotten pretty good at is organizing service projects. We can gather volunteers, collect supplies, make a plan, and spend a Saturday doing something wonderful for our community. And I love that! There are people throughout our Valley who genuinely need help, and I'm grateful that we have people at Creekside who are willing to roll up their sleeves and serve.
But I've been thinking about something I want us to consider as MC leaders. What if the greatest opportunity for mission begins after the service project is finished? Think about it.
We help someone move.
We bring a family a meal.
We help repair something around someone's house.
We volunteer at an organization.
We spend an afternoon meeting a practical need.
Those are all wonderful expressions of Christ's love. But what happens next? Do we ever see those people again? Do we know their names? Do we know what's happening in their lives? Are we continuing to pray for them? Have we created an opportunity for a relationship to develop?
One of the things I love about Jesus' ministry is how intentional He was with people. He didn't simply address the immediate needs around Him. He spent time with people, entered their homes, shared meals, listened to their stories, and invited them to follow Him.
In Matthew 9:36, we read, "When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd."
Jesus saw more than the needs people presented. He saw people who needed a Shepherd. And I think that gives us a beautiful picture of how we can approach Life on Mission.
When we serve someone, we're demonstrating the love and compassion of Christ. As relationships develop, we also have opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel and introduce people to the One who has transformed our lives.
That's where I want our MCs to begin thinking differently. Imagine that our MC discovers an elderly neighbor who needs help maintaining their property. We gather a few people, spend a Saturday helping with yard work, and make a tremendous difference for that person. That's great! But what if we went back?
What if someone stopped by the next week just to visit?
What if we invited that neighbor over for dinner?
What if we remembered their birthday?
What if we continued helping when needs came up, but also began developing a genuine friendship?
Now we've moved beyond completing a project and begun building a relationship!
And that relationship creates opportunities for conversations, prayer, encouragement, and eventually sharing the Gospel.
The same thing can happen when we serve alongside local organizations. There are some wonderful ministries and nonprofits throughout our Valley doing important work. Many of them need volunteers, resources, and people who are willing to serve consistently.
What if an MC decided to build a relationship with one of those organizations?
Instead of showing up once, we began serving regularly. We learned about the people they serve, their staff and their volunteers, and we discovered how to come alongside what they are already doing? And over time, we became people they knew they could count on. I think there's something powerful about that kind of consistency. It communicates that our love and concern extend beyond a single event on the calendar.
And it also gives our MC families opportunities to serve together, using the different gifts and abilities God has given each of us.
Some of us are great at organizing, or fixing just about anything.
Some of us are gifted at listening and encouraging people while others are wonderful at cooking, teaching, or working with children.
And some of us are really good at carrying heavy things and following directions. There's a place for us too.
When we bring those gifts together, we can serve our community in some pretty meaningful ways. But I want us to remember something important.
The people we're serving are never projects to complete. They're people to love.
We serve because Christ has loved us. We show compassion because we have received compassion. We share the Gospel because we genuinely want others to know the Savior who has redeemed us. And sometimes, the relationships we build through serving will take time.
We're not trying to manufacture results or rush people toward a decision. We want to faithfully love people, proclaim Christ when opportunities arise, and trust the Holy Spirit to work in their lives.
We don't need every MC to start a new ministry. We simply want to see our groups become more intentional about loving the people and communities God has placed around us.
Over the next few weeks, we'll begin looking more specifically at ways our MCs can partner with organizations throughout the Valley. My hope is that we begin seeing these opportunities as relationships worth investing in, rather than just another event to attend.
Because at the end of the day, we're a family of servant missionaries. And families stick around.
Have a great week, leaders. Keep loving people well, and don't forget to grab another cup of coffee. Especially if it's GROUND RELIEF. :)
I think one of the things the Church has gotten pretty good at is organizing service projects. We can gather volunteers, collect supplies, make a plan, and spend a Saturday doing something wonderful for our community. And I love that! There are people throughout our Valley who genuinely need help, and I'm grateful that we have people at Creekside who are willing to roll up their sleeves and serve.
But I've been thinking about something I want us to consider as MC leaders. What if the greatest opportunity for mission begins after the service project is finished? Think about it.
We help someone move.
We bring a family a meal.
We help repair something around someone's house.
We volunteer at an organization.
We spend an afternoon meeting a practical need.
Those are all wonderful expressions of Christ's love. But what happens next? Do we ever see those people again? Do we know their names? Do we know what's happening in their lives? Are we continuing to pray for them? Have we created an opportunity for a relationship to develop?
One of the things I love about Jesus' ministry is how intentional He was with people. He didn't simply address the immediate needs around Him. He spent time with people, entered their homes, shared meals, listened to their stories, and invited them to follow Him.
In Matthew 9:36, we read, "When he saw the crowds, he felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and dejected, like sheep without a shepherd."
Jesus saw more than the needs people presented. He saw people who needed a Shepherd. And I think that gives us a beautiful picture of how we can approach Life on Mission.
When we serve someone, we're demonstrating the love and compassion of Christ. As relationships develop, we also have opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel and introduce people to the One who has transformed our lives.
That's where I want our MCs to begin thinking differently. Imagine that our MC discovers an elderly neighbor who needs help maintaining their property. We gather a few people, spend a Saturday helping with yard work, and make a tremendous difference for that person. That's great! But what if we went back?
What if someone stopped by the next week just to visit?
What if we invited that neighbor over for dinner?
What if we remembered their birthday?
What if we continued helping when needs came up, but also began developing a genuine friendship?
Now we've moved beyond completing a project and begun building a relationship!
And that relationship creates opportunities for conversations, prayer, encouragement, and eventually sharing the Gospel.
The same thing can happen when we serve alongside local organizations. There are some wonderful ministries and nonprofits throughout our Valley doing important work. Many of them need volunteers, resources, and people who are willing to serve consistently.
What if an MC decided to build a relationship with one of those organizations?
Instead of showing up once, we began serving regularly. We learned about the people they serve, their staff and their volunteers, and we discovered how to come alongside what they are already doing? And over time, we became people they knew they could count on. I think there's something powerful about that kind of consistency. It communicates that our love and concern extend beyond a single event on the calendar.
And it also gives our MC families opportunities to serve together, using the different gifts and abilities God has given each of us.
Some of us are great at organizing, or fixing just about anything.
Some of us are gifted at listening and encouraging people while others are wonderful at cooking, teaching, or working with children.
And some of us are really good at carrying heavy things and following directions. There's a place for us too.
When we bring those gifts together, we can serve our community in some pretty meaningful ways. But I want us to remember something important.
The people we're serving are never projects to complete. They're people to love.
We serve because Christ has loved us. We show compassion because we have received compassion. We share the Gospel because we genuinely want others to know the Savior who has redeemed us. And sometimes, the relationships we build through serving will take time.
We're not trying to manufacture results or rush people toward a decision. We want to faithfully love people, proclaim Christ when opportunities arise, and trust the Holy Spirit to work in their lives.
We don't need every MC to start a new ministry. We simply want to see our groups become more intentional about loving the people and communities God has placed around us.
Over the next few weeks, we'll begin looking more specifically at ways our MCs can partner with organizations throughout the Valley. My hope is that we begin seeing these opportunities as relationships worth investing in, rather than just another event to attend.
Because at the end of the day, we're a family of servant missionaries. And families stick around.
Have a great week, leaders. Keep loving people well, and don't forget to grab another cup of coffee. Especially if it's GROUND RELIEF. :)
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