Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)
Our local congregation is experiencing amazing growth. Our service attendance has more than doubled in the last year, we’ve moved from one to two Sunday services, and new people are coming to Christ and coming to church each week. Our women’s conference sold out ten days prior to the start – something that has never happened before! God seems to be bringing new and seasoned believers to our church and, for that, I am grateful.
With this growth comes certain challenges. Filling the staffing needs for a full children’s ministry, filling a full praise & worship team, and filling all the volunteer roles for two services on Sunday and one on Wednesday is an ongoing work. After all, every volunteer position is important to helping the overall organization function, but the right volunteers with the right spirits, hearts, and skills need to be in the right places. As the phrase goes, these challenges are a “terrible problem to have,” and, overall, I would say we are blessed.
But that doesn’t mean that our church – or any church body – doesn’t need what I am calling a “deeper bench.” Borrowing the analogy from sports, having a deeper bench just means that there are more than one or two capable people able to step into, serve, and lead in various roles. If a church only has one musician and that person is ill, who will play the music? If a church has only one nursery worker, what will they do if that person gets burned out and quits? If a church only has one couple leading the youth/teens ministry and they have a family emergency, who will minister to that age group? Obviously, there should be leaders in any and all ministry areas, but having an adequate volunteer corps is important to the overall mission of the church.
Today, let us pray that God would send workers whose spirits are united with the Holy Spirit, and who can help to fulfill the mission of each local church.
God,
Thank you for Jesus’s example of what it means to serve each other, and for his call to be laborers in the fields of the harvest. We thank you for the many ways in which you are growing your Church and local congregations in this world. We are especially grateful for the many new believers that are drawn by your Spirit and growing in the Lord. We pray that you would continue to grow them so that they can find their place and know the blessings of consistent service in the house of God. We pray that where seasoned believers have quit serving, you would stir their hearts to reengage and bless others with their efforts. We pray for a “deeper bench” for all areas of each local congregation – that all needed positions will be filled with godly men and women of good character, deep faith, the desire to serve, and the giftings needed to make “all the things” happen. As we serve in your Church, may our efforts bless you and others, we pray in Jesus’s name, AMEN.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4 NIV)
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:6-8 NIV)