Serving in the church isn’t just something for super spiritual people—it’s for anyone who wants to make a difference. Maybe you just started attending church, or you’ve been going to church for years—no matter your story, serving can change your life and the lives of others.
Let’s explore why we serve at church and how serving can change us for the better.
Why Serve at Church?
The ultimate reason we serve is to reflect the life and love of Jesus. During His time on earth, Jesus was the ultimate servant. He consistently gave His time, energy, and resources to others. And He gave His life so anyone could find salvation.
Jesus served others in big and small ways because He knew that service and humility change the world for the better. When we regularly take our focus off of our wants and desires, we limit the negative impact of pride. And when we spend time serving others, we build new, life-giving relationships we might have missed otherwise.
Serving coffee, sweeping floors, or limiting chaos in children’s ministry rooms might not seem world-changing, but when we serve the church, we’re following in the footsteps of Jesus. And when we follow Jesus, we become more like Him and change the lives of others in the process.
3 Ways Serving at Church Changes You
But how do we become more like Jesus? How does God change us when we take the bold step to start serving at church? Here are three ways:
1. Serving in Church Builds Your Faith
Serving in church puts us in a unique environment that can help our faith grow in new and unexpected ways.
Jesus is the ultimate servant, and we often grow closer to Him as we serve. When we experience this closeness with Jesus, we get to see the fruit of the Spirit become evident in our daily lives.
Discomfort Can Help Us Grow
People rarely grow when they’re comfortable. This is especially true in our faith. If we’re not challenging ourselves, it can be easy to fall into spiritual apathy. But our faith is strengthened when we push ourselves to serve at church regularly.
If your faith feels half-hearted or uninspired, then serving might be exactly what you need. Serving takes you off of the comfortable sidelines and into the game.
Do I Even Make a Difference?
Now, let’s be clear: serving at church doesn’t guarantee a weekly emotional or spiritual experience. Sometimes, serving can be frustrating or monotonous. And it’s possible that you may walk away from the church some weeks asking yourself, “Did I even make a difference?”
That’s a common experience, and if you’ve ever been in that spot, let me encourage you with this: Serving is life-giving because it’s sacrificial. People can be frustrating, so serving can be frustrating. Monotonous tasks need to happen for churches to thrive, so serving can be monotonous. And sometimes, growth takes time, so we might not see how our service is making a difference.
Any challenge we face while serving is an opportunity for God to teach us grace, perseverance, forgiveness, and trust in Him.
Any challenge we face while serving is an opportunity for God to teach us grace, perseverance, forgiveness, and trust in Him. We’re wise to find ways to serve that align with our God-given talents, but if we only serve when it’s comfortable, convenient, and making an immediate, visible difference, then we’re missing out on God’s call to care for others sacrificially.
2. Serving in Church Builds New Relationships
Maybe you’ve been going to church for a while but don’t feel connected. If that’s you, then serving might be your best next step.
When you serve, you’ll probably get to meet plenty of new people. Some of them might be people you get to serve alongside. These people might be new best friends, or simply people you see once a week. Either way, they can provide you with a community of fellow Jesus followers who can equip, support, and encourage you.
The more you serve, the more opportunities you’ll have to build new relationships. Over time, you might find yourself wanting to start or join a small group to get more intentional time with people from your church.
Relationships Are a Gift
Of course, relationships can also bring challenges. You might not get along with the people you serve beside. Or there might be church attenders who, for whatever reason, are difficult to serve. These unwanted new relationships might not make serving more fun or exciting, but they can still be valuable.
All of us have room to grow, so we’re wise to have an attitude of curiosity, rather than contempt, toward people we disagree with. Who knows, the person with differing views may have something to teach you about life or faith you’d never considered before.
And when we have the opportunity to serve people we’d rather avoid, it’s a chance for us to model Jesus’ love for all people, even people who hated Him. Of course, if a person is making you or others feel unsafe, then make sure you tell someone and set appropriate boundaries.
3. Serving in Church Builds Your Confidence
Have you ever wondered why God made you, or if you can make a difference? It’s easy to believe the lie that we don’t have anything to offer, or can’t possibly make a positive difference in the world. But God’s given each of us unique talents and abilities that He can use to bless others.
Just read what Peter, a biblical author and early Jesus follower, wrote about serving:
Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:10-11 NIV
Peter doesn’t say “serve when you’re spiritually qualified.” Instead, he affirms that all of us have gifts God can use to help others.
When you take the bold step to start serving, you get a chance to see God’s strength move through you. You might discover new gifts you never knew you had. You might surprise yourself with how capable you are at certain acts of service. You can also discover new interests and passions as you serve your church community.
Start Serving Today
You have something to offer. You don’t need a perfect past, a theology degree, or years of experience to make a difference. If you feel called to serve, don’t wait.
Serving Opportunities
Need help figuring out how to start serving? Just ask a pastor or volunteer at your church. They should be able to point you toward your next step. If you’d like to serve at an online church, you might consider serving at Church Online.