Encouragement For Every Church Volunteer Who Wonders If What They Do Really Matters

Encouragement For Every Church Volunteer Who Wonders If What They Do Really Matters

I speak with countless numbers of volunteers who wonder if what they are doing truly matters and makes a difference in the lives of others.  This is why pastors and church leaders often have much work to do in terms of connecting a volunteer’s task or assignment to something of eternal value.
A recent post by my friends at MAG Bookkeeping resonated deeply with me because they addressed this issue giving meaning and purpose to volunteers head on.  The following were their thoughts:
“The MAG Bookkeeping team was fortunate to have one of our current clients, Pastor David Walters of The Vine Church in Atlanta, lead us in morning devotions at one of our team gatherings a few months ago. Pastor David shared a passage from the beginning of Acts 6, where the disciples and members of the early church were struggling to balance the demands of teaching and preaching with the demands of ministering to the physical needs of their growing church. (Sound familiar?) Other groups of Jews were calling them out for not properly caring for those in need in their communities of faith.
So, according to the text,

…the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”

They couldn’t neglect ministry of the word to “wait on tables” – but the people still needed to be cared for and their needs met in the name of Jesus. So they chose seven men who were known to be faithful and trustworthy, and tasked them with the care of those in need. One of these seven was Stephen, who in the next section of scripture becomes the first believer to be martyred for his faith.

Because these early church leaders handed off some of the more hands-on work of administration, according to Acts 6:7, “the word of God spread.” And there’s nothing better than that.

Today, if you’re a church leader or volunteer who’s taking some of the more hands-on work off your leaders’ plates, you’re helping the word of God to spread. You’re waiting the tables of ministry by keeping the books, answering the phones, compiling the reports, delivering food, visiting the sick or homebound – whatever you’re doing, it is making an eternal impact. Because those things that seem insignificant, when done in the name of Jesus, take on eternal significance.

Just a small reminder to you today, from your fellow table waiters at MAG Bookkeeping!”