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 Jesus Christ epitomized the principle of Christian service,
dedicating his life to helping and serving others—eventually
giving his very life for each one of us so that we may be
forgiven of a lifetime of transgressions. Everyone is called
to give service in the building of the kingdom of God on
earth, with Christian Churches responsible for motivating
their members towards fulfilling this commission.
We are all Servants in the Kingdom
Jesus gave to us the ultimate example of service when he said,
“I am among you as he that serveth” (Luke 22:27), telling his
disciples, “Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered
unto, but to minister” (Matthew 20:28).
We are called to serve others, being motivated by our own love
of the Savior and our love for our fellow brothers and sisters
in Christ, regardless of their race, religion, or social
status. Service to others is not contingent on our age, our
financial status, health, or our position in society. Jesus
put to rest any thoughts of service-related discrimination
when he said: “Whosoever will be great among you, let him be
your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him
be your servant” (Matt. 20:26–27).
While God is all powerful, and many of God’s children are
self-sufficient, God’s work is accomplished by the hands of
men, women, and children. For this reason service becomes the
work of the Lord. The prophet Spencer W. Kimball highlighted
this principle when he wrote, “God does notice us, and he
watches over us. But it is usually through another person that
he meets our needs” (“Small Acts of Service,” Ensign, Dec.
1974, 5).
Types
of Service that can be Rendered
We can render service through a variety of means that include
social (a simple smile or friendly gesture); economic (a
donation directly or indirectly); physical (performing labor
on behalf of another); or spiritual (ministering to the
spiritual needs of others). Service may involve a small and
uncomplicated act, or something that requires great sacrifice
on the part of the giver. We must always keep in mind the
infinite act of service by Jesus Christ in giving up his life
for us.
The Savior taught that when we are serving others we are
actually serving him (Matt. 25:40). This principle was further
taught by King Benjamin in the Book of Mormon when he told his
people, “When ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye
are only in the service of your God. …” (Mosiah 2:17–18).
Building a Culture of Service in a Church Community
It is important for Christian Churches to create a “culture of
service” within their congregations, giving members an
opportunity to serve and exercise faith in Jesus Christ. One
Christian denomination that has built a strong culture of
service is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Consider the following examples of service among the LDS
Church:
Unpaid Ministry:
The culture of service begins with the Church’s policy of an
unpaid ministry: All ward and stake level ecclesiastical
positions for men and women, including nearly all regional and
worldwide positions of ministry, are staffed by volunteers who
are called to serve. Priesthood leaders for example maintain
full time jobs to support their families, while attending to
their duties in the ministry without compensation. This same
principle applies for women leaders in the Church. Such an
unpaid ministry is 100% service oriented and driven not by a
paycheck, but by their love of God and for their fellowman.
Member Volunteers across the Globe:
The culture of service perpetuates itself from the local level
to a grander global scale. In 2005, the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints had 3,512 humanitarian missionaries
worldwide rendering a total of 738,821 days of volunteer labor
in 163 countries (Welfare Services Fact Sheet—2005, The Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City). All of
this is in addition to the service given at the ward and stake
levels under the policy of an unpaid ministry.
There are numerous other examples of service oriented cultures
in Christian Churches across the globe—both big and small.
Service doesn’t have to include huge projects, but rather it
can and should be a continual process in order to maintain a
strong spirit of giving and sacrifice among Christian
congregations.
The Blessings of Service
Although we should never expect anything in return for
rendering service, we are able to enjoy great blessings
through our acts of selfless charity. These blessings may
include, but not be limited to, increasing our capacity to
love others; becoming more like Christ; and being able to
focus less on ourselves and more on others, such that our own
problems may seem trivial where they once seemed large. That
being said, it is clear that service is critical in gaining
eternal life and returning to our Heavenly Father.
Conclusion
We can find outstanding examples of Christian service such as
Catholic Charities, United Methodist Voluntary Service,
Presbyterian Services, and numerous other Christian
organizations at both the denominational and ecumenical
level—each one providing opportunities for service and serving
those in need. A true Christian seeks out opportunities for
service and does so for the Love of God and not to earn a
great reward for themselves on earth or in the eternities.
Christ is the ultimate example of service by which all
Christians should pattern their lives in reaching out to those
who are unclothed, hungry, lonely, incarcerated, and otherwise
down trodden.
Doctrinal
Study: Church
Practices: Rendering Service
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Sword Series™ essay on Rendering Service |
