I hear it frequently, and have many times over the past 30 years of ministry, “We just cannot get enough volunteers.” It seems like most churches wrestle with this issue. How can we get more people to volunteer for the various ministries we offer? Sometimes, this leads to a place of great frustration where leaders begin to believe that nobody cares about the ministry of the church.

I am not convinced that is the problem. I believe people deeply care about Jesus Christ and his mission in the world. Numerous people I talk with are filled with passion. They love God, and they want to see the world transformed. When they pray the Lord’s Prayer, they really do want God’s name to be made holy, God’s kingdom to come, and God’s will to be done right here, right now, on earth as it is in heaven. They see the vastness of the need, and they believe God wants to answer that need through the church, but something is missing. I contend that the missing piece is found in the language we use.

Words have meaning. Yes, there are definitions for every word we use, but there is also the meaning we associate with those words. Combined, these definitions and meanings lead to assumptions and understandings about our communication. Use the wrong words and people envision the wrong things, and act accordingly. The proper words, however, elicit a vibrant response that releases powerful beliefs and actions.

So, what word is the problem? The surprisingly common and deceptive word, “volunteer.” Let me be honest and straightforward. I never volunteer at church, not as a pastor, nor as a Christian. I am not even sure it is possible. I volunteer to help a number of organizations and causes, but I never volunteer for ministry. Why? Simply because any action of ministry, no matter how small, is not volunteering, it is serving. Before you dismiss me and accuse me of an argument of semantics, take a moment to hear me out.

Volunteering has everything to do with me offering my time to something I value or believe in. Serving recognizes my life is a gift from God, and the time I offer is actually God’s time given to me to use to fulfill God’s purposes in my life and the world. When I volunteer, I am in control, and I am giving someone else what belongs to me. When I serve, God is in control, and I am responding to God’s grace in my life, sharing what God already shared with me. Volunteering is about helping out with something important. Serving is about being a part of something bigger, believing my part is connected to God’s vision for the transformation of the world.

Colossians 3:17 says, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” In these simple words, we are reminded that, as followers of Jesus, what we do is not about us. It is not about our personal tastes, our private agendas, or even about the traditions of our local church. What we do is about Jesus, and his plan for the world. When I serve, I am connected to something so much greater than I could imagine. My actions are no longer about how I feel, or what I get, including the affirmation and appreciation of others. As a servant, I am acting to please God, to show my love to the One who loves me most.

I often think of the comparison to marriage. I do not volunteer to help my wife with projects that matter to her, or to care for our family. I choose to give myself as an act of love. That may be the act of making the bed, listening to a story, or any number of little things that express my heart’s connection to my wife and children. Not once have I said, “Okay, I will volunteer to care for you when you are sick,” or, “I volunteer to clean the house.” Instead, I choose to do such things because I am in love. I want to respond to the love I receive, and show the love I have.

My relationship with Jesus is no different. I do not preach on Sunday because it is my job. If that was the motivation, it would be a terrible job. I don’t visit people in the hospital, help with our youth, teach, lead, or anything else because I must. Instead, I do all the acts of ministry because I love Jesus, and I love the people I am called to serve. I do not volunteer to help the church, or the community. I serve people because of the passion, and compassion, in my heart. Acts of ministry are not just tasks, they are expressions of love, opportunities to value others through our service.

Maybe the reason we seem to always need more volunteers is because we actually don’t need any volunteers at all. Maybe we need servants who understand how great God’s blessings are, and what a privilege it is to share those blessings with others. Maybe we need to help people see how our acts of ministry are signs of our love for God, and our love for people. Maybe we need to help people reconnect to Jesus, who said, and showed, that he came to serve others out of the vast, compassionate heart of God. Could it be that when we do, people will begin to see their own actions as following in Jesus’ footsteps, becoming like him in what they do?

I do not volunteer at church, but I will willingly give my life in service to God and others. There is but a small reward for what I volunteer to do, but my service, in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit can quite literally change the world. That is something I can be passionate about. That is something that I do not want to miss, and I know that I am not alone.

Today, we can choose to ask God for a servant’s heart. We can begin to change our words, our thoughts, and our motivations. We can exchange doing something nice for people, or just helping out, for the privilege of partnering with God in God’s work in the world. In 1 Corinthians 3:9, the Apostle Paul refers to us as God’s coworkers. That is so much more attractive and meaningful than church volunteers.

So, let’s embrace a new vision. Together, let’s open our hearts and minds to embrace something greater than ourselves or a program, and let’s become servants of the Most High God, ambassadors for Christ, and emissaries of the kingdom of God. It is time to believe that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can can fulfill that great prayer Jesus taught. May it be so!

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“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” – James 1:19

Have you ever been in the midst of a conversation only to find yourself waiting for the other person to stop talking, in order to say what you are thinking? Have you realized that you don’t remember what the other person said because you were already processing your response? If so, don’t feel bad. You are not alone. Far too many of us get so caught up in our thoughts, and easily become sure that we have the most important point to make, that we fail to really hear what someone else is saying.

Just because we are not alone in this struggle does not mean that we should simply accept that things must remain this way. We have authority over our thoughts and actions. We may unconsciously choose to put our thoughts, ideas, and words first, but, if we become aware of that process, we can change it. It will not be easy, but it may be one of the more important things we do.

James reminds us we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. More than a reminder, it is a call to look at what is most important in our hearts and minds. If we are willing to embrace a new level of self-awareness, there are many blessings awaiting us on the other side of our decision. Being present in the moment, and truly listening to others, develops our character as we, “humbly consider others better than ourselves.” (Philippians 2:3), and enables us to learn something meaningful in the lives of those we converse with. Blocking that awareness, hinders our growth and our relationships.

While in college, a friend invited me to his church to hear a special speaker. We went for the evening meeting and the church was packed. I did not know of the speaker, but others clearly did. Everyone was excited he was willing to speak at their church, and I was expecting something amazing.

Early in the message, the speaker said, “Everywhere in the Bible, the image of the lion is used as a symbol of the enemy of our spiritual life.” Around me, people were nodding in affirmation and support. I, however, was tripping over his comment. My first thought was, “What about the, ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah,’” a reference to Jesus himself. I spent the remainder of the message stewing over that thought. I could not wait to get out of the service so that I could confront my friend with the foolishness of the speaker’s comment. Headstrong, and full of pride, I sat smugly through the rest of the service, impressed by myself and my insight.

Once we were in the car, I immediately pointed out the foolishness of the comment the speaker made. My friend sat silent. I had not considered the impact of my words in that moment, only my chance to be right. My dear friend looked at me and said, “Clearly, he made a mistake. Did you hear anything else he said?” The truth was… not a word. I judged him quickly, and became enmeshed in my own thoughts, missing everything else. I was busy preparing my words to say, missing the rest of what the speaker had to say, and, in the process, missing anything that God desired to say to me as well.

It was shortly after this experience that one of the people I deeply respect asked if I ever heard of the speaker. Before I could respond, he went on to tell me how powerfully his books impacted his life and ministry, and encouraged me to read them. When I finally got over myself, I purchased a book and began to read. The insights were deep and meaningful. I read more, and still have some of those books on my shelves. My “slow to listen, quick to speak” heart robbed me of something precious in that little church, and that attitude can steal from us all.

People matter. Whether they are well-known speakers, or the server at our table, they matter. Their thoughts, ideas, and dreams matter. Their insights and visions matter. Above all, as those created in the image of God, loved by God, and sought by God, they matter to God. When we are busy thinking about ourselves, what we know and what we can say, we are missing the opportunity to really hear, and see, someone else for who they are. We are missing the chance to give our attention to one of God’s beloved, and we are diminishing the opportunity to see God at work in them.

All of us have something to add to the larger conversation, but so do those around us. Real dialog requires we listen, digest, learn, and then speak. As James said, we need to be quick to listen, while holding our tongues. Our ideas and words can wait, because, if we are honest, we will not be fully heard, until we are willing to truly hear, and it may be that God’s word will be in someone else’s voice.

Today, maybe it is time to decide to humble ourselves, and listen… just listen. Just imagine what we could be missing when we are busy talking, or thinking about talking.

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Scripture has a lot to say about words. The Bible begins with an expression of their power as God speaks creation into existence. It ends with a warning not to add or subtract to the words God gives. Along the way, God promises, “So will my word be which goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) Clearly, God believes words are powerful, and it is not just God’s words that matter, ours have an impact as well.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that, “the power of life and death are in the tongue.” Our words create, or destroy; they bless, or they curse. We too, created in the image of God, create with our words. Unlike God, our words do not always create wholeness, and sometimes they actually harm. What we say is truly powerful, and it changes our lives, affects the atmosphere around us, and impacts others. Words are not neutral, they make a difference. This is a stunning reality in a time when we flippantly throw words around, without thought of what we are creating. 

I wanted to write something last week, but with all of the words flooding the world, it seemed prudent to wait. As I reflected with my wife on all that was coming through my social media feeds, it became clear that many words were being spoken without much thought about their effect. It has become a way of life for us. We post every thought, every feeling, in real time. What would have been reflected upon and discussed with a few close friends before others knew, is now on the internet for the world to see, often faster than we can type.

It can feel good and cathartic to put our words out there for the world to see. Sometimes, someone has already put our words into a meme, and it even saves us the effort of typing. What seems good, however, is not always what it seems. I know that all too well. There are a number of posts and replies that I wish I could take back, but they are out there, and they have an impact, not all of it representative of God, or even the best of who I am. That quick image or 140 character tweet, whether sent by those in the highest offices, or the average individual, changes the world. 

The ease with which we toss our thoughts out to others when there is so much power in them is stunning, and what is even more sobering is that God has some serious opinions about what we say. In Matthew 12:36, Jesus says, “I tell you, on the day of judgement people will give an account for every careless word they speak.” Yes, we will answer to God for every word we spoke, texted, tweeted, and posted – every word.

We can ease our conscious by saying, “Well, I was angry,” “I’m entitled to my opinion,” even, “I wasn’t thinking,” but we are still accountable for what we say. Our excuses do not change that reality that we are entrusted with a very powerful gift, and we are responsible for how we use it. Do we, like God, use our words to create beauty, to build up, to heal, or do we speak words that tear down and destroy what God created? When we attack a person, we attack one created in the image of God. When we pour out unforgiveness, hate, and anger on the world, we damage the world God created. It is worthy of reflection. The good news is that we also have the power in our words to help people see their true identity in Christ, discover their destiny, and live in peace with one another.

Maybe it is time to be careful with our words; to ponder them before God prior to releasing them on the world. Maybe it is time to recognize the tremendous opportunity we have to create a better world just by what we say, or don’t say. Maybe it is time to speak less and listen more, and to offer a much needed word at the right time. I know it is such a time for me. Maybe it is that time for you as well.

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