A WORD FROM THE PASTOR:
Do We Have a Volunteer Problem?
Last week, in my column for the Good News Blast, I spoke to the above question: Do we have a volunteer problem at Resurrection? Indeed, there is a problem, and it is rooted in each and every one of us: the problem of our sin and our selfishness. The answer to that problem was spoken of in last Sunday’s ser-mon: Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord! Christ is alive and at work in each believer!
Yes, we have a problem. The Church, as a gathering of flawed, sinful people, will never be perfect this side of heaven. Each of us should be able, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to look inside our hearts, examine our lives, see what we desire, what we live for, where we spend our time, and see that a lot of it is sinful. Our selfish desire to see the time we have and the talents and gifts we possess, and then call it MY TIME or MY GIFTS – ALL FOR ME! – is sinful.
The ANSWER plain and simple is Jesus! He served, He loved, He laid down His life, He rose from the grave – all to resurrect EACH OF US to new life now, and eternal life in heaven. The life of a Christian, therefore, should be one where each day we repent of our sins, rejoice in the forgiveness of the cross, and are raised to live for the glory of God. And when you live for the glory of God, that means that you put yourself aside, and trusting God, love your neighbor.
At Resurrection, we don’t want to ask for volunteers. By Christ’s command, we want to raise up DISCIPLES – disciples who GO and DO – who are “apron Christians,” not “bib Christians.” We want the members of Resurrection to wear aprons, not bibs! – as St. James reminds us in our March Memory Verse:
“Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds …
As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”
[James 2:17, 26]
But what is a “Bib Christian?” A “Bib Christian” is one who only wants to be fed – who is not yet ready or willing to feed him- or herself. Bibs are for those who are more interested in being served than in serving. Bibs are for those who insist that the church exists for them, their families, and their needs (try to prove that line from Holy Scripture!!). Bibs are for babes in the faith – those who haven’t caught God’s vision for the church, or those who are not yet of the Faith.
What is an “Apron Christian?” An Apron Christian is one who has a heart to serve others in Jesus’ name – for those who know that they ARE THE CHURCH. Aprons are for those who don’t mind getting their hands dirty, yet who willingly take time daily to feed their spiritual hunger. Aprons are for those who are growing in the Faith, and hunger to help others grow.
Over 30 years ago, church growth consultant Dr. Win Arn interviewed thousands of Christians in America and asked them, “For whom does the church exist?” 88% said, “The church exists to serve my needs and the needs of my family.” In other words, 88% of Christians in America were still wearing BIBS! I am convinced that number has not changed!
Brothers and Sisters in Christ: God gave you gifts and put you where you are right now. You have an allotted amount of TIME to use your GIFTS and ABILITIES for His glory. And as I mentioned in last Sunday’s sermon, we GO and DO “in view of God’s mercy … offering our bodies as living sacrifices” [Romans 12]. Serve your family. Help your community. And yes, please help out at Resurrection.
I end with the same words I used last week: So, do we at Resurrection have a volunteer problem? If we do, it’s the same problem Jesus Himself faced when He said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.” Jesus response, though, wasn’t to criticize, complain, or write a berating article for the newsletter. Jesus response was PRAYER! He said, “Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” And then the very next word of our Lord to His disciples was: “GO!” [see Luke 10:1-3] And I think you know what that means!
Lift High the Name of Jesus –
in all that we do for Him!
Pastor Hank Hollar
