Are you getting the point?

I used to have a poster in my office similar to this. It simply said, "If you're not serving, you don't get the point." It was actually an advertisement for a missions organization. The volleyball in the picture was filled in with a map of the earth. It was a reminder that our purpose in this life is to seek and save the lost. That, most often, happens through serving others. 

It was a really cool poster until they changed the rules of volleyball. (Thanks a lot volleyball rule makers!)

Though the saying might not be an accurate sports metaphor, it still has unmistakable spiritual application:

• Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. (1 Peter 4:10) 
• Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,    and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:43-45)
• For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:10)

Serving is not simply a "good idea," it is what we are made for. As we continue our "I Am A Church Member" series, I would say again, "If you're not serving, you really don't get the point." 

As part of our goal of becoming "rooted in God's love," we express our love for others in service. We've created a number of personal growth goals. When it comes to service, this is what it says:

I am aware of my unique gifts and am using them 

in service to share Christ outside the church. 

Let me give you some examples of what this looks like:

• One of our small groups took it upon themselves to prepare and deliver 100 meals to people in need. (this is only the beginning - stay tuned for more)
• One of our members picks up a 10-12 guys from the Healing Place to play basketball on Monday nights, an opportunity many of them would not otherwise have during the winter months.
• Another small group has prepared food and delivered supplies to the Green River Ministries homeless shelter.
• We have a group of men and women who consistently provide worship opportunities at the Taylor County Detention Center on Sunday's.
• Diapers are being provided to the Crisis Pregnancy Center.

These are only a few of the things that are happening in the lives of people who are "getting the point." Church membership is quite frankly not about you. Life is not about you. It never has been. Maybe you've missed the point for some time. It doesn't have to stay that way. As the Apostle Paul says in Philippians 2:3-11:

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,  not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 

Who, being in very nature  God,  

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

 rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature  of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 

and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.