Serving in the church?

[janava]

This is a bit of a strange question. Most churches are always talking about serving. Using your gifts to serve the church.
How do you determine what your gifts are?
And do you use them only in the church? Or should you use them for outside the church?
We have been looking for a church for the last 2 years, we have finally joined and Independent Baptist church, the preaching is wonderful and they are very mission oriented. Yet they still do a lot of things we don't agree with, lots of sports stuff, youth group things, Sunday schools divided, children's church? It seems like a lot is always going on, but is it all really necessary? Sometimes I feel like it's just busy work? I don't know, am I looking at this all wrong?
They are always asking for help in one area or another, but I'm not sure where or what to do in these situations. Thanks for any help.

Jana

[benshelpmeet]

Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;

Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

Rom 12:11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

Rom 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Rom 12:13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

Rom 12:14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.

Rom 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.

Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.

Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

Rom 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

Rom 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

Rom 12:21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.


Also Study!

1Co 12:1-31 - 1Cor 13: 1-13

How do you determine what your gifts are?

The Longer you are a christian and the more you pray and wonder and seek the Lord, then the Lord will reveal what your particular gifts are.

What are you naturally good at?

Are you naturally a giver? An encourager? A exhorter?

What are your strong points spiritually?

I would serve the Lord in the areas that he opens doors for you to serve. You will know what you are cut out to do.

If you are asked to watch children in a class or nursery, and you know that you do not have much patients for children (especially other peoples children ) then you know that job is not for you.

If you enjoy cleaning...clean the church...clean a sick persons house or help a new mother.

If you enjoy cooking, then cook for the church and others...you can take a meal to a sick person...a new mother...a person who has lost a loved one...a shut in.

If you love people ( a people person, then you can be involved in peoples lives, encouraging them, uplifting them, teaching them, loving them for Christ sake....loving the unlovely, the outcast, the lonely, the rejected, those others have no time for.

Find something you can do for your church and others.

And do you use them only in the church? Or should you use them for outside the church?

I serve the Lord in the church and outside the church. I am a servant of the Lord every waking hour and I try to be mindful of that.

It seems like a lot is always going on, but is it all really necessary? Sometimes I feel like it's just busy work? I don't know, am I looking at this all wrong?

We call it the Christian rat race. We did it for 16 years Cream of the Crop we were! Faithful to all that was required of us and we were running all the time...not much time left for our marriage, our family, or anything else. We had our ducks in a row... Our testimony was spotless, We were soldiers of the cross, and we were so busy doing everything we thought was important and right that we were missing the mark.... We were dotting out I's and crossing our T's and never noticed that our family was lacking. We were assured by mature christians Pastors, Evangelists, Missionaries and knowledgeable christians that if we would Read our KJV (through every year ), go soul-winning ( every week or a few times a week), attend church faithfully (every time the doors were open...don't call in sick, crawl in sick! ), be a faithful tither and a grace giver, serve in the church where needed, obey the pastors teaching that everything else will fall into place....and we did...and we saw that this teaching did not hold true.

The Lord started opening our eyes to truths that no one around us was doing...like, keeping our babies out of the nursary..quiver full (trusting God!), eventually keeping our son out of the Sunday school and children's church and then Youth group (were so glad we did! ) Then our girls out of SS and children's church, we had a God given conviction against slits in dresses and skirts and against culottes (no one else did...no one understood), We could not and would not watch regular TV or worldly videos (no one understood...we eventually got rid of it altogether and are now free of its pull and hold! yippee! , the Lord convicted us about long hair and not wearing jewelry and about no make up, then about plainer clothing and a more simple lifestyle and then the covering.....the list of how the Lord has lead us is much bigger than this and will continue to grow as we do, I am sure.

Others do not understand unless they are where you are or have been there and seen the Lord lead to a stronger walk...a walk of faith, a walk not like the crowd (your church peers) It is not easy to stand for the things the Lord leads you to do. But it is well worth the sacrifice to live a life well pleasing to God as He leads you, you must follow, if you want to be a victorious christian.

When the Lord speaks to your heart about an issue, you will know it. He will open your eyes to truth, He will give you light on a subject, He will burden your heart, You will know right from wrong.....Then the deceiver (the evil one) will tell you...

You can't be right because your preacher (and others more spiritual than you) do not believe like you.

Or...Why would God lead you or tell you to do something He would not first tell the preacher or other more spiritual christians than you to do?

The deceiver will say...that was not God telling you to do that ( good/stronger) thing...that was just your flesh thinking that!

he (the deceiver) will tell you, that you are no better than those around you, and that you do not know how to discern Gods will or promptings...Who are you anyway?

Line up Gods promptings with the word of God.

Gods ways are pure and right, they are usually not the easy thing to do and not the easy road to take.

Blessings to you sister!

If I were you I would serve when and where the Lord leads you ( God wants us to serve and He will show you and open doors that are right for you)...do not be intimidated into serving God and others, do let others make you feel like you should do something or your not right with God.