We hope and pray you are growing in Christ. We hope you desire to serve others though your church, to be a blessing for the Lord. The desire to serve is a wonderful sign of spiritual fruit in your life. Your God-given gifts and talents are given the chance to blossom when you serve your church body. The Bible tells us that we are a family, and we need each other. The apostle Peter taught, "Each one should use whatever gifts he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10). "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:10).
The Lord put us together where we are to bless one another, and to complement one another. "Various forms," Peter said in the verse above. That means we are not all given the same gifts. Some may be gifted in the arts like writing, music or art. Others excel in organizing, children's ministry, youth work, counseling, teaching, construction, crafts, hospitality….and many spiritual gifts. The Spirit gives us great gifts! We want to encourage you to use your gifts for God.
Now you may be trying to decide just what area of ministry to serve. We will be doing a follow-up survey in December to help us get to know you better and to assist you in determining your place in the body of Christ. We desire to see God use your unique blend of experiences, talents, traits, and gifts to best accomplish His work. We each have a part to play in God’s great symphony.
The Apostle Paul calls us the '"Body of Christ," and like our human bodies, each part has a specific purpose. You were designed for a specific work and we want to make sure that you serve where your gifts will best be used. One of the main reasons for burnout in ministry is people serving in areas where they are not truly called. Carefully praying and discerning your gifts will maximize the potential for you to experience one of the greatest joys you'll ever know - being used by God in the capacity for which you were designed. God uses ordinary people for extraordinary purposes.
We believe that no one has sinned so greatly that the blood of Christ cannot make a place for you to serve in the body of Christ. We want you involved where God will be glorified through the gifts and talents He has given you. I encourage you to trust God to place you in the perfect area of ministry for which He has equipped you. When we become part of a church body we are not only on the receiving end of others' gifts, but we get the opportunity to use our gifts to bless others. Once again, I want to thank you for your prayers and support. Your service is greatly appreciated. May God richly bless you as you experience the abundant joy of serving Him with all your heart!
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