...Put My Service to the Test...

So confession time. I am not a fan of those “Spiritual Inventories” that you can take to figure out where to serve in the church. Basically, they just reflect what you already know about yourself and don’t stretch you into any place surprising. I think the best way to find out how you should serve is to try different things.

Helping Organize and Serve

When I first told my pastor I was sensing a call by God into career ministry, I was in junior high. For some reason they don’t give you a church to pastor when you’re that age. Instead, that pastor said that the first step was to start testing that call by getting involved in church, so I said yes to a lot of different jobs.

I had some jobs that I really didn’t like. Like when I had the job to gather attendance from all the classrooms during Sunday school and record them in a giant book. Oh, how I hated that job. I hate numbers. I hate missing out on being with people. I didn’t really think that those numbers mattered much. I dreaded church when I had that job. Praise God they let me quit after 12 times.

There were some jobs that weren’t my favorite, but I had such a high value for the job, it was okay. Like helping out in the nursery. I am not a baby person, but it was all right because I knew how important it was. 

Lots of times we do jobs that aren’t our top pick because we value the people who we serve.

I had some jobs that I loved. Leading singing and doing special music were good. Counseling at camp was even better. Leading Bible and book studies, and organizing small groups were right in my wheel house.

Preaching and Leading Worship

What I have learned about service it that experience is the best way to figure out where my “abilities, talents, spiritual gifts, and passions” lie. Sure, it is a little messier. I have had to step down from some jobs, which makes me feel guilty (even though it shouldn’t!). But it’s allowed me the freedom to discover stuff about myself I didn’t know was there. Like even though I don’t feel the need to hold every baby, I like them and can love on them just as well as the next person.

I’ve also learned that whatever you do (even if it’s a job you don’t like) when it comes to service, try to be FAT: Faithful (do what you say you will), Available (say yes, but don’t commit to more than you can really do), and Teachable (be humble enough to learn from others).