Taking Action By Serving Our Community

Guest post by Brian Holt

A famous nun once said, "[The fame and adulation] means nothing to me. But one thing I have done which I believe is important. I have helped people to talk to the poor and not just about the poor."

Operation: Advance is about far more than simply talking about the problems facing our world. Those problems must be faced with action…with deployment of a variety of our resources. While financial giving can solve problems locally and globally, some problems can only be solved by personal interaction. We must actively serve those around us.

The Church itself is, at it's very core, about drawing people in and sending people out. We are commanded to go and make disciples of all nations. We are commanded to love our neighbors and to take care of those in need. It's a personal command as well as a corporate command. We serve to be obedient, to draw others to Jesus, and to receive the joy that comes from giving.

We want you to experience all those things.  We are asking every Small Group to serve somewhere in your community between now and the beginning of summer (June 1st).

Here's how to make it happen:

1. Find your own opportunity.

God has given each of us specific areas of passion for a specific reason. He's also gifted us uniquely and called us each to different stages of life. Find an opportunity to serve that matches those things!

When you find an opportunity to serve on your own as a Small Group, you not only find something that matches your Group best, you also take on a higher level of ownership…which leads to greater achievement and greater satisfaction. God has put you in a specific context (work, family, neighborhood, etc…). This all works best when you serve out of where God has placed you.

2. Choose an opportunity from the list of current Action Teams.

While it's best for a Small Group to discover an opportunity to serve on its own, we know that not every Small Group will be able to do so. And we want to help. We have volunteer and staff action team leaders that are serving in area ministries regularly. From serving food to the homeless and underprivileged, to reading stories to children, to fixing and building houses. There's something on this list for everyone. Visit www.rockbridge.cc/missions and click on "Action Teams" for a complete list.