The 2nd greatest commandment has largely been ignored by Christian establishments. It is easier to tell you to love your neighbor than to equip you and help you to show love through action.
This is a pretty big claim to make, but I ask you to consider: how does your church support and encourage volunteering?
Many churches have robust volunteer programs... but all the volunteer opportunities exist inside the church. You can work in children's church, you can play in the band or sing, you can greet visitors at the door, you can help clean the church, you can be on the audio/visual team and ensure that everything runs smoothy from a technical perspective.
Or you can lead a small group in your home, lead a bible study at the church, volunteer with the youth group.
All these things are good, and necessary to ensure the church functions - but is that all there is?
Here is a parable Jesus told; please read the whole thing. You've likely heard it before:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ~Matthew 25:31-40
Do our ministries in our churches reflect this?
A hospital is good; but without an ambulance to go out and rescue the most desperate - it is less helpful than it could be.
Think about the most common complaint about Christians that you hear from folks who aren't Christians.
Words like "hypocritical" get tossed around a lot. Saying something, and not doing it. Having a set of values, and not living by them.
Did Jesus wait at the door of the synagogue for the sick and destitute to come in, so he could then greet them?
Of course not.
It may seem like I am casting stones; and I am not fit to cast stones - I'm as guilty as anyone. ServeWith comes from my desire to solve this issue; provide a centralized avenue and resource to help churches go out.
I felt called to actually do something for people in need. I want to get my young kids involved in volunteering. It was on my heart.
I was already volunteering at the youth group at my church, which was an awesome ministry with excellent people. But I wanted to spend more time out in the community, meeting people.
I checked my churches resources, and there was nothing. Occasionally we went out on holidays and passed out gas cards, which was great. But it wasn't consistent.
So, I realized I had to try and figure it out myself. I tried to call a refuge home, they don't take volunteers currently. Everyone needs a background check.
I tried to call three food banks; only one answered the phone and they needed a few volunteers who could commit to 2 hours a week, and no kids were allowed.
Depression and frustration set in. I felt like I was alone.
Why did I have to figure all this junk out myself? I'm sure someone else would like to know that the food bank couldn't allow kids.
I never figured it out. I never found a place that I could take my family to volunteer.
Maybe I didn't try hard enough, but this is where my passion comes from. IT IS TOO HARD for the normal person.
Churches need to be the centralized element that does the vetting, finds the needs, and then channels the congregation towards the needs.
I saw one church that had a mission statement on their website about reaching people for Jesus by feeding and loving them.
I got excited... alright! Now we are talking!
Then I browsed around their website trying to find out how to get involved in the community. Every single volunteer option listed was for inside the church.
My heart sank as I read a line that said "Jesus told Peter 'Feed my people'...it is our passion to feed the word of God..."
They don't actually have any way to go and actually feed the hungry.
"Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?"
Imagine joining a small group; and each week on Sunday morning your church provides a big list of volunteer options that are coming up in the next month. You talk as a group, and choose some that resonate with your small group and work for peoples schedule.
Your group meets, and you go out. Together. With your kids. Visiting the prisoners at your local jail. Your pastor comes up with you sometimes. Comforting elderly shut-ins who have lost a spouse. Meeting and feeding the homeless.
Your group meets on the next Sunday morning... imagine how much you have to talk about.
Someone says, "A homeless woman asked me a really hard question; what should I have said?"
You dig to find the answer together, and your pastor helps provide guidance.
So many Christians have difficulty studying the Bible. But if you expose yourself to challenging situations, you'll be more likely to hunt for an answer. If you get asked a question that you don't know the answer to, you are more likely to seek a solution in the Bible.
I believe the cure for the state of Christianity in America is for churches to focus their efforts on real, self-sacrificing service to their communities; not inward self-serving volunteering.
This will align our actions with our words.
But the Pharisees and the teachers of he law who belonged to their sect complained to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"
Jesus answered them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."
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