Wednesday, 3 April 2019

​Volunteers or Servants in Ministry?


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by Timothy Schmaltz
A couple of weeks ago I attended an evening for those in liturgical ministry in St. Elizabeth Seton Parish. Fr. Roy gave a presentation where, among the many things he shared, he stressed that we need to see ourselves and each other as ministers serving the Body of Christ. We do this because we have been called by the Lord who has given us the necessary gifts and talents needed to perform this work of service. St. Paul has a lot to say about this in 1 Corinthians 12 and also in Romans 12. To us, our gifts and talents may not seem like much more than a few loaves and fishes, but the Lord can and will multiply them as needed.

A corollary to understanding ourselves as servants who have been called to ministry by God is that we need to cease considering ourselves as volunteers. This is true, regardless of the ministry, whether social, educational, liturgical or care and compassion.
'Volunteerism' is a secular phenomenon in today's Church which generates an attitude that is an obstacle to the spiritual growth and maturation of the Body of Christ.

I searched the Internet to see if I could find any online material about this and was delighted to find this article by Kenny Lamm who is a leader and pastor with the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina:

In this article he lists ten differences between volunteers and "those called of God." I'm sure you will find enough material here to take you through to Easter.

  1. Volunteers see their involvement at church as community service, but people called of God see it as ministry.
  2. Volunteers whine about what it’s going to cost to serve, but people called are committed to serving.
  3. Volunteers shrink back from resolving relational conflict, but people called of God seek to resolve      relational conflict for the sake of unity in the church.
  4. Volunteers look upon rehearsal/practice/meetings as another commitment they’re obligated to fulfill, but people called of God look forward to rehearsal/practice/meetings as another opportunity to be used by God.
  5. Volunteers do no outside practicing or preparation, but people who are called of God come ready to serve and a performance as prepared as possible.
  6. Volunteers are not open to constructive criticism; they get defensive about it.  But people called of God are grateful for feedback because they want to be the best they can be.
  7. Volunteers feel threatened by the talent of others, but people called of God praise Him for distributing gifts and talents as He chooses.
  8. Volunteers want to quit at the first sign of adversity or discouragement, but people called of God dig in and persevere.
  9. Volunteers find their main source of fulfillment in their talents and abilities, but people called of God know that being used of God is the most fulfilling thing you can do with your life.
  10. Volunteers can’t handle being put in situations in which they’re going to be stretched, but people called of God respond to God’s call with humble dependence on Him.

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