As believers in Christ, we have all received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39) who sovereignly equips each of us with spiritual gifts… so that we are able to serve.
We know that each of us is expected to serve, and each of us is gifted to serve. Now we must ask ourselves, “How and where will I serve?”
50 Practical Ways to Serve
- Be on the lookout for volunteer opportunities in your church. Read your bulletin. Listen to the announcements.
- Seek out one of the deacons in your church and offer to serve.
- Rock babies in your church nursery.
- Teach or assist in children’s ministry.
- Provide childcare for the Ladies’ or Parents’ Ministry in your church.
- Work in Vacation Bible School.
- Be a camp counselor.
- Meet up with other Christians to encourage them.
- Offer hospitality.
- Provide member care.
- Volunteer in the audio-visual booth at your church.
- Donate a few hours to your church’s library or bookstore.
- Serve as a greeter on Sunday mornings.
- Organize a church meal train.
- Sign up to be an usher.
- Help with member care.
- Assist with your church’s website.
- Run sound.
- Volunteer to help with administration of the church ordinances.
- Facilitate a Bible study.
- Teach a class.
- Pray fervently for others.
- Provide transportation for older or disabled members of your church.
- Get involved with a ministry within your church that is outside your own demographic.
- Serve in the church kitchen.
- Greet visitors.
- Encourage missionaries through text, email, or letter.
- Offer to baby-sit so the parents in your church have the availability to serve.
- Host a small group.
- Disciple other Christians.
- Teach a life skill (cooking, sewing, gardening, woodworking, etc.)
- Mentor someone younger.
- Create opportunities for intergenerational interaction.
- Serve meals at a food pantry.
- Clean out and organize a church closet.
- Visit shut-ins.
- Adopt a missionary family.
- Come alongside a family who doesn’t have any biological family nearby.
- Create and administer a weekly prayer newsletter for your church.
- Share the gospel.
- Mail cards of encouragement to members of your church family.
- Serve on a church ministry team (financial, ladies’, men’s, audio-visual, worship, etc.)
- Lead a ministry.
- Sing or play an instrument on the worship team.
- Serve as a deacon or elder.
- Plan fellowship events.
- Volunteer in a community ministry.
- Use your skills or interests to serve your church. For example, if you are a writer, consider writing curricula for classes or special church-wide emphasis. You might be an excellent planner. If so, offer your skills in planning ministry or church-wide events. Or perhaps you are a technological wizard. Think about volunteering your tech skills to support your church’s audio-visual or website needs.
- Provide meals for those in your church with need (illness, surgery, death in the family, foster care, etc.)
- Serve through the giving of an offering – money, time, talent.
Disciplining Ourselves for Service
It’s fairly easy to look over a list and spot an idea that jumps out as a good fit for us. It’s quite another thing to make a commitment and to follow through – week after week.
When we make a commitment to serve, we must also make a commitment to discipline. Disciplining ourselves for service means that we must intentionally and deliberately set aside time, energy, and resources for carrying out our work. For example, we might have to reduce the amount of time we spend on leisure activities, or we might need to increase the amount of sleep we are getting.
What changes might you need to make as you discipline yourself for service to God?
