Ministries:
Adult | Teens | Children

Pastor's Pen's:
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001

Sermon Series:
Following Jesus
Earthly Cross
His Name Is
Apostles Creed
Dealing with Feelings
Jonah
Get Real
Promised Land Living

Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

Email:
Pastor Scott Carson

Secretary Patti Hall

PASTOR'S PENS 2006

Grace Church of Burlington June 4, 2006  “Volunteers are not paid – not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless.”             This morning we are celebrating something that probably distinguishes a medium sized church like ours from a large church or mega-church –service– or as we are highlighting it, Volunteer Appreciation Sunday. That’s because typically, the percentage of personal involvement and spiritual service of those who attend a church like ours is much higher than in a large church. And while I am not anti-mega-church, most of them struggle with this issue. It’s just so easy to attend a large church and be virtually invisible. There is not just a lack of accountability (most of them don’t even know that you’re there), there is often a perceived lack of opportunity for service.             On top of that, and this is tragic for the cause of Christ, consumerism has contaminated the American church. Someone wisely put it, “Some people spell service as ‘serve us.’” Many contemporary Christians choose the church that they attend primarily for “what’s in it for me...what can I get out of it?”  not, “how can I serve my Lord in this Body?” They go because they enjoy watching the worship music or they drop off their kids in one of the programs. In fact, it is not uncommon for some today to be involved in a Bible study in one church, have their children in a youth program at another, and then regularly attend a third church which they then refer to as their church “home.” The church for them has become little more than a spiritual franchise. They go where their “felt needs” are being met, much as they would pick a grocery store or a restaurant.              What they miss, though, is the command of the Great Shepherd that we are to invest our lives in His church and that’s not just by filling a seat. What happens in so many large churches is spectatoritis (a select few do ministry while the majority just watch) or showmanship (if you cannot perform at a certain level, you feel that your gifts are too inadequate).             Scripture is very clear that God saved us so that we could serve Him (Ephesians 2:10) and since His plan for this age of grace is the local church, we are to primarily use our spiritual gifts and abilities as part of our church’s ministry. Now that is not to say that we don’t serve God in other areas or in other places. What we do on our jobs, or neighborhoods and homes is also service to God (1 Corinthians 10:31). But the place that our spiritual gifts are best used to accomplish God’s purpose – the Great Commission – is in the local church.                           God plan for us in His church is two-fold: evangelization and edification. The local church is the best place to keep those two balanced. And most of us tend to be more focused on one than the other. Usually, it is easier to delude ourselves that edification is more important. That’s seen when we start falling for the consumerism lie that the church is about us, our wants, our comfort, our pet doctrine, our preferences, etc.             God has called us to lead people to the Lord and then disciple them until they become mature believers. The measuring line for maturity is that the “new” believer reaches the point so that they can now “Great Commissionize” someone else. They reach the place where they can lead someone else to the Lord and assist them in also reaching spiritual maturity. And we, like every other Bible-believing church, will continually struggle to keep that focus. By nature we are selfish and self-oriented so we will continually struggle not to become consumer oriented.             That’s one reason why Volunteer Appreciation Sunday is so important. It helps us see the big picture. It reminds us that Grace Church is not about us but it’s about Him.          And it’s an exciting day!! This morning you will probably learn of the various aspects of our church, aspects that you may not even be aware of, but all of which assist us in accomplishing our purpose. In King Jesus’ kingdom there are no small or insignificant gifts. Each and every one of them is critical and essential from the usher to the nursery worker to the special musician.             This year, too, we faced a very difficult set-back. What a joy it was to see so, so many step up to the plate and willingly allow God to use their gifts. And God has blessed our commitment and perseverance!!