Less Than Half--What a Great Number

On Sunday, I asked all of those who were presently serving in ministry in our church family to stand.  Again, I want to thank those who are presently serving.  You really are worth more than a 100 Grand to me, our church and the Kingdom of God!  Thank you for putting on the new clothes of self-surrendering love!

While I was thanking God for all those who are presently serving God, I also found myself saddened. I was sad because it was the first time since I have been here that I could see clearly that less than half of those who attend on Sundays are presently serving.  I was not only saddened but shocked by this.  It is beyond my understanding how one can warm a seat on Sunday and not be involved in service.  It then made sense to me why we had in the past struggled with the “red balloons” we named (Traditionalism—fear of change, entitlement—putting self-first and heart sickness-pride, critical spirit and unforgiveness). A lack of service stunts our spiritual growth and causes us to come to church to be served rather than to serve as Jesus exemplified when he washed the feet of his disciples. And when we are not participants we become susceptible to becoming critics.

So, I took this sad, shock of a revelation to the Father.  Ever since Sunday I have been praying burdened about the less than half.  “O, God, what are we going to do?  Father, help us!” I cried and bemoaned. 

And then, like a seeing a streak of lighting and hearing a crack of thunder, God stopped me in my prayer-tracks.  The Father showed me that less than half is a great number!  O my goodness…praise the Lord for less than half!  Hallelujah!  Do you realize what having less than half serving means?  It means God has already given us everyone we presently need to see his Kingdom expanded in and through us!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to be trained to serve as small group leaders for our teen ministry!  We were just talking last week about how if we don’t have more small group leaders we will not have room for our teen ministry to grow much more past who we are presently serving.

Less than half means we have plenty of people to serve in our children’s ministry rotation!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to join Tim Krabill in becoming missionaries to Sahara Apartment complex!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to serve in UPWARD basketball so we can show kids and families that God cares about them way more than basketball!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to join Mary Peterson in visiting our long list of elderly shut-ins!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to not only serve families in Belle Stone this year, but so we can begin praying about the next phase of the ministry next school year!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to be able to start a rotation to mow the church lawn next year rather than using ministry dollars to pay to have it done!

Less than half means we have plenty of people to join Bryan in serving in our worship music ministry!

Less than half means that we are in the perfect position to see God do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine!

There is just one hitch.  Will you who are among the more than half that are not serving step up to serve?  Will you follow Jesus’ example?  Will you believe that serving is how you grow in love?  Will you let him move you to action? 

Jesus gave us the prayer to pray for such a need as this:  “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (Matthew 9:37-38).

Even today one person came to me and said, “How can I serve?”  God is answering his prayer.  Who will be next?