"How can I serve?"
Ephesians 4:12 describes the church body as being equipped "for the work of ministry." The word ministry (deaconia) means lowly "service," which is the lofty role to which Christ has called each of His followers.
We believe that God has made each person a steward of various gifts that He has assigned to him or her (1 Peter 4:10). Because we at PLBC want each member to find meaningful roles in which to respond to this divine stewardship, we aim to communicate a variety of ministry needs. While some are quite visible, many of the crucial and urgent ones are not. Some utilize a specialized skill, but all require love, humility, and a Godward focus.
We are Serving Jesus Christ!
The Gospel liberates us to joyfully serve Jesus from the overflow of His gracious work in us, rather than legalistically out of duty or obligation.
Volunteer roles at PLBC are not about filling gaps, keeping busy, or showcasing talent. It's all about glorifying God in our service, knowing that we are serving Jesus even as we serve one another. There is a consistent description throughout the New Testament of a healthy church that has each member serving in a variety of ways, each vital to the God-ordained spiritual growth of the body.
Ephesians 4:12 – to equip the saints for the work of ministry (deaconing/ service), for building up the body of Christ…
Ephesians 4:15b–16 – …[W]e are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Romans 12:3–6a – For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them…
1 Corinthians 12:18–25 – But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25 that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
Colossians 3:23–24 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.
May God lead each one of us to the many ways we can glorify Him more fully as we daily seek to know, love, and serve Him!