You will not serve the world if you do not serve the church.
Here’s a hard truth most Christians don’t want to hear:
You don’t love your neighbor if you won’t love your brother.
We love talking about “being the hands and feet of Jesus” in our neighborhoods, our workplaces, and the world.
But most of us skip right over the place where Scripture says productive Christian living actually starts and centers:
The church family.
You can’t be all in on the mission if you are not serving other church members.
In Titus 3:14, Paul says Christians must “learn to devote themselves to doing what is good.”
Remember: Devotion to good works must be learned.
And where do you learn?
Maybe in a classroom. Maybe by reading books.
But at the core, you learn by practicing good works with other believers.
You learn in the congregation!
If you are not serving the people you worship with every Sunday, how could you be ready to serve the world?
A preliminary question each Christian should answer: Am I committed to gathering in worship on the Lord’s day as a core priority for my life and family?
Answering that question will go a long way toward a life of service.
We face a serious service deficit in churches because many now consider attending an act of sacrifice, let alone serving.
Showing up is foundational to serving. Once we are committed to showing up, we can turn our attention to meeting needs.
Serving other believers is foundational for serving the lost world and the most needy.
If you do not show up when a church member is hospitalized, how will you show up for your lost neighbor?
If you can’t coordinate meals for a family in your small group, how will you organize help for the struggling single mom down the street?
If you can’t bear the burdens of your brothers and sisters in Christ, how will you carry the weight of a world that doesn’t know Jesus?
The body of Christ is your priority and training ground.
Productive Christian living in the church is your calling. Think of all the commands of Scripture:
“Bear one another’s burdens” (Gal 6:2)
This is more than “I’ll pray for you,” though prayer is essential and powerful.“Encourage one another daily” (Heb 3:13)
People need regular encouragement in the rhythm of a relationship.“Use your gifts to serve one another” (1 Pet 4:10)
You don’t hoard what God gave you—you deploy it in practical ways to build up others.“Spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Heb 10:24)
Don’t let your brothers and sisters coast. Actively provoke them to grow, to serve, to step up.“Confess your sins to one another and pray for each other” (James 5:16)
Get honest about your struggles and create space for others to do the same. You cannot serve well when you’re hiding.“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn” (Rom 12:15)
Show up at the hospital, the celebration, the funeral, the baby shower. Your presence matters.“Outdo one another in showing honor” (Rom 12:10)
Compete to serve, not to be served. Look for ways to make others successful, not just yourself.
Step back, assess yourself:
Am I actually doing these things?
Not “I believe they’re good ideas.”
Not “I will do them if asked.”
But am I currently actively and consistently practicing these commands in my church family?
Be specific:
When was the last time you bore someone’s burden?
Who have you encouraged this week?
What gift are you using to serve others right now?
Who are you spurring on toward growth?
When did you last confess sin to a brother or sister and ask for prayer?
Whose joy have you celebrated? Whose grief have you carried?
If we’re honest, most of us would have to admit that we’re consuming more of the congregation than contributing to the congregation.
We can’t settle for attending church without serving the congregation.
We show up on Sunday. We enjoy the worship, the teaching, and maybe the coffee. We benefit from others’ service.
Are we actually building the body when we’re attending?
You might be thinking: “Okay, but what about serving my neighbors? My coworkers? The world?”
Here’s the thing: You learn how to do that through learning to serve the church.
The same skills that help you coordinate meals for a church family recovering from surgery are the skills you use to help your unchurched neighbor going through chemo.
The same muscle that helps you show up at a church member’s hospital bedside is the muscle you flex when your coworker’s dad dies.
The same readiness that helps you mobilize when a family in your small group faces a crisis is the readiness you bring when your neighbor loses their job.
The church is central to God’s mission and also a worthy training ground.
The world is your mission field as well.
But you can’t skip the training and expect to be effective in taking new ground.
If you want to become the kind of Christian whose life is “profitable for everyone” (Titus 3:8), start with the church:
1. Pick one command from the list above.
Just one. Not all of them. One.
2. Identify one person in your church family who needs it this week.
Who needs their burden carried? Who needs encouragement? Who needs your presence?
3. Try it today.
Not “when you have time.” This week. Make the call. Send the text. Show up. Practice.
4. Repeat.
Turn it into a rhythm, not a one-time thing.
Learn to devote yourself holistically to doing what is good by consistently practicing service in the congregation.
God saved you to send you into service–starting with your brothers and sisters in Christ!