Gotta Serve Somebody

"It may be the devil, or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody".


Dylan wrote this on the "Slow Train Coming" Record. Still is one of my favorite old CC Records. That does remind me that I've not gotten a copy of it in CD yet :(.


Well that line is so true today. Yup, you gotta serve somebody. In life and death, you will be serving someone.

Well there are many kinds of serving. Military, Religious Mass, Sports, Food and Drink, Prison and Political.

Well I had someone as of late ask me what my purpose in church was as a music pastor. I said it was to lead people into the presence of God where the Holy Spirit could have its way. I was then told in a very authoritarian tone that I was there to "serve" the Sr. Pastor. This has made me think for a few days about this issue, and how it's affecting the church and it's effectiveness and standing.

I've said for years that I'm not a respecter of people. Doesn't matter who they are or what they've done. We are all the same in God's eyes, and cherished the same. There are a handful of men and women in my life that I have held in high regard and am honored to have met or worked alongside them, but never have I put them on a pedestal and become one of their fans. There is a world of people who serve and donate and follow others as "servants" and fans, making idols of those who usually didn't ask for it, but find if difficult to say "no" when it benefits them. (Hey that's human nature). Most of this happens in R&R, Sports and Religion. Ok, there are now a few on the "Food Network" who have reached this status also.

Why do people do this? Especially believers?

In job's we have employers and we have responsibilities to do what is needed to accomplish our job descriptions. This goes for any secular or Christian position.
In our government, there are positions where men and women "serve" at the presidents discretion. In this case the word "serve" is used in a special meaning, for only the president chooses who will be in these positions, and he and he alone can hire and fire for any cause.
This is more like the leftovers of a Monarchy or Dictatorship.
For a waiter, to serve is to get to a client what is needed as quickly as possible, in order to make as big a monetary reward as possible, at the end of the service.
In the military, you serve your country, but answer to your DI or superior officer and then up the chain.
In ministry, we serve Christ and Christ alone. We put our trust in He and He alone. We put our faith in He and He alone. He is our Lord and King. We've been paid for with a price. No man gets this position of honor but Him.
All ministers co-labor and serve the same King. Yes there are "positions" and leadership positions that have to be in place for any ministry to function. Paid staff have support staff and volunteers serving Christ under their leadership. We all have jobs to do, but we only serve Christ". All the apostles called themselves servants "doulov" of Christ, not of men. Doulov from Deo "to be bound to". Not to other men as bondslaves but to Christ and for Christ.

1401 doulov doulos doo’-los

from 1210; TDNT-2:261,182; n

AV-servant 120, bond 6, bondman 1; 127

1) a slave, bondman, man of servile condition
1a) a slave
1b) metaph., one who gives himself up to another’s will, those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men
1c) devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests
2) a servant, attendant


A great problem has developed in the church. It's not new, just a new twist. In the early centuries people prayed to statues and religious leaders. Putting their trust and answers to their prayers in men. Men have always wanted leaders. Israel wanted a spiritual leader. God told the prophet repeatedly to tell Israel that "Jehovah" is their leader and king. Well the rest is history from Saul on down. Today, we still look for leaders and kings in the greater church.

In the worship ministries, the importance and position of worship leaders has changed so much in the last 30 years. I believe John 4:23-24 is finally coming true for the greater church. The value of worship (yes musical worship, not just breathing and speaking) for the greater church has begun to move into higher places. How exciting. Yet still those that lead in that worship are no more or less important to the church than the usher, other ministers or volunteers.
We are all there serving Christ to love the world unto Him. Fulfilling the great commission at home, work and through church.

The problem remains that church folks have begun serving men and not Christ. Unknowingly desiring acceptance through mens praise, they have begun treating co-laborers as more than co-laborers. Over time this creates a host of problems. The same problems that money can create. I'm not saying all ministers "ask" for this but if they don't shut it down, it can blow them up and make them very vulnerable for moral and ethical failures, as well as create an atmosphere for burning out and hurting fellow servants and families.

A few years ago I remember a mega church pastor I know saying one day. "I know that I'm supposed to lead in a loving way, but if I raise my voice and demand things, they get done immediately, I don't have to explain myself, and there are no questions asked afterwards." He was admitting it was not Christ like and was wrong to demand this kind of service, but since no one questioned him, or called him on the carpet about it in his senior staff, he naturally developed this kind of leadership and didn't see the permanent damage done to scores of heart felt servants and staff. No one lost their job by going with the flow, but they have ended up compromising their allegiance to Christ for job security.

I've spent a lot of time not as a minister, but as a friend to folks who've been burned out, chewed up and spit out by ministries. Everyone one.... Everyone I can think of was a result of man pleasing. Taking the service of Christ to "the service of man". One person I met with said
"I loved this minister. I served him for 13 years and helped build he and his wifes ministry. Then when I finally questioned some behavior I was put aside and dumped." Well, I told that person that it was 1/2 their own doing. They began serving man and not God.. Very few pastors can say no to servants who adore them and are willing to do anything they ask 7 days a week. And considering how difficult it is to find people to serve in the first place, is it any wonder it's hard to say "no" to someone who is giving all their time to your vision.

It is however ministers and pastors (including myself) who must make it clear to our flocks teams and servants that it is Christ they serve, not us. We are human, we will fail them, we will hurt them and we will have to ask for forgiveness. None of this will we do on purpose, but do it we will, and it will be done to us. This is the human condition, and lord keep us humble enough to admit our mistakes to those around us (when we are made aware of them) and ask for forgiveness so we don't destroy our flocks. This certainly goes for our families as well.

In the movie "The Bucket List" Jack Nicholson is a self made billionaire. Morgan Freeman gets into Jacks personal life in one scene and Jack's character goes postal. "I've made a billion dollars in business from the ground up. I've dined with royalty and had phone calls from presidents. What do you think you can do for me".

Power over people and wealth create a combination that is taylor made for the enemy of our souls to exploit. Didn't satan use this tactic with Jesus?

In non-profit circles the word "serve" is used for a job done for eternal compensation, for a cause one believes in.

If you feel called of Christ to serve, (and you should) then here's a few points to pray about.

1. I serve Christ and Christ alone. I may labor beside you and in your ministry of service, but it is Christ I serve and to His voice and Word that I answer and decide from.
2. I will not be asked to put ministry over and before my family. If I am, I am not the right person for this position to serve.
3. If I am offended or wounded by someone I am serving alongside, I will talk to them about it and first realize they are human before they are Christian. I will secondly remind my self that I'm serving Christ, not them, and He is the only one who will not fail me in life. If they are a leader above me, then i will pray for wisdom on how to address the problem. If we can not settle it scripturally, then we will use the elders and deacons to try to solve the problem without separating.
   
4. If separation occurs, then I will pray for wisdom on how not to let it happen again, and then move on.
5. Don't take a job of service in any ministry without asking a list of questions to the ministry head. And yes, ask the big d"Red Flag" questions you have written down and don't want to face later on your way out again.
   
6. Don't ever hide anything from any ministry you desire to serve with. You will be found out and you will be the wounded one looking for a justification.
7. Ask what the ministries position is, on letting people go. Staff and volunteers.
   People are more important than jobs. Flocks are more important than the price of their wool. If a person is let go from a ministry, there should be follow up, closure and excitement for each parties spiritual and natural future. This is not Wal~Mart.
   
8. Before you take on a role of serving alongside any ministry or department of a ministry, look at the leaders. a) How do they treat their wives and children. b) How balanced are their wives and children. c) Look at the fruit of the spirit. do you see it in action in their daily lives. d) Do they lift themselves up from the pulpit or do they lift up others. e) Do they use their lives as object lessons or others.
   
9. Is Christ a part of their normal conversations away from church?

If your position is in worship?

1. Are your pastor and pastoral staff ardent worshipers during worship services?
2. Do they worship outside of the church walls.
3. What are the top 10 CD's in your Sr. Pastors worship collection?
   
4. Are your worship pastor and or leaders true worshipers, or are they christian singers and song leaders or are they christian rock stars?

Watch your emotions, and pray for wisdom as to why and who you grab the baton to run the race with.

Serving Christ is the highest call of all. Every believer is called to it. For those called to lead others in a church setting, may we be double sensitive to "His people over Our visions", for there is more rejoicing over one "returning" than 99 who have it all together. For it may be the devil, or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody.