“Serving is a critical part of being a Christian. It is the outpouring of the love we received from Christ. If we keep that all to ourselves, we simply become a well of stagnant water and cease growing.”

Critical part

Wendy gleefully answered to the call to serve. She invited CH and their eldest daughter, Natalie, to serve with her. CH and Natalie were reluctant at first but the family soon settled into a pattern of serving the Chinese ministry through worship and AV. Attending the Chinese service also became a part of their routine on top of attending the English service.

I asked very curiously why CH and Wendy decided to make this decision as a family. Given the demands of the modern workplace, there were many other good ways to spend time together. “Serving is a critical part of being a Christian. It is the outpouring of the love we have received from Christ. If we keep that all to ourselves, we simply become a well of stagnant water and cease growing,” Wendy responded thoughtfully.

Intimidated

In many ways, CH and Wendy were well prepared to serve in a multi-generational and multi-lingual environment. They have served in a Malaysian church with a slightly older demographic, in a state-approved Chinese church in China, and then in the English service of an international church. However, this does not mean that serving comes naturally and fuss-free. In fact, as their commitments in church grew larger, they were intimidated by some of the new assignments.

Wendy initially felt clueless and disempowered to serve the elderly, but this was the ministry she was specifically asked to lead. Similarly, CH appreciated serving behind-the-scenes in AV, but was likewise called to lead a group of young families in Chinese ministry who were on the verge of leaving.

“Their ability to carry out such tasks with joy and enthusiasm comes from a deeper mooring in the Holy Spirit and a consistent transaction with the Lord, as they seek to daily become more ready to meet King Jesus.”

Deeper mooring

Today, Wendy is a Covenant Group Leader (CGL) for an elderly Chinese CG. She finds great joy in shepherding and doing life with them. CH anchors a strong community of young families who feel rooted and meaningfully engaged in Covenant EFC. Their ability to carry out such tasks with joy and enthusiasm comes from a deeper mooring in the Holy Spirit and a consistent transaction with the Lord, as they seek to daily become ready to meet King Jesus.

We have a strong tendency to take a very human lens toward serving. Often, when we hear of opportunities, we look at our schedules and experiences to decide if it is a good fit. Wendy and CH advocate for a radical reversal of perspectives. They believe that life should be built around the people and communities God has called us to serve. We should continually pray for God to give us the capacity and capabilities to fulfill those responsibilities. Such a perspective frees us from worry and fills us with the empowerment of the Spirit.

This Step-Up Sunday’s call to serve is thus not so much a call to explore your spare capacity, but a call toward a radical reorientation in which our time, talents, resources, and families are re-availed to King Jesus as our first and foremost priority. God will handle the rest. Come join us by exploring different opportunities to serve.