Tag Archive for 'Servant'

Mission Trip: Around The Corner!

by Jonas Harley | August 3, 2010

Mission trips are awesome! They are life-changing! If you have ever participated in a solid, service-oriented (not one of those “youth group vacation” ones) mission trip you know exactly what I’m talking about!

Every mission trip ought to be planned and designed to glorify God (1 Cor. 10:31), function as an extension of the sending local church, serve other like-minded ministries home and abroad, encourage the Pastor or Missionary of the visited ministry, train the members of the mission team to take their next spiritual step in their walk with God, and provide “hands on” exposure to ministries throughout the world. 

Every year I prayfully select a theme that will express what we, as a team, are seeking to accomplish. In other words, if my team members were to remember one thing about that year’s mission trip, I want it to be the theme. This year’s theme was “Around The Corner” and Acts 1:8 and Philippians 1:27 were the verses that supported this theme. Allow me to briefly explain how those verses were put into practice… 

Acts 1:8 clearly commands Christians to be gospel witnesses locally, nationally, and internationally. This year’s trip focused on the local aspect, hence the “Around The Corner” phrase. We traveled about 25-30 minutes down the road to the next town to help a young church plant in Holly Springs, NC run their very first Vacation Bible School, do some mega door-to-door canvassing, and participated in their Sunday Worship Services. What a blessing it was to see 1 young girl trust Christ alone for salvation! That is one more soul that will spend eternity in heaven because of the members of this mission team caring about advancing the gospel locally. Just think if every church member faithfully advanced the gospel “around the corner” how that would transform our communities with the gospel of Jesus Christ!     

Philippians 1:27 clearly commands Christians to be “…striving together for the faith of the gospel.” Christians and Church ministries ought to be unified in their efforts to advance the gospel. Oftentimes, there is debate, envy, competition, and pride among believers which greatly hinders the work of the local church. Christians around the world and around the corner must be functioning like a team for the faith! It was awesome to visibly see my mission team helping this local church plant. We were running side by side pursuing and focusing on the same goal…the gospel of Jesus Christ! What a great lesson to learn! Take a moment to think about what would happen if every Bible preaching and believing church were truly ”striving together” in unity, what kind of impact would make on the world? 

I praise God for the wonderful opportunity to lead yearly mission teams and rejoice in the lessons that I learn through them. They keep the ministry fresh and my zeal for God hot! Now it’s time to start planning the 2011 mission trip!

  • Share/Bookmark
Post a Comment: 1 Comment

10 Questions Pastors Are Never Asked!

by Jonas Harley | April 15, 2010

According to Ephesians 4:11-12 God has given your Pastor as a gift to the local church! Therefore, you must strive to honor, help, and love your God-given Pastor! Every believer is indebted to gifted men God has given to His church. Through their preaching , teaching, writing (or blogging), and other ministries, they labor to lead the lost to Christ, enrich your knowledge of God and His Word, and encourage you to walk worthy of the Lord (Eph. 4:1).    

10 Questions Pastors are never asked:

1. How early should I arrive in order to save seats on one of the front three rows?

2. Would it be too much to ask if you’d add ten minutes to your sermons? The time passes by much too quickly.

3. Pastor, I know it’s the Super Bowl tonight, but would it be possible to add the Lord’s Supper to the end of the service?

4. It’s been awhile since you’ve preached on tithing, Pastor. Would you consider doing a series in the near future?

5. Thank you for taking time to counsel me, Pastor. Now could you help me identify the ways by which I might be part of the problem in this situation?

6. I heard that Bro. Janitor is sick, have you found anyone yet to clean the toilets, because I’m available?

7. Isn’t the temperature in the auditorium always just right?

8. Would you pray for safety on the roads as we travel back from our vacation this *Saturday*?*

9. I’m having trouble hearing you preach, could you turn the volume up?

10. Would you put me on the nursery schedule for Mother’s Day?

There is a desperate need for engaged, loyal, and obedient Church members, who will love, pray for, honor, and help their Pastor. Are you willing to do that?

  • Share/Bookmark
Post a Comment: 1 Comment

Are you a Faithful Servant? (Part 2)

by Jonas Harley | February 16, 2010

Here are the other 3 features that Timothy models as a faithful servant of Jesus Christ from Philippians 2:19-24. . .

4) A Faithful Servant is Trustworthy (v.22a) – When studying other New Testament passages about Timothy you find that he verified (“proved”) his faithfulness. In other words, he came through on the task. He was tried and tested. Timothy did not just say he was a servant, but proved it in his action. Are you a trustworthy servant?

5) A Faithful Servant is Sacrificial (v.22b) – Timothy served side by side with Paul in advancing the gospel throughout the world. Timothy’s profile of a faithful servant reveals that he was willing to cancel any personal plans that he may have had for his life because he loved serving Jesus Christ.

In game 5 (part 2) of the 2008 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays a loyal Phillies fan by the name of Dan Clark from Marlton, NJ tailgated in a lot behind center field in sub-40 degree weather with his 32-inch, high-def TV next to his white F-150 with 80-100 other fans anxiously waiting for the Phillies to win their long-awaited World Series title.

The reason he and others made time and the decision to bear the elements was because they were willing to sacrifice whatever it took to see their beloved Phillies win the title in person. Do you have this kind of sacrifice when it comes to being a faithful servant of Jesus Christ? Are you willing to leave your comfort zone? Are you willing to lay aside any personal dreams? A faithful servant of Jesus Christ terminates anything that gets in the way of advancing the gospel.           

6) A Faithful Servant is Available (v.23) – Finally, in this verse Paul again states that he will soon dispatch Timothy to Philippi. Timothy was available to do anything to serve God at anytime. Are you joyfully available and willing to serve God in any place at any moment? 

Timothy is a great model of what it means to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. The encouraging thing about this profile is that Timothy was a real person with a real sin nature and he was used greatly by God because he had the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5). That means you can too if you are willing to submit yourself to God’s service.

  • Share/Bookmark
Post a Comment: 6 Comments

Are you a Faithful Servant? (Part 1)

by Jonas Harley | February 9, 2010

A conductor was once rehearsing with a large orchestra and hundreds of singers. The piccolo player felt that amid the thunder of the organ, the roll of the drums, and the music of the other instruments that he didn’t need to play, so he stopped. But the great conductor threw up his arms and shouted, “Where is the piccolo?”

Sometimes in the Christian life it seems like that. You look around at your church and it seems that everyone has a role, and in some cases, a large role and you begin to compare yourself to them and think that you aren’t important and stop serving and then God shouts, “Where is the faithful servant?”

Take a moment and turn to Philippians 2:19-24. In this passage you will find a crystal clear example of what it means to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ from a man named Timothy.

Here is a brief overview of the context. Paul expresses his desire to personally visit the Philippians (v.19), but he is unable to do so because he was under house arrest in Rome. Therefore, Paul reintroduces Timothy (see Acts 16:1-4) and informs them that Timothy would be his representative. Timothy was always ready to go and willing to serve anywhere. For that reason, Paul often sent him on missions (see 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10-11; 1 Thess. 3:6). A faithful servant is always prepared to serve. Are you ready and willing to go and serve God and others?

After Paul presents Timothy he informs the Philippians of Timothy’s solid character and conduct (v.20-24). Timothy models 6 features of a faithful servant.

1) A Faithful Servant is Humble (v.20a) - Paul states that Timothy is equal-souled, of kindred spirit, of one mind, the same heartbeat. Timothy esteemed others better than himself. He consistently had a low view of his own opinion and rights. Simply put, he put others first! The reason Paul and Timothy were likeminded was because they both had the humble mind of Christ (look at verse 5). The more you are likeminded with Christ and Scripture, the more you will have friends that are of the same heartbeat and mindset. Because of our selfish and proud nature it is very hard for us to be humble and put others first, but God commands and always honors humility (James 4:6-10).  

2) A Faithful Servant is Caring (v.20b) – Timothy sincerely cared about the spiritual condition of others, in this case, the Philippians. His care was not fake or manufactured. God always uses those who have an interest in others.

A man went by the White House to see Abraham Lincoln shortly after his inauguration. The President’s young son told the visitor that the President was absent, but that he could probably be found at the railway station. The gentleman explained that he would not even know the President if he should see him. The boy answered, “If you go the railway station and look out for a tall, homely man who is helping someone, you will know that is my father.”

God always uses those who have an interest in others. How can you increase your commitment to actively care for others that you do now?

3) A Faithful Servant is Focused (v.21) – Timothy had a single minded goal, which was to remain loyal to Christ. Timothy did not spend time pursuing his own interest and desires. A faithful servant never chases his own interests. Are you exclusively dialed in on the things which are Jesus Christ’s?  

Stay tuned for Part 2 on how to be faithful servant of Jesus Christ.

  • Share/Bookmark
Post a Comment: 3 Comments