Welcome Back — Let's Serve!, Part 1

October, 2006

by: Jay Underwood

“Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back…” If you’re a parent of a junior higher, then you might recognize this phrase from the TV show “Welcome Back Kotter” and if you’re a junior higher, its what we want to say to you at this time, the beginning of our new school year! Welcome back! We had a great summer in the Junior High ministry filled with summer camp, warm SPLASH-filled Wednesday nights and a beach party along with Spirit-filled teaching from God’s Word… what could be better!? And now it’s time to kick off a new and very exciting year with a few changes.

One of the things we are looking forward to doing differently is to have more events that are less “for fellowship only” and more service oriented. The idea is to develop in the students a heart of biblical service as unto the Lord. In addition to service around the Church, we want them to truly realize the need of others and that service unto the Lord comes naturally from a heart that loves Jesus. It becomes something we desire to do versus something we feel like we have to do or should do.

We need look no further than our Savior to see how He modeled service, even service with the outcome of death, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt 20:28). Or consider the charges from Paul in the classic text of Philippians 2:3-8. Of great importance to us should be the phrase “Have this attitude in yourselves…” which demonstrates that service is not to be a periodic occurrence but should constantly be in the heart and mind, and subsequently actions, of a believer.

Of course there are many wonderful examples of service throughout the Bible (even ones where death is not the final outcome!) and again we need look no further than Christ’s example. Think of the upper room at the beginning of the last supper when Jesus put a towel around His waist and proceeded to do probably the lowliest thing the disciples could have imagined Him doing when He humbly and lovingly washed their feet saying “For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (Jn 13:15).

So ask yourself, do I have a heart that desires to show my love for Christ and others through acts of service? Is service a normal part of my Christian walk? Do I have a heart that longs to serve or to be served? These are the questions our students will be challenged with this year...how about you, are you up to the challenge?