Pastor’s Corner

As we look toward Lent, a season of preparation and pilgrimage, I am reminded of our calling to participate in God’s saving work. All Christians, through baptism, are “called” to a “ministry of servanthood in the world to the glory of God and for human fulfillment.”[1] This diakonia, this servant leadership, is not limited to those who are elders or deacons within the church, but include all Christian leaders as called by their baptism. “Every layperson is called to carry out the Great Commission; every layperson is called to be missional.”[2] This mission includes “a common life of gratitude and devotion, witness and service, celebration and discipleship.”[3] All who follow Jesus have a share in the ministry of Jesus. In fact, the witness of the laity, rather than just the witness of the ordained elders and deacons, is “the primary evangelistic ministry” that will lead all to know Christ as Lord. This is because “the impulse to minister always moves one beyond the congregation toward the whole human community.”[4] It is for all Christians both a “privilege and an obligation” to engage in ministry, according to our own unique contexts.

To participate in God's saving work is one of life’s greatest joys—a joy that must be renewed in the present age. Amidst concerns that the United Methodist Church is dying and the lack of young people in the pews, I find signs of hope and renewal. In the bulletin, we list various roles for worship. This includes pianists, liturgists, preachers, and, what may at first appear redundant, ministers. Next to each role are the folks who will be performing them during worship. Under this last category, instead of a singular name, we find “The Entire Congregation.” In a time where it is common to find the pastor at the top of the church hierarchy, this is a line that encourages a leadership structure of interdependence and mutual support. It critiques the myth of the “self-made man” that we can walk our Christian faith alone. It reminds us of John the Baptist’s, “After me comes a man who ranks ahead of me because he was before me.”[5] It reminds us of Paul’s, “For we do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord.”[6] It reminds me that, as Christians, we are mutually interdependent.

Just as Jesus came “not to be served but to serve,” so are we all called to servant ministry as members of Christ’s body.[7] Everyone, not just those who preach or work in a church, has a role in witnessing the Gospel to the world. At our church, we have the most faithful servants around. Mike uses his skills and work experience to keep the church ground and property in tip-top shape. Peggy uses her love for music and piano proficiency to lead the congregation in song and worship. Craig is our friendly and sincere usher who brightens even the gloomiest days. Amber uses her accounting skills and unending patience as the church treasury. Look around, and you shall see the beloved saints of Corvallis serving their God with joy and delight. Servant ministry takes many different forms. It is sharing your faith story with a friend, cooking a meal for someone who is grieving, cleaning up the community park, and serving on a committee. It involves a willingness to listen to and obey the nudging of the Holy Spirit in our lives, being willing to listen to others and engage in conversation and prayer with them, and it involves taking seriously the part we have been given in God’s divine dance.

[1] Discipline, ¶ 126.

[2] Discipline, ¶ 126.

[3] Discipline, ¶ 126.

[4] Discipline, ¶ 129.

[5] John 1:30.

[6] 2 Corinthians 4:5.

[7] Matthew 20:28.