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Could you be the next American Idol? Do you enjoy teaching? Can you discern wiring diagrams without really trying? We each have abilities and talents that make us unique. By sharing our gifts with others, we can make a difference in the world, share a message of hope, and grow as disciples. This weekend Glenn McDonald will convey how we are blessed to be a blessing and then, through the All-Church Brunch and Volunteer Expo, help people to put their faith into action.

 

No More Excuses

It’s Your Serve
August 15, 2010: Volunteer Expo Sunday

Glenn McDonald

Ephesians 4:7-13

In 1906 Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto noticed something interesting. As a rule, 80% of the peas that he harvested from his garden came from just 20% of the pea pods. Pareto also happened to know that 80% of the land in Italy was owned by a mere 20% of the population, and that a majority of businesses received 80% of their sales from only 20% of their clients.

Thus the world was introduced to the Pareto Principle, or the so-called 80-20 rule. In human populations it is known as the Law of the Vital Few. That’s because 20% of the members of a particular group almost always accomplish 80% of the work. The flip side, of course, is that the remaining fourth-fifths of a typical group assume responsibility for only one fifth of what needs to get done.

That’s the way it works in the PTO, right? And in most Rotary and Lions Clubs? Isn’t it true that only 20% of our citizens generate at least 80% of what happens in politics? Does the Pareto Principle hold true in the average church? We can now confirm what we all have long suspected: Every Sunday 20% of you eat 80% of the donuts. If only that were the only place where we see the Law of the Vital Few in operation here at ZPC. Why does it seem that the same few people are busily involved in almost every one of our ministries? It’s because 20% of our volunteers accomplish about 80% of our church’s mission, and 80% of the funds that are required to support that mission spring from the generosity of just 20% of our donors.  

The Pareto Principle is a description of the way life in a fallen world usually works. 80% of us feel comforted that somebody, somewhere is going to get that job done. Somebody else is going to pay for that. But within a church the 80-20 rule isn’t some kind of sociological reality that is predestined to happen. It is sin. It represents our refusal to acknowledge that God has called and equipped 100% of his people to build his kingdom. We have no excuses.

That becomes obvious when we zero in on this morning’s text from the book of Ephesians. This is the part of the Apostle Paul’s letter where he is urging us to walk. All of us – not just 20% of us – are to walk worthy of our calling from God and walk well with each other. Part of that involves obediently deploying the unique gifts that he has given to us. Let’s turn together to Ephesians 4:7-13. Whether reading from your own copy of Scripture, or looking here at the screens, or reciting these words as part of your personal commitment to memorize all of Ephesians, let’s stand together and speak this portion of the Word of God:

But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some of be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

The last time we checked in on Paul (that would be in the first six verses of chapter four) he was emphasizing unity – specifically, the theological teachings and relational commitments that serve as a kind of glue to keep Christians stuck to God and stuck to each other. Notice the first word of verse seven: “But…” Paul is saying, “God has given the body of Christ this authentic unity, but that same unity is balanced by the many different ways in which he has called us to serve.” We’re not all squeezed out of the same mold. At least four important points emerge from the verses that follow. Here’s the first one:

Everybody who’s in the Body shares the responsibility to serve. There are no exceptions. The Pareto Principle does not trump the Word of God. Verse seven says, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.” The English words “grace” and “gift” appear throughout the New Testament. What’s interesting is that they both translate the same Greek word – charis. That’s the root of the word “charismatic,” which describes someone who is specially gifted. Followers of Jesus are saved by grace (charis) – that is, by God’s gift (charis) of new life. And everyone who has received such grace is also endowed with at least one spiritual gift to be used for the common good.

Paul goes on in verse eight, “This is why it says, ‘When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.’” Paul is quoting Psalm 68:18 and applying it specifically to Jesus. Forty days after his resurrection Jesus ascended visibly into heaven. This was a significant event in spiritual history. It means that right now Jesus is ruling over more than just the private geography of my heart. His ascension means that he is the true King who rules over the entire cosmos. And he has intentionally left us behind here on earth – at least for now – so that we can carry out his work by means of the gifts he has given to us.

In that sense Jesus is no ordinary king. Kings and queens typically receive gifts. When President and Mrs. Obama visited Queen Elizabeth in London last year, etiquette required that they present her with a special gift. But what do you give someone who already has everything? The Obamas gave the Queen an iPod. Unfortunately she already had one. So what do you give to the President and the First Lady of the United States? Queen Elizabeth gave the Obamas a framed picture of herself.

Paul points out that Jesus, instead of expecting or even demanding gifts for himself, decided that he would give gifts to us. His kingship has made us rich – every one of us – and that means we each have a corresponding assignment to share what he has given to us with others.  

What gifts do we have in mind here? It might be simplest to define a spiritual gift as the way the Holy Spirit works through a specific person for the good of the whole community. That can happen through a wide range of ministries and activities. If you open up the inside of your Volunteer Expo booklet, you’ll see an overview of the main ministries that are centered here at ZPC. But God may also choose to use you on the other side of the street or on the other side of the world. And in our gathering space this morning you’ll find a piece of paper where you can propose a ministry that isn’t yet happening amongst us.

The language of verse 11 is fascinating. Paul says, concerning God, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers.” It’s not an exaggeration to say that people who are recipients of God’s grace actually become gifts to everyone else. We ourselves are gifts to each other.

Recently a ZPCer discovered that he had a lot wrong with his car, but couldn’t pay for the repairs. Several men in our church did the work at almost no cost. The car’s owner was struck by how much this seemed like Jesus feeding the 5,000. Jesus was the ultimate provider of that meal. But he put the bread and the fish into the hands of his disciples so they could do the serving. The Lord is the giver of gifts. But we are the ones who have the joy of blessing others.

That brings us to our second point: God has specially provided leaders to equip the rest of us to serve. Does Paul single out a few special roles because God has authorized a kind of leadership hierarchy where just a few people are empowered to do real ministry? This text teaches exactly the opposite. According to verse 12 God has raised up prophets and evangelists and pastor-teachers “to prepare God’s people for works of service…” Back in the sixth century Pope Gregory the Great got it just right: He described himself as the Servant of the Servants of God.

Unfortunately here in America some people have described the typical local Body of Christ as having one big mouth – that would be the guy standing up here doing all the talking – and lots of little ears sitting in the sanctuary, drinking it all in. But that has never been Jesus’ vision for his Body!

What happens when a congregation fails to apply Ephesians 4:11-12? We substitute God’s vision of every disciple serving others for the Pareto Principle. We passively let 20% of the people do 80% of the work. As your pastor I must actively stand against that reality and declare that God has a different plan. You are the ones, by the power of the Holy Spirit, who are blessed to serve the living God through real ministry. Our call as leaders is to make sure you receive whatever information, training, authority, and inspiration that you will need to go forward.

Here’s our third point: The real goal of service is that all of us might grow up spiritually. Look again at verses 12 and 13. God has called leaders “to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature…” Paul loves that verb “build up,” which is sometimes translated “edify.” He uses it 15 times in his various letters. We love and care for others through various ministries precisely because such service builds up the whole Body and brings about unity, knowledge, and spiritual maturity.

We must never neglect the words “so that.” God gives us gifts for a reason. They are not for personal advancement. We have been blessed so that we might bless others. ZPC doesn’t exist just so we can get together every week in order to keep ZPC going. God has given us grace so that we might build up the wider Body of Christ and be a channel for his grace to a world in need.

More than 20 years ago Phil Vischer, a puppeteer and amateur film-maker, came up with a simple yet compelling vision for ministry. He wanted to tell stories to children that would connect them to God. The result was VeggieTales – the ongoing adventures of Larry the Cucumber and Bob the Tomato. Larry and Bob and their vegetable companions taught biblical principles through a series of short animated features.

Then an unfortunate thing happened: VeggieTales became a national hit. Sales went through the roof. Phil Vischer hired hundreds of talented people to join him at Big Idea Productions. Well-meaning associates said to him, “Phil, God can use you to give birth to a creative Christian empire that will rival Disney.” By the year 2002, however, Big Idea was over-extended and deep in debt. VeggieTales vanished when another company bought the rights to Larry and Bob and all their friends. A wonderful small idea was extinguished because a lot of people tried to super-size it.  

Last fall I listened as Phil Vischer described – with humility and humor and great wisdom – what he thought God had taught him through it all. He found himself reflecting on Psalm 42. How do those opening words go? “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for that awesome ministry I can’t wait to establish. So my soul pants for the great things I’m going to do for the Lord.” No, that’s not how the psalm goes. “So my soul pants for you, O God.”

Why are we called to serve? It’s not so that we might grow a big ministry or accomplish a great dream. It’s so that we might fall deeply in love with God and thereby grow up spiritually – and the only thing God needs to make that happen is a willing heart.

Every one of us is gifted and called to serve. God has raised up leaders to help equip us. And all this is so that we might reach spiritual maturity. That brings us to our fourth and final point: Now is the time to step up and step out in service.

In recent weeks we’ve been talking about the three realms or spheres in which spiritual growth best happens. All of them begin with the letters W-O-R: Worship, the Word, and the World. The more we saturate our lives with praise and adoration of God, and commit ourselves to what God says in Scripture, and risk our lives in service to those both inside and outside the church, the more we will grow up into the persons God has created us to be.

If you’re a member of ZPC, you’ve made a public commitment to do just that – to grow into full spiritual maturity. What are the entry level expectations for making progress on that path?

Even though this is August 15 and not April 15, think W-2’s. Invest a minimum of two hours each week in Worship, in the Word, and in the World. Make a two-hour commitment to be here on Sunday mornings. Invest at least two hours in Bible study every seven days – whether in your small group, in a one-to-one relationship, or in private reading and reflection. And commit yourself to serving others in some kind of ministry – whether here at ZPC or beyond this corner – two hours each week. If you’re not a member of this church, we invite you to cross that line. Make a public commitment by joining us in responding to God’s call to discipleship.

Think about it: Just by being part of this service, you have already experienced both Worship and the Word. Now let’s go get into the World. It’s our goal that every single ZPC’er would be involved in at least one First Serve opportunity – you’ll find First Serve details here in your booklet – or in some equivalent ministry that blesses others. No excuses. God has gifted and equipped every one of us to serve.  

The Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard was fond of the story of the Duck Church. Every Sunday all the ducks would waddle into their duck sanctuary. The duck preacher would stand in his duck pulpit and say, “Ducks, you have feathers. You have wings. You have aerodynamics. Ducks, you can fly!” And all the ducks would quack-quack-quack their duck Amen. Then they would all tuck in their wings for safekeeping and waddle home.

God has declared that 100% of his people, invested with 100% of their heart, mind, soul, and strength, will be able to build up his Body in such a way that not one of us will ever settle for waddling home again. We can fly! Will you trust him this morning that that is his very call to you?