Do We Serve Or Do We Volunteer? Is There a Difference? By Maree Garchow
When I first thought about this topic, I thought it was going to be straight forward. Just define a volunteer and define a servant. But it appears things are not that simple; it is not just a matter of semantics. The Bible tells us that members of the body of Christ, the church, are called to serve!
Further each person in the body of Christ is given a gift, and there are a variety of gifts, these are to be used by us to build one another up in love and faith. The Holy Spirit apportions these gifts as He wills and we’re to faithfully use them when opportunities arise. (1 Corinthians 12:11)
Peter exhorts “Each one should use whatever spiritual gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms… If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4:10–11)
Just as there are many gifts there are also many types of service. Some have a higher profile than others, but no matter what type of service or activity, we are told to “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. …and that the Master you are serving is Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
In summary, as members of the church we serve because we are following Christ’s example to be a servant – to serve. In addition, we remember that the gifts and the good works we do, God has previously planned for us to do. (Ephesians 2 :10)
Therefore it seems “the difference between a volunteer and a servant is the spirit in which one approaches the need or task. A volunteer does not feel obligated, and consequently nor does not feel ownership of the task. A volunteer only does it for the organization; a servant does it because His Master said to.” (Deckard)
This then clearly suggests that there are no volunteers here at Faith, we are all called to serve! And this act of service is an act of showing our love for others and our love for God.
John exhorts us to follow through “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” (1 John 3:18) Colloquially speaking let us walk the walk!