Last month our congregation needed to select a new couple or individual to serve in the deacon ministry. I looked over the list of possibilities and wondered if anyone would be willing to take on such a responsibility. They all seemed to be busy people. So when our moderator Jeff Thiessen announced that Gordon and Christine Murray had accepted the role of deacons, I was deeply moved. While I was delighted that God had answered our prayers, I was also amazed by their willingness to serve. After all, they are both fully employed, and Christine is involved in beginning a community Kids Club.

That got me to thinking about the many others areas in our church that depend on the donated time and effort of volunteers. To keep the work of the church running smoothly we have elected many members to serve on boards and committees. Where would we be without our worship teams and technicians, Christian Ed. staff, ushers, and maintenance volunteers? We enjoy eating together, which involves setting up, food preparation and cleaning up, all done voluntarily.

No matter what the size of a church, the success of its ministry depends on the members volunteering for one task or another. By doing so, we demonstrate the unity of the body of Christ, in which each part in some way nurtures the others, while receiving nurture in return.

It is amazing to see the variety of gifts the Lord provides for the ministry of the church. As these gifts are recognized and put to use the members grow into what God has created and called them to be (cf. Ephesians 4:11-13). Researcher George Barna comments, “Using volunteer services [is] not about merely assigning warm bodies to undone tasks. It [is] about enabling people to minister in their areas of giftedness” (User Friendly Churches, 1991).

People outside the church are impressed when they observe how generously the people in the church serve each other. Few organizations have the luxury of so many volunteers, often giving of themselves beyond what is reasonable or fair. People do volunteer in schools and in hospitals, for example, but not nearly on the scale of volunteers in churches.

Barna, in the same book, quotes a pastor: “It’s one thing for me to put in 8 to 10 hours a day in ministry. I’ve been trained for this. I’m even paid for it. But think about what it means to work an eight-hour day in the marketplace, rush home to grab a dinner with the family, then run off to put your remaining waking hours on ministry. They do it without pay, sometimes without thanks, even without any real sense of reward for their effort. Now that’s a heart for ministry. When I put in perspective what my people are doing to be part of this ministry, I can’t help but be in awe of them. Frankly, sometimes their commitment embarrasses me into renewing my own efforts.”

Just as the cars on a train roll along on their wheels, so the church largely moves ahead on the labours of its volunteers. As oil keeps the wheels turning smoothly and easily, so prayer lubricates the efforts of the volunteers, and makes them effective. As we pray for them, we also need to demonstrate appreciation for their efforts. Even a simple, “Thank you for…,” can encourage a weary unsung hero in your church.