“Worship…Our Reasonable Service”

By Min. Mark A. Peay

Music and Worship Arts Coordinator
Crenshaw Christian Church

H.E.L.P.S. is often defined by the acronym, Having

Enough Loving People Serving. As such the emphasis is
usually placed on the words Enough and/or Loving. Both
words play equally significant roles in the whole Worship
experience. However, we will focus on the word Service.

In the mid 1980’s, a small airline company called

People’s Express began focusing on getting customers to
their destinations faster, for less. They decided that
Americans wanted fewer perks and lower costs. They made
the airline ticket purchase process similar to that of buying a
Greyhound bus ticket. If you wanted snacks and a soft drink
on the flight, it would cost you extra. The planes were
smaller and the seats similar to those on a chartered bus. In
other words, “just the bare necessities”-style, expeditious
travel took the place of service, convenience and luxury.

The only problem was that the airline did not properly
assess the core of what the American public really wanted
(and still do)….SERVICE! Their misconception cost them their
business and they eventually filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
You see, we can tolerate fast food and drive-thru shortcuts in
some things. But when it comes to most things, we will not
skimp on service. Now, if the world has that much sense,
surely we, the Church should as well. People coming into our
church deserve to be served and treated to the best possible
worship experience! If they were the Queen of Sheba, their
very breath should be taken away by the sheer execution of
our serve! But because God is a God of divine order, this
experience first starts with recognizing the spiritual authority
Jesus has set in the Church. We only qualify ourselves to
serve Him by our willingness to serve others. Jesus is our
model.

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 “We must be willing to unashamedly and fervently
serve the ministry gift of the pastor or whoever the
overseer or visionary is.”

Make no mistake, this is not a step that we can skip.

Are you finding yourself defeated in your ministry
effectiveness? Do you feel like you are going around in
circles, having no impact or consistent anointing? Check
your serve!

God will not violate His spiritual law of stewardship St.

Luke 16:10-13 says . “He who is faithful in what is least
is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is
least is unjust also in much. Therefore if you have not
been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to
your trust the true riches? And if you have not been
faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what
is your own?
“No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate
the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the
one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

I’ve heard it said, “A lesson not learned must be

repeated.” Many times, helps workers or parishioners are
frustrated in ministry because they are trying to serve God
in spite of their service to others (Or the lack thereof). Sorry
friend…it can’t be done. Until you walk obediently, humbly
and genuinely in worship under your pastoral covering
without malice or jealousy, you can never see the fullness of
what God wants to do in the House.

“Service is not a Four Letter Word!”

Many of us, especially the races of us who have had to

deal with the tyranny of slavery in the annals of our fore
parents’ history, often have a problem with this area.
Whenever I teach in the arena of service mindedness, I can
see people balk in the spirit. It’s not until I make the

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following statement that I see them breathe a sigh of relief:
There is a difference between service and servitude. For
support of this statement, let’s go to the dictionary’s
definition for both words. Service is defined as:
Employment in duties or work for another. Servitude is
defined as: Submission to a master; forced labor
imposed as a punishment.

Do you see the difference? Service means employing.

Employing means wages! Wages means compensation!
Hallelujah, there is a benefit in service! We may not get
compensated in terms of money all the time (although I
believe in blessing God’s ministers). But we can rest assured
that our heavenly timecard will account for our deeds done.
It is a slap in the face of God to serve mammon (secular
employment, volunteer organizations, etc.) with vigor,
excitement, willingness and enthusiasm, yet sigh and
complain when asked to do anything in God’s House. Jesus is
our example: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine
own will, but the will of Him that sent Me” (John 6:38). Does
serving someone else in ministry excite you? It should. It’s
our reasonable service!

- By Min. Mark A. Peay

Music and Worship Arts Coordinator
Crenshaw Christian Church