SERVICE

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth” ~ Muhammed Ali

A. Share your definition of Service.

Service is the selfless giving of one’s time, talent or treasure to aid someone in need. It is the ultimate act of humanity.

A1. Share your definition of Ministry.

Ministry is taken from the Greek word “diakonos” in which we get the terms “deacon” and “minister” and it literally means “to serve.” Ministry is not solely a one-time event but rather is rooted in a perpetual mindset of showing charity, care, and compassion to the least of these.   

B. What could be one or more differences between what is offered as a service and as a ministry?

In most of our experiences, we probably have come to accept “service” and “ministry” as synonymous terms. However, there is a very subtle yet distinct nuance that separates the two. Service can be viewed as a one-time humanitarian offering to address an isolated event. An example would be a person helping someone struggling to carry their groceries up three flights of stairs. Whereas ministry is viewed in a spiritual context and is more long term in nature with the expressed propose of addressing a valid need. Conducting an ongoing prison bible study would be a good example.   

C. What are some ways that your service can become a ministry?

Using the example given about helping someone with carrying their groceries up three flights of stairs, one could make a commitment that at least three days a week they would assist those in need living in their apartment complex with various tasks. In doing so, they could share the Gospel and be an example of what it looks like to be an A.G.E.N.T. of God.

D. List your Spiritual Gifts.

• Teaching/Preaching
• Helps
• Administration
• Leadership
• Words of Wisdom
• Exhortation

E. List three of your top skill sets that you have sharpened over time.

Team-building

Public Speaking

Leadership Development

F. What are some of the ministries in the church that match up with your spiritual gifts?

BBC Ministerial Council

Worship and Fine Arts

Youth Ministry

F1. What ministries match up with your skill-set? 

        Stewardship Ministry

Christian Education Ministry

        Support Ministry

        Evangelism Ministry

        Missions Ministry

G. In the twenty days of our Day of Service observance of the birthday of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. identifies a ministry in the church AND in the community that you can serve alongside during the 2020 Lenten Season (Feb. 26 – April 10th).

Stewardship Ministry

Virginians Organized for Interfaith Community Engagement (V.O.I.C.E.)

BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH

Pastor White’s Study Answers

2/5/2020

 STEWARDSHIP

 Define these Terms

Stewardship – Using God-given abilities to manage God-given resources to accomplish God-ordained goals. Every member of Bethlehem is encouraged to adopt a Christ-like lifestyle that will liberate that disciple to give his/her time, talent, or treasure to advance the kingdom of God.

Stewardship – The responsibility given to humans in creation for managing the resources of the earth. (Genesis 1:26)

Christian Stewardship – The responsibility of each disciple to bring into godly care the whole of his or her life so that one’s witness and relationship to God is evident in how he or she participates in the management and resourcing of the human and tangible gifts God makes available to HIS church.  

 

Time – The quality moments, seconds, minutes hours, days, and months in the course of a God-given year that one uses to do the Will of the Giver of time.    

Talent  – This term in the Bible has at least two meanings. First, it is an item of value and worth.  Secondly and more familiar, it is an ability or skill.                       

Treasure – Wealth (money, jewels, valuable) or anything a person cherishes by storing or saving in a secure place. 

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TIME

In a 24 hour day how much time could you set aside as a disciple to participate in stewardship activities?

DKW: In the life of a pastor serving a church and representing the faith community, it is hard to really give a number of hours. It might be easier if I look at the question from the backside… how much time in the course of a day do I spend doing something/anything for me that does not include or involve Bethlehem?  The question is most easy to answer when I physically leave NOVA and the DMV.

God gives us 168 hours in a week how many hours could you give back to God in stewardship; service; spiritual self-care?

DKW: This question is not difficult to answer, however, the answer will expose my unhealthy self-care habits. J

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TALENTS/ABILITIES

Someone has said that “a talent or ability is a gift from God that has not been surrendered to the Holy Spirit in service.” 

List your talents and abilities.

Leadership; Visionary; Work with my hands; Cooking; Teach; Serve; Preach; Pastoring.

2. What talent (s) or abilities have you sharpened and become proficient in that undergirds and sustains your life and livelihood? What is it that you are good at with people? 

Leading; Teaching; Preaching; Counseling; Spiritual Direction

3. What new or creative ways can your talents or abilities be used to help others?

 

4. Do a Bible/scripture search of examples of your abilities and list three examples along with bible characters.

VISIONARY                                     Genesis 43              Joseph

TEACHING/ PERSUASION           Acts 17                    Paul on Mars Hill

MENTORING                                 Acts 16                   Paul  – Timothy

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TREASURE (S)   

“Whenever God finds a person He can send a treasure to, he or she become the  person God will send His treasures through.” The term treasure is used in various ways in the Bible (cite), in a nutshell, it is any and everything that we value most and feel we feel is too valuable to share or give away.

 5. Locate and share five (5) positive and negative lessons or examples referencing treasure (worldly goods) and biblical characters in scripture.

a. Luke 12:16-21               d. 2 Kings 5:20-27 (Gehazi)

b. Matthew 25:24-29      e. Genesis 14:21 Abraham/King of Sodom

c. Genesis 14:20 (Abraham/ Melchizedek)

6.  What VISION ventures in Bethlehem have the Holy Spirit be leading you to prayerfully and sacrificially sow a seed into? 

DKW: Leaving a Financial Legacy for the Christian men and women; boys and girls who will show up at any season in their lives seeking God in the classroom or sanctuary Bethlehem, as I have, to serve and grow in their relationship to God.

STEWARDSHIP

“At the end of the day only two things matter: Divine relationships & Faithful Stewardship.”

1. Definition of these Terms.

1. Stewardship – Taking responsibility for the resources God has entrusted into my care and using them to accomplish His will.

Time – Focused energy on using (me) God’s resource at the point of need as orchestrated by God.

Talents – Natural abilities given by God for the betterment of self and mankind in accomplishing His will on earth.

Treasure – Financial resources released by God into my care to accomplish His will with and through my family, church and community.

2. TIME

In a 24-hour day, how much time could you set aside as a disciple to participate in stewardship activities?

God gives us 168 hours in a week how many hours could you give back to God in stewardship; service; spiritual self-care?

I give at least 20 hours a week to some form of stewardship, service or spiritual self-care. Yes, I am a preacher of the Gospel and work at a church; however, I know if I fail to keep myself before the Lord in every aspect of life and ministry, Satan is there waiting to drag me down.

So, I spend the time fortifying the walls of heart, mind, and soul as not to give place to the evil one. Not easy, but necessary.

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3. TALENTS/ABILITIES

Someone has said that “talent or ability is a gift from God that has not been surrendered to the Holy Spirit in service.” 

List your talents and abilities.

Leader/Facilitator

Speaker/Motivator

Fixer/repairer

Logical/Technical Thinker

Information Technologist

Network Engineering and Administration

What talent (s) or abilities have you sharpened and become proficient in that undergirds and sustains your life and livelihood?

Public Speaking

Caregiving and Counseling

Information Technology Engineering and Management

What is it that you are good at with people? 

Helping others fix this that are broken and motivating people to move beyond their own self-imposed limitation.

Someone has said that “talent or ability is a gift from God that has not been surrendered to the Holy Spirit in service.” 

What are some new or creative ways can your talents or abilities be used to help others?

Develop training programs to help others learn what I have learned.

Use my IT background to engineer ways for this local body to reach of others often overlooked

Do a Bible/scripture search of examples of your abilities and list three examples along with bible characters?

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4. TREASURE

What is most valuable to me?

My family, my community and most of all my relationship with GOD. 

I make an attempt every day to spend some time with GOD. That time is spent in prayer or meditation.