A Hot Meal, a Warm Welcome, and a New Beginning

Linda “Qween” Davis has always worshiped God. “I’m always praying to God, asking him to help me and take care of me,” she said, “but I have a long way to go.”

Her first encounter with the Highland Park Community Assistance Network (HPCAN) came when she and her husband, who died a year ago, attended one of the Tuesday night community meals. He suggested they go out for a hot dinner.

“And I’m like, where?” Qween remembered, “and he said, ‘At the church.’”

She remembers the warm welcome that came with the hot meal, especially from Kathy Lopez.

Later, Qween became part of the Monday ceramics class, where she met Angelina Guajardo, program director for Divine Women, a support ministry for women. At Guajardo’s invitation, Qween participated in the group for a while.

Eventually, she began volunteering in the kitchen for the Tuesday meals, the same ministry through which she first encountered HPCAN. “I’ve always liked to cook, and I like to help people as much as I can,” she said. “I try not to miss. I’m there helping in the community, serving the food and everything.”

Daniel Arredondo, Minister of Outreach, calls her a great worker. “She’s a valued member of our kitchen team,” he said. “Her heart is growing.”

Coworker Bobann Moore agreed. “When we’re in that kitchen, she will do anything, anything at all to help,” Moore said.

Vernon Liverett remarked on Qween’s cheerful attitude and the way she relates to guests. “Qween has a good relationship with the people that come through the line,” Liverett said. “She makes them comfortable. She makes it feel relaxed and kids around with them. And then just makes the whole interaction very positive.”

“When I’m up there serving the food and stuff, I’m always telling them, ‘Welcome. Have a happy Tuesday. Don’t forget to thank the good Lord for this day,’” Queen said. “I know half of the people that come and eat at the church.”

Among the Tuesday night volunteers, Qween has found more than a place to serve. She has found community. “We’re always laughing and joking and playing around with each other,” she said. “And whenever something’s wrong with me or I’m sick or something, they always check up on me.”

That kind of care stood out to her. It was not what she had experienced in churches as a teenager. “That’s what made me give up on churches until I found this one here,” she said.

Arredondo has seen growth in her life. “She’s come a long way,” he said. “She was very unreceptive at first, but over time, she’s learned to take the Word of God and let it discipline her and purify her and conform her.”

Qween eventually started attending worship and Bible study. The Bible study is led by Liverett and Kay Richardson, who coordinates the Tuesday night meals. Qween appreciates the way the teaching is easy to understand and the opportunity to ask questions. “With Miss Kay, I’m learning stuff that I never knew about,” she said. “And she makes it so simple.”

Recently, Qween was baptized and committed herself to a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. For her, baptism marked an opportunity “to let go of all my sins and move forward with the help of the good Lord to do better.”

It Is Not Good to Be Alone

We are created for community. God declared, “It is not good that the man should be alone” (Gen. 2:18). We are not designed for isolation, self-sufficiency, or survival alone. The first believers understood this well. In Acts 2:42-47, the new believers gathered together, shared their lives, broke bread, prayed, worshiped, and cared for one another. It is a beautiful picture of Christian community. Yet, by Acts 6, complaints had arisen because some widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. In Corinth, Paul had to correct a church whose members had turned the Lord’s Supper into an occasion for selfishness and division.

That is part of our sin nature. We are often inclined toward survival, looking out for number one. We have an “I” problem. In the garden, Eve disobeyed God because she desired to be like Him. Isaiah 14:12–14 tells of Lucifer’s desire to ascend and be “like the Most High.” Sin bends the heart inward. It teaches us to protect ourselves, promote ourselves, and place ourselves at the center. 

But the Holy Spirit moves us beyond that. Christian community is more than a gathering of people in the same room. It is a shared life shaped by service, humility, and mutual care. The New Testament’s many “one another” commands make this clear. We are told to love one another, serve one another, forgive one another, encourage one another, bear one another’s burdens, and care for one another. These commands assume that the Christian life cannot be lived alone. Faith may be personal, but it is never private.

True community generates something greater than the sum of its parts. It brings encouragement, increases effectiveness, and opens the door to new ideas and shared strength. It creates synergy. Detroit became the center of the American automobile industry because manufacturers, suppliers, workers, designers, and competitors gathered in close proximity. Silicon Valley became a center of technological innovation for similar reasons. When people with shared purpose, skill, energy, and imagination work near one another, things happen that would not happen in isolation.

The Baptist Temple campus has experienced remarkable seasons of community. When Jubilee Academy was located on campus, the partnership became more than a rental arrangement. Middle school students helped distribute food to the community, teachers helped on campus projects, and children sang at special events. One year, Vacation Bible School brought together the five churches that meet on the campus, refugee children from Africa, a mission team from the Baptist University of the Américas, and lots of neighborhood kids. 

That same spirit of community is also reflected in the many volunteers who first came to us for services. They felt welcomed and accepted, becoming part of the team and building self-esteem through serving others. Our volunteers reflect remarkable diversity in age, race, ethnicity, and economic background.

That spirit continues in other ways. From the Early Learning Center to Funeral Caring, USA our family of churches and service providers bring cradle-to-grave care to our community. Together we create a hub that magnifies our ability to meet the physical and spiritual needs of our neighbors while sharing expenses and reducing needless duplication of services.

Community is part of God’s design. It corrects our selfishness, enlarges our vision, strengthens our work.

Two are better than one,

because they have a good return for their labor:

 If either of them falls down,

 one can help the other up.

 But pity anyone who falls

 and has no one to help them up.

 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

 But how can one keep warm alone?

 Though one may be overpowered,

 two can defend themselves.

 A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

 Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

Rooted in Friendship, Renewed in Service

Bobann Moore returned to the church of her childhood to help serve the Tuesday night community dinner after retiring from a long career in clinical research. With newly available time, she made a decisive commitment: Tuesdays would belong to Baptist Temple.

"Bobann is a great cook but has been happy to help in any way she can,” said Kay Richardson, who leads the community dinner crew. “She preps vegetables, butters bread, cuts and plates desserts, and gets ice in cups. She also provides some of our desserts when needed. And she is always ready and willing to serve our community from the line.” 

With a constant smile on her face that reflects her inner joy, Moore makes it a point to greet and speak to community members and is an encouragement to the other volunteers. Soon her service expanded to organizing neighborhood donation drives, collecting clothing and household items, and delivering them weekly to the church’s thrift store. Her car—and often her garage—fill quickly.

Her story at Baptist Temple spans nearly a lifetime. She first arrived as a child of nine, when her family moved from Oklahoma to San Antonio. Her father, Bill Leikam, was Pastor Loren White’s college roommate at Oklahoma Baptist University and was invited to serve as BT’s minister of music while also teaching full-time at San Antonio College. 

She was baptized at age eleven by Loren White and grew within the full rhythm of church life—Sunday mornings, Sunday evenings, and Wednesday nights—at a time when the sanctuary was full and the ministries were thriving.

She was married by BT Pastor Bill Purdue, and later her daughter was dedicated at BT. Generations overlapped naturally; friendships formed in childhood extended into adulthood.

Moore is part of a group of friends who get together once a month for dinner, sustaining bonds formed in pews and classrooms long ago. They grew up at Baptist Temple and have kept ties throughout the years even though many now attend other churches. “Since seven of us still attend BT, when we get together, we talk about what's going on at BT,” said Richardson.  

Although her church home is at Cornerstone, Moore has always shown particular interest in BT's ministries to the community and the homeless. She understands that volunteer-driven ministries depend on faithfulness across generations. “I want to keep this place going as best I can,” she explained, mindful that seasons change and servants age. Her commitment is steady, practical, and deeply relational.

Her memories of Baptist Temple are shaped by leadership and mission. She recalls the warmth and kindness of Loren White, the energy and vision of Mark Newton, and the organizational strength of Bill Purdue. She remembers bold ministries—the methadone clinic, the bus ministry, and outreach to housing projects—that embodied a willingness to serve neighbors even when such efforts made some uncomfortable.

In the past, Moore had served faithfully BT for years as nursery coordinator during a season when the church overflowed with young families. She volunteered to work church events and spearheaded a fundraising drive that raised thousands of dollars to assist a family in need. Her service was usually behind the scenes, but always effective.

Today, Moore continues to encourage generosity within her circle of longtime friends—redirecting gift exchanges toward donations, organizing care bags, and quietly modeling what it means to remain invested in a church that shaped her life. Baptist Temple, she says simply, “means a whole lot to us.”

For Bobann Moore, Baptist Temple is not only a place of memory but a living mission—one worthy of time, effort, and faithful presence. “Bobann has a giving, servant's heart and I am blessed to call her my friend and serve alongside her,” said Richardson.

Look Alive!

Ephesians 2:1-10

Most of us want to fondly remember the past. After all, they were the good old days! Nostalgia, however, can cloud our memory and we forget the painful parts. And, so, the greatness of the past continues to grow in our memory.

But Paul remembers it differently. “You were dead in your transgressions and sins,” he wrote. The good old days were not good because we were disobedient. Instead of a Christian walk, we walked in the ways of the world. It was a death march. We were the walking dead. Rather than being children of God, we were children of wrath on the road to judgment. (Eph 2:2-3)

That’s all in the past. Paul says that God made us alive in Christ. All because of God’s mercy and his great, unmerited love for us. We have done nothing to earn our salvation. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” (Eph 2:8-9)

Paul tells us that we are saved for a purpose. “We are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works,” he writes. (Eph 2:10)

The prophet Isaiah tells us about good works. “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” (Is 1:17)

The prophet Micah also provides us with some insight. “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Mic 6:8)

In the past, we walked in sin; today we walk in the light. In the past we were dead in sin, today we are alive in Christ. By God’s grace, today we are ready to do the good works God prepared in advance for us.

Foot washing today

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things,you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:14-17 (NIV)

In John 13 we read that Jesus washed the disciple's feet. An unpleasant but ordinary task usually performed by a servant. Jesus set the example for all of us who call ourselves His followers. Churches that practice foot washing today have turned into a religious ritual that could be missing the point. The story below is a demonstration of humility and service that illustrates Jesus' point. It is taken from the journal of one of our deacons.

A day of ministry…

About 3:45 pm I got a call from a disabled woman. She thinks she might have a dead rat in her house. My husband and I arrived at 4:30 pm. When we walked in the door we could smell the dead rat, plus lots of dog feces in 2 of the 3 bedrooms.

My husband picked up the glue trap in the bedroom (with dead rat attached,) disposed of it and, then, picked up all the dog feces in the house.

I talked with the disabled woman while picking up lots of trash in the floor of her bedroom  and put her mattress cover in the washing machine, while my husband mopped the 2 dog-poop rooms, the bathroom, and the hallway.

I pulled the kitchen trash bag out the container, which smelled like dead rat. I looked in and there was a rat in the bottom of the container – I screamed! Then my husband looked inside discovered two rats in there – a dead one, and a live one that was eating the dead rat’s head. He took the container outside, killed the live one, and threw them both away. I washed out the kitchen trash can.

Next, we mopped the bedroom because there was a trail of diarrhea on the floor. I sat and listened to the woman while my husband washed her dishes.

I put out a fresh bowl of water for her dogs, swept up all the rat feces in the kitchen floor, then mopped it.

We went to the corner store to get her some Gatorade and, then, moved her laundry from the washer to the dryer. 
 
After dinner at Whataburger, we went to Walmart to buy a 2 weeks supply of Gatorade and more rat traps for the woman we are helping (she always gives me her debit card when I shop for her).  When we delivered it to her house, I got the sheets and mattress pad out of the dryer and made her bed while my husband set out 8 rat traps in the house.

I think we left her house around 8:30 pm.

Verily I say unto you,
Inasmuch as ye have done it unto
one of the least of these my brethren,
ye have done it unto me.
Matthew 25:40 (KJV)

Note: This disabled woman is currently undergoing chemotherapy. She is unable to walk her dogs and, so, they often do their business inside but they are her only companions. Baptist Temple is seeking ways to help her in her time of need.

 

Showing God's Love

“Who sinned,” the disciples asked Jesus upon encountering a man who'd been blind from birth, “this man or his parents?” (John 9:1-2)

It is commonly believed that one's physical state is a sign of God's judgment. A cousin of the tendency to “blame the victim.”

While we often want to debate the reasons for suffering and pain, Jesus cut the debate off abruptly. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.” (John 9:3)

Jesus saw this man's disability as an opportunity to show God's love by healing him. Jesus wants us to show God's love to those who suffer. In fact, he closely identifies with the suffering.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me...’ ‘...Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” Matthew 25:34-36

Spiritually successful Christians serve others. In this way, we show God's love in practical ways. When we encounter a person in physical or spiritual pain, our first instinct ought to be to offer love and help. We must act quickly or lose opportunities. Hurting people will withdraw from church if they feel unloved. Jesus said, “We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.”

View a video of “Sharing God's Love”

This is part of the sermon series “How To Be Spiritually Successful.” It is based on the Masterlife study “The Disciple's Cross.”

GET THE BOOK:

MasterLife: Developing a Rich Personal Relationship with the Master

Five reasons why outreach to seniors is a good idea

One of the strengths of Baptist Temple is our Seniors. We have a group of people over 60 who are mature in Christ and ready to serve. Over the last ten years they have been the force behind our community ministries and building and grounds maintenance. On Sundays they lead in worship, hospitality, Sunday school and more.

Church outreach programs tend to ignore this particular demographic in favor of married couples with young children. That can be a big mistake. Seniors still have much to give and are looking for greater challenges. When Caleb was 85 years old he made this declaration to Joshua:

“Now then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the desert. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” (Joshua 14:10-12)

Here are five reasons why outreach to Seniors is a good idea:

1. There's a lot of them. In 2006, Baby Boomers started turning 60. This is the largest age demographic in America, numbering 76 million. San Antonio (the location of Baptist Temple) will experience a “silver tsunami” as seniors from around the nation will be moving in ever increasing numbers to this desired retirement location.
2. Longer Lives. Seniors are living longer and are more active than past generations.
3. Experience. Many are experienced church members who are generous with their time, treasure and talents. They bring the knowledge, skills and finances needed to support church programs.
4. Availability. Retired folks have time on their hands and most are eager to make a difference.
5. Ministry field. Some seniors live in poverty. Social Security and other benefits are not enough to provide for their needs. Some are lonely and isolated. Many are unchurched. This is a ripe field for ministries of caring and evangelism.

It is important to bear in mind that the term Senior includes a wide range of ages. People who are a decade or more apart in age have different needs. Another important factor is that many who are past 70 do not want to drive at night but have plenty of daylight hours available.

Ministry to and with Seniors has great potential. This generation of American Christians has been given more affluence, education, time, and opportunity to serve God on earth than any other. How can the church maximize this gift from God.

Elizabeth Cruz Joins the Baptist Temple Team

We welcome Elizabeth Cruz as new Program Director. She will be coordinating our community ministry efforts through our Highland Park CAN ministry. She has already made arrangements for social work students from Our Lady of the Lake University (OLLU) and University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) to serve as interns at our food pantry. Working with Wesley Nurses, Nancy Parker and Sandy McKinney, she will arrange for healthy living classes on Wednesday evenings and health screenings on Tuesday mornings.

Elizabeth has a wealth of experience in the social services field. She has worked with the homeless, foster children, and food pantry clients. While at Christian Hope Resource Center (CHRC), she was instrumental in developing a case management program designed to help individuals become more self-sufficient. She, also, introduced the client-choice pantry to CHRC.

I met with Elizabeth three years ago to learn more about mentoring-based food pantry operations. She graciously offered to help us develop our program. I took her up on her offer a few months ago. She was ready for something new and was excited at the prospect of leading a program she had designed. Moreover, this would be an opportunity to use her skills in a church setting.

Elizabeth earned a BSW from Texas State University (TSU) and an MSW from UTSA. She, also received a Nonprofit Management Certificate for Veterans Service Organizations through the San Antonio Area Foundation.

She has worked for SAMMinistries, Casey Family Programs and, most recently, Seton Home.

Elizabeth has been leading Zumba classes twice a week at BT and is adjunct faculty at OLLU.

Acts of love result in changed lives

After a month of experiencing God's love in practical ways, a couple committed themselves to Christ and church membership. It began last month when someone dropped off some groceries during our food pantry registration day saying, “You're going to need this.”

A little while later, a couple comes to register for the food distribution that would occur later that week. Because their need was immediate, they received the groceries that had been unexpectedly delivered. If that food had not been dropped off, we would not have been able to provide immediate assistance.

Follow-up ministry uncovered some other needs that we could help address. The man is a disabled war vet who is now battling cancer. We continue to minister to their physical and spiritual needs.

There are many love stories like this at Baptist Temple. Earlier this month a church member donated a broken lawn mower. One of our deacons fixed it and gave it to a woman in need. Not a day goes by when one of our deacons is not serving a widow or single mom in our church family. When you include our Sunday school teachers and other workers, acts of love roll out from the Baptist Temple campus and reach out to the edges of our county.

Volunteers from the community and other churches help us serve our neighbors in many ways including providing clothes for our thrift shop, distributing food and more. Partnerships with businesses, churches, non-profits and government agencies have exponentially expanded our reach. Their donations help to become a channel of God's blessing. 

As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

James 2:26

Baptist Temple Demonstrates a Serving Attitude

In the same way, let your light shine before men,

that they may see your good deeds

and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Bill Hybels identified six evangelism styles; confrontational, intellectual, testimonial, interpersonal, invitational, and serving. A quick survey during a session of Becoming a Contagious Christian revealed that a majority of Baptist Temple Church members preferred the serving style of evangelism.

While the discovery was a pleasant surprise, it was already evident in the variety of community services we provide. We have developed a servant culture at Baptist Temple that attracts others with a servant heart.

People with a servant heart show love through action more than words. They take to heart Jesus teaching about serving him by serving others. They will attach value to even menial tasks. Jesus said, “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” (Matthew 10:42)

Steve Sjogren wrote, in Conspiracy of Kindness, “A can of coke and the power of the Holy Spirit can open a person's heart.”

Kindness evangelism is simply giving someone a token gift or doing a service in the name of Jesus. Steve Sjogren says, “Kindness Evangelism is demonstrating the kindness of God by offering to do some act of humble service with no strings attached.”

Jesus said, “…Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

More on Kindness Evangelism

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Honoring God with our Best

Proverbs 3:5-10

When we give God the First Fruits of our labors he will reward us abundantly both spiritually and physically. The Bible challenges us saying, “Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” (Proverbs 3:9-10)

A sacrificial first fruit offering demonstrates obedience to God. "Trust in the LORD" (v. 5), says the Bible. One of the principles of a first fruit offering is trust in the promise of a future harvest. The first fruit were just a taste of what lay in store at the end of the full in-gathering of the harvest. A first fruit offering represents a prayer to God for the future harvest.

It, also, tests our faith in God promise to bless our giving. “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.” (Malachi 3:10)

A sacrificial first fruit offering demonstrates our commitment to God. The passage continues: "in all thy ways acknowledge him"(v. 6). Giving your First Fruits means you are acknowledging God’s ownership of all you have. We sow seed and water but God provides the harvest. Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father. (James 1:17)

Money is like a magnet. It pulls our hearts towards wherever we put it. When I give money to God it pulls me closer to Him. The Bible says, "Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops" (v. 9)

God deserves the best part of our lives! God is honored by no less than our very best. Jesus said, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

In Malachi God chastised the people for giving inferior gifts. “ When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.” (Malachi 1:8)

God is NOT an afterthought…

• God desires our best when it comes to our worship.
• God desires our best when it comes to our service.
• God desires our best when it comes to our giving.

God deserves our First Fruits.

Calling Shotgun

Mark 10:35-45

When I was a kid we all wanted to sit in the front seat. We would call “shotgun!” and argue about who called it first. “I called it!”

“No, I did!”

“I called it yesterday!”

“Well, I called it for the week!”

We would all fight for the seat of honor. Nobody liked taking the backseat.

James and John ask Jesus to give them positions of prestige and power: “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” (Mark 10:37)

Jesus declared that service would be the measure of Christian leadership: “Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." (Mark 10:43-44)

A servant leader follows the example of Jesus: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve...” (Mark 10:45)

Jesus knew that he had all the power of the universe in his hands, but he did not use it to control his disciples. He got up and washed their feet.

In the kingdom of God, greatness is not about moving on up. It’s about transformation. As we become more like Jesus, we will develop a Christ-like sensitivity toward others.

Selfish ambition leads to conflict and has no place in God's Kingdom.

Pride goes before destruction,

a haughty spirit before a fall

Proverbs 16:18 (NIV)

Extreme Love 2

Here are the next three messages from the Xtreme Love series at Baptist Temple

Message from Sunday, March 7:

Loving God with all your mind (Romans 12:2)

To love God will all your mind you must have a biblical world view. In other words you must see the world through God’s eyes.


Message from Sunday, March 14:

Loving God with all your strength (Romans 12:1)

Loving God with all your strength requires sacrifice, service and recognizing that God is the source of our strength. Loving God with all your heart means setting your priorities around Him.


Message from Sunday, March 21:

Loving Your Neighbor (Luke 10:25-37)

Loving God means loving our neighbor. Jesus would have us ask “Have we been a good neighbor,” rather than, “Who am I obligated to help?”

You can get the previous 3 messages here

Extreme Love

Here are the first three messages from the Xtreme Love series at Baptist Temple



Message from Sunday, Feb 14:

The Greatest Commandment (Mark 12:30-31)

God requires total devotion from His followers and that includes that we love each other and those outside our faith.


Message from Sunday, Feb 21:

Loving God with all your heart (Mark 12:30)

Loving God with all your heart means setting your priorities around Him.


Message from Sunday, Feb 28:

Loving God with all your soul (Matthew 6:19-34)

Loving God with all your soul requires a single-minded devotion.

New Year’s Resolutions

Have you made a New Year’s resolution? If you are like most people losing weight is at the top of your list. Other popular resolutions involve getting finances in order and health-related efforts such as beginning an exercise program or quitting smoking.

Resolutions are usually highly personal and related to personal improvement; nothing wrong with that. One route to bettering ourselves is to give of ourselves in service to others.

Selfishness causes us to obsess over our troubles, both real and imagined. It elevates our sense of self-importance and, thus magnifies the effect of every unkind word that comes our way. It is in serving others that we save ourselves. We work humility into our lives through service.

Serving others strengthens our faith as we put hands and feet to our beliefs. It will add meaning to your life and increase your appreciation for blessings that are often neglected.

As you review your list of resolutions consider adding one that involves some form of service to others this year.

Faithful servants and unsung heroes

I met some extraordinary young ministers when I was planting a Spanish-language church in New Orleans’ inner city. One young seminary couple came to a service and said they wanted to join the church even though they did not speak Spanish. They were called to foreign missions and wanted to discover if they could minister cross-culturally. They could. They sang, taught the children and did many behind the scenes tasks that led to our rapid growth and to getting a church building donated to us.

They were looking for a ministry and it eventually led to a job. He became pastor of an English-language group we started and went on to minister overseas.

Another young seminary student had a job. He was minister of music and youth in a town a short distance from NO. He wanted to do something more significant with his life so he resigned, found a secular job, and came to be our music minister. He and his fiancé provided a level of music not usually found in inner-city churches. His talents and leadership attracted other high caliber musicians. The exposure and experience he gained led to a call to be pastor of a multicultural church. He, too, went to minister overseas.

There was a female student who was finding it difficult to find a place to minister. She was called to be an Army Chaplain and needed staff experience in a Baptist church in order to fulfill a denominational requirement for endorsement. She persisted in the face of rejection until she found our church. She raised her own funding and worked full-time as children’s minister for two years. She gained valuable experience and deeply impacted our impoverished community.

During the summer she ran a day camp using youth groups from other churches. She borrowed church buses (and drivers) and took the kids to the zoo and other nice places. During the school year she led a weekly youth rally that featured local Christian bands and evangelistic youth speakers.

These students and others who came created a learning lab that was changing the lives of inner city families. They were putting their calling to work in a difficult environment of different races, deep poverty and bleak surroundings. There were disappointments and victories but, I believe God used these experiences to prepare us for future ministry.

Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things,

I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.
Matthew 25:21 (New King James Version)