Serving in the Church: Your Calling in the Body of Christ

"I commend unto you Phebe our sister, which is a servant of the church which is at Cenchrea." Romans 16:1 (KJV) The Church of Jesus Christ is not a building. It is the body of Christ — a living, breathing fellowship of believers, made up of men and women, young and old, rich and poor, from every tribe and every language. The Lord Jesus loves the Church. He gave Himself for her. He is preparing her as a pure bride. And every believer has a place in this body, with a calling to serve.

Sister, you belong in the Church. You are not a passive member, coming only on Sundays to be fed. You are a living stone in the temple of God. You have spiritual gifts. You have a ministry.

The Bible says that to every believer, grace has been given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. God has placed you in your local church for a reason.

Let us look at some of the women in the New Testament who served in the early church.

Phoebe, in Romans chapter sixteen, is described as a servant — the Greek word is diakonos, from which we get the word deacon. Paul is commending her to the Romans. He says she has been a succourer, a helper, of many, including Paul himself. She was trusted with carrying Paul's great letter to Rome. Think of it. The letter to the Romans — perhaps the greatest theological letter ever written — was likely delivered by the hand of a woman. Phoebe was a servant of the church.

Priscilla, whom we have already mentioned, served alongside her husband Aquila in multiple cities. They opened their home as a meeting place for the church. They taught the scriptures. They worked with Paul. Paul calls them his helpers in Christ Jesus, who laid down their own necks for his life.

Junia, also in Romans sixteen, is called "of note among the apostles" — which likely means she and her companion Andronicus were well known and highly regarded by the apostolic community.

She was a kinswoman of Paul and had been imprisoned with him. Here was a woman who suffered for the gospel and was deeply respected.

Mary of Rome is mentioned in Romans chapter sixteen as one who "bestowed much labor on us."

Much labor. We do not know exactly what she did, but we know she worked hard for the gospel.

Euodia and Syntyche, in Philippians chapter four, are said to have labored with Paul in the gospel.

Sadly, Paul also had to urge them to be of the same mind in the Lord, because they had some disagreement. Even godly women can fall into conflict, and we must beware of that. But the point is — they labored in the gospel alongside Paul.

The four daughters of Philip the evangelist prophesied, according to Acts chapter twenty-one. They had a ministry of speaking God's word.

The deaconesses and widows of the early Church had roles of prayer, teaching other women, caring for orphans and the sick, and ministering to the bodies and souls of other believers. Widows over the age of sixty, who had been the wife of one man, who had raised children, who had lodged strangers, who had washed the saints' feet, who had relieved the afflicted — these women were enrolled to serve the Church.

From the very beginning, women have been essential to the ministry of the Church. The Lord Jesus Himself was supported in His earthly ministry by a group of women who traveled with Him and provided for His needs — Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Chuza, Susanna, and many others.

Now let me speak practically. How should you serve in your local church?

First, commit to a local church. In our time, many Christians have become consumers rather than members. They float from church to church. They watch sermons online but never join a fellowship. They attend when it pleases them and stay home when it does not. Sister, this is not the biblical pattern. Find a Bible-believing church. Make a commitment. Be faithful. Support the pastor and the leaders.

Second, discover your gifts. God has given spiritual gifts to every believer. Some have the gift of teaching. Some have the gift of hospitality. Some have the gift of encouragement. Some have the gift of administration. Some have the gift of mercy. Some have the gift of giving. Some have the gift of leadership. Ask yourself: What do I love to do for the Lord? What do others thank me for?

Where do I see God using me? Talk with your pastor, your women's leader, and your trusted friends. They may see gifts in you that you do not see yourself.

Third, serve where you are needed. There are many ministries in a local church, and many of them especially need women. The Sunday School ministry. The choir. The women's fellowship. The hospitality team. The prayer ministry. The visitation ministry. The cleaning of the church. The care of the pastor's family. The youth ministry. The counseling of young brides. The ministry to the sick and the grieving. Do not wait to be asked. Ask the leaders where you can help, and then give yourself to the work faithfully.

Fourth, support your pastor and his wife. They carry a great load. They pray for you. They study late into the night to prepare sermons. They visit the sick. They bury the dead. They counsel the troubled. Pray for them. Encourage them with kind words. Respect them. Bring them gifts of food or firewood if you can. If you are a pastor's wife yourself, find other pastors' wives for mutual encouragement, because it is a lonely calling.

Fifth, give generously. Whatever you can give, give gladly. The Lord loves a cheerful giver. Tithe as the scriptures teach. Give special offerings when the need is great. Support the missionaries.

Help those in need within the fellowship. Remember that God is no man's debtor — what you give, He will replace, and more besides.

Sixth, honor the unity of the body. Do not be one of those women who causes divisions in the church. Do not gossip about the pastor. Do not spread rumors about other members. Do not form cliques that exclude others. Do not leave the church the first time something does not go your way.

The body of Christ is held together by love and forbearance. Be one who brings people together, not one who drives them apart.

Seventh, let me add a word about submission to spiritual authority. The scriptures teach that we are to obey those who rule over us in the Lord, and to submit to them, for they watch for our souls.

This does not mean that pastors and church leaders are infallible. They are not. But when godly leaders are making decisions and providing direction for the church, receive their leadership gratefully. Do not set yourself up as a judge over every sermon and every policy. Trust the Lord to correct what needs to be corrected in His time.

Let me close this chapter with a reflection. In the East African Revival, one of the beautiful fruits was the sense of family in the church. Brothers and sisters truly became brothers and sisters. They confessed sins to one another. They carried each other's burdens. They rejoiced together and wept together. This is the kind of church God wants. Ask yourself — am I helping to create that kind of family in my church? Am I a woman who brings warmth, love, and faithful service to the body of Christ? If so, you are carrying on the legacy of Phoebe, Priscilla, Mary, and all the faithful women who have gone before.

A Prayer Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your Church, the body of Christ. Thank You for placing me in my local fellowship. Show me the gifts You have given me. Show me where I can serve.

Make me faithful in small things and in great. Help me to love my pastor, to support the leaders, to build up the other believers, and never to be a source of division. Use my hands, my time, my voice, my home, and my resources for the building of Your Kingdom. In Your mighty name, Amen.