Why?

It’s All About Serving.

The essence of that statement is that we are here to make a difference and that happens when we serve others and meet needs.  When we do that people’s lives are touched, we feel fulfilled, and the world becomes a better place.

Why Serve?

There are lots of reasons to serve, and you certainly don’t need to be a person of faith to serve and make a difference.  But for those who have decided to follow Jesus Christ, we serve not just to impact other people or to feel better about ourselves.  And while we are motivated to see the world become a different and better place, this is not our highest motivation for service.  We serve because Jesus was a servant, and he calls his followers to serve.

An Example of Service.

Looking back on Jesus’ life on the planet, Paul writes that “Jesus did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but he emptied himself and took on human form and became a SERVANT.”  Jesus himself said, “That he (the Son of Man) did not come to be served, but to SERVE, and give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus was a SERVANT and he called his followers to SERVE.  In one place Jesus said that if any one of his followers wanted to be first, they would have to last.  And if they wanted to be great they would have to become the slave of all. One time he said that following Christ means denying yourself. On another occasion he told his followers that when they serve the marginalized of society – the poor, the hungry, the prisoners – they were serving Christ himself. Over and over again Jesus set the example of service. And over and over again Jesus called his followers to a life of service. This leads us to one conclusion – If we are serious about following Christ, we must become servants.

A Commitment to Serve.

At The River, we are committed to serving our community.  Like Jesus, we are not here to be served, but to serve and give ourselves for the good of our community and the world.  This means that we fight injustice, work to alleviate suffering, and take steps to lift up the marginalized.  We serve to make our community and world different and better.  We serve to help people experience the love and care of our God.