Rooted: Developing a Faith That Will LastSample

Are you properly rooted in your understanding of your role within your local fellowship? It might be changing because you are away at college, but you still have a role to play in the local church. It may take some time to be able to fully use your gifts in a new setting, but make no mistake that they are still to be used for the good of the body!

College students are not just the future leaders of the church, they are also to be fully leading in the church of today. Your gifts are not to be put on the shelf during this period of time sitting and collecting spiritual dust while you wait on your time in the future. You have a role to play right now in your college church and local ministry. Since our spiritual gifts have been given to us, we have no reason to brag or feel proud of them. We have no need to hide them either.

Your gift fits well with my gift and the gifts of every other believer. God places them is us and then places us where He can use the gifts for the benefit of the entire body of Christ. When we fail to use our gifts for whatever reason, the entire body is made weaker and less effective. That's why Paul also reminds Timothy to not neglect the gift he had been given. We need you and your gift to reach the campus where the Lord has placed you.

So find a way to use your gift for the Lord. Serve Him by serving your local church and campus ministry. Ask your leaders how you can best serve in the new context you find yourself. Remember to do it for His glory rather than for recognition. Seek to serve with humility. Learn from others who share your giftedness. Develop your gift.

Being rooted in your gifts and rightly deploying them for the kingdom is an awesome feeling. It feels like you were created to do this because you were!