How Can I Become a Leader in My ChurchНамуна

Desiring to Lead Willingly

The Lord has appointed church leaders among us to direct and instruct us and to help us to determine how we can serve Him. This, however, does not mean that they can dictate what we should do. God always wants us to willingly serve Him. God gave us many gifts and the church has many needs. Sometimes, we might be asked to serve in an area of the church we do not really like or care for, but we might feel that we cannot say no. So we start serving, but there is no joy in our hearts. This is not the Lord’s will.

God calls us to serve Him, and in His sovereignty, He works through our wills to accomplish His purposes. While we have a responsibility to choose to follow Him and serve Him, it is ultimately God's grace that enables us to do so. If you are asked to serve in an area, be humble, pray about it, and seek to serve with joy. When you feel that your joy is lacking, be honest with yourself and with your leaders. God desires joyful service, not grudging or reluctant leadership.

Sometimes, we think that in a Christian church everything is perfect, everyone is happy, the sky is always shining, and the grass is always green. Yes, we are part of God’s Kingdom, but we still live on this earth. We are human and we make mistakes. We can be unhappy while serving the Lord. The Bible acknowledges that. For example, the Apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth to give their gift to the poor willingly. He tells them to give the amount that they decided to give in their hearts—to do so with joy, not under compulsion. Similarly, the Apostle Peter instructs church leaders to serve God’s people willingly.

Everything we do for the Lord we should do according to our ability and the willingness of our hearts. If we feel reluctance or resentment creeping in, we should ask ourselves why. Maybe, we do not like the area we serve in. Maybe, we have been asked to do too much, and we do not have enough time to serve our family, to rest, or to replenish ourselves. We should always examine our hearts and be honest with God. He wants us to serve with joy. He loves a cheerful giver and a cheerful leader.