The past couple of months I’ve been writing about the commitment we make when we become a part of Medina United Methodist Church. In addition to acknowledging Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we ask you to support this church with your Prayers, Presence, Gifts, SERVICE, and Witness.
This month I want to talk about what it means to support the church with your SERVICE.
When I think of SERVICE I think of the story of Albert Schweitzer
(Born 1875 – Died 1965). Schweitzer was a man with multiple earned doctorates including a PHD in philosophy and PHD in theology. He was also one of the greatest organist of his day.
One day, Schweitzer was reading a theological paper on God and he suddenly realized that his only experience with God was on a intellectual level. He didn’t really FEEL like he had a personal relationship with Him. About the same time, he saw a pamphlet asking for missionaries to go to Africa and God spoke to his heart, “Go…”
You know what Switzer did? He went back to school to become a Medical Doctor. His plan was to go to the mission field as a Medical Doctor. In Africa, he converted a chicken coop into a makeshift hospital. Switzer went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
Albert Schweitzer’s theology was simple: You cannot know God until you SERVE Him. For Schweitzer, SERVICE was the issue of the cross. He believed that the theologians of his day had made Christianity so intellectual that they had lost touch with the simplicity of Christ’s command to LOVE GOD and to LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR as yourself.
“You Cannot Know God Until You Serve Him”
Medina United Methodist Church’s Mission Statement is: To Know Christ and to Make Him Known. One of the best ways we can do that is through our SERVICE. I feel in many ways that I’m preaching to the choir because so many of you “Get It,” but maybe there’s someone like Schweitzer in his early days. You are struggling with your faith wondering, “Where is God?” Try serving Him. Jesus said in Matthew 25:40, “As surely as you have done it to the least of these, you’ve done it unto Me.”
See you in Church.
Bill