Being in one of the youth ministry prayer times that are held in our church, I was able to realize a detail that changed my way of seeing the service for the Lord. As I took the list of congregational prayer motives, I realized that many were geared toward people set to serve in the church, which made me think: Wow, serving even in this benefits.

Here is a list of 7 Benefits of church service:

1. Service makes us a reason for prayer:

Being at the service in the church puts us under a special cover among the other members of the church, not only will they be praying for our lives (as it is done with all the members) so that we do well, but also, they will be praying for the role we perform and its effectiveness.

2. Prepares us for greater things:

I have heard testimonies and I myself have lived the experience of how church service helps us to mature and strengthen much more the foundations of our faith, when we do it for God and not for men (Col. 3:23). This growth that it brings us prepares us for greater responsibilities and tasks within the body of Christ. The Apostle Ramón Cornielle once said:

The one of you who is not willing to clean the church toilets is not ready to be a leader .

3. It brings us love for the house of God:

Putting our hands to work in the church awakens us that feeling we are part of the house and that sense of protecting it, The psalmist said:

Because the zeal for Your house has consumed me, And the insults of those who insult You have fallen about me . (Ps. 69: 9).

We are born that love for the house which makes us feel like children of God and therefore children of the House, and each of the adversities that affect the house begin to affect us.

4. Awaken the sense of unity:

Working with love in service helps us understand that we are all part of the same body of which Christ is the head. The benefit of one member is the benefit of all and the failure of one member is the failure of all (I Cor. 12:26). The early church learned this in its beginnings with the help of the Holy Spirit and developed a whole system of organization, in chapter 6 of the book of Acts we see how it was necessary to have people at the service to maintain unity in the people.

5. We love the owner of the service:

I have served in different ministries within the church and have performed many tasks, but nothing compares to the satisfaction of knowing who the service is for. Surrendering ourselves completely to God and to the work in the ministry is one of the purest acts of the manifestation of the first commandment:

YOU WILL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND. - Matt. 22:37

But always remember something, do not worry so much about the work that you forget the owner of it.

6. The service is not in vain:

It is something very common for people in the service to enter a stage in which they feel that what they are doing does not have any kind of retribution, this means that the role they perform is losing meaning in their life and the person begins to get discouraged, but the word of God in I Corinthians 15:58 tells us the following:

Therefore, my beloved brothers, stand firm, constant, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your work in the Lord is not in vain.

The service brings its pay, do not be discouraged, be constant and stand firm.

7. It gives us an attitude of gratitude:

Service builds our character, kills our pride, and fosters a humble spirit. This transformation leads us to know a God who takes care of us, moving our hearts to purity and gratitude, which is reflected in our lives. A phrase widely used by my pastor Elizabeth De Castro is:

When there is a grateful heart, there is a mouth that opens.

Written by Dioalex Sanchez