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But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. 2 Timothy 2:20-21

The above passage is one that I tend to dwell on this time of year.  At Choice we spend around 10 months trying to build our church family up and then in January and February we focus on getting involved.  We call this our Every Member A Minister Sunday.  This year it will be on March 26^th.

During this season we challenge everyone to find a place of service, a meaningful ministry that shows Christ’s love to those around us and brings glory to God.  That is why we say our vision is to Impact Lives For God’s Glory.

Our series on the Book of Nehemiah that just completed reminded us about the importance of building and battling.  We get involved in the building up of God’s Kingdom as we battle the things around us that hinder us from accomplishing God’s plan.

Over the years I have jokingly said that everyone gets fired at the end of the ministry year, which goes from March to the following February.  There are several reasons that we do this.

1.  Transitions: Our lives change and ministries change.  Most things in life do not remain constant.  Family dynamics, responsibilities and seasons allow us to do more, or sometimes hinder us from fulfilling roles.  We always want to have a gracious way to move out of an area or move into a new area.  If you have found a ministry that is fulfilling and fits your S.H.A.P.E. for ministry then you just recommit to that area, too!
2. Abilities: Our S.H.A.P.E. for ministry (Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences) is often one of the best guides to help us discern what areas we should serve in.  Living out our passion is a vital way to keep joy in serving Christ.  If what I am doing is not fulfilling, then either I need to change or I need to make a change in my ministry.
3. Spiritual Health: None of us have arrived, actually we ALL have a long way to go.  No one is perfect. We cannot claim “sinless perfection”.  And each of us live in glass houses, to a certain level.  But everyone of us should be striving to become more like Jesus!

Growing in our Christian faith is a prerequisite to serving our Savior successfully.  As the passage above states, then we can be “useful” and “prepared”.  God wants us to be a clean vessel so He can be glorified in the things we are doing.

Let me challenge you today.  Find a ministry!  Get involved!  Use your talents and abilities!  But before you commit to an area, do some self-evaluation.  Allow the grace of God to so overwhelm you that you are living and serving out of overflow!  Then we can be that vessel of honor in 2023.