A couple of weeks ago I mentioned I was taking part in this group blogging project about the book, Servolution by Dino Rizzo. First off, I want to say, what an amazing book! It's exactly what I need right now. It's easy to read, clear, concise and to the point, but it's the content that really got my attention. Oh, and today was my day, where I wrote a bit about chapter 14 and the importance of community and serving with others.
For the past few months I've been looking for a way to get more involved in my church, but I've been unsure of the path to take. I expressed an interest in joining the board (elders), but they are in a sort of transition in the way the board is doing things and the way membership works so that will have to wait awhile. I play bass twice a month, but that isn't enough. They are also putting together a building team to do work on the church building as they are hoping to get some building maintenance done this summer.
I feel the need something more.
Then along comes this amazing book, and instantly I know what I need to do, serve. So now that I know what I need to do, I need to figure out how I'm going to go about doing it.
I'm going to read through the book again and see if I can glean some more information from it and figure out what I want to do. I'm really excited to get out there and start a servolution. And if you haven't read it yet, please hit up your local Christian bookstore and get a copy and read it. Then let me know what you think. :)
I used to think I could go through life with Simon and Garfunkel’s “I Am a Rock” as my theme song.
I am a rock,
I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.
This was how I thought I could live my life. I figured I could get by doing everything alone, relying on others as little as possible. I had a very private faith, and I didn’t think I needed to go to church every week. Christianity is about a personal relationship with Christ, right? What did I need other people for?
Then God introduced me to the woman who would be my wife. Through her, he started to show me this amazing thing known as “community.” I learned that life is better when you aren’t alone. That life is easier when you aren’t alone. When you have someone to high five during the good times, and to support you during the bad, living, and by extension serving, becomes much easier.
We’re not made to go through life alone. We’re social creatures, some more than others, but we all require social interaction to some extent, and this need increases when we serve. Serving isn’t always easy. Serving isn’t always rewarding. But it is a whole lot easier when we have someone with us.
In elementary school, my teacher picked up a small stick and easily snapped it in two. She then grabbed a handful of sticks and attempted, unsuccessfully, to break them. This lesson may have been to illustrate how physical objects are stronger in groups, but it is also a lesson we can apply to many areas of our life, including serving.
Through the first 13 chapters, Dino lays out the various aspects of a servolution: what it is, how to do it, and what to remember, along with a ton of great advice and interesting stories. One constant that came up numerous times and stood out to me: his wife, DeLynn. DeLynn was there to support him from the very beginning; she shared in his joys and supported him during the tough times.
For Dino this support network started with his wife, and as Healing Place Church grew so did his support network of friends, family, staff, volunteers and so on. They are there to keep you going when things get tough. They are there to keep you accountable. They are there to bounce ideas off of and to help your reach greater heights than you could on your own.
Jesus’ ministry wouldn’t have had the impact it did had he tried to go at it alone. Sure, he would have amassed quite the following, and he would have had people flocking to him hoping to be healed or to see one of his miracles, but imagine what a lonely journey that would’ve been? Jesus understood the importance of serving with others.
He also understood the importance of choosing the right people for the job. All of Jesus’ disciples were somehow connected to one another, and they formed a tighter, stronger web than if he had picked 12 random dudes off the street. It’s much easier to get through the tough times when you have people who understand the importance of solid committed relationships.
From the very beginning, God destined us to be with others, “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” (Gen. 2:18) So build up that support network and get out there and serve. As Dino says early in the book, “whatever, whenever.”
I am a rock,
I am an island.
And a rock feels no pain;
And an island never cries.
This was how I thought I could live my life. I figured I could get by doing everything alone, relying on others as little as possible. I had a very private faith, and I didn’t think I needed to go to church every week. Christianity is about a personal relationship with Christ, right? What did I need other people for?
Then God introduced me to the woman who would be my wife. Through her, he started to show me this amazing thing known as “community.” I learned that life is better when you aren’t alone. That life is easier when you aren’t alone. When you have someone to high five during the good times, and to support you during the bad, living, and by extension serving, becomes much easier.
We’re not made to go through life alone. We’re social creatures, some more than others, but we all require social interaction to some extent, and this need increases when we serve. Serving isn’t always easy. Serving isn’t always rewarding. But it is a whole lot easier when we have someone with us.
In elementary school, my teacher picked up a small stick and easily snapped it in two. She then grabbed a handful of sticks and attempted, unsuccessfully, to break them. This lesson may have been to illustrate how physical objects are stronger in groups, but it is also a lesson we can apply to many areas of our life, including serving.
Through the first 13 chapters, Dino lays out the various aspects of a servolution: what it is, how to do it, and what to remember, along with a ton of great advice and interesting stories. One constant that came up numerous times and stood out to me: his wife, DeLynn. DeLynn was there to support him from the very beginning; she shared in his joys and supported him during the tough times.
For Dino this support network started with his wife, and as Healing Place Church grew so did his support network of friends, family, staff, volunteers and so on. They are there to keep you going when things get tough. They are there to keep you accountable. They are there to bounce ideas off of and to help your reach greater heights than you could on your own.
Jesus’ ministry wouldn’t have had the impact it did had he tried to go at it alone. Sure, he would have amassed quite the following, and he would have had people flocking to him hoping to be healed or to see one of his miracles, but imagine what a lonely journey that would’ve been? Jesus understood the importance of serving with others.
He also understood the importance of choosing the right people for the job. All of Jesus’ disciples were somehow connected to one another, and they formed a tighter, stronger web than if he had picked 12 random dudes off the street. It’s much easier to get through the tough times when you have people who understand the importance of solid committed relationships.
From the very beginning, God destined us to be with others, “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’” (Gen. 2:18) So build up that support network and get out there and serve. As Dino says early in the book, “whatever, whenever.”
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