Forty times in the book of John, Jesus refers to himself as being sent by the Father. When he first called his disciples to follow Him, Mark 3:14-15 says that Jesus named the disciples “apostles” (a word that means “to be sent”) and that he was “sending them out to preach and have authority.” In Jn 20:21, Jesus tells his disciples following his resurrection: “As the Father sent me, so I’m sending you.”
As amazing as this sounds, you and I have been sent. As Christ-followers, we have been appointed, commissioned, and sent to represent Him in words and works. If Jesus and the early disciples possessed such a clear “sense of sentness,” maybe that’s what we need as well.
And I wonder–what about the volunteers who co-labor with us? (Remember we’re envisioning volunteers as “tent-making co-laborers, fellow priests, fellow disciples, kingdom servants and leaders–not bulletin stuffers and cookie makers.”) If we need to be reminded that we’ve been God-sent, maybe one of the first things we can do is help them experience a true “sense of sentness” — of being chosen by Jesus to follow Him and of being “sent, commissioned” to a lost and undiscipled world.
How might we do that?
Break Down the Secular — Sacred Distinction in Their Minds. Sadly, many volunteers mentally hold to a secular-sacred distinction in life. Help them break such dualistic thinking. Remind them, that before God, all of life matters–especially the work He’s assigned them to. Indeed, God has sent them there–to that office, to that job, to those people.
Teach Them Over and Over that God has Chosen Them. Walk them thru the Scriptures. It’s on almost every page. God says, “I created you, I choose you, I called you, I’m sending you, I’m appointing you.”
Help Them Discover God’s Energy and God’s Equipping. Do whatever you can to help volunteers discover the Spirit-filled and Spirit-equipped life. God hasn’t just called them, he empowers and equips them. God has given volunteers spiritual gifts, abilities, passions, personalities and experiences as well as the Holy Spirit of God himself to energize each one.
Release Them into the Fight. You’ll never move volunteers beyond making cookies until you let them strap on a sword and release them into the battle. Their hearts were made for it–so don’t do everything yourself…even if you could do it better. Always give the ministry away.