by Bonnie Irving

This is an Amazing Book! I think that it’s SO cool how the Things that are the Heart of God are Being Placed in Believers ALL OVER the Country!  For Several Months now I have felt a Tug in my Spirit That I had yet to Experience Everything that God Has called me to be.  Up until now I have served in my Church’s Children’s Ministry, and have served in my Church’s Choir.  Worship for me, was and Still is my way of really Connecting with God, and I had always Felt Called to Music Ministry.  My Kids Loved the Children’s ministry at my Church, so, I volunteered in the Classes, and found that I really enjoyed that also, and I had started to build relationships with The Children’s Pastor and Her Assistant. They turned out to be People that really have been a constant, Positive Force in my Life Both as a Single Mom and as a Married Mom. As time has Gone By and Things have changed, I had begun to wonder if that was all there was.  Then, I had been getting this Unction that God was going to be taking me in a new direction.

I prayed for Direction and Guidance since this was a Totally Unknown thing to me, all I knew was that Every time  I saw People Helping  the Hurting, it Struck SUCH a HUGE  chord  Deep within me.  I always know that something is a “God” thing (something that God really wants to get across to me) when I see it confirmed in Several Places, My Pastor Preaches on it, I see it on a Show I am watching, or listening to a Podcast of one of my Favorite Teachers of the Word, My Husband talks to me about it out of the Blue Etc…   Serving Others, People in Need Especially I feel is one of those things.

Now, I am not a Person that is really Spooky about my Beliefs, Meaning I don’t think that God Speaks to me in an Audible voice.

I think that if he did it would scare the Daylights out of me!!  (it’s not that I don’t think he can, just that There is SO MANY OTHER ways for Him to Speak to us, that  there isn’t really any need!) One Day, I felt that The Holy Spirit Speak to me that My Purpose Was to be a Servant to All. That was it! Just that!

My first thought was ok… So, what does that mean? As I contemplated this, God Made Sure that I had PLENTY of Ideas and a Clearer understanding of what he Meant, This Book was one of those Things that confirmed what my Actual Purpose was meant to be. As I was reading this Chapter and Preparing for this Blog Post, I felt that God gave me this Verse:

John 21:16-17 (New Living Translation)

 16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”   “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said. 17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”   Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”   Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

When we serve others by meeting their needs when they are in a time of need, we are feeding God’s Sheep and that to me is Very Cool!

CULTURE OF A SERVOLUTION

1. This is Our Mandate.
In the Book Dino Rizzo talks about his Church, Healing Place Church, Their Vision for their Church is to be a “Healing Place for a Hurting World” He States that if they are going to Say it then they need to deliver it. That if you are a “follower of Christ that your Mandate is to “love one another” and that reaching out to the World and Being Jesus’ hands and feet, Is how to deliver it. My Home Church’s Name Like Healing Place Church, Is Called Lifebridge.   Life Bridge’s Vision Is Connecting to God, Each Other, and the World Thru Christ.  Like Healing Place Church, Lifebridge is a Place that Anyone of Any Background, Denomination, and Walk Of Life can come in and Feel Loved and Welcomed and Cross a Bridge into Life in Christ.

2. We are not looking for a badge
This to me is the Ultimate Worship to God! It’s not something we can Claim ownership of Otherwise it’s for the Wrong Reason, and God isn’t glorified; only self is.

3. There are no Excuses
In the Book Servolution Dino Rizzo talks about the many excuses People have used to avoid getting involved, Such as: “The Problem is Too Big” and “we’ll never be able to make a Difference” or “we don’t have anything to offer” He Says they are just copouts, and I Agree with him!  If everyone took this Mindset then nothing would ever happen. The point isn’t what you CANT do, but, what you CAN do, and EVERYONE has Gifts and Talents and can do SOMETHING! I like the way he puts that in the Book.

“It is true that we cannot do everything. But, we absolutely cannot let that thought keep us from doing what we can. All of us have Gifts and talents to offer and all of us are able to do something to meet the needs of the hurting around us if we are willing to let God use us!”    

4. Give with No Strings attached
About a year to two years My Pastor Started a Campaign in our Church Specifically Called No String attached!  Seriously! He encouraged us to Do Random acts of Kindness for Strangers, for example, Paying for someone’s Meal in the Drive thru, Or like In the Book Dino Paid for The Service members Coffee anonymously. He gave us all Cards for the Cashier (or Whoever)to give to the Person Being Blessed that Said No Strings attached on one side and it had a little map on the other side and Below the Map it said Lifebridge.cc That was it, nothing else. The Point is that Is made so Well in the book is that We Never want People to Feel Like that they owe us something in return. If they do, then We haven’t Done our Job, to Be Like Jesus.  Jesus went around Giving and Healing Without any thought of what he was going to get in Return.

5. Be Ridiculously Generous!
In the Book, Dino Rizzo Talks about Being as Ridiculously Generous as God was with Us, when he Sent His Son to Die For Our Sins, Instead of Getting what we Deserved!  I can’t truthfully say that I have been Ridiculously Generous in my Past Dealings But; this is something I want to Strive for.

6. Do Justice Intentionally
I think what they Meant Was To get out there and Intentionally Minister to the Homeless, the forgotten, and the broken, to Love them like God does, and To Leave the Changing of them to Him.

7. To Help People Be Overcomers.
In The Book Servolution it States “We Want to Help People Prosper in their Souls-to move beyond a culture of blaming the World, having a Victim mentality, and being addicted to handouts. We want to see them replace all of that with the Abundant Life Jesus gives.”

8. Increase Your Capacity
What I got from this Point was to Always Be challenging yourself to Step out of your Comfort Zone and to do something that you feel is WAY above your head. This Blog Post for me is one of those things!  I just Started Blogging Last December, So, to be Participating in this Blogging Project for me is a Real Step out of the Boat for me!

9. Build the Local Church
This, to me, means something a little Different, than Dino Rizzo stated it. To me, it Means to Come Along side other Churches and to Link Arms with them, and work in Unity for the Body of Christ in our City to Share with the World Our Hope in Christ. That to me is Building the Local church, not making things out to be about one particular Church Body. Because we (the Body of Christ) are the Church, The Building is Just a tool. -(Pastor Bill Campbell, Lifebridge Church)

10. Remember the Poor
This to me is not just the Poor Financially, but, the Poor in Spirit, as well, The Broken people that No one wants to be bothered with, Loving the Unlovely, I have heard it called Before, I want to Pursue a Heart That Breaks at the Things that Break Gods Heart. 

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Get the book: Servolution: Starting a Church Revolution Through Serving

About the contributor:

A mom of a blended family of 6 kids, active member of  LifeBridge Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Involved in serving in children’s ministry, and occasionally serves in the worship department (choir). Is passionate about pursuing a lifestyle of worship that glorifies and exalts the Name of Jesus.