As a worship pastor in the 2000’s I loved leading the congregation in anthem praise of the Creator and Sustainer. We’d turn out the lights, light some candles, pack the room and sing at the top of our lungs. It was amazing, but it was missing something. I was missing something. God led me to the minor prophets where He declares, “take away the noise of your songs… let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:23a-24 CEB). God doesn’t care about our worship on Sunday if we are not living a life of justice on Monday. This was particularly convicting for me as I was the one leading these worship songs, yet I had little engagement in God’s Kingdom justice in the world. Now don’t get me wrong, God loves us no matter what. But He doesn’t love all our activities, and if we are not in right relationship with other humans (justice), then we cannot expect to have right relationship with God and express that through worship. God drove home this revelation deep into my heart through Matthew 25, 1 John, Isaiah 58, Micah 6:8 and more.
I have a lot to learn about the intersection of worship and justice, and I’ve been on an investigative, experiential path ever since that moment. I’ve had my eyes open to issues of extreme poverty, sex trafficking, lack of fresh water and more. It’s been overwhelming. But it’s also led to a series of justice experiments including increasing awareness about human trafficking issues and sex slavery, giving money to provide fresh water wells to 294 people in Ethiopia, raising money for slaves to be rescued in India, going on a trip to India to encourage 64 local pastors, starting a nonprofit focused on basic human needs, and eventually shifting my vocational path to be more involved with God’s work in India and Nepal. Through these justice experiments I found theologian Frederick Buechner’s quote coming alive for me, “The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger coincide.”
Thank you for modeling a life of God’s justice, grace and love by investing in His Kingdom come. Through your support, partnership and leadership, pastors are being trained to start churches in villages where there is no church. Children are now able to get a solid education. Families are starting small businesses and experiencing hope for the first time. Your investment is having a ripple effect and lives are being transformed every day.
May we continue to grow in our worship beyond liturgy and song, and truly “offer our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is our true and proper worship” (Rom. 12:1b NIV).
My 95 year-old grandma passed away at the end of last month, and it has hit me harder than I expected. She was an amazing role model and the matriarch of our family. She had the elegance of a queen and treated everyone like royalty. Her retirement was anything but, as she daily served her church and family. As her church transitioned from hymns to rock choruses, and an old, traditional building to a new modern building, she was leading the charge and continued to serve in the children’s ministry until she was no longer able.
I am convinced that everyone needs to meet this blessed Savior, and only He can make us whole. Thank you for joining ServLife in sharing the hope and restorative love of Jesus around the world. Your generous service has helped start new churches, send children to school and provide small business loans for families. Your support and service is a shout of praise and an investment in God’s kingdom.
Rachel Moss has been on ServLife’s USA staff the longest, at 8 years, and serves as our Office Manager. Heather Reid has been a volunteer, intern, part time staff and this August has become our Donor Relations Assistant. They sat down and interviewed each other about their jobs, hobbies and global destinations.
Heather: So my new position will be a combination of the position I’ve held for a year and a completely new position. My new role will be Donor Relations Assistant, which is a combination of the Executive Assistant position I’ve been filling for the last year and Sponsorship Coordinator which is a completely new facet.
Rachel: I’ve been with ServLife for 8 years. Now I am Office Manager. I take care of all our accounting and bookkeeping. I help manage some staff, volunteers and interns. I manage our database and help out whenever anyone has questions.
ServLife launched our work training pastors and caring for children in India over twenty years ago, and this July our India partner will pursue independence as a self sustaining ministry. Last June 2017, our Executive Director travelled to India solely to meet with our India partner, led by Albert Das, and his family and staff. He was joined by a missions pastor from California, who has been a long time partner and supporter of ServLife’s work in India. They all met and put together a unified plan for this transition, and summarized their conclusion in this way:
