The Volunteer
“State of Mind”
It’s wonderful living in Tennessee — the “Volunteer State.” As I
grew up in middle-Tennessee, I can remember that in my middle
and high school history classes all my teachers emphasized the
spirit of volunteerism found in our great state, from Davey
Crockett to Alvin C. York. This past summer my family went to
Five-Points in Franklin and toured the memorial set up to honor
the soldiers from Tennessee who have died in the Iraq War. It
was very moving, especially since all the men and women were
volunteers.
When you think about it, we are all volunteers in the Lord’s army. No one
compelled us to become Christians, and no one can force us to
serve Jesus every day. The Lord’s Army is like the current
U.S. Army — all volunteer.
Each one of us has been created by God with unique abilities, and placed in
the church body as it pleased Him (1 Corinthians
12). You can do
one thing, I can do another. What a blessing it is to find
one’s useful place in the church, and everyone has a place of
usefulness in the body of Christ.
Inside this Bible Class Report is an insert. It is a Volunteer Survey for
our Bible class program. As you read it, you may be impressed
with how many necessary jobs there are to do. Notice how many of
them do not involve actually teaching a class. Yet they are all
very important.
Would you like to become more involved in the Lord’s vineyard? Volunteers
are needed to teach classes, of course. But volunteers are also
needed to assist teachers, to help prepare class
materials, to
decorate bulletin boards, to organize and stock the resource
room, and to paint walls and make repairs. Volunteers are also
needed to assist those doing the above jobs. Could you watch a
busy teacher’s children one afternoon while she prepares her
lessons? Could you prepare a meal for their family the week of
VBS? There are so many different ways to help.
Please prayerfully consider how you might volunteer, and then complete the
enclosed Volunteer Survey indicating your interest. Then, just
return it as indicated. You’ll be glad you did!
— Steve
Garrett
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