Have you ever considered serving in a small church as a mission project?   When I began to contemplate this topic I was reminded of two quotes that have impacted my life through the years.  The first was made by President John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address.   The quote, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”  The second quote comes from Henry Blackaby author of “Experiencing God.”  He stated “it is not what you can do for God, but what God can do through you.”

Now you may be wondering what have these quotes have to do with serving as a missionary in a small church.  Let me help you see how you can receive a blessing as you become a blessing to others.   You see it’s not about you.   It’s not about how big the project, or how exotic the assignment; but rather it is about serving God and knowing that what you will do will impact more lives than you will ever know.  It’s about allowing the Holy Spirit work through you to impact the Kingdom.

My husband and I serve a small mission church in rural/poverty Arkansas.  For the past two years we have had a USC2 missionary serving with us.  Kristin is a young woman with a beautiful voice, lots of talent, and a heart for God.  What a blessing she has been to us as we have endeavored to serve the Lord together.  Because of her willingness to serve, many students in the community are now coming to our tutoring program that meets twice each week after school.  In addition to this ministry, she has helped us begin a ladies evening Bible study that has been very successful.  Our USC2 has also assisted with VBS, Back Yard Bible Club, Youth and Children’s Summer Camp, our food pantry, clothing closet, and even assisted with the more basic duties such as cleaning the church and mowing the lawn.

Just because the world and even Christians don’t see serving in a small church as glamorous or monetarily rewarding, doesn’t make it insignificant in God’s eyes.  In fact Jesus spoke just the opposite in Mark 9:41 stating” I tell you the truth anyone who give you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.  And the prophet Zechariah asks the question in chapter 4:10 “who despises the day of small things?”  Although some would say the work of a small church is unimportant, the truth is nothing we do for God is insignificant, but has eternal value and importance.  As a result of the partnership with various mission teams and our USC2, we have seen 14 baptisms and more than 20 professions of faith in the past three years.

Often the small church doesn’t have the resources to hire all the things done that must take place in order to make things run efficiently.  In a bi-vocational position the pastor and his family cannot do it all, nor does God intend him to do so.  In this setting it is vital to have mission volunteers come along side the church leadership and assist.  It is also impossible to place a price tag on the contribution to the small church a mission volunteer makes. It may not be until the other side of eternity will we fully know and understand the impact we had on the lives touched through the ministry of a small church and mission volunteers.

Judi Page is a member of the Collegiate Ministry Team and a pastor's wife serving in a mission church in Arkansas.