You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbour as yourself.”
Galatians 5:13-14
Serving can take many forms and be a vehicle to bless others and display God's wonderful love to those around us. The Bible talks a lot about serving and we, as Jesus' disciples, are called to serve one another in love (Galatians 5:13).
With the easing of lockdown restrictions over the summer, God provided an opportunity for us to start serving in our sister church in Canterbury on a monthly basis. This was God’s answer to two prayers; for us, a desire to serve Him and for Pastor Leung and Candy, help with the growing youth group in their church. We took the opportunity to take along brothers and sisters from Salvation Church to support those already based in Canterbury. Many of the youth had already attended SC's youth camp last year and it was great to continue discipling them and investing in their spiritual growth.
Initially, our time with the youth was spent within small groups, delving into the Bible to explore various topics including our identity in God and the importance of being within the church community in our walk with Jesus. Now, after a few months, our serving has evolved into sharing the sermon message with the entire congregation, having recently started a new series on Christian living. We could see that this was an amazing opportunity for us to pray and minister to the wider church (including the teens), being prompted and led by the Holy Spirit. After, our time with the youth is spent reflecting on the message, its application to our lives, before closing the session worshipping God and praying for one another.
Through being involved in the Canterbury church, we have been truly blessed to witness first-hand what Jesus-centred serving looks like through the actions of Pastor Leung and Candy. Their love for God is evident through their serving and selfless giving. On countless occasions, their serving at church would easily go on to providing hospitality at their house. We saw joyful fellowship and a warm invitation for everyone to join, especially those who had recently joined the church.
Our monthly visits to Canterbury along with the various youth camps have forged a greater connection between the churches and has inspired us to continue discipling the next generation and raising up future leaders. It has been great for the churches to come together to support one another in building His Kingdom!