Stronger Serving with Purpose
by Rhonda Henegar
Many years ago, I was encouraged to go on a weekend called The Walk to Emmaus. I knew that this Emmaus Walk had something to do with providing churches with servant leaders. Honestly, my attitude was not the best going in. You see, I was already serving in my church so I really didn’t need to go on a Walk to Emmaus.
At the time, being an introvert, the whole experience was overwhelming to me. Various parts of the weekend had me way out of my comfort zone. By the end of the weekend, I had very little idea of what the weekend was all about. I think my main problem with the weekend was the fact that it was an ecumenical event. I was used to going to events within my own denomination. I’m embarrassed to admit that I probably didn’t get much out of the weekend because I was too busy picking it apart. Let’s just be honest here. I was very judgmental.
Years went by before I served on an Emmaus weekend. Starting behind the scenes, I eventually served in almost every capacity. I slowly began to get the bigger picture of the purpose of these Emmaus Walks. That purpose was actually building up the church by serving with purpose, serving with an eternal purpose.
As I moved from the background roles to serving on a conference team, I slowly began to see what I had read in the Bible about one body, many parts.
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. (Ouch!) For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. (Romans 12:3-8)
The heading for this section of Scripture in the NIV is “Humble Service in the Body of Christ.” I was able to observe this in action the more I served with the Emmaus community. I also came to see how important each person serving was, and the part they served was equal to any other service being performed. There’s no way to accomplish our goal unless we all serve in unity with purpose.
Pretty soon, I was serving in ways I would have never served had I not been pushed out of my comfort zone and then allowing God to be the one actually fulfilling the purpose. I was asked to serve in a leading role in the conference room. That position required that I give a talk. Me, speak in front of all these people? No way. … Way! God took over and the task was accomplished. You see, I was learning to serve with an eternal purpose. I was doing things that I couldn’t do in my own strength. I had to let go of control and let God step in and take over.
As I served my way through the conference room roles, I grew into a stronger purpose for serving. Sitting back and watching the weekend unfold from the Assistant Lay Director position, I was able to watch one body, its many parts in action. I was finally able to see what serving with an eternal purpose looked like. I watched the complete change in people as I sat back and observed what was actually happening in the conference room when each body part was doing what it did best. It was amazing to see what can happen in three days. Lives were changed and people walked away different, ready to go to their home churches and serve with a purpose - an eternal purpose.
After serving in the Assistant Lay Director position three times, I was asked to be a Lay Director. Talk about out of my comfort zone! The only way I could accomplish this role was to understand my purpose and then let God do the work. I can remember driving to the facility for the event weekend and the enormity of what I was about to do hit me. I prayed, and cried, all the way to the event. By the time I got there I was exhausted. I was empty, and allowed God to take up space and be the leader of the weekend.
I now sit on the Board of Directors for the Southeast Indiana Emmaus Community and have stepped into the role of Community Lay Director. This role has again pushed me out of my comfort zone. My goal is to always lead with integrity and give God the glory for everything we accomplish. I cannot be successful in this role without God and the Board Members I serve with.
I share this story because in working within the Emmaus Community, I observed and came to learn all about serving with a purpose, an eternal purpose. These pilgrims that I encounter on a weekend event are not just a number. They are souls. They are there to get a glimpse of what serving with purpose is all about. They are being built up to go home and serve their churches with a purpose. Maybe, like me, they walked away with just a mustard seed of knowledge planted within them. I’m so thankful God grew that seed of knowledge within me, and that I allowed the experience to bring forth new life in me as I came to understand what serving with an eternal purpose looks like. I learned to serve with God’s power, depending on the Holy Spirit to do the work instead of depending on my own strength to get the job done.
