Reflections on Romans 12: Serving in Ministry

Main Idea

In this teaching, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III discusses the spirit of service, drawing on Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, where he explains that service is a gift that God grants to a person according to their measure of faith. He emphasizes that a true servant is someone who loves serving others and rejoices in it, rather than feeling that it is a heavy burden. The spirit of service becomes evident when a person notices the needs of others and takes the initiative to meet them without waiting for them to ask for help.

Spiritual Message

The teaching explains that service is not limited to preaching, teaching, or official church activities, but includes every beneficial act offered with love for the sake of others. It emphasizes that a person who serves others is serving God Himself, referring to the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ about serving the hungry, the thirsty, and the needy. It also explains that true service requires patience, endurance, and prayer, because a servant encounters difficulties and problems that require God’s grace and wisdom. A servant must also possess a spirit of giving and sacrifice, being ready to offer their time, effort, and resources for the comfort and benefit of others.

Educational Lesson

The Pope encourages every person to discover the area in which they can serve according to their gifts and abilities. He explains that service may be spiritual, such as teaching children and serving in Sunday School, or social, such as caring for the sick, helping those in need, and caring for strangers and students living away from home. Service may also be practical and material, such as arranging and cleaning the church, maintaining its facilities, or providing transportation and the supplies needed by servants. He also highlights the importance of organizing services within the church, including the services of deacons and deaconesses, and assisting priests in caring for the congregation, organizing Holy Communion, and attending to families’ needs. He emphasizes that major initiatives may begin with a simple idea that grows through love and practical attention to people’s needs.

Practical Application

This teaching calls every person to continually ask themselves: What need can I help meet? A person should not place the entire responsibility for serving others on the church or official institutions, but should begin by offering whatever they personally can. Each person can serve according to their circumstances, whether by offering time, money, skills, space, or transportation. Attention should also be given to small needs that others may overlook, such as arranging chairs, helping children, checking on those who are absent, and caring for church facilities. The goal is for believers to live with a spirit of service at home, at work, in the church, and in society, offering every act with love and sincerity for the sake of God.

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