A recent discussion got me thinking about the idea of Christian service. Naturally, some people are more inclined to “jump in the mud” than others when it comes to service. Just as we as Christians should all pray, some people are more inclined and are considered to be “prayer warriors.” The topic was not about whether we should serve or not, but more about the different ways and degrees people serve. It got me thinking about serving in the local church, serving other ministries, and serving those outside the church.

We talked about the people that day in and out give of their time, money and talents to sustain the local church. Whether it’s playing drums on stage, teaching kids, or fixing toilets it’s all service. Then there is giving to and serving other ministries outside the local church — Stand To Reason and Casa Aleluya are examples of those. Finally there are those ministries that are more about meeting human need in the name of Christ. Some examples of those would be feeding the homeless, The Salvation Army or The Red Cross.

Being part of a newer church, I see the potential to be focused on serving in the local church so much that we neglect the other levels of service. With all the suffering shown on TV lately, thoughts of how we can help are in the forefront of our minds. But human suffering happens every day and needs are always going unmet.

So my question is, do we as believers have an obligation to serve on all levels? Are the levels equal in importance?