Effective Service!

Happy 2016, I think. It’s too early to tell whether this will be a good New Year or not, but regardless, this year too will pass, and if we are not careful, will pass us by without much lasting result. Devar Emet Messianic Jewish Outreach will be celebrating it’s 20 year anniversary in April; I also will be turning 50 that same month. It’s hard to imagine! As I reflect on these years, I would like to share some important principles for effective service for G-d that is important for all of us as believers to consider regardless of our age or occupation.

Effective service for G-d doesn’t just happen, it takes continuous development! Devar Emet began out of a desire Carla and I had to do something new within the Jewish community that would allow us to effectively reaching out to Jewish friends and neighbors with the truth of Yeshua’s Messiahship. We had done ministry in previous contexts, but we had always felt held back from trying new things that to some seemed edgy, like working with children and teens. All ministry efforts can over time grow complacent, lose their edge and become hardened into a comfortable and acceptable pattern of busyness. Organizations and congregations need to seek renewal, make time for reflection, and be willing to think outside the box to really stay effective. But most importantly, they must never ignore new approaches to reaching out and communicating the Good News of Messiah to our ever changing world.

Effective service for G-d requires staying flexible, being uncomfortable, and keeping focused on G-d’s task! I see as people age that they tend to shy away from what’s hard and uncomfortable. This may be natural, but for the believer it must be avoided. Working with people, especially people who don’t believe in Yeshua, is always hard work. The longer we walk with Messiah, the more effective we should be becoming in our ability to witness and spiritually encourage others. My passion for us as followers of Messiah Yeshua is that we stay ready for and focused on the important Kingdom work G-d has for us to do each and every day.

Effective service for G-d must inevitably lead to the raising up of new qualified workers for service!  G-d’s work always needs new workers. It is my prayer that G-d will work through our outreach at Devar Emet to raise up many new workers to serve G-d, individuals who are willing to give their lives to meet spiritual, emotional and physical needs within the Jewish community in the name of the Messiah! The need is absolute as even now the work is greater than our over-extended time and efforts can handle. Yeshua said in Matthew 9:36 when he saw the crowds, “The harvest is rich, but the workers are few. Pray that the L-RD of the harvest will send out workers to gather in his harvest.” This is my passion and hopefully yours as well. It is a tall order, both in time and finances, but this is G-d’s work and He will provide for what He wants to have done until our Messiah Yeshua returns!

Forward for Messiah,

Kirk Gliebe

Rabbi & Director