Serving as Family

By Jeff Barnhart with Laura Springer

Key Passages: Luke 10:25-37; John 15:5; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 4:13; Zechariah 7:9–10; Micah 6:8; Isaiah 1:17

Key Idea: God commands his children to serve those he has placed along the way on our journey.


God’s children are commanded to serve the people he has placed on our journey. This includes our spiritual siblings and our neighbors. He has equipped every one of his children for good works, which he set forth before the foundations of the world. Our responsibility is to discern the good works he has given and implement them to the best of our abilities for his glory. The good news is that these good works are based on the drives, passions, skills, and knowledge he has instilled in us and confirmed by the spiritual siblings on our path. The beauty of the family of God is that there is diversity across 8believers’ individual journeys, drives, passions, skills, and knowledge. This is the way God uses to advance his kingdom.

We need to remember that as we serve, we need to abide in Him by praying and chewing on the truths of Scripture. Only by being connected to him will our service for his kingdom be fruitful, for when we are doing service apart from him, we can do nothing. Messiness in service occurs when we lose sight of Jesus and start focusing on ourselves. We dishonor him when we are focused on our needs and desires and disregard the needs of our neighbor. Loving God first is the only way we are capable of loving others. Dying to self and putting into practice the sacrificial love that Christ gave to us is vital.

We first serve our spiritual siblings. We do this by participating in and doing the “one anothers” of Scripture. Unshockingly, loving one another is the most used one. According to Jesus and Scripture, believers are lying to themself when they say they love God while hating their sibling. All the “one anothers” of Scripture focus on the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of our siblings with the end intent of sharpening and maturing their and our lives and wills, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to that of Jesus—the one who loved God and others perfectly.

We always serve our neighbors. Jesus tied the love of God and the love of neighbor to each other. In Luke, we see who the neighbors are: they are not only our siblings but also all our neighbors, especially the sick, the poor, and those marginalized by society. We are not only called to proclaim the Good News to them but also to take care of their physical and emotional needs on this side of eternity. Luke mentions this throughout his Gospel as well as in the parable of the Good Samaritan when the one who showed mercy was the neighborly one—echoing and expanding on the Old Testament prophets of Micah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Zechariah. Putting the needs of others before ourselves will become increasingly easy as we ingrain our Father's proven care in the depths of our souls, knowing he cares for us just as he has taken care of the birds of the air and the grass of the fields.

So how do we do this? Learn how to abide in the presence of God and see through his heart while serving. Brother Lawrence learned this while peeling potatoes in the kitchen. Find a phrase or a short prayer (breath prayer) that helps you focus on God. Throughout Church history, Christians have used the phrase “Lord have mercy,” but a phrase can be tailored to the uniqueness of your passions and desires. I (Jeff) found mine to be, “My child, sit at the table.” Finally, making time for both siblings and neighbors is vital. We must be present with each other, putting aside distractions and being attentive to each other's needs.

Who writes Academy? Jeff has a Certificate in Biblical and Theological Studies and is currently working on an MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. He also serves as kitchen lead for TFB's Family Dinner and as TFB’s bookkeeper. Laura has an MDiv in Christian Education, a ThM in Systematic Theology, and a PhD in Educational Studies. She also serves TFB as a guitarist (primarily) and singer in TFB's worship band.