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Serve: Loving Your Church with Your Heart, Time and Gifts
Let the gospel of Jesus and the example of Jesus motivate you to serve your church sacrificially.
This book looks at the gospel of Jesus and the example of Jesus to motivate us to serve our church family sacrificially with our energy, time, and gifts.
This is a great book for Christians who have grown weary over time, those who need help in identifying their gifts and gaining the confidence to offer them, and church members who are lacking the motivation to get started.
As we look to the example of Jesus, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), we will be excited and equipped to use what God has given us to serve others with a renewed sense of purpose and joy. We will also see that we do not need to have any particularly impressive gifts or emulate anyone else in order to answer Jesus’ call to love one another.
Written by Steve Robinson, Director of Acts29 UK.
There are discussion questions at the end of every chapter with action steps, making it ideal to read as a small group or even a whole church. Accompanying free downloads are available that can be used for small groups. There are downloadable worksheets, a PDF version of the book's discussion guide, introductory videos for each chapter, and more.
This book is part of the Love Your Church series from Acts29. This collection of thoughtful and practical books will inspire every church member with a biblical vision of what it means to be a local community of God’s family. Church members can explore together what it means to belong, to welcome, to gather, to care, to serve and honor one another, and to witness and send people out to spread the gospel.
This book looks at the gospel of Jesus and the example of Jesus to motivate us to serve our church family sacrificially with our energy, time, and gifts.
This is a great book for Christians who have grown weary over time, those who need help in identifying their gifts and gaining the confidence to offer them, and church members who are lacking the motivation to get started.
As we look to the example of Jesus, who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45), we will be excited and equipped to use what God has given us to serve others with a renewed sense of purpose and joy. We will also see that we do not need to have any particularly impressive gifts or emulate anyone else in order to answer Jesus’ call to love one another.
Written by Steve Robinson, Director of Acts29 UK.
There are discussion questions at the end of every chapter with action steps, making it ideal to read as a small group or even a whole church. Accompanying free downloads are available that can be used for small groups. There are downloadable worksheets, a PDF version of the book's discussion guide, introductory videos for each chapter, and more.
This book is part of the Love Your Church series from Acts29. This collection of thoughtful and practical books will inspire every church member with a biblical vision of what it means to be a local community of God’s family. Church members can explore together what it means to belong, to welcome, to gather, to care, to serve and honor one another, and to witness and send people out to spread the gospel.
104 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 1, 2023
9 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
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December 6, 2024Look Palat, I finally finished the book!
December 26, 2023
{Full review posted here: https://www.amberthiessen.com/post/se...}
Have you ever been asked to volunteer for something in your local church community?
How did you respond?
Whether it’s helping in sunday school, baking cookies, preparing food for a potluck, or sitting on a committee, there are numerous ways our communities need support.
When we consider that a metaphor used to describe the church is a body, with eyes, ears, legs and arms, we pay attention to the fact that we need each other, the diversity of our strengths and gifts in order to bring God glory. We are God’s workmanship, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Gal 2:10).
So, if we’re created for good works, and the Lord Jesus tells us to, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16), how are we to serve?
That’s one of the questions answered in Serve: Loving Your Church With Your Heart, Time and Gifts by Steve Robinson.
Purpose:
In these pages, you’re going to be motivated to serve sacrificially in your church as the Lord has saved and equipped you to do.
Summary:
This book begins with the why and ends with the how. It’s so important to understand the reason for what we do in order to live it out with a heart aligned with the Lord’s. The gospel is expounded and explained as the central reason for our serving others. Written for the regular church member, sitting in the pew, you’ll find this a very accessible encouragement.
This series has featured action steps at the end of each chapter which I always appreciate for reflection and consideration.
My Recommendation:
We all need to remember the gospel as the foundation of our Christian lives. Who we serve is central to why and the church needs this encouragement in an age where we’re fairly focused on serving ourselves.
You can enjoy this resource with your small group or a gathering of friends. There’s a free small group kit to help you organize your meetings and dive in deep.
I’d recommend this for all of us who are members of a church!
Quick Stats:
# of Pages: 128 pages
Level of Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: 5 stars
*Don't forget to visit the full review on the blog :)
*A big thanks to The Good Book Company for the complimentary copy of this book and for the opportunity to post an honest review!
Have you ever been asked to volunteer for something in your local church community?
How did you respond?
Whether it’s helping in sunday school, baking cookies, preparing food for a potluck, or sitting on a committee, there are numerous ways our communities need support.
When we consider that a metaphor used to describe the church is a body, with eyes, ears, legs and arms, we pay attention to the fact that we need each other, the diversity of our strengths and gifts in order to bring God glory. We are God’s workmanship, “created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Gal 2:10).
So, if we’re created for good works, and the Lord Jesus tells us to, “let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16), how are we to serve?
That’s one of the questions answered in Serve: Loving Your Church With Your Heart, Time and Gifts by Steve Robinson.
Purpose:
In these pages, you’re going to be motivated to serve sacrificially in your church as the Lord has saved and equipped you to do.
Summary:
This book begins with the why and ends with the how. It’s so important to understand the reason for what we do in order to live it out with a heart aligned with the Lord’s. The gospel is expounded and explained as the central reason for our serving others. Written for the regular church member, sitting in the pew, you’ll find this a very accessible encouragement.
This series has featured action steps at the end of each chapter which I always appreciate for reflection and consideration.
My Recommendation:
We all need to remember the gospel as the foundation of our Christian lives. Who we serve is central to why and the church needs this encouragement in an age where we’re fairly focused on serving ourselves.
You can enjoy this resource with your small group or a gathering of friends. There’s a free small group kit to help you organize your meetings and dive in deep.
I’d recommend this for all of us who are members of a church!
Quick Stats:
# of Pages: 128 pages
Level of Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: 5 stars
*Don't forget to visit the full review on the blog :)
*A big thanks to The Good Book Company for the complimentary copy of this book and for the opportunity to post an honest review!
April 3, 2024
Writing style: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Engagement: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Content: 🌟🌟🌟
Purpose: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Value: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 4/5
Engagement: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Content: 🌟🌟🌟
Purpose: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Value: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Overall: 4/5
December 9, 2023
This book series is a great resource for all believers of Jesus but especially those who are new to the faith or new to a healthy church environment. I’ve especially enjoyed this book in the series by Mr. Robinson on how to be an active, serving member of a church body.
A really wonderful, short read (or listen, if you do the audiobook like I did).
A really wonderful, short read (or listen, if you do the audiobook like I did).
October 24, 2025
Robinson’s book helps us understand why and how we are to serve the local church. He points us to serve according to God’s glory and in His strength. He doesn’t hyper-focus on individual gifts, but points us to serving according to interests, strengths, and weaknesses.
This book was helpful as a study for our church.
This book was helpful as a study for our church.
April 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Super simple ways to hone in on, examine, reflect about what serving others looks like for you, while walking you through what’s it meant to look like for you using scripture as a backbone.
October 25, 2025
This short book is an excellent resource for helping Christians define how they ought to serve in the church and gives them ways of figuring out their spiritual gifts.
October 28, 2025
This is a simple, biblical, warm-hearted book to encourage you to serve God, his church, and the context in which he has placed you. Worth a read!
January 19, 2024
3.5 stars—What does it look like to serve the Lord and serve Him well? Steve Robinson argues that service to God starts with us serving in the local church.
In this short and easy read, Robinson walks the reader through effective service in the local church by helping us to first understand who and why we serve.
He shows us what it looks like to be a good and faithful servant before directing us on the best ways to serve—as the person God has made you to be with what He’s given you right where has placed you.
The book did what it aimed to do. It was convincing, but it didn’t feel like it was new or fresh material. I suppose it felt like common sense in many ways. This is why I didn’t rate it higher, but I do still think it’s worth the read—especially for new believers or those discipling others.
In this short and easy read, Robinson walks the reader through effective service in the local church by helping us to first understand who and why we serve.
He shows us what it looks like to be a good and faithful servant before directing us on the best ways to serve—as the person God has made you to be with what He’s given you right where has placed you.
The book did what it aimed to do. It was convincing, but it didn’t feel like it was new or fresh material. I suppose it felt like common sense in many ways. This is why I didn’t rate it higher, but I do still think it’s worth the read—especially for new believers or those discipling others.
October 24, 2023
In this new addition to the Love Your Church series, Steve Robinson addresses some theological ideas and practical considerations for how Christians should serve the church. He encourages believers to recognize that even though it's tempting to highlight our love for others as the main motivation for our service, our primary motivation should be to serve and honor Christ, since loving other people won't be enough to keep you going when things get hard and those people let us down. He writes about what faithful service means, and he explores ideas for how you can discover gifts, get started with service, and contribute in a way that fits with your current life season. I appreciated Robinson's acknowledgement of how people with disabilities and other challenges can still participate in the life of their church and help others.
This book is short, simple, and practical, but it is also very basic. The content is true and important, but it often feels surface-level, and Robinson doesn't engage with deeper issues like dealing with burnout, conflict with ministry partners, guilt trips, or spiritual manipulation. Also, even though Robinson mentioned many different ways that people can help out, I felt that he focused too much on the activities of the local church alone. That's an understandable focus, given the nature of this series, but I think this book would be stronger if he had addressed ways that local churches and nonprofits often join together to help people in the broader community.
Serve is a basic introduction to how Christians can serve God by helping others in their church communities. It is appropriate for both individual reading and group discussions, and it could be helpful for some small groups to read this to talk about service and recognize different people's gifts and contributions. However, because this is fairly basic and surface-level, I would mainly recommend this to new believers, and to people who have never really thought about serving in church. If someone is already very involved in serving at their local church, this book might encourage them with good reminders, but other books would be more suited to their current needs.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This book is short, simple, and practical, but it is also very basic. The content is true and important, but it often feels surface-level, and Robinson doesn't engage with deeper issues like dealing with burnout, conflict with ministry partners, guilt trips, or spiritual manipulation. Also, even though Robinson mentioned many different ways that people can help out, I felt that he focused too much on the activities of the local church alone. That's an understandable focus, given the nature of this series, but I think this book would be stronger if he had addressed ways that local churches and nonprofits often join together to help people in the broader community.
Serve is a basic introduction to how Christians can serve God by helping others in their church communities. It is appropriate for both individual reading and group discussions, and it could be helpful for some small groups to read this to talk about service and recognize different people's gifts and contributions. However, because this is fairly basic and surface-level, I would mainly recommend this to new believers, and to people who have never really thought about serving in church. If someone is already very involved in serving at their local church, this book might encourage them with good reminders, but other books would be more suited to their current needs.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2023
What is it exactly that God’s people are supposed to do? In Serve, Steve Robinson writes on loving your church with your heart, time, and gifts. Robinson begins by boldly declaring that we are supposed to serve God and not ourselves.
I was most moved to read about the reason or why we serve. In church settings, Robinson says he typically hears that people serve because we love God’s people. While that is a good reason, it simply is not good enough. He pointedly asks: What happens when you stop loving the people? He takes us to Romans 12:1, explaining that it must be God’s mercy that moevs us to serve. We serve because Jesus first loved us, and so we serve because Jesus first served us. I was convicted to check my motives and recalibrate them towards Christ.
In the Strength that God Supplies
In a memorable and practical chapter, Robinson shows how God shapes us for service. Surprisingly, Moses and Paul both served out of their experiences and weaknesses. I was reminded that God can use anyone for his purposes. Moreover, God has given each a spiritual gift to exercise for the good of God’s people. I was motivated to celebrate the gifts of others more than my own – especially the gifts that we might not see on a stage – by offering encouragement and support.
Robinson closes with a call to serve where God has placed you, especially in regards to your local church. He exhorts us to serve in the strength that God supplies. This book is clear and compelling. I am motivated to spur each other on in love and good works, and to continue serving – eager to hear my King say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
I received a media copy of Serve and this is my honest review.
I was most moved to read about the reason or why we serve. In church settings, Robinson says he typically hears that people serve because we love God’s people. While that is a good reason, it simply is not good enough. He pointedly asks: What happens when you stop loving the people? He takes us to Romans 12:1, explaining that it must be God’s mercy that moevs us to serve. We serve because Jesus first loved us, and so we serve because Jesus first served us. I was convicted to check my motives and recalibrate them towards Christ.
In the Strength that God Supplies
In a memorable and practical chapter, Robinson shows how God shapes us for service. Surprisingly, Moses and Paul both served out of their experiences and weaknesses. I was reminded that God can use anyone for his purposes. Moreover, God has given each a spiritual gift to exercise for the good of God’s people. I was motivated to celebrate the gifts of others more than my own – especially the gifts that we might not see on a stage – by offering encouragement and support.
Robinson closes with a call to serve where God has placed you, especially in regards to your local church. He exhorts us to serve in the strength that God supplies. This book is clear and compelling. I am motivated to spur each other on in love and good works, and to continue serving – eager to hear my King say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
I received a media copy of Serve and this is my honest review.
August 27, 2025
This is the perfect book for anybody asking themselves - as we all should - “What is my place in my church? How can I serve Christ here?”
Ste gives what I personally know is, having been a member of Cornerstone Liverpool and continuing to be a member of another Cornerstone Collective church, thoroughly lived-out wisdom and guidance on what your contribution to your church’s life can look like. The book is practical and straight to the point, rooted in the simple truths of the Gospel that, like me, you need reminding of again and again.
My biggest take away for my own life is the reminder that we serve the Lord God Himself in our serving in church. Frustration and grumbling at ‘how much I’m doing vs others’ in our serving is symptomatic of having forgotten Christ, His people, and what He’s saved us for. Ste reminded me again of the glorious joy that serving in church really is!
So this is a must-read for every Christian reader. Thank you Ste for such a helpful and great book! I am praying it will be a blessing to the body of Christ everywhere.
Ste gives what I personally know is, having been a member of Cornerstone Liverpool and continuing to be a member of another Cornerstone Collective church, thoroughly lived-out wisdom and guidance on what your contribution to your church’s life can look like. The book is practical and straight to the point, rooted in the simple truths of the Gospel that, like me, you need reminding of again and again.
My biggest take away for my own life is the reminder that we serve the Lord God Himself in our serving in church. Frustration and grumbling at ‘how much I’m doing vs others’ in our serving is symptomatic of having forgotten Christ, His people, and what He’s saved us for. Ste reminded me again of the glorious joy that serving in church really is!
So this is a must-read for every Christian reader. Thank you Ste for such a helpful and great book! I am praying it will be a blessing to the body of Christ everywhere.
February 22, 2024
Being in a season where I have taken on a greater responsibility in ministry, this book was timely and refreshing as it encouraged my heart and set my eyes on Jesus, who is “our great example of a true servant of others” and reminded me that “what sustained [him]—a love for his Father, his people and his world—is what will sustain us too.”
I believe this book is a must-read for the new believer, an encouraging read for the weary believer, and a solid read for the group of believers growing together through discipleship.
Thank you, The Good Book Company, for my copy in an exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I believe this book is a must-read for the new believer, an encouraging read for the weary believer, and a solid read for the group of believers growing together through discipleship.
Thank you, The Good Book Company, for my copy in an exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
October 1, 2023
✨ Book Review ✨
Title: Serve: Loving Your Church with Your Heart, Time, and Gifts
Author: Steve Robinson
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this short, edifying book, written by an Acts 29 pastor. The book first establishes who you are and what your purpose is before moving into service and spiritual gifts.
This book was encouraging, biblical, and full of wise and practical action steps. 👏🏻
I would highly recommend this one! 💗
Thanks to @thegoodbookcompanyusa for the #gifted copy. ❤️
Title: Serve: Loving Your Church with Your Heart, Time, and Gifts
Author: Steve Robinson
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I really enjoyed this short, edifying book, written by an Acts 29 pastor. The book first establishes who you are and what your purpose is before moving into service and spiritual gifts.
This book was encouraging, biblical, and full of wise and practical action steps. 👏🏻
I would highly recommend this one! 💗
Thanks to @thegoodbookcompanyusa for the #gifted copy. ❤️
April 2, 2024
You should still read this book. Just not the best in the series. Don’t know if it was the slight change in format or this author. Great content. Just was a little harder for me to get through which isn’t great for books on this level.
February 5, 2024
(3.5/5)
The importance of using our gifts to serve others, particularly in our local church
The importance of using our gifts to serve others, particularly in our local church
July 26, 2024
A helpful short book on how to serve in your church! Robinson's book is broader than a typical "introduction to being a deacon" book. Worth the read (or listen!)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews