Are You Up For Impact?

Sign up to serve with us and experience how God can use you to help people follow Jesus. 

Here at Blue Ridge, we believe that serving is our response to God. This week, we got the chance to ask a few of our servers what serving means to them. The responses we got differed in detail, but they all shared one common theme. Impact.

For some, serving has allowed a perspective shift to take place. Jeff Dushaw, one of our door greeters, put it this way: “serving has helped me give and not expect anything in return.” Instead of focusing on what others can do for him, he now questions what he can do for others. Victor Torrence, who serves at Blue Ridge as an usher, had something similar to say. Victor shared with us that every time he accepted an opportunity to say yes to God, it got easier for him to keep saying yes; and the same was also true for his no’s. He began striving to be a “yes man” for God.

For others, serving began as an obligation but has grown into so much more. Ashleigh Shuffler started serving to simply fill a need, but said it quickly became a weekly personal necessity. “Being a part of something that makes an impact on other people leaves an even bigger impact on me. The feeling is indescribable and each week it gets stronger and stronger and makes me feel more connected to Jesus. I thought I was signing up to serve, but instead I was signing up for a gift that is so much greater than I could have imagined.”

Rob Jarvis offers a smile to every person that walks through the doors at Blue Ridge on any given Sunday. What you’d never guess is that he initially rejected the invitation to serve. He felt as though he was too busy and lacked the time. As God continued to call Rob into serving and out of fear, He opened the door for a blessing. Rob shared that serving is now the highlight of his week and that he excitedly looks forward to Sunday morning. 

“The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.” Psalm 118:22

Our servers may share different backgrounds, testimonies, struggles, and experiences, but they have all felt the same positive impact of serving. While some may have gained a new perspective, more discipline, or the heart of a disciple; all have gained community, fellowship, and the opportunity to respond to God with a “yes.”