An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

Question 316: How do you practice service?

Question 316: How do you practice service?

I practice service by offering my time, gifts, and resources to God for the good of others. I serve through small daily acts of kindness, generosity, hospitality, and mercy—whether in my home, church, or community. I look for opportunities to meet needs, comfort the suffering, and bear one another’s burdens. In all service, I seek to glorify Christ, who came not to be served but to serve. (Galatians 6:2, 1 Peter 4:10, John 13:14–15, Hebrews 13:16, Philippians 2:3–5)

Full Scripture References​

“Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2 (BSB)

“Each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” – 1 Peter 4:10 (BSB)

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.” – John 13:14–15 (BSB)

“And do not neglect to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” – Hebrews 13:16 (BSB)

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 2:3–5 (BSB)

Expanded Explanation of Catechism Question

Service is practiced not only in great tasks but in the ordinary duties of love. Every moment of self-giving becomes a form of worship when done in Christ’s name. Fr. Isaac Rehberg (ACNA, All Saints San Antonio, TX) writes, “Service begins where you are—with your spouse, your children, your neighbor. It’s not heroic acts that mark a servant’s heart, but daily faithfulness.” (The Hidden Glory of Christian Service, 2022)

We serve with the gifts God has given us. Some are called to preach, others to pray, give, teach, or care for the sick—but all are called to serve. Bishop Dan Gifford (ANiC, Diocese of Western Canada and Alaska) notes, “The Church is a body, and each part contributes. You serve not by becoming someone else, but by offering your part, however small, to the glory of God.” (Serving in the Power of Grace, 2021)

Service often involves sacrifice—giving when it’s inconvenient, loving when it’s not returned, or working when no one notices. Fr. Caleb Evans (Anglican Orthodox Church, St. Stephen’s Mission, GA) writes, “We practice service by dying to self. The towel and basin—not the crown—are the marks of greatness in God’s kingdom.” (The Servant Way, 2020)

Liturgical worship trains us in service. The rhythms of kneeling, confessing, sharing peace, and receiving communion are not ends in themselves—they form hearts that are ready to serve others. Fr. Thomas Buchan (Anglican Union, St. Mark’s Anglican Church, VA) teaches, “The altar sends us to the world. The same hands that receive Christ in the Eucharist are meant to serve Christ in the poor.” (Liturgy and the Life of the Servant, 2021)

Canon George Grant (ACNA, Parish Presbyterian Church, TN) adds, “True service flows from humility. When we see ourselves as forgiven sinners and grateful sons, we will wash feet, bear burdens, and mend wounds—all for love of Jesus.” (Recovering Anglican Piety, 2019)

Early Church Fathers On Catechism Question

“Serve one another in humility and joy. In this, you shall imitate Christ, who made Himself a servant for our salvation.” – Augustine of Hippo, Sermon on John 13, c. 400 AD

“Let your service be cheerful, not forced. God delights in the hand that gives and the heart that loves.” – John Chrysostom, Homily on Hebrews 13, c. 390 AD

“He who serves the least serves Christ. Look not to status, but to need, and let mercy guide your hands.” – Basil the Great, Rules for the Brotherhood, c. 375 AD

“Service is the sacrifice of love. It is the gift of yourself, offered freely for the sake of another.” – Cyprian of Carthage, On Works and Alms, c. 250 AD

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded Version)

An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.

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