Serving Like Jesus in Your Community
“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” – Micah 6:8 (NIV)
My first experience of serving in a meaningful capacity was in high school. The school I was attending provided an opportunity for senior students to participate in a mission trip to the Solomon Islands. This was the first time that I understood the difference between knowing about faith and putting it into action. It was this experience that stirred something within me, a deep belief in the value of serving that has remained with me since then.
I have been blessed with opportunities to serve in various ways since that first experience. I have travelled to communities across western NSW on a dozen or so StormCo trips. I have co-led service trips with Year 12 students to Vanuatu, and volunteered with various other groups, including ADRA. They’ve reinforced a simple but profound truth: when we serve others, God shows up and lives are changed, even our own.
Small acts of transformation
Throughout Australia, everyday acts of kindness are creating stories of transformation. These might be a home-cooked meal, a handwritten message, or a morning spent cleaning up a yard. Each simple act, when offered with love, becomes a seed of hope.
ADRA’s purpose is to serve humanity so all may live as God intended. This is echoed through Jesus’ own words: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10, NIV). This purpose is not ADRA’s alone – it belongs to all of us. Local churches, in collaboration with ADRA, have a unique opportunity to bring Justice, Compassion, and Love into their communities, becoming the hands and feet of Jesus.
In Cannington, WA, a community garden has become a sanctuary. Volunteers like Heather spent years cultivating not only vegetables but connection and community. Chris, one of the garden’s volunteers, first came for the free bread. He kept coming back to lend a hand, finding a place to belong. Through the garden, he reconnected with his estranged wife Kylie. Their time at the garden brought healing and ultimately led to baptism and renewed marriage vows, both a spiritual and personal rebirth rooted in community service.
The “SouperVan” in Wauchope, NSW, began by handing out soup and buns to the community. Over time, it grew into a lifeline through the distribution of meals, blankets, and even pet food to those in crisis. Behind the scenes, church members offered conversation, prayer, and friendship. What started with a meal became a ministry of belonging within the community.
In Victoria, the opening of ADRA’s Bairnsdale Community Food Pantry and the new Frankston Op Shop reflect how churches and ADRA can work together to meet growing community needs. These spaces are more than centres offering a service; they are places of welcome, connection, and hope.
Stronger together
Stories like this show what’s possible when churches serve their community with compassion. This practical demonstration of love is a powerful expression of the gospel. Your church brings presence, purpose, and people. ADRA has the depth of knowledge and a global network bringing decades of experience in disaster response and community development. Through collaboration and drawing on the combined strengths of the local church and ADRA, volunteers can participate in life-changing service opportunities, bringing hope to their communities.
Faith in action
In Matthew 25, Jesus says, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in… I needed clothes and you clothed me” (Matthew 25:35–36, NIV). Through acts of service, we demonstrate the life-changing power of Jesus and point others to Him. Local churches and ADRA are meeting real needs, restoring dignity, and opening hearts to Jesus. It might look like a Sabbath School class writing cards of encouragement for neighbours in need; perhaps it’s the youth group leading a car wash fundraiser for a local ADRA project; or maybe it’s a church providing a food relief service one day a week. Each of these small acts, delivered with love, becomes part of a larger story of faith in action.
You don’t need a big team or perfect plans. You just need the willingness to say: We’re here. How can we help?
It’s not difficult to identify the needs in our community. The challenge is taking the next step, turning compassion into action. This is where transformation begins. In James, we’re reminded that, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17, NIV). This is a challenge for us to not only believe, but to demonstrate through our actions what we believe. Through serving, we represent the love of Jesus in a powerful and relevant way. Through our actions we demonstrate to those around us that the gospel is not just something we speak about, it’s active and alive. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds us: “You are the light of the world... let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14–16, NIV).
Change starts with you
Maybe you’ve sensed a quiet prompting, a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit, that your church could do more to reach out to those who need it most in your community. Maybe you’re the one to help make it happen. You already have what it takes. A heart to serve. A community in need. And a God who empowers everyday people to do remarkable things.
Start a conversation with your church about what’s possible. When we serve the way Jesus did, lives are changed, ours included.
If you’d like to know more about starting an ADRA project with your church to serve the community, or are interested in becoming an ADRA Champion, speak with Francis Ejones, ADRA Regional Manager - Western Australia, FrancisEjones@adra.org.au. We'd love to chat with you!
