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We are all in ministry.

A few weeks ago, our VP of Development Josh Lewis sent me a voice memo that he recorded on his phone while driving home. He didn't intend for anyone else to hear it, so he ranted a little, but his passion gave me the chills and I want to share that with all of you. It's important that everybody can see the hearts of the people working here. Our entire team at The Table Project is deeply motivated to help the church be the church, and we think about these things all the time, even when we're driving home on a noisy highway.

I encourage you to listen to the whole recording.

If you're unable to listen, below are some paraphrases from the recording to help you get the gist.

"One of the things I wish people knew about the Table is that when a church rolls the Table out to their congregation... part of what they're actually saying to the congregation is, 'You are all in ministry now'". A lot people don't really get what that means.

"We're Christians. All of us are in ministry. It's not just your pastor's job, it's your job, because it's your faith.

"So now (with the Table) we can see who we are collectively, and we see what the needs are, and we see where the pain is, and we see all of these problems. Generally speaking you'll get two kinds of responses. The first response is, 'I didn't realize there was all this ugliness, and all this pain and all this difficulty. What can I do?' The second response is, 'Be quiet, leave me alone, I'm busy, I'm not interested.'

"That second response is not ministy, it's not church and, pardon me, but it's not Christianity. That's not what Jesus says to people who need him. And we're his disciples. They will know we are his disciples by our love. Not by our ignorance or by our 'leave me alone', but by our love. So make the time, because you are in ministry now."

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Table Tip: Let's Share

As kids we learn how to share, but somehow we forget by the time we grow up. As a result our homes are packed with stuff we rarely use. Maybe we use it a few times a year or just once and then never again. Maybe it's time to start sharing again.

Use the Table's Serve App to post stuff you're willing to share. You're not giving it away, you're just letting someone borrow it (read more about how the Serve App works).

Here's how to do it:

• Take Stock: Walk around your house with a digital camera and take pictures of stuff you'd be willing to let someone else use: Tools, camping equipment, media (books/DVDs/video games), sports equipment, baby stuff, etc. (see 10 Ways the Serve App Can Get You Sharing). You don't need to collect stuff, you're just cataloging what you have available to share.
• Post It: Add those items to the Serve App. Include details and any helpful info.
• Start Sharing: As people respond and ask to borrow your stuff, coordinate and make it happen. The easiest thing to do is start bringing requested items to church on Sunday so nobody has to make an extra trip.

It's time for the church to bring back sharing.

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Stickers Meant to Be Shared

How to Order:

Go to stickermule.com to order your stickers:

1) Pick a size: Custom - 4x2.
2) Choose a quantity.
3) Upload the file.

Prices vary depending on quantity, but they start at less than $1 per sticker for 100 stickers and get much cheaper the more you order.

Where to Stick It:

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Putting the Serve App to Work After Halloween

How not to use the Serve App:

How to use the Serve App:

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100 Ways To Use the Serve App

Back in April we said hello to the Serve App and goodbye to apathy. The Serve App is a simple application on the Table that makes it easy to match skills and items with people in need. Help is a click away. It easily enables serving, sharing and giving in your church. It helps us overcome apathy and make better use of our stuff.

We've seen people serve one another in the aftermath of disaster and we've seen some incredible sharing going on.

The Serve App offers so many ways to help that we thought we'd offer a few suggestions. Over the past 10 weeks we've offered 10 new ways the Serve App can help each week and we're thrilled to present the full list, 100 ways to use the Serve App:

• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Get You Serving
• 10 Ways You Can Give it Away with the Serve App
• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Get You Sharing
• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Change Your Community
• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Help You Move
• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Help Your Church
• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Help This Summer
• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Help with Vacation
• 10 Ways the Serve App Can Make Someone's Day
• 10 Ways to Use the Serve App You Probably Haven't Thought Of

Check out our archived webinar to learn more about how to use the Serve App.

Share your stories of using the Serve App.

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10 Ways to Use the Serve App You Probably Haven't Thought Of

The Serve App is all about getting people serving, giving and sharing. The only limitation is you. Here are 10 creative ideas you might not have considered:

1. Lumber - Nearly every garage has it: A stash of leftover lumber from various projects taking up a corner. You never know when you'll need a scrap of wood. Take a picture and throw it on the Serve App—random wood scraps for any project! Score.

2. Picture frames - You've got a box of unused picture frames in the basement and not enough wall space or shelf space to put them all out. Let them go: Those out-dated styles you're tired of are positively retro to someone else.

3. TV on DVD - Perhaps the greatest use of the DVD has been the return of classic TV shows. No longer are you bound by syndicated reruns, you can watch your favorite show whenever you like. Assuming you own the DVD. Share your beloved TV shows with your church family. You can even make TV social again, comparing notes on your favorite episode of Highway to Heaven, Touched by Angel or Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

4. Failed hobbies - You were totally going to get around to launching model rockets, building model cars, setting up the train or whatever other half-started hobby is sitting in the corner of your basement. It's time to face facts: You're not going to be a hobbyist. Give away the supplies and gear and let someone else enjoy them.

5. Calling all gamers - Your awesome not-so-new game system is still awesome but it's not-so-new to you anymore. You still play, but not every waking moment. Maybe it's time to share the love and give someone else a fun Friday night of button mashing. Lend your game system out for gaming parties to the not-so-hip quasi gamers who would love to play but don't have a system.

6. Kittens & puppies! - The cardboard sign on the telephone pole offering free kittens has gone digital. If your cat or dog has little ones you weren't expecting, keep them in the family and offer up the bundles of love and joy to your church community.

7. Bomb shelter stash - It was very forward thinking of you to stock up on disaster supplies, but when those expiration dates are looming it's time to share the wealth. Give away your canned goods (we're not post-apocalyptic yet, no need to subsist on nothing but beans) and stock up for the next Y2K.

8. English conversation - Finding volunteers to talk should be easy. People learning English just need people to talk to them—no other skills required. Recruiting volunteers through the Serve App is a no-brainer.

9. Need tables and chairs - Throwing a big event and need to save some cash? Ask if you can borrow tables and chairs. No one person is likely to loan you 20 tables and 80 chairs, but you can likely find that many from your whole church. The money saved on your wedding reception, grad party or retirement shindig will mean more appetizers for everyone!

10. Extra cardboard - Large pieces of cardboard are perfect for building a fort with your kids. If you don't have kids, offer up the cardboard from your new shower/fridge/TV/enormous item. All they need is a roll of duct tape.

How are you using the Serve App? Tell us your story.

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Sharing a Plane Ride

We love the Serve App. It's a little application on the Table that makes it easy to serve, give and share within your church community.

Why is it so cool? Because it gives people a platform to do something like this:

That's one of the coolest things we've seen shared on the Table. What are you sharing? Tell us your stories of serving, giving and sharing with the Table.

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10 Ways the Serve App Can Make Someone's Day

You can really make someone's day by going out of your way and showing them some love. Here are 10 ways the Serve App can help:

1. Name a star after someone - This is easier than you think. It starts at $19.95 (seen here) and it could make someone's day. Post on the Serve App that you want to name a star after a member of your church. Then do it!

2. Meals for mommy - When new parents aren't sleeping there's nothing better than a home cooked meal cooked by someone else. The Serve App is perfect for recruiting volunteers to provide meals to new parents.

3. Give away your car - Go big with your serve! You've probably heard of people doing this sort of thing in church communities before. Well, why not you? Make a grand sacrificial gesture like this and truly change someone's life. Rust may someday destroy that old ‘98 Ford Taurus of yours, but showing radical love by giving in epic proportions has no blue book value.

4. Lend a kid - Teach your kids about service and helping others by loaning them out for a day. They may complain about mowing your lawn, but helping someone else can bring out a new attitude. They do some good, someone else gets some needed help and you get a quiet afternoon.

5. Love your pastor day - Gather 10 others from your church and serve your pastor through yard work, window washing, house cleaning, garage organizing, etc.

6. Extra ticket - Got an extra ticket to the big game? Looks like you need a "volunteer" to go with you! Post that need on the Serve App and you'll likely find someone with a servant's heart willing to fill that seat for you.

7. Restore sanity - Frazzled parents could use a night out and a night off, but babysitting ain't cheap. Encourage parents to post their babysitting needs and rally responsible teens to step up and help.

8. Nice ride - You've got that classic car, all shiny and bright, that draws gawkers wherever you go. Offer up the car for special nights, including your own chauffer services (we know you wouldn't let anyone else drive your baby). It could be the car that whisks away the bride and groom or the the killer prom transportation. You get to show off your ride and make someone's day.

9. Home theater - Are you one of those home theater enthusiasts with the projector screen, theater-style folding chairs and Dolby Digital surround sound? Give a couple high school kids an awesomely free date night. You could even make popcorn and wear a striped vest to achieve the full effect.

10. Commissioned Haiku - Offer your amazing haiku writing skills to enrich a church member's life. They pick the subject. You write the Haiku and dedicate it to them.

Try the new Serve App.
It will change the way you think--
About stuff. Share it!

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10 Ways the Serve App Can Help with Vacation

It's summer time and that means vacation time. The Table is here to help. You can put the Serve App to work making your vacation even easier. Here are 10 ideas to get you thinking:

1. GPS unit - You know your way around town, so that fancy GPS unit doesn't get a lot of use when you're not on vacation. Let someone else use it for their upcoming road trip or even a fun weekend of geocaching.

2. House sitting - Going out of town and need someone to watch the house? That's definitely not something you'd want to post to Facebook, but you can probably trust your church community (though you still might want to be careful about posting the dates).

3. Portable DVD player - You've discovered the secret to cross-country road trips with little kids: Portable DVD players. But not everyone has the luxury and your DVD player sits around for most of the year unused. Share your secret and your sanity.

4. Luggage - Your beautiful collection of matching luggage doesn't get around like it used to. Give it new life and let it see the world again. It's world traveling without the jet lag.

5. Travel tips - Going abroad and need some advice? Ask for volunteers in the Serve App and connect over coffee to pick their brain. You'll get the help you need and it'll be the easiest volunteering they ever did.

6. Pet sitting - Your pets are important to you. When you go out of town you can be facing some difficult options for taking care of your pets. Expensive kennels? Unreliable friends? Post it! There is guaranteed to be a pet lover in your church who would be honored to watch Felix and Fido while you're in Cancun. You get a vacation and your pet gets more attention than normal.

7. Road trip - Whether you need a ride home from college or just want to take a trip, the Serve App is a great place to post your road trippin' needs.

8. Cabin to share - Your cabin sits empty and lonely most of the year. Share the love on the Serve App and make someone's vacation.

9. Lawn mowing - No one looks forward to mowing the knee-high grass when you get back from vacation, so find a volunteer to keep the grass mowed while you're out of town.

10. Couch surfing - Make your vacation dollar go farther by spending a night at a friend's house instead of a hotel. The kids call it couch surfing and they stay with strangers, but you could ask your church community if they have friends or relatives on your route and it's one step closer to home away from home.

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10 Ways the Serve App Can Help This Summer

Summer is almost here and the Serve App can help you make the most of it. Here are 10 ways you can start serving, giving and sharing this summer:

1. Backyard party supplies - Your garage is stocked with all the backyard fun: tiki torches, chairs, mosquito fogger, lawn games and more. Offer them up to your church community so anyone can host a backyard bash.

2. Canoe or kayak - You're an outdoor adventurer who braves the rapids and the portages, but not every single weekend. Take a weekend off and let someone else put your gear to good use.

3. Lawn care - Tired of mowing the lawn? Find someone in your church to pick up the lawn care duties you're too busy to tackle. You can even "volunteer" to pay them if it doesn't feel like a real volunteer need.

4. Gardening - Some people love gardening. Some people hate it. That sounds like a perfect opportunity for the Serve App. If you've got gardening needs you can request volunteers. If you're ripping up bushes or hostas you can give them away. If you've got a green thumb you can offer to share it.

5. Camping gear - As much as you'd love to, you can't go camping every weekend. So let someone else. Offer up your tent, camping chairs, portable grill, sleeping bags, camping mat and all the goodies that make for an amazing camping weekend.

6. Landscaping materials - Pea gravel, retaining wall blocks, fence materials—you always end up with leftovers. Instead of throwing them out or or letting them sit in your garage, offer them up to someone who could use them.

7. Party planning job assignments - If you're throwing a party you can request volunteers to tackle certain jobs. Set up a volunteer opportunity for your event and then add tasks for each volunteer need: Chips & dip, drinks, snacks, clean up, invitations, decorations, etc.

8. Tandem bicycle - Let's be honest: That tandem bicycle is not getting as much use as it could. Offer it up for awesome daytime dates.

9. Community tool shed - Hedge trimmers, chain saws, and post-hole diggers don't get a lot of use throughout the year. Launch a group for your neighborhood or community and set up a community tool shed with the Serve App to share these limited-use tools.

10. Create a lawn sports enthusiasts club - OK, this one may seem like a long shot but rest assured the Serve App is perfect for it. Say your family likes playing lawn sports but you want to expand your lawn sport horizons. Create a group and invite people from around your church to join. Use the Serve app with your group to figure out who has what lawn games and then start lending and borrowing! Your garage will thank you.

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