You may work in the church nursery on Sunday mornings. You may direct traffic. Perhaps you spend the morning with your hand stuck up the back side of a puppet trying to teach 1st graders about the Good Samaritan. But whether you’re in charge of attendance in your Sunday school class, counting the offering, filling the coffee pots or greeting visitors, you go to church each Sunday morning with a job to do. You volunteered, people are counting on you, and this is your moment to serve the Lord.

First of all, allow me to say – THANK YOU! And by that, I don’t mean a flippant, “Thanks!” that doesn’t have any weight to it. I mean a big, fat, with-all-my-heart THANK YOU because I understand and appreciate your sacrifice. You’re not getting paid. You’re not getting recognition. You probably even have a “real job” during the week. But you still give up your Sunday mornings to help us all with this thing called Church.

Second, allow me to say that I’m familiar with one of your biggest struggles. Some may think it’s getting spit up on your jeans or trying to keep up with cleavage patrol in your youth group, but I know it’s not that at all.

You’re biggest struggle is that you’re not getting fed.

While most people are sitting comfortably in the worship center soaking in the music, the message and the ministry of a Sunday morning church service, you’re pouring yourself out somewhere behind the scenes. You don’t get to hear the preaching. You don’t get to sing the hymns. You’re not getting spiritually fed on Sunday mornings because you’re too busy feeding others. I get it. I’ve been there.

May I offer you a way out? Not a way out of service, because we’re called to serve within our local churches. But a way out of the endless cycle of always serving and never being served. Here are five tips.

1. Admit that this is a problem.

This may sound obvious, but you first need to acknowledge the truth. If you’ve had perfect church attendance for the past five years but haven’t heard a single sermon, you’re probably not growing spiritually. Even preachers and teachers need to be fed through sermons that are not their own. You do too.

2. Practice airplane theology.

I’m sure you remember the instructions that the airline attendant gave during your last flight. “In the event of a decrease in cabin pressure, oxygen masks will appear. First, put your own mask in place and then assist those around you.” It may seem extra-spiritual to deny yourself access to sermons and worship services in the name of serving others, but it’s not healthy long-term. Yes, God wants us to serve others. Yes, He wants you to volunteer in your church. But more than anything else, He wants you to know Him. Your heart comes first. Service comes second. And when you take care of your own spiritual needs first, you will be better able to serve others effectively.

3. See if a Sunday rotation is possible.

Is it possible to have a couple of Sundays “off” each month? Could it be that someone else can split your duties with you? To do this successfully, first, take it upon yourself to find a partner. If you announce that you’re going to cut down on your Sundays “on duty” whenever they find someone to help you, you’ll probably be there forever. My mother-in-law once told a singing group that she’d fill in as their pianist until they found someone permanently. She is now going on 11 years as their “temporary” pianist. Church staff members have more on their plates than you can imagine. Help them out and embrace the search for more help yourself.

Second, ask personally for help. You would be surprised how many people never help out in church because they’ve never been asked. Sure, they’ve heard the blanket, “We need help” announcements like everyone else. But no one has ever come to them and said, “Hey! I think you’d be a really great asset to our stage crew! We’d love to have you on our team!” Be sincere. Be direct. And be willing to allow them to say no without a guilt trip.

4. See if other weekly options exist.

If you’re on church duty every Sunday, does your church have a mid-week service you can attend? What about Saturday night? What about another weekday event like a Bible study group or a Precepts class? Explore your church’s calendar and see what else they have to offer besides traditional Sunday morning services.

5. Attend virtual church.

With technology what it is today, you really have no excuse not to listen to good preaching. Regularly. Many churches upload their sermons to their website soon after the service. If yours does not do this, ask if they provide complementary CDs of the sermons to their volunteers. See if they’re available through your church library. In whatever way you can, try to listen to your church’s sermons as quickly as possible. Even if you’re not in the congregation each Sunday, you’re still a member of that church. You need to know the teachings, the challenges and the encouragement that your pastor is offering from the pulpit.

But even if the only technology your church uses is hand-held microphones and overhead transparencies, you still have options. Listen to the online sermons from other churches. Buy CDs of well-known preachers. Subscribe to preaching podcasts. Watch (biblically based) preaching on TV. Don’t give up until you find a routine and a method that works for you.

Don’t be like a doctor who operates on others ever single day but never takes it upon himself to get a physical. Take care of your spiritual health and your service will flourish!

And to all of you who have attended church since nine months before you were born and have never helped out on a Sunday morning, step up to the plate and help these folks out! Let’s spread the work and share the blessings of serving in our churches!

What would you add? How do you go to church when you serve on Sundays?