Usher Ministry

USHERING is a community of fellow believers who are united in service for Christ; they usher worshipers into the worship service for personal reflection, inspiration, renewal, and for the upbuilding of God's Kingdom.

The Usher serves his church by providing:

Divine Hospitality
Reverence and Order in the Sanctuary
Assistance to Worshipers
Intercessory Prayer

Biblical Principles of Ushering

God asks the church to be a fellowship sharing a common purpose and continually growing in faith. Paul describes the church as Christ's "body." (Ephesians 1:22)

People experience the presence of Jesus Christ in the world through the ministry of the church. When your local church serves the needs of people, members and non-members, it is an expression of the love of Christ. The church is a servant body, created for service. "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2:10)

Christ calls every member of the church into ministry. The church is "a kingdom of priests." (I Peter 2:9) As an usher, you are a minister of hospitality and caring in the church. Every Christian believer is called to ministry, gifted by the holy Spirit, and in baptism ordained for ministry. (Ephesians 4:11-12)

Shortly after pentecost, the gift of hospitality (Romans 12:13, 1 Timothy 3:2, 1 Peter 4:9) was first exercised specifically for the church and those whom Christ died to save. As believers praised God, they had favor with people. Their love for one another attracted others to their fellowship and "the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47)

God supplies each person in the church with the resources for ministry--scripture, spiritual power, God's character, and spiritual gifts. A greeter is equipped for his or her ministry by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These spiritual gifts are special abilities given by the Holy Spirit to make their ministry effective and build up the body of Christ.

When people come to church they are sometimes burdened, sad or discouraged. Each person, member or newcomer, comes with the hope that the Sabbath will be an experience of uplift and inspiration; a time of renewal and celebration. The skillful usher helps to make this a reality for those in attendance.

Although an usher's love should be no stronger than is the love found in the rest of the body of Christ, nevertheless the usher performs a major role in ensuring that people see and experience that love. In Christ, you have received God's unconditional love, and, in Christ, you are called to extend that same unconditional love to others. The ministry of ushering is one of the most crucial because it is one of the most visible in the church.

The Do's and Don'ts of Ushering

The Role of the Usher

Ushers minister to every individual who enters the church for Sabbath School and worship, and perhaps even for other events such as public evangelistic meetings. They watch for those in need of hospitality, directions to a particular room, or physical assistance in climbing stairs, as well as help in finding seating. As an usher you report to the head usher or, in large congregations, to a team leader.

Your church may have an usher board of which all ushers are members, and the head usher may sit with the church board.

Appropriate Spiritual Gifts

While no one need feel a burden to exhibit particular spiritual gifts to be qualified to perform the ministry of an usher, certain gifts are certainly helpful.

The gift of helps seems to be especially related to the work of an usher. It is the God-given ability to unselfishly meet the needs of others through all types of practical help. Those who exercise this gift release others with a teaching or preaching gift to minister The Word of God and enable the hearers to concentrate on the truth they are learning.

The gift of hospitality is the capacity to provide open house and graciousness to those in need of food, lodging and fellowship, so that guests are refreshed both physically and spiritually. It is certainly related to the work of the usher.

Tools for Ministry

A comfortable uniform (it is suggested that as far as possible men's uniforms be alike and women's uniforms be alike with men's and women's uniforms in the same general color format) and shoes that comply with the good taste reflected by Christian principles.

Some provide ushers with gloves if they are serving at the door.

Ropes/cords conducive to the atmosphere of the worship or meeting place for the purpose of dividing and/ or reserving seating sections need to be available and provided.

Offering plates should also be available.