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"No, but I will." That's what Jess said to her grandma when she was asked to wash the dishes as a kid. Snotty, ungrateful, and she still cringes thinking about it. This week on Midweek Motivation, Jess unpacks why that attitude is the exact one most of us bring to service without realizing it, and what happens when we flip it. She walks through John 13, where Jesus literally took off his crown and picked up an apron, and makes the case that serving the people right in front of you might be the most powerful thing you can do for them and for yourself.


Discover:

• Why Jesus chose the lowest job in the room at the Last Supper, and what it meant to the disciples
• Three ways Jesus modeled service: in proximity, personally, and in God's power
• The story of a deaf and mute man healed in Mark 7 and what it teaches about meeting people where they are
• The psychological and social benefits of serving (endorphin release, stress reduction, combating isolation)
• How service builds the kind of trust that opens the door to sharing your faith
• What reciprocity and gratitude have to do with transformational community

Our bodies are literally made to feel good when we serve. But more than the chemistry, there's a spiritual connection that forms when you step into someone's life with no agenda other than meeting a need. That's how trust gets built. That's how people start to see something different in you. And that's when they want to know why.


Key Takeaways:

• Service starts where your feet are: your home, your neighborhood, your workplace
• Jesus served people personally, the way they needed, not one-size-fits-all
• Your body is designed to reward you for serving others
• Being served combats isolation, builds self-esteem, and opens people up emotionally
• Service creates the trust and permission to share your story

Question for you to think about:
Who is one person in your life right now that you could serve this week, not because you have to, but because they're worth it?


If this challenged your approach to service, share it with someone who needs the push. Drop a comment and tell us about a time being served changed how you saw someone. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Series: The Wild Work of God (Acts 1-6) at Westside Community Church

Framework: BLESS (Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Share)

Scriptures referenced: John 13:1-17, Mark 7:31-37

Tool: Download the Westside app to use the BLESS tool

iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/westside-comm-church/id1479755097

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.pushpay.westsidecommunitychurchcc



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What if the most powerful thing you could do for someone spiritually was just eat with them? This week on Midweek Motivation, Gabe and Melissa Kolstad sit down together to unpack why sharing a meal is one of the most underrated tools in the Christian life. Gabe shares the story of meeting a homeless man at a shelter and getting coffee with him every Friday for a year, a simple habit that completely changed the man's life. Melissa breaks down what she's learned from years of leading IF:Tables gatherings. If you've been praying for someone but don't know what the next step is, this might be it.


Discover:
- Why Jesus's first move with Matthew was accepting a dinner invitation, not delivering a sermon

- How weekly Friday coffee at a Portland Starbucks changed a homeless man's entire trajectory

- What IF:Tables taught Melissa about how food lowers every barrier in a room

- The story of a Filipino family, karaoke, lumpia, and two people coming to faith

- Why the BLESS framework puts eating before sharing your story (and why that matters)

- How a simple Halloween s'mores tent turned into a neighborhood ministry moment



Eating together isn't fancy. It's hot dogs in a cul-de-sac, coffee at a Starbucks, pizza on a weeknight. But something happens around a table that no sermon or bullhorn can replicate. Barriers drop, trust builds, and people start to feel like they belong somewhere.



Key Takeaways:

- You have to earn the right to be heard, and meals are how you earn it

- Eating together is biblical: Jesus did it, the early church did it, and it still works

- You don't always have to be the initiator. Say yes when someone invites you.

- Hospitality doesn't require perfection. Takeout, a picnic, or a shared lunch all count.

- Love without a required outcome is the point


Question for you to think about:

Who is one person you've been praying for that you could invite to grab coffee or share a meal this week?


If this inspired you to take a simple next step, share it with someone who needs the push. Drop a comment and tell us about a meal that changed a relationship. Subscribe so you never miss a Midweek Motivation.


Series: The Wild Work of God (Acts 1-6) at Westside Community Church

Framework: BLESS (Begin with prayer, Listen, Eat, Serve, Share)

Tool: Download the Westside app to use the BLESS tool
iPhone/iPad: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/westside-comm-church/id1479755097

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=io.pushpay.westsidecommunitychurchcc&pcampaignid=web_share

Scriptures referenced: Luke 5, Acts 2, John 6


SUBSCRIBE to always see our content and let us reach more people for Jesus: https://www.youtube.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx?sub_confirmation=1


Give to support this ministry and help us reach people all around the world: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/give


Website: https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/westsidecommunitychurch

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/westsidecommunitychurchpdx


#MidweekMotivation #BLESS #EatTogether #WestsideCommunityChurch #WildWorkOfGod #Evangelism #Hospitality #ChristianCommunity #SharingMeals #Faith

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Welcome to Westside! Engage in the chat and follow along with message notes at https://www.westsidecommunitychurch.com/notes-resources

Join us as Gabe Kolstad shares a message on being undiscourageable.

#undiscourageable #wildworkofgod #godswork #Jesus #fullservice #fullchurchservice #christian #sermon #worship #westside #church #2026sermon #churchonline #gabekolstad

Westside is a place made up of real people from all walks of life. We are a “come as you are” church that strives to be a safe place for people to investigate faith. No matter your story, questions, doubts or struggles, we’re glad you’re here today.

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