The church–that I have yoked not only myself, but my family to as well–has a mission statement I firmly believe and apply. It is based on Ephesians 4:12, which says, “equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ” (NET).
The injunction of this verse is clear: equip saints so they can do the work of ministry.
- The word equip is used only here in the Bible and has a medical connotation meaning to set in place, as in setting a bone back into joint.
- The point is that without equipped saints doing the work of ministry in the Church we have a disjointed church-body.
The purpose of this verse is equally clear: Building up Christ’s body.
- The words build up are actually one word in the Greek and it has the connotation of the construction process in building an edifice or a house.
- The point is that the goal of equipped saints doing the work of ministry is that they build Christ’s house.
Thus, my direct understanding and subsequent application of this verse and Denton Bible Church’s mission is to not only recruit, establish, and train converted church members, but to employ it as my primary ministry within the local church context.
The challenge?
When it comes to so-called “saints” on the path to being equipped (or otherwise already equipped), not all of these dear-hearted folks are the same. Let me put it another way; while there may be hands that go up when a need is presented, it is not appropriate to random select and therefore place that person in a position to meet that need. I’ve done that…it usually doesn’t fulfill the original hope of any involved.
In other words, when it comes to the metaphorical building up of Christ’s body, not everyone can swing a hammer, level the foundation, or hang sheet rock the same. There has to be a better way to empower and employ equipped saints in the work of ministry.
There is a better way. It is a way that I have tried to apply within my years of ministry investment, as well as allow it to serve as a philosophical guide within the GAP discipleship ministry.
What’s a better way?
When it comes to employing equipped saints in the work of ministry, the following key aspects–at minimum–must line up:
- Time
- Opportunity
- Fit
- Gifting
- Passion
Time
How many times has a lay volunteer offered their service and are willing to sacrifice their time, but they don’t actually have the time to give? Too many times.
Time is precious beyond compare. It is outside of us, and yet we are within it. There is not one thing we can do to constrain its inexorable advancement. We can only embrace its reality and therefore hope with all our might to make the most of it (Eph. 5:15-16).
To know if you have the TIME to commit, you have to recognize, respect, and redeem each season of your life.
Opportunity
How many volunteers have had their hands up in the air offering their services, only to be still holding it up in the air years later? Many. To invest, you need the opportunity. There may be seasons in a church when the opportunity isn’t available. In that case, you are learning patience. It took Moses 40 years until God raise him up to go back to Egypt.
Fit
You may have the time and opportunity, but you simply don’t fit in the ministry context in which you are currently investing. And so, fit must mean you speak the same “metaphorical” language. In other words, within each ministry of any local church there are cultures. You have to either fit that culture or adapt to it.
I have seen hard chargers come in with all the answers only find that they no longer had an audience ready to hear them.
I have seen other examples when hard chargers and pied pipers were needed, but only solemn individuals were stepping up.
You have to like the people you serve with, as well as fit within that culture. However, it’s important to point out that I’m not saying you have to look the same, talk the same, dress the same, etc. That’s the opposite of the next aspect.
Gifting
This aspect implies diversity, and diversity–in one sense–means not the same.
However, identifying your spiritual gifts as a Christian can be a challenge for many reasons, but four rise to the surface:
- Debate over biblical interpretation of spiritual gifts.
- Humans usually avoid conflict, and therefore follow the path of least resistance around this topic by moving past it or being indifferent to it altogether. If you’ve been around the church for any amount of time, you’ve probably seen the identifying-and-teaching-on-spiritual-gifts pendulum swing between over-emphasis and absence.
- Church members and church staff can easily get busy and distracted.
- There are simply too many things that pull and tug on us humans today. It’s schedule like sports, hobbies, travel, and/or work, etc. It’s obligations like meeting ministry needs, raising kids, or helping aging parents, etc. It’s emotional things like feelings of failure, anxiety and fear, insecurity, selfishness, and/or apathy.
- Investing out of intuition.
- Investing from intuition can be helpful, but it runs the risk of being myopic, selfish, and therefore the building of one’s own kingdom–which misses the point completely.
- Investing based primarily on ministry need(s).
- Investing based upon ministry need(s) can also be useful, but it can quickly lead to indifference, ineffectiveness, and therefore burn-out–the last thing desired at the beginning.
So, how should we proceed?
First, let’s lay down two principles:
- (+) God-given spiritual gift(s) are primarily for the benefit (think edification) of the body of Christ–the Church.
- Jesus said, “I must leave so that the Helper will come.” Well, the Helper–the Holy Spirit–came, and fills God’s people with power.
- (-) God-given spiritual gift(s) are not primarily for your own benefit (think you finding your identity and therefore worth in them).
- Remember, as a Christian, your identify is found in who you are not it what you do. The reality is, the Christian is by grace through faith made a new creation by the Spirit of God, adopted into the beloved, redeemed by the blood of Christ, purchased with a price, justified and brought into fellowship with the Creator-God, and one day will be glorified and will eternally walk in fellowship with the Lord.
Second, let’s lay down some principles for Spiritual Gifts (adapted from a dear friend and mentor, Lee Evans):
- The employment of our spiritual gift(s) is not passive, but passionate – it “burns” inside when opportunity presents itself. Ministering to others becomes natural to us and God does a marvelous work through us; yet for us to have a part in His work is a hand-in-glove, comfortable fit.
- Spiritual Gifts can be divided into three major categories:
- Motivational (gift) Romans 12:6-8
- The work that God does in us–our spiritual drive (motivation)
- Ministry (grace) Ephesians 4:11-13 and 1 Corinthians 12:27-31
- The work that God does with us – the employment of our gift (ministry)
- Manifestation (charisma) 1 Corinthians 12:7-11
- The work that God does through us – the effect of our ministry to others (manifestation)
- Motivational (gift) Romans 12:6-8
The next step is to obviously know your spiritual gift. This occurs when you invest and are confirmed by observation. You can take spiritual gifts inventories to guide you initially, but you will know them through time, investment, and affirmation from others. Also, you can’t turn on and turn off your spiritual gifts, which means you’re using them in every sphere whether you know it or not. As a mom, husband, sister, etc. That means we can’t put a box around “where” spiritual gifts are employed. God uses them universally to build His Body everywhere. And so, I don’t need a “title” in ministry to “start” employing my spiritual gifts.
Passion
The final aspect is something we all feel. You might have someone with time, you have given them the opportunity to invest, they fit the culture of the ministry, and their giftings align, but they are not passionate about investing in the ministry.
I’m reminded of my old college advisor’s words, “Convince a man against his will and he’ll be of the same opinion still.” His point is clear, you cannot make someone do something they do not want to do.
If a person doesn’t have the passion for a ministry opportunity, your next step is to pray and ask God to raise up the right man or woman to invest their lives building up the body of Christ.
— March 30, 2022