Equipping the Saints for the Work of the Ministry.
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This portion of our mission statement comes from
Ephesians 4:12 and interestingly enough, it is just a portion of a very long sentence
found in verses 11-16.
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Wow, talk about a run on sentence. To sum this up, I would say that
o
The work of the ministry is building up
the body. It is transforming people’s
lives so that they are conformed to the image of Christ.
o
Equipping the saints is “giving others
the tools and knowledge needed to defend their faith, live out their faith, and
share their faith with others.”
·
As for myself, I always think of the Parable of
the Sower when I think of equipping the Saints.
Jesus told this parable in Matthew 13:1-13. A farmer sows his seed, and it falls on four
types of ground. Some falls on the path
and is eaten by birds – these are the people that reject God’s Word. They hear the message and they walk away,
they want nothing to do with it. Some
falls on fertile soil and flourishes – these are the equipped saints that do
the work of the ministry. Then there are
the seeds that fall on the rocky soil & the seeds that grow among the
thorns. Both of these people heard the
message and accepted it as true, but they never moved on from there. For those on rocky soil, the first time life
knocks them down, and believe me, life will knock you down, they throw in the
towel and turn their back on their faith – see they were never equipped. They didn't know who they were in Christ, so
they had nothing to hold on to when trouble came a knockin’. For those among the thorns, the lure of the
world got the better of them. They also
didn't know who they were in Christ, so they were ill-equipped to defend their
faith against the materialism of this world.
· You see, it is important to be equipped in order
to stand firm against the trials of life.
You need a faith that is based on an understanding of who you are in
Christ that it will flourish and produce good fruit. As you grow in that faith, you will become an
equipper, a person who encourages others.
As you equip others, you will find that you are maturing and learning
right along with those you’re equipping.
This isn't a teacher/student dynamic where one person teaches and the
other person learns. It’s a community
dynamic where we each share our gifts and abilities to help each other. God made us to be in relationship –
relationship with Him and relationship with others. Quite frankly that is all that equipping is –
forming relationships so that we can build others up while being built up
ourselves. It is in these relationships
that we will find the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and
self-control that we all long for. That
Christ-shaped hole in our heart will be filled.
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I am very thankful that I belong to a church
that emphasizes the equipment of the saints because it has made us a strong
family church full of rich relationships.
This is a church that focuses on Christ.
This has given me the tools I need so that I never get stagnant, but I
continue to stretch, grow and mature in my faith.
·
This emphasis on equipping starts with Pastor
Joe.
o
He equips us by providing sound Biblical
training through Sunday sermons and overseeing the training that takes place in
our Sunday Schools, Youth ministry, and Wednesday night programs. This Biblical training teaches us who we are
in Christ so that we can defend and share our faith.
o
He equips us in the way he humbly lives his
life. Pastor Joe is who he is – he is
the real deal. Whether it’s Sunday
morning or Thursday night, he is consistent in his character. His example shows us how to live in Christ.
o
He equips us by his interactions with
others. I have never seen a better
example of gentle, loving correction or honest & fair advice. He truly puts the other person’s best
interest first, which means telling us what we need to hear, not what we want
to hear. Yet, he is able to do this in a
way that is compassionate and encouraging.
These interactions teach us how to be part of the Body of Christ.
o
I want to take a moment to thank Pastor Joe for
equipping us.
·
Now, you might think, well I could never be an
equipper like Pastor Joe. And you are
right, but only because you aren’t Pastor Joe.
You are exactly the equipper that God made you to be. He created you with your own talents and
gifts. So use your gifts to equip
others. Maybe you -
o
Have a great positive attitude – simply offering
a smile can help someone through their day.
You would also be a great candidate for being a greeter or usher.
o
Maybe you love to cook or sew– prepare a meal or
a make blanket, be part of our outreach ministries to those in the hospital,
those recovering from illness, those in need.
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Are you a prayer warrior? Pray for someone, join our prayer ministry.
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Are you a tradesman? Donate your services to others in our body,
or to the maintenance of our building.
o
Do you love to read your Bible and study the
Word? Teach a class, share your
knowledge with others.
o
When it comes to equipping others, the sky is
the limit. Do whatever it is that God
put on your heart to do.
·
Quite frankly, sometimes our feelings keep us
from doing the work of the ministry. Maybe
you mentored someone & they walked away.
Or you prayed for someone & they didn’t receive it. Maybe you put all your time and energy into a
project and it turn out the way you envisioned. You’ve been let down,
disappointed, hurt. I going to share a
little secret with you – your feelings don’t get to dictate your actions. It doesn’t matter how you feel, just do the
work of the ministry anyway. Pray, love,
forgive regardless of what life throws at you.
Because it’s not about you, it’s about him and his big picture. You might not see results, but God does. He has a plan and a purpose for you – when
you step out in faith & just do it anyway, well you’ll be walking in His
will, you’ll be living in His image, you’ll be growing and maturing and
suddenly you’ll find that your feelings are starting to line up with your
actions. Your disappointment has turned
to excitement. Your sorrow has turned to
joy. Your hurt has been healed. So, when it comes to doing the work of the
ministry, just do it anyway.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZjTBW-raGw - Martina McBride, Do It Anyway
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