Healthy, Growing Churches (2)

For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someoneto teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God… Hebrews 5.12

On the Epistle to the Hebrews 9.1
John Chrysostom (344-407)
“I am afraid that this might fitly be said to you also, that ‘though by this time you ought to be teachers,’ you do not hold fast to the rank of learners. Ever hearing the same things on the same subjects, you remain still in the same condition as if you heard no one. If any person should question you, no one will be able to answer, except a very few who may soon be counted. This is no trifling loss.”

The writer of Hebrews believed that every member of the Body of Christ needed to be able to teach. Not formally, perhaps, as in a class room, but as part of the “as you are going” of their lives. Paul believed the same (cf. Col. 3.16). Thus, one of the goals of our equipping should be that every member of the church be conversant in the things of Christ. How else will they fulfill their calling to be His witnesses? Further, every member should feed and encourage other members from their daily diet of the Word of God. How else shall we fulfill our calling to encourage one another to love and good works (Heb. 10.24). In our work of equipping God’s people, we want the Word to dwell in them richly. We want to teach clearly, and make sure those entrusted to our care are feeding daily from the Word themselves. We must see ourselves as equipping equippers. Then we can create situations and explore opportunities for teaching and admonishing one another and encouraging one another from what the Lord has shown us. A healthy church is one where all the members, steeped in Jesus and His Word, talk freely and as witness for and unto edification in the Lord. It is “no trifling loss” that such is rarely the case.

What opportunities does your church provide for encouraging and helping church members become conversant in the things of the Lord?

T. M. Moore

How goes the work of shepherding?
Pastor, where are you in your walk with and work for the Lord? Are you growing? Covering all the bases? Working fruitfully toward the Kingdom of God? Shepherding God’s flock? Our Pastoral Hope Initiative can help you establish a framework and baseline for steady, fruitful growth. Using a variety of assessment tools, together with the book Fan into Flame, this 14-week protocol will give you a thorough look at the state of your ministry. Men, if you think you might want to work through this with me, watch this brief video, then, if you’re interested, let me hear from you at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Quotations from Church Fathers are from the Ancient Christian Commentary Series, published by InterVarsity Press.