Healthy, Growing Churches (2)

Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily. Colossians 1.28, 29

Homily on Ephesians 11.4.15-16
John Chrysostom (344-407)
“Just as the spirit comes down from the brain, passes through the nerves and communicates with the senses, so it makes sense of the whole body. Its communication is not to all the members equally but according to the capacity of each member to receive. It gives more to that member more able to receive and less to that member able to receive only so much. So it is with Christ. The spirit is like a root. The souls of persons depend upon Christ as members. Each member depends on his providential distribution of gifts. The supply of spiritual gifts occurs according to a due proportion, as each member effects the increase of the body.”

What does it mean to be complete in Christ? Surely it means being rightly and increasingly connected to Him, Who is the head of the Church, so that we grow in eternal life, which is to know Him (Jn. 17.3). Surely also it means that we have heard His call, sending us to the world as He was sent, to bring near the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Jn. 20.21). It must further mean that we are fitted with every good gift we need to fulfill that call, serving others, bearing witness, and advancing the rule of King Jesus throughout our Personal Mission Field. Then how does one arrive at such completeness? Paul assumed that pastors, like himself, would strive and labor, warn and teach, preach and equip “every man” or member of the church under his oversight. Can we do anything less? Do we hold out a vision for the people we serve of what it means to be complete in Christ, and how they must pursue this, and what joy and power for transformed living awaits them as they do? Shepherds are equippers, and completeness in Christ is the goal toward which we labor. Healthy, growing churches depend on it.

Is there any work in your ministry that falls outside the parameters of “equipping the saints”? Should there be?

T. M. Moore

The Work of Shepherds
In case you missed our series on shepherding and the work of shepherds, you can receive a free PDF of 28 morning and evening readings, in which we unpack the Biblical teaching concerning the work of shepherding, guided by great shepherds of the past. Simply write to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., and ask John to send you a copy of The Work of Shepherds.

The Fellowship of Ailbe is supported through the generous and faithful gifts of those who benefit from and believe in our work. Does the Lord want to use you in this way? Please look to Him in prayer over this question. You can contribute to The Fellowship of Ailbe by using the Contribute button at our website, or by sending your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Drive, Essex Junction, VT 05452. Thank you.

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.