Questions for Church Leaders (4)
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ… Ephesians 4.11, 12
Ministers all
The Lord Jesus taught that all His disciples are to be ministers—people who do “works of ministry”—just as He was a minister (cf. Mk. 10.42-45). The word, “minister”, and its cognate, “ministry”, define the calling and work to which all the saints, or disciples, of the Lord are called. In the Kingdom of God, the power of God for revival and renewal flows through church members as they are equipped for ministry and minister the grace and power of God. This is how grace spreads to more and more people (2 Cor. 4.15).
These terms, “minister” and “ministry”, actually derive from a common first-century Greek noun. In Roman culture a “minister” or “servant” was a person who waited tables at a banquet. Each servant was assigned a particular area or zone of the banquet hall. His duty was to keep a sharp eye out for whatever the guests in his zone required, whether more wine or food or something else. Servants, or “ministers”, had to learn how to anticipate, or at least spot, the needs of those for whom they were responsible. They had to be able to use certain kinds of equipment, to take care in the way they served banqueters, and not expect anyone to make a big deal out of the fact that they were only doing their jobs.
Paul says that church leaders—pastors, teachers, and the rest—have one primary duty, and that duty is to equip church members to take up appropriate works of service in their own assigned locales and callings in life. So as church leaders, we must ask ourselves, “How are we planning to make progress in our vision? How are we working to advance the Kingdom of God in our community?”
Means and ends
I suspect that, in many cases, church leaders might respond to such questions by saying, “Well, we’ve got all these programs,” or “We’re getting ready to build a new sanctuary,” or “We’re planning to hire another staff member,” or some such thing.
Certainly programs, buildings, and staff may contribute to a local congregation’s making progress toward the Kingdom vision to which God is calling us. But to answer these questions in this way begs another question, “Why are we doing that?” Because programs, buildings, staff, budgets—all those outward things we tend to think of as the stuff and substance of local churches—all these are only means to what must be the larger and more important end, the equipping of the saints for works of ministry.
All the saints, and all kinds of works of ministry.
In most churches today becoming equipped for works of ministry takes two forms, neither of which is exactly what Paul had in mind in our text.
The work of ministry
First, most churches consider “ministry” to be some specific activity undertaken at a particular time and place, and for a specified duration. For example: a short-term mission trip. You’re going to be part of a team to go to some foreign country for a couple of weeks. While you’re there you’ll help refurbish a church building, perhaps lead a Bible school or do some evangelism, and try to encourage the local missionaries and pastors. Then you’ll come home, your “ministry” complete.
Or you might help out in some event or activity, doing useful work—setting up, preparing food, arranging details and schedules—to help ensure the event’s success.
You’ll need to be trained for such ministry activities, or at least, shown what to do. And you’ll be expected to have some kind of story or report to share, so that your fellow church members will believe their investment in your ministry activity was worthwhile.
Or consider another possibility: suppose you’re asked to teach Sunday school for a season. OK, that will be your ministry. You’ll need some training and resources, and you’ll have to carve out some time during the week to prepare and meet with the kids and so forth. Ministry takes time, after all.
Now mission trips and church events and teaching Sunday school are, in fact, valid forms of ministry, as are many other such opportunities available in local churches. They’re just not what Paul has in mind in our text.
The second thing about all such ministries—indeed, all “ministry” which churches may offer these days—is that they’re strictly voluntary. If you feel like it. If you have the time or inclination. Not everyone can go on a mission trip, run or speak at an event, teach Sunday school, sing in the choir, serve on a committee, or whatever.
So what about all those people who can’t be or simply aren’t involved in such ministries? Well, they’re the ones we’re ministering to, of course.
Ministry every day, everyone
The New Testament knows no such idea of what it means to be a local church. In the local church we’re all called to ministry, we’re all given gifts for service by the Holy Spirit, we all have access to His power and guidance, we’re all expected to take up the cross of ministry every day and in every situation, and we’re all expected to adopt lifestyles of service toward the people to whom God sends us day by day. “Ministry” is not so much an activity as a way of life, the life of following Jesus in the Kingdom of God.
So how are we going to make progress in the Kingdom of God? Only when all church members are being equipped for lifestyles of service and ministry in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, for building up His Body and for bringing glory and honor to God. To realize more of the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God, we’ll need all hands on deck, ready to face any challenge, danger, or opportunity to serve thatthe Lord might put in our path.
For reflection or discussion
1. In what specific ways are you currently being equipped for ministry?
2. What kinds of things keep pastors and church leaders from equipping all the saints for works of ministry?
3. Do the saints in your church understand they are to be equipped for ministry? Are they willing for this? Eager for it?
Next steps—Preparation: Consider the opportunities you will have in the week ahead to be an agent of grace to the people around you. Are you ready for this? Do you need some additional guidance or equipping? How can you get it?
T. M. Moore
If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).
A good supplement to this ongoing study on the Church is our free PDF book, Pray for Your Church. Download your copy from The Ailbe Bookstore by clicking here. Also, we encourage you to visit our ReThinking Church page, where you’ll see a variety of free resources to help you church.
This week: Our Read Moore podcast is into a new series of readings from our book, The Joy and Rejoicing of My Heart. In our Crosfigell teaching letter, we begin next week to examine some of the wonderful spiritual poetry from the period of the Celtic Revival. And in our daily Scriptorium column we are studying the Gospel of Matthew. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.
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