Ephesians 4:11-12 ( NKJV )
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
Yesterday we discussed the importance of the local church to the plan of God. There are other ministries that are valid, however it is the local church that is the primary vehicle Jesus established to touch the world. It is the institution that is closest to the people. It is the institution that is in every city and town in the United States and in most of the world. Christianity is not a religion it is a relationship. The best way for it to be spread is on a person to person level. The only way for a new believer to grow into a disciple, is within the safety of a local church family.
So what are the important elements of a local church that will be able to hold the new wine that is being poured out on the earth? There are two messages that have been very much in the forefront for the last 20 to 30 years. One of the most important is the idea of “body ministry."
The verses above have been taught extensively. I believe they are critical to what God needs in order for the church to fulfill it’s calling in this next new wine outpouring. As I said last week, it has never been God’s plan for the church to be a one man show. The job of pastor used to be seen in the same light as that of the local doctor or lawyer. He was the professional who did Christianity to everyone else. If he didn’t pray for you, you weren’t prayed for. If he didn’t counsel you, you weren’t counseled. He did all the marrying and all the burying. I believe this type of thinking cannot hold the new wine that is coming.
There are a number of problems with this pattern. First of all, one person cannot provide all the ministry that a congregation needs. In Ephesians 4 we see that God lists 5 kinds of ministry gifts. Each is unique and different. Each provides different elements of ministry that the church needs. No one since Jesus has been all 5. When we make one person be everything to everyone, he will invariably burn out. One person can’t do it. Even if the church is small the job of ministering to a congregation, let alone fulfilling the churches call to the community, is too big.
In this “old wineskin” those in the congregation do not develop in their calling. Every believer has a calling and a destiny in God. That is one of the greatest things about Christianity. God made us for purpose. In a local church patterned after the one man model, no one else really finds a place to function. Only the gifts of the pastor are fully released and they are overused and overexposed. It is an unfortunate truth that most churches change pastors about every 4 years. In some denominations this is standard. The reason is that by that time the pastor can’t stand the people and people can’t stand the pastor. What a shame.
What is the solution? What should the church look like? Well let’s consider these verses. In verse 7 of this chapter, Paul tells us Jesus gave gifts to all men. In verse 11 we find that some of those gifts are what we call the “5 fold” ministry. What is their function? In the old pattern we read vs. 12 like this. Jesus gave us the five fold ministry to perfect the saints and to do the work of the ministry and to edify or build up the church. In the local church we would insert “pastor” for the 5 fold list in verse 11.
In other words it was the pastor’s job to perfect the saints, do the work of the ministry and make the church grow spiritually, numerically and every other way possible. If He couldn’t do all those things we fire him and get someone who can. Although this could be the way to read verse 12 let’s consider another interpretation that is just as valid grammatically. Jesus gave 5 gifts out of those given to every believer to perfect the saints so they can do the work of the ministry which will result in the building up of the church. That changes everything.
It is no longer the local pastor’s job to do Christianity to the congregation. It is his job, as well as the other 5, to perfect believers to fulfill their calling and destiny which will result in the growth and development of the church spiritually, numerically, emotionally, financially and any other way you can think of. Each believer will be able to contribute what God has placed in his or her life to the whole. Each new person will be able to be discipled by someone who is growing in grace, line upon line and precept upon precept. No one person will need to be everything to everyone. Instead of a great minister God will have a great church.
Is this scriptural? Of course it is. The New Testament is full of the idea that the whole body is to minister to the earth, not just a select few professionals.
Revelation 5:10 ( NKJV )
And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
If we are all priests and kings, surely we are called to more than sitting in a pew. Mark 16 says believers shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover, not just pastors. Throughout the New Testament the bible speaks of a body not just a minister. In Ephesians 4 Paul speaks of every joint supplying. This is the new wineskin church. This is what the Lord has been after since the day of Pentecost. This is the local church that we must finally build if we are going to reach the world for Christ.
Leave a Reply