And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4:11-16
Few modern laymen realize their responsibility as members of the Church. It seems that most of today’s laymen are content with making their church membership more of a social gathering than knowing and surrendering to the will of our Lord. Many have the tendency to sit comfortably in the pew and leave to the “professional ministers” not only the preaching responsibility but every other function of the church’s activities.
A reading of Ephesians tell us it’s not only clergy who are to carry out the ministry but the saints whom the “professionals” are supposed to equip — to equip so that they can perform the ministry. The early Church is our example, made up of mostly laymen. We can learn much by looking at them and the way that they ministered for Christ. These men shook the world with their testimony, work, and love for the Lord Jesus Christ.
There is a danger that we must be aware of, a warning given to us in Romans 12:3: “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”. Christians should always remember the hierarchy of the church. Jesus is the Head of the Church, the Chief Shepherd (1 Peter 5:4) and the pastor/elders are the under shepherds (1 Peter 5:2). The sheep do not lead the Chief Shepherd or the under shepherds. Of course, the pastor/elders should heed the warning as well by shepherding and not lording over the sheep.
Christian ministry whether “professional” or laity is not about you or me, it is about the Lord Jesus Christ. In Him alone is our salvation found. Only by keeping Jesus Messiah central can we “attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”.
I am Bulldogmatic on these things. God’s blessings upon you.
