Grace for Española
Keeping Our Kids 10/27/2009
 
What can church and parents do to stop our young people from leaving the church? How can we reach our kids minds and hearts? Dr. Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, offers some great advice to churches and parents. Read his interview with Answers in Genesis here: http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v4/n4/church-change.
 
 
We’ve been looking at Ephesians 4 for many weeks now in this blog. Is the divine plan for the growth of the church clear enough? Understanding it is the easy part. Living it out is the more difficult part. Growing into maturity as a church and individual believers requires effort, patience, love, and sacrifice. It will cost you to be part of the church, but it is worth it. What is it costing you?

I’m reminded of the time when King David was making provisions for the building of the temple in Jerusalem. He wanted to build it himself, but God wouldn’t let him since he was a man of war. Rather, God said Solomon, David’s son, would build the temple. But God allowed David to provide all the materials. David wanted to buy the land for the temple but Araunah, the land owner offered to give it to King David. Notice David’s response:

Then the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver (2 Sam 24:24, emphasis added).

True worship is costly worship. It will cost you to obey God and serve Him in His church. There will be responsibilities to meet, people to forgive, erring brothers to confront, as well as money, time, and sweat to give. As we do what is required of us by God’s Word, we will notice changes take place over time. We will grow into Christlikeness. The church will become healthy and strong. New believers will be added to the church. Significant ministry will take place. Lives will be forever changed. God will be glorified. Doesn’t that sound exciting? People who work out say, "No pain, no gain." In ministry, we can say, "No sacrifice, no joy."

Seven Dangers to Guard Against:
* Politics without principle
* Knowledge without character
* Wealth without work
* Pleasure without conscience
* Business without morality
* Science without humanity
* Worship without sacrifice

Let’s review where we’ve been in our study so far. We saw that (1) God has given us participation in His eternal purpose; (2) God has given us the structure for fulfilling His eternal purpose; (3) God has given us a calling to contribute to His eternal purpose. We are to continue in this process, "till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:13, NKJV). So the goal is spiritual maturity defined by likeness to Jesus Christ.

How do we achieve spiritual maturity? "The whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love" (Eph 4:16). Did you catch it? "Every part does its share." Are you growing in your faith and knowledge of Christ? Are you doing your part to build up the body of Christ?

If the book of Acts were still being written, what would it say about you? "So and so lived out his life in comfort and ease?" "He kept to himself and kept his nose clean?" Or, "She lovingly and faithfully served the Lord through His church all her life. The lives she touched by her personal ministry were encouraged and blessed. She found Jesus’ words true, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’ (Acts 20:35)."

We are the body of Christ. Jesus wants our hands, that’s how He works. He wants our feet, that’s how He goes. He wants our voices, that’s how He talks. He wants our hearts, that’s how He loves. True worship is costly. It means denying self to be used by God in the lives of others. Have you come to a point in your Christian walk that you have consciously yielded your life to God to serve Him in whatever way He calls you? If you do, it will cost you. But the reward is out of this world!

To know, to do; the Head’s commands, For this the body lives and grows;
All speed of feet and skill of hands, Is for Him spent, and from Him flows.
-author unknown
 
 
11　And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12　for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, 13　until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, [growing]  into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness. 14　Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit. 15　But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ. 16　From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part (Eph 4:11-16, HCSB).

The ultimate goal of our gifting and calling by God to serve Him in the church is the growth or maturity of the body. Is that your goal as an individual believer? Verses 13-16 describe what this goal of building up the body of Christ looks like.

The goal defined (v. 13): "until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, [growing] into a mature man with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness." Verse 13 answers the question, "How long will this continue?" Answer: Until we all reach the goal of unity, knowledge, and maturity as measured by Christ Himself. We are to come to complete conformity to Christ as the standard of perfection.

The Marks of Maturity

Verses 14-16 show us the results of attaining the goal of verse 13. First, we will be marked by Truth or doctrinal stability (v. 14): "Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit."

False doctrine is a hook God uses to draw false brethren away from the true church. Genuine believers are known for holding fast to the truth. There are many false teachers who use "human cunning and cleverness" to mislead and exploit people. Another version translates this phrase as: "ingenuity in inventing error" (Goodspeed). True believers do not "invent doctrine" but rather discover the doctrine of Scripture. Cleverness, novelty, and innovation in doctrine are not really things to celebrate in those who teach God’s Word. Faithfulness, clarity, and unity are traits to be praised.

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ (Col 2:8, NKJV).

A second mark of maturity is Love (v. 15): "But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ." Also, in verse 16: "building up itself in love." The phrase "speaking the truth," can be translated "hold the truth," "follow the truth," "pursue the truth," "live in the truth." Also, "let our lives lovingly express truth in all things—speaking truly, dealing truly, living truly" (Amplified Bible). How committed are you to truth? Do others see you that way?

How committed are you to love? Do others see you that way?

What do you love? What do you love more than anything else? Henry Scougal wrote, "The worth and excellence of a soul is to be measured by the object of its love." You become like that which you love. Do you love Christ? Do you love Him enough to put His priorities and concerns before your own? Tell me what you love and I will tell you the condition of your heart and soul.

A third mark of maturity for the church is Service (v. 16): "From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part."

As we draw our life from Christ our head, the body is nourished and strengthened. The body is seen as a unit, "fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament." How are you supporting the body? Are you joined to the body in such a way as to be supported yourself? This is how the church "promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love." No member of the church is to be left out. We grow into maturity as a church "by the proper working of each individual part."

How should you serve God? How has God gifted you? What ministry has God placed on your heart? There is a place for you that God has uniquely prepared, gifted, and called you to serve.

This is a story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody. There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it. Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did. Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job. Everybody thought that Anybody could do it but Nobody realized that Everybody would not do it. It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.
 
 
11　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, 13　till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:11-13, NKJV).

Last time we considered the job of a pastor, now we turn our attention to the saints (believers in general). In a previous article we saw that God’s Word says the saints are to carry out "the work of ministry," and we defined that as whatever role God has for you that either directly or indirectly fulfills the Great Commission—making disciples (Matt 28:19-20).

We also saw the process of ministry as follows: (1) The gifted men (evangelists, pastor/teachers) equip the saints, (2) the saints then serve (using their own gifts, see Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12; 1 Pet 4:10-11), (3) the body is then built up or edified and we all grow into maturity.

So every Christian is to contribute to this goal of spiritual maturity (Christlikeness). But you may be wondering, "Am I really qualified to do ministry?" Well, it may help to consider the qualifications of the original 12 disciples of Jesus. Here’s how one consulting firm evaluated the disciples:

To: Jesus, son of Joseph
Woodcrafter, Carpenter shop, Nazareth.

From Jordan Management Consultants

Dear Sir,

Thank you for submitting resumes of the 12 men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests; we not only ran the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.

It is our opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education, and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.

SIMON PETER is unstable and given to fits of temper. ANDREW has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, JAMES AND JOHN, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. THOMAS demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.

We feel it is our duty to tell you that MATTHEW has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau. JAMES, the son of Alpheus, and THADDEUS definitely have radical leanings, and they registered a high score on the manic depressive scale. SIMON THE ZEALOT, having pronounced terrorist leanings, would blow apart the harmony of the team.

One of the candidates however, shows great potential. He is a man of great ability, and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend JUDAS ISCARIOT as your controller and right hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.

We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely yours,
JORDAN MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS


Obviously God’s qualifications are not those of the world. God is glorified in using the unlikely to accomplish the extraordinary.

26　For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27　But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28　and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29　that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Cor 1:26-29, NKJV).

You might say, "But I have so many inadequacies. I don’t have what it takes." Great! You are just the kind of person God can use!

9　And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10　Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor 12:9-10, NKJV).

When you choose to rely on the Lord to serve Him you become the most qualified person to be used by Him. All He requires is a willing heart. Are you willing to let God use you in ministry? God doesn’t need your ability, but your availability.
 
 
In light of previous posts on the church, I think it would do us some good to examine the expectations we place on a pastor. Are they realistic? Even better, are they biblical? Where do we get a job description for a pastor? What if we were to poll church members and come up with a composite summation? Well, we might just end up with the following want ad. One wonders who would apply for the job.

"Minister Wanted"

A real challenge for the right man. Opportunity to become better acquainted with people. Limitless benefits! Applicant must offer experience and know-how as:

Office Manager, educator, artist, theologian, circus clown, audio engineer, politician, salesman, diplomat, writer, missionary, traffic cop, psychologist, funeral director, wedding consultant, master of ceremonies, athlete, and teenage specialist.

Must know all about the problems of birth, schooling, marriage, children, diets, and death. Also conversant with the latest theories and practice in economics, nuclear science, nutrition, pediatrics, and women’s liberation.

Right man will hold firm views on every subject, but is careful not to upset people who disagree. Must smile habitually, sing softly. Must be forthright, but flexible; return backbiting and gossip with Christian love and instant forgiveness.

Should have friendly disposition 24 hours a day. Must be a captivating speaker and intent listener.

Education preferably beyond Ph.D. requirements, but always concealed in homespun modesty and folksy tale. Able to sound learned, however. Familiar with literature read by congregational members. Will spend at least 30 hours per week in the study, but remain ever available and adaptable to sudden interruption.

Must certainly be "up" on current events, novels, the arts, and periodicals – reading a minimum of 15 hours weekly in fields outside the ministry.

Applicant’s wife must be both stunning and plain – smartly attired, but conservative in appearance. Gracious, yet discerning, loving, yet disciplined. Efficient, yet casual and available. Must be thrilled to work in church kitchen, teach Sunday school, run copy machine, baby sit, never become discouraged, never listen to gossip, and yet be fully aware of all church problems so she might "pray more intelligently."

Applicant’s children must be clean-cut, all-American models. No long hair, beards, mustaches, bare feet, overalls, or pukka-shell necklaces. Well-behaved, yet no different from other youths at church. Tanned and handsome, but seldom at the beach (unless witnessing). Present and quiet at all church services.

Applicant’s auto must not be new…or old. Adequate, but not stylish. No van, camper, sports car, convertible, or motorcycle permitted. Home near the church and always available for gatherings. Must be neither large nor small, lest others feel uneasy. Swimming pool questionable, since family must appear humble, slightly strained, decent, and unoffensive.

Directly responsible for views and conduct of all church members and visitors. Impervious to criticism, yet teachable and transparent. Visionary, yet budget-minded. Creative, yet traditional. Defender of the faith, yet pleasant and positive.

All replies kept confidential. Anyone applying must undergo full battery of exams…to determine sanity. (Source unknown)

Ridiculous? You bet. Exaggeration? Sure. But is there some truth to it? Yep! While you won’t find this want ad listed in any employment directory, many churches post them in the pew.

How thankful I am that I have not encountered this perspective here in our church! So what is a pastor to do? We don’t have to guess. God’s Word tells us plainly that Christ gave to the church gifts including that of pastor-teacher, "for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ" (Eph 4:12, HCSB).

What are the qualifications for a pastor? Again, God’s Word doesn’t leave us in the dark. You may read those qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. You will find there that almost all of the qualifications have to do with character qualities. Only one qualification has to do with function and that is to be able to teach God’s Word and refute those who contradict it.

Training season never ends this side of eternity. When the church is not trained, the ministry will flounder. As your pastor, you can count on me to provide training for your spiritual growth and personal ministry. Two questions for you to consider at this point: (1) Do you see yourself in need of training? (2) What kind of ministry does the Lord have for you to put that training into practice?
 
 
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel" (Mark 1:14-15, NKJV).

Repentance and Faith Must Always Be Joined
Jesus preached both repentance and faith. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same coin: Tails, we turn tail on the corrupt fruits of sin and unbelief; heads—we head straight for Jesus and trust His promises. Repentance is not optional anymore than faith is optional. Repentance and Faith are both commanded by Christ. The gospel is both an invitation and a command.

What is repentance? Repentance is a turning from sin and to God (Acts 3:19). In true repentance, one cannot turn to God without turning from sin and one cannot turn from sin without turning to God. Two Greek words are translated "repent" in the New Testament. First, metanoia means literally "a change of mind." This word is used in Acts 17:30, "God . . . now commands all men everywhere to repent." The other word is epistrophei which means "to turn to, to cause to return, to bring back." It is used in 1 Thess 1:9, "you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." Both words are used in Acts 26:20, "repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance."

What is faith? Faith is unwavering trust in the promises of God. Saving faith is not mere mental assent, but an active response to God in trust and obedience. The Reformers identified three aspects of biblical faith: (1) I understand with my mind – notitia, (2) I accept with my emotions – assensus, (3) I trust with my will – fiducia. Peter put it this way, "He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God" (1 Pet 1:20-21).

We must not think that we can be saved by reforming our lives without trusting in the righteousness of Christ. We must us also not think we can be saved by trusting in Christ without having a change of life. Christ preached both repentance and faith and what Christ has joined together let no man separate!

We create hideous and monstrous distortions of the gospel when we separate repentance and faith. Imagine what you would have with repentance without faith:

 • Repentance without faith leads a man to despair by not hearing or believing the promises of God in the gospel (God’s love, forgiveness, acceptance, security). He is left with bitter regret, no hope, no assurance.
 • Repentance without faith leads a man to pride in thinking he can "pull himself up by his own bootstraps." He doesn’t need a Savior. He’s a self-made man or woman.
 • Repentance without faith makes God a liar: "he who does not believe God has made Him a liar" (1 John 5:10).
 • It’s impossible to repent without faith: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Heb 11:6).
 • Repentance without faith cannot save. Two examples in the Bible of those who had repentance without faith are Esau and Judas Iscariot. Neither is a positive role model!

Imagine what you would have with faith without repentance: 

 • Faith without repentance presumes on the grace of God.
 • Faith without repentance is not real faith because it doesn’t actually believe God’s Word (ignores the command to repent).
 • Faith without repentance is nothing more than the faith of demons: "You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?" (Jas 2:19). 
 • Faith without repentance cannot save: "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven" (Matt 7:21).
 • Those who never repent of their sin will never inherit the kingdom of God: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 6:9-10).
 • Those who refuse to repent will end up in hell: "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Rev 21: 8).

What we need is to proclaim both and practice both. We need repentance that causes us to deny ourselves and follow Christ because He has redeemed us through faith in His shed blood. We need to be stripped of our pride and our sin in repentance, and clothed with grace and righteousness in faith.

Repentance ejects sin from the heart and faith enthrones Christ as Lord. Repentance purges the soul from dead works and faith fills the soul with living works. Repentance tears down the fortress of hostility to God and faith builds a temple for the habitation of the Spirit of God. Repentance is the time to weep and mourn over sin and faith is the time to rejoice in the grace and salvation of God.

The Problem of False Converts
The greatest hindrance to the purity of the church and the spread of the gospel is not the existence of unbelievers in the world. Rather, it’s the existence of unrepentant and unbelieving people in the church. Nominal Christianity is the greatest obstacle to real Christianity.

There are many who profess faith in our churches, but never manifest the fruit of repentance and faith—a heart that loves to obey God. You’d think I was nuts if I tried to explain to you a sun that never did shine or a fire that never did give heat. That would be no kind of sun or no kind of fire. If you saw a body lying still with no signs of life you’d say it was dead.

If you see a professing believer who does not love God, does not obey God, does not produce any evidence of being born again, then we must conclude we are dealing with someone who does not know God.

He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him (1 John 2:4).

The Greatest Need We Have
What is the greatest goal of salvation? To escape the consequences of Sin? To go to heaven when you die? To make your grandmother happy?

No! The greatest goal of salvation is to have every obstacle that interferes with your enjoyment of God removed, namely, the eradication of your sinful nature in exchange for a new, Holy Spirit-wrought nature that is able to truly love God and delight in God. Your greatest need is not to escape judgment, or go to Heaven, or experience forgiveness for past sins. Your greatest need is for conversion, for transformation, for regeneration! Prior to conversion, your sin nature dominates your heart (emotions), mind, and will. You need to be liberated from the bondage of sin so you can: (1) Understand and believe the truth of God in your mind, (2) Obey God with your will, (3) Love God from the heart (affections).

As a Christian, you will continue to need to practice repentance and faith because not one of us does these perfectly (believe God, obey God, love God).

If you’ve never been converted, allow me to summarize the main issue for you. (1) Your sins are an offense to God and have separated you from God. (2) You are totally unable to remedy your situation. (3) Only Christ, as He is offered to you in the gospel, can save you. If you agree with and believe these three truths, seek God for salvation. Plead with Him for deliverance from the bondage to sin. Appeal to His grace to grant you repentance and faith. Ask Him for the gift of the Holy Spirit to give you a new heart and to bring you to a sound and thorough conversion.

Why must we keep faith and repentance joined?

 • You cannot dirty your hands and expect to be clean.
 • You cannot run from God and expect to be reconciled to Him.
 • You cannot be ignoring Him and be believing Him.
 • You cannot be saved by faith without repentance.
 
 
11　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, 13　till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:11-13, NKJV).

Last week we considered the job of a pastor, now we turn our attention to the saints (believers in general). In a previous article we saw that God’s Word says the saints are to carry out "the work of ministry," and we defined that as whatever role God has for you that either directly or indirectly fulfills the Great Commission—making disciples (Matt 28:19-20).

We also saw the process of ministry as follows: (1) The gifted men (evangelists, pastor/teachers) equip the saints, (2) the saints then serve (using their own gifts, see Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12; 1 Pet 4:10-11), (3) the body is then built up or edified and we all grow into maturity.

So every Christian is to contribute to this goal of spiritual maturity (Christlikeness). But you may be wondering, "Am I really qualified to do ministry?" Well, it may help to consider the qualifications of the original 12 disciples of Jesus. Here’s how one consulting firm evaluated the disciples:

To: Jesus, son of Joseph
Woodcrafter, Carpenter shop, Nazareth.

From Jordan Management Consultants

Dear Sir,

Thank you for submitting resumes of the 12 men you have picked for management positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests; we not only ran the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.

It is our opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education, and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.

SIMON PETER is unstable and given to fits of temper.

ANDREW has absolutely no qualities of leadership.

The two brothers, JAMES AND JOHN, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty.

THOMAS demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale.

We feel it is our duty to tell you that MATTHEW has been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau.

JAMES, the son of Alpheus, and THADDEUS definitely have radical leanings, and they registered a high score on the manic depressive scale.

SIMON THE ZEALOT, having pronounced terrorist leanings, would blow apart the harmony of the team.

One of the candidates however, shows great potential. He is a man of great ability, and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious and responsible. We recommend JUDAS ISCARIOT as your controller and right hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.

We wish you every success in your new venture.

Sincerely yours,
JORDAN MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS

Obviously God’s qualifications are not those of the world. God is glorified in using the unlikely to accomplish the extraordinary.

26　For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27　But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28　and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29　that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Cor 1:26-29, NKJV).

You might say, "But I have so many inadequacies. I don’t have what it takes." Great! You are just the kind of person God can use!

9　And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10　Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Cor 12:9-10, NKJV).

When you choose to rely on the Lord to serve Him you become the most qualified person to be used by Him. All He requires is a willing heart. Are you willing to let God use you in ministry?

God doesn’t need your ability, but your availability.

Serving with you,
Pastor Massimo
 
 
In light of last week’s article, I think it would do us some good to examine the expectations we place on a pastor. Are they realistic? Even better, are they biblical? Where do we get a job description for a pastor? What if we were to poll church members and come up with a composite summation? Well, we might just end up with the following want ad. One wonders who would apply for the job.

"Minister Wanted"

A real challenge for the right man. Opportunity to become better acquainted with people. Limitless benefits! Applicant must offer experience and know-how as:

Office Manager, educator, artist, theologian, circus clown, audio engineer, politician, salesman, diplomat, writer, missionary, traffic cop, psychologist, funeral director, wedding consultant, master of ceremonies, athlete, and teenage specialist.

Must know all about the problems of birth, schooling, marriage, children, diets, and death. Also conversant with the latest theories and practice in economics, nuclear science, nutrition, pediatrics, and women’s liberation.

Right man will hold firm views on every subject, but is careful not to upset people who disagree. Must smile habitually, sing softly. Must be forthright, but flexible; return backbiting and gossip with Christian love and instant forgiveness.

Should have friendly disposition 24 hours a day. Must be a captivating speaker and intent listener.

Education preferably beyond Ph.D. requirements, but always concealed in homespun modesty and folksy tale. Able to sound learned, however. Familiar with literature read by congregational members. Will spend at least 30 hours per week in the study, but remain ever available and adaptable to sudden interruption.

Must certainly be "up" on current events, novels, the arts, and periodicals – reading a minimum of 15 hours weekly in fields outside the ministry.

Applicant’s wife must be both stunning and plain – smartly attired, but conservative in appearance. Gracious, yet discerning, loving, yet disciplined. Efficient, yet casual and available. Must be thrilled to work in church kitchen, teach Sunday school, run copy machine, baby sit, never become discouraged, never listen to gossip, and yet be fully aware of all church problems so she might "pray more intelligently."

Applicant’s children must be clean-cut, all-American models. No long hair, beards, mustaches, bare feet, overalls, or pukka-shell necklaces. Well-behaved, yet no different from other youths at church. Tanned and handsome, but seldom at the beach (unless witnessing). Present and quiet at all church services.

Applicant’s auto must not be new…or old. Adequate, but not stylish. No van, camper, sports car, convertible, or motorcycle permitted. Home near the church and always available for gatherings. Must be neither large nor small, lest others feel uneasy. Swimming pool questionable, since family must appear humble, slightly strained, decent, and unoffensive.

Directly responsible for views and conduct of all church members and visitors. Impervious to criticism, yet teachable and transparent. Visionary, yet budget-minded. Creative, yet traditional. Defender of the faith, yet pleasant and positive.

All replies kept confidential. Anyone applying must undergo full battery of exams…to determine sanity. (Source unknown)

Ridiculous? You bet. Exaggeration? Sure. But is there some truth to it? Yep! While you won’t find this want ad listed in any employment directory, many churches post them in the pew.

How thankful I am that I have not encountered this perspective here in our church! So what is a pastor to do? We don’t have to guess. God’s Word tells us plainly that Christ gave to the church gifts including that of pastor-teacher, "for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ" (Eph 4:12, HCSB).

What are the qualifications for a pastor? Again, God’s Word doesn’t leave us in the dark. You may read those qualifications in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. You will find there that almost all of the qualifications have to do with character qualities. Only one qualification has to do with function and that is to be able to teach God’s Word and refute those who contradict it.

Training season never ends this side of eternity. When the church is not trained, the ministry will flounder. As your pastor, you can count on me to provide training for your spiritual growth and personal ministry. Two questions for you to consider at this point: (1) Do you see yourself in need of training? (2) What kind of ministry does the Lord have for you to put that training into practice?

Serving with you,

Pastor Massimo
 
 
11 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, (Eph 4:11-12, NKJV).

Here we find the divine plan for ministry. The Lord Jesus has gifted His church with leaders who equip the believers for ministry. Verse 11 lists those Christ has given as gifts to His church: "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers." The gifts are the men themselves, not just the capacities given them or the offices they hold.

The first two offices are "apostles" and "prophets." These appear to be limited to the first Christian generation as foundational to the church (cf. 2:20; 3:5). Apostles were those who had seen Christ (1 Cor 9:1-2), were witnesses of His resurrection (Acts 1:8, 21-23), and were immediately commissioned by Him to preach the gospel (Matt 10:5; Gal 1:1). In a broader sense, others closely associated with the apostles directly commissioned by Jesus are also called apostles (Barnabas in Acts 14:4,14; Timothy and Silas in 1 Thess 2:6).

Prophets performed a preaching function; they spoke under the direct inspiration of the Spirit of God. Through them, God gave guidance and instruction to the church when there was no written New Testament (NT). After the writing of the NT, the offices of apostle and prophet appear to have ceased. Evangelists and pastor-teachers are needed for every age and so continue.

The word "evangelists" occurs only three times in the NT, to describe Philip (Acts 21:8), Timothy (2 Tim 4:5), and here in Ephesians 4. It means "one who announces good news." This is a special gifting and ability to preach the gospel clearly and effectively to the unconverted, often in an itinerant ministry. It also may be a special enablement to equip others to share their faith. Our text certainly indicates that the function of these gifted men is for the equipping of the saints for their ministry.

The next office is translated "pastors and teachers." The original Greek text signifies one office with a dual function. Note the text reads "some pastors and teachers" rather than "some pastors and some teachers." When the modifier "some" is used with the conjunction "and" then it applies to both nouns.

Rather than being itinerant, the emphasis of the teaching pastor is on shepherding and instructing in a settled ministry. This office is synonymous with bishop/overseer and elder. We find all three terms used together by Peter:

1　The elders [elder] who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: 2　Shepherd [pastor] the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers [bishop/overseer] (1 Pet 5:1-2a, emphasis added).

The pastor-teacher is to give himself to the teaching of the Word of God. He is to present every believer under His charge mature in Christ: "Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus"(Col 1:28). They are not to be distracted by other tasks that can be delegated to others (see Acts 6:1-6).

Christ’s gift of apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastor-teachers are given for a specific purpose: "for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (v. 12).

The word "equipping" means "to make fully ready." The dictionary defines equip as, "to supply with intellectual, emotional, and spiritual essentials." The believers are equipped "for the work of ministry." We can define "work of ministry" as whatever role God has for you that either directly or indirectly contributes to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. "Ministry" means service; to minister means to serve. Every Christian should be "in the ministry."

And what is this work of ministry or serving supposed to achieve? It all should contribute to "the edifying of the body of Christ." To edify means to build up. It refers to growth in maturity.

The process then is: (1) The gifted men equip the saints, (2) the saints then serve (using their own gifts, (see Rom 12:3-8; 1 Cor 12; 1 Pet 4:10-11), (3) the body is then built up or edified and we all grow into maturity (i.e. Christlikeness). Every Christian is to contribute to this goal.

Every Christian is commissioned, for every Christian is a missionary. It has been said that the gospel is not merely something to come to church to hear but something to go from the church to tell—and we are all appointed to tell it. It has also been said, "Christianity began as a company of lay witnesses; it has become a professional pulpitism, financed by lay spectators!" Nowadays we hire a church staff to do "full-time Christian work," and we sit in church on Sunday to watch them do it. Every Christian is meant to be in full-time Christian service . . . There is indeed a special ministry of pastor-teachers and evangelists – but for what? . . . For the perfecting of the saints for their ministry. –Vance Havner

What an amazing plan God has for us! What a privilege to be part of His church! I trust you are already engaged in ministry or moving in that direction. If not, what is keeping you from it? God has a plan for His church and that plan includes YOU! A body needs all its parts functioning to be healthy. Ask yourself, "Am I doing my part?"
 
 
Have you met the Tate family? Every church seems to have some members of the Tate family. Perhaps you have met some of them.

There is old man Dic-Tate who wants to run everything, while Uncle Ro-Tate tries to change everything. There's sister Agi-Tate who stirs up plenty of trouble, with help from her husband, Irri-Tate.

Whenever new projects are suggested, Hesi-Tate and his wife, Vege-Tate, want to wait until next year. Then there is Aunt Imi-Tate, who wants our church to be like all the others. Devas-Tate provides the voice of doom, while Poten-Tate wants to be a big shot.

But not all members of the family are difficult. Brother Facili-Tate is quite helpful in church matters. And a delightful, happy member of the family is Miss Felici-Tate. Cousins Cogi-Tate and Medi-Tate always think things over and lend helpful, steady hands.

And of course there is the black sheep of the family, Ampu-Tate, who has completely cut himself off from the church.

Sound familiar? That humorous story illustrates the diversity found in churches. It is amazing that God has brought people together from such diverse backgrounds to work together as a local church carrying out gospel ministry. While the diversity can sometimes cause friction, God intends that the diversity of members should serve to strengthen the church as each one makes his or her unique contribution.

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8 Therefore He says: 
    "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men."　　
9 (Now this, "He ascended"--what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) (Eph 4:7-10, NKJV).

First, observe in v. 7, "But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift." Christ is the source of spiritual gifts given to every believer. Spiritual gifts are divinely granted capacities for spiritual service. The purpose of spiritual gifts is for mutual edification. These gifts are sovereignly and graciously given to individual members of Christ’s body. Spiritual gifts are granted to us for the purpose of conducting good works that edify the body.

Secondly, we also learn that Christ’s grace gifts are given "to each one of us." No Christian can rightfully say that he or she has nothing to contribute to the life of the church. Christ not only calls us to spiritual service, He equips us.

Paul next quotes from Psalm 68:18 demonstrating that Christ is the One who leads His people out of captivity. In verse 8 we read, "When He ascended on high." Paul identifies the One who ascended is Christ who "first descended into the lower parts of the earth," v. 9. In His humility, Christ descended to earth in His incarnation to serve us. Possibly, though not likely, it can refer to descent into the grave or Hades, in other words, the death of Christ (cf. Acts 2:27, "For you will not leave My soul in Hades, nor will You allow Your holy one to see corruption.")

After His resurrection, Jesus "ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things," v. 10. He is the ascended Lord of the universe who has all authority in heaven and on earth (Mat 28:18). The extent of His authority is unlimited. His grace and gifts supply sufficiently to every need. He fills all things.

Jesus is Lord of His church. He purchased His bride with the price of His own blood. He has a purpose and a plan for His church. That purpose is to glorify the grace of God among all people. His plan is to give gifts to His church to equip and mobilize the saints of God to spread the Good News. Jesus loves His church and supplies His church. We are His captives being led His glorious train. How wonderful it is to be part of His triumphal procession! We will learn next week about the various gifts Christ gives to His church. But for now, take a moment to thank and praise God for calling you and gifting you to be part of His eternal purpose.