Wednesday, October 24
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift” (Ephesians 4:7, NKJV). While salvation is a gift given to all people who will receive it, some spiritual gifts are given to certain people for a special purpose.
Read Ephesians 4:11. What gifts of leadership does God give to the church?
According to Ephesians 4:12, what is God’s purpose in giving special gifts of leadership to the church? How do these gifts relate to each other?
All Christians are in a sense ministers and servants of God and the Gospel. Christ’s commission in Matthew 28:19, 20 is given to all Christians to go, to make disciples of all nations, to baptize, and to teach. The work of ministry is not given only to a privileged few, such as pastors and/or evangelists, but to all who bear the name of Christ. No one can claim exemption from the work of spreading the Gospel, and no church leader can claim to have an exclusive ministry. The spiritual gifts of leadership are specifically to edify the church. Church leaders are needed to foster, promote, and encourage unity.
Paul’s list of gifts of leadership tells us that these roles are also for equipping God’s people to reach the lost. It is the responsibility of some specially called people within the church to help others fulfill their ministry and service for Christ, and to edify the body of Christ, “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” (Ephesians 4:13, NKJV). The example of Jesus’ style of leadership must guide how we do ministry. Jesus came to serve others and not to be served (Matthew 20:25-28); we must go and do likewise.
There is a strong tendency among humans to be independent and not accountable to anyone. Western society, in particular, is plagued by this inclination. Paul reminds us, however, that no Christian is alone in this world and that we form a community of faith with spiritual leaders to help encourage one another in our common journey. We are, all together, part of the body of Christ.
What spiritual gifts do you have, and how are you using them for the unity of your local church?
