Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12
Many people tend to look at their roles in the church as unimportant. They think that if they do not volunteer or step in to serve, the church will not be negatively impacted. The truth is, however, that this line of thinking is not true. You see, God has gifted each and every follower of Christ with specific gifts and abilities for the purpose of serving the church. When even one person does not utilize their gifts, the church misses out.
Paul wrote about the invaluable roles that each believer plays in the church in Ephesians 4. In this chapter, He wrote, "God has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ" (verse 7). All of us are given these gifts from the Holy Spirit, according to this passage of Scripture. The New Testament reveals that these are gifts such as teaching, pastoring, wisdom, encouragement, and more. The Holy Spirit gives each one of us special gifts for a purpose. These gifts are specific and intentionally given. What is the purpose of these gifts? The purpose of these gifts is to"build up the church, the body of Christ" (verse 12). In other words, God has given us spiritual gifts not for our benefit, but for the benefit of the church. When we all play our essential roles in the church, the church is strengthened.
It is time that we take our roles seriously in the church. It is time that we use our gifts to make an impact in the church. Are you ready to use your gifts to help build up the body of Christ? There is no time to waste! After all, the church needs each one of us to use the specific, unique gifts that God has given us to help build up the church and make it strong. How has God gifted you? Has he given you the gift of encouragement? Has He given you the gift of hospitality, where you have the ability to make everyone feel welcome and at home? Maybe God has given you the gift of evangelism, and you cannot help but tell others around you the difference Christ has made in your life. However God has gifted you, will you commit to using these gifts that God has given you to build up the church?
In order to use our gifts to serve the church, we need to understand just what our spiritual gifts are. Take time now to complete a Spiritual Gifts Inventory at https://gifts.churchgrowth.org/spiritual-gifts-survey/ and discover the spiritual gifts that God has given you. When you are finished, pray. In your prayer, commit to using the gifts God has given you to serve those around you.
Ephesians 4:11-16
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.
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