Where Do You Fit?

Have you ever wondered where you fit in the larger picture and function of the Church? You were wired a certain way by God to do unique things in the Kingdom. If you are one who is called to equip the Church to do the work of the ministry here is a simple way to see the five gifts Paul described in Ephesians 4.

Apostles receive the download of a heavenly blueprint.

Prophets announce the blueprint.

Evangelists recruit people to the blueprint.

Pastors create the environment where the blueprint can grow and flourish.

Teachers expand and teach each element of the blueprint.

Over time you may carry a dominant equipping gift and actually be known in the Church for the function of that gift. In reality, there may be times when you might function in several of these gifts at the same time depending on how God chooses to use you in a particular season of life.

Paul said the functioning of the five equipping gifts matures the Church and allows her to stand in her full stature. As a result of the harmonious function of these gifts, we will no longer be tossed about by divisive teaching and unstable influences.

Paul ends his treatise on the subject by revealing one of the goals of this equipping, “Instead, we will speak the truth in love.” The full manifestation of a group of people equipped to do the work of the ministry is not the mechanics or style of ministry. It is each part speaking the truth of God with a heart of love to each other and to the surrounding culture.  The sound of that united voice will reveal the life of Jesus expressed through a fully equipped and mature Church. That is is how the original heavenly blueprint is supposed to look and sound when revealed on Earth.  Paul described that image as, “growing in every way more and more like Christ.” 

When Jesus gave the equipping gifts to the Church He gave those gifts to help us stand in culture as a flesh and blood representation of His life. That is the ultimate goal of a fully functioning blueprint made possible by the recognition and release of the five equipping gifts.