16 JAN 23 Monday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“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
It is interesting that we have made changes over the centuries to what was intended in being the church and how it is to function. The old saying, form follows function rings true and explains the frustration of many in the church. Pastors wonder why the people are not embracing the “doing” side of the church and the people wonder why they are not getting the entertainment value from their tithing dollars. We are off the mark in a big way.
The form of church actually produces the very problem that everyone is complaining about. Pastors and teachers have become pushers of information and motivational speech entertainment. The people have become consumers and self focused. Paul states that everyone is to grow healthy and mature, being able to live the life Christ expects.
The leaders of the church are supposed to be trainers, not orators or entertainers. The people are to be developed into practitioners to do the work of ministry both in the church and reaching the lost for Christ. All of us have roles and responsibilities that serve to fulfill the mission we were commissioned to complete. If the church is not fulfilling the mission, producing mature people, and multiplying disciples, it is not a church. It’s a country club.
Are you being developed into a practitioner or a consumer?
Reading Plan: Psalm 25; Isa. 44:6-8, 21-23; Eph. 4:1-16; Mark 3:7-19
Daily Office Year 1
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