A Change In Mindset
Ephesians 4 claims that the purpose of the five fold is to “equip the saints for the work of the service”. Not equipping the staff, not even myself, but the saints at large! We, as mature Christians in the Church, have to give up control and begin to teach others how to stand as Christians. So often we “enable” fellow believers by doing everything for them; for example, we often…..
Do This................................rather than........................... Equip Them For This .
Read the Bible to them...........................................Have them read the Bible themselves
Interpret the Bible through preaching ................Have the Holy Spirit reveal Truth through the Word
Read or recite written prayers................................Allow one to verbalize their personal faith to God
Have a Bible in the pew..........................................Disciplining one to bring along their Bible
Call the Pastor to lead one to the Lord.................Lead someone themselves into saving Grace
Call the Pastor if someone is sick......................... Lay hands on the sick & anoint them for healing
Call the Pastor to visit the sick...............................Personally visit the sick yourself
Send the needy to the Pastor................................Practice hospitality, make meals, reach out
Go on a missions trip...............................................Minister the same way to those in our own community
Good Sunday School Program..................................Raise ones children in a Godly home environment
Provide a good Youth Group......................................Bonding with ones adolescent during puberty
So we may have to rethink how “we can equip the saints for the work of the service”. It may take a new mindset on how to do it. How can we equip one to share the evangelistic message, or be hospitable, or search the written word, the Bible, for themselves, or grow in their spirituality, or grow in leadership and oversight? How do we free the believer in Jesus Christ to be all he can be in Jesus unless we free him, instruct him, and guide and equip him? Studying the passions and the point of view of the five fold may change our way of thinking, and when they do, teaching and equipping others may release them to grow in the Lord as only we can now imagine.