Have you ever thought about the purpose of this thing we call church? In Ephesians 4 Paul breaks down why God gave us leaders.
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13
God gave these leaders to equip his people for works of service. Jesus said, “let your light so shine before men that they see your good deeds and glorify your father in heaven.” These good deed are the works of service we are talking about.
Do you remember when Jesus said, “The greatest among you will be your servant”? The service we offer is our purpose, our gift, our call. God gave us gifts to use them. In Ephesians 4:7 Paul says, “But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.”
It was through that grace that God gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. It was through that same grace that God gave you your gift. If people don’t use their God given gift, then how can people receive from God what he gave to you to give? Think about that! And if people don’t know they have a God given gift how could they know how to use it?
The purpose of this thing we call church should be a training grounds to dominate in life. It should be an equipping to thrive in the world. Jesus said, “Let your light so shine before men”, Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.” We are the light of the world not the light of the church. The light of the church concept is what Jesus referred to as lighting a lamp and sticking it under a basket. Church should be a training ground for using your gifts to dominate in business, education, entertainment, government, the arts, so on and so forth. We should do such amazing things that the world should look in amazement at what the kingdom citizens can accomplish.
Everywhere Jesus went he solved problems. He healed the sick, the blind, the deaf, made the dead not dead. Fisherman who caught no fish caught fish. Jesus stopped a stormy sea when men feared for their life. Jesus solved real world problems with kingdom solutions.
Jesus said it like this in John 14:12-14
“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.”
This thing we call church should be a training and equipping grounds to do, “greater things than these,” but for reals. Getting into these good works causes us to grow in faith, grow in the experiential knowledge of Jesus and causes us to mature. When we learn actual kingdom concepts and apply them not only do we find that they work but it causes us to truly discover who God is and who we are. In this process we actually attain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
That’s what I’m talking about!