Spring 2010 Pastor's Corner

“How Does this Body Grow?”

Over the last year (Summer 2009 and Winter 2009) we have been implementing a new community emphasis in our church. We have begun what we call Gospel Community Groups (GCG’s) as an initial step towards helping us become a church that functions like the New Testament expects churches to function.

Churches are not social clubs, where like-minded people gather to have some enjoyable social interaction. Churches are not social clubs, where like-minded people gather to have some enjoyable social interaction. Churches are not buildings serving as preaching points, where people gather once a week to listen to a great sermon. Churches are not evangelism platforms, serving to organize and support outreach efforts. Of course, a New Testament sort of church would have elements of all of that. But it is never depicted in these terms.

The common analogies of the church are that of a building, or, notably a body. And for a moment, I want to focus on the body analogy, as it is presented in Ephesians 4:11-16. I’m going to assume that you can look at it and exegete the details within it. My purpose right now is not in the details, it’s in the big-picture.

I’ll put it in a question: “How does this body grow?” Basically, three steps. First, God gives to the body especially skilled workers. You see them listed in verse 11. Finishing up with the pastor-teachers who equip the saints. That’s step two. God gives, and then, secondly, these workers work.

But here’s the critical point: pastor-teachers don’t do the work of the ministry, verse 12, the saints do. Now, of course, pastor-teachers do, too. And this equipping is itself ministry work. I think we all understand that. But what I’m trying to underline—and what the rest of the passage underlines—is that the body as a whole takes the third step to bring about the body’s growth.

We all are built up; we all speak the truth in love which helps us all to grow up in every way. The whole body—verse 16—makes the body grow, so that it builds itself up in love. Do you see that? By no means can we overlook God’s enabling, empowering, equipping Spirit. Apart from him we can do nothing. And by no means can we overlook his gifted workers that he places in the body to equip it in unique ways.

The whole body... makes the body grow, so that it builds itself up in love.

But Christian—you are a minister. And notice what sort of minister you are, as a minister/member of this body that builds itself up. You are not just called to do the grunt work. You are not just to show up, give your money, sing, bring people, and pray— while some specially gifted one does the real work of speaking the truth of the scripture in love, of helping to guard against deceit, of building up people.

Yes, again, yes—there are gifts that God gives that make us all different in how we minister. But we all minister to each other, all working together to build ourselves up in the truth. What this means is the following: in our Gospel Community Groups, you are a “gospeller.” You bring the gospel to others. You speak it, pray it, believe it, live it, and help others to do likewise. If you see a need for gospel encouragement, take it. If you wonder about sin in someone’s life, ask. If you know a truth that could help a situation, speak it, lovingly. If you see a cunning error being followed, point it out. Do the work of the ministry, so that we all can reach maturity, together.

In Christ,

Steve Clark
Senior Pastor