Gifted

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.” (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 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. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Living a Worthy Life

Making Every Effort

Unity of the Spirit

Bond of Peace

One

Ephesians 4:4–6 NIV

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

So it’s first of all once again about God! And God is orderly. There is a process. We begin with right understanding of God in Christ. Then we discover the connection of faith, then testify to it in baptism and profession of faith, then we give our lives to following Him. That covers all areas of life.

That growing relationship with God leads to a growing relationship with others...

Many Gifts

Leaders: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers

Equip Everyone for works of service

Apostles

may be those with vision who can start a new ministry and develop it

-strength-vision, weakness-get bored easily

Prophets

Those who preach and/or those who call us back to center

-strength- insight, weakness- bossy/controlling

Evangelists

Those who creatively share the gospel or pioneer in reaching new groups

strengths- bold, salvation for others, weakness-can get spread too thin

These are not the only spiritual gifts

But these are key gifts that build up the church. No one person has them all in large measure. That’s why we are all needed. Together we can see God do amazing things.

Ephesians 4:12–15 NIV

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. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

Goal: Maturity in Christ

A Local Expression of the Body of Christ

Ephesians 4:16 NIV

From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Spiritual and Numerical Growth

Key Leaders Developing Others

Everyone serving

How do I respond?

Do everything you can to grow

Discover your gifts

Serve

Be a unifying presence