Gifts and Ministries
Gifts & Ministries
This blog is part three of a ten-part series on the church. We are going to take a brief look at the gifts and ministries given to the whole church and all believers, compared to certain roles of leadership that are given to only some, which we will look at in the following videos.
Have you ever asked yourself or even God, what your purpose in this life is and in the church? Or perhaps, what gifts you have been given?
We must understand and distinguish gifts and ministries given to the whole ekklesia, men, and women alike, and roles or “offices” established within local churches.
Gifts & Ministries Benefit the Church
First of all, GIFTS & MINISTRIES are given to the church, to each member of the body (not to a member of an organization). The Bible tells us that we can and should desire gifts, but ultimately, God or Jesus gives them, we don’t take them or just study to gain a new skill. The purpose of these gifts and ministries is for the benefit of the body, to equip the saints for works of ministry, and to build up the body of Christ. The purpose is to attain unity, knowledge of the son of God, and be a mature believer, that is, to be like Jesus.
There are spiritual gifts and ministries given to individuals in the church. God or Jesus gives them, we don’t decide what gift we will have, unlike how one would decide to be an elder or overseer. These gifts are God’s spirit manifested in all the people, the church, for the benefit of the whole church, all the people.
The Gifts
The GIFTS given are:
- Message of wisdom
- Message of knowledge
- Faith
- Gifts of healing
- Performance of miracles
- Prophecy
- Discernment of spirits
- Different kinds of languages
- Interpretation of languages
The Ministries
Paul tells us that those members many consider less, are to be clothed with greater honor and dignity. The presentable members do not need this. Instead, God has blended together the body, giving greater honor to the lesser member, so that there may be no division in the body, and that there would be mutual concern for one another. (1 Corinthians 12:12-31)
The goal is maturity and unity!
The MINISTRIES given are:
- first apostles
- second prophets
- third teachers
- then miracles
- gifts of healing, helps
- gifts of leadership
- different kinds of tongues
Be Transformed & Serve
Again, we are told to be eager for the greater gifts. We can yearn for them, but God or Jesus still gives them.
Therefore, I exhort you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a sacrifice—alive, holy, and pleasing to God—which is your reasonable service. Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:1-2)
We are called to service and transformation!
Use Your Gifts & Ministries to the Fullest
For by the grace given to me I say to every one of you not to think more highly of yourself than you ought to think but to think with sober discernment, as God has distributed to each of you a measure of faith. For just as in one body we have many members, and not all the members serve the same function, so we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually we are members who belong to one another. And we have different gifts according to the grace given to us. If the gift is prophecy, that individual must use it in proportion to his faith. If it is service, he must serve; if it is teaching, he must teach; if it is exhortation, he must exhort; if it is contributing, he must do so with sincerity; if it is leadership, he must do so with diligence; if it is showing mercy, he must do so with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:3-8)
We must use each gift we are give to its fullest with all that we have!
Christ’s Gifts
Ephesians 4 talks about gifts given to “men” (Anthropos), that is mankind, meaning to both genders.
444 (anthrōpos) relates to both genders (male and female) as both are created in the image of God – each equally vested with individual personhood and destiny (cf. Gal 3:28). Accordingly, the Bible uses 444 (ánthrōpos) of a specific man, woman, or class (type, group) of people – i.e. mankind in general (inclusive of every man, woman and child; see also 1 Cor 11:7). (435 /anḗr specifically refers to a male and 1135 /gynḗ to a female.)
It is according to Christ’s gift what and how much is given. The gifts mentioned in Ephesians 4 are:
- Apostles
- Prophets
- Evangelists
- Pastors
- Teachers
Equip the Saints
The PURPOSE of these five gifts in the church is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, that is, to build up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God—a mature person, attaining to the measure of Christ’s full stature (to help us all become like Christ, living and serving as Christ did!)
As each one does its part, the body builds itself up in love. There is an order, as we do our part or use our gift, then the body is built up in love. Love is not just a feeling or an emotion. We must work together for one another and when we do this, the world will see Christ and we will grow up into Christ who is the head of the church (Ephesians 4:12-16).
All are Given Gifts and Ministries
The whole church is involved in this. It is not just for a select few or for those in offices of leadership. In order to have a healthy church, each member must be ministering to others with his or her gifts.
In part four we will take a look at the offices of elders, overseers and deacons.
