“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”
Ephesians 4:11-16
Have you ever heard this statement in church? It is common for people to feel this way when individuals are challenged to share in the ministry. Many people think that it is the responsibility of the pastor, staff, deacons, and a select spiritual elite to do all the ministry. Is this thought process correct, and has this always been the model of how churches operate? If not, when and why did it change, and what has been the effect on the church because of it?
The Apostle Paul, while writing to the church in Ephesus, takes the time to explain how the church is to be united with one another and that they are a body that is joined together. In Ephesians 4:11-16 he explains that God gave gifts to the church in the form of servants. Paul states in verse 12 that these individuals were given to the church to equip them for ministry so they could be built up. Ministry is service, and it is the responsibility of these individuals to help train and supply the church with the needed knowledge and experience to carry out the church’s acts of service. This is followed up by stating that their responsibility is to develop the believers in maturity. This is explained as they are to be built up in the body, which means to see them spiritually strengthened. They are to instruct them so they know and understand the scripture and will not be deceived by false teachers. Lastly, he encourages them to speak the truth in love and illustrates that they must be a fully healthy body working together for God’s glory.
We Were All Involved
From the very onset of Jesus’s ministry, others were involved. He equipped and trained His followers by having them do and participate in ministry. This direct training allowed the disciples to reach the world with the Gospel and follow Jesus’s commands. The church in the first century was a group of people who cooperated and worked together to advance the Gospel. Though they had their problems, divisions, factions, and other issues, they worked together for the cause of Christ. The earliest account of this is seen in Acts 2:41-47 when Peter preached on the day of Pentecost, and many came to faith in Jesus. The individuals were united and seen fellowshipping and ministering to one another’s needs. Through this unity and shared ministry of the church, the Lord added many to it daily.
A Divide That Was Never Intended
There has been a gap and separation between those called into vocational ministry and those who have yet to. They were to unite to spread the Gospel and ministry through the local church. Sadly, this has been the prevalent view of the church for many years. The outcome of this divide is that ministry falls on one group of people in the church while the others are left just wanting to be ministered to. A divide was never intended to happen and remains a problem in churches today.
The church was united and worked as one for the first three hundred years. It faced intense persecution, with many of the members being killed. Through this, the church flourished and grew, and though it had times of division, the people co-ministered and shared the responsibility of ministry. This all changed, however, when being a Christian became legal. The Roman Emperor Constantine became a Christian, and a sweeping conversion spread across the empire. At this point, the church became part of the state and created a formal class of ministers, resulting in a divide between the people and the religious leaders. As the gap furthered, more responsibility and ministry left the hands of the people until only the church leaders were allowed to do it.
A Wrong Vision and Model
Through the years, there has been an attempt to remedy the gap between religious leaders and the church body. Not all people and followers of Christ have allowed this to happen, but most have. The rediscovery and attempt to restore the ministry and scripture to the common man’s hands was part of the launch of the Reformation. This endeavor was noble but, sadly, created a similar problem. Many denominations were formed during this period, resulting in a professional clergy class and continued separation from the church.
The church went from a grassroots missional movement to a large institution. It is easy to blame the leaders for this problem and claim they have continued perpetuating it. This assessment is partially correct, and the ministers must accept responsibility for the problem. The desire for control, inflated ego, and superiority over others have driven many to stop relinquishing control from the ministry and enlist the help of others.
If the leaders have partial responsibility, so does the church body itself. As they are often referred to, the laity mostly enjoys the privilege to come and be ministered to. They happily release all responsibility for ministry to the pastors and staff. Sadly, men believe that is why they pay the pastor and staff and that it is solely their job to look after the care and well-being of the church, evangelize the lost, and all other aspects of a church ministry. This mindset keeps the church stagnant because not one small group of people can do everything because they are not gifted in all areas. When the church lives to its potential, and leaders and laity work together, they become a greater force for the cause of Christ.
How Do We Restore This?
The solution begins with first recognizing there is a problem. It is easy for many to ignore the teaching of scripture on this matter, but attention needs to be given to it. The outcome will be a call for the church to move out of its comfort zone and be obedient to the commands and teachings of scripture. This refocus will have to bring restructuring to the body of Christ and have both the pastor and church be willing and involved. Change does not come easy, but it has never been easy to follow Jesus.
After identifying the problem, it is easy to establish a plan for it to change. This will take time and will seem difficult at first. This goes against the church’s and modern culture’s grain. The church leaders must follow the method in Jesus’s ministry and disciple those under their care by teaching and training them. Through this, the people will become committed and faithful followers of Jesus and have the maturity and knowledge to minister and disciple others. The minister moves from being a player in a game to coach on the sideline. This picture accurately represents how the church’s leadership is to engage and release disciples. They are called not to be spectators but rather committed players.
Conclusion
It is hard to shift from the mindset that ministry is the pastor’s job to the outlook that it is my responsibility. This thinking requires a shift in one’s worldview, which takes time to understand and process. It will not come quickly, but it is possible to grasp the command from scripture to grow as a disciple and fulfill the ministry God has called you to.
Resources
Earley, Dave, and Rod Dempsey. Disciple Making Is . . . How to Live the Great Commission with Passion and Confidence. B&H Publishing Group, 2014.
Gallaty, Robby. Replicate: How to Create a Culture of Disciple-Making Right Where You Are. Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2020.
Ogden, Greg. Unfinished Business: Returning the Ministry to the People of God. Rev. ed. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2003.