July 27, 2011

7-27-11 Wednesday, 6:30 am Springfield, 76 warm degrees.

The Equipping Church by Sue Mallory draws its theme from Ephesians 4:11-12: “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.”

As staff we are studying this book, beginning this morning. Mallory has been a church staff person, and has consulted widely with other churches. We at Wesley are already moving in the directions she suggest, and her book will give us even more tangible examples and impetus.

Since the 1970s I have seen the role of pastors and teachers as being to “equip the saints for the work of ministry”, and all along I have recognized how hard it is to equip others and set them to doing the work of ministry, when pastors are spiritually gifted for the work of ministry. If pastors simply do the work of ministry, then 50 – 70 people are the maximum that can be effectively brought to the unity of the faith, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Eph 4:13)

Guide me today Lord in all my serving and equipping. Guard me from doing what I should be equipping others to do. Bless my family members who today are in Los Angeles, St. Louis, and Lynchburg, Virginia