“There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.” (1Cor 12:4-7)
After explaining that the Holy Spirit gives gifts to every member of the church, Paul goes on to talk about the Body, and how each part is an active participant in the life of the Church, and that each part is valuable and indispensable.
“The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many.” (1Cor 12:12-14)
The Body is a unit, and every member works together. One member is not better than another. One member (or a select group) is not set above the rest, but every member is equal. There is no segregation among its members.
We continue to read on, and in chapter 13, we see that love must govern everything that we do. Love governs the use of the gifts. Love governs our words and actions. Love governs our giving, and love governs the Body of Christ.
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1Cor 13:1-3)
Finally, in chapter 14, we see a description of the way the Church is designed to function, providing strength and and stability.
“When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.” (1Cor 14:26)
Paul says that when the Church gathers together, EVERYONE participates. Everyone has a song, or a teaching, or a revelation, etc… and that these things MUST be done to strengthen the Church. This is why the Church today is a weaker, less mature version than what we see in the Bible. We have not learned how to function as a Body.
Every member should be hearing from the LORD personally, then coming together to share it corporately. But, instead, the pastor is the one who hears from the LORD and the pastor (or a select few special people) is the only one who is given access to share. Everyone else is told that their place is just to watch and listen… but not participate in the “ministry of the Word”. We are told that this privilege is for those who have been trained and educated to preach. We are taught that there is a select few people who are capable of hearing from God and sharing that message with the Church, but this idea runs completely contrary to what the New Testamant teaches.
According to the Bible everyone who has the Spirit of God is capable of hearing from God, and likewise everyone who has the Holy Spirit has been given gifts to use in the regular gatherings of the Body for the purpose of strengthening the Body.
Many preachers encourage the “congregation” to use their gifts, but they are encouraged to do so outside of the church gathering. The “laity” is encouraged to “do ministry” outside of the church gathering, rather than as part of the gathering of the Body. Yet, this is not what the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches that when the church gathers together every member should be participating in the gifts that have been given to them by the Holy Spirit. And this way should be the norm, not the exception.
In like manner, the “preacher” should be more of an apostle, preaching Christ to those who do not know him, and planting new churches everywhere that Christ is preached. Preaching is his gift, and its intended use is explicitly for bringing Christ to those who do not yet know him. Modern preachers are not using their gifts for their intended purpose. The only time that a non-believer hears the message is when he visits a church, but in the Bible, the preachers went to the people, preached in the places where the people were. They did not sit around and wait for non-believers to come to them. Paul and his associates traveled around preaching to anyone who would listen, and building churches where non existed before.
When the apostle plants a church, he stays with it for a while, teaching them how to be the church. Teaching them how to hear from God, and how to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, but once the church is able to function on its own, the apostle leaves to go preach Christ to others who have not heard, and the functioning church is able to continue meeting together and hearing from the LORD without the facilitation of an apostle. Sometimes the apostle might return to check in on the church, but for the most part, the church is mature and healthy enough that it can grow and learn and share and minister on its own, under the leading of the Holy Spirit.
We do exactly the opposite today. The “preacher” brings the sermon to those who are already saved, he preaches to those who have already heard and believed the message. And the strange thing is that he encourages the members of the church who are not allowed to preach and teach to go out into the world and do the very thing they have not been allowed to do - preach and teach. The “laity” is not allowed to explore and use their gifts within the church, but they are told that they must do so on their own outside of the church.
Isn’t it strange that the man who is called and gifted with the unique ability to preach, and who has been trained to do so - hides within the church preaching to the choir, and tells those who have no idea what their gifting and calling is (because they have not been given privilege of using their gifts within the Body) to go and “win the lost” and “make disciples” and “preach the gospel”. Doesn’t that seem a bit hypocritical?
There is a big difference between teaching and training.
We would probably not object to our kids being taught about sex, but I don’t know a single parent who would want their kids to have sex training. What we teach and what we train are not always the same thing.
- We are taught to use our gifts, but we are trained to bury them.
- We are taught to follow the Holy Spirit, but we are trained to follow the pastor (who we hope is following the Holy Spirit)
- We are taught to obey Jesus Christ, but we are trained to obey the pastor (and sometimes the denomination).
- We are taught to study the Bible for ourselves, but we are trained to think that only the pastor can interpret it (so what is the use in my studying it for myself).
- We are taught to be active, but we are trained to watch passively.
- We are taught that there is unity and equality in the body, but we are trainied that there are special people who are to be revered above everyone else, and that these special people are better christians than the rest of the body.
- We are taught to have fellowship with all believers and to be united in Christ, but we are trained that our particular denomination or doctrine is the “right one” and the others are wrong.
- We are taught to live holy lives, but we are trained to live forgiven lives.
- We are taught to be the church, but we are trained to “go to church”.
- We are taught that our lives should be worship, but we are trained that we “go to church” when we want to worship.
- We are taught that every member is a priest, but we are trained that only special people can do ministry.
- We are taught that we have freedom in the church gathering to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit, but we are trained that we can only do so at designated times when the preacher gives permission.
- We are taught to search the scriptures for ourselves and to question things that are being taught to make sure that they are sound doctrine, but we are trained that if we question those things that we will be branded a rebel and a heretic for doing so.
Jesus instructed his disciples to “do what the pharisees and scribes teach”, but they were given warning not to “do as they do.”
Christian, you have the Holy Spirit living within you, and you may not realize it, but you have been given gifts. You might not know how to use them yet, because you have not been given permission or place to do so. But I encourage everyone to begin to seek the LORD, and find those gifts that the Holy Spirit has placed inside of you. These things are given to you so that you can participate in the life and ministry of the Holy Spirit. Stop hiding your gifts, and let the Holy Spirit manifest them in your life.
Church, I want to encourage you to make room for every member to function under the leading of the Holy Spirit. Don’t set aside a few people to participate, and make everyone else watch. Encourage and allow everyone to participate. It will take some practice, because not everyone knows how to use their gifts yet, and not everyone knows how to hear from the Holy Spirit yet, but that is the purpose of our gatherings together. That we teach one another how to follow Christ, and how to let the Spirit guide us. The purpose is not that we be taught, but that we be trained. Stop telling your members to figure out their gifts outside of the safety and instruction of the Body, and welcome the learning and growth that will happen when every member is encouraged to participate.
Preacher, your gift of preaching is given to you so that you can preach to those who do not yet know Christ. You have not been called to hide God’s word within the walls of the church. You have not been called to preach to the already saved, you are told to “preach Christ” to those who do not know Him. Learn what this means in the context of your life. I cannot tell you to whom Christ has sent you to preach, but I can tell you that you are sent to preach to those who have not yet heard. Stop hiding your gift within the Church, and take it into the world. Stop burying your gift, and start using it.