“It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service….”

(Eph 4:11-12a)

Do you know anyone serving as apostles, prophets, evangelists, or pastors and teachers? We sometimes forget that people called to these leadership roles are God’s gifts to the church. “It was HE who GAVE……”—–teachers, pastors, evangelists, prophets, apostles—these are gifts of God to a community of believers.

I’ve experienced churches where the leaders are kept in a box that never gets fully opened. As much as the pastor might try to step into servant leadership, he is kept under control. It is very sad, but sometimes sniper fire is directed at elders, deacons, and other church leaders when they stick their heads out or mention something within their reach that needs attention.

I’ve also experienced churches where people unwrap the gifts of God, encouraging their pastors and teachers and leaders to step out of the box and become all that they can be in service to the King. Those people are wise and blessed who encourage their pastor and leaders to become all that they can be in Christ. What is the purpose and the motivation? So that the leaders of the church can help people become all that they can be in service to the King. When a pastor is encouraged to be a servant leader and be all that he can be in service, and people are being encouraged and equipped to become all they can be in service, a wonderful community of faith develops as a team that glorifies God and builds the kingdom. The alternative is to maintain human control and never open the blessings God intends for us to experience.

When we were in Tennessee recently, we attended a very entertaining show. There was a lot of singing, a lot of laughing, and a ton of fun. Near the end of the show, the main entertainer shared that he was a follower of Jesus and loved serving God. He shared his heart in a very joyful, contagious, winsome manner. I’m sure that some in the audience were shocked when he shared that he as also a Baptist pastor. Although he didn’t use the word, it was clear that he was an evangelist, a church leader released by a wise group of people to do what he does best. Talking with him afterwards, he told me, “Christians should be the happiest people in the world!” His joy was real, and I’m certain that there were people in his life who had encouraged him out of the box to become all that he could be in serving God. I’m certain he was part of a team of people praying together and encouraging each other to be all they could be in Christ.

May I encourage you, don’t miss any of God’s blessings. Whether apathy that keeps God’s gifts at arms length or control that prevents the expression of faith, to reject a gift from God is deadly to the spirit. Using both hands to open and embrace all of God’s gifts to a community of faith is a path to incredible joy and abundant kingdom life as people serve together! Being liberated and equipped for kingdom service is incredibly fun when we do it with others in the body of the faithfulJ.

Pastor Steve & Kristi Diehl