equip the saints. (Ephesians 4)

Watching my daughters grow has been one of the most exhilarating and excruciating processes of my life.  I have to constantly stop myself from doing things for them – whether it’s getting a pencil out of the drawer (because she can reach it now), or cleaning up a spill (because if she doesn’t learn now she won’t know how later), or walking into youth group on the first Sunday of seventh grade (because the only way to find friendship is to risk rejection).  I was the kid in middle school who, when we were assigned a group project, just did the whole thing.  I mean, it was so much easier that way – easier than figuring out who should do what, easier than worrying that some wouldn’t do their part, easier than facing the probability that it wouldn’t be done to my standard.  It was my grades on the line, you know.  So I just did it. And they stood there and smiled, and accepted their A.

So I fight this temptation to not let them grow up, however painful it is sometimes, for the sake of my daughters’ well-being.  And because I learned from Bill and Claire Huxtable to do whatever it takes to make sure they actually do move out someday. 

“When He ascended on high He led a host of captives,

and He gave gifts to men.”

“…And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.  Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

As Dan and I prayerfully transition into a role of shepherding a new campus of Central Baptist Church, I must remind myself of our Word-given purpose statement.  Not just to do ministry, but actually to equip the saints.  Not to do all the work for the people, but “to prepare the people for works of service,” as the NIV puts it. 

I have a super close friend who’s been visiting one of my favorite churches.  (She’s not in Jonesboro, so its not Central – haha.)  I was so excited when she told me she was checking this church out, and I just knew she’d fall in love with it and plug right in.  And she did love it.  At first.  But after several weeks of attending, and a few efforts at seeing how she could be a part, she’s done.  “There’s no place for me there,” she says.  “They’re too good.”  Now, this girl can sing her lungs out, and has a degree in early childhood.  But their worship arts ministries and children’s ministries are so slick, so excellent, and so powerful, she doesn’t feel needed.  They’re making their A without her.  Come to find out, it’s no fun after all to just stand and smile and accept a grade you had nothing to do with.

Do not hear me say that worship arts and children’s ministries don’t need to be slick, excellent, and powerful!  But what are we doing to intentionally involve absolutely everyone on the bus?  This is a beautiful picture of the body of Christ Paul paints in Ephesians 4.  I cannot say it any better than he does, but I feel it.  I feel the body of Christ growing.  I feel it when I talk to a mom who has a passion deep within her to see the church partner with parents to see preschoolers – yes, preschoolers – know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God made them, God loves them, and Jesus wants to be their friend forever.  I feel it when I receive a message from someone who’s been hurt, but will do whatever it takes to be reconciled, for the sake of unity.  I feel it when a small group of twenty-somethings says, “We’re in.  Tell us what you need us to do, and we will do it.”  This is the growing up of the body of Christ.  I know our husbands go to conferences and read books about church growth, but surely this is it.  Our role?  Equip the saints.  And watch the exhilarating process of the daughters and sons of Christ arise and become the body of Christ they were created to be, together.