In the last lesson I showed you that the Ephesians 4:11 gifts are leadership gifts. I say this because of two reasons. Number one, the text says that some, not all have been given these gifts and number two, the text specifically says these gifts have been given, for the purpose of equipping the saints which is the entire body. The goal and result of this equipping is so that every part of the body can operate in the fullness of Christ ministry on this earth.
Let me repeat the two main purposes of leadership. Number one is keeping us on track for the fulfilling of mission and number two is dealing with conflict resolution. Leadership is about supporting and undergirding the members of the body so that they can fulfill the mission of the ekklesia. A lot of people see leaders as the head, but the Jesus style of leadership is more like being the feet. On the last night before his crucifixion, Jesus humbled himself as a servant and washed the feet of his disciples, just after the Passover meal. He was demonstrating the participatory pattern, He wanted from His leaders which is to be like feet supporting our bodies. Leadership is serving others with the God-given talents you have received.
The Ephesians 4:11 gifts, cohesively hold the organizational structure of the ekklesia together, much like our hands. Each hand has five fingers and these five gifts work together forming a supportive network.
The leadership gifts of Ephesians 4:11, are all speaking gifts and public ministries in varying ways. Jesus demonstrated and modeled each of these gifts in his earthly ministry. It was a very public ministry that gave clear mission and organizational formation.
All of the Ephesians 4:11 gifts have specifically to do with fulfilling the mission of Christ which is expanding and growing the body of Christ. Although not everyone has one of these leadership gifts, every member of the body should be equipped to do apostolic functions. However, that does not make them an apostle. Every member should be equipped to understand, discover and put into practice the word of God, but that does not make them a teacher. Every part of the body should be equipped to have a heart for the lost and bring others to the faith, but that does not make them an evangelist. Every member should be equipped to hear, discern and share the heart of God, but that does not make them a prophet. Everyone should be caring, compassionate and love one another, but that does not make them a shepherd.
I think I’ve made my point that only some are given as a gift to 'equip the saints', but in Romans chapter 12 verses 4 thru 8, we see that God has gifted each member of His body. I refer to these gifts in Romans chapter 12 as motivational gifts, but some call them gifts of grace. Paul did not teach nor demonstrate a clergy class ruling over the rest of the body. He did teach that each member of his body has differing gifts: giving some the ability to speak and lead, while others are given the ability to serve and manage.
It’s one body with a variety of gifts that are distinct, unique and complementary.
In the last section ‘Created Unto Good Works’ I clearly showed you that the New Testament teaches that we have all been placed into Christ as a multifaceted royal priesthood. We have all been given the one gift of Christ for redemption placed on one foundation, but we also have each been uniquely gifted to carry out our individual calling. It’s one body with different parts each functioning in their own particular way, working together for the furtherance of the gospel.
The priesthood of the believer is about the Holy Spirit working through our lives to perform works of service and the Spirit giving us wisdom to implement the will of God. It’s a very simple focus upon the grace of God, connecting us to the throne of the lamb, in holistic worship, dedicating our whole lives to Christ living through us. It’s the only way we can fulfill the original mandate given to man and fulfill our individual calling. It’s about being a part of the representative priesthood of Christ upon this earth.
The cruciform life is to be no longer us living, but Christ living through our lives by faith working through love. We’re all priests offering up sacrifices to God and everyone has a gift to use in fulfilling their particular calling, laboring in the grace of God. As we talk about God’s calling, we tend to immediately start separating the sacred from the secular.
We think of God’s calling, as some mystical act, in which God speaks to some, calling them to become evangelists or prophets.
However, when we think of the truck driver or human resource manager we think of something far more normal. We rarely think of the assembly-line workers, nurse, teacher, the stay-at-home parent, accountant or the engineer as experiencing God’s calling. I want you to see that all work is sacred, holy and set apart for service to God because you are holy and set apart for service to God.
One of the main Protestant Reformers, who taught the priesthood of the believer, Martin Luther said: the Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes because God is interested in good craftsmanship. Luther stressed that vocation is what God does through each member of the body of Christ.
The priesthood of the believer is about the Holy Spirit working through our lives to be worshipers, but also to perform works of service. Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8 thru10 says: by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing it is the gift of God, not a result of works so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Good works is using your gifts to bless others.
In Romans chapter 12, Paul says: by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who gives, in generosity; the one who leads, with diligence, the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Paul lists 7 differing gifts here and each has an important function. I call these motivational gifts, but some refer to them as gifts of grace.
Paul opens up this list by saying we have gifts that differ according to the grace of God given to us. The reason I call them motivational gifts is because they motivate or move us to do what we do. Our gift explains why we do things the way we do and once you understand yourself then you can expand your gift. You then can coordinate, cooperate and network with others for greater effectiveness. When a person discovers their motivational gift they will better understand themselves and be able to use it.
Self-discovery is probably one of the greatest challenges we have in life. What am I called to do? What is my purpose? What are my gifts? I think these are basic questions that each of us ask from time to time in searching for purpose in this life. At the same time, it’s what most people are missing in their lives and they simply wander through life with no purpose. If you look at most people who attend college, 44 percent change their majors between the second semester and graduation. At the same time a high percentage of graduates seldom work in their field of study.
George Barna has done studies indicating that only a small percentage of believers around 20 percent have identified their gifting's and consistently sought to use them in a practical way. One of those paradoxes in the kingdom is that we must dig deep to receive a free gift. Grace and all it implies is a free gift, but you have to be willing to yield your whole heart to its power for it to motivate you.
The cruciform life, from start to finish is all about grace. It’s the Spirit's ability working through us. What we have to do is learn to recognize, develop and expand the grace gifts freely given to us. Paul said, I am what I am and His grace toward me did not prove vain. I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
Paul understood that his motivation to fulfill the will of God and work hard at it was due to the free gifts he had been given.
Our vision, hard work and persistence have to be grounded in the free grace of God or we just labor in vain. Dead works is what we do when we pursue the will of God outside of the grace of God. When all is said and done, the only thing that matters is completing the will of God, which is our success and there is plenty of grace available for each of us to complete His will.
If a person does not know themselves or what God wants them to do, then they miss an important part of the plan of God and live an unfulfilled life. It’s important to discover the God-given talents that the Lord has placed within your life. Then once you have discovered your gifts it is important to use them and develop them. The Greek word for grace is charis. In the Strong's Concordance it is defined as a favor done without expectation of return. It's the absolute freeness of the loving kindness of God to us which we did nothing to earn.
Grace has been poured out on us through Christ's gift empowering us to live the cruciform life of Christ in us and to perform works of service through us.
Peter in his epistle divides gifts into two categories which are speaking gifts and serving gifts. I Peter chapter 4 verse 10 thru 11 it says: each has received a gift use it to serve one another as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks the oracles of God, whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies. As we discover these motivational gifts that Paul list in Romans chapter 12, you will see that some gifts are used by speaking such as prophecy, teaching, exhortation and some gifts are used by serving such as service, giving, leading and mercy. Let’s take a look at each of these gifts.
Now the first gift listed is prophecy. If you remember in the last lesson we covered the gift of the prophet which is one of the Ephesians 4:11 ascension gifts. It’s one of the 5 leadership gifts. The gift of the prophet is a foundational gift carrying with it a tremendous amount of authority as a part of Christ ministry to the body for founding, grounding and equipping the other members. Paul says in 1 Corinthians chapter 12 verse 28 that God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers. It’s not in a hierarchical way nor in a way of importance, but in a way of function.
The gift of prophecy in Romans chapter 12 is not a foundational gift, but like the prophet it is a vocal gift. In the next lesson I will cover the simple manifestation of prophecy which Paul shows us in I Corinthians chapter 12 and chapter 14. At the most basic level, prophecy is simply speaking under the inspiration of the Spirit. It’s not just speech, but it’s speech that originates and is motivated by the Spirit. The person who has the gift of prophecy in Romans chapter 12 will have the ability to know the heart of God for situations, to sense spiritual things and will express that information in a variety of ways. That expression could be speaking, it could be writing, it could be music, media or even theater. It tends to be a very artistic gift.
It’s like the prophet, in that those with the gift of prophecy will see, hear and speak with spiritual insight.
It’s those who have that uncanny ability to know the character and motives of people. It’s also those people who see things that others don’t see and are problem solvers. It’s a visionary and revelatory gift, but this person will also be very persuasive in speaking. Normally those with the gift of prophecy tend to be very direct and straightforward. I’ve found those with this gift will challenge the status quo and boldly declare when something needs to be changed. If the gift is not tempered with love, then those who have it can tend to be critical of others and come across too harshly. If you have this gift you would make an excellent public speaker, business forecaster, salesman, actor, artist, musician or worship leader just to name a few vocations.
It’s a speaking gift so those with this gift tend to end up in some type of leadership role.
The next gift that Paul lists is service. Serving should be the attitude of all members of the body of Christ. It’s part of our priestly service, but there are those whose motivation in life is to get things done and it’s because they have a gift of service. If you have this gift you will be motivated to go to special lengths in helping to meet needs. Those with this gift are rarely sitting still, but always ready to help. If you think of Martha who was Lazarus' sister she was one with a gift of service. It’s that person always ready to meet needs who does it tirelessly and is willing to go the extra mile. You will find they like the job done properly and with excellence.
It pleases them to serve others and they get great satisfaction out of it.
It’s a gift, so like all gifts it needs to be tempered through the cruciform life of Christ or it can result in negative qualities. Again think of Martha who was complaining and judging others that did not want to serve to the extent she did. Everyone is not going to be motivated in the same way as you. So if you have this gift, don’t judge others if they aren’t motivated to serve as much as you.
I’ve also witnessed those who have families with this gift to overlook their own families needs so they can help others. It’s important to have your priorities and responsibilities in the right order. If you have this gift, you will sometimes have the inability to say no to projects because you find purpose in serving others. You have to learn to say no, when it’s appropriate and have a healthy balance in your life.
A person with this gift makes a great event planner, thrives in the hospitality business, excels in the customer service industry and can dominate the cleaning industry. I’ve seen them be true public servants, medical workers and any professional that helps others.
The next gift is that of teaching. The Romans chapter 12 gift of teaching differs from the Ephesians 4:11 gift of teacher. The gift of a teacher is a foundational gift carrying with it a tremendous amount of authority given as part of Christ ministry to the body for founding, grounding and equipping the body.
Like the Ephesians 4:11 teacher those with the gift of teaching will be involved with instruction others because its what motivates them. It’s that person who has a thirst for knowledge. A lot of people read or study for 15 minutes and then they are thinking about doing something else. It’s a struggle for a lot of people, but if you have a teaching gift you can spend hours, days and even years studying a topic. You will be consumed with wanting to know the topic you are exploring from all the different angles. You’ll be motivated to research, study and understand in order to establish truth to document or instruct others.
It’s the person who thrives in taking great amounts of information and through their gift synthesizes that information into making sense. It’s an uncanny ability to make the complex simple.
If you have this gift you will focus on words being accurate in their definition and usage. You will find pleasure in researching, organizing and presenting. You will be that person who presents in a systematic and orderly fashion whether in writing or speaking. If not careful those with this gift can become prideful because knowledge that is not tempered with the humility of wisdom will produce pride. You tend to be that person who looks at facts detached from the situation. That can be good, but sometimes you can be unemotional and uncaring about others feelings. It’s important to develop emotional intelligence and not just intellectual intelligence.
A prideful person will become legalistic or non-bending thinking they are always right no matter what. Your search for the truth can make you critical of others who don’t know what you know. I’ve also found that your quest for knowledge can sometimes override the need for practical application and if not careful you become somewhat of a theorist, perfectionist and critic.
The Bible talks about those who are forever learning, but never coming to the knowledge of the truth. A person with a teaching gift has to work with others so that the information is applied appropriately and actually workable. A person with this gift obviously makes a great public school teacher, university professor, medical researcher, lawyer or engineer. The best salesmen are sometimes excellent teachers.
The next gift is that of an exhorter. You are probably not familiar with what this word means because we just don’t use the word exhort, exhorter or exhortation in our day to day use here in America. So it’s not a word very well understood in America, but we do use the word encourage, encourager and encouragement which is a synonym. Since encouragement is a word we Americans use in our day to day conversations I’m going to use that word.
An encourager is someone who is motivated to inspire, stir up and strengthen others with a new perspective.
It’s that person that motivates you to be all that you can be. Have you ever been around that optimistic energetic individual? The gift of encourager has a lot of similarities to the Ephesians 4:11 gifts of evangelist and prophet. The gift of prophet and evangelist are similar in that they are both dynamic speaking gifts. The prophet speaks primarily to the body of believers and the evangelist speaks primarily to those outside of the community. In like manner those with the gift of encouragement will be motivated to speak to others and it will give them great satisfaction. It’s a speaking gift like that of the gift of prophecy and the gift of teaching.
The work of the encourager is to arouse and motivate others to patient endurance, brotherly love and good works.
Now that’s something every believer should do, but there are those who are especially gifted to stimulate the faith of others and stir them to action by getting alongside to encourage them. If you have the gift of encourager then you are normally that person who always looks at the bright side of every situation.
Silas was a prophet but he also had the gift of encouragement and it may be why Paul chose him for his apostolic team. Silas was right beside Paul in some of his most difficult days. Paul sent him to Corinth when they were divided and confused. You see in Acts chapter 15 when they were having one of the greatest doctrinal disputes splitting the body between Jew and gentile that Silas was sent.
Paul knew that inserting an encourager into a conflict injects a positive viewpoint to an intense dark moment.
Once the conflict had been resolved it says in Acts chapter 15 verse 32 that Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. Those who have the gift of encouragement don’t just make others feel better about their situation, but they fuel others with courage to do all that God has created them to do.
An encourager looks at tribulation as positive, which can help produce maturity. An encourager gives specific steps of action to make sure action follows commitment. If you have this gift you will see the best in others and encourage them to strive to be their best. Normally they are optimistic, extroverted and love being around people. However, their positive outlook can cause them to disregard reality, sometimes seeing what can be instead of what actually is. I’ve discovered they can over emphasize action and disregard rules that get in the way. A lot of people with this gift will struggle with an awareness of time: will struggle with staying organized and keeping on track.
Encouragers normally find themselves in leadership positions.
The encouragers leadership role will be seen in motivating others to be all they can be. Those with this gift will make great coaches of all types: sports coaches, business coaches, personal trainers, sales people, counselors, motivational speakers and even entertainers just to name a few.
The next gift is that of giving. Paul used a Greek word for giving that means to share with someone else what one has. It actually refers to transferring something to another and it means to impart or to contribute. To suggest that this only has to do with giving money is to miss the varied role of this gift.
Instead of using the word giving I’m going to use the word contributor because that will help us to better understand the multifaceted role of this motivational gift. The contributor is one who shares with others liberally of their time, their resources and pouring out their lives for others. It’s the person who is motivated with extraordinary generosity even when facing affliction and hardship in their personal lives. Paul says that those with this gift should contribute generously and with sincerity.
Lydia in Acts chapter 16 is an example of generously contributing. She was a dealer in purple goods, considered a luxury in the ancient world. Lydia was a woman of financial means and influence. Acts chapter 16 verses 14 thru 15 says the Lord opened her heart to pay attention as Paul preached the gospel. She responded with her whole heart and after she was baptized along with her household. It says that she urged Paul and his apostolic team to stay in her home. It was through Lydia’s generous contribution that the first outpost of the community of the faithful in Macedonia was formed.
As a founder of the church in Phillipi her imprint as a contributor was reflected in the continuing generosity of this body of believers. Paul wrote back to them in Philippians chapter 4 verses 15 saying that you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel when I left Macedonia no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving except you only.
Contributors give and impart to others so that others can fulfill their purpose. It’s through their partnership with others that things get done and a contributor finds great fulfillment in seeing others needs met.
A contributor will look for valid needs to help and support where others might overlook. Paul challenged contributors to use their gift with simplicity. Simplicity has to do with contributing with pure motives and not giving or helping for what you can get out of it. The cruciform life is not to be a quid pro quo which means you scratch my back and I scratch yours. The contributor must give with no motive other than to be a blessing to others.
The contributor also needs to be careful that the Holy Spirit is directing their contributions so they are not taken advantage of by others. It’s the Spirit that will ensure that their contributions to people with their finances, time and resources are sown into good ground bringing forth fruit for the kingdom of God.
It’s important that the contributors also keep their priorities straight and never overlook personal responsibilities to help others.
Contributors make great aid workers, social workers, medical workers and volunteers of all types. I’ve found some business people will have a primary gift of leading like Lydia most likely had and then a secondary gift of contributor helping out many for the kingdom.
The next gift listed in Romans chapter 12 is the gift of leading. In the King James translation this word is called ruleth and it means to stand over, set over, preside or to rule. It has some similarities to the Ephesians 4:11 gift of the apostle in the aspect of being an organizer. When Paul wrote to Titus who was part of his apostolic team he challenged him to be careful to maintain good works. The word maintain in Paul’s letter to Titus is the exact word that Paul used in Romans chapter 12 verse 8 for leading. Paul was saying: Titus make sure that the resources you are using to help widows, orphans and those in need are managed wisely and with great detail. Titus needed to guard those resources guaranteeing food was distributed to widows equitably and finances were channeled correctly.
In America we understand this as management skills. The word manager would be better used to describe this gift and that’s the word I am going to use.
The manager is motivated to coordinate the activities of others in order to achieve common goals. It’s a gift of organization that is necessary to get things done. The one who has the gift of management will be orderly, organized and detail-oriented. It’s one who always strives to improve things while making sure processes are in place and order is maintained. It’s why Paul said that the one who manages should do it with diligence. Diligence has to do with energetic effort. It’s the get things done attitude and will be a main trait of one with this gift.
The manager possesses strong organization skills with the ability to see the overall picture so goals and a plan can be made. It’s a gift that can see how to coordinate different people together for the accomplishment of activities.
I’ve found that those with the gift of manager will find fulfillment in finishing a task, but can sometimes be too overbearing and pushy with those working with them. Also at times the desire to delegate tasks may appear as avoiding work so it’s important for the manager to communicate clearly and demonstrate humility in the way that they manage. The focus on getting things done can lead to the insensitivity of others feelings or circumstances. It’s important to demonstrate emotional intelligence and think of others as a manager. Obviously those with this gift make good business managers, accountants, school administrators, shift supervisors or business owners.
The next gift listed is the gift of mercy. The original Greek word for this gift speaks of someone not just giving aid, but giving aid to those during their time of need. Those with a gift of mercy feel the emotions of those who are in distress that the rest of us miss. We refer to those with this gift as empaths.
Empaths are exceptionally sensitive to the emotions and frame of mind of individuals. It’s a spiritual gift of the sixth sense to identify with others feelings, trauma and pains. It’s closely associated with the discerning of spirits.
All believers have a responsibility to show mercy, but those motivated with this gift will sincerely care for others by mentally and emotionally relating to their needs. It has a lot of similarities to the Ephesians 4:11 gift of shepherd, but it’s not necessarily a leadership gift.
Paul told those with the gift of mercy to use it with cheerfulness. It’s because those who feel others’ pain can feel it so intensely that they can be overwhelmed by it. Sitting with someone in their trauma affects you and if you are not careful you can become too involved with the problems of others.
A person with a gift of mercy must be self-aware and draw boundaries for their own mental and emotional health. Yes, those with the gift of mercy relate well with hurting people, but they may have a lack of firmness when dealing with those problems and base decisions on emotions instead of sound judgement. Those with this gift can make great counselors, non-profit organizers and can thrive in the medical field. I’ve found them to excel in certain sales positions, be great defense lawyers and work well in the hospitality business.
We each have a primary motivational gift, but it doesn’t mean that’s all the gifts we have. All of us have what I call a gift set mix.
Now we can also be equipped with differing abilities through the impartation of the Ephesians 4:11 gifts. Paul told Timothy his spiritual son to stir up the gift that he had received through the laying on of hands. So we have a gift set mix, but there will be one overwhelming motivator in our lives.
One thing I don’t like doing to myself and to others is box them in. What I mean is that I do think we have one overwhelming motivational gift in our lives, but I don’t want to see anyone pigeon holed. To be pigeon holed is to be confined to one particular gift too rigidly and exclusively without any flexibility. Everyone is unique so give yourself the liberty to discover and develop your gifts in the way that makes you the person you are. Just like anything as we grow we will grow through stages.
Development is about changing along our journey so always be open to what the Spirit is doing in you because it’s all about the grace of God.
The primary motivational gift that I possess is that of manager. I also have a primary Ephesians 4:11 gift of a foundational teacher with a secondary gift of the prophet. The most productive use of my gift set mix has been in running discipleship schools and working on apostolic teams planting and establishing churches. At the same time, I’ve used my gift set mix in running small businesses, overseeing business units in corporations and training employees.
Let’s look back at I Peter chapter 4 verse 10 where it says that each of you has received a gift. God has placed in our lives one main motivational gift. This does not mean if we don't have the gift of service then we don't serve, but it does mean that because of our gifts most of us do a few things best. We will be the most fulfilled and fruitful when we know our gifting and concentrate on it. Paul was saying this in Romans chapter 12 verses 3 thru 5. You see before he list the 7 motivational gifts he instructs us to accurately assess ourselves. It’s about discovering who we are because that's the place you are going to bear the most fruit, be the most productive and find the most fulfillment.
The American lie is that we can be whatever we want to be. You know we’ve all heard it. If you set your mind to being the president of the United States of America you can do it. Baloney that’s just not true. Grant it most of us understand that’s a fallacy, but still the idea that we choose our own gifts is a complete fallacy. It’s not in the Bible.
Now what is in the Bible is that you can be who God has made you to be and you can do what God has given you the ability to do.
Paul gave us a main key here by telling us to humble ourselves before God because He is the Potter and we are just the clay. Paul told us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think, but to think with sober judgment. To have sober judgment is to be clear minded. Have you ever been around the drunk who thinks he’s something that he’s not? Everyone around him knows he’s just a drunk and not able to accurately assess himself.
I had a friend years ago that was convinced he was an apostle. He was a nice guy, but he could not accurately assess himself. I’m not being mean, but he was the guy in the special classes at school and not for the advanced children. He was a slow learner who barely graduated high school. Again I’m not being critical, that's just who he was. Now I believe in personal prophecy, but I believe it can be really wrong sometimes that’s why we are supposed to test them. He had been prophesied over that he was an apostle and he was staking his entire life on that prophecy.
I knew him for a period of 10 years. He never held down a job and really just lived in this fantasy loop of being an apostle. He was always getting his feelings hurt. He definitely had a shepherding gift and would have made a good team member, but instead of accurately assessing himself he lived in an inflated opinion of himself.
Paul tells us when it comes to our gifts that we need to resist pride and humble ourselves. We need to think clearly about our limitations.
At the same time we need to recognize our individual God-given abilities. I’ve also seen people think too lowly of themselves. Think about Moses whom God had to convince of the abilities that he had been given to fulfill the will of God.
Discovery is important and others are instrumental in this because they will be able to give you feedback. Others can see us better than we can see ourselves sometimes. I remember I was 19 years old in one of my first English classes during my first year of college. The professor asked me to stay after class and had me set at her desk. She went over a paper that I had written. As she did she looked up at me and said: you have a real gift. She recognized, confirmed and encouraged me to develop my gift.
Paul in Romans chapter 12 verse 6 encourages us to concentrate on our particular gifting.
Kenneth Wuest comments on these verses by saying, it is a wise man who stays within the sphere of service for which God has fitted him not invading some other field of service for which he is not fitted. What the text is saying is that you are going to produce the most fruit and be the most productive when you are who God has made you to be. You may have the gift of exhortation to lead praise and worship, but that does not mean you are a good shepherd to youth.
I spent a year as a shepherd to youth and it was a great struggle for me because it wasn’t what I was graced to do. It’s important to discover your gift. Once you do then stay within that sphere of service because that’s where you find the most grace. The most fulfillment and produce the most fruit. You don’t have to strive to be something you just have to discover the gift you’ve been freely given.
Paul said that he was who he was because of the grace of God.
He didn’t have to make himself something he just had to understand who he was and humbly submit to the Potter. The drive to be someone God didn’t create you to be is bondage, not freedom! Freedom is staying in your lane, the lane God has designed for you.
Paul in defining his apostolic ministry said there was a measure of rule that he had been given. He was not an apostle to every church, but only to those he planted and those who received his gift. This same principle of the measure of rule applies to all gifts. Our measure of rule is the particular boundary of our gifting and it’s important to recognize as you develop it.
In our modern culture the pressure to be everywhere at all times is mind-numbing. It’s when you get outside of the grace of God that it gets exhausting and you burnout. Burnout means you are no longer operating in the grace of God. It’s exactly what Jesus was saying when He told us to take His yoke upon us as I taught you in Lesson 39: The Yoke Of The King. The greatest freedom you and I can experience is the freedom to stay in God’s grace for our lives which is the sphere of our primary gifts along with its boundary.
We must learn to operate within our particular gifting in all spheres of life whether we are meeting together as the ekklesia or in the workplace.
As I’ve already said, gift development takes time and it’s a process of trial and error. As you consistently operate in your gift it grows and it becomes effortless. It’s like exercise. You know the more you do it the more your body get’s used to it. Our muscles actually have memory which is a neurological process that allows you to remember certain motor skills and perform them without conscious effort. It’s the same way with our gifts and as we use them they begin to develop.
Let’s say you have a teaching gift and you are using it to lead a small group. If it’s your first time, then the boundary of your gift is that small group, but as you develop your gift it could develop into much more. Proverbs 18:16 tells us that our gifts will make room for us and what that means is that as we faithfully use our gifts we will grow in them. It’s important that each member of the body discover their gifts and begin to develop them. As every member is activated to use their gifts then the ekklesia will begin to fulfill its function as an active body, spiritual family and advancing army.
Your area of ministry may be speaking, which will be more public, or maybe you have a serving gift which tends to be more private or behind the scenes. None are greater than the others because all are needed.
If we don’t have godly business people using their gift of manager then there will be no money to support the mission and without the gift of prophecy or the gift of teaching you're going to have quiet meetings. It’s when every part is contributing and functioning that we truly see the body expand with it’s full potential. It’s the synergistic effect of all parts working together.
I want to define synergy for you because I think it truly demonstrates the networking principle that the body of Christ should demonstrate. Synergy is the working together of two things to produce an effect greater than the sum of the parts. Synergy is unleashed when we combine small things to make something bigger. It’s about getting things done together.
You know we cannot accurately view the challenges and opportunities in front of us without multiple perspectives.
We all have blind spots in our lives and synergy is about being humble enough to problem solve, create vision and strategically plan with others input. When existing ideas and concepts collide to form new and unusual combinations, they create a spark for innovative thinking to take place. Synergy is about networking and harnessing the expertise of others. You can apply this in your congregation, a city government or a business.
In I Corinthians chapter 3 verse 6 Paul used this principle when he said, one plants, one waters, but God brings the increase. The principle is learning to value every part and utilize each part for the growth of the whole. In ending this I want to encourage you to discover your gift, develop your gift and expand your gift by using it in conjunction with the other parts of the body.
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Next Lesson: Lesson 51 - Edifying the Church
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