Spiritual Gifts Being Used

I'm not going to pretend to be the first or hundredth or in any other numerical equation, the innovative thinker who developed this notion. All believers are called to use their spiritual gifts in ministry. Every independent being in the entire body must do his or her part for the body of Christ to be healthy.

If everyone has spiritual gifts and these gifts were given to us to strengthen the body, then for the body to be healthy, all these body parts need to be functional. This particular aspect of the healthy church is largely ignored or treated as unrealistic.

“What church has 100% participation?”

This question is supposed to be some kind of evidence that this calling by God is impossible to fulfill. Because the answer to this question is, “None that I’ve ever seen,” those who think this to be an unattainable, far-too-lofty ideal, choose to ignore the fact that unhealthy churches all over the country are squandering God’s power!

Where in the Bible do you find support for the call to "attend" among believers? The Great Commission is just that; a "commission". "Go and teach people to attend a church," was not part of that commission.

SPEAK the gospel.
BAPTIZE in the Name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
TEACH them to obey
LOVE God with all you have
LOVE your neighbor as yourself

All of these are actions. The church is a body that acts...that does. If you in your body just sit there, doing nothing but "attending" life, you will become weak, then ill, and eventually, you will die. Unfortunately, this is happening to the body of Christ all over our country!

Here is an interesting question: "How can Jesus become sick?"
Answer: "When His body becomes unhealthy and lethargic due to inaction."

When did God ever empower anyone in the Bible and then expect him or her to waste it?

Never! The question is so absurd that even as it is read, the mind races in search of an excuse or rationalization to prove this is not an “apples-to-apples” comparison. That quest will fail, because this is an exact assessment of our failure to communicate the expectation of God that all believers are expected to take up their roles in the body and accomplish His will, together!

Because we all know more people in the church could get involved, we know we have some work to do in this area. What steps can be taken to breathe new life into the hearts of the people who have remained deaf to this call?

1. Teach that using your gifts is a doctrinal necessity. It is!

2. Require church members to be involved.

3. Have a clear plan to help people find their ministry gifts and put them to use.

4. Create ministry opportunities based on gifting – let the hand do a hand’s work, etc.

5. Communicate often the needs of the church family to the body.

6. Pray that God will send the right “Body Parts” to meet your church’s needs.

7. Consider dropping ministries that God is not providing people to accomplish.

When we are weak, we are not healthy. Everyone using his or her spiritual gifts in ministry strengthens the body. Therefore, we are healthy when everyone is accomplishing the ministry they were formed to accomplish.