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. – Ephesians 4:11-14
We all have expectations for our church to meet certain needs; however, when those expectations are not met, disappointment and resentment can set in. Our hope is that our church will be a gathering where faith is inspired, hope is expressed, love is evidenced, values are forged, relationships are strengthened, and lives are transformed. But while we all have this shared expectation, this issue can be a point of conflict and division when it comes down to the question of, “Whose needs are being met and how?”
This is particularly evident when a church is growing. A growing church is an exciting church but as we all know, change causes friction. This week we will explore the why and how of balancing expectations with regard to the overall mission and ministry of the church. Discovering that each of us plays a significant role in service, unification, and cooperation within the church, we must always seek to put Christ at the center, keep the mission on our minds, and the ministry in our hearts.
Pray for a heart of service, unity, and cooperation to permeate our church body.
- Praise God for His power, His authority, and His unchanging character.
- Repent from any divisive or uncooperative spirit that you may have in your heart.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to help you be a source of help for your church. Also ask Him to show you your place of service.
- Yield to the Spirit and give of yourself sacrificially.
Blessings,
Jacqueline Heider
Director of Women’s Ministry, Prayer & Resource Specialist
