INTRODUCTION
Do you still remember the show in Channel 13 that feature 2 teams of Roller Skaters that fights for almost 1 hour in winning the most laps? Do you still remember how suddenly one member of the team will turn his back from his own team and create troubles so that the other team will win instead of theirs? I’m sure the management spent a lot just to train and condition all their players. They are also drafted and trained according to their natural talent and skill. Only to be wasted by not desiring theirs to win. Are you willing to become that tea member?
Different gifts/leaders are not accident or humanly desired, it is …
I. APPOINTED BY GOD IN THE CHURCH, 27-28
A. For different scopes of the ministries
1. Apostles: for the faith foundation of the church
2. Prophets: for the proclamation of what the Lord has said in His word—equivalent to preaching today
3. Teachers: for the growth of knowledge
4. Other gifts, such as healing and miracles: for authentication of God’s message of salvation until the whole Bible is compiled.
5. Helps: for social concern ministries
6. Administration: For the management and direction provider in the church
B. For different abilities needed in the ministries
1. To eliminate misfits
2. To specify limits of each one’s ministry
3. To minimize discouragement-You know the most valuable player (say the team captain) can be a source of discouragement (cite the intro.)
II. CUSTOMIZED FOR THE MINISTRIES IN THE CHURCH, 28-29
Haven’t you noticed that one church is different from the other in many ways? Just like how JIL is different from Word of Hope, GCF from CCBC, Calvary from Cupang, and LJF from JCCF. That’s because no two things is hundred percent identical. Even in human body, parts are customized to the individual concern. (Nose, eyes, lips, cheeks and etc.)
LJF is much of a community church because most of our members live around the area. Yours is in different form also, your church is inside a community but majority of the members live outside this community. Maybe some of you do not even know at least 5 families living within the radius of 20 meters of the church.
This is also true with the NT churches. This is why our gifting (as a church) is also different from one another. The truth is when God bestow gifts to a particular church it is customized for her.
A. For specialization of the ministries (Compassion, Community organizing, Information dissemination or morality barometer in the community)
B. For maximize effectiveness of the ministries/church
C. For proper stewardship of God’s gift
Challenge:
You have to identify first what type of church you are. What type of people you are reaching. Then, you have to think of ministries or how your ministries will fit in the type of a church and target people you have. Remember, if you chose to be here in this community God’s gifts are customized for you need.
III. TEAMED-UP FOR THE BEST OF THE CHURCH, 30-31
A. Not all individual can do everything, 30
B. But together the best can be achieve for the church, 31
1. If the individuals do or use their gifts in love
2. If individuals will not compete with each other
3. If everybody will always consider others as better than him (Phil. 2:3)
CONCLUSION
You are important! God designed His church here in JCCF to be His channel of blessing for the lost in this community. He decided to take you and made you part of it. (Go back to the introduction) He gave you gift(s) and made you an able member of His team here. Use your gifts. Serve God with the others members of this church. And together, desire the best for God. Live for Jesus.
