Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up Ephesians 4:11-12

This is a famous passage of scripture. This is the point in scripture where the 5 fold ministry is talked about. There is an interesting sentence in the middle of this verse that I hadn’t noticed before.

to equip his people for works of service

Previously I had been taught, or heard, this verse without that line. I don’t mean that anyone deliberately left it out, it was just rarely emphasised. I’d always heard that Christ gave himself the 5 fold so that the body of Christ may be built up. Whilst that is not untrue that line in between is the key. Actually what the verse tells us is that Christ gave the 5 fold to equip his people for works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up. The equipping was meant to result in ‘acts of service’. When we engaged in that after we had been equipped then we would grow. The verse is suggesting that if His people, the church, aren’t involved in works of service this verse suggests they may not be built up. Simply listening to the teaching of the 5 fold without any activation will not necessarily build people up.

Too often I hear Christians talk about needing deeper teaching and learning as if that is the key to a flourishing relationship with God. Mostly they are looking for more content. What I have come to realise that content is not really their issue – I mean we live in a world where we can receive all the content we could dream of consuming.

Content isn’t the problem here, context is

Content is important, but if the content we consume is not exercised in our context it will never be enough. When the two are combined incredible things happen. I’m yet to meet a follower of Jesus who actively pursues both who isn’t growing in their relationship with Jesus.

So lets start reading and living out this verse in all its fullness and watch as we, the church, builds up.