¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. ¹⁶From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Eph. 4:7-16 (NIV)

OPENING ILLUSTRATION: 

All of us are shaped, to some extent, by the culture in which we live.  This can be a good thing, of course, but it can also be bad, especially if we are not even aware that we are being influenced.

I believe that Christ’s church has been unknowingly but adversely influenced by our culture in our concept of “professional” ministers.   Yielding to the current reliance upon “experts” to fix everything from our cars and computers to our children, we’ve now developed a tendency to look upon pastors as professionals who specialize in ministry.  Someone goes off to seminary, receives academic training, and then enters “the ministry.”  People in the congregation think of him as “the minister.”  Soon, this is how he thinks of himself.  He is “the minister” and he does “the ministry.”

This formula is a recipe for disappointment from a congregation with unmet expectations and the disaster of burnout from pastors who try to meet them.  But did you know that this concept is completely foreign to God’s word?  In fact, it is precisely the opposite of the design which God lays out for us.

Last week, as we considered Christian unity, we looked at Eph. 4:1-6.  That passage focuses on Christian unity.  It tells us that together we must strive, work diligently, to maintain a spirit of unity in the bond of peace.  To do that requires complete humility, gentleness, and patience, bound together by love.  And we have every reason to be unified.  After all, there is only One God, though the passage points out He is Father and Son and Spirit (three persons who do life together in perfect harmony).  And just as there are three persons yet only One God, so it is with us—there are many people yet only one body, one faith, one hope, one baptism.

So the point of the first seven verses is that we can have unity even in our diversity.

Ephesians 4:7-16 flips the coin and looks at the opposite side.  That is why it begins with the word, “But.”  It makes this point:  Just as unity in our diversity is a gift from God, so diversity in our unity is God’s gift.

I.        SPIRITUAL GIFTS (vv. 7-8)

⁷But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. ⁸This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men.” …

Normally, when we think of spiritual gifts, we think of certain abilities which we do not have naturally.  I have known people who are naturally shy and timid to be able to stand before others and boldly proclaim God’s word.  I have known some who naturally incline toward crowds.  They are the life of the party wherever they go.  And yet their spiritual gift may be quiet and behind the scenes, like generosity or encouragement.

This passage touches on this concept of spiritual gifts, saying that everyone who truly belongs to Christ has been given some measure of grace (i.e., something he did not deserve).  Both the particular grace that is given and the measure of that grace are determined by the Sovereign Lord.  So, our normal idea of “spiritual gifts” is in play.  But it is not the only or even the primary focus.  Look at the shift that occurs in v. 11:

¹¹It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,

Notice in this verse that the “gifts” are not certain traits or abilities that people possess, but the people themselves:

• APOSTLES – Those who met directly with Jesus and were sent out by Him as witnesses to the world;
• PROPHETS – Those whom God gives a an unusual ability to proclaim His word, which sometimes has included insight into the future (forth-telling and foretelling);
• EVANGELISTS – Those whom God gives unusual ability and winsomeness to tell others the good news about Jesus.  Acts 21:8 identifies Philip as such, and Paul tells Timothy to make this a part of his work (2 Tim. 4:5)
• PASTORS AND TEACHERS – Two aspects of one calling:
  • PASTOR – One who tends sheep, leading them, nurturing them, raising them, rounding them up, protecting them, seeking them when they go astray, binding up their wounds;
  • TEACHER – This specifically focuses on one job of a pastor, to feed the sheep by communicating to them the entire counsel of God;

I believe that this verse specifically refers to those who have a special call from God into vocational ministry (that is, they do their work for the benefit of the church and thus have a right to earn their living from such labors).

And this is where some people have looked at those who received such a particular call from God and thought of them as “spiritual experts” or “ministers.”  But look at the passage more closely.  These are Christ’s gifts to His church, but …

II.       WHY ARE THEY GIVEN?  (vv. 12-15)

A.      EQUIP HIS PEOPLE FOR IMMEDIATE MISSION (v. 12)

¹²to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up

This passage makes clear that those who have been called to serve in a vocation are not “the ministers” called to do “the ministry.”  Instead, they are the ones who “prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” (Eph. 4:12).  In other words, they are not there to do the ministry, but to equip and empower others to do it.  They are, in some respects, like coaches, who train others to take the field and carry out the game strategy.

When we think in these terms, we see that this is exactly how Jesus operated.  While he healed and taught and preached, he did not do all of this himself.  He trained twelve men, whose job was to train others, who could in turn train even more.

Consider the beauty of this design.  If “the minister” does “the ministry,” then what is accomplished can never be bigger than one person.  If his function is instead to train others for the work of the ministry, then what is accomplished is unlimited.  We will accomplish the second purpose of Christ.

B.      GROW HIS PEOPLE FOR ULTIMATE MATURITY (vv. 13-14)

¹³until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ¹⁴Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. ¹⁵Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.

Mutual edification is the process by which God is accomplishing the purpose for which we were predestined, to conform us to the pattern of His Son.

So what about you?  Are you sitting on the sideline, expecting a paid professional to do the work that, in reality, God expects you to do?  Who can you visit, or call, or encourage?  Who do you know who needs to hear the good news about Jesus?  Are you telling them, or waiting for “the minister?”

Our purpose in going was to deliver supplies to the family (a woman and three children) who lived there.  These children were sponsored by families in PA, who had brought gifts of clothing, school supplies and a few toys.  It astounded me to realize that they walked this path twice daily to attend school. 

Watching these children receive their gifts was moving beyond all words.  They beamed, they laughed, they celebrated as each new item emerged from its box.  It was like watching children at their birthday, only these were children who had never had birthday presents before.  But as excited as these children were, the real joy was evident somewhere else — on the faces of those giving “their” children these gifts.  That simply defies description.

And, of course, some gifts were for the mother, too.  Each one who had brought something for the sponsored children had the foresight to remember their mother.  I was not a sponsor for these children, but was able to give mosquito netting to the mother.  She was so grateful and so excited to receive them.

Then came that unexpected moment.  There was a bit of a clearing behind the house.  Two small girls, obviously drawn by the sounds of celebration, simply emerged from the jungle, as if they materialized from nowhere.  They were dressed in rags.  Their bellies were distended from hunger.  Their eyes were wide at the spectacle in front of them. 

There was simply no way we were going to let this moment pass.  We invited them into the celebration.  They were a bit cautious, but simply could not resist the allure.  I’m sure they didn’t really want to resist.  I had some extra clothing from my daughters, who had sent something with me so that they, too, could take part in this mission.  We sorted through the clothes and found those that would fit.  It wasn’t easy, because these children of the jungle had smaller frames than my girls and yet had protruding stomachs.  But we managed.  Keli took some photos.  I hope my daughters can rejoice to see their gifts put to such good use.

One of the ladies from FBC Barnwell had specifically asked me to find a child for her to sponsor.  I didn’t have to find the child, God brought her right to me.  And one for my family to sponsor as well.  God is great in His mercy and in His loving kindness.

I joked with Debi that I was having flashbacks to 2008, driving down the road, talking to a reporter, trying not to say anything to embarrass myself.

I’ve had doubts about Gingrich’s electability, and I think they are legitimate concerns.  He has some personal baggage, especially in regard to his three marriages.  I think he was out-maneuvered during the government shutdown by President Clinton.  He has an image problem, and a mainstream press happy to keep that the status quo.  And occasionally, he has demonstrated what I would classify as a tin ear, simply striking the wrong chord on an issue (saying something with which I agreed but in a way or for a reason with which I disagreed), or striking the right chord but at the wrong time.

With all of that jaundice, I simply was not prepared to be blown away by his speech today, but blown away I was.  Here’s why.  I am looking for a specific menu of items in a presidential candidate.  I want someone who is driven by principle (and, of course, I want those to be the same Biblical principles that drive me).  Several of the candidates can fill that single criterion.  So I want something more.  I want someone with the intellectual heft, the gravitas, to formulate ideas based on those principles.  And I want someone with the political wherewithal to actually implement the ideas that emerge. 

These last areas are where I think Gingrich separates himself from other contenders.  He has a world-class mind, with a command of history and dexterity with data that is simply impressive.  No mere academic, he uses this depth and breadth creatively, offering specific proposals instead of stale platitudes or generic position statements.  As for political deftness?  Well, I don’t remember any other Speaker who forced a balanced budget, or initiated a Republican revolution, or authored a Contract with America.

I know his campaign is off to a shaky start, but I think Newt Gingrich helped himself today.  He certainly did so in my eyes.

Historian David Barton is the key speaker.  He has presented lots of information about the involvement of pastors in the founding of our nation.  Of special interest to me is the fact that “election sermons” were a common practice at the time of our founding; that John Adams forty years after American independence credited the clergy with instilling in our citizenry the Biblical principles that undergirded our establishment as a nation; that the British referred to “the Black Robe Regiment,” that army of American pastors who led the nation during the war, and the involvement of so many African Americans in the revolution.

Rep. Michele Bachmann spoke last night.  She’s quite comfortable among this group, but I think will have to tone down her “preaching” style if she wants to gain a wider audience.  Senator Rand Paul also spoke.  He was an interesting man, not as folksy as Rep. Bachmann.  He was very honest and plain-spoken, which I appreciated.  He spoke of sincere faith, but also of sincere struggles as a man of faith because of the difficulty of seeing God’s greater design in human pain and suffering and because of His allowance of man’s inhumanity to other men.

This morning, Texas Gov. Rick Perry spoke via satelite feed.  He has called for a national day of prayer and fasting on Aug. 6.  Of course, everyone is wondering where he is in his deliberations about seeking the presidency.  He seems to be making all the moves toward a run, but has not committed one way or another.

For me, all of this has a strange feel.  Part of that is personal.  All of the candidates are speaking about the issues that I kept trying to address when I ran for Congress in 2008.  Then, I simply could not get traction and issues such as our national debt took a back seat to issues such as immigration.  It’s so peculiar to see the issues I championed now take center stage.  I suppose my timing was simply off by an election cycle–the Tea Party candidate before there was a Tea Party movement.

But all of this is strange to me for another reason, too.  I am conservative.  I am evangelical.  But I don’t like and never have liked the feeling that I’m being courted or that I may be viewed as part of the herd whose vote can be locked down by the occasional reference to Jesus and bringing in some gospel group to belt out “I’m Proud to Be an American.”   I’m tired of hearing elected officials who talk the talk, secure the votes, and then govern unwisely and selfishly.  So I sit through this with a certain bit of skepticism.  Sometimes, it’s all a bit too syrupy for my tastes.  I think I detect faint whiffs of insincerity, but I’m uncertain if its real or imagined.  Time will tell, I suppose.

Modern Nehemiahs

When we got to the job site, a flooring system had already been prepared and we were ready to start erecting walls.  I joked on the trip down that I would really be out of my element, since my normal function as a pastor is to tear down walls.  It felt great to swing a hammer.  It was cathartic.  It was therapuetic.  And it gave me some ideas for a new technique in pastoral counseling!  It was great to step back a time or two and just watch the hive of activity – workers busy everywhere, children being instructed, Ian (pastor Matt’s son) delivering Gatorade.  It was a thing of beauty.

Twice during the day, I was interrupted to give brief interviews for local television coverage. The Syracuse community is quite aware of the sad circumstances that destroyed Bellewood’s building, and I suppose it makes a great human interest story for a church to travel 900 miles to help out.  I suspect that I will be edited out entirely.  One reason is that I’m not photogenic, and others on the scene are.  The other reason is that both times I was asked about our motivation and answered that we were simply trying to imitate God who sent His Son a great distance to rebuild our lives that had been ravaged.  I was also able to say that this is a tragedy from which God is giving “beauty for ashes” as only He can do, and that the best example of that is how He took the crucifixion of Jesus and turned that awful tragedy into the salvation of the world.  Both times the interviewer nodded politely, but I know when I’m being humored.   Oh, well, I never was meant for TV ministry anyway!

I also had the pleasure of meeting Caramia and her young daughter Isabella.  They live about 45 minutes away and drove down to join us.  Caramia wants to involve her children in missions projects and learned about our trip while searching for “Syracuse missions” on the internet.  I do love the way our Father weaves things together.

I also got to visit with some of the church neighbors.  Walt lives three doors down and offered the use of his water if we need it.  Priscilla is simply interested in local history.  She was able to tell me a lot about the previous building, which had been a fieldstone home built in 1858.  Some of the stone facing has been saved, as has a peakstone inscribed with the original builder and date, to be preserved for posterity.  Priscilla was also able to show me footage of the fire and that destroyed the building and its subsequent demolition.  She is Episcopalian, but said she might just visit the Baptists.  I was reminded after traveling 900 miles of the importance of walking across the street.

Jetlag Sufferer and Missionary Tiffany Luper

I’ve never suffered from jetlag before.  Previously when I travelled, I just stayed up until bedtime, slept through the night, and started the next day as a matter of routine.  Not this time.  I suppose I’m getting old.  I’ve wanted to sleep at 7 p.m. and my eyes still pop wide open at 2 a.m.  I had just begun to settle into a more normal routine when I had to get up yesterday at 2 a.m. for our Church-Wide Mission (“CWM”).  I know the latest fitness craze involves “muscle confusion,” but I’m trying the theory with my Circadian clock!

Our CWM began ten years ago with a trip to Lousiana, and has included one to West Virginia, but all of the rest have been in SC or GA.  This year, however, we are travelling to a foreign country – Syracuse, NY.  The logistics for a trip of that distance are different and more difficult.  It involves much longer travel (hence, the 2 a.m. wake-up call) and getting more done with fewer people.  This year, 83 have made the trek to build a 7,000 sanctuary for Bellewood Baptist Church.  Check out their story at www.bellewoodchurch.com.

We gathered in the church parking lot at 3:30 a.m.  Everyone was so keyed up, you would never have known that breakfast was still five hours away.  Packing the buses and vans went smoothly enough, and within an hour Coley gathered us together and called their pastor, Matt Hallenbeck.  He prayed for us and as he did, you could sense the exscitement building.  By the time he said, “Amen,” I feared a stampede.  And with that great sense of purpose, we were on the road again.

The trip was long.  One of the buses experienced mechanical problems with the overdrive.  I’m no mechanic, but it seems it was simply the steep grades we were encountering, and we worked around it by manually disengaging the overdrive.  When you caravan with that many people, you’re bound to have more stops than any of us are accustomed to, and we did.  But I think that helped us begin the process of “bearing with one another” for a 9-day trip in close quarters.  Anthony was driving his truck and pulling a trailer full of tools and luggage, and he also experienced some problems.  We were blessed, however, that these occurred close to the end of our journey.  And so it was that shortly after 11 p.m., our 16-hour trip that took 19 hours came to an end.

Our host church is Northside Baptist Church in Liverpool, NY (www.northsideonline.org).  They are gracious in sharing their facilities and we’re grateful.  The men are sleeping in the sanctuary, a large multi-purpose room that doubles as a gymnasium and worship center. 

Having not quite recovered from Uganda, I felt unprepared.  Jeremy and I had one sleeping bag between us.  I had hoped we might pick up an extra once here, but the later-than-expected arrival ruled that out.  I asked our Father to help us sleep well enough (we both needed it) and he answered in a generous and unexpected way.  William walked up to us and said he had brought an extra air mattress in case anyone needed it.  It was perfect and we slept very soundly.  It felt great.  I’d had 3 hours of sleep in the previous 48 and was running on fumes.

So imagine my surprise when my eyes popped wide open at 5 a.m.