|
Body-Builders |
||||
|
Issue 1 from |
||||
|
In this issue · Introducing “Artios Ministries” · Feedback |
Welcome to Body-Builders! This is a new series of
teaching articles intended to bless and build the Body of Christ. I trust you enjoy this
first issue, and I welcome your feedback. Every blessing, George Alexander For Artios Ministries |
|||
|
Jesus said: “I will build my
church” Mt 16:18 The church is the Body of
Christ. We know that the church is not
the actual buildings. But
neither is the church simply meetings, although meetings are
important. The church is people,
the people of God—people in relationship with God and each other, functioning
in gifting and service together as the Body of Christ. Formerly, I was an
individual. Then I was introduced to
relationship with Jesus, and became part of a Body. Now together in the church, we have an individual identity and
a corporate identity. “Now you are
the body of Christ and individually members of it.” 1 Cor 12:27 ESV. God shapes and forms us corporately and individually, but His
ultimate intent for individuals is that they take their place in the Body. And He
gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and
some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of
service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the
unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man,
to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Eph
4:11-13 NASU God does work with individuals,
but He’s after something more than cleaning, restoring and buffing up
individual believers to an impressive shine.
God’s goal is not that there finally be the dazzling glint of
racked-up saints, polished in their individual perfection. No, He’s looking for a mature man,
for His Body to be brought to maturity, to the measure of the stature
of the fulness of Christ, to what’s been described as “the maturity of the
perfectly balanced character of Christ”, in corporate function. How do we get there? What builds the Body of Christ? We could say many things, but here are
three: Strong relationships
are Body builders Relationships are the glue that
sticks the building together and keeps it “built”. In the picture of living stones being built into a spiritual
temple, relationships are the cement between the stones, and therefore the
difference between a spiritual building and a spiritual brick pile. In the Body, relationships are
the joints, and a joint is a meeting of two members. Christ,
from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint
supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the
growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. Eph 4:16
NASU The Body is held together by
that which every joint supplies.
Without properly-functioning joints, the Body is stiff and
immobile. If there is tension in the
joints through lack of love, the Church is unbuilt, or is at best the
arthritic Church, suffering from inflammation of the joints. We need to confront our
independent-mindedness, find our joints, and form strong, loving
relationships, enabling life, gift and ministry to flow over that joint, and
around the Body. Equipped saints are
Body builders Jesus gave those listed in Eph
4:11 “for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the
building up of the body of Christ”.
The “saints” here are us—those being set apart—we could simply
say “believers”. The Church is built
by saints being equipped and doing the works of service. And the extent to which it’s built is the extent
to which we co-operate. Steve Shank said, “Disciples
of Jesus are duty-bound to pursue training.
It’s part of every Christian’s job description.” We must therefore allow ourselves
to be equipped, which necessarily also implies allowing others to minister to
us, as they fulfil the goal of their own equipping. The NIV renders the end of Eph
4:16, “…grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” There is a work for each part. But there are two problems. The first is that some, in laziness,
abdication or self-satisfaction, don’t want to work at all. Without being too insensitive, these need
to be encouraged to embrace God’s purpose for their lives, to read Eph 2:10,
and to repent! The second problem is
that many Christians try to do someone else’s work rather than their
own. One may be trying hard to be a hand
in the Body, usually because all his friends are hands. But he may in fact be a foot. In that case he will look dysfunctional
and feel frustrated attached to a wrist, and the local body may be limping or
hopping because of his absence from the ankle! To help the Body build itself up
in love, do your work individually — simply be the part you were made to be! Gifted ministries are
Body builders And he [Jesus]
gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of
Christ Eph 4:11,12 ESV I’ve kept these until the end
because we usually start with them.
Their importance must not be belittled nor their role reduced. Their impact on the whole Church is
critical. They must be embraced as
the gifts and the equippers that they are.
We cannot expect to come to “the mature man” God has in mind and yet
neglect or downplay apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and
teachers. Most members of the Church
are not in the list, but all can be involved. While the majority will not be Ephesians 4:11
ministries, everyone can embrace Ephesians 4:11 ministries. And as we do, the Body will be built. In this regard, my earnest hope
is that these e-mail teaching articles will be Body-Builders in function, not
just in name; and they can make a difference and assist in the equipping
process, that the Body of Christ may be built and built up. George Alexander October 2003 |
||||
|
Artios
Ministries is a new ministry launched officially in October 2003. The
Founder and Director is George Alexander. For 12 years, George pastored
Liberty Church in Dunfermline, Scotland, before being released in 1997 to a
wider teaching ministry. The
aims of Artios Ministries are:
Artios
Ministries is a charitable trust recognised in Scotland as Scottish Charity
number SC 034194. |
||||
|
“Artios” is
a Greek word occurring in the New Testament. It means, “complete,
fitted, completely qualified, with all its needed parts”. It
occurs, together with another word derived from it, in 2 Timothy
3:16,17 “All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching,
for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the
man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” RSV |
||||
|
Contact Information |
||||
|
Difficulties or Comments? Just click “Reply” and let us know. |
Artios Ministries 13 Whinhill Dunfermline Fife KY11 4YZ U.K. |
01383-739537 (+44-1383-739537) |
||
