The Body of Christ

Chris Hearty

Romans 12:3-21

The Body of Christ is filled with people with many diverse giftings, supernaturally empowered to serve the Body of Christ as well as the world at large. Every member of the Body has a unique role that they can fulfill to demonstrate the love of God to a lost world. God is calling each one of us in the Body to step out in faith and let our love for one another shine brightly in a dark world.

Serving in the Body of Christ

James Rochford

Romans 12:6-21

Paul describes God's intention for fellowship within the Body of Christ: a close-knit group of believers sharing in each other's lives as each one exercises his God-given spiritual gifts. When Christians live this way through the power of the Holy Spirit, it creates a type of community not found elsewhere.\r\n

Christ over the Natural

Mike Sullivan

Romans 12:6-21

The Bible is littered with miracles from the Old to the New Testament. What is the point of these miracles? What is the role of miracles in the church today? And what role do miracles play with people who don't know Jesus?

Uniformity & Diversity in Ministry

Gary DeLashmutt

Acts 13:2

In the church, there are ministry roles that all members should play, which can be referred to as ministry uniformity. This includes evangelism, discipleship, loving one another, financial stewardship and corporate prayer. But there is also ministry diversity, ministry strengths and roles that vary between Christians. This includes both spiritual gifts and specific ministry field passion. We should seek a healthy balance between these in our church, and here we discuss what that looks like and how a body of Christ can move toward that balance.

Life in the Body of Christ

Scott Risley

Romans 12:6-13

In contrast to the common clergy-laity model, Paul describes a church that acts more like a body, in which each member has a specific and indispensable role to play. Within the body, God has a ministry for each person, and has given to each one spiritual gifts to build up the body. Relationships within the church should be characterized by sacrificial love for one another.

Helping Others Identify and Use Their Gifting

Joel Comiskey

Romans 12:6-13

Helping people identify and use their God-given spiritual gifts is important. Every believer has at least one gift. The church is impacted by everyone's use of their gift and is to be used for edification. The best way to identify your spiritual gift is to experiment serving in different ways in a small group. It's important to keep Jesus in the center as we learn about our gifting.\r\n

Home Church Multiplication and Spiritual Gifts

Gary DeLashmutt

2 Timothy 1:6-7

Spiritual gifts are given to members of the church to help build up and cultivate church growth. The primary context in which scripture emphasizes gifts is within a home church setting. Embracing a lifestyle of serving love will reveal personal gifting and should be the reason for using spiritual gifts. Scripture lays out principles we can follow when encouraging and spurring one another on to use their spiritual gifts.

How to Lead When You're Not a Natural Leader

John Cleary

2 Timothy 1-4

While the Bible gives some examples of gifted leaders, Christians do not have to have the gift of leadership in order to hold the office of leadership. In 1st and 2nd Timothy, Paul describes important character qualities and actions that must be present in those who lead, while omitting the necessity for gifting. Paul presents six key things for the office of leadership. These include: being an example of godly character, explaining and applying God's Word, exercising one's own gifting in the context of one's own group, shepherding one's flock with high support and high challenge, staying focused on the mission, and developing future leaders.

How to Lead When You're Not Gifted to Lead

Gary DeLashmutt

1 Thessalonians 2:7-12

While God has given some people the gift of leadership, not all in a leadership role also have the spiritual gifting. What matters much more than a leadership gifting is the pursuit of character growth and sanctification. When Paul leaves Timothy in charge of the church in Ephesus, he tells Timothy to be an example to the people, preach God's Word, and not neglect the giftings God has given him. Even though Timothy was seemingly not a gifted leader, he was qualified for the office of leadership because he had godly character and was faithful with what God had given him.