Thought of the day
Paul says Jesus gave certain people to the church, some to lead, some to teach, some to reach people who don't know Him yet, for one specific reason: "to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up" (Ephesians 4:12).
Notice what that verse doesn't say. It doesn't say these leaders exist to do all the ministry themselves while everyone else watches. It says they exist to equip everyone else to do it. That's a massive difference, and it's easy to miss. It's tempting to assume ministry is what the pastors are for . . . that showing up on Sunday is the finish line of your faith instead of the starting point.
But Paul's picture of the church isn't a stage with a few performers and a large audience. It's a body, and every part of a body has a job. A hand has a role. An eye has a role. Feet have a role. None of them do the whole job alone, and none of them were designed to just watch the others work.
Think on this for a bit, especially if you've quietly assumed you don't have much to offer. Maybe you've never taught a class or led a group and you assume that means you're not equipped for anything. But equipping isn't only formal leadership. It's teaching kids, opening your home, encouraging someone who's struggling, noticing the person everyone else walks past, using a skill you already have for something bigger than yourself.
Today, don't ask what the church or your pastor should be doing for you. Ask a better question: what has God already put in me that He wants to use to build something bigger than myself?