Equipped for Service - Ephesians 4 v 11-16
Trevor Withers 8th October
Trevor told us a story about his barber who says that what makes his business work isn't just giving good haircuts, it's about people, friendship, kindness, being there for them.
This passage is also all about people, making up the body of Christ, each making our contribution. We need to value each other and each other's contributions, give space to each other. Not just getting done what we need to get done, but making space and time for people. 'Face to face' time - how much do we have with people which doesn't involve us completing our task.
V 11 'he gave' – God has given us the gifts, they are ours.
What this passage is not
This passage is often referred to in the context of leaders and leadership gifts, but it doesn't actually say that. It's about the body. The gifts are for us to use within and outside of the body.
Pastor & teacher have traditionally be put together into the church leader's position, but they are very different roles and should also be used plentifully outside of the main church leader To be used in the body by the body.
It's not about a person building up their gift eg to become a great prophet, it's about building up the body and raising up other people in their gifts. V 12 Eg a prophet might encourage other prophets.
Some of these gifts are often associated with stature or position eg apostle, which simply means 'sent out'. These gifts are not huge things which we ordinary people will never step into.
Jesus gives the gifts
People who have these gifts reveal and use them more than they realise, eg every time Trevor spends time with Mark he learns something because Mark is a teacher, and Alan was asked to teach RE because he's good at explaining things even though he wasn't trained.
V 11 the gifts
v 12 why are they there – to equip the saints
v 13 which leads to maturity in the body
Imagine Paul getting excited as he dictates this to his scribe, following the train of thought, one thing leads to another
It's all about growing – growing in our relationship with God, growing as a body with each other, growing in our impact on the world.
Be encouraged to us these gifts, which of the has God placed in you?
To help us grow:-
Encourage each other
Enable - make sure the tools are in our toolbag, eg read the Bible,listen to teaching cassettes, go on equipping courses (like a personal development plan!) make the most of chance encounters with people from whom you can learn
Experience – need to learn by doing, cell groups are a great safe place to try out any of these gifts. Talk to Trevor if you feel you need more space to try out things
Evaluate – how did it go, learn from the experience. Remember most of us trip up and fall over the first few times, just like learning to walk or ride a bike. Keep trying and learn as you go along. | 
