How Grows the Church?

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Introduction:

Have you ever known someone who was a Lone Ranger Christian? Now they likely did not refer to themselves in this way but they lived their life as if their growth as a Christian was a private thing between only them and God.
Have you ever wondered how we know the way in which the church is supposed to be run and do ministry? How do we do this with a group of people who in some cases have nothing in common except Jesus as our Lord and Savior?
Former Peoria area pastor, Bryan Chapel tells this story in his commentary on Ephesians:
Ephesians Chapter 13: Owner’s Manual for the Church (Ephesians 4:1–16)

Will Michael Dwight please come forward.” Hudson Amerding spoke these words with great authority. At that time, he was the president of Wheaton College and then, as now, he had the bearing and manner of a naval officer who had commanded many men in times of great trial. He called the student Michael Dwight (not his real name) to the front of the chapel assembly. This was during an era when bell-bottoms were popular, along with long hair and a certain attitude toward authority. All of these marks of the era were much in evidence in the person of Michael Dwight. He was known as a leader among the malcontents at the college, and when he was called forward by the naval officer turned president, everyone in the chapel auditorium held their breath for whatever fireworks were about to fly. Michael Dwight came forward, and Hudson Amerding addressed him directly. “Michael Dwight, I want you to know that you are my brother in Jesus Christ, that I love you, and that I refuse to allow what others may think about our differences to come between us.” Then the two men separated by so many apparent differences embraced each other.

As you might imagine, the tension that had built up on campus released like when you let the air out of a balloon. Chapel talks about how it was a quite memorable experience for most of the students to this day. It was memorable because you had two people who were from the outside and even culturally very different who could be unified because of their shared belonging to the body of Christ.
In the book of Ephesians, the apostle Paul addresses this. He writes to the church at Ephesus but knows that in the various groups within the church and the house churches, they would encounter people who were different in every way. They would be different in their ethnicity, social status, religious background, and in their personalities and their priorities. And yet, they all had to work together to accomplish the mission and see life and cultural change. Paul recalls for them some basic truths of their faith. They’re basic but they are absolutely essential and foundational to our understanding of the church.
Let’s pick up his letter to the Ephesians in chapter 4, verses 1-16 which acts as a sort of owner’s manual for the church.
READ
Ephesians 4:1–16 ESV
1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says, “When he ascended on high he led a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men.” 9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
PRAY
In the first six verses of this passage, Paul spends time talking about some of the things the church members have in common. They have the same identity as those called of God. They share the same testimony and are united in Christ with one Lord, one faith, and one baptism.

I. God has given good gifts to the church.

Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
These gifts are given with a purpose.
To teach
To train
To equip
They are to equip the saints, the church, for the work of ministry.
They do this so that every member will have the ability to contribute to the growth of the body.
All the Christians do the work of ministry. If every member of the church is responsible for building up the church then that must, in many cases, change our expectations of our pastors/elders. I want to share two ways in which we need to change our expectations on pastors:
Based on verses 11 and 12 I believe that you should expect me and any other pastor/elders to devote ourselves to teaching the Word (this goes beyond preaching) and to training and equipping you for service (for your ministry)
The other implication of this is that we as a church should never expect the pastor or elders to do all of the ministry for the church. We are to equip the body to build itself up in love.
Paul’s goal in our building up of the body is that the whole body, the whole church would become mature in Christ. He gives us a description of the maturity we should be working toward.
Unity in belief (v.13)
Attaining to the full measure of Christ’s maturity (v. 13)
Being doctrinally sound and stable (so we can resist false teaching)

II. A looming threat to the maturity of the church. (v.14)

False Teaching - False teaching does not announce itself as such. Often it’s very subtle in how it sneaks in.
Human cunning, craftiness in deceitful schemes
We must always be watchful. Be on guard.
What false teaching does:
The vulnerability of spiritual children is a sign of immaturity.
They easily get dragged into new ideas, books, or new teachings.
They get excited very quickly about a charismatic personality
When confronted with difficulties, they make drastic conclusions. They lean into trusting emotions more than truth. If their emotions differ from the truth, they become discouraged quickly.
In verse 15, Paul encourages the Ephesian Christians to come against the false teaching by speaking the truth in love. So, we resist false teaching by speaking the truth to everyone. Bobby Jamieson points out that “in some sense, every Christian is to teach the Bible to others.”

III. How does the body of Christ grow?

First of all, we need to understand that we aren’t simply talking about numerical growth. We are first and foremost speaking to Christian growth, the maturing of the believer in Christ.
Where does this growth come from? The body’s growth is from Jesus Christ.
The church grows:
As we speak the truth in love to one another (v. 15) - the means by which we help others grow
As every joint hold the body together (v 16) Possibly referencing the critical role of elders/pastors in their ministry of equipping the body for ministry
As each part works properly (v.16) - That’s all of the members…every single one. Christian growth is corporate. Every member is to be helping others to grow and be helped by others in the church to grow.
So, the Lone Ranger Christian who thinks they can grow better alone is missing out on how God wants them to grow. He or she is also disobeying the call of God on their life to build up others in the church in accountable, and committed relationships.
Will You Commit?
DECISION TIME: Make a commitment to build the church by speaking the truth in love.
If you make yourself commited to this, then you should see these impacts in your life.
The Impacts of This Commitment:
Understand that every member of this church is called to do ministry and not solely the job of the pastors.
It should impact your giving. You should give joyfully to your local church’s work of growing saints to maturity. As followers of Jesus we should view our finances as a trusted stewardship of God’s money as a way to provide for ourselves as well as for furthering the work of the gospel.
Work intentional times of spiritual conversation, prayer, and bible study with other Christians into your schedule.
Sunday mornings - gather regularly with the local church you are member of...
As you come to the gathering, come with a view of it as an opportunity to worship God, be built up in faith, and to serve others.
What does that look like?
Approach church watching for ways to serve. Help out with what needs to be done. Greet those who you think may be visitors. Try getting to know them or introducing them to your friends. Maybe approach someone after service with an encouragement or a reflection from the scripture passage that morning. This type of behavior ought to work their way into the rest of your day and your week.
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