Edgewater Grace

I read with interest an article in my Discipleship study on the distinct parts we each play in our church body.    The emphasis of the lesson was how each part of the body has equal significance and importance within the body of Christ.

One of the quotes in the study was a comment by Martin Luther where he rants and raves over the importance of the pastor.  In our churches today we have definitely learned that lesson well.  So much emphasis is placed upon the pastor, that it appears that he is the entire body.  For instance, who visits the sick and in prison?  The pastor.  Who does the weekly outreach meetings?  The pastor.  The pastor runs many of the programs in the smaller churches.  One might ask – What happened to the other body parts?

The music director has been given an equally noticeable roll.  Whether pastors in their own right, or lay people serving the Lord in this capacity, they are often just as busy as the Pastor is when it comes to building up the church body.  I can remember serving for four years in this capacity, and the Pastor and I literally held that body of believers together.  I helped visit the sick, helped with outreach, created the bulletins and followup letters, and helped the Pastor set up revivals and other events because there was no one else to help.

Christ’ church is a living breathing body of believers pulled together from a multitude of experiences for a purpose.  No one person – and no one gift – is more important than any other gift.  Pastor’s and music directors get a lot of attention, but they are no more important than the person responsible for serving food or watching over the nursery.  When the church is active and alive, each person completing their own work for the good of the whole, then the Church can seriously impact the community where it survives.

We need to give our Pastors and Music Directors a break and begin to carry the load that Christ has appointed us.  When the Pastor sets the vision, we need to gather behind him and follow his leadership in whatever Christ has laid upon His heart.  If he feels God wants him to hold a revival, then the activity committee and the kitchen committee need to get on their knees and pray for wisdom and then joyfully plan some activities.  The worship team needs to pray and then begin to seek out a revival preacher.  The music director needs to set up some special music.  The nursery and children’s church need to be planned.  Even the cleanliness of the church becomes paramount to the success of the revival.

The church cannot function unless all of the gifts of the Spirit are present and accounted for.  This means the members of the body must be on scene and prepared for service.  Once that occurs, there is no limit to the powerful witness a church can have.  Without the sum of the parts, however, the church will stagnate and die on its own. 

We need each other.  That’s all there is to it.