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Table of Contents
The Long Reach of Laity
The apostle Paul challenges spiritual leadership to so equip the body of Christ that each member is prepared to see life as a holistic opportunity for ministry and service.
He was a successful businessman and a dynamic layman, but he had a gripe with preachers: “I have heard only one message in my lifetime that clearly sets forth a theology of the workplace.” He felt slighted, and rightly so.
I stand guilty. Only rarely have I addressed the subject myself. I wonder how many gifted and godly men and women listen to me preach week after week, hoping that at some point I will help them understand the ways God can use them in the workplace.
How is it that ministers have largely ignored such an essential dimension of people’s lives? Why have we not stopped to realize that people spend the majority of their waking hours in the workplace? What other activity occupies so much of their time and effort? A comparative look at our church time and work time helps make the point.
Can we discover a theology from Ephesians 4:11–13 that touches every area of our lives—even the workplace? Can we hear God speaking to us in these verses about a kind of life together in the church that is all-embracing and gives incredible significance to every aspect of life—even the workplace? I think so.
In this passage the apostle Paul challenges spiritual leadership to so equip the body of Christ that each member is prepared to see life as a holistic opportunity for ministry and service. Here then is a job description for every authentic, dedicated, and sincere spiritual leader. Pastor, this is what we are to be about. We are equippers. Facilitators. Motivators. Vision casters. Enablers. It is our calling to empower God’s people for works of service.
Tragically, Paul’s words have sometimes been ignored. Spiritual leaders often see themselves in all leadership ministry roles. Laypeople are invited to watch, but their role is largely nonparticipatory. A well-known football coach illustrated this dilemma by defining football as “22 men who desperately need rest and 50,000 people who desperately need exercise.”
If spiritual leaders would unleash laypeople by equipping them for works of service, the church would become the most dynamic agency for good. And the impact would be felt all the way to the workplace.
Let’s look more closely at the leadership model of Ephesians 4:11–13. (See sidebar for the outline.)
Outline of Ephesians 4:11–13
| SYNTACTICAL DISPLAY |
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| The Leaders Defined |
The Purpose Declared |
The Results Described |
| 1. Apostles |
To prepare God’s people for works of service |
So that the body of Christ may be built up until |
| 2. Prophets |
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1. We all reach unity in the faith |
| 3. Evangelists |
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2. [We all reach unity] in the knowledge of the Son of God |
| 4. Pastors/Teachers |
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3. [We all] become mature (attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ) |
| VERBAL ANALYSIS |
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| Term |
Meaning |
| Apostle (apostolos) |
One sent out |
| Prophet (prophetes)* |
One who speaks for God |
| Evangelist (euaggelistes)** |
One who announces good news |
| Pastor (poimen) |
One who shepherds |
| Teacher (didaskalos) |
One who teaches |
| To prepare (pros ton katartismon) |
A purpose clause meaning for the purpose of perfecting |
| Service (diakonia) |
Service—from which we get the word deacon |
| So that...be built up (eis oikodomen) |
A result clause meaning so that (as a result)…be built up |
| Mature (teleion) |
Full grown |
*When an e is transliterated as long, it is actually pronounced as a long a. **When two g’s appear transliterated together, the first one is pronounced as an n.
—Richard L. Dresselhaus
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THE LEADERS DEFINED
Leadership is the key. With good leadership what is thought impossible becomes possible. Conversely, poor leadership dooms to failure the most worthy of projects. Remember, when God wants something done, He looks for a leader. He invests in leadership. There are good leaders who have assumed incredibly difficult assignments and have succeeded. But there are also leaders who have had unlimited opportunities but have wasted them. It all hinges on leadership.
Who are these leaders God has called to direct the work of the church? Apostles—those uniquely called and sent out by God to establish His church. Prophets—those uniquely gifted to speak the Word of God to the church. Evangelists—those especially called to proclaim the gospel in such a way that people will become true followers of Jesus Christ. Pastors/teachers—those entrusted with the oversight and care of the church.
Some suggest that the offices of apostles and prophets are inappropriate for our day. They think these offices have been declared vacant after the apostolic period ended. I disagree. Each of the four ministry offices is vital to the health of the church.
There is still a crying need for men and women to carve out a church from the quarry of society, establish it well in doctrine and polity, and equip it to reproduce itself. Call this pioneering if you choose, but these kinds of ministries are reflective of the work of an apostle.
What about prophets? Sometimes we shy away from this leadership gift for fear that its presence might lead to fanaticism and authoritarianism. This is an unfounded fear. The church desperately needs leaders who will speak God’s special revelation of truth with power and authority. It is an essential ministry in the church, and God never intended it to cease.
However, the lines of definition between these offices must not be drawn with rigidity. Pastors are to speak prophetically. Evangelists are to have the heart of an apostle. The work becomes more important than the office. An understanding of the leadership gifts will produce balanced, released ministry.
THE PURPOSE DECLARED
What is the united purpose for the offices of leadership? The clarity and simplicity is profound: “to prepare God’s people for works of service.” That’s it. Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers have one assignment. (See sidebar, Finding and Developing Leaders.)
It is often said: “A good leader will work himself or herself out of a job.” This is the essence of empowerment. An effective leader trains and models in such a way that others can step in and do the job efficiently. Spiritual leaders are called to empower and then release the members of the Body for ministry and service.
A number of years ago, one of our young men felt led of the Lord to begin a 6 a.m. prayer service in our church. At first, only a few people were present at the weekly meeting. Later, it was expanded to two mornings a week. The numbers and interest grew until now there is a daily 6 a.m. prayer meeting. It remains a lay-led and directed ministry. As pastor I attend and participate; I do not lead. My part is to affirm, encourage, and participate.
Several months ago everyone was encouraged to join in one special morning to “storm the gates.” What a joy to see cars flowing into the parking lot as several hundred people gathered for prayer. I took my place in the congregation and participated in an electrifying hour of song, praise, and prayer. My thought was: The people of God are being released to do the work of ministry. I was unneeded. Ephesians 4:11–13 was being lived out.
Finding and Developing Leaders
When you see people merely as a means of accomplishing your task, you don’t develop leaders who will develop other leaders.
To create a leadership culture:
1. Be intentional. Resolve to find and develop leaders. Weave that intention into the framework of everything you do.
2. Focus on leadership. Don’t be afraid to focus on identifying and developing leaders throughout your church. Look for those who have a real heart for people.
3. Value the strategic role of small group leaders. When your ultimate goal is to produce fully devoted followers of Jesus, and the optimal environment for achieving that goal is relationship through small groups, then the most strategic person in the life-change process of the church is the small group leader.
—Bill Donahue. Adapted from Ministry Advantage, Sept./Oct., 2,
published by Fuller Theological Seminary, Division of Continuing and Extended Education, 135 N. Oakland Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91182. 626–584–5290. Copyright 1996.
Used by permission.
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THE RESULTS DESCRIBED
How will spiritual leadership know if God’s purpose has been achieved? Paul set forth the criteria: “So that the body of Christ may be built up until” (1) there is unity in the faith; (2) there is unity in the knowledge of Jesus; (3) there is the presence of a kind of ministry that reflects Jesus Christ and is characterized by unity, knowledge, and maturity.
I am somewhat taken aback. This purpose seems to be ingrown. Contained. Churchy. Restricted. What about the world? What about the people beyond the walls? What about the workplace—where God’s people live so much of their lives? What about evangelism?
Then it strikes me with incredible power. The impact of a church so built up will be irresistible in the world. This is impact and influence at its most profound level. It moves beyond mechanics and functionalism and strikes at the very heart of what the church in the world is all about: the people of God equipped, released, and empowered to change the world.
Recently, I was discussing the future of one of the departments in our church. The pastor overseeing this department had expressed the need for more salaried help to achieve the level of ministry effectiveness he felt was essential. I suggested he might be able to recruit some capable laypeople who could give the quality of leadership he desired. He reported to me not long ago that he now has several gifted laypersons who are giving him the necessary help to move his department forward. I commented: “You know, there is no limit to where you can go when you recruit laypeople for help and leadership.” This is the message of Ephesians 4:11–13.
When spiritual leadership empowers God’s people for works of service, the body of Christ is built up in unity, knowledge, and maturity so that its impact in the world will be profound—reaching all the way to the workplace.
Richard L. Dresselhaus, D.Min., is senior pastor of First Assembly of God, San Diego, California.
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