Members are ridiculed for wanting to hear Bible based expository preaching on the pretense that it just makes people fat and lazy, unwilling to work for the common good of the church. Instead, they themselves become the focus of worship, the primary and final arbiters of truth, doctrine, and practice on their own authority. Frequently, and in their sinful arrogance and independent spirit, the result is a complete failure to teach from the Bible, disciple believers, and warn and/or correct the congregation in a loving way about apostates, heretics, false teachers, false prophets, and the twisting of Scripture.

When churches are run like corporations, pastors, elders and deacons lose whatever humility they once had and become manipulative dictatorial leaders and/or task masters, and discard their roles as shepherds, ministers, caring advisers, and equal members of the body of Christ, under the authority of God. Read these four passages to begin to see the framework of spiritual gifts in Scripture.' It needs to be said that churches should not be run like businesses. Share them with a trusted friend and get feedback. On a 3x5 card, list your top three strengths and top three weaknesses. In verses 6-8, the question is “What am I supposed to do?” The Practice: Discover and deploy your spiritual giftsįrom this passage, think accurately about yourself.ġ. In verse 4, the question is “Where do I belong?” The Reason: You have a role to fulfill

The Command: Think accurately about yourself 7 If it is serving, let him serve if it is teaching, let him teach 8 if it is encouraging, let him encourage if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously if it is leadership, let him govern diligently if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.Ĥ Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.Ħ We have different gifts, according to the grace given us.

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