Bible Snack #142

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me (Galatians 1:1, 2 — New King James).
 
Paul speaks of his apostleship in these two verses. He quickly points out that only God assigns an office to a believer, not a man. No one has the right to be self-proclaimed. These offices, which are delivered to certain individuals by Jesus alone, are part of the Lord’s ministry.
 
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (Ephesians 4:11–13 — New King James).
 

​So, when you are looking for a church, let this be your criteria. Are the pastor and the teaching staff concerned with how much you measure up to the fullness of Christ? Is this church equipping you for the work of the ministry? Have the members discovered their place in the body of Christ?
 
I am an evangelist, plain and simple. He said that clearly one night as I was getting out of a car. All I said was “Okay.”  Does that mean I am one of those shouting, spitting, storytellers that stride back and forth across the stage challenging you? No. I’m a writer. My own life is very mild and isolated. Although, perhaps my written words shout and spit. I definitely know I am a storyteller.
 
When the Lord told me I was to write stories, I was sorely disappointed. I complained. He said, “That’s what I did when I was on the earth.” I changed my attitude completely! God is going to assign tasks to all of us, and He is going to use the gifts He has already given.
 
Find a church that will build you into what God wants you to be.