Ephesians 4:12-13 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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.

We’re given blessings to be a blessing. We’re given gifts to use our gifts for the body.

Churches can provide opportunities for teaching through small group leadership. They can offer opportunities both on and outside of Sunday mornings for evangelism. There are certainly opportunities for helping and for those who have gifts of intercession and healing to pray. There are opportunities for shepherds and prophets to minister to the local body.

But the goal of it all is not to build the local church, but the body of Christ. Our vision is the full stature of Christ, maturity, unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God. And we use our gifts to equip other saints to work in ministry. Everyone is to work in ministry, not as a profession, but as a life motivation, always aiming to build the body of Christ. One of the things I pray for the youth is for them to be brought into ministry. It’s for all of us to build all of us until we reach the full measure.