Different Gifts in a Church Group
Quite soon it will be the annual University Boat Race. When we watch the boats out in the middle of the often-turbulent river, we see eight huge men pulling in unison, like a slick well-oiled machine. They propel their boat forwards as fast as possible, however, they are all facing backwards, none can see the ultimate goal. What we often fail to notice is the head of the very small cox, male or female, tucked into the stern and shouting instructions. He or she does not need to be physically able to row, just to have their eye on the finishing line, to understand what is needed to win, to be quick to adapt and able to communicate new instructions to the well trained crew.
A church group can be like the boat race crew. Every member is important and has a role without which the whole venture would fail but there has to be someone to co-ordinate what would otherwise be brilliant but haphazard endeavours. Just as the oarsmen would go round in circles if the cox were not there, a project without a leader will founder. The person who knows the plan for the Church is, of course, God but He has to have a lieutenant on earth. Leaders do not have to be experts in the subject, a doctor is not always the best person to run a hospital, managers are better.
The Holy Spirit imparts instructions; we need to be tuned in at all times. One hymn says “Here I am Lord, is it I Lord?” and this should be our mantra. God knows our timetables and deadlines and will provide the answers at the right time. He is also a brilliant planner and understands the practicalities of life. When He instructed Noah to build the Ark, He gave him very precise instructions as to measurement and materials. Noah, after all, was not a shipwright, he probably lived inland, and his design for the ark might have sunk mid voyage (Gen.6:14-22). Read on into the rest of the Pentateuch and you will see God also has a wealth of experience as town planner, architect, health and safety adviser, stone mason, carpenter and many others.
St Paul writes of the different gifts of the Spirit. We are not all required to do the same thing. Some of us are able to sing, some to preach and others are more mundanely practical. However good the worship, the church will struggle to keep members if the toilets are not cleaned or the bins emptied. It is not for us to decide who should be allowed to do what. The Spirit will cause the right person to rise to the challenge when it is appropriate and we should see that all the messages are different versions of the same strategic plan.
God speaks to us but we do not always listen or do not realise it is Him speaking. When we have a sudden inspiration in the nick of time we think of it as a stroke of luck or our own brilliance rather than God intervening. When things go wrong we blame Him. On the other hand we test God, we say, “If you want this, make it happen without any effort from me”. If we act like this we are ignoring Biblical teaching. When the devil taunted Jesus suggesting He jump from the heights as angels would save Him, thus proving the Father’s power, He replied, “It is written, do not put the Lord your God to the test” (Matt.4:7).
We should not be putting God on trial by demanding He work to our agenda, that He show us what to put in the sermon on Saturday afternoon, when we have time to write it down, or move us to worship on Sunday without rehearsal. We must be on the alert for the message, God’s timing will be right. We cannot say what we want to happen and expect God to provide ways for us to achieve our ends. It is His to dictate the nature of His kingdom and we need to obey. We have a corporate vision and work as a group like the parts of the vine (John 15:1-17) but we also all have individual responsibility for our own role, we must not be mavericks, neither are we here to judge each other’s efforts. Jesus said the person without sin should be the first to condemn (John 8:7).
