Paul spoke of the mystery of Christ's love for the Church and it's purpose in the earth. In the scripture below Christ gave the gifts of the five fold ministry offices to the Church.In Eph. 4:11 He gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers and in verse twelve he tells you why. For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry and the edifying of the body of Christ. If you are born again you are a member of the body of Christ just as your arms, legs, hands and feet are joined to the head by the body. The bible clearly teaches the saint to submit to eldership of those who are faithful and have evidential fruit of the spirit in their lives.
There is also a corporate anointing, which can only be experienced in a group setting. You can watch it on TV and that is good but there is a difference in being there. I can watch a commercial about a buffet and see all the food but if I go to where it is being served up then I get to taste it for myself.
You have gifts in you that the other parts of the body of Christ need. They may be undiscovered to you now but God's knows how and where you fit in the body of Christ. Pray for His guidance and if He leads you to our fellowship then we will rejoice with you and get to know you as family. We have a saying here at Heartland,"The first time you come you are a visitor, the second time we consider you family."
Eph 4:11 And truly He gave some to be apostles, and some to be prophets, and some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,
Eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.
Eph 4:13 And this until we all come into the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
Eph 4:14 so that we no longer may be infants, tossed to and fro and carried about by every wind of doctrine, in the dishonesty of men, in cunning craftiness, to the wiles of deceit.
Eph 4:15 But that you, speaking the truth in love, may in all things grow up to Him who is the Head, even Christ;
Eph 4:16 from whom the whole body, fitted together and compacted by that which every joint supplies, according to the effectual working in the measure of each part, producing the growth of the body to the edifying of itself in love.
- Updated: February 25, 2006