Topic: Passion for working in Unity and Love

Text: Ephesians 4:11-13

Scientists discovered that human body is made up of several systems. Each of these systems is made up of several organs. Each organ comprises of tissues and each tissue is made up of several cells. Obviously, this is wisdom displayed by the Greatest Scientist – the Almighty God. God made each of these systems to function effectively and efficiently with each organ performing their unique but important functions. With the absence of the small intestine in the digestive system, the system cannot perform its function. God did it that way deliberately. This order has never changed since creation. All the organs of a system are unique and important to the overall achievement of every system.

One of the greatest systems that God created is the Church. The Church is a system designed and established by God for a special purpose – to make His name known among the nations so that He might receive glory from the nations (1 Peter 2:9). This system called the Church is made up of some organs as mentioned in the scripture under consideration – Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. These are not just nomenclatures but assignments, ministries and responsibilities. All of these are members of the same Church and have the following as their common factors (1 Cor. 12:12-27).

1. Mutual respect. The Church would be able to function effectively and efficiently, only when there is mutual respect among the members. The apostle should respect the evangelist, and the pastor should be respected by the prophet, for each other’s peculiarities. The mouth cannot function as the esophagus and vice versa. Without the former or the latter, or their equivalents in the digestive system, the system cannot work. The evangelist needs the pastor and vice versa for the system (the Church) to fulfill her purpose. The prophet needs the uniqueness of the teacher in the system. The absence of any of the organs creates deficiency in the system and affects the effectiveness of all other organs that made up the system.
2. Mutual commitment. The weakness of one organ affects the strength of the other. When a man has heart failure, the life of all other organs is at stake. Each of these organs of the Church must be committed to one another’s wellbeing. The pastor should see the wellbeing of the teacher and the evangelist as his responsibility. The teacher and the prophet must know that the sickness of the pastor is their sickness – 1 Peter 3:8.
3. Mutual support. There is no one organ that can function as a system. Even though it is generally believed that the apostle has the capacity to perform the functions of all others, his system can never be as effective and efficient as the collective effort of all the other ministries. Everyone is responsible for the support of each other. There must be mutual support as the case may be, among the various ministries that constitute the Church – Hebrew 10:24

The list of the common factors is inexhaustive. Nonetheless, the highest common factor of all these ministries; the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers, is love. God’s kind of love must be resident in the Church system. This is the only way the Church can distinguish herself from the world – 1 John 3:11. This agape love compels each of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to be committed to one another, respect and support each other. When love is absent in the system among these ministries, it does not matter what we think we are doing for the Lord, it will be unacceptable to the Master who has commanded us to love one another (1 John 3:23, 4:7). No love, no ministry (1 Cor. 13). We will be more fruitful and fulfilled when love and respect characterize our ministries.

Prayer:

• Pray that there will be mutual love and respect among the various organs of the Church.
• Pray that the Lord will heal every suffering part of His Church and that the body of Christ may fulfill her divine mandate.

Azeez A. Oladapo

God’s Own Evangelistic Discipleship Ministry (GOEDM), Jalingo, Taraba State.