Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
There is no “I” in team. That is an old phrase by now but it fits well into the Ephesians 4 church, as we like to call it here. Ironically, the first word in Ephesians 4 is “I”. It is Paul urging us to walk individually in a manner that builds up the body. It goes on to mention the word “one” nine times as each one becomes one with one another. This tells us that we grow into him. We speak hard things in love. We join together, living stones, as Peter calls us, into an organism. And as we know, healthy organisms do one thing. They grow.
And healthy churches are indeed healthy organisms. Therefore, healthy churches grow. They speak the truth in love and discipline. They grow individually through discipleship and use their gifts to make the church work properly. It grows in love and each person has a role in the growth process, even if they do not think so. There is something for you to do today to make this organism a well functioning life form. It may be prayer, helping, evangelism, or hospitality. May we never feel like the Lord has no use for us. We are a part of the body.
Dear Lord, thank you for the body of Christ with Jesus as the head. May we be found a useful cell in the organism of the church. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Pastor Brad Boyer
Cape Community Church