Carol’s Corner
"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." Romans 12:4-6a (NIV)
"one body, many members" --- how often we have heard that analogy of the church. Paul writes that as members of the church we belong to all the others, in other words, we cannot really function as the Body of Christ in this world without other Christians. A foot or a hand is clearly a foot or a hand but they are not functional unless attached to the body. Duh. We get it. We understand that all of us have a function, a part, in the church. Knowing that, we still sometimes struggle with the spiritual gifts thing. We realize that there are different gifts needed in the church. The struggle is that often we do not see ourselves as gifted for ministryl
Each of us is gifted for ministry. Your gift may not be the same as that of the person who sits in the pew with you. Your gift may not be as visible as another's gift. Our challenge is to discover our own gifts and the gifts of those around us and then nurture those gifts in each other that we might bear fruit in our ministry together. "If your gift is prophecy, use it in proportion to your faith. I"f it is serving, serve; if it is teaching, teach; if it is encouragement, encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, give generously; if it is leadership, lead digilently; if it is showing mercy, do it cheerfully." This is a specific mandate from scripture. There are other gifts as well that we should be faithfully using to the glory of God and the furthering of the kingdom.
What is your gift? How faithful are you in using it in the ministry of this church? Join us as we answer these questions together. We will be doing a study on the spiritual gifts in the near future. Help us nurture the gifts God has given for ministry in this place.
Be blessed,
Carol
