Comes from Desiring God as part of a series on the local church, The Local Church: Training You for Ministry. Here is the entire text minus the Scripture quotes....
It is God's will that you be active in life-long ministry, in your church. You are called to edify, build up and encourage a local body of believers by utilizing your own unique giftings by the power of the Spirit. How are you to be equipped for this ministry? Through the ministry of the local church itself.
The role of the local church leaders is to equip the members for ministry by teaching and shepherding. Then, the ministry of each member collectively builds up the church. Hosting small groups, evangelistically engaging your city, equipping younger men in trades that will provide for their families and serve the community, encouraging and helping mothers of young children, assisting in practical needs by working with your hands, teaching Sunday School, facilitating fellowship through hospitality, nurturing the young, caring for the old, practicing intercessory prayer, etc.
One of the reasons the local church exists is so that we might learn to serve one another, according to the various capacities and gifts we have been given, under the gospel of God's amazing grace in Christ. Dig in to your local church to be equipped and serve in the ministry God has for you!
I have to wonder how Bethleham Baptist is carrying out the principles envoked here given that it is a huge, multi-site church but I appreciate that they are thinking these things through. The purpose of the local church is edification and equipping for the work of ministry and the more we embrace that, the better.
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