Process – Part 4

Note: I am still at MD Anderson, so, there will not be a picture today either.  I will get caught up with the illustration when I get back to my home office

The next word in the process is “Equip”.  This is stated as the purpose of the leadership of the Body in Ephesians 4:11 – 16 (here at Bible Gateway).  Note the structural marker in the English, “for”, that word indicates purpose as well as the Greek word, “προς”, from which it is translated(1).  The implication is that the purpose of the leadership, those gifted to lead a community of faith, is not to do the work of service rather it is to equip those in the community to do the work of service.

Equipping is not the same as preaching, or lecturing.  I know that there are many who may rankle at this statement.  However, in what other part of life are you considered to have understood and been equipped with information because you heard a message on a topic?

In classes in primary, secondary, graduate, and post graduate studies, one is not considered to understand the information unless one passes the test.  In trade schools, one does not pass unless their work is examined and deemed to be acceptable.

It is only in the church that one is considered equipped without measurement.

There are exceptions to this but that has been my experience over the past 50 years.

Prove me wrong.

(1) Daniel B. Wallace, Greek Grammar beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 380.