Various Kinds of Crew Members

Check out this important Podcast! The speaker really nails it: he emphasizes that the Church, the Ark of Our Salvation, is not a cruise ship where we're just passengers on vacation, relaxing and having a good time. No, we're sailors and marines who have battles to fight and various tasks to do on this warship. He explains three very important passages of Holy Scripture:

"Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, by the same Spirit; and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discerning of spirits; to another different kinds of languages; and to another the interpretation of languages. But the one and the same Spirit works all of these, distributing to each one separately as He desires. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ" (1 Corinthians 12:4-12).

"For even as we have many members in one body, and all the members don't have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts differing according to the grace that was given to us, if prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of our faith; or service, let us give ourselves to service; or he who teaches, to his teaching; or he who exhorts, to his exhorting: he who gives, let him do it with liberality; he who rules, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hypocrisy: abhor that which is evil, cling to that which is good. In love of the brothers be tenderly affectionate one to another; in honor preferring one another" (Romans 12:4-10).

"But to each one of us was the grace [gift] given according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ... He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers to equip the saints to do the work of ministering to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature, perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error; but speaking the truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ" (Ephesians 4:7 & 11-15).

So be sure to listen closely to this important Podcast at Ancient Faith Ministries and learn how these scriptures fit together! Which of the various kinds of crew members are you? Enroll in our free courses to see how YOU can do diakonia-ministry. And Join "The ARC" Chat/Video Forum to Build the ARC!

Yours sincerely,

"Dr. Bob"

Robert D. Hosken, M.Min., M.Th.S., D.Min.