Read Ephesians 4:11-16
11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 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.
PONDER
- How have you been built up toward Christlikeness by others in the church? Thank God for this and the work He is doing in His church.
- Do you believe that you, as a saint, are set apart to do the work of the ministry? How should this calling inform and impact your everyday life?
PRAY
- Father, you are One. Help us to aim our lives toward you alone. Help us to define maturity and growth not as the world does, but as Christlikeness, as oneness with you.
- Father, thank you for giving us gifts and leaders to equip us for the work of the ministry. Help us not to take these things for granted.
- Father, strengthen us to be faithful to do the work of the ministry.
- Father, in Christ you have called us according to your purpose. Help us to walk according to your calling.
- Father, prepare me to gather with my church and worship you. You are worthy! To you be the glory!
Sing: Listen to this week’s songs on Spotify
PRactice
Gather! 9:30am or 11:00am.
5 Practices to Gathering Well:
- Be Present – The first step to gathering well: Gather!
- Be Early – Prioritize the gathering with your time. Don’t be late. The practical discipleship of this priority can be profound for you and your family.
- Be Prepared – Ponder, pray, sing, fast, and praise are all good ways to prepare.
- Be Uncomfortable – Sit with different people. Sing loud. Challenge routines. Gather on mission.
- Be Responsive – Don’t just be hearers of the word, be doers. Pray. Ponder. Repent. Change. Practice. Respond in action. Too often we gather to affirm what we already hold, rather than be taught, rebuked, corrected, or trained in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). Gather to be transformed.
Talk about the things of the Lord in your families and your Go Groups. Make it a regular practice to ponder, pray, and practice the truths of God’s Word. Check out the Behind the Message podcast as a way to help start your conversations.