This month I have been asked to explore Bethel Christian Fellowship’s fifth foundational principle and value:

Our conviction is that every member of the body is a minister.

• We will seek to discover what our gifts are.
• Our primary ministry will reflect our giftedness.
• We are all called to do our part that the whole work will be done.

How exciting! It is simultaneously liberating while making you (yes, you) responsible for a part in Kingdom work. Let's look at each statement individually.

Our conviction is that every member of the body is a minister.
Not so long ago, I would have smiled politely and nodded in agreement if someone said this to me, However, internally I would have been thinking, Really? Is every member really a minister?

As a young person, I looked up to church leadership with awe. It seemed to me that the pastor or youth leader was somehow closer to God and His purposes, working side by side with Him and never missing a step. They somehow had an "in" with God, having devoted their whole lives to Him, and God in turn empowered and gifted them with superhuman personality, talent, wit… You name it.

I felt the same way when I read about biblical heroes. They were special people with special talents, called to a special purpose. But that is not what the Bible teaches.

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. --James 5:17, emphasis added

There is no doubt that of all the fiery men of God, Elijah ranks as one of the most amazing in terms of his ministry. Miracles? Of course. Personality? You bet. Special? Maybe not.

We are told that Elijah was a man just like us. The New American Standard Bible describes him as “a man with a nature like ours.” There goes my concept of a rare species of man. Through Elijah and many, many other examples, Scripture makes clear that we are all ministers in the kingdom. It almost seems that the more ordinary and unlikely the man, the more God wants to make a minister out of him.

I now know firsthand how "ordinary" life is for a church leader. They have the same struggles and issues that "regular" people do. Their cars break down. They face frustration. They deal with temptation and emotion. They are not superhuman. But as Ephesians 4:11-12, in my own paraphrase, says. "God has given some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, to train and equip the body, so that you can do the work of ministry!"

Perhaps you are thinking, But I don't want to be a minister! Just the thought of getting up and preaching terrifies me! Don't worry...

We will seek to discover what our gifts are.
God enables you to do the job you were meant to do. And odds are, you are meant to do the job you are already gifted for. This doesn’t mean, of course, that it will come without stretching, practice, and learning from failure, but it is still really good news. And you may think you are gifted for one thing and really be gifted for another. (For those of you who are wondering, you are gifted for something. Remember, everyone is a minister.)

How do you know what you’re gifted to do? A good place to start is to consider what you are naturally good at. What brings you joy? What kinds of tasks do you like doing? Now think… How can that be used to bless your family, the church, unbelievers? If that doesn't get your mental ball rolling, ask your friends. Ask your parents, your children, your co-workers. Their answers may surprise you. You may be gifted at something that you take for granted!

After you've asked yourself and others (or before!), ask the Lord. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all…." God knows you best. He made you. He made you with a specific skill set for a specific purpose. Let Him clue you in! And once He's told you, step out, even if it's uncomfortable.

In Dr. Seuss' classic book Green Eggs and Ham, Sam refuses to try the title dish. He is utterly convinced he will not like them. At the end, of course, he tries them and loves them! "I will eat them here or there, I will eat them anywhere!" Don't be afraid to "try different gifts on" to see what fits. You will ultimately find the right fit as a minister.

Our primary ministry will reflect our giftedness.
This statement makes me really happy because it means I am free to be who I am for the Lord. Just the other day, when I was cleaning out old youth ministry files, I saw how organized they all were, with neat handwriting and well-planned structure, I suddenly became very intimidated and thought, Uh-oh. Is this what is expected of me? I'm not sure I can do this.

The truth is that organizational, office-type work is not my strong suit. So, while I'm still going to try to get better at being a minister of organizational togetherness, I realize that I am really more of a minister of relationship. It is foolish to give undue esteem or to belittle a "body part" that is different than we are (see 1 Corinthians 12). I am going to play to my strengths and see what the Lord will do through me. I suggest you do the same.

We are all called to do our part that the whole work will be done.
Well, that pretty much sums it up very nicely. If we are all ministers who have discovered our gifts and are diligently working out of that giftedness, and if we follow the Lord and serve one another, being submitted to our leadership, we are operating as God intended the church to operate – as an organism, as a body. And we're not just any body. No, we're the body of Christ. What a privilege!

--Pastor Ben Clark