T H E R O L E O F T H E S P I R I T
Calls Us
the Holy Spirit has made you overseers,
to shepherd the church of God
that he obtained with the blood of his own Son.
Acts 20:28
What is the role of the Holy Spirit? Among other things he calls us.
The Spirit calls some of us to be overseers, shepherds, and pastors. Those aren't higher gifts. Some see pastors as closer to God. Hah!
Pastor is just one role within the community of faith. There are also apostles, prophets, teachers, and evangelists. The Spirit bestows on us practical gifts of service, giving, leadership, mercy, and proclamation/exhortation. The Spirit also fills us with spiritual gifts including wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, interpretation, discernment, faith, healing, and tongues.
The question is: What is your role within the community of faith? (If you've never taken a spiritual gifts inventory, click here:http://buildingchurch.net/g2s.htm)
But let me end with this ... Do you know the words that begin today's partial verse. Half of it, talking to pastors, is "Keep watch ... over all the flock." But there's one more piece of the phrase: "Keep watch over yourselves." Whether we're pastors or choir members or Sunday School teachers or pew sitters, we are called to keep watch over our own selves. No matter who we are, if we bear the name of Christ (Christian), we are always representing Christ, so keep watch over yourselves ... because others are watching you too.
In Christ's Love,
a crook
(wait ... no ...
a guy called by the Spirit
to carry a crook ...
a shepherd's crook)
No comments:
Post a Comment