Goals to make Serve Like Jesus Disciples

Definition: Literally, the word theologian means a "God logic". The word is comprised of the Greek word for God (theos) and the word for logic (logos, logic with words). Thus, the term can be applied to anyone who thinks logically about God. Of course, today it is reserved for those who have dedicated years of study and have academic degrees plastered to their walls. Now, while I have some of those pieces of paper, that is not what makes me a theologian. I am a theologian because I love the Lord Jesus Christ and I certainly want to "attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13). It is the desire of my heart and ministry to break down the barriers that have been built that prevent people from growing in this knowledge. 

This has a different application depending on your function in the church. For the sake of simplicity, I will draw only two distinctions between the members of the body of Christ:

1. Leadership: These are the members of the body who are gifted to lead. Their giftedness is not an outstanding personality or some inherent talent (Public speaking, singing, organizing, etc.). No, it is the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit who has gifted this person to lead the church. That person may have some inherent talent that the Spirit uses, but the gift of leadership is from God via the Spirit. Study this in detail in Ephesians 4:1-16.

2. Other Members: These are the parts of the body who have been gifted in other ways than leadership. Paul will speak of "prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness" (Romans 12:6-8). Further, Paul states that “there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills" (1 Corinthians 12: 4-11). The activity of the gifts is up to the Spirit today. It is the responsibility of the members to be grounded in the word so that the gifts are useful.