Ed Stetzer: Life In the End Times (1 Peter 4:1-11) - Message from the 2024 CGN International Conference

[00:00:00] Welcome to the CGN Podcast. My name is Nick Cady and on this episode we have another message for you from the CGN International Conference which took place this past summer in Southern California. The theme of this year's conference was Hope, Suffering and Glory, Studies in the Book of 1 Peter.

[00:00:17] This next message was taught by Dr. Ed Stetzer. Dr. Stetzer is the Dean of Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. He is passionate about helping pastors. He has planted, revitalized and pastored churches in addition to being a prolific author and missiologist.

[00:00:36] This episode is also available as video for those listening on an app that supports video. We hope you're blessed by this message. I'll be back at the end with a few closing words.

[00:00:47] Hey everybody, it's good to see you. You know we're walking through 1 Peter, 1 Peter and I love that we're walking through it. It's kind of unusual for a conference to walk through a book of the Bible. So I like that. I hope you're finding that helpful.

[00:01:14] But also if you have your Bible and your follow along. So if you don't have your Bible open or on, once you take it out or turn it on, you'll be able to follow with us here at 1 Peter. We're in 1 Peter chapter 4 and we're going to kind of walk through this passage.

[00:01:28] Now it's a bit of a longer passage and I won't be able to cover all aspects of the passage.

[00:01:35] But 1 Peter chapter 4 beginning at verse 1 kind of begins to lay out for us the topic that we're talking about here.

[00:01:43] It's kind of life in these end times.

[00:01:47] And it kind of starts, it says,

[00:01:55] And it kind of goes on about ways people were living in sin and reckless sin and more.

[00:02:01] They will give an account to that. It talks about in verse 5.

[00:02:03] Verse 6, the gospel was preached even to those who are now dead.

[00:02:06] But then we get to verse 7. I'm going to read verses 7 through 11 and I'm going to focus in on verses 10 and 11.

[00:02:13] Again, you've had passages kind of go through this as we go.

[00:02:16] Some of you are wondering if I'm going to put that on the screen.

[00:02:19] I know everyone else has put it on the screen, but I just want to point out to you that Pastor Chuck didn't use a screen.

[00:02:23] So why do you need to use a screen is all I wanted you to know.

[00:02:26] Just wanted you to hear that. Just wanted you to hear that.

[00:02:28] No pressure on you.

[00:02:30] But in 2 Opinions chapter 4 verse 11 doesn't say you need a screen.

[00:02:34] So if you've got a Bible, we can do this.

[00:02:36] So 1 Peter chapter 4 beginning at verse 7, it says,

[00:02:39] The end of all things is near.

[00:02:42] Now I want to point out to you that that was written 2,000 years ago.

[00:02:45] And it appears that people continue to write that every few years thinking that their time is uniquely the end times.

[00:02:51] But we've been in the end times since Jesus has ascended to heaven and we're waiting for Him to return.

[00:02:56] So it says,

[00:02:57] The end of all things is near.

[00:02:59] Therefore, be alert and sober-minded that you may pray.

[00:03:04] So that's advice for them 2,000 years ago.

[00:03:07] We've already heard some of the background, the back story of what's going on in 1 Peter.

[00:03:11] Verse 8 says,

[00:03:12] Above all, love each other deeply because love covers a multitude of sins.

[00:03:18] So in the midst of talking about these end times,

[00:03:21] Peter begins to write to the church and says,

[00:03:23] Man, love one another.

[00:03:25] You need one another because the times are difficult.

[00:03:28] It says in verse 9,

[00:03:29] Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

[00:03:32] And so even here in this conference,

[00:03:34] we've felt the beautiful hospitality of Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and Calvary Global Network as well.

[00:03:41] Each of you, then it says,

[00:03:42] Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.

[00:03:51] It says,

[00:04:09] Father, I pray that as we look to this passage,

[00:04:12] that you might speak to us through your word about living in community and together on mission in these end times.

[00:04:20] I pray that you might speak to God's people here, pastors and church leaders.

[00:04:23] You might do what the writer of Hebrews says.

[00:04:25] You might provoke us as we provoke one another to love and good deeds.

[00:04:29] May you open our heart to your word today.

[00:04:31] In Jesus' name.

[00:04:32] Amen.

[00:04:33] Amen.

[00:04:33] Now, part of the challenge in conferences like this, it can become a preach-off.

[00:04:37] And I have a very simple rule.

[00:04:39] James Meeks is actually going to be speaking next.

[00:04:41] And I have a rule in all of my writer.

[00:04:43] You know, you get a little form.

[00:04:44] You fill out.

[00:04:45] And they say, these are all the demands that I have.

[00:04:47] And I have no demands when I come speak at a conference,

[00:04:50] except I do not speak after James Meeks.

[00:04:54] You're going to see why in just a little bit.

[00:04:58] But it can become a bit of a preach-off.

[00:05:00] And so what I want to do is to share with you,

[00:05:02] and I want to point out that Brian Broderson is actually speaking after James Meeks.

[00:05:06] So good luck with that, Pastor.

[00:05:07] It's going to be great to see.

[00:05:09] But I'm sure you'll be fine.

[00:05:13] But one of these things can become a bit of a preach-off.

[00:05:15] And I get that.

[00:05:16] But I want to ask you to, if you will, kind of isolate the topic and the theme today.

[00:05:22] Now, 1 Peter is our theme.

[00:05:24] But I want to ask you to really be open to what the Lord might do to you today.

[00:05:28] Because this passage in 1 Peter is a remarkable passage that is very different than our typical

[00:05:33] practice.

[00:05:34] This is a remarkable passage that is very different than our typical practice.

[00:05:38] But I believe that this passage, if lived in the life of a local church,

[00:05:43] can transform the kind of ministry you have so that you can do this in community

[00:05:49] and finish well in a church setting.

[00:05:53] Now, it's not just about a church setting,

[00:05:54] but I think I'm going to seek to apply it to that church setting.

[00:05:57] And the title of my message today is Engaging All God's People in God's Mission.

[00:06:03] Engaging All of God's People in God's Mission.

[00:06:06] I actually have a very simple outline that I'm going to use.

[00:06:10] That's why I'm not using a screen, because it's a sentence.

[00:06:12] And I'm going to ask you to say it out loud with me,

[00:06:14] because I think by the time we're done together, you'll be able to do that.

[00:06:18] There's four things in my message, four points, if you will.

[00:06:22] I'll tell you what they are.

[00:06:22] All have gifts God intends for all to use,

[00:06:26] for which he empowers us to bring God glory.

[00:06:29] That's the simple outline we're going to go through today.

[00:06:32] I told you the title already, which is Engaging All of God's People in God's Mission.

[00:06:37] So it's probably worth taking a moment to define the word mission in this context.

[00:06:42] I'm not using the word missions and just not pronouncing the S.

[00:06:45] But mission is the total redemptive purpose of God to establish his kingdom.

[00:06:52] Missions, on the other hand, is the activity of God's people,

[00:06:55] the church to proclaim and demonstrate the kingdom of God,

[00:06:58] usually through crossing cultures or crossing geography.

[00:07:02] But the word mission comes from a Latin word meaning to send.

[00:07:06] And God is both the sender and the sent in Christ Jesus.

[00:07:11] And the church is sent by God on mission and cooperates with God to send missionaries.

[00:07:17] But what I'm talking about today is how you, as a pastor and church leader,

[00:07:22] can engage all of God's people in God's mission.

[00:07:26] And mission is the total redemptive purpose of God to establish his kingdom

[00:07:30] in which we as Christians join.

[00:07:33] To do that, we're going to go through this passage.

[00:07:35] We're going to primarily focus, I mean, in verse 7 we started

[00:07:38] and we talked about the end times reality, right?

[00:07:42] The end of all things is at hand.

[00:07:44] Remember, that was written 2,000 years ago.

[00:07:49] And still in these end times, there are some realities I think we can draw from this text

[00:07:54] can really be transformative to your ministry.

[00:07:56] So again, I don't want you to sit back, and I know you're preachers, most of you,

[00:07:59] and I know you're on staff.

[00:08:00] I don't want you to sit back and say,

[00:08:02] well, you know, I really like that he or she delivers, you know, this or talk

[00:08:05] or this teaching or this breakout.

[00:08:07] I want today just to, if it's okay with you,

[00:08:09] I'd like you to listen with your heart some today

[00:08:11] because I think you know what I know.

[00:08:14] I think you know that far too many of our churches

[00:08:16] are filled with people who are customers

[00:08:18] of the religious goods and services that we deliver there.

[00:08:23] They come as long as we keep them happy.

[00:08:25] They stay as long as we keep them satisfied.

[00:08:28] They're satisfied.

[00:08:28] And they're consumers of religious goods and services

[00:08:32] that they will continue to stay with you

[00:08:34] as long as you meet their customer service needs.

[00:08:37] And I think that we think there's too much of that.

[00:08:40] Well, this passage actually gives us a different way.

[00:08:43] And I want to see the distinction between this passage

[00:08:45] and the gap between this passage and our practice

[00:08:48] and then see what we might do to address it.

[00:08:51] So let's look.

[00:08:51] Remember, four things.

[00:08:52] Number one on our outline is that all have gifts.

[00:08:56] Here's what the text says.

[00:08:57] It says, each of you should use whatever gift

[00:09:01] you have received to serve others.

[00:09:04] Now, I'm just gonna start with that simple phrase, right?

[00:09:07] Each of you should use whatever gift you have received.

[00:09:10] Now, Peter's writing to the Christian.

[00:09:12] He starts in 1 Peter chapter one saying

[00:09:14] to the elect exiles, right?

[00:09:16] So he's writing to the Christian.

[00:09:17] So in writing to the Christian,

[00:09:19] he's writing to all of God's people.

[00:09:21] And he starts with the phrase, each of you.

[00:09:25] Now, here's what we know.

[00:09:26] So I once co-wrote a book and did a research project

[00:09:30] on 7,000 churches in the North American continent.

[00:09:34] And then I did the research project on churches in Brazil.

[00:09:36] And we've done it in various other places.

[00:09:39] And here's what we find around the world.

[00:09:41] What we find around the world is the majority of people

[00:09:44] in the majority of churches are unengaged

[00:09:48] in any meaningful ministry or mission in their lives.

[00:09:52] In other words, most people at most churches

[00:09:54] are passive spectators rather than active participants

[00:09:59] in the mission of God.

[00:10:00] I wanna start there.

[00:10:01] So this passage starts with the phrase, each of you.

[00:10:07] Now, I looked that up in the original Greek

[00:10:10] and here's what it literally means.

[00:10:12] It means each of you.

[00:10:15] Now, I know, I know that's a little shocker

[00:10:17] that they'd actually translate that right as it was.

[00:10:20] Now, each of you should use.

[00:10:23] Now, I don't want you to miss this.

[00:10:24] So each of you speaks the totality of God's people.

[00:10:27] So if God's people have been transformed

[00:10:30] by the power of the gospel

[00:10:31] and have been filled with the Holy Spirit,

[00:10:33] they are in the category of each of you.

[00:10:36] Now, here's the challenge, right?

[00:10:38] Here's what we know from over 7,000 churches

[00:10:40] in North America, that if you give every area

[00:10:45] of possible serving, in the typical church,

[00:10:48] about 40% of people are doing something.

[00:10:50] In other words, they, I mean, but that's for everything.

[00:10:52] That's, you know, the person who hands out,

[00:10:54] if you still have bulletins,

[00:10:55] the person who hands out the bulletins

[00:10:56] or the greeter at the front,

[00:10:57] which might be just something they show up

[00:10:59] and they shake hands.

[00:11:00] And we think we're thankful for those folks as well.

[00:11:03] That's about 40%.

[00:11:04] If you actually wanna look a little deeper

[00:11:06] and say, well, how many are using gifts?

[00:11:07] I don't know.

[00:11:08] I'm not saying that you're not using your gifts,

[00:11:10] gifts of hospitality and more as a greeter.

[00:11:12] Let's not make this a dunk on greeter seminar.

[00:11:15] I'm very thankful for greeters.

[00:11:17] But if you're using your gifts

[00:11:18] in some sort of ongoing intentional way

[00:11:21] that requires preparation,

[00:11:22] that number drops down to about 20%.

[00:11:25] Now this passage, however, says each of you.

[00:11:28] So each of you we could read as 100%.

[00:11:30] Let's say that there might be times and seasons

[00:11:33] that people are in where they can't use their gifts,

[00:11:35] where they're resting, where they're recovering,

[00:11:38] where they're being ministered to, right?

[00:11:40] But if we, in the typical church,

[00:11:43] have 80% of people not using their gifts

[00:11:46] in an ongoing way that requires preparation,

[00:11:48] I think the gap between this passage

[00:11:51] and our practice should catch our attention.

[00:11:54] If we're living in these end times

[00:11:55] and part of what we wanna be living rightly for

[00:11:58] is to see God's people using their gifts,

[00:12:01] we can and should acknowledge

[00:12:02] that there is a gap between this passage

[00:12:05] and our practice.

[00:12:06] The majority of people from the majority of churches

[00:12:09] are unengaged in meaningful ministry and mission.

[00:12:12] And I love quoting statistics

[00:12:13] because I want you not to miss that statistics

[00:12:15] because I think facts are our friends.

[00:12:18] And because I used to be a researcher,

[00:12:19] every time I quote a statistic,

[00:12:21] an angel actually gets its wings.

[00:12:25] But the reality is this should remind us

[00:12:27] that too many people are passive spectators

[00:12:30] rather than active participants in the mission of God.

[00:12:33] For far too many people, they come to watch the show

[00:12:36] rather than to join in the community and serve.

[00:12:40] Now at this point when I say that,

[00:12:41] what goes through a lot of people's head is,

[00:12:43] well, that's those churches that put on a big show.

[00:12:47] Right?

[00:12:47] They got the band and they got the smoke machine

[00:12:50] and they got the lights.

[00:12:52] And our church isn't like that.

[00:12:54] Well, actually, statistically,

[00:12:57] there's not much of a percentage difference

[00:12:58] between small traditional churches

[00:13:00] and large contemporary churches

[00:13:02] and the percentage of people

[00:13:03] who are using their gifts in an ongoing manner.

[00:13:06] People like to be consumers

[00:13:08] of religious goods and services.

[00:13:10] They like to go and say,

[00:13:11] man, I love that music and I like that preaching

[00:13:13] and so I'm going to stay at this church

[00:13:15] if it's got good stuff for my kids.

[00:13:16] But that kind of mentality

[00:13:18] when people are customers and consumers

[00:13:21] actually leads to a church

[00:13:23] that's not well engaged in God's mission

[00:13:25] in its community.

[00:13:26] This verse says,

[00:13:27] each of you.

[00:13:30] And that means each one.

[00:13:32] Now, let me not stop there.

[00:13:35] It says,

[00:13:35] each of you should use whatever gift

[00:13:37] you have received.

[00:13:39] Received.

[00:13:40] I'm not trying to sound like a preacher there.

[00:13:42] You go to a good preacher.

[00:13:43] Come on, you've received.

[00:13:46] I'm trying to emphasize that it's past tense.

[00:13:48] They have received in the past.

[00:13:51] In 1 Corinthians 12, 7, it says,

[00:13:53] a demonstration of the Spirit

[00:13:55] is given to each person

[00:13:56] to produce what is beneficial.

[00:13:58] These are people who have received

[00:14:01] in the past

[00:14:02] of the time of this writing.

[00:14:04] So this is not for non-Christians.

[00:14:05] You don't go back to your church

[00:14:07] and say,

[00:14:07] what you need to do

[00:14:08] is use your gifts

[00:14:09] if you're not a Christian.

[00:14:11] But what we want to not miss here

[00:14:13] is that these are people

[00:14:14] who have been changed

[00:14:15] by the power of the gospel.

[00:14:17] Each of you should use

[00:14:18] whatever gift you have received.

[00:14:21] Now, worth noting that it is gift

[00:14:23] and the gift is singular.

[00:14:24] And most commentators would say

[00:14:26] that it's referring to the gift

[00:14:27] of the Holy Spirit.

[00:14:28] You have been gifted

[00:14:29] with the Holy Spirit.

[00:14:31] And in just a moment,

[00:14:32] we're going to talk about

[00:14:32] how we're gifted

[00:14:33] by the Holy Spirit.

[00:14:35] But we've been gifted

[00:14:36] with the Holy Spirit.

[00:14:38] Now, here's the thing

[00:14:39] I want to say to you

[00:14:40] where I, again,

[00:14:41] I don't want to just join

[00:14:42] in the preach off

[00:14:42] because I can't win

[00:14:43] and I'm not going to join

[00:14:44] in the contest.

[00:14:45] You have some amazing communicators.

[00:14:46] But I want you to think deeply

[00:14:47] about something

[00:14:48] for just a moment.

[00:14:50] If the church in the West,

[00:14:51] which is most of the areas

[00:14:52] we've served at,

[00:14:53] I've mentioned Brazil,

[00:14:53] I've done some work

[00:14:54] in the Philippines and the UK,

[00:14:55] but primarily in North America,

[00:14:56] which is where most of you are from.

[00:14:58] If the way that we are doing church

[00:15:01] is actually producing the outcome

[00:15:03] where the majority of people

[00:15:05] are passive spectators

[00:15:06] rather than active participants

[00:15:08] in the mission of God,

[00:15:09] should we not ask the question

[00:15:11] if we need substantive change?

[00:15:15] See, any system

[00:15:16] that disempowers

[00:15:17] and demotivates

[00:15:18] the people of God

[00:15:19] is unhelpful

[00:15:20] and perhaps sinful.

[00:15:22] And if the way we do church

[00:15:23] is disempowering

[00:15:24] and demotivating

[00:15:25] the people of God,

[00:15:26] it's destroying

[00:15:26] the common good.

[00:15:28] It says you should use

[00:15:29] whatever gift you have received

[00:15:30] to serve others.

[00:15:31] It's destroying

[00:15:32] the common good.

[00:15:33] And we've built

[00:15:34] these ideas,

[00:15:35] these barriers

[00:15:37] to real,

[00:15:38] ongoing,

[00:15:39] fully engaged church

[00:15:40] involved in ministry

[00:15:41] and mission

[00:15:42] in these end times.

[00:15:44] And part of it is

[00:15:45] maybe the way

[00:15:45] we build our churches.

[00:15:47] You know,

[00:15:47] we're here at

[00:15:48] Calvary Chapel

[00:15:48] Costa Mesa, right?

[00:15:50] So,

[00:15:51] I was a brand new believer

[00:15:52] and I had

[00:15:53] just such a man crush

[00:15:55] on Calvary Chapel

[00:15:55] Costa Mesa.

[00:15:57] And I came to this,

[00:15:58] when I became a professor,

[00:16:00] the first time

[00:16:00] I became a professor

[00:16:01] was,

[00:16:02] was it 98 or so?

[00:16:03] I flew out here

[00:16:04] and I needed to learn

[00:16:05] what Calvary Chapel

[00:16:07] Costa Mesa was doing.

[00:16:08] They had,

[00:16:08] they didn't have

[00:16:09] these fancy chairs

[00:16:10] then,

[00:16:11] they had pews

[00:16:11] like in the Bible days.

[00:16:16] And there was

[00:16:16] King James Bible too.

[00:16:18] It was good enough

[00:16:19] for Jesus,

[00:16:19] good enough for us.

[00:16:25] And you know,

[00:16:26] you look at this building

[00:16:27] and you know,

[00:16:29] I think building

[00:16:29] our buildings like this

[00:16:30] is one of the reasons

[00:16:31] that we have churches

[00:16:32] filled with spectators.

[00:16:33] Now,

[00:16:34] stay with me.

[00:16:35] Don't feel bad

[00:16:35] for Brian right yet.

[00:16:36] Just stay with me,

[00:16:37] right?

[00:16:38] Because when you,

[00:16:39] when you build

[00:16:40] churches like theaters,

[00:16:42] don't be surprised

[00:16:43] that people

[00:16:44] act like showgoers.

[00:16:47] And what happens is

[00:16:48] they get the message,

[00:16:49] right?

[00:16:49] So I mean,

[00:16:50] clearly,

[00:16:50] I mean,

[00:16:51] I'm,

[00:16:51] what am I,

[00:16:51] like four or five feet

[00:16:53] higher than you?

[00:16:54] I am,

[00:16:55] I am the important person

[00:16:56] to listen to

[00:16:57] in this paradigm.

[00:16:59] And,

[00:16:59] and matter of fact,

[00:17:00] let's be honest,

[00:17:00] if you started like

[00:17:01] doing more than you should,

[00:17:03] you should sing and listen.

[00:17:04] That's what you should do.

[00:17:06] But if you start doing

[00:17:07] more than you should,

[00:17:07] we have ushers.

[00:17:08] Remember those ushers

[00:17:09] that you might have been

[00:17:09] thought would be devalued?

[00:17:11] Wait till you need them.

[00:17:13] Would you take care

[00:17:14] of that person?

[00:17:15] So,

[00:17:16] but here's the thing,

[00:17:16] when you build churches

[00:17:17] like theaters,

[00:17:18] don't be surprised

[00:17:18] that people act

[00:17:19] like showgoers.

[00:17:20] Now,

[00:17:20] you say,

[00:17:21] Ed,

[00:17:21] you know,

[00:17:22] you're coming in,

[00:17:22] are you saying bad things

[00:17:23] about this sanctuary?

[00:17:24] No,

[00:17:24] I'm actually not.

[00:17:25] This auditorium?

[00:17:26] No.

[00:17:26] Because you might say,

[00:17:27] Ed,

[00:17:27] well,

[00:17:27] what's the alternative?

[00:17:28] I mean,

[00:17:28] if you get more than 50 people,

[00:17:30] what are you going to do?

[00:17:30] You're going to put them

[00:17:31] in a big circle?

[00:17:31] And I don't have an alternative.

[00:17:33] I just like to complain

[00:17:34] about the current reality.

[00:17:40] I'm just,

[00:17:40] I'm just like your churchgoers.

[00:17:42] I got,

[00:17:44] I got concerns.

[00:17:45] I don't have solutions.

[00:17:48] And I love this building.

[00:17:49] I consider it a privilege,

[00:17:50] too.

[00:17:50] And I love what you've redone.

[00:17:52] I love what you've redone.

[00:17:53] So,

[00:17:53] so again,

[00:17:54] all that's,

[00:17:54] remember,

[00:17:55] Brian and I are very good friends.

[00:17:56] So,

[00:17:56] someone's going to not listen

[00:17:57] to the fact that I was kidding

[00:17:58] and going to say,

[00:17:59] I can't believe you're so mean.

[00:18:01] But,

[00:18:01] but,

[00:18:01] but let me not,

[00:18:02] let me not miss this,

[00:18:03] right?

[00:18:03] We are teaching people something

[00:18:05] the way we build our buildings.

[00:18:07] And then we teach people

[00:18:08] in the language that we use,

[00:18:10] right?

[00:18:10] So,

[00:18:11] in Calvary Chapel world,

[00:18:12] we don't generally refer to people

[00:18:13] as reverends.

[00:18:14] Some of us won't use doctor,

[00:18:15] but you know,

[00:18:16] everyone's pastor,

[00:18:16] Pastor,

[00:18:17] Pastor Brian,

[00:18:18] pastor.

[00:18:19] We clearly have a sense

[00:18:20] that there is a difference

[00:18:21] between,

[00:18:22] between the clergy

[00:18:24] and the non-clergy.

[00:18:25] We don't use the word clergy much.

[00:18:26] Now,

[00:18:26] I come from a low church denomination,

[00:18:28] so we don't,

[00:18:28] you know,

[00:18:29] we don't wear robes

[00:18:30] and,

[00:18:30] you know,

[00:18:30] we talk about bishops,

[00:18:31] but,

[00:18:32] but,

[00:18:33] but,

[00:18:33] but let me not cause you

[00:18:34] to miss this,

[00:18:35] right?

[00:18:35] So,

[00:18:35] even the language we use,

[00:18:36] right?

[00:18:37] So,

[00:18:37] I'm clergy,

[00:18:38] right?

[00:18:39] And,

[00:18:40] but let's just ask,

[00:18:40] how many of you are ordained

[00:18:42] to the ministry

[00:18:43] and carry the title pastor?

[00:18:45] Raise your hand for just a second.

[00:18:46] Okay?

[00:18:47] How many of you are lay people?

[00:18:48] Raise your hand for just a second.

[00:18:49] Keep your hands up,

[00:18:50] lay people.

[00:18:50] Pastors,

[00:18:51] look at them,

[00:18:51] just look down on them.

[00:18:53] Just look down on them right now.

[00:18:55] Just,

[00:18:56] just in disappointment in them.

[00:19:02] Because sometimes it feels like

[00:19:03] it's a two-tiered layer

[00:19:04] of Christianity,

[00:19:05] right?

[00:19:06] So,

[00:19:06] there's,

[00:19:06] there's the clergy

[00:19:07] who get to stand on the stage

[00:19:09] and do the ministry

[00:19:10] and they use their gifts,

[00:19:11] but this passage is not saying

[00:19:12] the pastors.

[00:19:13] It says,

[00:19:14] each of you should use

[00:19:16] whatever gift you have

[00:19:17] to serve others

[00:19:18] as good stewards

[00:19:19] of the manifold grace of God.

[00:19:21] So,

[00:19:21] if we end up with a system,

[00:19:23] the way we build our buildings

[00:19:24] or the way we refer to the clergy

[00:19:26] and the lay people,

[00:19:27] right?

[00:19:27] I'm clergy.

[00:19:28] So,

[00:19:28] I'm right now,

[00:19:29] I'm clergy right now.

[00:19:30] I'm over here

[00:19:30] and I'm clergy to you people.

[00:19:32] I can turn over here

[00:19:33] and clergy over here.

[00:19:35] And we know what you lay people do.

[00:19:37] You just lay around all the time.

[00:19:43] But that's not what this passage teaches.

[00:19:45] And let me just be crystal clear.

[00:19:47] That's not what I believe.

[00:19:48] That's not what Calvary Chapel

[00:19:49] Costa Mesa believes.

[00:19:49] That's not what the Calvary Global Network believes.

[00:19:51] And part of what we want to look to

[00:19:53] is how do we engage more

[00:19:55] of God's people in mission?

[00:19:58] How do we do that?

[00:19:58] Let's go on to number two.

[00:20:00] We're building a sentence.

[00:20:01] Would you say it out loud with me?

[00:20:02] The first three words were

[00:20:02] all have gifts.

[00:20:04] Are you ready?

[00:20:05] All have gifts.

[00:20:07] Second sentence,

[00:20:08] part of the sentence is

[00:20:08] God intends all to use.

[00:20:10] Would you say that with me?

[00:20:11] God intends all to use.

[00:20:13] Now say it together with me.

[00:20:15] All have gifts.

[00:20:17] God intends all to use.

[00:20:20] Goes on to the next part.

[00:20:21] And it says,

[00:20:22] it speaks about God's grace

[00:20:24] in its various forms.

[00:20:25] 1 Peter chapter 4,

[00:20:27] verse 10b, if you will.

[00:20:29] It says,

[00:20:30] as faithful stewards

[00:20:31] of God's grace

[00:20:33] in its various forms.

[00:20:35] As faithful stewards

[00:20:36] as God's grace

[00:20:37] in its various forms.

[00:20:38] So steward is,

[00:20:40] some of your Bible translations

[00:20:41] say steward.

[00:20:42] I'm using the NIV

[00:20:43] because I asked Cheryl,

[00:20:44] I said,

[00:20:44] what Bible translation

[00:20:46] does Pastor Brian use?

[00:20:48] And she said,

[00:20:49] he uses the NIV.

[00:20:50] But I don't think,

[00:20:51] I think you should use the CS.

[00:20:52] So we had a whole conversation

[00:20:53] backstage and she's right.

[00:20:55] You should listen to her

[00:20:56] about Bible translations.

[00:20:58] But that's another story

[00:20:59] for another day.

[00:21:01] But I'm being polite

[00:21:02] to my host.

[00:21:03] Can you tell how polite I am?

[00:21:04] And I'm using the NIV.

[00:21:05] So here's what the NIV says.

[00:21:07] It says,

[00:21:07] as faithful stewards

[00:21:10] of God's grace

[00:21:11] in its various forms.

[00:21:14] Now remember,

[00:21:14] in the first part

[00:21:15] of the passage,

[00:21:15] it says each of you,

[00:21:17] and then it says,

[00:21:18] have been given,

[00:21:19] have been given

[00:21:20] whatever gift you have received.

[00:21:21] Most commentators say

[00:21:22] the gift they have received

[00:21:23] is singular at that point

[00:21:25] because it's the gift

[00:21:25] of the Holy Spirit.

[00:21:27] But now we're going to get

[00:21:28] to God's grace

[00:21:29] in its various forms

[00:21:30] when we get to

[00:21:31] the multiplicity

[00:21:32] of gifts.

[00:21:34] But let's start

[00:21:34] with the word steward.

[00:21:36] The word steward

[00:21:37] is sometimes translated

[00:21:38] as manager

[00:21:39] in different Bible translations.

[00:21:41] So manager and steward.

[00:21:43] And we sort of know

[00:21:44] what a manager is.

[00:21:46] A steward may be

[00:21:47] a little less common

[00:21:48] in English.

[00:21:50] But a manager

[00:21:51] is someone who sort of

[00:21:51] directs or oversees

[00:21:53] the affairs of something.

[00:21:55] They manage something.

[00:21:56] Generally,

[00:21:57] that does not belong

[00:21:58] to him or her

[00:21:59] but is somebody

[00:22:02] they're managing,

[00:22:02] they're managing this.

[00:22:03] And that's the language here.

[00:22:05] Steward or manager.

[00:22:05] We're managing the gift

[00:22:07] that God has given us

[00:22:08] his grace

[00:22:09] in various forms.

[00:22:10] Now,

[00:22:10] it says as a good manager

[00:22:13] because

[00:22:13] or a faithful steward,

[00:22:15] good manager is the ESV,

[00:22:17] good manager

[00:22:18] or faithful steward

[00:22:18] because

[00:22:21] you're a manager

[00:22:22] either way.

[00:22:23] And I bet some of you

[00:22:24] have been a manager.

[00:22:25] I first became a manager

[00:22:26] of the Burger King.

[00:22:28] That was the first place

[00:22:29] I was a manager.

[00:22:30] I know,

[00:22:30] I know.

[00:22:31] Flame broil whoppers.

[00:22:32] It was my first choice

[00:22:33] until I came to California

[00:22:34] and I ate something

[00:22:35] called an In-N-Out Burger

[00:22:36] and I was born again.

[00:22:39] And then I had an animal style

[00:22:40] and I was filled

[00:22:41] with the Holy Spirit.

[00:22:42] I mean,

[00:22:42] you gotta,

[00:22:43] if you know In-N-Out Burger,

[00:22:44] you know what I'm talking about.

[00:22:45] Christian family as well.

[00:22:47] So,

[00:22:48] so anyway,

[00:22:48] so we went to,

[00:22:49] I was a manager

[00:22:50] at the Burger King.

[00:22:51] So,

[00:22:52] and I was,

[00:22:53] I mean,

[00:22:53] I was 19

[00:22:55] and the word manager,

[00:22:56] there were other words

[00:22:57] before the word manager,

[00:23:00] assistant and knight,

[00:23:00] but those don't matter here.

[00:23:02] So,

[00:23:02] I wasn't assistant

[00:23:03] to the manager,

[00:23:04] I was assistant knight manager.

[00:23:06] So,

[00:23:08] so,

[00:23:09] and I was in charge

[00:23:10] for about two hours

[00:23:12] every day

[00:23:13] from 12 a.m.

[00:23:14] till 2 a.m.

[00:23:15] when all the real managers

[00:23:17] went home.

[00:23:18] I was in charge

[00:23:19] for two hours

[00:23:20] of the Burger King.

[00:23:21] It was me

[00:23:22] and the fry guy

[00:23:23] and I ruled over him

[00:23:24] with an iron fist.

[00:23:26] The fries are hot and ready.

[00:23:28] We want to be hot and ready.

[00:23:29] So,

[00:23:30] so I didn't own

[00:23:31] the Burger King,

[00:23:32] a company called

[00:23:33] Davgar Enterprises

[00:23:34] owned the Burger King,

[00:23:36] but I would want

[00:23:37] to be a good manager

[00:23:38] by managing well

[00:23:40] what had been given

[00:23:42] to me to manage.

[00:23:43] And so,

[00:23:44] that language helps us

[00:23:45] to think about this passage,

[00:23:46] right?

[00:23:46] So,

[00:23:47] some translations say

[00:23:48] as good managers

[00:23:48] and as faithful stewards.

[00:23:50] So,

[00:23:50] we want to manage well

[00:23:52] these gifts.

[00:23:53] Now,

[00:23:54] this,

[00:23:54] of course,

[00:23:55] 1 Peter is written

[00:23:55] to Christians

[00:23:56] but it would be read

[00:23:57] at churches

[00:23:57] often by pastors

[00:23:59] read out loud

[00:24:00] and so the pastors

[00:24:01] would read this passage

[00:24:02] and know that part

[00:24:04] of their job

[00:24:05] was to help the people

[00:24:06] be good managers

[00:24:07] of God's grace

[00:24:09] in its various forms

[00:24:10] in their lives.

[00:24:11] So,

[00:24:11] in other words,

[00:24:12] we have to tell people

[00:24:13] as pastors

[00:24:14] and church leaders

[00:24:14] that your job

[00:24:15] is not what you think.

[00:24:17] Your job

[00:24:17] is not to pay

[00:24:18] and pray

[00:24:19] and kind of stay

[00:24:19] out of our way

[00:24:20] while we do

[00:24:21] the work of the ministry.

[00:24:22] I mean,

[00:24:23] you're called

[00:24:23] to that ministry

[00:24:25] because one of the things

[00:24:26] that has happened

[00:24:27] and I think we just

[00:24:27] have to be honest

[00:24:28] about it

[00:24:29] is particularly,

[00:24:30] you know,

[00:24:30] we love expository preaching

[00:24:31] in my world

[00:24:32] and in your world

[00:24:33] so,

[00:24:34] and people will come

[00:24:35] to our churches

[00:24:35] and they really want

[00:24:36] to go deeper

[00:24:36] and they want

[00:24:37] to know more.

[00:24:37] They want to know

[00:24:38] the Jebusites

[00:24:38] and the Amalekalites

[00:24:39] and the Mosquito Bites.

[00:24:40] They want to know

[00:24:41] everything.

[00:24:43] But sisters and brothers,

[00:24:44] if you haven't encountered

[00:24:45] this yet,

[00:24:46] you're going to find

[00:24:46] that if you don't engage

[00:24:48] God's people in a mission,

[00:24:49] you're going to end up

[00:24:50] with a church full

[00:24:51] of knowledgeable

[00:24:52] religious people

[00:24:53] not living on mission,

[00:24:54] coming to get

[00:24:55] their customer needs met

[00:24:57] and that always goes bad

[00:24:58] in the long run.

[00:25:00] You don't want that.

[00:25:01] And I want to say to you,

[00:25:02] for some of you

[00:25:03] as an older brother

[00:25:03] in the Lord,

[00:25:04] you don't want that.

[00:25:06] You want to instead

[00:25:07] steward the gifting

[00:25:08] of all of God's people

[00:25:10] in your church

[00:25:11] to use it for God's glory,

[00:25:12] their good,

[00:25:13] and the good of others.

[00:25:14] 1 Corinthians 12, 18

[00:25:15] says God has placed

[00:25:17] each one of the parts

[00:25:18] in the body

[00:25:18] just as he had wanted.

[00:25:20] So we're all there,

[00:25:20] we're all connected.

[00:25:21] But there's this problem,

[00:25:23] the Holy Spirit empowers you,

[00:25:25] places you in the body,

[00:25:27] and then sometimes

[00:25:28] the system of the way

[00:25:29] we do church in the West

[00:25:32] disempowers the very people

[00:25:33] that God empowers.

[00:25:34] We teach them

[00:25:34] to act like showgoers

[00:25:36] because we build churches

[00:25:36] like theaters,

[00:25:37] even churches of 50s.

[00:25:38] It's not big or small.

[00:25:39] We build churches

[00:25:40] like theaters.

[00:25:41] They think their job

[00:25:41] is to watch and to see

[00:25:43] and to listen

[00:25:43] and to learn.

[00:25:44] And then we have

[00:25:45] this distinction

[00:25:46] between us and them.

[00:25:47] Here's a better way.

[00:25:48] All of God's people

[00:25:50] are called to the ministry.

[00:25:52] All of God's people

[00:25:53] are sent on mission.

[00:25:54] The only question is

[00:25:56] where, among whom,

[00:25:57] and doing what.

[00:25:58] So why do we allow

[00:26:01] this to happen?

[00:26:03] Well, I think part of it is

[00:26:05] it really is nice

[00:26:06] to be needed.

[00:26:08] So if you're a pastor

[00:26:09] or staff member,

[00:26:10] it's really nice

[00:26:11] that you can feel

[00:26:13] everyone's reliance upon you.

[00:26:15] There's actually a phrase

[00:26:16] sometimes that people

[00:26:17] use that or word

[00:26:17] that's called codependence.

[00:26:20] Codependence.

[00:26:20] Codependence.

[00:26:21] It's the need

[00:26:21] to be needed.

[00:26:22] Let me read a definition.

[00:26:23] I got this off of Wikipedia

[00:26:24] so you know

[00:26:25] you can trust it.

[00:26:29] A codependent

[00:26:31] is loosely defined.

[00:26:32] I want you to listen

[00:26:33] to the definition.

[00:26:34] It's a secular definition

[00:26:35] unrelated to ministry,

[00:26:36] but I wonder if

[00:26:36] in listening to the definition

[00:26:38] you might say,

[00:26:39] huh,

[00:26:40] I could see maybe

[00:26:41] some of that

[00:26:42] in my own life.

[00:26:43] But listen to what it says.

[00:26:44] A codependent

[00:26:45] is loosely defined

[00:26:46] as someone

[00:26:47] who exhibits too much

[00:26:48] and often inappropriate

[00:26:50] caring for persons

[00:26:51] who depend on him or her.

[00:26:54] A codependent

[00:26:54] is one side

[00:26:55] of a relationship

[00:26:56] between mutually needy people.

[00:26:58] The dependent

[00:27:00] or obviously needy party

[00:27:01] may have emotional,

[00:27:02] physical,

[00:27:03] financial difficulties

[00:27:04] or addictions.

[00:27:05] They are seemingly

[00:27:06] unable to surmount.

[00:27:07] The codependent party

[00:27:08] exhibits behavior

[00:27:09] which controls,

[00:27:10] makes excuses

[00:27:11] for pities

[00:27:12] and takes other actions

[00:27:13] to perpetuate

[00:27:14] the obviously needy

[00:27:16] party's condition.

[00:27:17] Because of their desire

[00:27:18] to be needed

[00:27:19] and the fear

[00:27:20] of doing anything

[00:27:20] that would change

[00:27:21] their relationship.

[00:27:23] Let me give you an example.

[00:27:24] A few years ago,

[00:27:25] I was the interim pastor

[00:27:28] of a church

[00:27:29] in Tennessee.

[00:27:30] I lived in Tennessee

[00:27:30] for a decade.

[00:27:31] I was fixing to learn

[00:27:33] how to talk properly

[00:27:34] and I moved to Chicago.

[00:27:37] But I was the interim pastor

[00:27:39] of this church

[00:27:40] and this church,

[00:27:42] it was a traditional church.

[00:27:43] It's probably about this size

[00:27:45] in its facility

[00:27:46] and it had three services

[00:27:47] and at the end

[00:27:48] of every service

[00:27:49] they would have

[00:27:50] an altar call.

[00:27:50] At the end of every service

[00:27:51] there was an altar call.

[00:27:52] Pretty traditional church.

[00:27:53] I wore a suit a lot.

[00:27:55] And so,

[00:27:55] the altar call,

[00:27:56] I would stand,

[00:27:57] there weren't like,

[00:27:57] it wasn't like,

[00:27:58] this is a cliff,

[00:28:00] like this is if you stand.

[00:28:01] But, you know,

[00:28:02] sometimes these places

[00:28:03] have steps.

[00:28:04] Here,

[00:28:05] they like the danger

[00:28:05] of the Calvary Chapel

[00:28:07] goes to Mesa stage.

[00:28:08] But sometimes they have

[00:28:09] steps down

[00:28:09] and then they call them,

[00:28:11] like low church evangelicals

[00:28:12] call them the altar,

[00:28:13] which is really,

[00:28:13] they're calling steps

[00:28:14] an altar,

[00:28:14] an altar is a table,

[00:28:15] but anyway,

[00:28:16] it's evangelicalism.

[00:28:17] So,

[00:28:18] so,

[00:28:19] so there were steps

[00:28:20] and they explained to me

[00:28:20] that my job was to preach

[00:28:21] a great message

[00:28:22] and I would try to preach

[00:28:23] a great message

[00:28:23] and then they kind of

[00:28:24] stand on the steps

[00:28:25] or walk down the steps

[00:28:27] and say,

[00:28:27] would you come?

[00:28:29] Would you come?

[00:28:29] And the song would be singing.

[00:28:31] You know,

[00:28:31] I was a church planner

[00:28:32] at that time.

[00:28:32] We didn't generally have

[00:28:33] this kind of come forward

[00:28:34] invitation.

[00:28:34] It's the first time

[00:28:35] I did it every week.

[00:28:36] So,

[00:28:37] I would stand up there

[00:28:37] and say,

[00:28:38] would you come?

[00:28:38] Would you come?

[00:28:39] And I would,

[00:28:39] and I,

[00:28:40] and people would come

[00:28:40] and they would,

[00:28:41] and,

[00:28:41] and then there were people

[00:28:42] and I had a little nickname

[00:28:43] for them,

[00:28:43] but there were prayer counselors

[00:28:45] and they would stand

[00:28:46] just like in this sanctuary,

[00:28:47] like that row

[00:28:48] would have somebody

[00:28:48] stand at that row

[00:28:49] and that row

[00:28:50] would have somebody there

[00:28:50] and some would be here

[00:28:51] like a couple typically,

[00:28:52] always a couple,

[00:28:53] sometimes a single person

[00:28:53] and they would be able to come

[00:28:55] and I called them the goalies

[00:28:56] because their job

[00:28:57] was to kind of catch people

[00:28:58] before they got to the front.

[00:28:59] So,

[00:29:00] but I didn't say that publicly.

[00:29:01] I didn't like,

[00:29:01] oh my God,

[00:29:02] the goalies are here.

[00:29:02] I would say the prayer counselors

[00:29:03] are here.

[00:29:04] So,

[00:29:06] so one day,

[00:29:07] I know I have a bit

[00:29:08] of a warped sense of humor.

[00:29:09] I hope you'll forgive me.

[00:29:10] It plays really well

[00:29:11] in some context

[00:29:12] but not at all.

[00:29:13] So,

[00:29:14] I was up there

[00:29:14] doing the invitation

[00:29:15] and saying,

[00:29:16] would you come?

[00:29:16] Would you come?

[00:29:17] And it was a,

[00:29:17] it was a particularly

[00:29:20] responsive day

[00:29:21] and so there was a couple

[00:29:22] that kind of came up

[00:29:22] this aisle here

[00:29:24] and it was a husband

[00:29:25] and a wife.

[00:29:26] I knew they were.

[00:29:26] A husband and a wife

[00:29:27] and their little son,

[00:29:28] Johnny,

[00:29:28] who was like eight years old

[00:29:30] and there was a little bit

[00:29:31] of a line

[00:29:32] and they saw me

[00:29:33] and I had stepped down

[00:29:33] a couple of the steps.

[00:29:34] This is maybe why

[00:29:35] they don't let you do that here.

[00:29:36] So,

[00:29:36] I stepped down a couple of steps

[00:29:37] and they saw me

[00:29:38] and so they walked past

[00:29:39] the goalies

[00:29:39] and came up to me

[00:29:40] and I was like,

[00:29:40] I get to pray with somebody.

[00:29:41] I was super excited about that.

[00:29:42] So,

[00:29:43] they said to me,

[00:29:44] now you got to remember

[00:29:45] that you got to hear

[00:29:46] the end of the story

[00:29:46] before you judge me.

[00:29:47] I'm from New York.

[00:29:48] I recognize that

[00:29:49] I can be a little blunt

[00:29:50] for people.

[00:29:51] So,

[00:29:51] so anyway,

[00:29:52] so they walked by

[00:29:52] and they came up

[00:29:53] and they said,

[00:29:54] they called me brother.

[00:29:56] They called everybody

[00:29:56] in the south,

[00:29:57] they called their pastors brother

[00:29:58] which is fascinating

[00:29:59] because I grew up

[00:30:00] in New York City

[00:30:00] and the brotherhood

[00:30:01] was the mafia.

[00:30:02] So,

[00:30:02] I'm like,

[00:30:03] okay,

[00:30:05] I'm with the brotherhood now.

[00:30:07] So,

[00:30:07] they came up to me

[00:30:08] and said,

[00:30:08] Brother Ed,

[00:30:09] we,

[00:30:09] little Johnny's got

[00:30:10] some questions

[00:30:11] and we'd like you

[00:30:12] to meet with us,

[00:30:13] answer his questions

[00:30:14] and pray with him

[00:30:15] to receive Jesus.

[00:30:16] Super,

[00:30:17] right?

[00:30:17] You would just be super

[00:30:18] but I'm,

[00:30:18] I've got this weird

[00:30:21] kind of thought

[00:30:21] that I'm going to get

[00:30:22] to you in a minute

[00:30:22] because I responded.

[00:30:23] I said,

[00:30:24] oh man,

[00:30:24] that's great

[00:30:25] but I mean,

[00:30:26] don't you guys,

[00:30:28] wouldn't you guys

[00:30:28] just want to like

[00:30:30] answer those questions

[00:30:31] as your parents

[00:30:31] and all

[00:30:32] and they just like

[00:30:34] looked and I,

[00:30:35] and I,

[00:30:35] and I,

[00:30:36] and I looked a little

[00:30:36] surprised at me

[00:30:37] and,

[00:30:37] and,

[00:30:37] and maybe unhappy

[00:30:39] and they,

[00:30:39] and I,

[00:30:40] and I didn't say it out loud

[00:30:41] but I thought,

[00:30:41] come on,

[00:30:41] he's like eight.

[00:30:42] Are they like super

[00:30:43] hard questions?

[00:30:44] Is it,

[00:30:45] I'm really struggling

[00:30:46] with theodicy

[00:30:47] or sublapsarianism.

[00:30:49] I mean,

[00:30:49] I don't know,

[00:30:49] what is it that

[00:30:50] he's struggling with?

[00:30:51] You know,

[00:30:51] so,

[00:30:53] but I said it

[00:30:53] really super nice.

[00:30:54] You have to trust me,

[00:30:55] I said it really super nice

[00:30:56] and so I said,

[00:30:57] well let's pray

[00:30:57] and then I want you guys

[00:30:58] to kind of go back

[00:30:59] and let's talk to little Johnny

[00:31:00] and kind of talk with him

[00:31:00] and ask,

[00:31:01] let him answer questions

[00:31:02] so,

[00:31:02] so they went back

[00:31:03] and they were,

[00:31:04] I found out later,

[00:31:05] like we,

[00:31:05] it was a nice interaction there

[00:31:06] but they were unhappy with me.

[00:31:07] They told people

[00:31:08] and I was the interim pastor

[00:31:09] at that church

[00:31:10] and they,

[00:31:11] and I was,

[00:31:11] you know,

[00:31:11] it's in the south

[00:31:12] and I'm a Yankee

[00:31:13] and all that sort of stuff

[00:31:14] and so,

[00:31:15] but thanks,

[00:31:15] so they complained

[00:31:15] in their Sunday school class

[00:31:16] about it

[00:31:17] and I heard it back

[00:31:17] from another Sunday school class

[00:31:18] about it.

[00:31:19] They were unhappy

[00:31:20] that the pastor

[00:31:21] didn't pray

[00:31:22] or answer Johnny's questions

[00:31:23] and pray

[00:31:24] and so,

[00:31:24] and so anyway,

[00:31:25] so I let it be

[00:31:26] because I was the interim pastor

[00:31:27] and being an interim pastor

[00:31:28] is the greatest job

[00:31:29] in the world

[00:31:30] because it's like

[00:31:31] being a grandparent,

[00:31:32] they give you too much trouble,

[00:31:33] you just give them back,

[00:31:34] you know,

[00:31:34] it's like,

[00:31:34] you know,

[00:31:35] so,

[00:31:36] so,

[00:31:37] so two weeks later,

[00:31:38] we do this every week,

[00:31:39] every week,

[00:31:39] so two weeks later,

[00:31:41] I see them again,

[00:31:42] little Johnny,

[00:31:42] his parents

[00:31:43] and they,

[00:31:44] they walk up the same aisle

[00:31:46] and they come right,

[00:31:46] they say to the goalie,

[00:31:47] I want to talk to the pastor

[00:31:48] and so,

[00:31:49] and I didn't know

[00:31:49] because by that time

[00:31:50] it got back to me

[00:31:50] they weren't happy

[00:31:51] and I was like,

[00:31:51] I didn't mean to make them unhappy,

[00:31:52] yeah,

[00:31:53] trust me,

[00:31:53] I was really nice,

[00:31:53] I just encouraged them

[00:31:54] that this would be an opportunity

[00:31:57] to talk,

[00:31:57] and so,

[00:31:58] so they came up

[00:31:58] and we talked

[00:31:59] and they said,

[00:32:00] pastor,

[00:32:01] and I was kind of ready,

[00:32:02] I was like,

[00:32:02] okay,

[00:32:02] are they unhappy?

[00:32:03] Should I brace myself?

[00:32:04] Can I get in a stance?

[00:32:04] I don't know.

[00:32:05] So they said to me,

[00:32:06] pastor,

[00:32:08] little Johnny

[00:32:09] has trusted Jesus

[00:32:10] as his Savior and Lord

[00:32:12] and we're coming forward,

[00:32:13] he wants to make

[00:32:13] a public profession of faith

[00:32:14] and to be baptized

[00:32:16] and I said,

[00:32:17] praise God

[00:32:17] and then the dad said,

[00:32:20] and we just want to thank you

[00:32:21] and I said,

[00:32:22] well,

[00:32:22] for what?

[00:32:23] Because I knew

[00:32:24] they were unhappy.

[00:32:24] He said,

[00:32:25] we don't want to thank you

[00:32:26] for not robbing us

[00:32:27] of the opportunity

[00:32:27] of talking to our own son

[00:32:29] and leading him to Jesus

[00:32:32] and yeah,

[00:32:33] I mean,

[00:32:34] it ended well

[00:32:34] so all of you

[00:32:35] who were judging me

[00:32:36] a few minutes ago,

[00:32:36] it ended well.

[00:32:38] So,

[00:32:38] but here's the thing

[00:32:39] I want you to see,

[00:32:40] right?

[00:32:41] Parents,

[00:32:41] now I knew these folks,

[00:32:42] they were new believers,

[00:32:43] they grew up in this church,

[00:32:44] it was a fine gospel teaching church,

[00:32:46] right?

[00:32:46] So they don't need

[00:32:48] to come to the pastor

[00:32:49] to lead their children

[00:32:50] to Jesus.

[00:32:51] Now,

[00:32:52] mind you,

[00:32:52] if I would have led their,

[00:32:53] if I would have answered

[00:32:54] the questions

[00:32:54] and led their son to Jesus,

[00:32:55] they would have told everybody

[00:32:56] how awesome I was,

[00:32:58] right?

[00:32:58] And they would have said,

[00:32:59] man,

[00:32:59] the pastor answered

[00:33:00] those hard questions

[00:33:01] about,

[00:33:01] you know,

[00:33:01] how do I get forgiven

[00:33:02] of my sins

[00:33:03] and et cetera,

[00:33:03] et cetera.

[00:33:04] But they knew,

[00:33:05] they could do this

[00:33:06] on their own.

[00:33:07] And I want you not to miss this,

[00:33:08] when pastors do for people

[00:33:10] what God has called

[00:33:11] the people to do,

[00:33:13] everybody gets hurt

[00:33:14] and the mission of God

[00:33:15] is hindered.

[00:33:16] I want you to miss that.

[00:33:18] And when we look

[00:33:18] through this passage,

[00:33:19] we want to say to people

[00:33:21] to use their gifts

[00:33:23] as faithful stewards

[00:33:24] of God's grace

[00:33:26] in its various forms.

[00:33:27] Because instead,

[00:33:28] you can be the center

[00:33:29] of all things.

[00:33:30] But I want you to hear this,

[00:33:32] church leaders,

[00:33:32] pastors,

[00:33:33] staff.

[00:33:34] If you're the center

[00:33:35] of all things,

[00:33:36] you will find

[00:33:37] your emotional need

[00:33:38] to be needed

[00:33:38] to be met

[00:33:39] and you will lead

[00:33:40] a church that is weaker

[00:33:41] and not engaged

[00:33:42] in the mission

[00:33:43] that it's called to be.

[00:33:44] So for you

[00:33:45] to turn over to others,

[00:33:47] to God's people,

[00:33:48] all believers are chosen,

[00:33:49] gifted,

[00:33:50] and called.

[00:33:51] Now I get,

[00:33:51] I get this,

[00:33:52] that your church people

[00:33:54] will reward you

[00:33:55] for being with them,

[00:33:58] but instead,

[00:34:00] and meeting their needs,

[00:34:01] you say,

[00:34:01] Ed,

[00:34:01] are we not to minister

[00:34:02] to our people?

[00:34:03] Of course you're

[00:34:03] to minister to your people.

[00:34:04] And not everybody

[00:34:05] at every time

[00:34:06] can be a part

[00:34:06] of the each of you.

[00:34:07] Each of you has a gift,

[00:34:08] but it's a question

[00:34:09] of when and how.

[00:34:09] We had a couple,

[00:34:10] right?

[00:34:11] A couple in our church

[00:34:12] and they had two kids

[00:34:12] and they told us

[00:34:14] they had decided to,

[00:34:15] for whatever reasons

[00:34:16] people decide,

[00:34:16] they decided not to have

[00:34:17] any more children.

[00:34:18] They're going to stop at two.

[00:34:19] And, you know,

[00:34:20] that's whatever people do.

[00:34:22] So,

[00:34:22] and then,

[00:34:24] one night,

[00:34:25] one thing led to another

[00:34:28] and Pastor James

[00:34:29] would have more specific

[00:34:30] verses related to that,

[00:34:31] but she was pregnant again.

[00:34:36] Asked,

[00:34:37] knocked,

[00:34:37] and it shall be given to you.

[00:34:38] So,

[00:34:41] if you're just watching

[00:34:42] this as a standalone message

[00:34:43] on video later on,

[00:34:45] don't look it up.

[00:34:48] So,

[00:34:49] she's pregnant,

[00:34:49] so they go to the doctor,

[00:34:50] the sonogram,

[00:34:51] I guess,

[00:34:51] first,

[00:34:52] and the sonogram tech

[00:34:53] says,

[00:34:54] you know,

[00:34:54] he jokes,

[00:34:55] he tells me later,

[00:34:56] he jokes,

[00:34:56] and he says,

[00:34:57] yeah,

[00:34:57] we're fine,

[00:34:58] we weren't expecting a third,

[00:34:59] but we're fine,

[00:35:00] I mean,

[00:35:00] as long as it's not twins.

[00:35:01] And so,

[00:35:02] the sonogram tech

[00:35:03] does the,

[00:35:04] does the whatever

[00:35:05] sonogram techs do

[00:35:06] and kind of has

[00:35:08] a strange look on her face,

[00:35:09] which makes you nervous

[00:35:10] and says,

[00:35:10] well,

[00:35:10] I'm going to go get the doctor,

[00:35:11] which is what you don't want to hear.

[00:35:13] So,

[00:35:13] so they come back,

[00:35:14] the doctor comes back

[00:35:15] and,

[00:35:16] or somebody comes back,

[00:35:17] but I'm not sure

[00:35:17] if it was doctor or nurse

[00:35:18] and looks at the sonogram.

[00:35:20] You know,

[00:35:20] they're a little nervous at that point,

[00:35:21] so he makes the joke again.

[00:35:22] As long as it's not twins,

[00:35:23] we're fine.

[00:35:23] And then,

[00:35:23] the doctor,

[00:35:24] I think it was,

[00:35:25] says,

[00:35:25] well,

[00:35:25] I mean,

[00:35:26] it's not twins,

[00:35:26] but you're going to be having triplets.

[00:35:32] Can you imagine,

[00:35:33] like on one day,

[00:35:35] when you just said,

[00:35:36] you're going to be done having kids,

[00:35:38] and then nine months later,

[00:35:39] they go from a,

[00:35:40] from a man-to-man's defense

[00:35:42] to a zone defense

[00:35:44] for the rest of their lives.

[00:35:45] They got a,

[00:35:45] they got all these kids.

[00:35:47] So,

[00:35:47] so when they had a kid,

[00:35:48] I wanted to know,

[00:35:49] they love Jesus,

[00:35:50] they've been gifted with

[00:35:50] and by the Holy Spirit,

[00:35:52] and they had now,

[00:35:53] all of a sudden,

[00:35:53] five kids,

[00:35:54] and they were exhausted,

[00:35:55] and we were bringing them food

[00:35:57] and taking care of them,

[00:35:58] I didn't show up at their house

[00:36:00] with my Bible open saying,

[00:36:01] you know,

[00:36:01] 1 Peter chapter 4 says,

[00:36:03] each of you,

[00:36:03] and you guys should be using your gifts.

[00:36:05] We just wanted them to survive.

[00:36:08] But the problem is,

[00:36:09] when we look at the statistics,

[00:36:11] and 80% don't have any ongoing way

[00:36:14] that they're using their gifts

[00:36:16] on a regular basis

[00:36:17] with preparation outside of church life,

[00:36:19] it's kind of like the entire church

[00:36:21] thinks they just had triplets

[00:36:23] when they've just gotten used

[00:36:24] to being customers.

[00:36:26] So,

[00:36:26] what I was saying is,

[00:36:27] if you would raise that bar

[00:36:29] and call out that standard,

[00:36:30] we can find ways

[00:36:32] for people to use their gifts

[00:36:33] in all different kinds of ways.

[00:36:35] Number three,

[00:36:36] I'm running out of time here today.

[00:36:38] Number three

[00:36:39] is for which He empowers us.

[00:36:40] Remember,

[00:36:41] we're building a sentence.

[00:36:42] All have gifts.

[00:36:43] Number two,

[00:36:43] God intends all to use.

[00:36:45] Number three,

[00:36:45] for which He empowers us.

[00:36:47] It says this,

[00:36:48] if anyone speaks,

[00:36:50] they should do as the one

[00:36:51] who speaks the very words of God.

[00:36:53] If anyone serves,

[00:36:54] they should do so

[00:36:54] with the strength God provides.

[00:36:56] Two broad categories.

[00:36:57] I don't think the Bible

[00:36:58] actually gives us

[00:36:59] a definitive list

[00:37:01] of spiritual gifts.

[00:37:02] That may surprise some of you.

[00:37:03] There are three lists

[00:37:04] of gifts in the Bible.

[00:37:05] We are aware of the ones

[00:37:06] in Romans 12,

[00:37:07] 1 Corinthians 12,

[00:37:08] and Ephesians 4,

[00:37:09] depending how you look at that.

[00:37:10] And there's 18 or so,

[00:37:12] 19,

[00:37:13] depending how you,

[00:37:13] if one can be counted twice.

[00:37:14] And I don't know

[00:37:16] that the Bible

[00:37:17] tends to list

[00:37:17] all the ways

[00:37:18] that God gifts His people.

[00:37:20] Those are certainly ways

[00:37:22] God gifts His people.

[00:37:23] And He gifts His people

[00:37:24] for God's glory,

[00:37:25] their good,

[00:37:26] and the good of others.

[00:37:27] So if you,

[00:37:27] hey,

[00:37:28] take these two broad categories,

[00:37:29] speaking and serving.

[00:37:30] If anyone speaks,

[00:37:31] they do so with the,

[00:37:33] you know,

[00:37:33] speak God's very words

[00:37:34] or do so speaks

[00:37:35] the very words of God.

[00:37:36] If anyone serves,

[00:37:37] they do so in the strength

[00:37:38] God provides.

[00:37:38] We might then say,

[00:37:39] well,

[00:37:39] that could include

[00:37:40] mercy and service

[00:37:41] and teaching

[00:37:42] and administration

[00:37:43] to use some of the

[00:37:44] more traditional gifts.

[00:37:45] I think that's great.

[00:37:46] But here's the thing

[00:37:46] I want you to know,

[00:37:47] that there's all kinds

[00:37:48] of people in your church

[00:37:49] that are gifted by God

[00:37:51] and you,

[00:37:52] part of your job,

[00:37:53] Ephesians 4 reminds us,

[00:37:54] your job is to equip

[00:37:55] God's people

[00:37:56] so you are partly called,

[00:37:58] it's not the only thing

[00:37:59] you do,

[00:37:59] to help the people

[00:38:00] in your church

[00:38:01] find their gifts

[00:38:02] and use them

[00:38:03] for God's glory,

[00:38:04] their good,

[00:38:05] and the good of others.

[00:38:06] And I think that churches

[00:38:08] like that,

[00:38:08] even the world looks

[00:38:09] in churches like that

[00:38:10] and say,

[00:38:10] there's something special.

[00:38:11] Look at all the people

[00:38:12] who are using their gifts

[00:38:14] for God's glory,

[00:38:15] their good,

[00:38:15] and the good of others.

[00:38:17] I think there's something

[00:38:18] beautiful about that.

[00:38:19] The world longs

[00:38:21] for something like that.

[00:38:22] Matter of fact,

[00:38:22] I'll illustrate that to you.

[00:38:23] A few years ago,

[00:38:24] there was a,

[00:38:25] I mean,

[00:38:26] you know like the shows,

[00:38:27] like America's Got Talent

[00:38:28] and I think,

[00:38:29] I forget what the name

[00:38:30] of the most recent one,

[00:38:31] what's famous,

[00:38:32] Simon Cowell's on it,

[00:38:33] one of our,

[00:38:34] what is it called?

[00:38:35] The Voice.

[00:38:35] The Voice.

[00:38:36] I'm not sure

[00:38:36] if that was it or not,

[00:38:37] but it's one of the most recent ones,

[00:38:38] Simon Cowell's on it,

[00:38:39] and one of the top 12

[00:38:41] was our Biola University

[00:38:43] Gospel Choir leader,

[00:38:44] which is super fun.

[00:38:45] By the way,

[00:38:45] one of the reasons

[00:38:46] if you can watch those shows,

[00:38:48] why are so many people from church?

[00:38:50] Let me tell you why.

[00:38:50] Because church is the only place

[00:38:52] in the world still

[00:38:53] where people get together

[00:38:53] and sing on a weekly basis.

[00:38:55] So that's why you get

[00:38:56] so many worship leaders

[00:38:57] and so many people from churches

[00:38:58] in those places.

[00:38:59] Another story for another day.

[00:39:01] So anyway,

[00:39:01] so there's this singer

[00:39:03] who's on this show

[00:39:04] and I bet every one of you

[00:39:05] will remember this.

[00:39:06] It was one of the first viral videos

[00:39:08] and I started watching

[00:39:09] this viral video

[00:39:10] like over and over again.

[00:39:12] As a matter of fact,

[00:39:13] let me show you.

[00:39:13] This is actually,

[00:39:14] her name is Susan Boyle.

[00:39:15] This is a picture of her.

[00:39:16] So Susan Boyle.

[00:39:17] How many of you remember this moment?

[00:39:18] You remember that?

[00:39:19] Sure.

[00:39:19] I mean, of course you do.

[00:39:21] So Susan Boyle is actually,

[00:39:24] she comes on the show

[00:39:25] and when she walks onto the show,

[00:39:28] immediately people begin to just,

[00:39:31] like they look at her

[00:39:32] and they judge her

[00:39:33] when she walks onto the stage.

[00:39:35] They are not impressed.

[00:39:37] She's not catching people's attention.

[00:39:41] She's too old.

[00:39:43] She's too unattractive.

[00:39:44] I mean, they were just,

[00:39:46] these were the faces that people saw.

[00:39:48] Simon asks her some kind of,

[00:39:50] I don't know, dismissive,

[00:39:51] where you're from, dearie?

[00:39:52] And she struggles.

[00:39:53] She's from a collection

[00:39:54] of villages in Scotland.

[00:39:55] Everybody laughs.

[00:39:56] She tries to steal herself

[00:39:57] and everybody laughs.

[00:39:58] And then Simon says,

[00:39:59] who do you want to be like?

[00:40:00] And she names a famous singer

[00:40:01] and he almost rolls his eyes.

[00:40:03] But then Simon says,

[00:40:04] what are you going to sing?

[00:40:05] And she says,

[00:40:06] I'm going to sing I Dream a Dream.

[00:40:07] So the music starts to play.

[00:40:09] Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da.

[00:40:11] And then you remember,

[00:40:11] she starts to sing.

[00:40:12] I dream a dream in time gone by.

[00:40:15] Now you see,

[00:40:16] like unemployed, 47,

[00:40:18] this is a person

[00:40:19] worthy of the mockery of the crowd.

[00:40:22] So she starts singing,

[00:40:24] I dream a dream of time gone by.

[00:40:25] And her voice gets stronger

[00:40:27] at every line.

[00:40:28] And you can feel,

[00:40:29] like it's amazing.

[00:40:30] And the people hear it in the room.

[00:40:32] You remember it.

[00:40:32] If you didn't see this,

[00:40:34] you did not have a screen that year.

[00:40:37] Because it was on everything, right?

[00:40:39] So I'm sitting at home

[00:40:40] and I'm like watching it

[00:40:41] and I'm watching it over and over again.

[00:40:43] And my wife comes in

[00:40:43] and she says,

[00:40:44] who's this woman

[00:40:44] you keep watching on YouTube?

[00:40:46] I said, don't worry baby,

[00:40:46] it's all good.

[00:40:47] And so,

[00:40:48] but I'm like,

[00:40:49] I'm like,

[00:40:49] I like literally,

[00:40:50] I start to cry at this point.

[00:40:53] Because soon the whole crowd

[00:40:54] stands to its feet

[00:40:55] and they're all like,

[00:40:56] this is amazing.

[00:40:57] And you're there, right?

[00:40:58] And if you don't have a dry eye

[00:41:00] there's something wrong with you.

[00:41:01] I mean,

[00:41:01] so if you're not crying

[00:41:02] there's something wrong with you.

[00:41:03] And so we can see

[00:41:05] and then I'm like,

[00:41:07] even like grumpy Simon smiles

[00:41:09] and the world tilts on its axis

[00:41:11] for just a second.

[00:41:13] You don't see that face a lot from Simon.

[00:41:16] And why did the world find that?

[00:41:18] Because here's why.

[00:41:19] Even somebody that the world

[00:41:21] would think unimpressive,

[00:41:22] she would later talk about

[00:41:23] being on the autism spectrum,

[00:41:24] she would later talk about

[00:41:25] not finding opportunities.

[00:41:26] Even people that the world

[00:41:28] at the beginning

[00:41:28] would roll their eyes

[00:41:30] and dismiss.

[00:41:31] The world knows

[00:41:32] there's something right

[00:41:33] when somebody finds the talent

[00:41:35] that God has given them

[00:41:37] and it's display,

[00:41:38] put on display in the world

[00:41:39] and changes the world.

[00:41:41] Now there's a difference

[00:41:42] between talents and gifts

[00:41:42] and you know that.

[00:41:43] I don't have time

[00:41:43] to unpack all of that.

[00:41:44] But I want you to know

[00:41:45] that the kind of people

[00:41:46] that we want to be

[00:41:48] is the kind of people

[00:41:49] that are finding

[00:41:50] all kinds of people

[00:41:51] with all kinds of gifts

[00:41:53] and using them

[00:41:54] for God's glory.

[00:41:57] They're using their gifts

[00:41:58] for God's glory.

[00:41:59] But the challenge is

[00:42:00] it takes some decisions

[00:42:01] on your part.

[00:42:02] You might get some people

[00:42:03] mad at you

[00:42:04] like I had

[00:42:05] when Johnny's parents

[00:42:06] came up and said,

[00:42:07] no, no, you guys

[00:42:08] should do that.

[00:42:09] Let me say the phrase,

[00:42:11] you might be the person

[00:42:13] to do that

[00:42:14] is a phrase that

[00:42:15] if you're going to help

[00:42:15] people find their gifts

[00:42:16] and use them for God's glory,

[00:42:17] their good and the good of others

[00:42:18] is a phrase you're going

[00:42:19] to have to use quite often.

[00:42:22] Number four and finally,

[00:42:23] and I'll close with this.

[00:42:25] You know what it means

[00:42:25] when a guest speaker says,

[00:42:26] I'll close with this,

[00:42:27] by the way?

[00:42:28] Absolutely nothing, actually.

[00:42:31] And wait till James Meeks

[00:42:32] is up here.

[00:42:32] Wait till James Meeks

[00:42:33] is up here.

[00:42:34] You won't want him

[00:42:35] to be done.

[00:42:35] You want me to be done.

[00:42:36] So all have gifts,

[00:42:38] number one.

[00:42:38] Number two,

[00:42:39] God intends all to use.

[00:42:40] Number three,

[00:42:40] for which he empowers us.

[00:42:41] Number four,

[00:42:42] to bring God glory.

[00:42:45] So it says in verse 11,

[00:42:46] the second part,

[00:42:47] so that in all things

[00:42:48] God may be praised

[00:42:49] through Jesus Christ.

[00:42:52] To him be the glory

[00:42:54] and the power

[00:42:54] forever and ever.

[00:42:55] Amen.

[00:42:56] God wants his glory.

[00:42:58] He's concerned with it.

[00:43:00] And pastors and staff members,

[00:43:01] I want to say to you

[00:43:02] because I'm on your side.

[00:43:04] Don't be the center

[00:43:06] of attention in your church

[00:43:08] doing everything

[00:43:09] for everyone

[00:43:10] because you're robbing God

[00:43:12] of his due glory

[00:43:13] in your church

[00:43:14] when you're at the center.

[00:43:17] But when you equip

[00:43:18] and deploy

[00:43:19] all of God's people

[00:43:21] using their gifts

[00:43:22] for God's glory,

[00:43:23] their good,

[00:43:23] and the good of others,

[00:43:24] it makes all the difference.

[00:43:26] So a mature church

[00:43:28] is an equipped church

[00:43:30] and a serving church.

[00:43:32] So,

[00:43:34] amazing conference here.

[00:43:35] Thanks to the

[00:43:36] Calvary Global Network team

[00:43:37] for putting it together.

[00:43:38] I don't know

[00:43:39] that you're going to,

[00:43:40] you know,

[00:43:40] I mean the challenge

[00:43:41] is you sort of remember

[00:43:42] certain things

[00:43:43] and I didn't use

[00:43:44] screen notes

[00:43:45] on purpose

[00:43:46] because hopefully

[00:43:46] you're going to write

[00:43:47] something down.

[00:43:49] And here's what I want

[00:43:49] to ask you to write down

[00:43:50] in basis of this.

[00:43:51] In these end times,

[00:43:54] don't lead

[00:43:54] a consumer church.

[00:43:58] Because here's the thing,

[00:43:59] you're going to,

[00:44:00] you might be the best

[00:44:01] Bible teacher in the world

[00:44:02] and you'll fill up your church

[00:44:03] with knowledgeable

[00:44:03] religious people

[00:44:04] who will not be on mission

[00:44:05] and that's not going to

[00:44:06] give God his due glory.

[00:44:08] In these end times,

[00:44:09] don't lead

[00:44:10] a consumer church.

[00:44:11] See,

[00:44:11] what's the alternative?

[00:44:13] Customers and consumers

[00:44:15] I mean,

[00:44:16] they come

[00:44:17] and they demand things

[00:44:18] and if you don't do things

[00:44:19] the way they want,

[00:44:20] they'll leave your Walmart

[00:44:21] and go down the road

[00:44:21] to Target.

[00:44:23] And the whole world

[00:44:23] knows that.

[00:44:24] But for the people of God,

[00:44:26] when they're equipped

[00:44:27] to use their gifts,

[00:44:28] remember they're gifted

[00:44:29] with the Holy Spirit

[00:44:30] and they're gifted

[00:44:31] by the Holy Spirit.

[00:44:32] And they find a place

[00:44:33] that are deploying them

[00:44:35] for God's glory,

[00:44:37] their good

[00:44:37] and the good of others,

[00:44:38] that draws people

[00:44:40] because God is glorified

[00:44:42] as the church engages

[00:44:43] in Jesus' mission.

[00:44:46] So that in all things,

[00:44:48] God may be praised

[00:44:49] through Jesus Christ.

[00:44:50] The text says to him,

[00:44:51] be the glory

[00:44:51] and the power

[00:44:52] forever and ever.

[00:44:53] Amen.

[00:44:53] So,

[00:44:54] what then,

[00:44:55] if customer and consumer

[00:44:57] is not our goal

[00:44:59] in these end times

[00:45:00] in 1 Peter chapter 4

[00:45:01] and instead we see

[00:45:02] a passage that says

[00:45:03] that all have gifts

[00:45:04] God intends all to use

[00:45:05] for which he empowers us

[00:45:06] to bring God glory,

[00:45:08] what's the alternative?

[00:45:08] The alternative is for you

[00:45:11] to turn up a knob

[00:45:14] and to turn down another.

[00:45:15] And the up knob

[00:45:17] I want to encourage you to,

[00:45:18] I've already told you

[00:45:19] what the down knob,

[00:45:19] don't do a consumer church,

[00:45:21] turn that down

[00:45:23] and turn up instead,

[00:45:25] I'm going to equip

[00:45:26] God's people as co-laborers

[00:45:29] because Paul uses

[00:45:30] that word a lot

[00:45:31] and I think God's people

[00:45:33] should use that word a lot

[00:45:34] is that our church

[00:45:35] does not exist

[00:45:37] solely for the good

[00:45:38] of its people.

[00:45:39] Now,

[00:45:39] don't misunderstand.

[00:45:39] People always are going

[00:45:41] to be objects

[00:45:42] of the ministry.

[00:45:42] We should minister to people

[00:45:44] but most of the people

[00:45:46] simultaneously should be

[00:45:47] partners in the ministry

[00:45:49] and that's called

[00:45:49] being a co-laborer.

[00:45:51] So,

[00:45:52] my encouragement to you

[00:45:52] is simple,

[00:45:53] is all have gifts

[00:45:55] God intends all to use

[00:45:56] for which he empowers us

[00:45:57] to bring God's glory.

[00:45:58] Let's commit to be

[00:45:59] the kind of church

[00:46:00] that's filled

[00:46:01] with equipped co-laborers

[00:46:02] and push away

[00:46:03] from the kind of church

[00:46:04] that's filled

[00:46:05] with demanding customers

[00:46:06] and consumers.

[00:46:08] That's my exhortation to you.

[00:46:09] Would you pray with me today?

[00:46:10] Let's pray.

[00:46:11] Father, we thank you

[00:46:12] that by your grace

[00:46:13] and your goodness

[00:46:14] you have redeemed us

[00:46:15] and called us by name

[00:46:16] and sent us on a mission

[00:46:17] for your namesake.

[00:46:19] Lord, we're struck

[00:46:20] by this passage,

[00:46:22] the huge chasm

[00:46:24] between this passage

[00:46:25] and our practice.

[00:46:26] Each of you

[00:46:27] versus maybe 20%,

[00:46:29] 40% if we count generously

[00:46:31] in our churches.

[00:46:32] Lord, clearly,

[00:46:33] a consumer and customer

[00:46:35] driven mindset

[00:46:35] has inhabited

[00:46:36] far too many

[00:46:37] of our churches

[00:46:37] and Lord,

[00:46:38] in part,

[00:46:39] that's because of me

[00:46:40] and that's because

[00:46:41] of people

[00:46:42] who love to be

[00:46:44] the most needed person

[00:46:45] in the church.

[00:46:46] Lord,

[00:46:47] may we instead

[00:46:48] move from

[00:46:50] drawing customers

[00:46:51] and co-laborers

[00:46:51] to customers

[00:46:52] and consumers

[00:46:53] to equipping co-laborers,

[00:46:55] helping people

[00:46:56] to find their gifts,

[00:46:57] to use them

[00:46:57] for God's glory,

[00:46:58] their good,

[00:46:59] and the good of others

[00:47:00] for it's in Jesus' name

[00:47:02] and his sake we pray.

[00:47:03] Amen.

[00:47:04] Amen.

[00:47:05] Thanks for the opportunity

[00:47:05] to share with you.

[00:47:14] Thanks for listening

[00:47:14] to this season

[00:47:15] of the CGN Podcast.

[00:47:17] Episodes are released

[00:47:18] every two weeks,

[00:47:19] so make sure to subscribe

[00:47:20] to the podcast

[00:47:20] so you'll be notified

[00:47:21] when new episodes

[00:47:22] are released.

[00:47:23] In upcoming episodes,

[00:47:24] we'll have more messages

[00:47:25] from the conference

[00:47:26] as well as interviews

[00:47:27] to help encourage you

[00:47:28] and equip you.

[00:47:29] We'd love to hear

[00:47:30] your feedback

[00:47:31] on these episodes.

[00:47:32] You can email us

[00:47:33] at cgn

[00:47:34] at calvarychapel.com.

[00:47:36] Until next time,

[00:47:37] God bless you.