Otherwise we will be driven by selfish interests, our own comfort levels, and personal convenience which often results into taking the easiest, least resistant, or quickest path.

1)  Seek Unity out of Diversity

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  (Phil. 2:1-2)

Find your unity in Christ and fellowship in the Spirit, not in your opinions or personal preferences.  When you do, you will exhibit tenderness, compassion, joy, and love toward one another.  You will be able to work through your differences rather than cover over them or simply compromise to keep peace.

This means truly accepting and respecting one another regardless of their position on issues and coming together in Christ, not merely compromising.

2)  Be Driven by Selfless Motivations

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:3-4)

When you truly look out for the good of others, you realize that it is not about what is the most convenient or comfortable for you.  You realize that taking the path of least resistance is not always what is best for everyone involved.

This means truly trying to help the other person reach their potential in Christ from the inside out, not merely tolerating them or being satisfied with mere outward conformity.

3)  Maintain Christ-like Attitudes

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Phil. 2:5-7)

When you approach people with a Christ-like attitude, you will find yourself willingly giving of your time to serve in ways that truly make a difference.  You will seek the best for others which often means more time and effort for you.

This means truly investing your life into people and the ministry God has given you, not doing just enough to get by.

Quick solutions aim at outward conformity.  Unfortunately that usually results in the real problem not getting solved, only to fester and possibly manifest itself later in another or worse way than before.

Real change aims at inward transformation which will eventually show itself outwardly.  That produces results which tend to be genuine and enduring.

A Few Examples:

Volunteer or paid staff issues where people are not coming adequately prepared or have a negative attitude

Disagreements among ministry team or elder board on the best course of action

Discipline in children’s ministry

The Power’s Source:

• “Him who is able to do”
• “His divine power”
• “His glorious might”

The Power’s Extent:

• “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine”
• “has given us everything we need
• “strengthened with all power”

The Power’s Measurement:

• “according to His power”
• “through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness”
• “according to his glorious might”

The Power’s Target:

• “at work within us”
• “for life and godliness”
• “that you may live a life worth of the Lord and may please him in every way”

The Power’s Objective:

• “to him be glory in the Church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever”
• “so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father”
• “a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way”

We cannot begin to comprehend all God wants to do in and through the church.  To think that an Almighty, infinite, eternal God would work through weak, finite beings is mind boggling.  Let’s not take it for granted.

More for Church Leaders:  God’s Power for the Church

Body Life is a Responsibility of Bible Teachers

Body Life doesn’t come natural to us fallen human beings.  We tend to live for self.  Consequently, how to live life together as members of one another must be taught.  Teachers have a wonderful setting for helping students practice Body Life principles.  Teachers also have opportunity to model Body Life.  Click below for two teacher training worksheets that will help teachers build a classroom environment in keeping with God’s design for the Body.

Teachers Either Block or Promote Community Worksheet
In Facilitating a Discussion, Everyone’s Contribution is Valuable Worksheet

Body Life is a Responsibility of Church Leaders

Church Leaders have a platform for promoting Body Life.  If they are going to effectively steer members toward God’s design, they themselves must also function in accordance with Body Life principles.  You can evaluate how your leadership is promoting or detracting from God’s design for the church in the Body Life section of TrainChurchLeaders.com.  There you will find questions with possible responses.  Clicking on the responses will provide additional input.

Body Life is the Responsibility of Everyone

God has both commanded and enabled believers to engage in Body Life.

1. Each member of the body must heed the one another commands of God to function as a body.
2. Every believer has been given at least one spiritual gift to be used for the common good of the body.

Even if Bible teachers do not fulfill their responsibility in teaching and modeling it and even if church leaders do not actively promote and function within it, you are still responsible before God to do your part in living out Body Life principles.  May this site be used by God to help you better understand God’s design for the Church and encourage you to do your part.

Think About the Human Body

• The human body is a unit (one) made up of many parts.
• Each part is important and needed.
• Each part has a function that contributes to the whole.
• Parts of the human body function interdependently.
• Parts of the human body are dependent on the brain for growth, health, and directives.

Scripture’s Analogy of the Church with the Human Body

The church is referred to as the Body of Christ.  Jesus is the Head of the Body and we are members of one another.  Click below to study key passages related to God’s Design for the Church as a Body:

Ephesians 4:11-16
Romans 12:1-21
1 Corinthians 12:14-26

Body Life Defined:

If the Church is to function similar to the human body, then Body Life is how we relate to one another in ways that demonstrate:

1. unity out of diversity … every part important and needed
2. interdependence on one another … every part contributing to other parts
3. dependence on the Head … every part living according to directives from Him

In the next post we will consider whose responsibility it is to foster Body Life within the Church.  Subscribe to receive e-mail notification of new posts.

Resources to Help Your Better Understand Body Life

Based on what Jesus defined as the greatest commandments, we would have to conclude that our purpose would be to live out those commandments.

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  (Matt. 22:37-39)

The next verse cues us in to the importance of these commands.  Jesus asserted, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

The Ten Commandments listed in Exodus 20 are ways to show love for God and love for people.

The theme of love for God and love for people runs through Scripture with the various commands lining up under these purposes.   God’s objectives have not changed.  Consequently, you should be able to make a two column chart for your church with the headings Love God and Love People.  What you do should be able to fit under one column or the other.  That which does not clearly fit, should be examined for its value of the time and resources it takes in light of God’s purposes.

The question we must ask is if we are actively pursuing and lining up with God’s purposes as a church.  If not, why not? 

Church leaders, you will find help for breaking through hindrances at TrainChurchLeaders.com, a site developed by Ministry Tools Resource Center to help ministry leaders work through issues affecting their leadership.  When you click on the above link, it will take you to a page about church purpose where you will find questions to get you thinking about what you are doing in pursuit of God’s purposes.  Follow the instructions on that page to get input on your responses.

The church finds itself in some difficult times . . .

          doctrinally
          morally
          societally
          financially

We stand at a crossroad. Will we despair and compromise or will we persevere and stay true?

Financial Realities:

For many churches,

giving is down and expenses are up.

Financial Retooling:

Yes, it takes money to do ministry certain ways but, in truth, it takes God working in the hearts of people.  The best facility, equipment, and materials don’t change lives.  God, through His Spirit and His Word, does the true work.  Money isn’t required to access those resources.

Yes, it takes money to buy student books and classroom supplies but the truth is that people need love way more than they need learning materials.  Love is something you can give away and will be remembered long after the lesson ends.

Yes, it takes money for the upkeep of a church building but if everybody would do their part, these expenses could be reduced.

Yes, it takes money to purchase high-tech equipment, DVDs, and computer software, but there are many ways to communicate without cost.  If used strategically, skillfully, and with excellence, some of this low-tech methodology can still be quite effective.

Financial Reckoning:

We all might have to make some adjustments and sacrifice in certain ways.  As we do, perhaps it will pull us back to relying more on the Lord than our resources.  That would be a good outcome!!

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”  (Heb. 13:5-6)

Church Leaders:  Learn to think outside of the box.  What are some alternative means of doing ministry?  Purchasing a pre-fab program might take less time but it isn’t the only way when the funds are tight.  You might need to get back to the basics of good time management as part of biblical stewardship.  (1 Cor. 10:31; Eph. 5:15)

All Church Members:  View giving as an act of worship, not merely a responsibility.  View giving as an investment into eternity, not merely to pay salaries and other current expenses.  Give from the heart as God prospers you.  (2 Cor. 8:2-3; 9:6-7)

Stewardship Resources