Category Archives: Body Life

God cued us in on a key element of church growth when He said the Body “grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (Eph. 4:16). First note that church growth isn’t merely about numbers. Real growth comes when we love God with all of who we are which spills over into loving one another (Matt.22:37-40). That often leads to numerical growth as love attracts people, letting them know we’re His disciples (Jn. 13:34-35). How, then, do we grow and build ourselves up in love? — “as each part does its work” using their spiritual gifts.

Each Part is Needed So Don’t Minimize

Perhaps you’ve heard someone say I’m just a …

lay person.
church secretary.
teacher’s helper.
nursery worker.

Maybe you’ve said or thought the same thing. If so, click on the above link applicable to you. Note how vital you are to the Body of Christ. Each, and every, part is needed, even those that “seem to be weaker are indispensable” (1 Cor. 12:22). Just because your part may “seem to be” weaker or lesser than another part, doesn’t mean it isn’t needed. That’s our opinion, not God’s. Take time to read 1 Corinthians 12 about God’s design for the Body and each person’s part in it.

If you don’t view your gift as needed, read: Different Functions So All Spiritual Gifts Needed

Each Part is Important So Don’t Compare

Saying “I’m just a …” suggests some sort of comparison. Lay people may compare themselves to professionals. Church secretaries may compare themselves to leaders. Helpers may compare themselves to teachers. Nursery workers may compare themselves to those serving older ages. The conclusion? “I’m just a ….”, meaning “I’m not as important” as someone else.

We need to remember some key factors:

1. “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Gal. 3:28) – To be “one in Christ Jesus” puts us on an equal plane. Just because we fulfill different roles within the Body doesn’t mean there’s a hierarchy in terms of importance.

2. “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.” (Rom. 12:6) – God gives spiritual gifts on the basis of grace, not merit. That means no one is better than another.

3. “God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” (1 Cor. 12:18) – To devalue ourselves is to think God made a mistake with us or to criticize Him for His plan and purposes for our lives.

If you tend to compare yourself to others, read: Caught Up in the Comparison Game?

According to 1 Thessalonians 5:11, God has given us the responsibility of encouraging one another. It demonstrates that we’re members of one another in the Body of Christ (Rom. 12:5). The New Testament contains numerous uses of the phrase “one another” (allelon in the original language). This word depicts a mutual, reciprocal effort on the part of believers, one toward the other. The word for encourage, parakaleo, denotes calling to one’s side, further strengthening the idea of being there for one another. We come alongside of fellow believers to have a positive effect on their lives, and they in ours.

About Encouragement

Read through the context of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and you’ll discover some key points like why we need encouragement, who needs it, and how to encourage. (Click on the links below for more on those points.)

We need encouragement to be lights in a dark world. We can encourage one another to remain alert and self-controlled so we reflect our Lord in all we do.

Everyone needs encouragement. As one of the many one-another commands of Body life, encouraging each other occurs reciprocally. No one should have to face the hardships of life alone.

Each one needs encouragement tailored to them. How we encourage one another varies based a person’s particular situation and needs. While encouraging one another should be reciprocal, the way we encourage may differ.

The Best Way to Encourage One Another

Though how we each need encouragement varies, we all need to be pointed to God as the ultimate Source of encouragement.

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. (2 Thess. 2:16-17)

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort (paraklesis which is the noun form of the verb parakaleo translated in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 as to encourage) … (2 Cor. 1:3)

As we continue on to verse 4 of 2 Corinthians 1, we read that it is this God “who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God”. Again, the word for comfort in that verse is parakaleo, the same word used when told to encourage one another in 1 Thessalonians 5:11.

The best way to encourage others, then, is to pass on the encouragement we received from “the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort” for He is our ultimate Source of encouragement.

A section of the MinTools.com site has been devoted to Body Life, God’s design for the Church. It not only considers what the Bible teaches about it but also what it looks like for us to function as God intends. The TrainChurchLeaders.com site encourages leaders to steer the Church toward Body Life by their example, not just their words. As we look at the current state of the Church, perhaps we would do well to revisit God’s design for the Body and then the responsibility we each have in it.

Body Life Defined Through an Analogy

Scripture refers to the Church as the Body of Christ. Jesus is the Head and we are members of the Body, suggesting that we belong to one another. Take time to revisit what God says about His design for the Church to function as a Body:

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

To help us think about the analogy of the Church as a Body, consider these realities 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.

God, therefore, intends for the Church to function similarly.

Implications for the Church as a Body

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

Need Help Revisiting God’s Design for Body Life in the Church?

In addition to content provided on the sites mentioned above, check out the Body Life Bundle. The Body Life Ministry Manual builds off of the content on the MinTools.com site whereas the Steering the Church Toward Body Life Leadership Guide stems from content from the TrainChurchLeaders.com site. Together, these two resources provide a more comprehensive look at God’s design for Body Life in the Church but they can also be ordered individually.

More: Body Life Resources

God designed us as the Body of Christ to be members of one another (Rom. 12:5). As followers of Jesus Christ we are connected to each other in a special way. We have a unique bond with fellow believers all over this world because of Him. When we function as the Body God designed us to be we’ll fulfill His purposes and experience the effects of being connected to one another.

3 Effects of Being Connected to One Another

While we probably could list a number of ways we’re affected when we live as members of one another as God intends for the Body to function, here we’ll consider just three that can make a big difference not only to the health of the Church but also to our testimony in the world.

1. Our connection in Christ should dictate how we communicate with one another. The many “one another” commands of Scripture serve as a guide.

“Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” (Eph. 4:25)

For More, Read: Christ-like Communication (follow the links in that post)

2. Being connected to one another should determine how we serve each other. We’re all in this Christian life together so its not about personal ambitions or self-fulfillment but rather truly caring about one another.

For More, Read: True Body Life Results in Ministry

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” (Gal. 5:13)

3. Our connection with one another in Christ should affect how we handle disagreements or conflict. Reconciliation should always be our goal which will happen when we focus less on “me” and more on “us”.

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” (Col. 3:15)

For More, Read: Harmony in the Midst of Conflict? (follow the links in that article)

When we live in accordance with God’s design for the Church, aware of the connection we have in and through Him as members of one another, the Church takes on a different dynamic. We aren’t just another organization trying to do good in this world. We are a living organism “joined and held together by every supporting ligament” finding our connection “from Him” who is the Head of the Church (Eph. 4:16).

Training Category: Body Life

Today we so often find local churches isolated from one another. The Early Church, however, selflessly supported the work God was doing beyond their local bodies of believers. We can learn from the Early Church’s example of breadth of focus, looking beyond ourselves, having a big picture outlook.

During this time some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. One of them, named Agabus, stood up and through the Spirit predicted that a severe famine would spread over the entire Roman world. (This happened during the reign of Claudius.) The disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help for the brothers living in Judea. This they did, sending their gift to the elders by Barnabas and Saul. (Acts 11:27-30)

Lessons to Learn from the Early Church Example of Breadth of Focus

There’s usually someone that has a greater need than you.

This group of believers looked beyond themselves. They were better off materially than the church in Jerusalem and so, despite impending famine, they shared of their resources.

There’s usually something you can do to help.

Notice that the above passage says, “the disciples, each according to his ability, decided to provide help” (Acts 11:29). The amount wasn’t the issue but rather the giving … stepping outside of oneself to help others beyond one’s own little circle.

It’s so easy for us to become inwardly focused in our churches that we forget about the universal, global Church. Let’s ask God to expand our breadth of focus. Each local body is just part of a whole.

The Body Life Ministry Manual helps us reflect on this quality in the Early Church along with three other examples for us to follow.