Training Category: Body Life
Coming up with a blueprint design requires having goals of what the end result should be. The Bible provides us with God’s objectives for His Church — what following His design will ultimately lead to in the Church. We find this in Ephesians 4:11-16 which begins and ends with God’s plan for reaching His goals, providing the actual goals in verses 13-15.
God’s Ultimate Goals for Body Life in His Church
Here’s the end result of following God’s design for Body Life in His Church:
1) Unity
“until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God” (Eph. 4:13)
2) Maturity
“and become mature” (Eph. 4:13)
3) Christ-likeness
“attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph. 4:13)
4) Balance
“… speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ … ” (Eph. 4:14-16)
God’s Plan for Reaching His Goals for His Church
To become the Church of God’s design begins with gifted leaders and teachers equipping believers to serve. It takes everybody doing their part, not just leaders and teachers.
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up (Eph. 4:11-12)
From him(Christ) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph. 4:16)
— Learn more about God’s design in the Body Life Ministry Manual where you will also find a few questions to help you reflect on your church in light of this passage.