Body

A Reflection

"For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money...[Matthew 24:14-30 New Revised Standard Version]

Ministers have been given certain gifts and churches are entrusted with the gifts this person offers in order that they can flourish and grow together. Within each church there are other gifts and complimentary abilities that are to be used so that the Reign of God can be empowered and expanded.

Some churches embrace their minister and use the gifts they bring alongside the gifts of the whole congregation. Together they grow.
Other churches bury their minister in tradition, unobtainable expectations and continue to live in the past, holding onto what has gone before, hoping that nothing will change. They will be disappointed.
Some ministers take the gifts within a congregation and pile upon them insecurity, a desire for power, a need to be needed. They will have their gift taken from them and given to the one whose gifts have been doubled.

We need to be aware of our own gifts and the gifts of those around us.

Thinking personally,

One gift is an ability to think creatively, radically, perhaps prophetically. It is expressed traditionally through poetry, increasingly through visual arts, occasionally - when given the space and freedom - through the leading of worship. I dream dreams, paint big pictures.
I am not gifted at dealing with the minutae, of working out the detail that turns visions into reality. I need people who will take my ideas, sort the possible from the impossible and mould them into a living breathing organism.
I'm told that I have certain pastoral gifts. An ability to listen, to empathise, to relax, to smile and create smiles among the darkness. I can't see it myself. I feel awkward, useless, vulnerable. I am too ready to expect disappointment and rejection. I love pastoral work, I love the riskiness, the emotion, the friendship, the growth that comes from pain.
I am not gifted in administration. I am still disorganised and easily sidetracked.
I work well in small groups. In the large crowd I will disappear into the corner and observe, no need for small talk there. I don't like the telephone. I don't network.

All around me are people with the gifts I lack. We need one another and we need a structure which encourages us to share our gifts. We are not meant to stand alone. We are part of the body, one small part of the whole [1 Corinthians 12]. Paul was so emphatic about our need for one another. No matter how weak we seem we add strength to the whole. Our big powerful, rich churches believe they can stand alone, that they do not need their weaker sisters, yet there is strength in weakness [2 Corinthians 12] and the whole body is made stronger by such weakness. Just as one minister can not stand alone from the gifts offered by the congregation and the surrounding community, so one church can not stand alone from the gifts offered by the churches with which they are linked.

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. ... But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth in building itself up in love.[Ephesians 4:11-16 New Revised Standard Version]

On such wisdom is based our whole Reformed idea of shared leadership. The Minister is one elder amongst many. The gifts of each Elder are supported, complimented, nurtured and supplemented by the greater gifts of the whole.

To those who are prepared to take the gifts they have been given and to use them, so many more will be given.

To those who show they can be entrusted with a small portion of the Master's property there will come greater responsibility and the joy that comes with such trust.

For those who bury gifts there is only

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A Postmodern Ministry? Art and original art work © Craig Neil Muir, August 2000
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