Leaders in the Body: Building the Church Together

Introduction

Christ reigns, and from that place he gives. He gives his grace to each of you, and he gives people to his Church so the body can grow. In this third sermon in the series "In the Image of Christ, for the Service of His Church," Eric Lehrmann opens Ephesians 4:7-8 and 11-16 and asks a simple question: is church life mainly the business of a few leaders, or is it everyone's business? His answer follows the text faithfully: leaders are given to equip, and every believer is called to put a hand to the body so the Church can reach unity and the maturity of the full stature of Christ.

Sermon outline

1. "Grace was given to each one of us" (v. 7)

• The verse opens with "to each one of us": you are included, no one is left out. The moment you are in Christ, you become a beneficiary of grace that saves, but also strengthens and transforms.
• Grace is given "according to the measure of Christ's gift." Every child of God receives a unique note within the unity of Christ and his love.
• Out of this diversity of graces come different skills, different gifts, different talents, and different relational sensitivities too.
• Christ gave himself, and since his victory he keeps on giving. He gives gifts to people, and he gives gifts of people to his Church (v. 11).

2. Christ gives people to his Church (v. 11)

• "He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers." Christ reigns as supreme king, and it is from that position that he gives his gifts.
• The apostles and prophets played a foundational role at the beginning of the Church (Ephesians 2:20; 3:5). Dominique Angers points out that we owe our very existence as the people of the new covenant to them.
• The evangelist is a preacher of the gospel: someone who has received the ability to communicate the good news clearly and effectively.
• The shepherd (or pastor) (the only place in the New Testament where this image is used for a ministry), has the role of leading the church, caring for it, feeding it spiritually, and protecting it. These shepherds are also called church leaders, elders (presbyteros), overseers, or bishops (1 Timothy 3:1).
• The teacher is named separately, but it's worth recognizing that every group in verse 11 teaches to some degree.
• The gifts given to individuals, meanwhile, are described elsewhere: Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 and 28-31, 1 Peter 4:10-11. Each of us exercises our own: prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, generosity, leadership, kindness.

3. Leaders as a gift from Christ : and three applications

• The leaders of the past (apostles, prophets) and the leaders of the present (church leaders, gospel preachers, shepherds, teachers) are gifts given by Christ after his victory.
• First application: celebrate diversity in the church. Each person has a part to play according to the grace they've received.
• Second application: the church has real work of discernment to do, to recognize the callings Christ raises up within it.
• Third application: leaders, like all believers, are imperfect. But they are given by Christ. Neither blind praise nor unfair contempt fits.

4. Leaders who equip (v. 12)

• "To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." The teaching goal is explicit: leaders are there to equip believers for service.
• Serving in the church is everyone's business. When each person is at work in their place, the whole body of Christ works, builds, and is built up.
• Dominique Angers notes that this text contains a statement (service is everyone's business), two questions (what role for leaders? what role for members?), and a summary: leaders play a key role, but much of their ministry consists of equipping every believer for service.

5. The purpose of building up the body (v. 13-14)

• "Until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
• "We all": the body is one, the Church is one (Ephesians 4:3-5). Unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God flows from this foundational unity.
• "Become mature": each person works and acts according to what they have to do. The maturity God calls for is an active maturity, not a passive one.
• "The whole measure of the fullness of Christ": maturity comes from him and moves toward him. It will be fully reached at Christ's return.
• Verse 14: the fruit of this growth is no longer being children, tossed back and forth by every wind of teaching, by the cunning of people, and by their deceitful scheming. Ephesians 6:11 reminds us to put on the full armor of God, so we can take our stand against the devil's schemes.

6. How the body grows (v. 15-16)

• "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." Speaking the truth in love shows that we are drawing near to Christ and are in Christ.
• It is a necessary condition for growth: personal growth, growth of the church, growth of our local congregation.
• Being in Christ, as Ephesians 1:3-14 reminds us: he has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ, he chose us in him before the creation of the world, he predestined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ.
• Beholding the Lord's glory, as 2 Corinthians 3:18 reminds us: "And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
• Verse 16: "From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." Everything comes from Jesus, everything is held together by Jesus, everything moves toward Jesus.
• The "ligaments" call to mind the Holy Spirit breathing through the whole body for it to function rightly, as well as the teaching ministries of the leaders. Every part contributes according to its own work, and the whole is built up in love.

7. A closer look at the leaders : and at every believer

• A closer look at the leaders: Christ has given them a particular ability to equip and train all believers. They need to pass on what they know to others, learn to delegate, and help each member discern their service, or services, in the church.
• A closer look at every believer: leaders are not the only ones called to give of themselves and to make sacrifices. Every believer is called to grow and to carry out their service.
• We all have a ministry, exercised not chaotically but with discernment and support. Everyone should invest time in people: encouragement, evangelism, welcoming others, hospitality, corporate prayer, listening.
• An illustration from Calvin, used by the preacher: what good would it do for a single arm or a single toe to grow oversized, if the rest of the body isn't developing at the same pace?

Key takeaways

• Grace is given to each of you, according to the measure of Christ's gift. No one is a spectator in the church.
• Christ gives leaders (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers) to equip, not to do everything in place of others.
• Serving in the church is everyone's business. When each person is in their place, the whole body is built up.
• Growth aims at unity in the faith and the full stature of Christ, so we are no longer tossed by every wind of teaching.
• The condition for growth is speaking the truth in love, while staying connected to Christ, the head of the body.

Personal application

1. In your own mind, are the leaders the only ones to blame when the church isn't moving the way you'd like?
2. What is your concrete contribution to building up the body of Christ, locally, this week?
3. Do you feel responsible for the work of service in your local community, or more like a spectator?
4. Are you a consumer Christian, or an agent of the change Christ wants to bring about?
5. Should you spend less time on leisure or work in order to get more involved in the life of your congregation?

Scripture references

• Ephesians 4:7-16 · sermon text
• Ephesians 4:3-5 · one body, one Spirit, one faith
• Ephesians 2:20 · the apostles and prophets, the foundation of the church
• Ephesians 6:11 · put on the full armor of God
• Ephesians 1:3-14 · blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ
• 2 Corinthians 3:18 · transformed into his image, glory to glory
• Romans 12:6-8 · different gifts according to the grace received
• 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 · a diversity of gifts, the same Spirit
• 1 Peter 4:10-11 · using your gift to serve others
• 1 Timothy 3:1 · a noble task, the office of overseer
• Micah 6:8 · act justly, love mercy, walk humbly

Frequently asked questions

Who are the "pastors and teachers" of verse 11?

The shepherds (or pastors) are those whose role is to lead the local church, care for it, feed it spiritually, and protect it. They are also called elders (presbyteros), leaders, overseers, or bishops depending on the New Testament passage (Acts, 1 Timothy, Titus, James, 1 Peter). The teacher, named separately, exercises a ministry of the word more specifically; but every group in verse 11 teaches to some degree.

What's the difference between "gifts of people" and "gifts to people"?

Ephesians 4:11 speaks of gifts of people: Christ offers ministries (apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers), to his Church. The other passages (Romans 12:6-8, 1 Corinthians 12, 1 Peter 4:10-11) speak of gifts to individuals: prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, generosity, leadership, kindness. The two complement each other: Christ raises up ministries for the whole body, and he gives each member personal gifts for the service of others.

Should you give up time at work or leisure for the church?

The sermon raises the question without imposing a ready-made answer. It invites you to an honest self-examination: is church life truly a priority in your life? Do your children get the impression that church is just one more activity, on the same level as music lessons or a sports team? The remedy Eric Lehrmann proposes is communal: dare to speak the truth of the gospel to a brother or sister in love, personally, and aim resolutely at the good of the body of Christ rather than your own personal fulfillment or self-worth.