Ephesians 4:11-13  declares an extraordinary picture of the Church.

By the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, Paul states that when we get the functions of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to work together, the church will become a body that demonstrates the fullness of Christ.  This is extraordinary because it means that Jesus’ extraordinary ministry sets for us the pattern that we should expect to attain to.

Envision a church that serves the needy with the multiplying power of 5 loaves and 2 fishes; a church that can speak restoration of destiny into billions who are living the same shame-driven life as the woman at the well; a church so full of authority that it can compel even the most hardened criminals to repay 4 times of what they owe; a church that solves the world’s most difficult economic problems through the deep wisdom of sacrifice, forgiveness, and mercy.

The bible gave us the revelation and insight to take such a vision to reality.  And in the path to that reality lies the challenge of bringing unity to the functions of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.  It seems that God’s underlying mandate for us distills down to how each of these functions, in their distinctive personalities and sometime conflicting temperaments, can cover each other in grace – to maintain the unity of the Spirit through the washing of each other’s feet.

We will continue to press forward MTC 2016 by pressing into this mandate – to strive after that extraordinary picture of the Church by building the unity within the functions of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.  It would be our honor to step together with you into the fullness of Christ at MTC 2016.

Blessings,

pdt

以弗所書4:11-13 宣告了一幅神教會的超凡畫面。

保羅在聖靈的感動下指出,當我們讓使徒、先知、傳福音的、·牧師和教師這幾種功能可以一起同工的時候,教會就會成為一個彰顯出基督長成身量的身体。這是超乎尋常的,因為這意味著耶穌超凡的事工為我們立下我們應該期望能達到的样式。

讓我們想像一下如此的景況:一個使用五餅二魚的倍增能力來服事貧乏人的教會;一個向着成千上萬如同井邊的婦人一樣以羞恥感为導向過活的人們述說命定修復的教會;一個如此充滿權柄的教會、甚至能够感動最心硬的罪犯願意以他們所虧欠的四倍償還;一個可以通過犧牲、饒恕、憐憫的睿智來解決世界上至難經濟問題的教會。

聖經給了我們啟示和洞察力要將這樣的異象化為現實。而在這條通往現實的道路上,存在著將使徒、先知、傳福音的、牧師和教師這幾種功能合而為一的挑戰。看來,神赐給我們這項基本任務的精髓乃是——儘管每種功能各有其獨特的個性、有時甚至有相互矛盾的性情,如何在這樣的景况下使他們在恩典裡仍然能够互相遮蓋——依舊藉著彼此洗腳來維持聖靈的合一。

我們將極力追求這一任務來持續推進MTC 2016 —— —通過建立使徒、先知、傳福音的、牧師和教師這幾種功能内部的合一,竭盡全力追求神教會这幅不同凡響的圖畫。我們非常榮幸可以在MTC2016與您攜手進入基督的豐盛。

願神賜福於您,

戴禮德敬上