Equipping Ministry: What Is It
  ... and Why Is It Important?

"Aim at nothing and you are sure to hit it every time!"

Established as one of Central's major new initiatives by Session's Vision 2001, the simple mission of the fast growing equipping ministry is to help people find their niche in the Kingdom of God. EM seeks to do that both in terms of relationships and ministry.

To accomplish that mission, EM cannot work in isolation. Communication and ministry partnerships are continuing to develop with almost every other group at Central. This is critical, because EM is not just another church program. It is leading to a different way of being the church. Let me explain, using the most visible component, Ministry Mobilization.

Every Christian is called to ministry. Some people have the erroneous thought that only pastors are called. The truth is that pastors are called to a ministry of helping other Christian's fulfill their call. The Apostle Paul said it best:

"It was Christ who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." (Ephesians 4:11-12a)

To read more about the meaning of this passage please see the November 25, 2001 sermon, "Growing Up."

It is no mistake that on every Sunday bulletin (sorry to the EPIC folks who don't get a bulletin) where it lists the church staff, you will read these words:

Ministers:    Every member of the congregation
Assisted by:   Rev. John Schmidt, etc.

The Bible teaches that every single one of us is designed by God for a special purpose. We were created to bring God glory and to find our joy and significance - in accordance with our spiritual gifts, our personality, our passion and call.

To help Centralites discern these things, we have designed a course called "Exploring Your Spiritual Design." This course provides you with tools for thinking through several critical parts of who you are and then helps you fit them together and apply them effectively. These parts are:

• your personality
• how God has molded you through the past
• your passion
• your spiritual gifts
• and your present placement in life.

No matter where you are in your spiritual journey with Christ, whether a new Christian or a leader of 25 years, this course can be immensely beneficial. In fact, the whole staff went through the process last Spring, and most elders, deacons and other ministry leaders are taking it this Fall in a specially designed Leadership Course.

When you finish the course, you are then given a consultation with a trained facilitator. Equipped with the "Catalogue of Ministry Descriptions" and a computer database, the facilitator will assist you in locating some very specific opportunities that fit your personal profile. There is no obligation - this is a loving service offered in hopes of helping you find your place of greatest fulfillment. It is also not about simply filling vacant slots in Central's ministries. You may be led into a ministry completely beyond the walls of Central. If God is calling you, we want to assist you.

But please don't misread the words above as saying you will have your own individual ministry. You see, ministry in the Kingdom of God was designed to be done in community. Once again, Paul says it well:

"From 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." (Ephesians 4:16)

The Lord calls each one of us, from pastors and leaders on up, to work together as we carry out the unique work for which He designed us. And God blesses us as a congregation when we value the gifts of every person, and work interdependently to achieve His purposes.

What happens if we actually start doing church this way? It means:

• people will be empowered to serve out of joy and call, rather than out of guilt and obligation.
• we will look for ways to appreciate, affirm and utilize our diversity of gifts, personalities and perspectives.
• committees will become communities of ministry.
• leaders will be equippers, encouragers and team builders, strategically maximizing the mix of gifted people around them.
• an explosion of possibilities for ministry effectiveness and multiplication as we all do the ministry rather than expecting it to be done by others.
• a changed Baltimore as the effects of our faithfulness are felt wherever members of Central are found.

We are excited about what God can do through a Christian community like ours that is empowered, equipped and engaged in the ministry to which we have been called. We do this for the glory of God, and "so that the body of Christ may be built up 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." (Ephesians 12b-13)