Think about a Jig Saw puzzle, a thousand colourful individual pieces spread over your dining room table. There are different shapes, a palate of primary colours mixed with a multitude of unique hues. The individual pieces without a picture make absolutely no sense.
The challenge is similar to that faced by Pastors and church leaders all across our Nation. You have people with skills, interests, expectations, talents, resources and spiritual gifts. The question is how to fit all the individual pieces together to make the whole according to God’s plan.
Scripture has some recommendations. Paul references spiritual gifts. He has outlined roles and responsibilities then illustrates that our Heavenly Father is, “distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (1 Corinthians 12:11) You see, you have the gifts that God intended you to have. I believe that every church, just like the jig saw puzzle has all the pieces it needs. Every church has the spiritual gifts, talents and volunteers that it needs. The leadership challenge, just like the puzzle is to get the pieces to fit and work together.
Let me illustrate further. “That’s plain enough, isn’t it? You’re no longer wandering exiles. This kingdom of faith is now your home country. You’re no longer strangers or outsiders. You belong here, with as much right to the name Christian as anyone. God is building a home. He’s using us all—irrespective of how we got here—in what he is building. He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation. Now he’s using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone that holds all the parts together. We see it taking shape day after day—a holy temple built by God, all of us built into it, a temple in which God is quite at home.” (Ephesians 2:21) The Message.
Your God given Vision is the completed picture.
Leadership is moving you and your church from disarray and confusion to the God directed Vision.
Yours in Service,