Church as Family, Part 5: Kingdom Discipleship
Last time, we discussed the community/family of God, coming to the conclusion that the ekklesia is one body that serves, loves, welcomes and restores one another. Thus, leaders only need to exercise authority when things are not going the right way.[1]
This final time, we will talk about how the body is meant to grow herself now that the systems and structures that hinder the ekklesia are gone. Without having to sit and listen to one person, every believer is free to both give something of the Lord to another and receive something of the Lord from their brother or sister, building them up and making them more like Jesus.[2]This is the process of discipleship.
Those with the gift of teaching, for instance, should clearly explain the scriptures and their implications for our lives; however, the most important thing they should do is teach other believers how to study and explain the Scriptures, too. Not only can the student study and teach the Bible well (and so they should), they should also be able to teach others how to do the same. This is how equippers equip Christians for ministry[3] instead of equipping Christians from ministry[4] as the corporation model of church attempts to do. In this way, each member of the ekklesia uses their gifts (and talents and skills) to equip and form their brothers and sisters for the sake of the Kingdom and the glory of God in Christ.
