为教会祷告: 愿忠心的牧师/传道们能藉着圣经训练教会的成员们各尽其职。（二之三）

牧师/传道们不仅需要在信仰上为人表率，还需要将信仰的真理教导给下一代。当牧师/传道们能够忠心地使用圣经教导教会成员时就會促进教会内部的团结和属灵成长，帮助教会成员辨别真理，坚守信仰，抵御错误的教导。

以弗所书 4:11-12：「他所赐的有使徒，有先知，有传福音的，有牧师和教师，为要成全圣徒，各尽其职，建立基督的身体。」

这节经文是保罗描述神赐给教会的不同恩赐和职分，他指出这些恩赐和职分的目的是为了成全圣徒，使他们各尽其职，建立基督的身体。这是一个门训的互动，从领袖到信徒，相互装备，相互服事，相互建立。这是我们在教会中应该培养和享受的门训文化的氛围。

问题: 以弗所书4:11-12提到了哪些不同的职分，以及这些职分的共同目标是什么？

参考答案: 以弗所书4:11-12提到了教会中的五种职分：使徒、先知、传福音的、牧师和教师。这些职分的共同目标是为了成全圣徒，使他们各尽其职，以建立基督的身体即教會。这里的 “成全圣徒” 指的是帮助信徒成长，使他们在信仰和生命上成熟，而“各尽其职” 则意味着鼓励每位信徒发挥自己在基督身体中的独特作用和恩赐。

问题: 为什么教会需要不同的职分和恩赐，而不是所有人都做相同的事工？

参考答案: 教会需要不同的职分和恩赐是因为基督的身体由许多不同的部分组成，每个部分都有其独特的功能和贡献。正如一个身体需要不同的器官各司其职以保持健康和功能一样，教会也需要不同的成员发挥他们各自的恩赐和职责，共同促进教会的成长和属灵健康。这种多样性不仅体现了上帝创造的丰富性，也使教会能够更全面地服务社群、传播福音，并在不同的领域中展现基督的爱。通过这样的互补和协作，教会能够更有效地建立基督的身体，实现上帝的旨意。

Pray for the church: May faithful elders/pastors train the members of the church in their duties through the Bible. （2 of 3）

Not only do elders/pastors need to set an example in the faith, but they also need to teach the truths of the faith to the next generation. When elders/pastors faithfully use the Scriptures to teach the members of the church, they promote unity and spiritual growth within the church, and help the members of the church to discern the truth, stand firm in their faith, and resist false teaching.

Ephesians 4:11-12: " It was he 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"

This verse is Paul describing the different gifts and roles that God has bestowed upon the church, and he states that the purpose of these gifts and roles is to perfect the saints, that they may each do their part in building up the body of Christ. This is a discipleship interaction, from leaders to believers, equipping, ministering to, and building up one another. This is the atmosphere of a discipleship culture that we should cultivate and enjoy in our churches.

Question: What are the different roles mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-12 and what is the common goal of these roles?

Reference Answer:

Ephesians 4:11-12 mentions five roles in the church: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. The common goal of these roles is for the perfecting of the saints, so that they may each do their part in building up the body of Christ, the church. The "perfecting of the saints" refers to helping believers grow and mature in faith and life, while the "fulfilling of each one's ministry" means encouraging each believer to fulfil his or her unique role and gifts in the body of Christ.

Question: Why does the church need different roles and gifts rather than all doing the same ministry?

Reference Answer:

The church needs different roles and gifts because the body of Christ is made up of many different parts, each with its own unique function and contribution. Just as a body needs different organs to do their jobs in order to remain healthy and functional, so the church needs different members to fulfil their individual gifts and responsibilities to work together for the growth and spiritual health of the church. This diversity not only reflects the richness of God's creation, but also enables the church to serve the community more fully, spread the gospel, and demonstrate the love of Christ in different areas. Through such complementarity and collaboration, the church is able to build up the body of Christ and fulfil God's will more effectively.