THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST:
LEADERSHIP IMPLICATIONS FOR MINISTRY
Thursday, March 31, 2011 – 7:00 p.m.
Presented at
Carolina Region Leadership Training School
Koury Convention Center
Greensboro, North Carolina
Dr. Lloyd L. Watkins, Sr., PRESENTER
Rev. Drexel N. Mitchell, Sr., LTS DEAN
Dr. Beverly G. Rose, B.O.C.E. DIRECTOR
Rev. Robert J. Williams, Jr., HOST PASTOR
Rev. Louvenia R. Coleman, HOST PRESIDING ELDER
Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr., PRESIDING PRELATE
THREE BIBLICAL IMAGES
OF THE CHURCH
1. The People of God
2. The Body of Christ
3. The Community/Fellowship of Holy Spirit
THE HUMAN BODY IS
A WONDERFUL CREATION
“ I will praise thee; for I am
fearfully and wonderfully made:
marvelous are thy works; and
that my soul knoweth right well”
(Psalm 139:14, KJV)
THE HUMAN BODY HAS ELEVEN
ORGAN SYSTEMS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Integumentary System
Skeletal System
Muscular System
Cardiovascular System
Nervous System
Respiratory System
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Digestive System
Excretory System
Endocrine System
Reproductive System
Lymphatic System
FIRST CORINTHIANS
AUTHOR: Paul, the Apostle
DATE: Uncertain, Probably A.D. 54-56
on Paul’s third missionary journey
TO WHOM WRITTEN: “To the Church of God at Corinth, to those set apart in
Christ Jesus” (1:2)
PURPOSE:
1. To draw the church back together in a spirit of unity as one body in Christ
2. To deal with moral laxity in the Church.
3. To answer certain questions (marriage, Christian liberty and rights, public
worship, spiritual gifts, and the resurrection)
POTENTIAL DANGERS
SURROUNDING SPIRITUAL GIFTS
(1 Corinthians 12:1-3)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Danger of being
ignorant about the gifts
Danger of being carried
away to false worship
Danger of speaking
false messages
Danger of speaking the
truth apart from the
Spirit
DANGER OF BEING IGNORANT
ABOUT THE GIFTS
Three Ways:
1.
2.
3.
A person can be ignorant that
there is such a thing as
spiritual gifts.
A person may know that the
Holy Spirit gifts His people,
but he may not know what
special gifts the Holy Spirit
has given him.
A person may know what his
gifts are, but he may not
know how to properly use
them.
DANGER OF BEING CARRIED
AWAY TO FALSE WORSHIP
1.
2.
3.
Using a counterfeit gift to imitate the real gift.
Misusing the gift and ending up not worshipping
God, but worshipping in a meaningless way.
Beginning to feel and act super-spiritual,
worshipping the gift and self rather than focusing
attention upon God.
DANGER OF SPEAKING THE TRUTH
APART FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT
Speaking (mouthing) the truth
without being truly converted.
Professing without committing.
DANGER OF SPEAKING FALSE
MESSAGES
Some persons in the Corinth church apparently
spoke in tongues and distorted the great truth
that “Jesus is Lord.”
THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS
(12:4-11)
1.
2.
3.
4.
The unity of the gifts
The purpose of spiritual gifts
The list of the different gifts
The unity of the gifts restressed
THE UNITY OF THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS
•
•
1.
2.
3.
Paul says there should be absolutely no pride,
controversy, or division over the gifts.
Three reasons:
There are different gifts, but they all come from the same
Spirit.
There are different ministries or ways of serving, but
they are all done by the authority of the same Spirit.
There are different activities and operations in carrying
out the various ministries, but the same Spirit who works
and give the power to do all.
THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS
• The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to enable
members of the body to do the ministry of the
Body.
THE LISTING OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
Wisdom
Knowledge
Faith
Healing
Miracles
Discernment of spirits
Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues
Apostle
Prophet
Teacher
Helps
Administration
THE CHURCH AS THE BODY OF CHRIST
(12:12-31)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
The human body is a picture of
Christ and His Body – the Church
Some less gifted felt they were
unimportant to the Body of Christ
Some more gifted felt they were
more important in the Body
God has put both the presentable
and unpresentable into one Body
– the Church
Each is a member of the Body of
Christ and has his/her own place
in it
Each is to covet the very best
gifts
THE HUMAN BODY IS A PICTURE OF
CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH
1. The Holy Spirit
baptizes us into
one body, Christ
Himself – His
Church.
2. The Spirit causes
us to drink of
Himself.
SOME LESS GIFTED FEEL THEY ARE
UNIMPORTANT TO THE BODY
1. Each member is necessary
2. Each member has an essential function
3. Each member is set in the Body as the Holy
Spirit wills
4. Each member is distinct, but together there is
only one body
SOME MORE GIFTED FEEL THEY
ARE MORE IMPORTANT TO THE
BODY
1. The weaken members (less gifted) are actually
more necessary
2. The unpresentable parts are treated with greater
honor
GOD HAS PUT BOTH THE
PRESENTABLE & UNPRESENTABLE
INTO ONE BODY
1. To keep the members from clashing.
2. To create a natural care for one another.
EACH IS A MEMBER OF THE
BODY OF CHRIST AND HAS
HIS OWN PLACE IN IT
1. God sets and gifts each member in the
church.
2. All do not have the same gift.
EACH BELIEVER IS TO COVET
THE BEST GIFTS
• So he can more
effectively serve
the Lord.
• However, there is a
more excellent way
than gifts, love.
CONCLUSIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Church is His Body, because she is His creation.
Jesus Christ is the Head of His Church. She receives her
directions/orders from Him.
Two can accomplish much more than one. (Illustration: Two
lepers once seen sowing peas in a field. On had no hands, the
other had no feet).
We are to seek unity in diversity.
CONCLUSIONS (Continued)
5.
6.
7.
8.
The interdependence of members of the Body of Christ.
The Need for collaboration (Working Together) can’t we all work
together, and get along, for the good of the Body?
A Tools Convention (Illustration)
Every member is important (Illustration: The Missing Typewriter
Key)