Pastors and Saints. Who Equips Whom?

Ephesians 4:7-13.

The role of the pastor is to equip the saints to do the ministry of the church.

Like this:


Too often churches get this equation mixed up.


Far too often, church-goers pay their pastor to be a Christian for them. They want nothing to do with being equipped for ministry, they simply want to equip the pastor to do the ministry for them. The result is a ridiculously hopeless spiral.

Church pays pastor.

Therefore

Church has high expectations of pastor.

Pastor cannot meet expectations without "programs" that meet every persons needs/desires.
Programs cost money.

Therefore

Church has to pay more.

Therefore

Church has higher expectations of pastor...

What's the alternative?

• Church desires to do ministry. 
• Pastor works with church to enable them to do ministry according to their gifts.
• Because the ministry is "gift-based" instead of "program-based", the resources required (gifts) already exist.
• Therefore
• The money given by the church can be distributed missionally instead of institutionally