Equipping the Saints

by Floyd Chappelear
via Sentry Magazine, Vol. 18 No. 1, 31 March 1992

Were one to try to identify the single most important imperative for the gospel preacher, one might choose II Timothy 4:5: "do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." Doing such work so that one can make full proof of his ministry requires diligence beyond that expended by many.

When I reflect on my work, I think that after winning souls to Christ, the most satisfying task to which I can set my hand is to help in the development of others (cf. I Thessalonians 5:11). Especially is this true when one focuses on the "building up" of a fledgling gospel preacher. Making such efforts is an integral part of the work one does as an evangelist. In fact, Paul taught the succession of the work in his words to Timothy. (Note that four generations are referenced.) "And the things that thou [generation 2] hast heard of me [generation 1] among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men [3], who shall be able to teach others [4] also" (II Timothy 2:2).

1. Paul,
2. Timothy,
3. faithful men,
4. others.

In offering such training, the most difficult job to learn seems to be how to outline a sermon. While it is true that one may build a fire from kindling gathered by others, one receives greater satisfaction, and the church greater benefit, if one has gathered the sticks (information) and built the fire oneself. Thus, I discourage young preachers from relying solely on sermon outline books for their material, except as sources of ideas for lessons.

However, learning to outline is not easy, so I try to give them a leg-up on this work by pointing out that much of the Bible outlines itself. In this, each is encouraged to search the scriptures for a text that readily divides itself into a three or four-part outline. One such text is Acts 9:31. (ASV) "The church throughout Judea...had peace, being edified, walking in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit was multiplied." Contextually, the peace resulted from the cessation of persecution of Paul, but it can be demonstrated that the church had internal peace, edified one another, and so on—four parts and an easy lesson to preach.

However, not all passages that lend themselves to being divided into three or four parts should have it done to them. One such passage is Ephesians 4:12 (KJV) "For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." It is easy to see in these three distinct works of the saints identified in Ephesians 4:11: perfecting the saints, the work of ministry, and edifying the body. However, this trilogy appears improperly in the King James Version but is not so rendered in all translations. Actually, there is but one work in the text, which work is shown more clearly in the New American Standard version: "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ." The Teacher’s Commentary says the following [and I’ll note in advance that the terminology is sometimes faulty]:

"Leadership’s task. Gift-people are ’to prepare God’s people for God’s service’ (v. 12) Leaders are not to do the work of the ministry; leaders are to prepare the laity to minister.

"It is here that we have often missed the implications of the body portrait, and developed congregational patterns that deny rather than express what the church is. All too often leaders are hired by a congregation to do the ’work of the ministry.’ The pastor is expected to teach. To evangelize. To counsel. To visit the sick. To pray with the discouraged. If the church grows in size and new members are added it is taken as an indication that their local congregation is healthy and that the minister is doing his job. If the church fails to grow or the budget is not met, the one to blame is the minister. After all, he was hired by the church to minister.

"How different is this view from the Bible’s portrait of a living body! In a living organism, every cell contributes. The body’s health depends on each member fulfilling its special function. No one person can carry out the functions of the living organism....The role of leaders within the church has always been to help the members of the body grow in capacity to minister; to help each individual find and use his or her spiritual gifts. The role of leaders has always been to lead all believers into a fulfilling life of service" (p.923).

In addition to winning souls to Christ, this is the work of an evangelist (and teaching pastors): "Equipping the saints for the work of ministry." With that thought in mind, let us examine this work while raising three questions. They are: Who is to do this work, and who is to be equipped for it? How is it to be done? With what are they to be equipped? We will also take note that the bulk of what I will say henceforth will be directed toward the work of developing new preachers, but what is said about them can, by extrapolation, apply to every "ministry" of the New Testament church.

The First "Who" Is the Local Church

Were you to ask almost anyone who is a Christian: Who is to train future leaders?" nearly all would reply that such is the work of the local church. However, this work has been largely abandoned by the majority of saints, resulting in the local church being involved in almost none of it. Especially is this true when it comes to training preachers. Increasingly, it is true about elders, teachers, song leaders, and others, given the proliferation of workshops and training programs conducted by organizations other than the local church. Yet, we are a people who have always claimed to believe in the "all-sufficiency of the church."

G.H.P. Showalter said the following in the pages of The Gospel Proclaimer in March of 1951:

"Whoever finds any other institution for religious service of any sort does not glorify God, honor Christ, or exalt the church. He is walking in darkness, not in the light -- for he is walking in a way where the light of truth has never shown."

Notably, Showalter was the editor of The Firm Foundation, a paper that regularly promoted institutions that carried out the work assigned by God to the church. In his debate with Guy N. Woods, Roy Cogdill said this about the church’s all-sufficiency:

"It is our contention that the church of our Lord, a divine organization, ought to do the work that God has charged the church with... The organization that God gave the church, and the only one that God ever gave, the local congregation, should do this work..Another organization is not necessary... There is in the word of God, no organization larger, no organization smaller, no organization other than the congregation. Here is God’s established order...A local congregation...is the only organization authorized to carry on Christian work and worship, and such organization excludes each and every other organization for the purpose of carrying on religious work or worship, whether the same be evangelistic, missionary or otherwise” (Cogdill-Woods Debate, pp 23-25).

For years, I have asked the following question: "Could a local church do all that God commanded it to do if it were the only church in the world?" While I emphatically declare that the answer is "yes," one doesn’t have to speculate concerning such a circumstance. At one point, Jerusalem was such a church.

God’s collectivity there did everything that God wanted it to do. She most certainly gave herself to evangelizing when the saints gathered daily in the temple to praise God. The fullness of God’s praise includes sharing his word with others. When the persecution of Paul was in full swing, the disciples continued their practice of going everywhere to "evangelize" the nations (see Acts 2:46-47; Acts 8:4).

Her benevolent needs were met so that every saint had according to his needs, while all others contributed as they were able (Acts 2:45; 4:34). Additionally, when a specific work arose requiring an increase in organization, men were appointed from within the church to serve the Grecian widows (Acts 6:1-6). No additional organizations were formed or called upon.

Her edification needs were met when the saints regularly gathered together. Later, this concern was expressed when the disciples gathered together in the home of Mary to encourage one another and to pray for the imprisoned apostles (see Acts 2:42; 12:12).

As the pillar and ground of the truth (I Timothy 3:15), the church needs to support the work of equipping the saints without depending on other organizations to supply this need for her. However, when it comes to training preachers, far too many depend on human organizations to act as de facto seminaries to carry on this work.

Let me make one thing clear. I have no objection to Florida College’s existence nor to the fact that the Bible is offered as part of its curriculum. In fact, I applaud both! However, I have a real problem with brethren throughout the country advising every young man who wants to preach that he needs to avail himself of opportunities that can be enjoyed on that campus. The error is not the colleges, but it is those unenlightened souls who fail to see that God obligates every local church to equip the saints for the work of service. To stand aside while sending preacher students there is a sin!

[As an aside, I do have problems with the "Upper Division Bible Program" there, which lends itself to that misinterpretation. More than once, I’ve criticized that effort and have wished for its demise. Now, the problem seems to have been exacerbated by the fact that the school plans to expand its upper division into a degree program in Biblical studies. Such appears to me to be a horrendous mistake.]

Who Is to Be Equipped?

Every saint! The body is not one member but many, with all supplying its own share to the well-being of the whole (Romans 12:4; I Corinthians 12:14; Ephesians 4:16). Not a single soul should be neglected in the equipping of the saints. Every part needs to be brought to maturity.

However, not every part needs to do every work. Not all are eyes, feet, hands, etc. (I Corinthians 12:15-18). Each part needs to be equipped to do the work to which it is most suited.

It should go without saying that not all should be teachers (see James 3:1, NASV), yet some seem to think that any man who wants to be a preacher should be one. Not so. In fact, when I hear brethren complain about the "preacher shortage," I sometimes reflect on the "glut" of the wrong kind! (Any bad ones are too many bad ones.)

Who, then, should be equipped to do the work of an evangelist? A good beginning place is II Timothy 2:2, "the same commit thou to faithful men..." If a man is not faithful in his living, he should not be entrusted with the gospel! Paul spoke reverently of the fact that he had been put in trust with the gospel (I Thessalonians 2:4). Any man who is not true in his life cannot be expected to be true in the word.

In selecting Timothy, it is not coincidental that Paul chose a man who was "well reported of by the brethren" (Acts 16:2). Had Timothy lacked this essential characteristic, he would not have been called upon to do the work of an evangelist. Additionally, faithfulness was a hallmark of the seven chosen to care for the Grecian widows (Acts 6:3).

While I will not give all that he said, Fred Dennis argued for excluding some as preachers in these words:

"A man should never preach who does not set a godly example before all others... The preacher, of all men, must be careful of his words, and that does not mean just when he is in the pulpit....The preacher must be pure in all things...Men who will not meet their honest financial obligations should not be preaching...No man should preach that will not declare the whole counsel of God...No man should preach that is striving to please men...Men who are preaching for money should quit...” (Preach the Word, pp 108- 109).

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful (I Corinthians 4:2). Ministry in the word is a stewardship. A precious stewardship. The faithfulness with which one begins the work should continue. Regardless of the translation used, it can be argued that one must be an example both "to" and "of" the believers (I Timothy 4:12).

All who preach should be doing so because they can’t help themselves. What I mean by this is that there needs to be a burden on one’s heart to proclaim Christ. Paul said it best, "Woe unto me if 1 preach not the gospel of Christ." True, the woe would grow out of preaching another gospel, but Paul said there was laid upon him a necessity to preach (I Corinthians 9:16). Having said that, let me say this: The last thing the body of Christ needs are men preaching because it is a good, easy, or convenient way to make a living. The Lord’s most noble workers are those who will preach whether they are paid for it or not! There is no shame in tent-making, nor is there glory in making preaching a career decision.

While I am more than willing to identify the following remarks as opinion, I do not hesitate to say that too many young men of eighteen or nineteen make a career decision to be preachers when they should not. In fact, when a young man asks me if he should be a preacher, I nearly always reply, "Don’t ask me, ask the last person you baptized!" In other words, if he is not preaching, he most certainly should not be a preacher!

Career-decision clerics are the kind who preach to those with itching ears (see II Timothy 4:2-4). They are the ones who seek to please men rather than God (Galatians 1:11). From among them, one can glean those who think that godliness is a way of [financial] gain. Careerists are sometimes lazy and indolent, bringing shame and reproach to those who are true laborers in the Lord’s vineyards. As one who has labored with young preachers, I can say from experience that I have counselled more than one to "give it up." Don’t preach; do something else to make a living!

How Is This Work to Be Done?

We’ve already settled the question as to the ability of each local church to do its own work. Therefore, we conclude that each local church, with no church acting as a super-church for the brotherhood equipping of the saints, should be facilitating the work to be done.

There is also a need at this point to note that the 'how‘ of such work may not be specified in scripture. Therefore, the church can provide whatever arrangements are best suited to enable the work to be done. Even so, let us add a thought from R. L. Whiteside: "There are societies doing the work God intended the church to do...It is God’s wisdom that these works shall be done by the church. He planted it for that very purpose, and he who seeks to do them another way sets his wisdom against the wisdom of God" (Doctrinal Discourses, p 11-12). Technically, we are not dealing with "methods" so much as we are with arrangements made by the church through which methods may be employed.

One obvious arrangement which may be employed is the organized Bible class. In fact, classes should be held in every facet of the work of ministry, which is to be done. This includes classes for song leaders, elders, teachers visitation, etc. One might be surprised at how many people will actively participate in such efforts. At the Annandale church in Virginia, a class was held in 1989 on the fundamentals of using Greek study aids. Twenty-six people signed up for the course. Pressure is on to conduct the class again.

One church used to have a program where one man was asked to preach before class every Wednesday night. That church developed eleven full-time gospel preachers in just twenty years. None of those men went to a Bible college to receive training. In the twenty years since the program was stopped, because too many didn’t want to have to listen to men who were untrained preachers, only one man has left to do the work of an evangelist. Do you think there is a cause-and-effect relationship there?

The leadership of every church should involve all members in the work that needs to be done. It was no coincidence that Jesus sent his disciples out by twos (see Luke 10:1). One encourages the other. The more experienced equip the less experienced to do the work with others. I treasure the memory of working every Tuesday evening with an older saint in doing hospital visitation. I didn’t know it then, but that brother was equipping a younger saint to do the work of service so that the body might be built up.

This principle, too, was manifested by Paul. While he and Barnabas had been "called out" by the Holy Spirit to go on that first extended journey (Acts 13:1-3), Paul took with him the young man, Mark, to work with them. On the second journey, Timothy and Silas were added to his entourage (Acts 15:40-16:2). The saints were being equipped for their work.

Each local church needs to do this and depend on no other organization, human or divine, to do it for them. When the local church fails to provide an environment that equips future workers, men will arise to build another organization, or a "super church," to provide the necessary equipping for them.

In commenting on this failure to act, Whiteside said,

"[Some are in effect saying.] That is, God undertook to do this work through the church but failed. We will beat him; we will organize societies that will succeed ... Brother W. H. Timmons compared the societies to mobs. The comparison is true. Every man in a mob knows the government should punish criminals. But sometimes the authorities fail to enforce laws as they should, and this furnishes the pretext for a mob. When the authorities fail to punish criminals some will get up something that will. This is the only plea for a mob, and it is the only excuse for the existence of a society or institution of any kind to do the work of the church. Men in a mob might say, 'If we are doing what should be done, why object to the mob?’ This puts the mob and the society on the same footing; the principle is the same" (Doctrinal Discourses, p 13).

The vigilante mentality has taken over in some quarters. The work of equipping the saints is not being done in every local church as it should be; "therefore, we will get around the failure of the many local churches by doing the work in our way."

With What Are They to Be Equipped?

The first thing we must equip them with is the proper attitude. When the Lord said to owe no man anything but to love him (Romans 13:8), he went on to say that in love the law is fulfilled. I think this is readily apparent when one understands the idea of love contained in the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:37-39). When one loves God, that one does all that God wants him to do (John 14:15). That perfect love for God then provokes him to have a love of dedication and service for all others (I John 4:20). Jesus demonstrated this when he washed the apostles’ feet (John 13:5-17). His example is ours to follow.

It is not difficult to equip any saint, or all the saints, to carry on their work of service if they truly love the recipients of it. Additionally, those who are going to give themselves to a ministry of the word need to know that "the servant of the Lord does not strive, but is kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth" (II Timothy 2:24-25).

It is easy to show this disposition when one is not involved in controversy. But from experience, I can say that my greatest weakness is to continue to show this gentle, loving spirit after I have been slandered and treated shamefully by others. Thus, the work of instilling proper love must continue unabated. We never reach a point when we can quit preaching and practicing love.

Along these lines, I am made to wonder where we got the idea that seems to predominate in some journalistic circles that it is our job to vanquish our foes? Our adversary is the Devil (I Peter 5:5), not those whom he has deceived. It is not our job to prove people wrong, but to correct them gently. Too many appear to want to be regarded as heroes of the faith who can hoist the heads of the lost on their literary petards. In so doing, we become victims of our own tactics. From a heavenly standpoint, our efforts have backfired.

With what else are we to equip the saints? Obviously, the means and talents to do their work. However, there is a crying need among the heirs of the Restoration Movement that is increasingly being neglected. We need to equip them with the principles of New Testament Christianity.

Too many are being outfitted with a mindset of establishing "Church of Christianity" rather than Christianity. Denominationalism is growing among us, even among "conservative" brethren. Just because we oppose denominationalism, reject institutions, etc., does not guarantee that we will eschew the principles that lead to these things.

From the pages of the Cogdill-Woods debate, we find the phrase, "congregations of the Church of Christ." By using his workbook on the New Testament church, many are steeped in a misunderstanding of what truly constitutes the body of Christ. To some, this may seem heretical, but it remains the truth! If we are going to speak where the Bible speaks, let us learn to call Bible things by Bible names. In so doing, we do not need to denominationalize a perfectly good descriptive phrase and make it into the proper name for the church. That is what has happened to the term, "church of Christ," a phrase which never appears as a singular in the Word of God.

With this thought in mind, let us equip young preachers and all with a passion for "handling aright the word of truth" (II Timothy 2:15). This includes learning to preach what is in the text as well as what one infers from the text! For instance, I once heard a well-known preacher wax eloquent on the subject of "modest apparel." The entire point of his lesson was directed to young people and modern beach attire. What he said needed to be said. However, I glanced over at his wife and took note of the fact that she was wearing a mink coat—the very thing that was the focus of Paul’s remarks. Our hobbies may have an element of truth to them, but they should not be preached to the exclusion of what the text actually deals with! Thus, we learn that we must preach the "whole counsel of God" and "all that is profitable" (Acts 20:20, 27). In a word, "preach the word," —all of it (II Timothy 4:2).

Having a passion for accuracy, we will never intentionally misuse a text as some have done. One prominent brother preached a sermon in which he appealed to the liberal brethren to give up their practices for the sake of those of us whose consciences were wounded by them. After the services, I asked the man if he really believed we are the weaker brethren. He said, "No, but when I preach to the liberals, that’s the way I use Romans 14 because that’s the way they use it." I wouldn’t walk across the street to hear a man like that preach!

We need to preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified (I Corinthians 2:2). While I know this means preaching the kingdom, baptism, obedience, and other related topics, too many are preaching these things to the apparent exclusion of Jesus Christ. This manifests itself in several ways, chief among which is that our terminology suggests we look to the church before we look to the Lord. For instance, what is the terminology of choice: To describe God’s people, "church members" or "Christians?" To identify the unfaithful, "he fell away from the church," or he "fell away from the Lord?" Examples could be multiplied.

Do we emphasize the vertical relationship (man to God) before the horizontal (man to man)? Do we make baptism a church ordinance or a command of Christ? In fact, when one says that someone has to get into the church in order to be saved, he evidences "Church of Christianity" rather than discipleship. Remember this: The church is made up of the saved (Acts 2:47). Men and women are added to the body of Christ when they are saved; they don’t get into it in order to be saved!

We must train people to be careful students of the word. "Handling aright" or "rightly dividing" the text is important. Too many have in recent years been given to blasphemous statements about our Lord. Not because they lack faith, but because they are careless in their interpretation. Some of this grows out of a "hobby" mentality, which blinds us to the total picture.

Conclusion

Let us busy ourselves with the task of equipping the saints. Let us train people to do God’s work in God's ways. Let us learn to speak as the oracles of God and only as them (I Peter 4:11). Everything which God has prepared for His people, He has presented to us in His word. Let us learn to prove what is the good and acceptable will of God and go no further (see Romans 12:1-2).