Today I read an important wake-up call to the Body of Christ by Jesus himself:
“But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.”
(Matt.23:8 ESV)
This is something I see going wrong in the church today: ministries and churches built on the gift and leadership of just one person, or a “closed” group of just a few people.
Since the Spirit was poured out on the church, God is working through a council: people called by God who each bring their unique gifts and insights to the table. The fivefold team ministry model as described in Ephesians 4 is the model, I believe, God wants us to follow. It’s a model that has gripped my heart, and I am doing everything I can to implement it in the local churches I am overseeing (Celebration Church Netherlands), as well as in the global network that I am helping to start (KNGDM Alliance).
Yes, some people have different roles, different functions in the body of Christ, and we need to honor these, but there is only one Rabbi: Jesus, whom we all are accountable to.
When you look at what Ephesians 4 says about the fivefold ministry, you’ll notice how their job is not to take center stage, but to equip the saints for works of ministry:
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ…”
(Ephesians 4:11-12 ESV)
What I am saying here is this: it is better to stay away from all sorts of popular Christian YouTube personalities, and instead invest yourself in the teaching that is offered in the local church that you are a part of. And if you want to study more than what’s offered, ask your pastor or others with the gift of teaching in your church for recommendations instead of listening to everything that just sounds good.
I’ve seen too many people being led astray because they followed a different rabbi than the great Rabbi!
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