Loving the Body of Christ

This is excepts of a devotional I put together and delivered to OCC's Williamson Dorm recently. This devotional is specifically aimed for Bible college students.

The church is referred to as the bride of Christ and the body of Christ. I do not have to read much in the New Testament to see the Lord's heart for the body. Because of this, students that are preparing to lead the body have to wrestle with their levels of involvement in the body and their preparation to lead. I would ask that every student wrestle with a handful of questions as they process their connection with His bride.

1. Does your time and ministry reflect your future goals?
If you want to lead the body, do you love her and spend time investing in her even when you are not leading? ie. go to church.

2. Does your current community demonstrate the diversity of the body of Christ?
Does everyone that you regularly spend time with share a lot in common? ie. age, season of life, similarity in stages of discipleship journey.

3. What is Bible college's role in your ministry development?
A Bible college is an academic institution, not a professional training center. ie. the college gives you book smarts, the church/experiences give you street smarts.

4. What season of life are you in?
Learning or doing? Both can and should happen together, but different seasons will tip the scales one way or another. Does your life reflect realization and submission to the season that your in? ie. are you doing more learning than doing?

5. Is your current involvement conducive for learning?
-Is there consistency in your walk with Christ? ie. moral integrity
-Do you have balanced ministry opportunities? ie. do you get to shepherd more than you teach?
-Do you have systems in your life to see yourself accurately as a minister? ie. how do you know that you are developing bad habits? Who is refining your skills? Is there diversity in those that help you? You will always learn best from those who have and continue to do ministry successfully. Peer learning is capped by your peer's own experience.

6. Who are you influencing by your example?
Upperclassmen taking underclassmen with them to their ministries assume the role of primary teacher to that student. Are you OK with that role?

7. What is best for the local church?
-We must wrestle what is ultimately best for the local church, not just the temporary.
-We must wrestle with what is best for your ministry development.
-Randy gave a good word when he stated that every person training to serve the kingdom needs two things in their life. First, they need a regular and consistent place to shepherd, not just teach or preach. Second, they need a diversified team of people to do ministry with.

I believe that the status quo of ministry involvement can hinder and prevent the student from holistic preparation. I believe that it is time to wrestle with the patterns and ask these questions for the betterment of the bride and body of Christ for her benefit and ours.