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Inviting ~ Building ~ Equipping
Inviting
people to seek Christ
Building
each other up in the faith
Equipping one another to serve
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Equipping
The Greek word for equipping is katartismos,
which means making fit, preparing, training, perfecting, making fully
qualified for service.
In our culture it could mean having the right tools for the trade.
If I am an artist, I need a canvas, paint and brushes.
But these will do me no good if I am a chef, as I need salt, baking
utensils, pots, pans, measuring spoons, spatulas and knives. A carpenter
could not build a house with salt, measuring spoons or a brush. He needs a
hammer, measuring tape, saw and level. An
artist could not paint a delicate petal of a flower, nor could a chef swirl
icing on a cake with a hammer. To accomplish jobs well, workers have to be
equipped with proper tools for the task at hand. It also means they have to
understand how and what they are going to do.
It is exciting to invite people to know Jesus and help them grow in faith.
But we cannot stop after inviting them to church, giving them a Bible, and
wishing them God’s blessing.
In Ephesians 4 Paul talks about the five ministry gifts Christ gives for
nurturing and equipping His
church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. The purpose
is for
the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, and for the edifying
of the body of Christ.
(4:12)
Katartismos is
also the word used for setting a bone during surgery.
It implies a recovered wholeness as when broken limbs are set so they
can knit together perfectly, creating a strong union that will work in
harmony with the rest of the body.
We all come to Jesus with our sin, broken and wounded, in need of the Great
Physician’s touch of healing and wholeness. Jesus calls us to knit
ourselves together in love so we can grow into a strong and healthy body
ready for God to equip for service.
By Pat Hertzler
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