In this series: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6
The fourth duty that assembly-members have toward one another is the giving and receiving of gifts.
All members of the assembly have gifts that God has given them, and those gifts are to be shared with others. Whatever skills, expertise, or knowledge you have is for the benefit of all. Each person is a unique image of God with unique traits and perspectives. Each person has interests and abilities that are not identical to anyone else. You are to share your gifts with others, and they are to share their gifts with you.
Consider the following passages:
There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit…given to each one for the profit of all…the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you” (1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 21)
As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (1 Peter 4:10)
Peter says that we are to “minister” our gifts to one another. That’s a profound command that should not be dismissed easily. It’s a ministry of yours to share your gifts. Maybe you’re a musician, a mechanic, a doctor, a math genius, or a babysitter. Maybe you’ve learned wisdom from life experiences. Whatever the case may be, the Bible views your gift as a benefit to the whole assembly. Don’t think that you have nothing valuable to offer! You do. Each member — clergy and layperson alike — plays a vital role in the life of the assembly.
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