By JAY Wilber |
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WHAT IS YOUR GIFT ? I first joined CMA in
WHEN 2005 , one of the first things I was asked was , β What are you good at ?β I did not know what they were looking for , so I asked myself that question . What am I good at ? Or better yet , what is my spiritual gift ? β God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts . Use them well to serve one another . Do you have the gift of speaking ? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you . Do you have the gift of helping others ? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies . Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ . All glory and power to him forever and ever ! Amen β ( 1 Peter 4:10-11 , NLT ).
Many years ago , CMA had Ministry Team training . This was an excellent way to see where you might fit into the ministry of CMA and your chapter . The focus was not on the patch but on the gift God had given you . I realized Peter β s words when I attended my first secular rally with the chapter . I was among the 25 people who came to the rally to serve God . I noticed that not everyone was trying to do the same thing . Everyone was working in the gift they were given . Some ensured the area was all set up with tents , tables , and supplies . Some ensured we had food and prepared each meal for the members there . Some set up an area for quiet time of prayer during the event . Once the event started , everyone went to
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work .
The ministry at this event would not have worked if everyone was trying to do the same thing . Going back to 1 Peter 4 , we are told to use our gifts well to serve one another . Each member was not only serving at the event , but they were serving each other .
How does this relate to a healthy chapter ? Think about what we call the four pillars of a healthy chapter . Prayer , Discipleship , Evangelism , and Hospitality . Are these not spiritual gifts ? Only some feel comfortable speaking , but they are folks that are powerful at prayer . Not everyone is good at feeding people , but they love sharing Jesus with others .
So , what is this telling us ? Only some people in your chapter will attend an off-road event , but they will provide support or pray for those who go . Some of our members no longer ride a motorcycle but can drive a support vehicle and bring supplies or transport youth . Some don β t want to lead but will follow if they are led . It β s easy to be so excited about a new area of ministry and struggle to understand why others aren β t as excited as you . Remember , maybe that area is your gift and not theirs .
To be a healthy chapter , we must realize we are all different , but we will only survive if we stay united .
Paul said it best : β Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit , binding yourselves together with peace . For there is one body and one Spirit , just as you
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have been called to one glorious hope for the future β ( Ephesians 4:3- 4 , NLT ).
With our gifts in our chapter , our responsibility is to equip our members to do His work and build up the church and the body of Christ . β Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church : the apostles , the prophets , the evangelists , and the pastors and teachers . Their responsibility is to equip God β s people to do his work and build up the church , the body of Christ β ( Ephesians 4:11- 12 , NLT ).
So don β t give up ; don β t get upset if everyone doesn β t do what you do or see what you see . We are all different ; just live the four pillars of a healthy chapter , which are different .
One Body with Many Parts β The human body has many parts , but the many parts make up one whole body . So , it is with the body of Christ β ( 1 Corinthians 12:12 , NLT ). Our chapters are made up of many people with different gifts but are one in Christ . CMA
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