word and prayer take priority in the church , the mission advances and the church grows ( Acts 6:1-7 ). In fact , Jesus has structured his church in light of this reality ( Ephesians 4:11 ): apostles and prophets ( the foundation of the church ), evangelists ( those who take the gospel where Jesus is not named ), and pastors and teachers ( those who proclaim and teach the word in the church ). As the ministers of the word preach and teach the gospel , they are equipping the church to build itself up , speaking this word to one another in love , until we reach Christlike maturity ( Ephesians 4:11-16 ). evaluate both character and competency over time before elevating someone to leadership .
Conclusion
In summary , then , to fulfill the mission of the church , the Lord calls faithful men who are competent to teach the gospel word in the power of the Spirit . Through this word , Jesus is gathering his people into the church . But , we not only proclaim the message of the gospel with our lips , we also validate it with our lives . May our Lord continue to raise up faithful men who are competent to handle the word . And may we , the church , have the patience to observe and
Since 2005 , Juan R . Sanchez has served as the senior pastor of High Pointe Baptist Church in Austin , Texas . He is also a member of The Gospel Coalition and president of Coalición . Juan ’ s latest book is The Leadership Formula : Develop the Next Generation of Leaders in the Church .
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