I did not like what you had to share today

"I did not like what you had to share with us today."

"What you had to share really challenged me."

"We're not used to hearing
the kinds of things you talked about."

"Wow, I had no idea..."

Variations of the above seem to be common reactions shared with us after gatherings where we have been invited to speak.

So what is it about our sharing that strikes a chord in people?

Usually, I am just sharing about our life and ministry in Ecuador with the house churches. It is pretty standard fare--the normal everyday ABC's of what God is doing in our midst. I am certainly not one of those "polished" preachers--it's not my gift.

So what is happening?

The more I think about it, a Vance Havner quote keeps coming to mind,

"The church is so subnormal
that if it ever got back to the New Testament normal
it would seem to people to be abnormal."

Could it be that too many of our churches are living so "subnormal" that anything "normal" now sounds so extraordinary that it shakes people up because they aren't experiencing anything even close?

Another thought I can't get away from is that the ministries of apostles, prophets, and evangelists have been so marginalized in our contemporary churches that anyone functioning out these giftings tend to "stick out", and seem "abnormal" (eg. how people react when I share).

I am all for the needed pastoral and teaching gifts of Ephesians 4:11-12 And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ... but sadly, I have seen little evidence of functioning apostolic, prophetic or even evangelistic roles so commonly found on the pages of the NT.

Those not functioning in the accepted pastoral/teaching roles, have been largely relegated to "a.p.e." status and silenced to the side lines of church life.

When we silence the apostolic, prophetic and evangelistic voices in our midst, we become a crippled body of believers. We can easily miss out on the full measure of what Christ intends for his church. When we ignore those He has placed in our midst with a "different beat" and allow ourselves to only be led by those who functioning out of a pastoral or teaching basis, we do unintentional harm to the body of Christ. The church was meant to be led by a balance of Spirit-empowered functioning "a.p.e.'s" and yes, pastors/teachers.

1Co 12:28 is very clear, and yet so totally ignored, And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues...

It grieves me to see that we are becoming churches that exalt knowledge about the Gospel, over obedience to the Gospel. Passages like 1 Cor. 12:28 have been reinterpreted to make them fit with our current church traditions and practices. But, do we have that right?

Can we even identify who those individuals are that Paul says are FIRST in the church? How about those he appoints SECOND? What ever happened to these roles that in Paul's instructions to the churches was the norm?

I interpret many of those who "compliment" my sharing, as really saying, "we need apostles, prophets, and evangelists in our midst to be the healthy vibrant church God wants us to be." That is what I hear them say. It has nothing to do with me, my speaking abilities, or our missionary stories--it is a realization that something is missing.

My point is NOT diminish the roles of pastors and teachers--the Lord Himself appointed them for the "building up of the body of Christ". What I am saying is, we need to restore to active duty, and RECOGNIZE those apostles, prophets, and evangelist types in our midst. They, like the pastor/teacher types, are equally meant to be part of the Spirit's leadership team help to "equip the saints for the work"...of making disciples in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

What do you think?