I have preached a few weeks ago on Sunday at Melvin University Church in Oyugis Kenya. I never preached in Kenya since I visited, but this time I have preached because the pastor of University Church John Ogillah went away to the previous church where he just resigned because he had to move to university church to be a pastor.
What I preached on, Ephesians 4:11-12 is an important passage for Melvin University because Dr. Melvin started his ministry with this passage about 35 years ago in the States. He has rediscovered of this passage how important it is, especially on the words, “to equip the saints.” He found himself that never done equipping his three congregations (he pastored at three churches 20 years in the States), then stopped his local church ministry and study and researched on this topic, and finally he found parachurch organization, Lay Pastors Ministry Incorporated. And he helped Many church in the States for 35 years.
So I thought to preach with that passage at the very beginning of my sermon at university church. At start up, I focused on that two key verses: (verse 11): It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists and some to be (pastors and teachers). PASTORS-TEACHERS (Hyphenated). That means one person has two functions. Pastor has two functions: Pastors pastoring, caring, tending: Teachers teaching, training, equipping and preparing.
(verse 12): to prepare (NIV) “to equip (RSV)… in Greek Bible) God’s people (that’s saints) for works of ministry, (for the work of service) so that the body of Christ may be built up. God called you to do some ministry. Once God called you, God’s calling was two-fold: 1) to be saved, 2) to be involved in the ministry. Which ministry? Dr. Melvin has found there are two big streams in the Bible: Matthew 28: 19~20… make a disciple and baptize (Evangelism); John 21:15-17—-Take care of my sheep (Caring) So there are TWO LINES, everyone should be one of two lines.
