"What's your role as pastor in this? An indispensable element, or insignificant as God works with or without you?
Stuart: You have to understand that gifting is all about the Giver, not the receptor. And so if I am gifted, which I am, there's no reason for me to get any grandiose ideas about it; I'm simply the receptor of what God has sovereignly given me. This says nothing about me; it says much about him.
At the same time, there are gifts of wisdom and insight scattered throughout the whole church and you need to reckon with those as well.
So the pastor does have a significant role. It would be ludicrous to suggest otherwise. I am gifted and called to this. But everyone else in the church is also gifted and called to their role. My role key, but it's only one the necessary parts of the whole. THe pastor must also be encouraging, discerning, developing the giftedness of all the people around him.
"In This Together: an interview with Stuart and Jill Briscoe," Leadership Spring 2001, 66.
Amen to this!
It has taken me decades to learn and embrace both sides of the equation that Stuart Briscoe describes. Surprisingly, I think the first part has been the hardest to understand.
I am gifted because of the grace of God. This should not be denied. His gifting reveals His grace, mercy and love. It also reveals His intensity, His stubbornness concerning His Kingdom, His strength.
For years, I was told that the first set was the only role of the pastor. "Be the loving, merciful, loving pastor." I was told by many that my intensity, my single-minded stubbornness for the Kingdom, my strength were weaknesses that must be improved before I could be used by God. For years, I believed this lie!
God does not make mistakes when He gifts us. He forms our basic personality. He sovereignly works through the good and the bad to make us who we are today. God uses it all!
Our response should be repentant faith. We repent of our arrogance, which includes taking ourselves too seriously. We repent of our sin and our unbelief. Then we believe the promises of scripture. God loves us! He promises to "make all things work for the good of those who are called according to His purposes."
In other words, we believe and move out in faith to use our gifts to build His kingdom. This part of the equation has always made sense to me. I find it often does not make sense to many people. We grow deeper as we use whatever we have to honor and glorify God through our life and our witness. If you are not growing, awake from your sleep and use your gifts to reveal the beauty of the giver of gifts!
God uses all kinds of people: the shy and the bold; the strong and the weak; the talented and those without great talents. He made you because He wants to use you to reveal His great creativity, variety, love, and mercy. We are His hands and feet.
Such truth should humble us and empower us for ministry. He does not make junk! You are a great treasure and He can reveal Himself through us. Repent of your unbelief and walk in faith as you move out in life and ministry.
It has taken me decades to learn and embrace both sides of the equation that Stuart Briscoe describes. Surprisingly, I think the first part has been the hardest to understand.
I am gifted because of the grace of God. This should not be denied. His gifting reveals His grace, mercy and love. It also reveals His intensity, His stubbornness concerning His Kingdom, His strength.
For years, I was told that the first set was the only role of the pastor. "Be the loving, merciful, loving pastor." I was told by many that my intensity, my single-minded stubbornness for the Kingdom, my strength were weaknesses that must be improved before I could be used by God. For years, I believed this lie!
God does not make mistakes when He gifts us. He forms our basic personality. He sovereignly works through the good and the bad to make us who we are today. God uses it all!
Our response should be repentant faith. We repent of our arrogance, which includes taking ourselves too seriously. We repent of our sin and our unbelief. Then we believe the promises of scripture. God loves us! He promises to "make all things work for the good of those who are called according to His purposes."
In other words, we believe and move out in faith to use our gifts to build His kingdom. This part of the equation has always made sense to me. I find it often does not make sense to many people. We grow deeper as we use whatever we have to honor and glorify God through our life and our witness. If you are not growing, awake from your sleep and use your gifts to reveal the beauty of the giver of gifts!
God uses all kinds of people: the shy and the bold; the strong and the weak; the talented and those without great talents. He made you because He wants to use you to reveal His great creativity, variety, love, and mercy. We are His hands and feet.
Such truth should humble us and empower us for ministry. He does not make junk! You are a great treasure and He can reveal Himself through us. Repent of your unbelief and walk in faith as you move out in life and ministry.
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