For the equipping of the saints
William MacDonald emphasizes that Christian leaders are called to equip believers to serve independently, thereby advancing God's work beyond their own ministry.
In this teaching sermon, William MacDonald explores the biblical purpose of spiritual gifts as tools for equipping believers to serve effectively and independently. Drawing from Paul's ministry example, he challenges ministers to avoid creating dependency and instead focus on training and empowering the saints. This message encourages a healthy, multiplying ministry that advances God's work beyond any one individual.
Text
“For the equipping of the saints for the work of service,” (Eph. 4:12, NASB)
A revolutionary insight! The gifts in Ephesians 4 are given to perfect the saints for the work of the ministry. As soon as the saints can carry on, the gift can move on.
This means that success in Christian work is working one’s self out of a job in the shortest possible time, then looking for new worlds to conquer.
This is what Paul did. He went to Thessalonica, for instance, preached to the Jews for three Sabbaths, and left behind a functioning assembly. No doubt that was an exception as far as speed in the establishing of a work was concerned. The longest Paul ever stayed in one place at a time was two years. That was at Ephesus.
God never intended that His saints should be perpetually dependent on any of the gifts mentioned. The gifts are expendable. If the saints remain professional sermon-tasters, never becoming involved in the work of service, they never develop spiritually the way they should and the world will never be evangelized the way God intended.
William Dillon said that a successful foreign missionary never has a foreign successor. That should be equally true of workers in the homeland—when the worker’s task is completed, the saints themselves should take over, not start looking for another pulpiteer.
Too often we preachers look at our position as a lifetime appointment. We reason that others couldn’t do the work as well. We excuse our permanence by the fact that the attendance would drop if we left. We complain that others can’t do things right and that they’re not dependable. But the fact is that they have to learn. And in order to learn they have to be given opportunities. There must be training, delegation of responsibilities, and evaluation of progress.
When the saints reach the point where they feel they can carry on without a particular preacher or teacher, that’s no reason for him to sulk or nurse wounded feelings. It’s cause for celebration. The worker is released to go where he’s more needed.
It’s a bad scene when the work of God is permanently built around a man, no matter how gifted he is. His great aim should be to multiply his effectiveness by building up the saints to the point where they are no longer dependent on him. In a world like ours, he never needs to be without work in other places.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Purpose of spiritual gifts is to equip the saints
- Gifts are given to perfect believers for ministry
- Success means enabling others to carry on
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II
- Paul’s example of quick church establishment
- Saints should not remain dependent on gifted leaders
- Gifts are expendable once saints are equipped
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III
- The danger of permanent dependence on ministers
- Importance of training, delegation, and evaluation
- Celebrating when saints can serve independently
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IV
- The worker’s role is to multiply effectiveness
- Avoid building ministry around one person
- Always seek new fields for service
Key Quotes
“The gifts in Ephesians 4 are given to perfect the saints for the work of the ministry.” — William MacDonald
“Success in Christian work is working one’s self out of a job in the shortest possible time, then looking for new worlds to conquer.” — William MacDonald
“When the saints reach the point where they feel they can carry on without a particular preacher or teacher, that’s no reason for him to sulk or nurse wounded feelings. It’s cause for celebration.” — William MacDonald
Application Points
- Seek to train and empower others to serve rather than maintaining control over ministry tasks.
- Celebrate when believers grow to serve independently without your constant involvement.
- Continuously look for new opportunities to serve as your current ministry matures and becomes self-sustaining.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main purpose of spiritual gifts according to the sermon?
The main purpose of spiritual gifts is to equip and perfect the saints for the work of ministry so they can serve independently.
Why should Christian workers aim to work themselves out of a job?
Because true success in ministry is seen when believers are trained and empowered to carry on without dependence on a particular worker.
How did Paul exemplify the principle of equipping the saints?
Paul preached for a limited time in places like Thessalonica and left behind functioning assemblies able to continue without him.
What is the danger of a ministry built permanently around one gifted leader?
It hinders spiritual growth of the saints and limits the spread of the gospel, as believers remain dependent and untrained.
What practical steps should ministers take to equip the saints?
Ministers should train, delegate responsibilities, evaluate progress, and encourage believers to serve independently.