Summary:

Everyone comes to church to get fed in some way, but we aren’t supposed to get fed and do nothing with it. We should go to church to get fed and equipped to take that word out and engage in ministry to others. God has a ministry for all of us to engage in, not just a few who have some title. It’s old Bible Belt thinking that says God raised up just a few who are supposed to do all of the ministry.

Show Notes:

• The whole concept of equipping people for the work of the ministry has been left to the wayside in many church circles, especially in the Bible Belt, because we have this mentality that the guy who is up front is the one to do all the ministry.

• Coming to church is like taking a time-out in a basketball game. There, the coach (church leader) equips you to go back on the floor and play the game. The church is not the end game, but its the place we go to get instructed on how to go out into the world and play the game.

• Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers were given to equip us for the ministry, not for them to do it all.

• Your profession can either be a job to you, or it can be your ministry. It’s not all the money you can make, but it should be about all the people you can touch.

• God’s real plan for all of us is not to have some title, but to get out and be all you can be to the whole body of Christ. Titles are way over-rated.

Quotes:

• When we get people to break through in their thinking about ministry, then the church really takes on a whole life of its own, and people start to find their place, their gifting, and their anointing.

• To find out if you have that kind of anointing on you, it’s just to keep walking out your call day by day, spending time with the Father and paying attention to the open doors that God gives you to go through.

• To find your calling, it’s just by obedience, faith and consistency in walking this life out with the Lord.

References:

Ephesians 4:11-14

Takeaways:

It’s not for just a few people with titles to go out and do all the ministry. God’s plan is for all of us to be equipped in our calling to go out and be a blessing to the body of Christ and the world, with the anointing that He has given us.

Summary:

Do you want a church where everyone remains an infant in the Lord, not mature enough or prepared to be a real asset in God’s Kingdom? Equipping the saints for the work of the ministry should be the focus of every church, to help their people grow out of infancy and into maturity in their spirits. For the many churches that don’t emphasize this principle, their people are held back from becoming what God wants them to be. The final result is a church full of immature people who expect their pastor and a few others to do all the teaching and ministering.

Show Notes:

• The church cannot and will not be the true church until leaders and the rank and file of the whole body of Christ embrace the truth that all Christians should start being equipped for the work of the ministry.

• In the church age Bible Belt, Christians are held back because of the concept that the pastor and a few others are supposed to do all the ministry.

• So many people run from the word “ministry” because they think they have to get up in front of people and do all the talking. Wrong concept!

• God gave some as apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers. These ministries are given as gifts to the church. It takes all five of these foundational ministries working together to properly set a church in order and mature the people. Without all of these ministries working together, the body of Christ will never be able to attain to the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God.

Quotes:

• Equipping the saints should be a part of the basic, fundamental DNA of every church. That’s how strong I feel about equipping the saints.

• Paul went to great lengths to talk about the physical body, comparing it to the spirit, the body of Christ. Everyone of us have a different gift set. We have gifts, talents, and anointing, so it’s been a high priority of mine all of these years to help people to open their minds and understand that they have a calling.

References:

Ephesians 4:11-14

Takeaways:

Most of the Christian world has been held back from becoming mature believers because of a lack of understanding and teaching concerning equipping and preparing the saints to step up and minister to those who God wants blessed.

Summary:

Andy Taylor is the author of two books: “Reading Your Bible for All Its Worth”, and “The Best Kept Secrets in the Kingdom”. Andy writes in a way that is simple to understand and is written for the common person. With short chapters, which makes for an easy read, both books are phenomenal, first in how fun and easy it is to start reading the Bible, and opening your heart and mind concerning what the Kingdom of God really is, and how to start moving in it.

Show Notes:

• The book, “Reading Your Bible for All Its Worth”, gives many tips to help you to find how fun and easy it is to start reading your Bible without making it a religious chore.

• The book, “The Best Kept Secrets in the Kingdom”, was written to equip everyone for the work of the ministry. It is not exhaustive in nature, but it helps our understanding of subjects like church, the gifts of the Spirit, church government, and true worship along with 16 more chapters, all of which get people into the flow of what God is doing right now.

• “Reading Your Bible for All Its Worth” was written after discovering that between 75% to 90% of all Christians don’t read their Bibles on a consistent basis, which was confirmed by many of Andy’s ministry colleagues and friends.

• Andy wrote these books using language that all people can understand. The books are both geared for the common person, especially those who have a hard time reading and enjoying what they read.

Quotes:

• It’s been an observation of mine down through the years that people are not readers like they used to be, especially men. Men are not readers.

• I wanted to gear it toward people who don’t read. So, every chapter is two to three pages in length.

• What we wanted to do was create and foster people loving the Word of God.

• Most people are waiting for somebody like me or another leader to do all their spiritual thinking for them.

Takeaways:

Both of Andy’s books are full of real kingdom tips that you can use in your everyday life. These tips are simple to understand and are very encouraging, especially for people who have a hard time reading and enjoying what they are reading.