January 11th, 2026
by Pastor Matt Vandeleest
by Pastor Matt Vandeleest
Picture yourself on a comfortable train journey. You settle into your seat, watch the scenery roll by, and wait patiently to arrive at your destination. There's something appealing about this image—minimal effort, maximum comfort, just riding along until you reach the end.
Now, what if this is exactly how many of us view our relationship with the church?
We show up, take our seats, enjoy the ride, and wait for heaven. But what if God designed something radically different—something far more thrilling and purposeful than passive observation?
The Revolutionary Design
The church was never meant to be a train filled with passengers. It was designed to be a living, breathing body where every single part matters, moves, and contributes to the health and advancement of the whole.
This isn't just poetic language. It's the biblical blueprint found in Ephesians 4:11-12, which reveals that Christ "gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
Notice something profound here: Jesus didn't give these leaders to do all the work while everyone else watches. He gave them to equip everyone else to do the work.
This changes everything.
The Giver and His Gifts
The passage begins with a critical truth: "He gave." Not "we hired" or "we selected," but He—Christ himself—gave these gifts to His church. Church leadership isn't a human invention created for administrative convenience. It's a divine provision for the church's flourishing.
And notice what Christ gave: not abstract gifts floating in the ether, but actual people—gifted men called to lead, feed, and equip God's flock. While apostles and prophets laid the foundational work of establishing the early church and giving us Scripture, the pattern continues today through pastors, elders, and teachers.
These leaders aren't given to meet every whim or build pastoral empires. They're given for one specific purpose: to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
What Biblical Equipping Actually Looks Like
The word "equip" carries rich meaning. It was used to describe mending a torn fishing net, setting a broken bone, or outfitting a ship with everything needed for its voyage. The picture is clear: pastors and teachers exist to restore, prepare, and enable every member to do the work God designed them to do.
But what does this equipping actually involve?
First, it happens through faithful biblical teaching. Second Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
The Word teaches us, corrects us, and trains us. When we know Scripture deeply, we're prepared for ministry. When we're discipled by the Bible, we can make disciples. When we understand the gospel, we can proclaim it to everyone.
Second, equipping happens through intentional discipleship. Jesus didn't just preach to crowds. He invested deeply in twelve men, teaching them, correcting them, and sending them out on mission. Then He sat with them afterward to process their experiences and teach them more.
Equipping isn't just information transfer—it's formation. It requires modeling ministry alongside others, showing them how to pray, study Scripture, share the gospel, and serve people. Real growth happens in relationships, not in isolation.
Third, equipping happens through creating opportunities for ministry. You can't equip someone to fish only by talking about fishing. At some point, you must put a rod in their hand and take them to the water.
People are equipped when they're given opportunities to serve, teach, lead, and minister—even if they might stumble. Sometimes the best learning happens when we're allowed to try, fail, and try again with guidance and grace.
From Consumers to Contributors
For too long, the church in America has functioned like a religious marketplace. People shop for comfort and services, and pastors scramble to meet consumer expectations. But God designed something far better: a body where every member has a vital function.
Imagine the transformation that happens when we shift from asking "What can this church do for me?" to "How has God equipped me to build up this body?"
That question changes everything. Suddenly, church isn't about what you can get but what you can contribute. It's not about being served but about discovering your unique role in God's mission.
Your Gifts, Your Role, Your Opportunity
God has placed you exactly where you are with specific gifts, skills, and passions. The question isn't whether you have something to offer—you absolutely do. The question is whether you'll step forward and use what God has given you.
Maybe you're a natural host who creates welcoming spaces. The church needs you to open your home for small groups where deep gospel community can grow around the kitchen table.
Maybe you're a teacher who can explain God's Word clearly. The church needs you to lead Bible studies, teach Sunday school, or mentor younger believers.
Maybe you're an evangelist with a heart for the lost and a vision for reaching your community. The church needs you to help organize outreach and identify where the gospel can be proclaimed most effectively.
Maybe you're an intercessor for whom prayer is life itself. The church desperately needs you to consistently pray for its leaders, ministries, and mission.
Maybe you have practical gifts—administration, technology, facility management, financial stewardship. These gifts free up leaders to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word.
Whatever your gifts, the body needs you. This isn't a burden—it's a privilege. You get to participate with God in what He's doing, using the gifts He's given you in the community He's placed you in.
The Invitation
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. God hasn't called you to be a passenger on a train, watching life pass by until you reach heaven.
He's called you to be a vital part of a living body, equipped and engaged in real ministry, demonstrating to a watching world what authentic Christian community looks like.
The question before you is simple but profound: Will you accept the invitation?
Will you move from the sidelines to the field? From observation to participation? From consumer to contributor?
The body of Christ is waiting. And you have a role that only you can fill.
Now, what if this is exactly how many of us view our relationship with the church?
We show up, take our seats, enjoy the ride, and wait for heaven. But what if God designed something radically different—something far more thrilling and purposeful than passive observation?
The Revolutionary Design
The church was never meant to be a train filled with passengers. It was designed to be a living, breathing body where every single part matters, moves, and contributes to the health and advancement of the whole.
This isn't just poetic language. It's the biblical blueprint found in Ephesians 4:11-12, which reveals that Christ "gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ."
Notice something profound here: Jesus didn't give these leaders to do all the work while everyone else watches. He gave them to equip everyone else to do the work.
This changes everything.
The Giver and His Gifts
The passage begins with a critical truth: "He gave." Not "we hired" or "we selected," but He—Christ himself—gave these gifts to His church. Church leadership isn't a human invention created for administrative convenience. It's a divine provision for the church's flourishing.
And notice what Christ gave: not abstract gifts floating in the ether, but actual people—gifted men called to lead, feed, and equip God's flock. While apostles and prophets laid the foundational work of establishing the early church and giving us Scripture, the pattern continues today through pastors, elders, and teachers.
These leaders aren't given to meet every whim or build pastoral empires. They're given for one specific purpose: to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, for building up the body of Christ.
What Biblical Equipping Actually Looks Like
The word "equip" carries rich meaning. It was used to describe mending a torn fishing net, setting a broken bone, or outfitting a ship with everything needed for its voyage. The picture is clear: pastors and teachers exist to restore, prepare, and enable every member to do the work God designed them to do.
But what does this equipping actually involve?
First, it happens through faithful biblical teaching. Second Timothy 3:16-17 reminds us that "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work."
The Word teaches us, corrects us, and trains us. When we know Scripture deeply, we're prepared for ministry. When we're discipled by the Bible, we can make disciples. When we understand the gospel, we can proclaim it to everyone.
Second, equipping happens through intentional discipleship. Jesus didn't just preach to crowds. He invested deeply in twelve men, teaching them, correcting them, and sending them out on mission. Then He sat with them afterward to process their experiences and teach them more.
Equipping isn't just information transfer—it's formation. It requires modeling ministry alongside others, showing them how to pray, study Scripture, share the gospel, and serve people. Real growth happens in relationships, not in isolation.
Third, equipping happens through creating opportunities for ministry. You can't equip someone to fish only by talking about fishing. At some point, you must put a rod in their hand and take them to the water.
People are equipped when they're given opportunities to serve, teach, lead, and minister—even if they might stumble. Sometimes the best learning happens when we're allowed to try, fail, and try again with guidance and grace.
From Consumers to Contributors
For too long, the church in America has functioned like a religious marketplace. People shop for comfort and services, and pastors scramble to meet consumer expectations. But God designed something far better: a body where every member has a vital function.
Imagine the transformation that happens when we shift from asking "What can this church do for me?" to "How has God equipped me to build up this body?"
That question changes everything. Suddenly, church isn't about what you can get but what you can contribute. It's not about being served but about discovering your unique role in God's mission.
Your Gifts, Your Role, Your Opportunity
God has placed you exactly where you are with specific gifts, skills, and passions. The question isn't whether you have something to offer—you absolutely do. The question is whether you'll step forward and use what God has given you.
Maybe you're a natural host who creates welcoming spaces. The church needs you to open your home for small groups where deep gospel community can grow around the kitchen table.
Maybe you're a teacher who can explain God's Word clearly. The church needs you to lead Bible studies, teach Sunday school, or mentor younger believers.
Maybe you're an evangelist with a heart for the lost and a vision for reaching your community. The church needs you to help organize outreach and identify where the gospel can be proclaimed most effectively.
Maybe you're an intercessor for whom prayer is life itself. The church desperately needs you to consistently pray for its leaders, ministries, and mission.
Maybe you have practical gifts—administration, technology, facility management, financial stewardship. These gifts free up leaders to focus on prayer and the ministry of the Word.
Whatever your gifts, the body needs you. This isn't a burden—it's a privilege. You get to participate with God in what He's doing, using the gifts He's given you in the community He's placed you in.
The Invitation
The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. God hasn't called you to be a passenger on a train, watching life pass by until you reach heaven.
He's called you to be a vital part of a living body, equipped and engaged in real ministry, demonstrating to a watching world what authentic Christian community looks like.
The question before you is simple but profound: Will you accept the invitation?
Will you move from the sidelines to the field? From observation to participation? From consumer to contributor?
The body of Christ is waiting. And you have a role that only you can fill.
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