BLUEPRINT (5 Part Sermon Series)

BLUEPRINT #1 (Introduction)

Luke 14:26-28 ESV "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?"

• In context, Jesus is relating building a house with building the Kingdom of God.
• How can you build for Jesus without first knowing what it will cost you? And how will you know what it costs if you don't have the blueprint that details the end goal?
• Salvation is free, but your calling can cripple you if you don't first count the cost.
• This series is about the original blueprint for the church, the Kingdom way to build the Body of Christ.

The Greek word for church is Ekklesia. It is seen 111 times in the New Testament. Ekklesia means “calling out.” It never refers to a building or meeting place --but always to a people, the ones “called out” of the world by God and called into Kingdom servitude.

Ephesians 4:11-16 NLT "Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love."

• The five-fold ministers are called GIFTS to the Body of Christ. Together these 5 different functions work to edify and BUILD up the Church.
• We will go in depth regarding the five ministry functions next week.
• Christ is the HEAD. Not man. That is why we must be willing to submit our agendas and set them aside when Christ directs us!
• We are supposed to fit together, even though we have different functions.
• We are to help one another grow so that every single one of us is healthy, spiritually growing, and full of love.
• Many denominations deny the current existence of apostles and prophets as well as spiritual gifts being in operation today. They prefer structures as denominational organizations that replace the gifts and functions of the apostle and prophet.
• After centuries of being denied, it wasn't until the mid-1900's that the resurgence of affirming the offices of the apostle and prophet came to be.
• This is known as the New Apostolic Reformation, essentially recognizing all 5 ministry functions once again (the original blueprint). More on that in a bit.
• In this church we believe all 5 ministry functions are still in operation and are very much needed today.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31 NLT "The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it. Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church: first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who have the gift of leadership, those who speak in unknown languages. Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all."

• The Body of Christ is made up of people from different cultures, backgrounds, and lifestyles, but we are still One Body.
• Though we are many different parts and have different gifts, talents, and functions, we are ALL needed and should honor each other and work together even though we don't all focus on the same work.
• We are to desire the spiritual gifts that can help us function better in our personal calling, but also understand that we are not called to be the same as everyone else. We embrace our differences and still work together to glorify Christ.
• Not understanding this foundational truth is what has caused division in the Body. Every denomination and church believes they're right and others are wrong. Ministers that have different gifts poke at ministers who don't operate or believe the same way they do. We are not each other's enemy! We are on the same side!
• The Apostle Paul addresses this to the church at Corinth. 

1 Corinthians 3:4-13 ESV "For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human? What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

• Don't focus on the person or church name you are following and allow that to divide you from the rest of the Body. Instead, understand that they are gifted as a SERVANT to build the entire Body and regardless of who serves you in leadership, GOD is the one who gets the glory.
• The only foundation of the Ekklesia is Jesus. Without the foundation the structure will be unstable. We may build upon the foundation how we feel led, and ultimately the test of time and trials will tell if we built something truly able to fortify the Kingdom.

1 John 4:15-21 NLT "All who declare that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God. We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers."

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 NLT "If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing."

• God is love, the foundation of all we do through the work of Christ should be in love. Every gift, talent, ministry function MUST filter through love.
• The love of Jesus is our foundation. And from there we continue building.
• As a church we aren't perfect, but we are in process and progress as we continue to build.
• To the many members of the Body, let's build together.

 

BLUEPRINT  #2 (The Five-Fold Ministry)

Ephesians 4:11-16 NLT (revisited) "Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love."

• The five-fold ministers are called GIFTS to the Body of Christ. Together these 5 different functions work to edify and BUILD up the Church.
• We are supposed to fit together, even though we have different functions.
• As time passes, the church grows, evolves with culture, and steps into seasons of change and innovation.
• However, the foundation of the church should always remain the same while we reorganize and redecorate on the surface.
• Unfortunately that has not always been the case.
• 500 years ago Pastors and Evangelists were not recognized as a ministry office either. Through the Roman Catholic church all that was recognized was the "priest" (OT), teachers, and church deacons.
• The office of "Pastor" was once again recognized after the Protestant Reformation which began October 31, 1517.
• The office of "Evangelist" wasn't recognized again until the 1800's during what is referred to as "The Second Great Awakening".
• Recognizing the office of the "Prophet" took place much more recently in 1980, followed by "Apostle" in 1990.
• As with all Christian movements, there come extremists who stand on opposite sides. There are those who oppose it, and there are those who become obsessed with it.
• The "New Apostolic Reformation" is the term used to describe ministers and ministries who embrace the idea that apostles and prophets exist today. Its widely associated with ministries that are active in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and are considered Charismatic.
• Unfortunately due to extreme cases where people dig deep into spiritual experiences without biblical foundation and seek titles that don't belong to them, many have pulled away from these ministry functions.
• My stance on this is that there is no such thing as the New Apostolic Reformation. This is not NEW. God didn't change his blueprint for church and ministry, people did. Many are just now beginning to affirm and recognize what God put in place 2000 years ago.

1 Corinthians 3:10-13 ESV (revisited) "According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

• The original 12 apostles chosen by Jesus laid the foundation. They appointed others as apostles under their supervision to assist in the building process in different regions and cities.
• The rest of the 5-fold ministry functions that come after the original 12 apostles have the job of building up from that foundation.
• Side note: God gives the gifts of these 5 ministry functions, not man. Its Man's job to recognize those who hold the gifts, affirm them in their call, and train them up in their function.
• Unfortunately again, people are imperfect. Many are seeking to carry titles for recognition, not because they want to do the work. Many are publicly certifying people with titles to either appear more influential or because they were paid to certify them.
• Your title means nothing if you don't function like it.
• Lack of a title means you may not be recognized by man yet, but if God called you, you WILL function in it with or without man's approval.

1. Apostles - Govern They establish churches, raise ministries, empower people to walk in their gifts and offices, and are able to walk in a high level of anointing for miracles, signs, and wonders. They have no problem running alone in the beginning but work closely with the 4 other functions to work towards the vision given to them by God for the community, region, or nation.
2. Prophets - Guide They point people in the right direction, are intentional with times of deep prayer, and have the ability to see, hear, and sense things others cannot (which often makes them appear more eccentric). They work closely with the Apostles to help set order.
3. Evangelists - Gather They bring the lost into the Kingdom of God through outreach and mission work in unreached and dark places (making them extremely bold). Their main function is to win souls and plus them into a body of believers for discipleship. They work alongside pastors to bring new converts into the church.
4. Pastors/Shepherds - Guard They nurture, love, and bring restoration to those under their care. Their job is to feed the flock, protect them from enemy attacks, and lead them wherever they must go. They must also identify wolves among the sheep and deal with them properly. They work alongside teachers to properly instruct the people of God and alongside apostles to ensure leaders are being used and put in their proper place to function in.
5. Teachers - Ground Their job is to dig deeply into scripture and communicate it to the people in a way that can be understood and applied. They disciple people while also imparting a hunger for the truth and meat of the word. They work closely with the pastors to effectively communicate the things of the Kingdom to those who are eager to learn.

• Church today doesn't look like church did in the book of Acts. We have gotten spoiled, religious, traditional, and complacent. We have made a formula that looks like it works well for us, but without all 5 ministry functions and unity in the collective Body of Christ we are far from our full potential.
• Lets look at what happened after the Holy Spirit was poured out.

Acts 2:36-47 NLT (Peter to the crowd) “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.” Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!” Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all. All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."

• Added to the "church". They had no building, no ministry name, and had yet to establish the 5-fold ministry in the city. Church was never meant to refer to a building, it was meant to refer to a people.
• Church wasn't just once a week for teaching and some worship. Miracles, signs, and wonders were breaking out. People were unified and shared their belongings. Some even sold their possessions to help others in need.
• People met in the temple DAILY, they had fellowship DAILY, they met in each others homes DAILY. And because of this, the church grew in number DAILY as new people received salvation.
• Do we look like the New Testament church according to OUR current Blueprint?
• Why do people hate Christians so much? Maybe it's because we've denied people of the 5-fold functions, made ministry about ourselves rather than God, and served our egos and pockets more than we served the people who needed us. Maybe we've appointed the wrong people in leadership, given people the wrong titles, or held back those who appeared to have more potential because we didn't want them to become greater than we are.

1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT "And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor."

• In every ministry function, each person should first and foremost recognize that what they carry is not for them, but for the CHURCH. We are called to willingly serve without selfish motives, lead by example, and not be controlling and use unnecessary authority over things that do not pertain to us.
• Maybe if the church as a whole stuck with the original blueprint we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.
• This is why some pastors try to steal sheep from other churches. It's easier to empower gifted people than it is to build them up in their gifts from scratch. (If the 5-fold was operating properly in that church this wouldn't be a problem)

In the words of a great evangelist and revivalist by the name of Leonard Ravenhill, "The book of Acts describes the Church of Jesus Christ before it became fat and out of breath by prosperity, and muscle-bound by organization. This was the Church where people were not forced to sign articles of faith, instead, they acted in faith. Here was the place where worshippers did not "say" prayers, they prayed in the Holy Ghost... these folk did not gather together a group of intellectuals to study psychosomatic medicine, they simply healed the sick."

 

BLUEPRINT #3 (Biblical Leadership Standards)

1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT (revisited) "And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t Lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor."

• In every ministry function, each person should first and foremost recognize that what they carry is not for them, but for the CHURCH. We are called to willingly serve without selfish motives, lead by example, and not be controlling and use unnecessary authority over things that do not pertain to us.
• Maybe if the church as a whole stuck with the original blueprint we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.
• Part of the reason we are messy is because we don't follow the original blueprint, not just for church functionality, but leadership standards!

1 Timothy 3:1-11 NLT "This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be a church leader, he desires an honorable position.” So a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? A church leader must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap. In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. In the same way, their wives must be respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do."

Simplified Into 10 Qualifications

1. ABOVE REPROACH Verse 2 says “An overseer…must be above reproach”. This does not mean ‘perfect’, otherwise there would be no overseers! Verse 7 explains that "he must have a good reputation with outsiders". Leaders should be known for good works and good character. People with poor reputations outside of the church community should not be leading. Good character is needed both on and off the pulpit, inside and outside the church building.

2. UNQUESTIONED MORAL INTEGRITY Verse 2 says, an “overseer…must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife…” It means that he must be a man of unquestioned morality, especially in regard to his relations with the opposite sex. There must be no immoral relationships of any kind. No-one whose marriage relationship is questionable, or whose attitude towards the opposite sex is careless should ever be given a position of responsibility in any part of God’s work. Leaders do not flirt to convert or jeopardize their marriage or flock. Boundaries are needed.

3. SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE The word “self-controlled” means living an orderly life, making wise decisions, not be a drunkard, not easily angered to violence. Paul does not say a leader must be a total abstainer, because wine was extensively used in those days, but he must be temperate. Argumentative and easily angered individuals should not be in positions of leadership. Today it is essential for all leaders to be of firm convictions and of Christ-glorifying habits in and out of church. Lacking control is a sign that someone can be easily manipulated in their flesh. Easily manipulated people should not be leading others.

4. GENEROUS AND HOSPITABLE Verse 2 mentions “hospitable”. In the early Church this had a very special significance. In those days Christians had to keep together, sine they lived in a very hostile world. How necessary was the gift of hospitality! A leader should not only have an open house but an open heart. ● Unapproachable leaders can't win the trust or hearts of people. We lead from the trenches by example (like Jesus), not from a distance or keeping people at arms length.

5. ABLE TO TEACH Verse 2 – "able to teach" that is, an overseer or a pastor must have a gift in preaching and teaching and be able to feed the flock! How can you lead if you don't know how to communicate your knowledge and wisdom? The ability to effectively communicate and train up others is a must. Great pastors are great teachers and effective communicators. Poor communicators don't create thriving churches. The Word is information, our job is to teach application for transformation.

6. RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MONEY Verse 3 says, “not a lover of money”. A man’s character can often be judged by his attitude towards money and earthly possessions. Judas was discipled by Jesus but his greed would have disqualified him from leading people in the church. Greed, dishonesty, and actions that lack integrity don't belong in church! Charging for prayer, purposely manipulating prophetic words, or twisting God's word for personal gain or influence is demonic. Ministry is about the spiritual outcome, not personal income. Scripture says we are worthy of our wages as ministers, but we shouldn't chase money or greed.

7. MANAGES HIS OWN FAMILY WELL Verses 4 and 5 make this very clear, and what a powerful argument that if a man is unable to manage his own domestic affairs how can he be expected to manage the affairs of the Church? Your family is your first ministry responsibility! If the family is out of order, the family needs to be the focus. This is not punishment, its priority as your family is your first pastoral responsibility and congregation. Lead them first.

8. SPIRITUALLY TAUGHT AND MATURE In verse 6 we are told that a recent convert should not be given a position of responsibility. This could do harm to the convert and to the work of God. There is a process of spiritual maturity that cannot be skipped! Leaders need to be spiritually strong and not too young in the faith. Verse 9 indicates that a leader must have a firm hold on the truths of the faith. Verse 10 says that leaders should first be tested so that their gifts and qualities may be assessed. Only the spiritually mature are qualified for leadership. Immature leaders can damage those under their care, stray way from scriptural truths, and fall into the trap relapsing into their past sins since it's more recent.

9. OBVIOUS HUMILITY We see the words in verse 6, “or he may become proud”, as a separate qualification because of its importance. The leader must not become proud. The Devil fell through pride, and how easy it is for any one of us to fall in the same way! Ministry is NOT about US, it's all about HIM and we are replaceable! Regardless of how anointed someone is, while we honor their obedience and office, we glorify God as the giver of the anointing. Creation is not greater than the Creator.

10. HAS THE RIGHT WIFE (spouse) Notice carefully verse 11. A man’s wife can make him ineligible as an overseer. What kind of wife must a leader have? She must be: “respected and must not slander others. They must exercise self-control and be faithful in everything they do.” A spouse can build or destroy a ministry with their words, actions, and attitude. An unsupportive spouse can hold back the minister and lessen their impact. These are the ten qualifications for leadership, and this is not our standard, nor that of Paul, but it is God’s. Galatians 3:26-28 NLT For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. While many of the expectations are directed at men since women were uneducated at the time, women who lead in ministry should also follow the same standards. Women in ministry is a completely different controversial topic for another day, but in this church we honor all who desire to passionately lead and serve Christ with their gifts. In Christ we are all one and work together in our individual callings without shutting capable women down.

Hebrews 13:17 NLT (congregation) Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. That would certainly not be for your benefit."

• Leading in ministry at any capacity is not easy. We have standards to uphold, people to serve, and still have to manage our personal lives.
• Leaders are often not given the same grace they give others. Remember, leaders are human also.
• To be a leader is to live in a glass house where anything you say and do can and will be used against you. People who are quick to misunderstand will gossip and slander you. Often those you pour into can fall away and blame you for not pouring enough.
• This is why scripture lays out extensive standards for leadership, but also a standard for those under that leadership.
• Leaders are required to be strong, seasoned, and with good character to handle difficult situations and difficult people.
• Those being led are asked to not be rebellious and cause unnecessary problems for leaders who already have a tough and demanding job.
• We build the Kingdom better when we work together. We must all know our place, the biblical standards expected of us, and how God has called us to function both as an individual and as a part of the Body.

 

BLUEPRINT #4 (Different Gifts of the Spirit)

1 Corinthians 12:4-11 NLT "There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another the same Spirit gives a message of special knowledge. The same Spirit gives great faith to another, and to someone else the one Spirit gives the gift of healing. He gives one person the power to perform miracles, and another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone else the ability to discern whether a message is from the Spirit of God or from another spirit. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages, while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have."

The gifts listed first are known as the Manifestation Gifts because they manifest God's power and supernatural abilities.

Manifestation Gifts

• Words of Wisdom
• Words of Knowledge
• Faith
• Healing
• Miracles
• Prophecy
• Discernment
• Speaking in Tongues
• Interpretation of Tongues

Romans 12:6-8 NLT "In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly."

In Romans we see additional gifts from the Holy Spirit that are different from the 5-fold ministry offices and the manifestation gifts. These extra 5 are known as the Motivational Gifts. They do not manifest supernatural power but are essential for the members of the Body of Christ to operate in their individual callings.

Motivation Gifts

• Serving
• Giving
• Encouraging
• Leadership
• Mercy

So far through these scriptures in the Blueprint series we've seen a total of 19 Gifts. The first 5 are spiritual occupations and callings, the 9 that follow are to showcase God's love, power, and supernatural guidance, and the last 5 reveal character and personality traits.

• We can all operate in multiple gifts if we seek it out, research it, practice it, and even go to school for it.
• We may be striving for it, but those who truly possess the gift given to them by God will likely flow in it almost effortlessly with much ease.
• Ex: Some people are book smart, some are street smart, some people are born with natural talents. Some people take years of musical training so they can play an instrument well while others can pick up an instrument and figure out how to play by ear on their own.

In the scriptures we just read we see that we each have our own function in the Body of Christ according to the gifts we've been given. And the gifts we've been given are for the purpose of serving God and serving others. There is ANOTHER GIFT we often forget. In the first few pages of the Bible in Genesis, we see that God created the heavens and the earth, he breathed life into Adam after forming his body, and then gave Adam the task of naming each animal.

God CREATED. God breathed his Spirit into Adam. God asked Adam to CREATE names What do we call the Spirit of God? The Holy Spirit. The gift Adam was given since the beginning is the gift of CREATIVITY. We see God give the gift of creativity as well in the book of Exodus.

Exodus 35:30-35 ESV "Then Moses said to the people of Israel, "See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft. And he has inspired him to teach, both him and Oholiab the son of Ahisamach of the tribe of Dan. He has filled them with skill to do every sort of work done by an engraver or by a designer or by an embroiderer in blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, or by a weaver—by any sort of workman or skilled designer."

• Bezalel was "filled with the spirit of God" to work in craftsmanship and "devise artistic designs".
• The Gift of Creativity allows people to overflow with innovative and artistic ideas and abilities that can basically be applied to any area of life.

5 Gifts as People (Ministry Offices)
9 Gifts to Manifest God's Power 5 Gifts to Motivate God's People
1 Gift that Mirrors our Creator.
20 Gifts for the church to use.
20 Different ways to serve the Kingdom.
20 Different tools to build the church with.

1 Peter 4:10 NLT "God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another."

1 Peter 4:10 AMP "Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor]."

• We are different parts of the same Body and should work together.
• There are 5 main ministry functions given as gifts to the church by God.
• There are biblical standards that should be followed by all leaders.
• There are 15 additional unique gifts given to the church for ministry and they are ALL needed to build according to God's blueprint. The foundation had been laid, from here we build up. Both in the natural for our current teams, and for the future leaders of tomorrow.

 

BLUEPRINT #5 (Review & Fruits of the Spirit)

Overview so far:

• We talked about how there are many parts, but one Body
• We do the Kingdom of God a disservice by dividing ourselves from each other rather than embracing each other in spite of our differences.
• We discussed the 5 main ministry offices and functions listed in Ephesians that are called to be gifts to the church.

Apostles - Govern
Prophets - Guide
Evangelists - Gather
Pastors/Shepherds - Guard
Teachers - Ground

According to 1 Timothy 3:1-11 we discussed the 10 Qualifications for Ministry Leadership!

1. ABOVE REPROACH
2. UNQUESTIONED MORAL INTEGRITY
3. SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE
4. GENEROUS AND HOSPITABLE
5. ABLE TO TEACH
6. RIGHT ATTITUDE TOWARDS MONEY
7. MANAGES HIS OWN FAMILY WELL
8. SPIRITUALLY TAUGHT AND MATURE
9. OBVIOUS HUMILITY
10. HAS THE RIGHT SPOUSE

We discussed the Gifts of the Holy Spirit which include the 9 Manifestation Gifts found in 1 Corinthians chapter 12:

Words of Wisdom
Words of Knowledge
Faith
Healing
Miracles
Prophecy
Discernment
Speaking in Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues

The 5 additional Motivational Gifts found in Romans chapter 12:

Serving
Giving
Encouraging
Leadership
Mercy

And the first gift given in Genesis and explained more thoroughly in Exodus chapter 35 which is the gift of Creativity!

1 Corinthians 3:10-13 ESV "According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done."

5 Gifts as Functions People to Lead,  10 Standards for Church Leaders to uphold,  9 Gifts to Manifest God's Power, 5 Gifts to Motivate God's People, 1 Gift to operate in everything Creatively.

• Not everyone is called to be in the 5-fold ministry as an overseeing leader.
• There is a standard for leadership!
• Not everyone's gifts will operate the same or at the same capacity.
• We've talked about leaders and gifts, but what about those who aren't leading?

Hebrews 10:19-25 NLT "And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near."

7 Life Commands For ALL Believers

• Sincere heart (truly seeking God in word, worship, and prayer)
• Clean conscience (renewed mind with a new godly perspective)
• Washed body (renewed self that kills the flesh and had godly character)
• Unwavering faith (full trust in God in all kinds of circumstances)
• Good works (acts of love towards believers and unbelievers alike, being the hands and feet of Jesus)
• Gathering in Unity (fellowship, discipleship, attending church, giving, and submitting to leadership)
• Encouraging Others (iron sharpens iron, we're better when we work together and lift each other up)

Of these 7 Commands for believers to live out, one of them is the absolute hardest for many to adjust to. Can you guess which one?

• Having a renewed self is tied to having renewed character. This means how we see things inwardly affects how we carry ourselves outwardly. With renewed character we handle situations differently than we normally would and see from a different perspective.
• There are so many facets to character. This makes it difficult for most people to submit to full change.
• The problem is, we often don't see our character as a problem until we are approached with the solution, and even then, stubbornness, pride, culture, and even tradition can convince us to remain the same.

1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT "So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

• Ugh WHY is it so HARD to be Holy!?!?!
• "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"
• It's easier to obey the other 6 commands because they don't require an extreme transformation in multiple areas that literally make up parts of your personality.
• Having renewed character demands holiness at the root of the tree to produce good fruit.
• The solution is given to us in Galatians 5 and is called the Fruits of the Spirit. We are told what NOT to do, and what TO do.

Galatians 5:16-26 NLT "So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another."

9 Fruits of the Spirit

• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-Control

We must look at what we don't possess and actively work towards submitting our flesh to the Spirit so all the fruits can be made evident in our lives. The last line in the scripture we just read says, "Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another." Paul gives the Galatians this warning right after listing the fruits of the Spirit because he knows pride can come into those who have more fruit. Self-righteousness has no place in the church. We are made righteous because of Christ, not because of ourselves. Paul reminds us to be humble, no matter how much fruit we bear.

Scripture is not just for information, its for transformation.

There is a blueprint for church leadership and the standards they should uphold, but there is also a blueprint for ALL believers and the standards we should ALL uphold. The expectations and standards you have of leadership should match the commitment you exemplify as a church member. Otherwise, we become hypocrites, expecting others to live in a way we ourselves don't live by.

Jude 1:17-21 NLT "But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ predicted. They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them. But you, dear friends, must build each other up in your most holy faith, pray in the power of the Holy Spirit, and await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will bring you eternal life. In this way, you will keep yourselves safe in God’s love."

• Build Each Other Up!!!
• Its not just a leader's job to build, its all of us!
• The apostles laid the foundation of Jesus, church leadership constructs the standards, culture, and flow of ministry, and everyone else builds the rest.
• No more broken bricks that refuse to be repaired. No more faulty wiring with bad connection.
• We build together, we build ourselves, and we build each other in excellence according to God's blueprint.

1 Corinthians 3:10-17 NLT "Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials—gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person’s work has any value. If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames. Don’t you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple."

• What are you building? Your Kingdom or His?
• How are you building? With passion or out of obligation?
• ARE you building? Or doing the bare minimum to remain stagnant.
• What we build together and individually will be judged according to the fruit we produce for the Kingdom.
• Let's build something of value here.
• You are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
• We are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
• The possibilities are endless when we build each other in unity according to God's blueprint, not man's. The foundation had been laid, from here we build up.