#1445. Spiritual gifts equip the church to serve Jesus (4/2/26)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God.

From Ephesians 4:11–12, we see that the gifts God gives to His people are designed to equip the church to serve Jesus.

To watch this devotional, please select the link below: 

1. It’s important that we understand what spiritual gifts are for

Before we explore the different spiritual gifts, it is vital that we understand why they are given. If we misunderstand their purpose, we will inevitably misuse them. Rather like using a hammer to mash potatoes - it might work, but it is not the tool’s intended design - so spiritual gifts can be misapplied if their purpose is unclear.

Paul tells us plainly that Christ gave these gifts “to equip his people for works of service.” This is crucial. Spiritual gifts are not given so that a few people do all the ministry while others watch. Rather, gifts are given to train, release, and mobilise the whole church for ministry.

As Clinton Arnold writes:

2. Spiritual gifts are given to mature and equip the whole body of Christ

In other words, whatever gift we have is meant to be multiplied in others. We are not meant to hoard our gifts; we are to pass them on. This seems to happen in two key ways:

i. The person with a gift influences everyone 

Firstly, someone with a particular gift will shape and influence the whole church culture. For example, a person with a gift of administration will help bring clarity, order, and focus to teams and ministries across the church. When that gift is recognised and released, the entire church benefits. 

ii. The person with a gift releases some

Secondly, those with a particular gift will recognise, train, and release others with the same gifting. For example, someone with a gift of mercy will identify others with compassionate hearts and help them grow and serve effectively. In this way, ministry expands beyond one individual.

3. When the gifts are operating, the body of Christ is built up

For a church to become mature and truly healthy, all the gifts must function in both of these ways—influencing everyone and releasing some. Sadly, many churches are unbalanced. Even good churches often strongly emphasise teaching while neglecting other gifts. The result is that many become well-taught, but the full life and fruitfulness of the body is diminished.

God’s design is not uniformity, but shared maturity through diverse gifts working together.

Response - Let’s use our gifts to equip others

• Are we using God’s gifts for their intended purpose—or are we misusing them, like hammers in the kitchen?

• Do we see that our gifts are not only about doing ministry, but also about equipping others?

• If you are an evangelist, are you influencing and training others to share their faith?

• If you have a leadership gift, are you raising up and releasing new leaders?

• Whatever your gifts, how can you help to influence and mentor others? 

Let us commit to using our gifts as Jesus intended - so that the whole body of Christ may be equipped. 

Community Group Notes

1. Notices

It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

2. Icebreaker

Something that builds relationships and confidence to share; it’s good to regularly use this moment to ask the group: How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

This week is ’SIV Week’ (Serve, Invest and Invite) so we’ll focus more on our seeking to bring our community to Jesus. 

On Sunday, we continued our new series entitled: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

The message on Sunday was: Gifts Part 1. Gifts to Equip the Church 

We began the first part in this section on spiritual gifts - please do use the daily devotions to help you to reflect on this important subject. 

Please read Ephesians 4:1-13 and discuss:

• Personal Reflection – From Sunday’s message and this passage, what stood out to you? Was there anything the Spirit particularly impressed on your heart?

• What are spiritual gifts and what are they for? 

• How do we discover our spiritual gifts and what are yours?

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• How does a church that understands and uses their gifts become effective in mission? 

• When we think about our vision to plant a congregation into Roehampton, what are the gifts that are required for this?

• Sharing Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing stories of how we’ve seen God at work through simple faithfulness.

• Practical Next Steps – Who might God be placing on your heart at this time? Are there any “people of peace” (see note) in your life—those who seem open, welcoming, or receptive to spiritual conversation?

Let’s Pray Together

Let’s pray for one another in light of what we’ve studied and bring any other needs before God.

• Let’s pray for our mission in SW London -  particularly to become better witnesses in Putney and Roehampton. 

• Pray for courage, wisdom, and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit in our Serve, Invest, and Invite opportunities.

• Pray specifically for the ‘people of peace’ in our lives - that God would open hearts and deepen relationships.

• Ask God to work through us by His power, so that others may come to know Christ.