Are you fully equipped?
By Carmen Fowler LaBerge, The Layman, December 29, 2011
Equipping sections
in the ‘Toolbox’
at www.layman.org
Fearless faith, Jan. 2010
Truth dare, March 2010
Essentially Presbyterian, April 2010
The mystery of marriage, May 2010
The nature and value of human life, June 2010
Revival, Aug. 2010
The Word, Sept. 2010
Generosity, Oct. 2010
The Incarnation, Nov. 2010
Creation, re-creation and the promised renewal of all things, Dec. 2010
Confessing ‘the’ Faith, Jan./Feb. 2011
Grace: A study of I Peter, March 2011
Strategic prayer, April/May 2011
Good grief, July 2011
Feasting on the whole Word of God, Sept. 2011
The nature of the Church, Oct. 2011
The Lord’s Prayer, Nov. 2011
II Timothy 3:16-17 says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” The goal, then, of Bible study is that every disciple would be fully equipped for every good work. Or, another way of looking at it, if you’re not fully equipped, you can be. Just get more fully into God’s Word.
Every disciple fully equipped for every good work means you! From brand new baby believers, to those who are well seasoned, and those who need to be retrained or retooled, it is God’s intention that every disciple engage in the study, apprehension and application of His Word.
Every disciple fully equipped for every good work is the end product of a process. Equipping includes (1) a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit; and (2) following the Great Commission of Jesus to make disciples by teaching them to obey everything that He has commanded. So, equipping includes Bible study plus training in spiritual disciplines, spiritual mentoring and accountability, the identification of spiritual giftedness and appropriate ministry pursuits. Think “everything a disciple needs in his or her toolbox” in order to be an effective witness to Jesus Christ, His faithful ambassador, an agent of His grace, a minister of reconciliation – beyond just knowing about the tools, there is the cultivation of the ability to use those tools effectively for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.
Every disciple fully equipped for every good work, is the “missional” part of the conversation. Every disciple is a missionary – every disciple is called to Christ, equipped by the Holy Spirit, in order that they might be sent by God into His ongoing mission in the world. Ephesians 2:10 is clear, “we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God has prepared in advance for us to do.” For some, that “work” or place of service will be within the life and ministry of an organized church, for others it will be an extension of Christ’s Church into the world that God so loves.
Here at The Layman we want to do our part to equip the saints for the work of ministry. Over the past two years, we have published 16 different “Equipping sections” in The Layman. Each study provides material for personal, small group or classroom study spanning four or five sessions. All of the studies are available for free download at www.layman.org in The Equipping Toolbox. The November 2010 study on The Incarnation is particularly appropriate for Advent. Please utilize the studies as you prepare your 2012 adult or older youth educational ministry plans.
As we look ahead to 2012, we look forward to equipping sections that will supply you with study material that you can use in your personal devotional time, in small group gatherings, Sunday school classes and elsewhere. Remember, it is God’s intent that you be equipped for every good work that He has prepared in advance for you to do. That equipping involves spiritual empowerment, Scriptural study and a willing conformity to Christ. God has given us His Word and Spirit that we might be transformed and renewed, prepared to discern His perfect and pleasing will (Romans 12:2).
By the end of this next year, may you be more fully equipped for every good work that God has prepared in advance for you to do. All to His glory.