Abstract
Multiple studies from Ephesians 4:11–16 have been carried out that focused mostly on aspects of the believers’ priesthood. This article highlights the significance of adhering to the biblical instructions of God as a means to attain church growth. The church was instituted by God and as such he directs the process of church growth. Nevertheless, the ongoing membership decline in the World Protestant Churches globally and the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA) locally is an indicator that the church is failing to meet the will and purpose of God with the church. In the World Protestant Churches and the RCSA, the decline trends are basically the same, and the loopholes are pointing at church leadership. This article seeks to describe the leadership failure to uphold the blueprint of church health according to Ephesians 4:11–16. These are the keys to real church revitalisation and growth. The exegesis of the problem verse (Eph 4:11) was carried out to indicate the various leadership gifts that are necessary for church growth to occur. The Bible and related literature are the sources of data. This article identifies how an omission of the gift-oriented tasks in a congregation leads to church decline.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: Within the context of the continued church decline within Western Christianity (Christendom), this article reflects on the historical, mostly ‘Practical theological’ focus on church growth by exegeting the source texts from a ‘missiological perspective’. This study is also very conscious of modernity’s onslaught on the evangelical church through the therapeutic and managerial revolutions, which functions with an attitude of anti-clericalism when focusing on church growth.
Highlights
The missional God is focused on the numerical and spiritual growth of his chosen people (Gn 12:2–3; Mt 28:19–20). These two aspects of church growth are attained in our own time when the Christian church reaches out to all the people of the world with the gospel of Jesus Christ, enfolding those who accept the call into the church and discipling them successfully (Van Aarde 2017:6)
Church growth or decline is closely tied to the leadership functions within the local Christian church
Central to the present study is the description of Christian leadership gifts that are necessary for enhancing a missional church that is mature and healthy and an expression of Christ in the world, as highlighted in Ephesians 4:11–16
Summary
The missional God is focused on the numerical and spiritual growth of his chosen people (Gn 12:2–3; Mt 28:19–20). Central to the present study is the description of Christian leadership gifts that are necessary for enhancing a missional church that is mature and healthy and an expression of Christ in the world, as highlighted in Ephesians 4:11–16 These leaders are called by God and are gifted to help the church ‘to move from where they have been into a new place to which they are being called’ (Weems 2010:2). The 21st century church still appraises the need for church growth in a refined ecclesiology, in which the organic church promotes the entire membership participation in gifted ministries, to enhance both qualitative and quantitative growth (Cole 2007:9; Stackhouse 2003:141) This points at all Christian life as witnessing the love of Jesus Christ, not limiting it to outreaches or distance evangelism trips. It is in the interest of the present study to briefly define each of the mentioned ‘offices’ and ‘gifts’ described in the mentioned verses and to show how the RCSA leadership has the responsibilities that are attached to them
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