Every time I walk up the stairs by the receptionist’s desk to my office, I pass a quote taken from Ephesians 4:12. On the wall of the landing, in brass letters, it says, “For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry….” These words serve as a powerful reminder that the mission of pastor-teachers is to equip the saints, both through spiritual leadership and by providing resources that help Christians grow in their faith.
Clearly, we know that when Paul writes about “the perfecting of the saints,” he’s not talking about attaining sinless perfection in this life. Instead, he uses “perfecting” in the sense of making someone mature. So here, “perfecting”—sometimes translated “equipping"—means to make someone complete and usable.
Once a believer is equipped, he or she is to apply the gifts that God has given to the building up of the body of Christ—“the work of the ministry.” What does this look like practically? Here on our own campus, the members of Grace Church come alongside our pastoral staff, literally putting hands and feet to the massive amount of ministry that takes place here.
For more than 30 years, Logos Equipping Ministries has been equipping the saints to prepare them for service to believers and non-believers alike. This year has been especially exciting, as we have expanded the curriculum and added two gifted teachers—Mike Elliott and Rich Gregory.
It‘s a great blessing to see how the Lord continues to use Logos to perfect the saints for the work of the ministry, and I trust He will allow us to continue that work until He returns.
Jonathan Rourke
Associate Pastor, Logos Equipping Ministries