What Positions Are on God’s Most-Needed List?
This three-part series looks at what the Bible has to say about placing people on your team or joining a team yourself.
Three valid questions any organization or church should ask before hiring staff or inviting volunteers to serve are:
- Is this position really necessary?
- How does the position advance the mission?
- Who is the right person for the position?
Scripture tells us God created and gifted each person to good works. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:10)
God’s work through us administrates His grace to a broken and hurting world. With that in mind, shouldn’t we discover what is needed in a position to advance the mission … before we start looking for people God created to fill the position?
Each of us is to purposely use our strengths to build the Body, not simply fill a slot or be consumed by pointless busy work. Likewise, God ordains each role in the Body with meaning and purpose. He does not “invent” tasks to fill our days.
God Wrote the List
In the commercial world, a job must meet a well-defined need. Otherwise, the company does not incur the expense of hiring, training, and employing an individual to fill it.
The same principle holds true in Kingdom work, not because we wish it so or because we think it would be a good idea for appearances’ sake, but because of this powerful twist: God wrote the “Most Needed” list.
1 Corinthians 12:28 says, “And in the church, God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.”
Is all of that really necessary?
3 Reasons for So Many Roles
In Ephesians 4:12, God graciously provided an explanation for the roles on His “Most Needed” List: “for the equipping of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.” Each role strengthens the body.
- Equipping: Like in-service training or continuing education in the commercial world, equipping in the Body is not a one-time experience but an ongoing proposition.All God’s people (not just a few leaders only) are to be prepared to serve. The training is to be continual. More than a few someones need to equip the saints – those whose strengths are in leadership and teaching and speaking.
- Ministering: How tempting it can be to see only leadership and teaching roles as important in the body of Christ. Yet other positions are vital, serving hearts one-on-one with spiritual support, encouragement, healing from hurts, and helps by those whose strengths are in serving, mercy, and relationships.
- Edifying: Just as physical construction builds or strengthens a physical structure, different positions add to, reinforce, build up, or strengthen the Body. A well-ordered administrative structure and support team allow a ministry to grow, especially when staffed by those with methodical thinking, attention to detail, and organizational strengths.
God is purposeful in his design. Each position on His “Most Needed” List is essential.
So when God calls with the good news, “I’ve got a job for you!” the question is not, “Is this position really needed?”
The question is this: is this what God created me to do?
Read the rest of the series:
Position Series, Part 2: God’s Assignments Have Worth
Position Series, Part 3: God’s Appointments Are “A Good Fit”