LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Living Waters Magazine Nr. 46
July - August 2007
The ministry of all the saints
In large, under-evangelized countries, like China and Russia, God is developing a new and surprising strategy: mobilizing the many members of the body of Christ that seem to have no defined role, and through them performing His work. In such places there are not enough conventional 'ministers', because of which God is using the 'littlest ones' to preach the gospel, to establish churches and even to build them up.
The theme of this issue of Living Waters is "the ministry of all the saints." The topic is not new, since it had its start centuries ago when they wanted to recover the universal priesthood. However, what was unanimously accepted in theory, was far from becoming a reality. For various reasons, there is still no effective "priesthood of all the saints", nor is there a real "ministry of all the saints."
But now we can see that God is taking the initiative to recover the biblical model (so it is not a 'new strategy'). Through a careful study of the book of Acts, we see that the first major expansion of the gospel in the Roman world was not due to the work of the Twelve, or other apostles, but due to the work of the whole church of Jerusalem which was dispersed because of Stephen's death, and the countless anonymous believers who were evangelized by them and who carried the seed beyond even the known world.
This model seems to be re-emerging before our eyes, despite our grid-iron structures and deplorable Christian tradition, which centers the work of the church around a few more gifted brothers. It will be necessary to put everyone into service, to reach the millions of people who still do not know the Lord, before our Lord appears in the clouds.
We pray to the Lord that this magazine will help many children of God to reshape their vision, and to join those already being put in place to serve..
Summary
COVER THEME
Grace, tribulation and glory
The hallway of tribulation takes us from the grace room to the glory room.
Dana Congdon
A sacrifice of love
The ministry of Christ and the ministry of all the saints is a sacrifice of love for others.
Juvenal Santos
The Cross in the rebuilding of the house
The principle governing the rebuilding of the church and the recovery of all things back to God, is the cross.
Rodrigo Abarca
The service of the ministers and the Church
Ministers are for the equipping of the saints, so that they then do the work of the ministry and build up the church.
Marcelo Díaz
LEGACY
The corporate vessel
An exposition on the church as the body and the service of its members.
T. Austin-Sparks
Christ as a sufferer
A look at the sufferings of Christ - and those who belong to Christ.
James Stalker
BIBLICAL STUDY
The names of Christ
Teacher.
Harry Foster