Ephesians 4:11–16 . . .

“What Makes a Glorious Church?”

Ephesians 4:11–16 provides the framework for God’s original intention for a glorious church. To understand what makes a glorious church, we must realize and appreciate: (a) the gifts God gave to the church through Jesus; (b) the objective of those gifts; and (c) how to properly manage the stewardship of those gifts on the authority of Scripture.

A biblical explanation of vv. 11–16 reveals that God gave to the church through Jesus, gifts commonly known today as “the five-fold ministry of offices.” Apostle Paul names these ministries: “the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers.” These five gifts equip believers to minister and edify the church body of Christ (v. 12). As stewards of these gifts, church leaders must realize that vv. 11–12 make up God’ scriptural mandate for the church to carry out. Such ministries are to create and sustain unity and maturity in the church body; believers must not waver from true doctrine or become influenced by false teachers operating in deceit (v. 14).

To show the relevance of this passage in today’s church, this study will provide a biblical interpretation of the text, outline the definitions and functions of all five leadership gifts, and provide biblical examples. We’ll look at this passage as two sections: (1) God’s work in the church (vv. 11–13), where we’re given the framework to build a glorious church, and (2) our responsibility as the church (vv. 14–16), where church body members become enabled to work within the framework that Christ has designed.

God’s Work in the Church (4:11–13)

In the first section’s three opening verses, Paul highlights three essential elements: (1) God’s work, (2) his purpose, and (3) duration. Unity in Christ is one of the main themes in Ephesians 4. To bring understanding to God’s original intent for unity in the church body through the Holy Spirit, Paul reveals God’s purpose within the church: to build up the body of Christ, reaching full maturity in faith.

Paul affirms that Jesus handed out valuable commissions or ministry gifts to his followers: gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Jesus provided these five gifted positions to train his followers in skilled servant work, functioning within the church body until everyone moves rhythmically and easily with each other. Church body members are to become efficient and graceful in response to Father God’s Son, while also becoming fully mature adults who are completely developed within and without, totally alive like Christ.

The word “apostles” (Greek apostolos) represents commissioned messengers or agents who are sent out. “Prophets” are individual spokespersons for God. And “evangelists” are those who announce good news while “pastors” are shepherds who guide and care for the flock.

Regarding “teachers, ” there’s debate concerning the distinction of “pastors” and “teachers.” Looking at the Greek text of v. 11, an article (“the”) proceeds each of the first four ministry gifts but is omitted before “teachers.” This omission has led some to claim that this indicates that the two groups are the same. This distinction is important in deciding if these five ministries are offices or functions. It’s more likely that a person has multiple functions than multiple offices. Ultimately, all pastors are teachers, however, all teachers aren’t pastors. Therefore, pastors and teachers are seen separately in this commentary. In view of the fact that “pastors” teach God’s word, God endows his church “teachers” with the ability to equip God’s people.

Within the context of divine oneness, Christ graciously gives the gift of diversity, which is depicted as various positions of leadership, office, or ministry within the body of Christ. The focus and emphasis here aren’t on the functions of these positions. Rather, these leadership ministries are graciously given by Christ for the proper functioning of the church body. [See the entire list of spiritual gifts.]

Perhaps the most important thing for us in these three verses is the clarity of purpose in believers’ lives. Verse 12, which addresses the purpose of v. 11, identifies what those mentioned in v. 11 will do and will accomplish. There’s a simple statement of the purpose of God’s gifts, given to believers (not attained or earned by them): to equip the saints for ministry “so that the body of Christ may be built up.” All gifts are given for the sake of “attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (v. 13). Rivalries, competition, judgmental evaluations, and the like must be prohibited.

Verse 13 begins with “until we all reach unity in the faith.” Therein, the apostles, evangelists, prophets, pastors, and teachers are to continue to carry out their tasks until the whole church reaches the particular stated destination: The church is to reach a unity that specifically brings its members into the faith and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Our Responsibility as the Church (4:14–16)

So that we church-body members will no longer be children is what Paul exhorts in v. 14. God has given his church various people as gifts; one of their responsibilities is to help us mature. In v. 15, he goes on to tell us that it’s time for his audience to grow up in our knowledge of and relationship with Christ. As believers, we should constantly strive to grow closer to God. Finally, Paul closes by telling us in v. 16 to properly and responsibly do our part by using the spiritual gift(s) that God has freely given to us with high expectations.

The church’s dedicated, gifted saints will no longer be immature “infants” in their knowledge and application of God’s word (v. 14). Those who don’t mature in this way become targets of deceivers who are effective because they operate with trickery using “cunning and craftiness” — they lie in wait and scheme to deceive. Mature Christians, instead, must speak the truth in love (v. 15) to all people, including deceivers. While we can’t force others to turn from sinful behaviors, we can compassionately confront them as we “speak the truth in love” so that we both become “more and more like Christ” (v. 15 NLT), never budging from the truth while serving Lord Jesus, the church body head, lovingly and unitedly (v. 16).

Having written this letter to new believers, Paul emphasized that the purpose of believers’ lives is transformation through the Spirit into mature members of the body of Christ. To that end, every word and action has value only if it builds up and benefits others. Transformation can happen only by prioritizing kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. When the Spirit of Jesus draws us to other believers in Christ, we grow and mature as we learn from one another.

Paul makes a contrast here between children. There are those who are “tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching…” (v. 14) and those who will “grow” (v. 15) in faith, thus contributing to the building up of the body of Christ (v. 16). He’s saying here that knowledge of Jesus’ identity is linked closely with unity in the church (v. 13). We often think of being in the body of Christ as mainly a social activity, gathering together to bear one another’s burdens or working collectively to address a local or distant need. But so much more is involved!

We know we’re growing spiritually when we become increasingly aware of our sinfulness and weakness. We progress in our spiritual growth when we respond to sin with quick and deliberate repentance. Failure to deal with sin is rebellion against God. Maturing believers turn away from wrongdoing and embrace righteousness. As we live with the good results of dependence on God and repentance from sins, our desire to obey God intensifies and sin’s attraction lessens. We’re maturing when we see whatever comes our way as coming from God, which also means that he’s doing this work for our good (Romans 8:28–30).

These are, of course, important ministry actions of the body of Christ. But Paul highlights here that the body also has a “mind.” In other words, it’s crucial for congregants to know what they believe and why they believe it. It’s easy today to find situations that undermine any claim to truth, out of fear of being divisive or intolerant. Instead, Paul advocates “speaking the truth in love” (v. 15). That said, our bearing witness to the truth is to be grounded in deep humility (4:2). 

Although this six-verse passage is concerned with “church growth,”that’s not what we’re familiar with today. An understanding of and concentration on church growth isn’t centered on the quantity of congregants or members — after all, the church is one entity! Rather, church growth takes into account how this a single church and its multitude of members have been gifted and equipped by Christ to reflect the qualities of unity and growth in love. (Note how Paul uses the word “love” to bookend the growth motif in vv. 15–16).

A Christian’s behavior is to be based upon and consistent with his or her calling in Christ. Every believer has been called first to be obedient, then becoming an active, functioning member of the body. The church is the dwelling place of God in the Spirit. It’s also the instrument by which God demonstrates the glory of his wisdom, power, and grace. As we obey Christ Jesus and manifest his likeness, we fulfill our calling.

After Paul depicted our high calling in chapters 1 to 3, he now sets out to challenge us to conduct ourselves in ways that befit our calling in the remainder of this epistle. We must obey, repent, learn God’s word, actively use our gift(s), and become mature. It’s time to stop being children, to grow up into Christ, and to do our part in the church’s ministry. The only way to grow a church is to stay within the boundaries of vv. 11–16. Doing all that comes to be a faithful endeavor that honors the Lord of the church.

Closing Considerations from Dr. Charles Stanley

Have you given serious thought lately to what the purpose of your life is? Our culture is full of distractions and activities that appear to promise fulfillment or pleasure. So it’s easy to forget that we’re living on earth for God’s glory and purposes, not our own.

Besides endowing us with spiritual gifts to use in carrying out our calling, the Lord also gives the church gifted men and women who are entrusted with the responsibility of equipping believers (vv. 11–12). This prepares us…

To Serve in the Body (v. 12)  The church is edified when we each use our spiritual gifts to serve one another.

To Attain the Unity of the Faith and Knowledge of Christ (v. 13)  This is the establishment of sound doctrine and truth by which the church is grounded and unified.

To Achieve Spiritual Maturity (v. 13)  Knowing truth about Jesus helps us grow in Christlikeness while protecting us from being deceived by false teaching (v. 14).

To Hold Fast to Christ as the Head of the Church (vv. 15–16)  When believers are equipped by godly pastors through the Word of God, and each one does his or her part in working together, the whole church functions according to Christ’s headship. Then the entire body exhibits growth that comes directly from the Lord.

While God certainly provides many things for our enjoyment, to live only for life’s pleasures is shortsighted; doing so would result in great disappointment when we stand before Christ to give an account of our life. But, living with God’s purposes in mind will ultimately glorify Him and prove most satisfying.

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