Second, the equipping of the saints is for the work of ministry. “For the work of ministry” (Eph. 4:12). The noun “ministry” (diakonia) means “service” (Gingrich); “to render assistance or help by performing certain duties’” (Louw-Nida).

In the NT, work refers to ongoing work. (O’Brien) “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58). The work of ministry is to be steadfast and thriving. It is a commitment. “You know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service [diakonia] of the saints” (1 Cor. 16:15, emphasis added). It is not a work that you like to do today and then stop doing tomorrow because you no longer like it. Rather, the work of ministry requires ongoing devotion to the Lord and to the church.

In GGCF, we have small group leaders who do ministry. They gather their small group every week. They teach them. They encourage them. They pray with them. They do not receive any pay. But they do ministry. They are my co-disciplers in the ministry of discipleship.

The worship team practices every Saturday in my house. You should see how they do it. Their leaders correct them and they correct each other. They maintain high standards—coming in on time, learning the chords before actual practice, getting the right tune, etc. On Sunday worship, they play good music that blesses you for the glory of God.

We have a couple here that visits sick people in the hospital. They hold Bible studies. They encourage people to trust Christ, to pray to God, to put their faith in God. I wish that there are more couples like them in our church.

You do not see someone here who assigns singers for worship. But she is doing ministry. You do not see the people who go to the community, gather kids and teenagers, and teach them about Jesus. Yet they are doing ministry.

Now notice that Paul moves from talking about the gifted leaders to the gifted saints. The gifted leaders are the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. The gifted saints are the saints who are gifted by Christ (v. 7).

Then Paul differentiates the work of the leaders and that of the saints. In the phrase, “for the equipping of the saints,” Paul used the preposition, pros. But in the phrase, “for the work of ministry,” he used a different preposition, eis. The change in preposition indicates a shift in job description. The work of gifted leaders is to equip the saints. The work of gifted saints is to do the work of ministry. Together, they will build up the church.

The gifted leaders equip the saints so that the gifted saints will do the work of ministry, for the building up of the church (v. 12). Conversely, the gifted leaders are not there to do the ministry by themselves. Rather, they are there to equip gifted saints so that the saints will do the ministry, and then together, both will build up the church.

Every one of us is gifted for ministry (v. 7). Now Christ’s plan is that each one of us will do her part. “From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work” (v. 16, emphasis added). Each one of us is to do ministry, so that we will build up the whole body.