Body-building exercises for the church

From the time we are born, all of us are shaped to speak in a certain way. It is not just our family, but the community we grew up in that shaped our language and our speech patterns. If we want to learn another language or change our accent or pattern of speaking, that is hard work! In the Bible, the apostle Paul speaks of being formed in the image of Christ. In 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4, and Romans 12, Paul speaks of the grace of God which grants us a variety of gifts. These gifts are exercised in the context of the Body of Christ, the church. Ervin Stutzman, Executive Director of Mennonite Church USA and a member of Park View Mennonite Church, reflected on the seven gifts listed in Romans 12:1-8. All of these gifts have a function to strengthen the church and move it forward in ministry. We all have some gift that we naturally exercise, but Ervin suggested that not only are there times when we may need all of them, but the church runs risks if it does not value and exercise all of the gifts. Ervin asks us, "How then are we to live in our congregation?" He highlighted the risk  of imbalance. We need all of these gifts and suffer as a body if we neglect some.