In this lesson we want to see the church-building service, that is, the service which builds the church.
Ephesians 4:16 says, "Out from whom [Christ as the Head] all the Body, being joined together and being knit together through every joint of the rich supply and through the operation in the measure of each one part, causes the growth of the Body unto the building up of itself in love." This verse shows that the church is built up by itself, not by the Lord directly. The joints of supply refer to the particular gifted ones mentioned in verse 11: the apostles, prophets, evangelists, and shepherds and teachers. The Body builds itself up not only through the joints of supply but also through each one part, each member of the Body.
We have to stress this strongly. We are not in Catholicism or Protestantism. We are the church. In Catholicism there is the hierarchy of the pope, the cardinals, the archbishops, the bishops, and the priests. In Protestantism there is a hierarchy of pastors. But the church is an organism, the organic Body of Christ with all the living and functioning members. There is no hierarchy in the Body, the church.
We all have to endeavor to avoid any kind of hierarchy. It is so easy for the functioning ones and the non-functioning ones to fall into this snare. There is a natural tendency to have a hierarchy, just like there is a natural tendency for water to flow down from a mountaintop. This tendency still exists among us, so we must be careful to avoid it. Those among us who have the ability to function must be on the alert not to take others' opportunity to function. We must give the ground so that all the saints may have the opportunity to function, and we have to encourage all the saints, great and small, to function.
Ephesians 4:7 says, "To each one of us grace was given according to the measure of the gift of Christ." This grace was given to us for the building up of the Body of Christ (v. 12). Grace was given to each one of us without exception. We must convince the saints that there is no excuse for not functioning. As long as you believe in the Lord Jesus, you have been regenerated. In your regenerated spirit, there is a measure. We have to convince the saints of this and do our best to develop their measure.