By Scott Jones

In his book, Rules of Engagement, Chad Hennings relates a story about how he and his fellow A-10 pilots coped with an inflight emergency. During the Gulf War, Hennings and his wingmen were a flight of four A-10’s traveling from Bentwater/Woodbridge in the U.K. to Incirlik, Turkey. Over the Mediterranean Sea, Hennings’ A-10 began to lose oil pressure, forcing him to shut down one engine. The A-10 is a notoriously underpowered aircraft, and it took all of Hennings’ concentration to keep the aircraft flying. His wingmen divided up the tasks necessary to divert to an emergency landing. One of them read the emergency checklist to make sure Hennings had completed the required tasks. Another contacted air traffic control for help in finding a suitable site to land. Another took on the task of navigation for the flight. Because each individual executed his tasks flawlessly, they were able to land safely in Souda Bay in the Greek Isles. Had any one of them failed in his task, or if they all concentrated on the same task, the outcome could have been catastrophic. Did I mention that Hennings’ A-10 carried a full load of wartime munitions? (Hennings 2010)

The Body of Christ

In the same way, the body of Christ, the Church, is composed of many individual members, but they do not all have the same tasks to perform. 

For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. (Romans 12:4-5)

Paul reminds the Corinthian Church that they are one body in Christ, but that they are also individual members. 

For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12)

He repeats this principle in 1 Corinthians 12: 14, 20, 27. To summarize, there is one body of Christ, the Church, but the body is composed of many different individual members.

Paul emphasizes this point for two reasons: to explain that there are different offices within the Church and that there are different gifts distributed by the Holy Spirit to the individual members. Accordingly, God uses each individual believer differently.  

Different Offices

God has ordained various offices for the Church to build up the body of Christ: 

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

All members are not evangelists, nor are all pastors, or teachers. God has called each member of the body to differing offices, to work together to build up the body. Paul also makes this point in his first letter to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 12:28-29.

So then, the Church is one body, but not all members are called to the same offices. Each member has a different duty within the Church.

Different Gifts

In the same manner, the Holy Spirit does not distribute the same gifts to each member. The members of the body are given differing gifts. 

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

So the Church is one body, with one Spirit, but composed of members with differing gifts. Paul repeats this point in Romans 12:4-8, exercising our differing gifts according to the grace given. 

We are called to exercise the individual gifts the Spirit has given us to minister to others for the common good. We do not all have the same gifts, so it follows that we do not each minister in the same way.

Individual Callings

Since the individual members of the body of Christ, are called to different offices, different functions, and given different gifts, we can derive a similar principle to apply an individual approach to civic engagement. Make no mistake, God cares about your city and has sent you to Seek the welfare of the city where He has sent you. (Jeremiah 29:7) You see, God has prepared unique works for you as an individual: 

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

God has specific tasks for each individual believer to build up the Church and to provide for the welfare of our city, state, and nation. No one of us is called to do everything, but each is called to do something.

Since each of us has differing gifts, skills, and passions, our tasks are not the same. When we move out to engage our community, we should begin by praying to God for Him to reveal to us the specific tasks He has prepared for each of us beforehand. Isaiah is a great role model. He said, “Here I am, send me!” (Isaiah 6:8). Another role model is Ananias, who said “Here I am, Lord.” (Acts 9:10)

Don’t let fear hold you back. Ananias was afraid of Saul, but God went before him to prepare the way for him to minister to Saul. 

God Does Not Call the Qualified, He Qualifies the Called (Deace 2022)

Just as God went before Ananias, He will go before you, if you are in His will. He has given you gifts and abilities that prepare you for your individual challenge. Do not be anxious if the task seems daunting. 

For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, so that no man may boast before God. (1 Corinthians 1:26-29)

God displays His power by working through individuals He has called and prepared to carry out the tasks He prepared beforehand. He gives gifts, skills, and abilities to those He calls to complete the task. When we engage from a position of humility and weakness, God’s glory shines through. 

So, go before God in humility and in prayer. Ask Him to go before you and to show you the work that He has for you to do. God is faithful. He will not call you to a work for which He has not equipped you. His equipping is usually some combination of your past experiences – maybe the bad ones! – your education, your abilities, and your gifts. God will also give you a passion for the works to which He has called you. Humbly seek the works God has prepared for you beforehand and ask God for wisdom.

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5)

Do Your Thing

When engaging the civil society, some of us may be called to visible tasks, such as running for national office, others to local offices – city and school board, yet others to party positions, or to campaign work. Perhaps you are called to serve behind the scenes in a food pantry, in a pregnancy center, at your local school, or to intervene in sex trafficking. If we are to seek the welfare of our communities, there is a large body of work to be done, and every task is important. Pray to God for guidance. See what passion He gives you, and then move out to engage with confidence that He will equip you for the task to which you have been called. 

Make no mistake, our nation is flying on reduced power. If we are to land safely, it will take everyone engaging to complete his or her divinely appointed task. 

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org 

Works Cited: Deace, Steve. 2022. "The Steve Deace Show. "Hennings, Chad. 2010. Rules of Engagement. New York: Faith Words.

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