The church is called to be sent out into the world, and to that end Jesus has made some of us to be apostles in order to help the church as a whole fulfil that calling. The church is called to speak prophetically to society, confronting injustice and painting an alternatively-imagined future, and to that end Jesus has made some of us to be prophets in order to help the church as a whole fulfil that calling. The church is called to proclaim good news, and to that end Jesus has made some of us to be evangelists in order to help the church as a whole fulfil that calling. The church is called to nurture the young in faith and bind up the broken-hearted, and to that end Jesus has made some of us to be pastors in order to help the church as a whole fulfil that calling. The church is called to search out and pass on wisdom that leads to life, and to that end Jesus has made some of us to be teachers in order to help the church as a whole fulfil that calling.
Jesus is the Apostle sent from heaven, the Prophet greater than Moses, the Good News of great joy, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, and the Teacher who teaches with unprecedented and unrivalled authority. Together, we share in the nature of Christ, as different parts of his body. What Jesus did as a person, we are called to do as a community. Where the Body of Christ presents Jesus to the world as shepherd and teacher, it presents a sub-biblical Jesus.
Preparing our net includes attending to the connectedness of the apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers in our context. Where do you fit in? In your church community, which knots in the net are missing, or have worked loose and need to be sewn back into the mesh?
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