THE AGE OF SPECIALIZATION

August 22, 2024

For better or for worse, you and I live in an age of specialization.

Many people have observed the scarcity of the General Practitioner in medicine. More common than a GP today is an endocrinologist, gastroenterologist, maxillofacial surgeon, or an OB-GYN. And, given the complex systems that our bodies are, I’m grateful for the specialist.

Today’s cars call for a similar degree of particular skills. Transmission repairmen don’t have the same skill set as brake specialists. Brake guys may have no expertise when it comes to body repair. And working on an EV requires an entirely different skill set than repairing a gas or hybrid model.

Specialization is good and necessary in our world… and specialization has always been a part of the way the work of God moves forward.

The Apostle Paul described the community of faith in terms of a body where all the body’s parts are different, but necessary. In that extended metaphor (1 Corinthians 12), he made two points.

One, no body part can consider other body parts unnecessary. Two, no body part can consider its own contribution to the body superfluous. And as it is in the human body, so it is in the work of God in the world.

Different members of any church have different ministry skills and passions. God has uniquely gifted each believer in Jesus. All contribute to the proper functioning of the whole. All contribute to the impact for good that the church can make.

At our church, people serve in at least a couple dozen different ministry specialties. These ministry specialists serve the range of people from infant to adult, they serve both men and women, and they serve the church and the world outside the church.

This diverse specialization is a wonderful part of God’s plan for His work. None of us can consider others unnecessary. Nor can any of us consider our own contributions superfluous.

All are necessary. All are valued. Everyone can uniquely serve as they are uniquely gifted by God to serve in specialized ways.

I offer two ways to put this thought to work.

First, Paul’s picture of God’s multi-faceted work in the world as a multi-membered human body frees you to get all wrapped up in your specialized ministry, whatever it might be.

When he was writing to his protégé, Timothy, he gave advice that fits every ministry specialist.

He told Timothy to not neglect his ministry of teaching and giving pastoral oversight to the church. He wrote, [1 Timothy 4:15] Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.

If that was Paul’s instruction to a pastor-teacher, wouldn’t he say the same thing to a member of a church’s Praise Team, to a Deacon, to the one who promotes Missions at a church, to someone who serves in an ESL program, and to the one who shines as a bright light for Jesus at school? Sure he would!

I’d bet that the apostle would tell a church’s small group leaders, Christians who serve the least / last / lost in the broader community, those who teach children (at church, at home or in a formal classroom), and those who show hospitality to their neighbors in Jesus’ Name to “be absorbed” in their Jesus-centered, specialized service.

Second, Paul’s body imagery (1 Corinthians 12) also frees us up to cheer others on in their own specialized service for Jesus.

Your ministry is not my ministry. My ministry is not your ministry. I am not absorbed in the ministry you are absorbed in, nor are you absorbed in mine.

But I can pray that your ministry thrives, that you find refreshment and energy and joy by your service. I can encourage you in  your service and offer you the gift of affirmation for what you are doing for good in Jesus’ Name.

I have my specialized ministry. So do you – and to God be the glory!

What a beautiful picture. The work of God moving forward as each Christian is absorbed in his or her own ministry. A church taking next steps with Jesus as each of us serves as chief cheerleader to others who are absorbed in their own ministry specialty.

Yours…His,

Dave