The Minister’s Relation to Christ’s Body*
Douglas Kuiper examines the minister's threefold relation to the church as Christ's body, grounding his analysis in Romans 12 and Ephesians 4. Drawing from the metaphor of the body with its unity, diversity, and spontaneous functioning, Kuiper demonstrates that ministers are first and foremost members of the body alongside their pastoral office, establishing a theological foundation for understanding ministerial roles and responsibilities. This article helpfully clarifies the minister's place within the broader communion of saints and the church's organic structure.
Romans 12 and Ephesians 4 are two of several New Testament passages that speak of the church as Christ's spiritual body. This beautiful figure suggests that: - The church is numerically one. A body is only one entity. So Jesus Christ died to save, and now indwells by His Spirit, one church. - The church is inwardly united. The body's many parts work together for the good of the whole. So the church's members serve each other. - The body is diverse. Each member has different gifts; if each...
Full article available on sb.rfpa.org