1 Corinthians 12:4-6 King James Version

⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

1 Corinthians 12:4-6 English Standard Version

⁴ Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; ⁵ and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; ⁶ and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone.

I was raised on the KJV and more and more churches are moving away from that archaic language.

Which service do we attend? What operations are evident and available? When we first come to Christ we do not think in those terms. The one common denominator in all this is our God, our Lord and The Holy Spirit working in all of us.

How do we know which administrative service is right for us?

Given that the Lord is in charge of our lives, then the best answer to that question is to go where the Lord leads us. In order to do that, we must learn how to use our spiritual ears and eyes to know Him in a personal way to discover His will for us.

People change churches like changing hats. They change for a number of reasons but the only justifiable reason is to follow our Lord’s directions for our lives. He will lead us where He needs us, when He needs, to both serve Him and to mature as children in this large family.

None of that happens overnight. Children have a tendency to be impatient in growing up. Impatience seeks to please self rather than God.

Galatians 5:17 English Standard Version (ESV) For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

This will continue until our transfiguration.

1 John 3:1-2 English Standard Version

¹ See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. ² Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

Recently these devotionals have focused on what unbelievers need to know in order to come to Christ and to know Him. It may seem as though they have strayed away from the lost only to discover ourselves talking to each other. That is the nature of being born again into a large family.

We discover this family has an order based on maturity, gifts, purpose, and grace. It is difficult to find our place in such a large family. We seek to find out where we fit. Is it a matter of comfort? Is it a matter of seeking security? Is it a matter of discovering how and where we are needed?

Yesterday we spoke about discernment and that it is the perception of the Holy Spirit at work in others. It is this discernment that allows those that have come before us to seek out their replacements. Men and women with service gifts will most readily recognize when new disciples begin to demonstrate the traits of their own gifts.

Development in such a large family requires room to allow others to fit in where their gifts can be developed properly, training provided and a safe place to practice those gifts. Administrative planning should ensure that growth in Christ is not hindered by stagnant growth in churches within their responsibilities.

Some administrations seek to be seed churches, some administrations seek to build mega churches, some administrations seek to share resources in order to control likeminded administrations.