For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 (New Living Translation)
We know that everything God created is good. We, as humans, are not the exception; we are called God’s masterpiece; this word is the Greek word poíēma; meaning “Something made, a work, workpiece, workmanship. It denotes the result of work, what is produced…”[1]
None of us are accidents, and none of us are useless. God created us to do good things. We have unmeasurable value; Jesus tells us in Matthew 16:26, “And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (NLT) The value of all the money and property in the world falls short of the value of our souls. However, one of the devil’s strategies is to devalue us.
The devil’s favorite strategy is to attack our identity and establish social classes, political powers, influence, fame, etc. We called some “the powerful” and some “the little man.” We place some in high societies while others are in the poor class. Some run the world, and some follow. Some set the rules we are called to live by; if we don’t, we will pay the consequences.
For example, I live in a community where we pay for the Homeowners Association (HOA). Supposedly, it is an excellent way to keep our neighborhood nice and clean. They tell you how many trees they want in your front yard and what kind, how many plants, and even what colors are acceptable for you to paint your house. Who decides that? Surely not me; I’m not too fond of the colors we are given to choose from. I am from the Caribbean; I like bright colors and variety. But, if I don’t submit to the rules, I will be penalized, and I can even lose my own house. Somebody, somewhere, has the power to devalue my preferences and impose theirs.
The same happens in our churches around this country and perhaps worldwide. A denomination, a pastor, or the elders decide the acceptable music style and the style of preaching and teaching. They call the pastor’s wife “The First Lady.” Why? My wife is my first lady! The pastor runs the show and decides what to teach. They divide us between ordained ministers and lay ministers.
There was a time when our churches were segregated to the extreme. Billy Graham said, “Eleven O’clock on Sunday mornings is the most racially segregated hour of the week.” Well, we have made a lot of improvements since our slavery days; anybody, no matter the race, can go to churches that do not represent their culture. However, we are still dealing with a group of people in charge of determining the order of service, the style of music, the doctrinal preferences, and so on. We exalt some and devalue others.
If we are God’s masterpiece and if He created us with a plan in mind, you would think that it would be the passion of church leaders to help people discover what that plan is, but not really. We join churches to serve the vision of whomever the pastor is, and we will be allowed to be used by God in the framework of that one vision. Again, we devalue people’s uniqueness and calls. Beloved, Jesus told the original disciples, “… Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of people.” Matthew 4:19 (New American Standard Bible): As He encouraged them to follow Him, He promised to invest in them so that God could use them.
Jesus goes as far as saying, “Truly, truly I say to you, the one who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 (NASB) We have teachers, prophets, pastors, etc., sitting in our congregations Sunday after Sunday, and they are lucky if they ever use their gifts, but they will be called upon on cleaning day… for sure. I have nothing against manual labor work, but where is the passion for truly making disciples and equipping them for the work of ministry, for what they are called to do? The Apostle Paul tells us,
And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; 13 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 (NASB)
But the church has become a one-man show, no different from the world. We still divide people. We devalue people, who they are, what they represent, their gifts, their callings, their uniqueness. So, we invite the talented black man in our congregation to play drums in the church, but the church is white and stuck in Elevation, Hill Songs, etc., styles of music. That black man was invited; the church is not racist, but is he able to truly express the uniqueness of how God created him as a musician? No, he will probably be bored… he will probably feel devalued. “We don’t play like that here!” The worship leader may say.
As a young Christian, I was told that Congas were of the devil. A white woman, the wife of the pastor, attempted to say to me that the only style acceptable in music was kind of a country style they called southern gospel. As a young Christian, I passionately rejected both views, but a couple of decades later, it still happens today.
A pastor invited me to preach in his church but told me to start my sermon with a joke because that’s what he does. I told him, “Absolutely no; I can be funny sometimes, but that is not my style.” Another pastor told me about his preference for music as I was leading worship; he wanted to return to his style, which made him feel comfortable. The list goes on and on of all the devalued examples in our churches. The problem is that we go after styles and, in the process, throw out the anointing of God or any flow of the Holy Ghost. And don’t let the Senior pastor acquire degrees in theology because then there is no hope of any correction; they now know it all then!
I have nothing against seminaries, but many of them ignore the Holy Ghost; they become intellectual and sophisticated… a form of Godliness, while ignoring the power of God (2 Timothy 3:5-7). Their higher learning is now used to elevate themselves and devalue the very people they are called to serve.
When you speak of these things, get ready… You will be accused of being unteachable, rebellious, and refusing to submit to church leadership. I have been there; I have a couple of T-shirts.
Beloved, we are responsible for using our gifts and talents before God. In Matthew 25:14-30, we read about the parable of the talents. One of the three men did not use his talents, and this is what Jesus said of him,
“So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:28-30 (ESV)
Many people lack joy in the Body of Christ; part of that is that they are not entering the joy of the Master (Matthew 25). That joy comes, in part, when God uses us, and we are firsthand witnesses of His power to transform lives. If you need help with this or guidance, I am here for you… Wonderfully Med is here for you! Call me to gather through our ministry if you are in the Phoenix area. If churches have damaged you, set up an appointment for counseling, and let’s start the healing process through Christian counseling. God is about to do something amazing with you.
Don’t let anybody devalue you, and don’t let anybody hold you back from using your gifts. Don’t let jealous, selfish, and insecure pastors get in the way of your call and election. It is your responsibility to use your gifts and talents for the glory of God and the service of His people. The church was not designed to be what it is today. The church is intended to be a place where we can use our gifts freely in our gatherings. Paul gives us the order of service in First Corinthians 14:26,
What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. (NIV)
This is the actual modus operandi of our gatherings, not this Constantine way of service that promotes the elevation of some over others and restricts the flow of the gifts of the Spirit. I am giving you the Word of God, not some church constitution or bylaws. Do you have a song in your heart? Sing it! Do you have new melodies and rhythms? Play it and play it loud? Do you have a message, a word, a revelation, or a lesson? Let us hear it! You are special… God made you special; you are a masterpiece, and you were born for this… don’t let anybody devalue you… don’t let anybody get in the way of your call.
[1] Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000).
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