Ed Stetzer on Mission

"Based on the gift they have received, everyone should use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (1 Peter 4:10-11).

This is not a polity issue, but an empowerment issue. Ordinary believers must live that out in ordinary ways:
1) All have gifts (v. 10a);

All have gifts.

Referring here to the gifting of the Holy Spirit--new life in Christ--everyone should use it...

It is a statistical reality that everyone should use their gifts, but in our churches there is a huge gap. About 40% of the people are engaged in service inside, with a much smaller percentage outside.

So, it appears that in the church most of our people are passive spectators and very few are active participants in the mission of God.

Consistently found across the board in churches: a majority of people in a majority of churches are passive spectators.

Are we driven by a consumer mentality or a co-laboring mentality?

Consumers come to churches to have their needs met.
"A manifestation of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial" (1 Cor. 12:7).

To disempower the people of God is sin. We must lead them to serve.

Do our buildings teach people to be passive spectators? Cultural formation is at work in even the architecture of our buildings.

Language also contributes to this passivity. We have "lay people" and "clergy." We adopt systems that teach people that the clergy do the work, and the lay people lay around. Clergy are ministers and lay people are objects of that ministry. The Bible rejects this. The normative pattern of believers is that they are partners in ministry. The 80/20 (twenty percent of the people doing eighty percent of the work). How do we change that?

2) God intends all to use (v. 10b);
Our ministry call is placed on us in baptism. (See baptismal liturgy.) All Christians are managers/stewards of the gifts they've been given, to be used for the benefit of others. The question is not whether the believers in your church are gifted, but whether they are using their gifts. When you do not enable the co-dependence of your congregation, they will be mad at you. The alternative, however, is a room full of knowledgable people who have no heart for mission.
3) For which He empowers us (v. 11a);
God has gifted His people--all of them--for His glory and our good. Susan Boyle is a great example of this (Who's Got Talent?). Who are those we've overlooked or marginalized? What changes must we make to honor this reality that God empowers all?
4) To bring God glory (v. 11b).
Are we robbing God of His glory by making something other than Him (ourselves, our programs, theology, doctrine, polity) our center? But what about Ephesians 4:11-13? Pastors and teachers are to "equip the saints" for the work of ministry!

Why do we not get this right? Human condition (sin), expectations ("clergy"/"laypeople"), co-dependency. Transformation is a team sport.
My question to FCC--"What are you going to do?" If all of God's people are going to engage in mission, what are you going to do?