The Body

Well I'm currently in 1 Corinthians. I recently read chapter 12 where Paul is talking about the Holy Spirit and gifts and functions in the body. Two points I noticed:

1.) The Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.

No one can claim they have no gift. We all need to find out what it is and use it. The idea that ministry is left up to the paid professional with the four year degree is not biblical. God empowers regular people by the Spirit for the profit of the entire body. Not using your gift is (putting in harshly) disobedience.

2.) God has put apostles, prophets, and teachers (along with others) in the body.

The "teachers" interest me. Who are these people, and what are they supposed to be teaching? Obviously, they are to be teaching the truths God has set out in His Word. How important are they? I'm not so sure that we can "rank" the importance of each gift in this fashion: you're more important than him because you're a teacher and he just has the gift of helps. No, Paul actually addresses this mindset in this chapter. But he does say, "first apostles, second prophets, third teachers," meaning that these offices are critical to the health of the body. It makes me wonder if we have men and women like this. Each local church needs men and women like this.