Whose plan? God’s plan.
It is important that you recognize that this notion of learning from a person at church and then applying it in worthy-walking is from God. It is not Lane’s plan, Curtis Baptist Church’s plan, a Baptist plan, an American plan or even a protestant one. Rather, it reaches back to the prophets and the apostles, and from them to Jesus himself.
Verse 11 says, “he gave.” That he is Jesus himself. When he ascended into heaven he gave gifts to men. That is verse 8. Some of the gifts given were spiritual-life coaches teaching ways to walk worthy. I am in class and typing these entries in my role as teacher. My teaching, my writing is not a church-role but a God-role.
I work in an academic ophthalmology department at Augusta University. After the department chairman gathers us to the monthly faculty meeting, he may say, “We need a person to sit on the perioperative committee.” That is a work role, and crucial in the context of work. Things from God, though, are higher than that. The plan for evangelism and teaching, worthy-walking in gentleness, humility, and patience are God-given. Don’t forget that God’s ways are lived on earthways.
Equipping? For what?
12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, (Ephesians 4:12–ESV)
Look at this second group Paul references here. The ones being equipped are the saints. There are several groupings Paul tells us of in the earth-bound followers of Christ. Apostles, prophets, pastors, and teachers comprise one group. Those, though are equipping a second group: the saints. In some situations, people from one group will be part of another. I am a teacher, but Mark Sterling is my pastor. I equip, but I am being equipped.
The saints, the church, believers in Jesus Christ are to be involved in the world. I, as a teacher, Mark Sterling as our pastor, and others are assigned the role of equipment manager. If you are going on a winter camping trip you better be equipped with a warm sleeping bag, right? The equipment manager gives you the goods, but you are the one sleeping outside in the cold weather. We manage the store (and take care of our own trips).
The trip alluded to here is the work of ministry, “works of service”
So equipping is for works of service.
Are you, as reader, in your role as responder? A parallel question about the members of the church class is relevant. I have mine and you have yours.