churches and the lack of passion and
plan to train people for ministry are not
unrelated problems. In fact—according
to the apostle Paul—one is the result
of the other. Quite simply, a failure to
equip people for ministry results in an
unhealthy church. A lack of conviction
for equipping results in an immature
body of believers.
Holy Cause and Effect
Our lives are filled with the principle of
“cause and effect.” Doctors remind us
that if we eat healthy, the effect will be
a more healthy body. Dermatologists
scold us that if we fail to use sun-
screen, the effect will be damaging
to our skin. Children are taught the
principle early in elementary school
because it is so critical to learning to
make wise choices throughout life. But
somehow many church leaders have
missed the holy cause and the glorious
effect that is clearly prescribed in
Scripture.
There is a holy cause and effect in
ministry. If we will make the training of
the saints our holy cause, the effect is
a healthy church.
A healthy church is not a perfect
church, but she is a church that is being
collectively formed more and more into
the image of Christ. Paul writes that as
the training of the saints in the work
of the ministry occurs, a church will
be growing “into a mature man with a
stature measured by Christ’s fullness.”
To assert causation is to make a major
claim. Researchers are typically very
careful when they reveal significant
research findings to say, “There is a
50 • Solutions
significant relationship between . . .”
so as not to be accused of implying
that one thing causes another. For
example, Eric has had to carefully state
“relationship” and not “causation” on
the church ministry books that have
been developed out of large research
projects. It is one thing to say, “There
is a significant relationship between
equipping believers and the health of a
church,” and quite another to say,
“Equipping people makes a church
h e a l t h y.” T h e f o r m e r s t a t e m e n t
positions “equipping believers” as
one of many things that is present
in healthy churches, as one of the
observable characteristics in a healthy
church. The latter statement boldly
claims, “If you will equip believers, you
will have a healthy church.”
We are joining the apostle Paul in
making the latter statement; to have
a healthy church, a church must equip
believers. We are not hedging. We are
not merely suggesting that equipping
people is important. We are not merely
suggesting there is a relationship
between equipping and health. We are
declaring that equipping causes health.
Equipping is the work of leadership.
Equipping must not be something that
is seen as optional, something seen
as for “other churches.” It must be a
deeply held conviction. Equipping is
not just for the mega-church “who has
resources to make that happen.” It is
not only for the new church “who can
start with that in her DNA.” It is not
solely for the church in the city “who
is filled with intellectuals who expect
that.” It is not merely for the rural
church “who is filled with people who