#14 The Importance of Interdependence



Please consider:

Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. 4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: 5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

It has been my observation throughout thirty years of counseling that there are a significant number of Christians who do not fully comprehend the profound importance of Gifts of The Spirit. There is profound supernatural power in the Gifts of the Spirit. Everyone has a Gift; however, every Christian has been awakened to their Gifts and even among those who are awakened to their Gifts there are not a great many who have cultivated those Gifts.

It has been my observation that the separate denominations tend to be what I will call "gift centric". By this I mean there are communities of giving. There are communities of mercy. There are ministries of teaching. There are ministries of healing. And there are other gatherings of Christians that tend to coalesce around a limited spectrum of Gifts of the Spirit.

This is sad. If we as a body of Christ are to function as a body, it would seem to me as though all the Gifts should be cultivated and collaborated. They should function as interdependent parts of one body. This would seem to be imperative within denominations and communities of those denominations. Absent of that interdependence, I sense that we, as a Christian community, are relatively powerless and ineffective as a body.

The cultivation and collaboration of these Gifts is essential to cultivate the Fruit of the Spirit by which we all are to be known. The epitome of that Fruit is Love.

We are not, as we are called to be, "Lights upon the hill," drawing people to us and not repelling people from us.

The question then for all of us is "What can we do to play our part to encourage the cultivation and collaboration of the Gifts to function as one powerful body of Christ"?

  • Pray about it

  • Share with a family member, friend, or neighbor

  • Do your own research

  • Share your helpful insights by emailing them to us for our comments page

  • Encourage a local discussion group

  • Encourage special classes (Spiritual Gifts, etc.)

Matthew 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Matthew 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mark 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.



The intent of CRA is:
>NOT to demean other religious perspectives but to share the rationale for a better way;
>NOT to insist but to proclaim what is perceived to be a more excellent way;
>NOT to convince but to reveal the perceived Truth and allow the Spirit of God to convict the hearts and >minds of those who are receptive;
>NOT to force feed but to share
>NOT to intimidate but to encourage;
>NOT to coerce but to invite;
>NOT to argue but to dialogue;
>NOT to divide but to unite.