Varieties of service

These next two words are a bit harder to understand. The Greek word here is diaconia from which our word deacon comes. I think a good translation would be ministries or service. In this word Paul is referring to the particular sphere in which our gift is to be exercised. Pay attention to this because you will find this helpful.

Let us take a look at one gift. You come with that one gift, but Paul says there are varieties of service, of spheres, in which that one gift can be used. Let me give you an example. We have discussed the gift of teaching; that is one of the charismata or the gifts. Regarding that gift Paul now says there are varieties of diaconia, which means varieties of ministries or service. I think we can see what he means: one person will use their gift of teaching from the pulpit; another Christian will use the same gift in the Sunday school. They have all got the same gift—the gift of teaching—but there are varieties of service; there are different spheres in which the gift can be used. The gift of teaching can be used in a women’s group, in a mid‑week meeting, in teaching one’s own children at home, or while sitting down one‑on‑one, opening the Bible and explaining the gospel. So, there is a whole range of different spheres or services in which the one gift can be realised. The Holy Spirit not only gives us the gift, but he leads us to the particular service; he leads us to the particular sphere in which the gift is to be exercised.

Another good illustration is ministers and congregations. God gives ministers to the church. They have all got the same gift to a greater or lesser extent, but there are varieties of service. There are different spheres—we call them congregations—in which ministers use their gifts. So, the Spirit gives the gift. And he also provides for every Christian a diaconia, a sphere, or perhaps several spheres in which this gift is to be exercised.

These gifts used in the church may be official or non-official. Again, this is important. In other words, you do not have to be in a church office to use your gift. You do not have to be an elder, deacon, or Sunday school teacher. The gifts are used both in the offices of the church (the stated offices) and outside.

Take for example that gifted man Apollos. In Acts 18:26 we read, Priscilla and Aquila took him and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Here is a gifted teacher who is inadequately informed about the work of Christ and the Holy Spirit. Therefore, these fine Christians, Priscilla and Aquila, took him to their home and they sat down in informal fellowship and taught Apollos. You may not agree with me, but it is very striking to me that Priscilla is listed first here as she is in several places. It is very possible that Priscilla was more intelligent than her husband. It is possible that Priscilla had a better grasp of the Scriptures than her husband. There are many wives that have a better understanding of the Word of God than their husbands. It is very possible that, in the informal non‑structured setting, Priscilla contributed quite as much to Apollos’ understanding as Aquilla. It is important to note however, that we are not talking about preaching or authoritative teaching; we are talking about fellowship and sharing. She was not a teacher; she was not a preacher; she did not have an office; she was not ordained. But she was using her gift to teach. There is no limit in that sense. As long as the woman is not taking an authority structure she is meant to use her gifts. Again, you have got Tabitha (or Dorcas) who was full of good works and acts of charity (Acts 9:36). Did Tabitha hold a church office? I think that is very unlikely, and it is irrelevant. She was led by the Spirit to her varieties of service.

We can go even further. Often these services or ministries are not found in the formal church structure at all; they are out in the wider world—the world in which we live, work, and meet people. Here there is an endless variety of opportunities for us to use our gifts. On the factory floor, in the staff room, in the office, talking over the hedge, in the street—wherever we meet with people—we are giving services. Diakonia: spheres in which we can use our gifts for God. That is the calling of the people of God: to go out into the world and to use your gifts for God in all its spheres. Your workplace is a diaconia; that is a sphere of service. Your neighbourhood, your family circle, your circumstances are all spheres of service. There are different spheres of service. Wherever God’s people come into contact with human need, there is a sphere of service. That is a thrilling and a liberating idea.

It means that the church must not multiply church ministries just to give people something to do. That is a mistake the church sometimes makes. They develop a full range of programs so that people are coming to church five nights a week and are involved in this, that, and the other. But the work of the church is you being out in the world and using your spiritual gifts in the spheres that God opens up for you. Think how much better that is! You should fan out from your home right into a hundred different situations and there you are working for God.

We must also be careful not to restrict this service. I have said the church should not multiply their ministries just for the sake of giving people something to do. But we also must not evaluate people purely on what they contribute to the church in a stated regular way. Now, you should be committed to your church. You should be serving God in the church. There are things that we have to do as a church, and if you do not help those things cannot be done. If you do not come to help, the work is going to take an awful lot longer for the people who do turn up.¹

Edward Donnelly