Month two really exemplified to me the way the Body of Christ is structured. It was evident not only in my team, where each person has strengths that balance others weaknesses, but also in our ministry contacts. We didn't leave the city of Pretoria our whole time in South Africa. Both of our ministry partners worked within the same city, met similar needs of the community. They both provided child care of some sort and skills training for community members. Beam Africa and PopUp both were motivated by the same heart to positively impact their community.
There is one body, but many parts. We are all part of one body. Its crazy to think about how God has placed us where we are to live life and positively impact our communities. He strategically placed us where we are for a reason, since nothing happens by chance.
We were in Pretoria for the whole two months and saw the diversity that is encompassed within its borders. It was one city but many needs, many ministry opportunities and I believe a diverse body of Christ to meet those needs.
1 Corinthians 12:12 – The body is a unit, though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into obey body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were a given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. Verse 27 continues, Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Eph 4:4 There is one body and one Spirit – just as you were called to one hoped when you were called – one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
The Body of Christ is not only local, but also global. I can honestly say that I feel at home anywhere because of this perspective e of the global body of Christ. We have the same Father who is over all. Let's just think about that for a second. If we truly believe what Ephesians says as truth, then we are never really far from home or far from family. To top it off, we have a Father that will never leave us or forsake us. We are never out of His reach. He always sees us. He knows the depths of our hearts. He knows us intimately! It's a pretty sweet deal!
