All of my people, all the time...

“What God has ordained for his church is both wonderful and sobering.  It is wonderful because he is a jealous and determined God.  His work in his people will not fail, but will continue until it is completed.  It is sobering because this works follows ‘an all of my people, all the time’ model.  Many of us would be relieved if God had placed our sanctification in the hands of trained and paid professions, but that simply is not the biblical model.  God’s plan is that through the faithful ministry of every part, the whole body will grow into full maturity in Christ.  The leaders of his church have been gifted, positioned, and appointed to train and mobilize the people of God for this ‘every person, every day ministry’ lifestyle.  The paradigm is simple: when God calls you to himself, he also calls you to be a servant, an instrument in his redeeming hands.  All of his children are called into ministry, and each of them needs the daily intervention this ministry provides.”Paul Tripp