Equipped for this.

A call to worship.

Themes

Unity • Maturity• Fullness of Christ • Transformation of character • Uniformity • Spiritual growth • Beyond elementary teachings • Embodiment of the gospel • Obedience • Holy Spirit’s indwelling work • Participation in Christ • Union with Christ • Intimacy with the Father • Local church vocation • Manifestation of Jesus in the world

We can and will manifest the life of Jesus and the ministry of Jesus in the world, as if He Himself were here, as if his very own incarnation were right here, right now.

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Scripture reading

Ephesians 4:11–13

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This call to worship¹ invites you—and the local body of Christ that you belong to—to grow up together, through service, Scripture, the table, and prayer until Christ’s own life fills your life, not so we all look like sameness, but so that Jesus is made visible among us.

Christ Himself 
gave the apostles, 
the prophets, 
the evangelists, 
the pastors and teachers, 
to equip His people for works of service, 
so that the body of Christ may be built up 
until we all reach unity 
in the faith 
and unity 
in the knowledge of the Son of God 
and become mature, 
attaining to the whole measure 
of the fullness of Christ.

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Prayer

Unconditionally loving, 
radically graceful, 
infinitely creative, 
Father in heaven, 
You have equipped us
with everything we need 
for the works of service 
that You have prepared for us to do.

So that through these works of service, 
we would come to experience 
a profound unity among ourselves — 
a unity grounded not in uniformity, 
but in a shared commitment to Jesus Christ 
and to His teachings.

So that through these works of service, 
we would come to experience 
a profound unity among ourselves — 
a unity grounded not in uniformity, 
but in an ever-deepening shared experience of Him — 
an experience that gives us an intimate understanding 
of His nature 
and His purpose 
and His work. 

And together, 
as we share in all of that, 
we would each become increasingly more transformed 
into His very character. 
And all of us together 
would become transformed in a way 
that is profoundly obvious 
by our unity 
and our maturity. 

Father, 
it seems to be Your intention 
that we mature together, 
that we mature spiritually together, 
that we move beyond elementary teachings 
and together move into a far deeper understanding of the gospel
and a far greater embodiment of the gospel, 
so much so, 
that we actually attain 
to the whole measure 
of the fullness of Christ — 
that we are so filled with the presence 
and the power 
and the attributes of Christ, 
that when others experience us, 
they experience all of Him, 
they experience His love, 
His humility, 
His service, 
His obedience to You. 

Through Your Holy Spirit, 
who is in us 
and who is working in us 
and who is wrestling with us 
and re-shaping us 
and re-forming us, 
in all of that, 
we are participating 
in the very same life 
that Christ Himself has — 
a life of intimacy 
with You, Father. 
And we are participating 
in that same life 
and attaining to the same fullness of it that He has 
and that He experiences. 
And in just such a life of profound intimacy with You, 
we cannot help but become 
more 
and more 
and more 
conformed to the image of Christ. 

And together, 
all of us here together —
in this local little church, 
where Christ is the head, 
and we His body — 
this little church can 
and will 
manifest the life of Jesus 
and the ministry of Jesus 
in the world, 
as if He Himself were here — 
as if His very own incarnation 
were here, 
right here where we are.

It is within this community of believers, Father, 
that You enable us as individuals to grow 
and to be nurtured 
into the fullness of Christ, 
through our worship together 
and through our breaking of the bread together 
and through our fellowship together 
and through our engagement with Scripture together 
and through our prayers together. 
It all works together, 
through Your Spirit,
to facilitate our experience 
of participation in Christ — 
our experience 
of a closer 
and closer 
union 
with Christ. 

In the name of Jesus Christ, 
who has called us, 
who has justified us, 
who has sanctified us, 
and who has united us,
Amen

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1. This call to worship was given to the small assembly of Christians who gathered at Pathway Church in Beaverdam, Michigan, on Sunday, February 18, 2024.