If we interpret this text broadly, a \u201ctalent\u201d could mean an ability God has given someone or a Spiritual gift he has bestowed upon an individual. In this context, though, a “talent” represented a monetary value. God gives different people different amounts of wealth\u2014all of which come from his hand. We are God\u2019s servants, and what he gives to us, he entrusts to us. That means, what we have is not even ours in the first place. Our wealth is not our wealth. Our talents are not our talents. Our gifts are not our gifts. All these things are God\u2019s; he has entrusted us with them. Ask yourself this question: How am I stewarding the gifting, resources, and influence God has graciously given me?\u00a0Further, How is my church stewarding the gifting, resources, and influence God has graciously given us?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, a steward can be defined like this: A steward is someone entrusted with another\u2019s wealth or property and responsible for managing it in the owner\u2019s best interest. The goal of a steward is faithfulness. We must be found trustworthy. Going back to Matthew 25, one person is given five talents, another is given two, and another is given only one. The people that wisely stewarded the five talents and two talents were affirmed and their faithfulness was celebrated, honored, and rewarded. They were the recipients of these words:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.\u201d (Matthew 25:21)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n But, the person given only one talent, who did nothing with it, was rebuked. He didn\u2019t steward what he was entrusted with well. This person\u2019s talent, gift, and influence were taken away, and a harsh and severe judgment awaited him.\u00a0This is how seriously God takes stewardship. We, too, will stand before God and give an account of our lives. We will be asked, “Have you been faithful?” and “Have you been a trustworthy steward of your family, intellect, talent, skills, and finances?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n From a corporate standpoint, a faithful church doesn\u2019t just spend money, time, and influence on themselves. This is not a \u201cwell done good and faithful church\u201d mindset. Instead, a faithful church commits to advancing the Kingdom by using the gifts, resources, and influence God has graciously given her to strengthen the big “C” Church. How do we do this?<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, we strengthen the Church through our giving. When we give, needs are met\u2014plain and simple. Our giving honors the Lord as it helps us break the back of greed in our own life and demonstrates our trust in God’s provision. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, we strengthen the Church through our service. Yes, your local church is strengthened when you serve, but so is the universal Church. Whenever we serve and use the spiritual gifts God has given us, we make the Church stronger too. Paul wrote about this in Ephesians 4:11-12. He writes, \u201cAnd he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.\u201d We build up the body and strengthen the body when we use our spiritual gifts to serve the body. If you are not using your spiritual gifts to strengthen the Church, you are missing a large part of what God has designed for your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Third, we strengthen the church through our going. I\u2019m talking specifically about going on mission trips. When we go locally, nationally, and internationally on mission trips, we go for the express purpose of helping a pastor and\/or a local church, and what does this do? It strengthens the Church. I realize not everyone can go across the sea, and some may not be able to leave their house. You can pray, though, and your prayers make an eternal difference. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you keep your focus on these things\u2014on giving, serving, and going\u2014you will hear the words we all want to hear one day, \u201cWell done thy good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You don\u2019t build the Church. Jesus does. Jesus said in Matthew 16, \u201cI will build my Church.\u201d The church belongs to Jesus, who ensures its building. The gates of hell will not prevail against the Church because it belongs to Christ. We, the people of God, don\u2019t build anything when it comes to the universal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":516,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"\n Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I remember the first time I stood up to teach the Bible to a group of women in my local church. I was terrified. Yes, I studied the passage diligently and spent hours preparing pages of notes, but I wasn\u2019t sure if my preparation was effective. Is my teaching structured well? Will the women be interested or learn anything new? Have I interpreted this passage correctly?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Many women who are asked to teach a Sunday School class, speak at a Bible study, or lead a small group experience similar fears. They often have little or no training specific to teaching Scripture and feel unequipped and insecure in their preparation. Even so, the abundance of resources available on the subject of teaching Scripture can be paralyzing for a new Bible teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why we need books like Empowered and Equipped: Bible Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures<\/em><\/a>. Julia Higgins, assistant professor of ministry to women at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, seeks to provide women with the tools they need to faithfully and effectively teach the Word of God to other women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJesus commissioned disciples to teach the nations, and women of the church must take his call seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Men and women alike are given the spiritual gift of teaching, yet few resources are designed specifically for women who exposit the Scriptures. In Empowered and Equipped<\/em>, Julia Higgins steers women through the steps needed to faithfully interpret, apply, and teach a passage of Scripture. By examining both the principles and practices of teaching of Bible exposition, Higgins seeks to prepare women in the local church to make and mold disciples.<\/p>\n\n\n\n B&H Academic. 224 pp. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First we must ask, Is a book that encourages and equips women to teach Scripture necessary or even appropriate? There\u2019s much discussion today about whether the Bible permits women to teach at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In an effort to submit to Scripture\u2019s teaching, many have unfortunately moved beyond what God\u2019s Word prescribes to impose unbiblical restrictions on women. To argue that women shouldn\u2019t teach Scripture in any formal setting misunderstands God\u2019s design for discipleship. Higgins argues that all followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Furthermore, as Higgins explains, \u201cSome may conflate the spiritual gift of teaching with the office of pastor\/elder and draw a false conclusion that only men are to exercise the gift of teaching. While qualified men are responsible to teach and oversee the local church, that does not negate the fact that both men and women are given the spiritual gift of teaching.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n All followers of Christ, including women, are included in the Great Commission and its call to teach other disciples everything Christ commanded.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Spiritual gifts, including the gift of teaching, are given for the common good (1 Cor. 12:7<\/a>) and for building up the church (1 Cor. 14:12<\/a>). It follows that women are not only permitted to teach in appropriate settings but are needed for the growth and maturity of the body of Christ. This pattern is exemplified in the women in Scripture who are called to teach and commended for their teaching ministries, many of which Higgins references.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In light of the biblical call for women to teach, Higgins writes,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The end of the matter is this: women should be given a context where they can teach the Word in the local church. Why? Because Christ\u2019s church will grow and others will be discipled in the faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her book, therefore, provides \u201ca pathway for women to exercise teaching gifts in the local church,\u201d and specifically focuses on training women to teach women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins provides an accessible yet substantial foundation for teaching Scripture. She incorporates principles and strategies from some of the most highly respected Bible teachers of our day, giving readers a well-rounded introduction to teaching Scripture without information overload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Higgins has a high view of God\u2019s Word and a Christ-centered approach that highlights the overarching storyline of the Bible. Readers will gain essential tools for expository teaching, learning to base the central teaching focus, supporting points, and application on the main point and structure of the text itself. Higgins even encourages this kind of verse-by-verse teaching for topical messages, so that the teacher is always communicating the text\u2019s intended purpose rather than taking passages out of context as proof texts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Empowered and Equipped<\/em> walks teachers through the process of creating a Bible exposition, from understanding the nature of Scripture all the way to writing an expositional outline. Higgins covers a wide range of content from theoretical to practical, including information on biblical genres, basic doctrinal issues, and hermeneutics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She spends a large portion of the book giving instruction on studying the Bible inductively, including specific strategies for observation, interpretation, generalization, and application and for how that study translates into instruction. The scope of the book makes it suitable for beginners\u2014although they may want to work through it more slowly\u2014as well as for those who have been studying and teaching Scripture for some time but are looking for a process to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Empowered and Equipped<\/em> covers an impressive amount of ground in a surprisingly manageable page count, readers may leave with unanswered questions. For example, the book includes almost no discussion of incorporating meaningful illustrations or transitions. On other topics, such as the discussion of genre or the overview of theological doctrines, Higgins gives only brief introductions. Anything more, however, would make the book overwhelmingly dense, and readers can continue to explore these topics in more depth as they see fit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u201cfemale-friendly\u201d topics stereotypical of women\u2019s conferences or retreats but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The church needs gifted women who not only speak on a short list of \u2018female-friendly\u2019 topics but who teach the whole counsel of God for the good of the body.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Higgins appeals, \u201cThis call for women to be teachers of the Word arises from a place of care and concern for over half of the body, so that the church might grow in love for God and his Word, passing it along to others, so that they too might go and make disciples of all nations to the end that Christ\u2019s commands are observed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n As this book makes its way into the hands of more and more women who treasure the Bible and long to see it elevated and proclaimed, I pray the church will be edified and God\u2019s glory made known. I pray the teachers it equips will grow in their love for Christ even as the women they teach develop new excitement for God\u2019s Word. I pray that instead of feeling insecure and unprepared, women will be empowered and equipped to teach the Scriptures.<\/p>\n","_et_gb_content_width":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[35],"class_list":["post-310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church-life","tag-sermon","et-has-post-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nGive, Serve, Go<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nEmpowered and Equipped: Biblical Exposition for Women Who Teach the Scriptures <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Should Women Teach the Bible?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Helpful Foundation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Empowered and Equipped to Teach God\u2019s Word<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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