Membership in the body of Christ is more about having an active 'role' IN the church than having your name on the 'roll' OF the church.

"For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1Corinthians 12:13).

The baptism of the Spirit brings us to a well that never runs dry - the fountain of living water - the indwelling life of Christ. By virtue of one trusting in the redemptive act of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross we can ask to receive ('be filled with' or 'baptized in') the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit fully integrates us into the corporate body of Christ by giving us 'gifts' that enable us to manifest His life and power where we live, where we work, and where we play. In other words, Christ is able to do His work through us. It is not an imitation of His work, but actually His work, as He inspires, empowers, and lives His life through us, by the Holy Spirit.

1Corinthians 12 teaches us that each member of the body of Christ is able to manifest a particularly needed gift that will benefit the whole community.

Whereas the First Reformation had to do with the restoration of the authority of Scripture and its central message of salvation by grace through faith alone, the church is presently undergoing a much-needed Second Reformation -- the restoration of the universal priesthood of believers.

Martin Luther preached the universal priesthood of believers during the First Reformation. The ecclesiastical structure that separated clergy and laity prevented it from being truly realized. Indeed, Christ grants distinctive gifts for church leadership, with corresponding measures of faith, power and rule. But this is never to prevent other believers from fulfilling their calling.

Today churches still limit the expression of the fullness of Christ by not helping their members discover and utilize their spiritual gift. The church is the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. The New Testament Greek word for 'fellowship' is 'koinonia' and has been commonly found on ancient marriage certificates. It signifies a 'joint participation'; a mutual interdependence in all things. 'Koinonia' could describe a business venture in which the fortunes of joint-partners rise or fall together, or of Siamese twins who share the same bloodstream. The life of the church is the life of the Holy Spirit ministering Christ through each member.

Imagine a community where Christ's life is manifestly expressed through each member, where His Name is honored and the Holy Spirit fully employs every member to use their gifts! There would be greater joy, appropriate job commitments and energized service. There would be balanced ministry without burnout. There would be exuberant worship, effective outreach and ongoing discipleship. It would be enough to wake the dead, don't you think?