Letters to the Church by Francis Chan
Week 7: Chapter 6 — "Ordered"
Read Chapter 6 of Letters to the Church. Primary passages: 1 Corinthians 12:12–27; Ephesians 4:11–16; Romans 12:4–8.
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Chan examines the God-given structure of the Church — not as a hierarchy of power but as a body where every part has a role, and the whole suffers when any part is passive or missing. These questions help you find your place in the body.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Chan uses the body metaphor of 1 Corinthians 12 to argue that the Church's structure is not a human invention but a divine design. What is the main point of Paul's body metaphor, and why does Chan think the modern church has largely failed to embody it?
2.He challenges the model where a small number of gifted communicators carry virtually all the spiritual weight for a congregation of passive attenders. What does Ephesians 4:11–16 suggest about the intended purpose of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers — and how does that differ from the way those roles typically function?
3.Chan argues that one of the greatest losses in modern church structure is the suppression of every-member ministry — the idea that every believer has a Spirit-given contribution that the body genuinely needs. Do you know what your spiritual gifts are? Are you currently exercising them in a meaningful way?
a.If you are not sure what your gifts are, what steps could you take to discover and develop them?
b.What has prevented you from fully deploying your gifts in your current church context?
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