5 What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to believe, as the Lord assigned to each.
6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.
7 So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.
8 The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each.
9 For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building.
10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building on it. Each builder must choose with care how to build on it.
11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ.
This seems an appropriate text to read at all installation services for pastors and other church leaders. Each has a purpose, but it is God who gives the growth, Christ who is the foudation. We are builders, this is not pure passivity, but it is not dependent on one, but on a community over time. But the non-passive ministry of the builders is undertaken for the one alone worthy of glory and honor, God in Christ.
I'm at continuing education the next few days, so have done this (albeit very brief) reflection in advance, and will resume reflections next Monday.
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