One time I saw a kind of spiritual one-man band in a gathering of saints. He seemed to take the lead, give private admonitions, do most of the preaching and praying, administer the funds, write the letters and even clean the building!

A person cannot help but be impressed by the energy, abilities and creativity of such one-man bands. But it is very sad, particularly where such are operating in the sphere of God’s assembly. The glory of Christ as displayed in the functioning of His body is obscured by a solo performance. Further, that company of saints is not experiencing the truth of Scripture: “The whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying [building up] of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16).

But let us not simply blame the one-man bands for this problem. Often they are almost forced to play every instrument in sight – to take up every role –because no one else is doing anything. Let’s remember that God has placed each of us in the body according to His pleasure; and then let’s lay hold of His grace to function just where He has placed us for His pleasure.

By Grant Steidl