"Practice Makes Perfect"

"For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; .. the word of knowledge ... faith ... gifts of healing ... the working of miracles ... prophecy ... discerning of spirits ... divers kinds of tongues ... the interpretation of tongues.

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. - 1st Corinthians 12:8-12

The Apostle Paul draws the analogy of the differing gifts of the Holy Spirit as being like different body parts and, indeed, we are different parts of Christ's body, the way he functions in the earth today.

Just as we could hardly expect a person to be a good ball player without practice, we can't honestly expect the body parts of Christ to function together without "practice", either.

This is where churches find their fulfillment. The local church must be willing to provide a safe place to "practice" without fear of rejection, otherwise it is just taking up space. As we practice we get it wrong sometimes, this is to be expected and should be allowed; a good pastor will help by coaching and encouraging. The more we practice the better we get.

Churches are not the body of Christ, believers are. Churches are to be the safe place believers practice and exercise so they become really good at it on the field.

- fritz