Ephesians 4:7-16 - Gifted Leaders Bring The Church To Maturity

⁷ But to every one of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. ⁸ Wherefore he saith, Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.

⁹ (Now that he ascended, what is it, but that he also descended first to the lower parts of the earth? ¹⁰ He that descended is the same that ascended also, far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) ¹¹ And he gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers; ¹² For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, to the edifying the body of Christ; ¹³ Till we all come to the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: ¹⁴ That we may be no longer children, fluctuating to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the slight of men, by cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive: ¹⁵ But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ: ¹⁶ From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted, by that which every joint supplieth according to the effectual working in the measure of every member, maketh increase of the body, to the edifying of itself in love.