Vision is great, but execution is better. Discover the specific roles required to turn a good idea into a functioning reality.
Jeremy Haroldson continues the "Unwrapping" series by diving into the practical machinery of the body. While some gifts are about "revelation" or "power," the gifts in Romans 12 are about function and motivation.
If you have ever wondered why some people love logistics while others love the spotlight, or why some are obsessed with accuracy while others just want to "get it done," this teaching explains the wiring. Jeremy unpacks three critical archetypes—The Leader, The Server, and The Teacher—and shows how they must interlock to create momentum.
Jeremy highlights the unsung heroes of any organization: the Servers. The Greek word is Diakonia (where we get "Deacon").
"These people don't want the stage; they want the task." They are the Special Forces of logistics. When they see a need, they attack it. While the visionary is talking about the future, the Server is setting up the chairs so the future has a place to sit. Without them, the vision remains a hallucination.
What distinguishes a leader from a manager? Jeremy identifies the key ingredient found in Romans 12:8: "The one who leads, with zeal."
"If you are leading without passion, you are just taking a walk." True leadership isn't a title; it is an energy. It is the ability to cast vision with such diligence and intensity that others want to follow. Leaders are the catalytic converters of the team—they take raw potential and turn it into forward motion.
We need passion, but we also need precision. The Teacher ensures that the team isn't just running fast, but running in the right direction.
"A teacher makes the difficult simple." They take complex concepts and break them down into digestible, actionable steps. They prevent the team from drifting into error or inefficiency by grounding everything in truth and accuracy.
Jeremy emphasizes the "Body" metaphor. "For as in one body we have many members... so we, though many, are one body."
The tragedy of many teams is siloed isolation. The Leader runs ahead without the Server. The Teacher corrects without the Leader's direction. Success happens only when these roles respect and rely on each other. You are not designed to be self-sufficient; you are designed to be interdependent.
If you are a Leader, your natural tendency is to be annoyed by the Teacher ("You're too slow!") or the Server ("You're too focused on details!").
Jeremy's challenge is to flip the script. Value what you lack. Realize that the person who irritates you is actually protecting you. The detail-oriented person keeps the visionary out of jail. The visionary keeps the detail-oriented person employed. When you value the opposite gift, you build an unbreakable team.
Perfect for:
It means leading with diligence, speed, and earnestness. It is the opposite of passive or reluctant leadership. A zealous leader is proactive, not reactive. They attack problems and pursue vision with an infectious intensity that mobilizes the team.
Yes, they are often used interchangeably. It refers to the supernatural ability to identify unmet practical needs and meet them without being asked. It is the gift of "getting things done" that frees up other leaders to focus on their primary assignments.
Because it is both a function (Ephesians 4 - an office/role) and a motivation (Romans 12 - a personality wiring). Some people are "wired" to research and explain things (Romans 12) even if they never hold the official title of "Teacher" in an organization (Ephesians 4).
Key Scripture Reference: Romans 12:4-8
"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ... having gifts that differ... the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness."