Today I want to go through a story about a fictitious, company, but with real-world events.
At Acme Solutions, growth had stalled, projects dragged on. Compliance audits revealed gaps, and customers began losing confidence. The leadership team realized the root cause was a lack of deep expertise. Decisions were slow, errors were costly, and innovations was nowhere in sight. One day, the CEO posed a question, “What if we invest in knowledge instead of patching problems?” The answer came in the form of Subject Matter Experts, SMEs.
Acme hired and developed SMEs across critical domains: finance, technology, compliance, and operations. These experts didn’t just solve problems. They transformed the company. Processes became leaner, compliance risk vanished, and new product ideas flowed like never before. Teams learned faster, customers trusted more, and the company regained its competitive edge. The results spoke for themselves. Lower costs, faster launches, and a culture of innovation. What once seemed like an expense became the smartest investment Acme ever made. The lesson: Subject Matter Experts aren’t optional. They are the backbone for success.
So how does this story of Acme Solutions relate to the Church? The answer is clear. God calls each of us to become Spiritual Subject Matter Experts, subject matter experts in His word and His way of life. Through His Holy Spirit, we are trained and developed to bear the fruit of the Spirit, to grow in grace and knowledge, and to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. This preparation equips us to serve as kings and priests in His kingdom, fully competent in love, humility, and righteousness. The results speak for themselves, abundant life, spiritual health, and a culture of agape love. What once seems like a fractured and hopeless existence becomes the greatest investment we could ever make: our transformation into God’s family.
The lesson: Spiritual Subject Matter Experts aren’t optional; they are the backbone of God’s kingdom to come. Today we will explore why spiritual maturity and unity in Christ’s body depends on becoming experts in God’s laws and in obedience, acknowledging Christ as the head of the church, and aligning our lives with His will.
Ephesians 4 informs us about the different positions in the church and God’s purpose for them : “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of [service], for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—from whom 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 of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:11-16).
Now for the five points I want to discuss:
- The Problem.
We need to know that Christ is the head of the church. So we cannot have a lack of spiritual understanding: “And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Colossians 1:18). Without having the spiritual knowledge, we cannot go further to becoming experts.
When we fail to let Christ be the head of the church, the results are inevitable. Divisions arise, congregations splinter, and the faith becomes weakened. Human solutions, no matter how well-intentioned, can never replace divine wisdom and guidance. Only by submitting fully to Christ, can true leadership, unity and spiritual strength be restored.
- God’s solution.
God does have a solution for us. God calls us to become experts in His truth. We are called and trained: “For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:12-14).
God calls us to transformation urging us in Romans 12:2 to “… not be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, so that we may discern His perfect will.” This renewal is not merely intellectual; it is a spiritual change that shapes our character to reflect Christ.
Revelation 1:6 reminds us of our ultimate purpose: “He has made us kings and priests, unto God”, a royal and holy calling that demands preparation and obedience. When we align our lives with His word, we move away from carnal practices to God’s principles, living as ambassadors of His truth. Through this transformation, we fulfill our destiny as part of God’s family, equipped to serve in His eternal kingdom.
- What does it mean to be a spiritual SME?
You must have competence in the fruit of the Spirit: “…the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).
Ask yourself if you are a person that exemplifies these traits? Am I that person? We are to diligently study His word so that we may present our lives approved unto God. Workers who have no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. This commitment to study is not just about knowledge. It shapes our mindset and our actions. Our mindset is part of our armor. So, we need to have the mindset of God on a daily basis.
Paul states in Philippians 2:5: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” urging us to adopt humility and obedience. When we combine disciplined study with Christ-like thinking, we grow in spiritual maturity and reflect His character in all that we do. Through this process, we become faithful servants equipped to handle God’s truth and to live in harmony with His will.
- What are the benefits of it?
As we grow into Spiritual Subject Matter Experts, the benefits are profound and life-changing. Our spiritual health flourishes as we align our lives with God’s will, enabling us to avoid sin and deception through discernment rooted in His word. We must be anchored in God’s way in order to shun the deception and sin. This mastery leads to continued spiritual growth and equips us for meaningful service in the body of Christ. We become a Knowledge Transfer Center: Teaching, encouraging, and sharpening one another just as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). Most importantly, this journey humbles us, breaking down ego and fostering trust and unity among brethren, creating a strong Christ-centered family.
- What is the eternal impact?
It is a relationship with God. Jesus declared in John 10:10 His desire for us to experience fullness and joy in Him. This abundant life begins now through faith and obedience, but it also points to an eternal promise.
In Matthew 25:34, Christ says, “Come, who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of this world,” thus assuring us of our future reward. Together, these scriptures show that Christ’s mission is both present and eternal, giving us spiritual richness today and a glorious inheritance tomorrow. When we walk in His ways, we embrace abundant life now and are preparing for the kingdom to come.
So, just as Subject Matter Experts are essential for business success, becoming experts in God’s ways of life is essential for our eternal success. The greatest investment we could ever make is in God’s truth by studying His word, living His commandments, and reflecting Christ’s character. This is not a passive calling. It requires intentional commitment and daily growth.
Let’s commit ourselves to living out the character of God, becoming true experts in His word and way of life so that we may fulfill our purpose and receive the kingdom of God prepared for us. Now is the time to invest in spiritual mastery because eternity depends on it.
Francis Gonzales