The Five-Fold Ministry • Part 2

Now that we have the spiritual authority line established, let's take an in-depth look at the Five-Fold Ministry and how it may be applied today.

Gifts can often overlap in callings, but there is a distinct difference between the gifts and the offices of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher.


Apostles...

Plant new churches or ministries

• Receives vision and blueprint direction from God and builds
  on that
• Builds up foundation by setting structure, leadership and beliefs
  in place
• Anoints and empowers Elders with spiritual authority

Bring accountability & stability to established churches

• Corrects, rebukes, encourages, inspires, and supports the Deacons and helps keep the Elders accountable
• Refocuses & maintains purity of which the foundation was built on
• Sees the big picture of the whole body and it’s many parts to fulfill it’s purpose, as well as makes sure that Five-Fold Ministry teams in each local church are in unity of faith and support

Defined:
The office of Apostle is the anointing and special ability "to assume and exercise helpful leadership over a number of churches in spiritual matters" or to lay down foundational work in new churches and then release it to other people according to their gifts, talents, and calling. But those with simply the spiritual gift of apostleship feel personally called to the expansion and healthy growth of the church. They love going first into the trenches of the new moves of God. They remain unattached to the people in general, but as they start new ministries, they personally hold love and accountability with those they pass the work torch of that ministry off to. The Bible calls many others, beyond the Twelve and Paul, apostles: James (Galatians 1:19), Barnabas (Acts 14:4, 14), Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25), Silas and Timothy (I Thessalonians 1:1, 2:6), Andronicas and Junia (Romans 16:7), and others (I Corinthians 15:5, 7; II Corinthians 8:23; 11:13). This gift is a leadership gift and is in continuing need today for the strengthening of churches and the establishment of new churches. This anointed office of Apostle is found in regional pastors, church planters, and mission starters. (I Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 2:20; 4:11)

Prophets...

Speak forth God’s Heart

• Receives vision and direction from God for moving forward
• Warns, Corrects, Inspires, and Encourages the people
• Reveals hidden things or future events from God

Defined:
This gift gives the special ability "to receive and communicate an immediate message of God to His people with authority and urgency perceived by the hearers." Those with the gift of prophecy will often feel as though they have a direct word from God that will comfort, encourage, guide, warn, or rebuke specific people within the Body of Christ. Prophets have a great sense of urgency to their message. Unless paired with the gifts of exhortation or teaching, prophets will often not feel the need to explain their message, but will expect immediate response. The message of a prophet must always be tested in line with Scripture. Prophets would be wise to test their message against Scripture prior to delivering the message, and using Scriptural precedent in delivery of their message. People with this gift generally focus purely on the message or truth to be communicated, not necessarily on practical application or adequate understanding, and are unhindered by the emotional responses in the people they are relaying the message to. The anointed office of Prophet has this gift as well as the added responsibility of receiving messages for the whole church body in terms of direction, corporate sin, or specific key messages regularly to the Senior Leadership within the church. Those with this anointing are given added leadership gifts: they are generally concerned about evangelism, they have a desire speak strongly against evil in society or in the church, and they are responsible for being active in training others with this gift to be accurate in hearing from God and faithful and confident to speak the message forth. (Luke 7:26; Acts 15:32; 21:9-11; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28; 14:3, 24-25, 29, 36-38; Ephesians 4:11-14)

Evangelists...

Win the lost to Christ

• Preaches the Gospel of Christ
• Has a heart to reach out to the un-saved
• Uses human wisdom, history, personal testimony, or spiritual signs to share Christ with an unbeliever

Defined:
This gift gives the special ability "to readily share the gospel with unbelievers in such a way that men and women often become Jesus’ disciples and responsible members of the Body of Christ. While the task of evangelism is an important spiritual exercise that all Christians should be involved with, God gifts certain members with an ability to have unusual sensitivity to when someone is ready to accept Christ, and will generally have greater success in leading people to Christ than other Christians. The anointed office of Evangelist has this gift and the added responsibility of being active in training others to share their faith, as well as organizing group evangelism. (Acts 8:5-6, 26-40; Ephesians 4:11-14; II Timothy 4:5)

Pastors...

Shepherd the church body

• Loves and nurtures as well as disciplines the people in their church
• Protects from sin and false teachings
• Provides the church with all the things they need to grow healthy and strong, physically, spiritually, & emotionally

Defined:
This gift gives the special ability "to assume a long-term personal responsibility for the welfare of a group of believers." In actuality, when a church has only one leader and that leader has this gift, their ability to continue sustained growth in their churches is greatly diminished, as they tend to require a certain level of interaction with every member of their congregation. Those with the gift of shepherding (pastoring) have a great need for long-term relationships. Shepherds will sacrificially give themselves to other people in such a way that they are built-up in their faith. Shepherds take personal responsibility for the successes and failures of those in the group that they invest themselves in. Those with this gift are usually nurturing, patient, and forgiving in nature. The anointed office of Shepherd / Pastor has this gift as well as the added responsibility of using that gift to shepherd leaders specifically and to keep a general watch over the whole church body as a whole. (John 10:1-18; Ephesians 4:11-14; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 1 Peter 5:1-4)

Teachers...

Educate and train the church body

• Teaches the founding blueprints and the beliefs set up by the Apostles – the Bible
• Instructs the church on specific topics of spiritual life – real life here and now by the Book – the Bible
• Makes sure people don’t just hear – but learn and remember God’s Word

Defined:
This gift gives the special ability "to communicate information relevant to the health and ministry of the Body and its members in such a way that others will learn." This gift is a communication gift. People with the gift of teaching enjoy studying the Bible and related materials in order to communicate what they have learned to other Christians. Those with this gift find it easy to organize vast amounts of information in such a way as to make it easy to communicate, understand, and remember. Those with this gift focus on bringing thorough or adequate understanding of the message or truth being communicated, not necessarily on how it impacts emotionally. The anointed office of Teacher has this gift, as well as the added responsibility to make sure the whole Body of Christ is getting accurate and complete information of God’s Truth. These are responsible for being active in training others with this gift to be diligent in study, detailed in organization, and faithful in teaching truth. (Matthew 7:28-29; 28:19-20; Acts 15:32; Romans 12:6; 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28; Ephesians 4:11-14)
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When the Five-Fold ministry is present and working together as a team in each local church, each doing their part in Christ's body, that church becomes a healthy growing life of Christ working on this earth. To have just one piece missing brings a handicap to Jesus' body in that area, and that church is left weak and vulnerable where it isn't covered. Christ's world wide church through each local church body has been hobbling along long enough. It's time to accept the gifts and callings the Holy Spirit rests on us, build up our character, behavior, and minds to the Word of God, deepen our intimacy with Christ, depend on His power and strength, and dive in head first into the work: Bringing in lost souls into the kingdom and giving out what God has poured into us to help them grow up to full maturity to where they can start leading others behind them! Then we can send the Five-Fold ministers out together to a new area to repeat the process, in each new place, until the world has not only heard the awesome news of God's love and salvation in Jesus, but also has a fighting chance to grow up strong and rooted firm in Christ - fulfilling their own purpose in the kingdom of God!