The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, much like his letters to the other Churches of the day, deals with how Christians should conduct themselves in their day to day living. At the time, especially in Ephesus which was the centre in the region for the worship of the Roman goddess Diana, the people that worshipped Diana were involved in sexual immorality on a large scale.
Accompanying this they were facing false teachings and general Christian persecution much like today’s Church faces but we have it on a much larger and worldwide scale.
In order to counteract these threats to the Church Paul, in Ephesians, sets out and explains how a Christian can overcome these threats from the world by right living in Christ Jesus and in the power of the Holy Spirit and he explains explicitly how the Church can do this.
And this letter like most of Paul’s other letters to the Church in different areas, was a letter to be circulated to the other Churches in the region of Asia Minor. This shows that the Lord wanted the different congregations of believers to be governed and structure in the same way. The Lord still wants His Church to be structured in the same way.
Hebrews 13:8 (NIV)
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Psalm 133:1-3 (NIV)
How good and pleasant it is
when God’s people live together in unity!
2 It is like precious oil poured on the head,
running down on the beard,
running down on Aaron’s beard,
down on the collar of his robe.
3 It is as if the dew of Hermon
were falling on Mount Zion.
For there the Lord bestows his blessing,
even life forevermore.
In the above verses from Psalm 133 the writer, King David, tells us just how pleasing it is to God when the Church lives together in the unity of the Spirit and when we do this how God’s blessing will be upon us forevermore! Now, just how cool is that!
This Psalm is called a Song of Ascents, its about how we can spiritually ascend to greater heights when we live together in the unity of the Spirit in Christ Jesus – TO JESUS BE THE GLORY!
Now, getting back to our topic, let’s examine the scriptures of Ephesians 4 that show us how today’s Church should be structured in order for us to reach unity of the Spirit and receive God’s full blessing forevermore and in so doing become a Church that is spiritually powerful and a Church that will make the devil tremble! Paul tells us in this chapter how the local body should be structured by the gifts that Jesus gives us.
The Gifts Jesus himself gives to the Church
Now, what are these gifts?
Ephesians 4:11 (NLT)
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,
And why did Jesus give them to the Church?
Ephesians 4:12-13 (NLT)
12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
When we look at verse 13 above, we see that the function of the five-fold ministry is not to stop until the Church reaches full maturity and unity as a body which, in all likelihood, will only be when our Lord returns and we are clothed in our imperishable bodies!
It is important for us to realise that these gifts are different to the gifts of the Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11. These gifts are offices or positions given by Jesus to various people in the local body and should be held by men who lead and govern the local body.
The gifts of the Spirit, however, are given by the Holy Spirit to the Church in general to be used by the members of the local body to build up, edify and encourage each other to walk to individual maturity in Christ Jesus.
Christianity cannot be manifest in lone isolation, it is a team effort! The body of Christ believing as one in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Only in this way can the Church bring glory to Jesus, both as individuals and as a corporate entity!
1 Corinthians 12:7 (AMP)
But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit [the spiritual illumination and the enabling of the Holy Spirit] for the common good.
The Apostle
The word ‘apostle’ is described as “one chosen and sent with a message” and is derived from the Greek word ‘Apostolos’ used in the New Testament translation and means ‘one sent forth’.
They are to “lay a wise foundation (rooted in Christ Jesus) upon which the local Church is to be built upon” (1 Corinthians 3:10).
The original 12 apostles chosen by Jesus were witnesses of the resurrection (Acts 1:15; Acts 4: 33) but there were also many other true apostles, including Paul, after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension (Acts 14:3-4; Romans 16:7; 1 Corinthians 15:5-7; Galatians 1:1,19).
According to scripture their New Testament function is:
1. Pioneers of new Churches. (1 Corinthians 9:1-3; 1 Corinthians 3:6).
2. They ground the Church in the fulness of truth (Colossians 1:25).
3. They bring correction in erroneous ministry and actions in order preserve unity and integrity in the Body (1 Corinthians 3:3-5).
4. Lay spiritual foundations in the Church – the foundation of Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 3:10).
5. To be a Father in the body of Christ and to impart spiritual gifts by the laying on of hands. (Romans 1:11; 2 Timothy 1:6; 1 Corinthians 4:15).
6. Manifest and encourage the ministry of miracles, signs and wonders (2 Corinthians 12:12; Acts 2:43).
7. Manifest and encourage the ministry of prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4).
8. The laying on of hands for the impartation of ministry (Acts 6:6).
The Prophet
The word prophet is derived from the Greek word ‘prophêtês’ and means ‘one who speaks forth or openly’.
The ministry of the office of prophet is one of being moved in the power of the Holy Spirit in prophetic utterance to declare the will of God regarding situations (individually or corporately) to build up and edify the Church, which can be:
1. Predictive – foretell a future event (Acts 21:10-11; Acts 11:27-28).
2. Directive – gives direction (Acts 13:1-3).
3. Corrective – brings Godly discipline in areas of error (Acts 15:22-32).
But the Church leadership needs to beware of false prophets (1 John 4:1). A prophetic utterance should never contradict the Word of God.
God sets clear guidelines; prophecies should be tested.
1. The words of a prophet are judged by church leadership (1 Corinthians14:29).
2. Any prophecy should line up with Scripture (2 Peter 1: 19-21).
The Evangelist
The word evangelist is derived from the Greek word ‘Euangelistes’ and means ‘a messenger of good, one who proclaims the good news of Jesus Christ and him crucified for the salvation of mankind (the gospel) – Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:2.
Their primary function is to:
1. Extend the frontiers of God’s Kingdom by going out to spread the Word in the community for the local Church and further afield as led by the Holy Spirit.
2. They are co-workers with and extensions of apostolic ministry (2 Timothy 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 3: 2).
3. They also equip the local body of Christ with the evangelistic spirit of outreach.
The Pastor
The word pastor as used in Ephesians 4:11 is derived from the Greek word ’poimen’ and means ‘a shepherd (Jesus referred to himself as ‘the good shepherd'), one who herds (guides) and tends (including feeding the Word) the flock – the local body of believers’.
The pastor today:
1. Tends and guides the local flock (congregation) including feeding them the Word.
2. Ensures that the needs of the flock are taken care of in accordance with Biblical instruction and guidance.
The Teacher
The word teacher in Ephesians 4:11, John 3:2, Matt 23:8, Acts 13:1 and many others, is derived from the Greek word ‘didaskalos’ and means ‘a teacher of the truth’.
1. A teacher is an instructor in the Word of God and Biblical subject-master.
2. The teacher tells or shows the fundamentals or skills of biblical teachings, causing others to know the facts and consequences of Biblical instruction in order for the Church to be built up and edified.
3. He or she imparts biblical knowledge to others (sometimes through special revelation and inspiration of the Holy Spirit).
4. A teacher does not necessarily tend the flock in the manner that a pastor does.
Order of the five-fold ministry
Denoting the order of ministry is not to be understood as order of importance, just order of proper operation. The order that these ministries operate in is very specific:
Apostles are leaders and visionaries. They bring direction to the church. They have the courage and ability to keep the Church moving forward, growing and building in new directions. Apostles are also fathers, able to nurture and disciple the other ministry areas.
Prophets have a strong sense of right and wrong, but even more than that: they have a strong sense of the Spirit’s leading. Their spiritual antennae start quivering when things are going off balance or in wrong directions. Their voice is important for keeping the Church on track in what the Lord wants to do. Prophets also understand justice and are defenders of what is fair and right as shown by the zeal of the Old Testament prophets.
Evangelists are the warriors, the foot soldiers who take the gospel from the local Church to the community at large and further afield as led by the Holy Spirit. They advance the gospel and in so doing they battle directly with the hindrances of the gospel as well. There are many more warriors in an army than there are generals and so there should be many evangelists in the church. The Lord’s Great Commission is to all – Matthew 28:19.
Pastors nurture the flock and comfort them. They build up the sheep in the most holy faith. They tend to the wounded and the sick. They lead the healthy sheep into good pastures so that they will eat on the purity and truth of God’s word to remain well and be strong in their faith. And they look for the sheep that have wandered away so that none will be lost.
Teachers build the foundations of the local church in Christ Jesus. They minister in the Word of God and remind us of the priorities and foundations that will keep us stable in our lives. They teach the church how to be wise in the ways of God through preaching the Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. They impart knowledge in specialist areas of the Word to build up and equip the body to fulfil their God-given purpose in life as individuals (bricks) within the body of Christ.
Unity is implicit among these five offices. They should move as one yet operate individually to the full measure of the grace given to each one. This is the master plan for every Church and the Church needs to operate in this exact way to receive the blessings of the Lord. If we look at Ephesians 4:11-16, we see the enormous blessing for the Saints if the church operates as it is supposed to, s Jesus intends it to.
The result of the Lord’s work using the five-fold ministry is to raise up a bride (the Church) that is a direct reflection of Christ Himself, having the identical nature, character and attributes. Being conformed to Christ’s image – life in the Spirit! Jesus is coming back for a Church without spot or blemish.
Ephesians 5:25-27 (NIV)
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.
Very often there can be a certain amount of cross-over amongst the holders of these offices within the Church but the holder’s primary calling and anointing with remain clearly evident within the body.
The work of the Church through the leading and guidance of the Holy Spirit is to bring glory to Jesus!
The function of the ‘Five-fold Ministry’ working in unison and in the power of the Holy Spirit is to equip the body of Christ to do the work that each believer has been predestined to do and to build up the Church and lead it into maturity in Christ Jesus. This is done in an attitude of servanthood in the love of God – serving the body in God’s love, grace and mercy, in the power of the Holy Spirit - just as the ministry of Jesus is.
When expressed correctly, all spiritual gifts will always point to Jesus and give him glory.
1 Peter 4:10-11 (AMP)
10 Just as each one of you has received a special gift [a spiritual talent, an ability graciously given by God], employ it in serving one another as [is appropriate for] good stewards of God’s multi-faceted grace [faithfully using the diverse, varied gifts and abilities granted to Christians by God’s unmerited favor]. 11 Whoever speaks [to the congregation], is to do so as one who speaks the oracles (utterances, the very words) of God. Whoever serves [the congregation] is to do so as one who serves by the strength which God [abundantly] supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified [honored and magnified] through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
One of the most common questions regarding this topic is, “What is the difference between the gifts described in Ephesians 4 and those found in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12?”
In Ephesians 4 there are two key factors that are unique to them that the Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 gifts do not have.
1. The source is Jesus (Ephesians 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,), whereas the gifts in Romans 12 come from the Father through Jesus (Romans 12: 3-8 by God’s grace and the faith He has given us), and the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 come from the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them).
It is fascinating how this highlights the Father, Son and Spirit (The Holy Trinity) working together in perfect harmony and unity to generate and distribute all these gifts! And it is these gifts operating and functioning in the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit that will ensure that the body of Christ works together in perfect harmony and unity of the Spirit to reach full maturity and be conformed more and more to Christ’s image! Working in unity the Church receives God's full blessings forever more!
2. The second factor is that the Ephesians gifts are nouns (naming words) and are thus actual people who hold this office in the local Church congregation because they carry that particular anointing from Jesus, rather than showing an activity or manifestation through any member of the congregation as are the other gifts.
For example, an evangelist or a pastor is a person who holds that office in the local body; in contrast, a person showing the gift of mercy as an activity or someone sharing a word of wisdom are manifestations of the gift through a person speaking under the power of the Holy Spirit or a person prophesying under the power of the Holy Spirit for a certain time or event for encouraging an individual or a group of people.
Moreover, the Ephesians gifts result in a singular and unified effect with the other gifts of the five-fold ministry (rather than showing diverse effects as the other gifts do): specifically, equipping and building the saints to perform the works of service in the ministry, which builds up the body of Christ towards the goal of unity, and displaying the full measure of Christ Jesus in the Church both as individual believers and as a corporate body.
The gifts Paul describes in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12 are all transitive verbs and are thus doing or action words – they require an action to be done to or for someone or something, for example giving a word of knowledge to someone; showing mercy to someone or giving an act of service to someone. They are the gifts that the children of God use under the power of the Holy Spirit for a specific event and/or time. These gifts can also be used by the person holding an office in the five-fold ministry.
The importance of the fivefold ministry in the local congregation
The Church, including every local body, needs every part of the five-fold ministry that Jesus has given to us. One or two are not enough; we need all of the five-fold ministries working together in unity to build up a vibrant and Spirit-filled body!
Sadly, in recent times, the five-fold ministry has not been operating to its fullness in many local Churches, one or more of them are missing. But as God restores these ministries to the Church, as He is about to do, we must correctly respond to them.
God’s purposes will not be fulfilled outside of His divinely appointed leadership structure. When the Church embraces the fullness of the ‘Five-fold’ ministry, then the more the Church in every local congregation will flow in God’s gifts under the power of the Holy Spirit and the more we live life in the Spirit, so the more we will become like rivers of living water – more like Jesus, glorifying His name and bringing life to the local community in general!
A local congregation that is not built on and governed by the five-fold ministry will be unable to function to its true potential in the power of the Holy Spirit. It will be like a bicycle wheel that is missing a number of spokes – it will wobble and misfire and be led astray and will only be able to progress so far and then buckle or just stagnate, injuring many people in its wobbly path!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father
I pray in Jesus name that you would restore the five-fold ministry to your Church, to each and every local congregation across the world so that the Church can be empowered by your Holy Spirit to be the Church that you intended it to be - working in the unity of the Spirit to bring glory to Jesus. Amen.
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!
Sadly, in recent times, the five-fold ministry has not been operating to its fullness in many local Churches, one or more of them are missing. But as God restores these ministries to the Church, as He is about to do, we must correctly respond to them.
God’s purposes will not be fulfilled outside of His divinely appointed leadership structure. When the Church embraces the fullness of the ‘Five-fold’ ministry, then the more the Church in every local congregation will flow in God’s gifts under the power of the Holy Spirit and the more we live life in the Spirit, so the more we will become like rivers of living water – more like Jesus, glorifying His name and bringing life to the local community in general!
A local congregation that is not built on and governed by the five-fold ministry will be unable to function to its true potential in the power of the Holy Spirit. It will be like a bicycle wheel that is missing a number of spokes – it will wobble and misfire and be led astray and will only be able to progress so far and then buckle or just stagnate, injuring many people in its wobbly path!
To Jesus belongs all glory, honour and praise!
Jesus, the Name above all names!
Prayer:
Heavenly Father
I pray in Jesus name that you would restore the five-fold ministry to your Church, to each and every local congregation across the world so that the Church can be empowered by your Holy Spirit to be the Church that you intended it to be - working in the unity of the Spirit to bring glory to Jesus. Amen.
Remember: Reading this article is no substitute for reading and studying the Bible for yourself! I am flawed the Bible is not!
Preach!
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