Five-fold or ascension gift ministries are appointed by our Lord Jesus to equip the church to fulfill its calling and function.
And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 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; 14 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, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—16 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 (NKJV)
Jesus appoints men, and sometimes women, to carry some portion of his unlimited ministry. A person may function in more than one category, but usually one is dominant. In other words, an apostle may also teach and evangelize, but his or her main gifting will be apostolic.
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; Romans 1:5–6 (NASB95)
for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle and a teacher. 2 Timothy 1:11 (NASB95)
Five-fold or ascension gift ministers are not called to do all the work of ministry or be considered as “clergy.” Rather, our job is to pass on to others what God has given to us. These ministers impart to the church what they have received. For example, apostles will not only mentor other apostles, but they will also equip and inspire the church to fulfill its apostolic calling to go and make disciples.
Five-fold ministers are first and foremost servants to the church, not some sort of ministerial hierarchy.
Anyone who uses the gift to carve out some sort of niche or position for himself is suspect of misusing the gift and falsely representing Christ.
For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NLT)
Apostles
The first people called apostles were the twelve our Lord chose to be closest to him.
Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; and James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him. 5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Matthew 10:1–7 (NASB95)
The Greek word apostolos as used here means a messenger or delegate, one sent forth with orders.
Jesus gave them authority to heal and cast out evil spirits and to announce the coming of God’s kingdom. When Jesus chose this word to describe his sent ones, it was not a religious term.
During the time of the ancient Greek orator Demosthenes (384-322 BC), the word apostolos was a naval term that described an admiral, the fleet of ships that traveled with him, and the specialized crew who accompanied and assisted the admiral. The fleet would be sent out to sea on a mission to locate territories where civilization was nonexistent. Once an uncivilized region was identified, the admiral (called the apostolos) — along with his specialized crew and all their cargo and belongings — would disembark, settle down, and work as a team to establish a new community. Then they would begin the process of transforming a strange land into a replica of life as they believed it should be. Their purpose was total colonization of the uncivilized territory. Within this special fleet of ships were both the personnel and the cargo required to establish a new culture, a new life, and a new community. When that fleet pulled up to shore, it contained workers trained to build roads, construct buildings, and teach uncivilized natives how to read, write, and function in a new kind of social order. Thus, the admiral became the team leader for the construction of a new society…
The word “apostle” also described a person who had the authority to act much the same way an ambassador represents his government to another government. This classical and secular meaning of the word apostolos meant an envoy sent to do business on behalf of the one who sent him. Thus, a governmental apostle served as a personal representative, emissary, messenger, agent, diplomat, ambassador, or charge d’affaires. This person officially possessed the clout and influence to speak and act in the place of the one who sent him on his assignment. So when the ambassador — apostolos — spoke, his words were counted as the words of his sender. When the apostolos acted, his actions were interpreted as those of his sender. The connection between the sender and the person who was sent was almost inseparable.
This reveals the New Testament apostle’s position to speak and act on behalf of the Lord. This is a governmental position within the Body of Christ, and as such, an apostolic ministry gift should be received as one with great spiritual clout and the backing of Heaven. (The Historical Meaning of the Word “Apostle” by Rick Renner)
Jesus gave his apostles this kind of authority to represent him and his kingdom. He told them that they were his representatives, and their acceptance would be the same as accepting him and God in heaven.
He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. Matthew 10:40 (NASB95)
Paul understood and embraced this concept of apostleship, too. He and his team ventured into unreached areas of the earth to preach the gospel and install kingdom of God communities called the church wherever he went, thus extending Christ’s rule.
Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name. Romans 1:5 (NLT)
One of the main functions of the apostle is to preach the gospel and then establish God’s oversight in the resultant churches in the form of ordaining elders to govern and oversee things.
After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.” 23 When they had appointed elders for them in every church, having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord in whom they had believed. Acts 14:21–23 (NASB95)
Apostles help establish churches in sound doctrine, too.
According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. 11 For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 3:10–11 (NASB95)
Since they have authority derived from spiritually planting or “fathering” the churches launched through their preaching ministry, God uses them to bring correction when needed.
Apostles have what might be called “spheres” of authority based on their involvement and acceptance in local churches. Paul believed that he had such authority in the churches he planted.
I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children. 15 For if you were to have countless tutors in Christ, yet you would not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16 Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me. 1 Corinthians 4:14–16 (NASB95)
If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you; for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 9:2 (NASB95)
In summary, apostles are delegates sent by God to evangelize through preaching the gospel and to establish sound doctrine and governmental oversight in those churches raised up under their ministry. They have authority to bring correction as needed, provided the local elders receive the apostolic ministry and authority.
Paul indicated that true apostles can be identified by the supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit in their lives, too.
The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles. 2 Corinthians 12:12 (NASB95)
Today, we often use the term apostle to describe anyone who has oversight over a network of churches. This is more akin to the idea of a bishop or overseer. Those who seem to carry apostolic anointing and authority today usually have a heavy emphasis on world missions and travel extensively, strengthening and encouraging God’s people. This aspect of the apostolic ministry was fulfilled by Paul when he revisited the churches he had previously planted.
But Paul chose Silas and left, being committed by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. 41 And he was traveling through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches. Acts 15:40–41 (NASB95)
The New Testament records that there were other apostles besides the original twelve, Matthias, and Paul. James the Lord’s brother, who became the lead elder in Jerusalem, was also numbered among the apostles. (Galatians 1:19) In Romans, Paul lists other apostles. (Romans 16:7) There is no reason for us to believe that God no longer calls and appoints men to be apostles. The need is great for such people.
We must be called by our Lord Jesus to be an apostle.
Paul, an apostle (not sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead), Galatians 1:1 (NASB95)
We should never try to self-appoint ourselves but should wait for others to confirm this calling in our lives. Churches should be aware that some who claim to be apostles are not.
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds. 2 Corinthians 11:13–15 (NASB95)
It is our responsibility to identify these people and call them out to protect the church from their destructive influence.
Prophets
Prophets are uniquely called by God to be his spokespeople and deliver a rhema word of God at the appropriate time. God uses them in a foundational way to help establish churches in cooperation with apostolic ministry.
Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit. Ephesians 2:20–22 (NLT)
Apostles, prophets, and teachers are instrumental in establishing the church in God’s truth.
A prophet is most concerned with God’s will being done more than anything else.
A prophet is not someone who merely prophesies. Rather, it is someone called by God to operate on a higher level of authority and maturity to be God’s spokesperson. Like other five-fold ministries, the person who carries this unique calling and grace is Christ’s gift to his church. It often takes years to properly prepare and “season” prophets. A mature prophet is God-called and God-trained. The prophet belongs first to God, then to the church, and lastly to him or herself. In other words, like other ministries, prophets are servants.
And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers... 1 Corinthians 12:28a (NASB95)
Prophets often call the church to a deeper level of consecration to the Lord, which begins with repentance.
They sometimes warn the church about what may be coming, as Agabus did about a coming famine in the New Testament. (Acts 11:27-28)
They can also help identify those God calls to ministry.
Now there were at Antioch, in the church that was there, prophets and teachers: Barnabas, and Simeon who was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. 2 While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for
John the Baptist was called the greatest of prophets by our Lord. (Luke 7:28) His greatest accomplishment or privilege was to identify our Lord as Israel’s Messiah and to describe his four-fold ministry as the Lamb of God (John 1:29), the Lord (v.26), the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16), and the coming judge (Luke 3:17).
They also can show the church what God is doing or going to do so that the people can properly understand and cooperate.
Surely the Lord God does nothing Unless He reveals His secret counsel To His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7 (NASB95)
In the Old Testament, prophets were called seers. (1 Samuel 9:9) This was because “seeing” in the Spirit is integral to the prophetic ministry, whether we are called as a five-fold prophet or simply operate in the spiritual gift of prophecy. When God called Jeremiah, he gave him a “crash course” in how to properly interpret what the Spirit of God enabled him to see. (Jeremiah Chapter 1.)
Unless we can interpret what we see, it is relatively worthless, like wheat compared to the outer husk or chaff that contains it.
Prophets can see in the Spirit and hear God’s words spoken either audibly or in their hearts and know how to properly interpret them, as required.
As with apostles, prophets receive their commission directly from the Lord. (Jeremiah 1:5) If we receive such a calling, others will be able to recognize and confirm it. Also, as with apostles, there is no reason for us to assume that God no longer appoints people to this ministry. There is as much need today as ever.
Being a prophet is no light thing. Even though the normal New Testament function of a prophet is to build up the church, exhort her, and offer comfort or consolation (1 Corinthians 14:3), quite often prophets see things before others do and go “against the grain” by challenging people in areas in which they may be resistant. More mature prophets may be used by God to deliver predictive, directive, or corrective messages.
Prophets must have a high degree of courage which comes from fearing God more than men. (Jeremiah 1:17-19)
Jesus warned us that we must be prepared for disapproval and even persecution at the hands of our hearers.
Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets. Luke 6:26 (NKJV)
Some prophets are called to the nations, as was Jeremiah.
“See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, To pluck up and to break down, To destroy and to overthrow, To build and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10 (NASB95)
This is a much larger sphere of authority and responsibility. Most prophets will be used in the context of local churches.
One essential characteristic for New Testament prophets is that they love the church.
Prophets in general are held in high regard, since their ministry is somewhat sensational to the average person who is not so gifted. As such, they must be careful to speak words that will properly communicate God’s heart to the church at large and to the individuals to whom they minister. They will also bring words of correction and repentance, but there should never be any tinge of harshness or condemnation.
In the local church, prophets will develop others in the same ministry, giving away what they received from God. The church will grow in its prophetic capacity as a result.
Prophets should make room for others to prophecy by choosing to recede as appropriate.
Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 1 Corinthians 14:29–31 (NASB95)
This passage addresses the difference between prophets and those who operate in the gift of prophecy. Prophets should make room for less gifted individuals to operate in the gift of prophecy, rather than hog the show, so to speak, through the strength of their gifting. When it comes to developing the overall prophetic ministry of the local church, prophets should probably adopt the attitude of John the Baptist, who said his ministry should decrease for our Lord’s to increase. (John 3:30) The average person will probably be somewhat intimidated by the strength of a prophet’s gift, unless the prophet makes it clear that his or her desire is for others to grow in their personal gifting.
Prophecy, and hence, prophets, are both one of the most desirable and powerful forces for good, while at the same time being fraught with danger.
Good results when prophecy is used properly. The danger arises when prophecy does not adhere to the Bible or if the prophet is not submitted to the government of the local church.
Mature prophets gladly submit to and work in harmony with the authority in the local church.
Prophets are meant to work in collaboration with the government of the church – apostles and elders. When the two operate in harmony and complementarity, things usually move forward at a wonderful pace. Problems arise when this is not the case, as I covered in the previous lesson.
Prophets are not a law unto themselves.
All prophecies should be judged since no one is perfect in our delivery of God’s message. Those who judge are other prophets (1 Corinthians 14:29), elders, and God’s people in general. Prophecies should be judged based on content, source, and effect.
The content must not contradict the Bible. The vocabulary of the Spirit is the Scripture. The source may be God, our own minds, or an evil spirit. It is rare that we will hear a demonically-inspired prophecy, such as happened to Paul in Phillipi. (Acts 16:16-18) The woman in question said correct things about Paul, but the apostle detected a wrong spirit of “python,” which operated in the oracle of Delphi. The effect a prophecy has upon the hearer is another test. It should direct the hearer toward Christ and minister peace. In the case of a corrective prophecy, the long-term effect will be peace; although, in the short run it may cause tension.
Lastly, it takes maturity to know what to do with what God shows us. Sometimes we are to pray about the revelation, waiting on God to show us what to do with it. At other times, we should share it openly. Sometimes, we may wish to have a more private setting, but always in the presence of trusted witnesses who can serve to judge the prophecy. We should beware of prophets who are outside of proper oversight. This can lead to manipulation.
Evangelists
The main motivation of the evangelist is to preach the gospel and see people born again into the kingdom of God.
They seem to have an intense understanding on the peril of those who are not born again. His or her heart may ache for the lost. They usually display great boldness when preaching the gospel.
Evangelists usually do not carry the burden to make disciples, plant churches, or provide pastoral care.
Evangelists need to work in cooperation with apostles, pastors, and teachers so that the people won to the Lord through their preaching can be properly discipled.
Evangelists have a responsibility not only to reach the lost but also to develop other evangelists and help the church in general grow in its evangelistic ministry.
Philip is a good example of the ministry of the evangelist. We see him preaching in Samaria (Acts 8:4-8) and to the eunuch (Acts 8:26 ff.) and promptly moving on to the next place. In the case of Samaria, God sent apostles on the heels of Philip’s ministry to lay hands on the new converts so that they received the baptism in the Spirit. (Acts 8:14-17)
Power gifts, such as healing, miracles, and casting out evil spirits usually accompany the ministry of the evangelist, corroborating the truthfulness of his message.
And the multitudes with one accord heeded the things spoken by Philip, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed; and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. 8 And there was great joy in that city. Acts 8:6–8 (NKJV)
The evangelist may be gifted to preach to large crowds or to smaller groups or maybe one-on-one. The anointing on their lives causes people to respond to the message. If an evangelist is the lead elder in a local church, the gospel will be continually preached with a heavy emphasis on people responding each week to be saved. In such a church, others on the team will need to provide pastoral care and in-depth teaching.
Pastor
The pastor or shepherd is anointed by God to care for God’s people through feeding (teaching God’s Word), leading, and protecting them from danger (false doctrine, sin and false brethren).
Pastors, following the example of Jesus, lay down their lives for the sheep.
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. John 10:11 (NKJV)
They are gentle toward the sheep, but fearless toward anything or anyone which threatens them.
When a true pastor is the lead elder in a local church, the people will be well loved and protected. They will be well taught, too, but probably with exhortation and practicality in view.
The Greek word poimen is only translated into the English word pastor once in Ephesians 4:11. The other 17 times it is used it is translated as shepherd. Over the years it has come to mean the one person who has overall responsibility for the welfare of a local church.
Pastors usually love and identify with the people. They often have a strong mercy orientation and may care more about people than issues.
The character of the pastor should match the qualifications of any elder. People in the congregation normally will grow to love and trust the pastor; so, it is vital that we do not betray that confidence and perhaps alienate them from the church and the Lord.
Today the ministry and responsibilities are often too great. He may be expected to preach the word, counsel hurting and troubled people, visit the sick, manage church business affairs and politics, and act as a type of CEO. The Bible ministry of shepherd does not require all these things. It is important that pastors assemble a team of ministers who can share these responsibilities. Five-fold ministers are not supposed to do all the ministry but to equip the church to do it.
Teacher
Teachers have no greater joy than searching out God’s Word and sharing what they discover with others.
Your words were found and I ate them, And Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts. Jeremiah 15:16 (NASB95)
The teacher receives revelation from the Holy Spirit which gives him understanding and knowledge.
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14 “He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15 “All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you. John 16:13–15 (NASB95)
For example, knowledge is knowing that turning the key in the ignition of a car starts it. Understanding provides us with how and why this works.
Jesus was and is the greatest teacher. He has a way of taking complex subjects and making them simple, without eradicating depth of meaning. A teacher imparts life to his hearers and communicates truth in such a way that sets people free.
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. John 6:63 (NASB95)
They said to one another, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” Luke 24:32 (NASB95)
Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:31–32 (NKJV)
Teachers find fulfillment is studying the Bible, receiving revelation, and sharing content. They may sometimes lack in practically applying the Word of God and usually team well with other five-fold ministers who can effectively apply the concepts taught. When a teacher is the lead elder in a local church, the people will be well taught but perhaps need extra pastoral care and missional fervency, which can be supplied by others on the team.
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