The Five-fold Ministry

THE DAILY WORD
By Jim Seekamp

Monday February 23, 2009

There are five main "offices" of ministry in the church. They are: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher.

Ephesians 4:11-13 (NIV)
11. It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12. to prepare God's 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.

Notice that the fivefold ministry exists "that the Body Of Christ may be BUILT UP!"

There are also many gifts of the Spirit mentioned in the Bible:

1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV)
8. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9. to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10. to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28 (NIV)
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

Although any believer can be used in any gift of the Spirit, (as the Holy Spirit wills) there are certain gifts of the Spirit that are present in a person's life when they stand in one of the fivefold ministries. A prophet, for example, would have the gift of prophecy, the "message of wisdom" (or "word of wisdom"), and the "message of knowledge" (or "word of knowledge"). A "word of wisdom" is a word given by the Holy Spirit about the future. A "word of knowledge" is a word given by the Holy Spirit about the present.

The gifts of the Spirit are given by the Holy Spirit as He determines:

1 Corinthians 12:11,12 (NIV)
11. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 12. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

Apostles have the gift of teaching and the gift of miraculous powers:

Acts 2:42 (NIV)
They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

2 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)
The things that mark an apostle-- signs, wonders and miracles-- were done among you with great perseverance.

Acts 2:43 (NIV)
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.

The most commonly referred to apostles are the twelve disciples of Jesus:

Mark 3:14 (NIV)
He appointed twelve-- designating them apostles --that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach

But there were also other apostles mentioned in the Bible. Paul and Barnabus were apostles:

Acts 14:14 (NIV)
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of this...

Andronicus and Junias were apostles:

Romans 16:7 (NIV)
Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was.

There are apostles on the earth today too! The five-fold ministry did not just shut down because it's not the first century any more!

But the most notable apostle is Jesus Christ, who walked in all five offices of the five-fold ministry:

Hebrews 3:1 (NIV)
Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest whom we confess.

PRAYER
Thank You Father for Your wonderful, life-giving Word. Thank You for the five-fold ministry, which You put in place to prepare me and build me up. Help me understand Your Word so I can allow You to govern my life more completely.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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