Five-fold (or four-fold) ministry.
Ephesians 4 tells us of Christ ascending on high and giving gifts unto men (Paul's paraphrase from the Psalms where He ascends on high and receives gifts for men.) Some of the gifts are listed in verse 11, apostles, prophets, evangelists, prophets and teachers.
Some churches nowadays teach that these are active ministries for the church. Let us consider this and consider what these ministries are.
Apostles:
'Apostle' means 'sent one.' In Matthew 9, Jesus says to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest. Then He prays all night, and chooses 12 of His disciples, calling them apostles. He sends them out telling them to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils. He tells them to preach 'Repent for the kingdom of heaven as at hand' as they went into towns and villages. Mark first calls these sent ones 'apostles' after they return from their mission.
Saul of Tarsus saw the risen Lord and was told that he would testify of the Lord before Israel and the Gentiles. Years later, the Spirit spoke to a number of prophets and teachers in Antioch. Among them were Saul and Barnabas. Acts 13 opens telling us how the Spirit spoke to these men, telling them to separate Barnabas and Saul for the work to which the Spirit called them.
They go from city to city, preaching in synagogues and market places, proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah. They encouraged churches that formed, and returned and appointed elders. They returned to Antioch having completed the assignment they were given. Paul and Barnabas are first called 'apostles' in Acts after they had begun this journey and ministry (Acts 14:4;14.)
Generally, in scripture, apostles laid foundations of the church. Paul and Barnabas, Silas and Timothy (I Thes. 1:1, and II Thes. 2:6) were referred to as apostles. Also, it is likely that Paul includes Apollos as an apostle in I Corinthians 4:9, given the context.
In II Corinthians 10, we see that the authors had a 'measure of rule' that extended to the Corinthians because they had gone as far as them with the Gospel, and wanted to extend their measure further by being assisted to go further and reach more places with the Gospel. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 9 that they were the seal of his apostleship in the Lord. Apparently, the fact that they had converted and existed as a church was evidence that the Lord sent him. Earlier in the book, he tells them that had many teachers, but not many fathers, for in the Gospel he had become their father. I see these concepts as tied up with Paul's apostleship. The church existed through Paul's apostolic gift. He was sent to preach and evangelize, and through his and his apostolic coworker's ministry, the church came into being.
The role of 'apostle' has to do with being sent by the Lord. Often, it involves preaching and what we now call 'church planting.' There were the twelve apostles, but also apostles given as gifts after the ascension as we see in Ephesians 4.
Prophets
There many examples of prophets in the Old Testament. Peter described them when he said 'holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' (or were carried long by the Holy Ghost.) The same words for 'prophet' and 'prophesy' are used to refer to New Testament phenomenon as Old Testament phenomenon, so we should not think that the meaning of the words drastically changed. Genuine prophesying refers to language or communication that occurs as one is moved by the Holy Ghost.
Prophets, like other believers, are supposed to be allowed to speak in the assembly ('in church.') I Corinthians 14 gives 'commandments of the Lord' for church meetings. Verse 26 shows that this is about meetings where 'every one of you' has a psalm, doctrine, tongue, revelation, or interpretation. The passage specifically commands to let the prophets speak two or three and let the other judge. Prophecy is revelatory. The next verse says if a revelation comes to one sitting by, let the first hold his peace. The next verse continues for ye may all prophesy one by one....
Prophets have a special ministry related to prophecy and sometimes other revelatory gifts also.
Evangelists
Ephesians 4:11 mentions evangelists, gifts from Christ. Acts 8 tells of Philip, who went down to Samaria and preached Christ, doing signs and wonders. He preached and won many converts in a city there, baptizing them, and and leaving 'follow up' for the apostles from Jerusalem. He also ministered one on one and evangelized a eunuch who was curious about Isaiah 53. He baptized the man and disappeared. He reappeared elsewhere preaching.. II Timothy 4:5 tells Timothy to do the work of an evangelist but does not directly call him one.
From this we can gather that evangelists have a ministry of preaching the Gospel to those who have not yet believed it, bringing them to faith. An evangelist can speak and exhort the church like any other brother should be able to.
Pastors and teachers
Because of the way Ephesians 4:11 is written, many interpreters take this verse to be referring to one group of those who are both pastors and teachers. This passage is talking about a gift, and does not specify a church office. In Geneva, it became the custom to refer to priests/presbyters/elders as 'pastors'. They called their city government officials elders. Presbyterians copied the system on a national level, modifying city government officials as a church office, and creating a lot of confusion as to what church roles actually are.
'Pastors' here translates a word elsewhere translated 'shepherds'. Shepherds in Luke were watching their flocks by night. The picture is of those who take care of sheep. Paul instructed the elders of Ephesus to pastor the flock of God over Whom the Holy Ghost had made them bishops/overseers. Peter commanded the elders to pastor the flock of God. Jesus told Peter to pastor His sheep. Paul wrote of his own ministry, 'who pastors a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?'
Pastoral ministry is therefore a component of the elder/overseer role and also the role of apostles. That does not mean that someone could not have a gift to pastor but not yet be ordained. Ephesians 4:11 is a list of gifts to the church. In addition, to be an overseer, one must have certain life experiences and live up to certain lifestyle qualifications.
What I do not see in scripture is the idea that 'apostle' is a gift to have authority over church leaders, to have that special anointing to come in and take over other churches that one had no part in founding at all. I do not see where 'evangelist' or 'prophet' means someone who must have a leadership role on a church board.
I believe some people on the missions field and some involved in church planting have an apostolic gift. God may communicate their call to it, have them sent out also through the church, and empower and authorize them to preach and start new ministries. I seek to understand what the term 'apostle' means in scripture, not from the perspective of someone reading a 20th century book on the church agreeing on the canon using later criteria.
Ephesians 4 tells us of Christ ascending on high and giving gifts unto men (Paul's paraphrase from the Psalms where He ascends on high and receives gifts for men.) Some of the gifts are listed in verse 11, apostles, prophets, evangelists, prophets and teachers.
Some churches nowadays teach that these are active ministries for the church. Let us consider this and consider what these ministries are.
Apostles:
'Apostle' means 'sent one.' In Matthew 9, Jesus says to pray the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into His harvest. Then He prays all night, and chooses 12 of His disciples, calling them apostles. He sends them out telling them to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils. He tells them to preach 'Repent for the kingdom of heaven as at hand' as they went into towns and villages. Mark first calls these sent ones 'apostles' after they return from their mission.
Saul of Tarsus saw the risen Lord and was told that he would testify of the Lord before Israel and the Gentiles. Years later, the Spirit spoke to a number of prophets and teachers in Antioch. Among them were Saul and Barnabas. Acts 13 opens telling us how the Spirit spoke to these men, telling them to separate Barnabas and Saul for the work to which the Spirit called them.
They go from city to city, preaching in synagogues and market places, proclaiming that Jesus is the Messiah. They encouraged churches that formed, and returned and appointed elders. They returned to Antioch having completed the assignment they were given. Paul and Barnabas are first called 'apostles' in Acts after they had begun this journey and ministry (Acts 14:4;14.)
Generally, in scripture, apostles laid foundations of the church. Paul and Barnabas, Silas and Timothy (I Thes. 1:1, and II Thes. 2:6) were referred to as apostles. Also, it is likely that Paul includes Apollos as an apostle in I Corinthians 4:9, given the context.
In II Corinthians 10, we see that the authors had a 'measure of rule' that extended to the Corinthians because they had gone as far as them with the Gospel, and wanted to extend their measure further by being assisted to go further and reach more places with the Gospel. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 9 that they were the seal of his apostleship in the Lord. Apparently, the fact that they had converted and existed as a church was evidence that the Lord sent him. Earlier in the book, he tells them that had many teachers, but not many fathers, for in the Gospel he had become their father. I see these concepts as tied up with Paul's apostleship. The church existed through Paul's apostolic gift. He was sent to preach and evangelize, and through his and his apostolic coworker's ministry, the church came into being.
The role of 'apostle' has to do with being sent by the Lord. Often, it involves preaching and what we now call 'church planting.' There were the twelve apostles, but also apostles given as gifts after the ascension as we see in Ephesians 4.
Prophets
There many examples of prophets in the Old Testament. Peter described them when he said 'holy men of old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.' (or were carried long by the Holy Ghost.) The same words for 'prophet' and 'prophesy' are used to refer to New Testament phenomenon as Old Testament phenomenon, so we should not think that the meaning of the words drastically changed. Genuine prophesying refers to language or communication that occurs as one is moved by the Holy Ghost.
Prophets, like other believers, are supposed to be allowed to speak in the assembly ('in church.') I Corinthians 14 gives 'commandments of the Lord' for church meetings. Verse 26 shows that this is about meetings where 'every one of you' has a psalm, doctrine, tongue, revelation, or interpretation. The passage specifically commands to let the prophets speak two or three and let the other judge. Prophecy is revelatory. The next verse says if a revelation comes to one sitting by, let the first hold his peace. The next verse continues for ye may all prophesy one by one....
Prophets have a special ministry related to prophecy and sometimes other revelatory gifts also.
Evangelists
Ephesians 4:11 mentions evangelists, gifts from Christ. Acts 8 tells of Philip, who went down to Samaria and preached Christ, doing signs and wonders. He preached and won many converts in a city there, baptizing them, and and leaving 'follow up' for the apostles from Jerusalem. He also ministered one on one and evangelized a eunuch who was curious about Isaiah 53. He baptized the man and disappeared. He reappeared elsewhere preaching.. II Timothy 4:5 tells Timothy to do the work of an evangelist but does not directly call him one.
From this we can gather that evangelists have a ministry of preaching the Gospel to those who have not yet believed it, bringing them to faith. An evangelist can speak and exhort the church like any other brother should be able to.
Pastors and teachers
Because of the way Ephesians 4:11 is written, many interpreters take this verse to be referring to one group of those who are both pastors and teachers. This passage is talking about a gift, and does not specify a church office. In Geneva, it became the custom to refer to priests/presbyters/elders as 'pastors'. They called their city government officials elders. Presbyterians copied the system on a national level, modifying city government officials as a church office, and creating a lot of confusion as to what church roles actually are.
'Pastors' here translates a word elsewhere translated 'shepherds'. Shepherds in Luke were watching their flocks by night. The picture is of those who take care of sheep. Paul instructed the elders of Ephesus to pastor the flock of God over Whom the Holy Ghost had made them bishops/overseers. Peter commanded the elders to pastor the flock of God. Jesus told Peter to pastor His sheep. Paul wrote of his own ministry, 'who pastors a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?'
Pastoral ministry is therefore a component of the elder/overseer role and also the role of apostles. That does not mean that someone could not have a gift to pastor but not yet be ordained. Ephesians 4:11 is a list of gifts to the church. In addition, to be an overseer, one must have certain life experiences and live up to certain lifestyle qualifications.
What I do not see in scripture is the idea that 'apostle' is a gift to have authority over church leaders, to have that special anointing to come in and take over other churches that one had no part in founding at all. I do not see where 'evangelist' or 'prophet' means someone who must have a leadership role on a church board.
I believe some people on the missions field and some involved in church planting have an apostolic gift. God may communicate their call to it, have them sent out also through the church, and empower and authorize them to preach and start new ministries. I seek to understand what the term 'apostle' means in scripture, not from the perspective of someone reading a 20th century book on the church agreeing on the canon using later criteria.
-
3
- Show all
