{"id":100113,"date":"2019-04-16T19:33:52","date_gmt":"2019-04-16T19:33:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mtischoolofministry.com\/learn-exactly-how-i-improved-education\/"},"modified":"2025-06-05T20:39:47","modified_gmt":"2025-06-05T20:39:47","slug":"learn-exactly-how-i-improved-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mtischoolofministry.com\/?p=100113","title":{"rendered":"Understanding the Fivefold Ministry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n

Understanding the Fivefold Ministry<\/h4>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 According to Paul, in Ephesians<\/u> chapter 4, Jesus gave gifts<\/em> to His church, ministry<\/em> gifts that are five in number: apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.<\/p>\n

\"\"

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The apostle<\/u> is mentioned first<\/em> in every listing in Scripture.\u00a0 It is important to realize that the apostle (not one prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher) was the only ministry gift Jesus called and trained before<\/em> the church was birthed in Acts 2.\u00a0 The reason for this is the character of the apostolic enabling: vision, government, <\/em>and order.\u00a0 <\/em>Tradition would have us to believe that apostles were men who were godly, holy miracle-workers.\u00a0 However, such are not apostolic giftings, but rather the responsibility of every Christian. \u00a0<\/em>Present-day ignorance of the office<\/em> of an apostle is in direct proportion to the centuries of its absence.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We need to look again at early church history.\u00a0 With the ranks of the apostolic team refurbished in Acts 1, the first church went from 120 people in the morning of the first day to 3,120 by that afternoon.\u00a0 It grew to 8,120 people on the second day, so that in the first one-hundred-years-world, this percentage of growth set a record that has never been duplicated in all the rest of the 1900 years of church history.\u00a0 The reason is evident the God-ordained church planting program became extinct, as the office of apostle was done away with by the year 150 a.d.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Apostolic ministry teams planted, defined, disciplined, and encouraged the early churches, and they survived, even under traumatic persecution.\u00a0 Ninety percent of the churches started today have so little purpose and power and have so much confusion and disunity because they have no apostolic foundation: <\/em>vision, government, and order (Ephesians 2:20<\/u>).\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The second ministry gift<\/em> of the fivefold ministry is the prophet<\/u>.\u00a0 The prophet is keenly aware of God\u2019s presence and revelation.\u00a0 He receives \u201cwords\u201d from the Lord that help us to clarify and sharpen our purpose and vision.\u00a0 Often our ministry becomes tedious and heavy.\u00a0 A fresh word from God through the prophet lightens our hearts, deepens our resolve, and gives us fresh hope in our labors.\u00a0 His ministry is crucial (foundational)<\/em> during the season of church planting, keeping the new work fresh and on track much the same as a sonogram does during the months of a pregnancy.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The third ministry gift<\/em> mentioned is the evangelist<\/u>.\u00a0 His gifting is best described as \u201cpanting\u201d after the salvation of souls, be it an individual or the teeming masses of people.\u00a0 His spiritual DNA leaves him as a poor candidate for shepherding and discipling the \u201csheep.\u201d\u00a0 Too often, both an evangelist and a congregation have suffered when he misdirects his gifting and attempts to pastor a local church.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The fourth ministry gift<\/em> is that of the pastor<\/u>.\u00a0 His giftings are quickly seen in his loyalty to his flock, his long-suffering for each<\/em> sheep, and his unbending love for all his people.\u00a0 Because of his loyalty and compassion, he usually has difficulty with confrontation and heavy church discipline.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The fifth ministry gift<\/em> is that of the teacher<\/u>.\u00a0 The teacher is more gifted and suited in dealing with the truth of Scripture and doctrine than in dealing with people.\u00a0 To study Scripture, theology, and apology is his very joy.\u00a0 This searching out of the truth has opened the door for some within the ranks of teachers to lose their way and cross over into error. <\/em>\u00a0Know that almost every case of heresy was started by some teacher.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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