Library 3.0

In recent times I have been challenged again of the importance of the function of the five-fold ministries that we read about in (Ephesians 4:11 )– “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.” We give mental assent to these offices, but we do not seem to realize the importance of recognizing them – a recognition that makes room for them to develop, to become established, to be able to grow, and to impact the Christians and unbelievers alike. But before we can recognize such important gifts, we need to have some understanding on what they are – and what their function is. Until we do, we will not be able to make room for them to function like they should. Why is this? It is because we have not, as yet, seen the importance of their gift from God to the Church. Once we do recognize the importance of these essential ministries, we will then look for ways and means to bring them to the fore, so the benefits can be received by all believers in Jesus Christ.

As I was meditating upon the importance of the five-fold ministries, this Scripture came to me regarding the call of a “prophet to the nations” that Jeremiah received:

Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations”(Jeremiah 1:4-5 ). Jeremiah’s reaction was to make excuses to God as to why he could not fulfill that call. God’s response was: Then the Lord put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the Lord said to me: “Behold, I have put My words in your mouth. See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:9-10); see also (Jeremiah 31:28 ).

I then saw that there is a principle in these verses that applies to each of the five-fold ministries, but manifested in a unique and different way one from the other.

Notice the positive and powerful affect these five-fold ministries have when they are allowed to function. To effectively function they have to be recognized enough to be able to be free to fulfill their calling and office. The purpose and impact of their ministries is recorded in the following Scriptural statements:

• “For the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry.”Without the input and impact of the five-fold ministries we will never be fully equipped for the work of the ministry!
• “For the edifying of the body of Christ.”The five-fold ministries build up the body in a supernatural way through their functioning by revelation of the Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit revelation always builds up and encourages the body to rise to greater heights in God.
• “Till we all come to the unity of the faith.”The five-fold ministries carry the New Covenant revelation of Jesus Christ and, in their respective ways, they proclaim and teach that revelation which then brings about the unity of the faith. “The faith” is the principles upon which New Testament/Covenant Christianity is based and built upon.
• Till we all come to . . . “the knowledge of the Son of God.” InJesus Christ (the Son of God) we have the fullness of the revelation of the truth of God. This knowledge is revealed to the born-again, Holy Spirit-filled believers by the Holy Spirit inspiring both the written and spoken word of God to our hearts and lives – opening our spiritual eyes to see, hear and know the truth. This is revelation knowledge – not intellectual knowledge.
• Till we all come . . . “to a perfect man.”Perfection is completion, maturity. As we discern and receive the revelation gifts of the five-fold ministries we come to a maturity in Christ we have never known or experienced before.
• Till we all come . . . “to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.”There is no way we can experience this without coming to a place of maturity.
• “That we no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine.”Children are immature adults. They are still wonderful human beings – yet we all know that they need to eventually grow up and become mature adults. If they don’t, then we class them as being “backward” in some way. Children cannot handle the knowledge and responsibilities that go with that knowledge that mature adults can. As long as we are “spiritual children” we are also “spiritually immature.” And spiritually immature people are prone to be “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of teaching.”Children tend to live for the “moment,” whereas mature adults have a greater understanding of what life is about, the understanding that what we sow today will reap a harvest tomorrow, etc. Maturity causes us to develop vision and purpose through our having a sense of destiny, and knowing where we are going in God. This is all greatly helped by the input of the five-fold ministries.
• That we should no longer be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine “by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting.”The world today is full of the trickery of men; none more so than that which is taught in the religious world. It robsus of the revelation knowledge of God, without which we can never come to spiritual maturity.
• That we should come to the place of “speaking the truth in love . . . and may grow up in all things into Him who is the Head – Christ.”The five-fold-ministries should be immersed in the true love of God as they impart the truth of the revelation of God they have received. It causes us to grow up, to mature.
• It is in Jesus Christ, our Wonderful and Glorious Head of the Church, “from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part supplies.”How does this “transference” of that which God has placed in Christ Jesus become a living reality in our lives, to the point that we all, individually and collectively, are doing our share in the building of this Glorious Body of Christ? It is through the five-fold ministries bringing the revelation of Jesus Christ to us through the anointing of the Holy Spirit working through their respective gifting. Where there are no five-fold ministries functioning, then there will always be lack in the body. And, unless all the five-fold ministries are allowed to function, then there will always be some “deficiencies” in the body that will not allow it to come to full maturity. This makes the place and function of the five-fold ministries very important indeed.
• Putting all these things together, the over-all fruit and “results” produced by the five-fold ministries is that they “cause growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”Every Christian should long to see the body growing in a healthy manner because it is being fed the proper diet (as recommended by the Head of the Church – Jesus). The five-fold ministries are “feeders” of the body of Christ so the body of Christ can “grow up into a mature man” to the glory of the Lord – and the amazement of the world looking on.

 Now, to get really personal: If you were to ask most Christians today how they would recognize one of the five-fold ministry gifting within their midst, they could not tell you. And, tragically, many Christian leaders could not tell you either. This reveals a huge need for us to seek to understand and recognize that which God has given for the building up of His Church – that comes through the five-fold ministries “unlocking” God’s people; first to get us into the Kingdom of God, and secondly to make us into effective members of that Kingdom so that every one of us are producing fruit to the glory of God. “Every joint supplying.”

• We cannot come to maturity without the operation of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit! They are part of our maturing process. Spiritual Gifts (also known as “the manifestation of the Spirit”) are given to each one of us “for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:7 ). The word “profit” is from the Greek word “sumphero” meaning “to bear together, advantage” – Young’s; “to bear together (contribute); advantage:- be better for, bring together, be expedient for, be good, be profitable” – Strong’s. The following three verses tell us what that manifestation of the Spirit is – the nine Spiritual Gifts!Each of these gifts benefit, or advantage the body of Christ in a positive and uplifting way. They encourage us by the Holy Spirit working through individual believers stepping out – speaking out – in obedience to the voice of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of Holy Spirit ministry is that believers are “edified, exhorted and comforted” (1 Corinthians 14:1-5 ). They are for the purpose “that the church may receive edification” (verse 5). Our “profiting” comes “by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching” (1 Corinthians 14:6 ). This is what happens when a church or body of believers allow the prophetic ministry to flow in their midst. This is also confirmed in verse 26, where it says: “How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”

It is interesting to note that the Apostle Paul, in teaching us on the place of Spiritual Gifts and the body being able to freely function, that he makes this statement: “Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature” (1 Corinthians 14:20 ). If there is an area that is often misunderstood in Christianity, it is in this area we call the prophetic. So many do not understand it – and because they do not understand they criticize, then make fun of, and reject it. They do this to their own loss. Others reject because of the “bad examples” of those ministering in the prophetic without love and accountability.