What is the five-fold ministry? This is a question that many people have heard of, but don't know what it means. The five-fold ministry is found in Ephesians 4:11, and it refers to the five roles that God has called Christians to fill. These roles are (1) apostles, (2) prophets, (3) evangelists, (4) pastors, and (5) teachers. Each of these roles is important not just for the early church but for the body of Christ today to function properly. In this blog post, we will explore each of these roles in more detail!
What Do Five Fold Ministers Do (Church Government)?
The five-fold ministry exists to equip the church body for works of service in the new testament (Ephesians 4:12). The idea is that each member of the church body has a role to play in furthering God's kingdom. When everyone is working together in their gifts and calling, the Church is able to accomplish more than what any one person could do on their own. God's heart is for all people to be saved and to come to the whole measure of the knowledge truth (1 Timothy 2:4). To learn about the five fold in more depth, join our school of ministry.
Ephesians Chapter 4:11 "So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his 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."
Does Everyone Have An Office? (Five Fold Ministry Gifts)
People are born with the gifts of Jesus Christ (fivefold ministry). They are not something you can attain. On the other hand, gifts of the Spirit are available to all. It is God's ministry on earth through His people.
The gifts of the Spirit of God are available to all for free. All you have to do is believe in Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. The Bible actually says to "Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy." That means they are for everyone.
On the other hand, the 5 fold ministry is to equip the saints so that they can function in the gifts. There is a difference between having an office and functioning in a gift.
What are the Roles of the Apostles?
An apostle is someone who is sent out by God to proclaim His message. They are often seen as pioneers or visionaries because they are often sent into new areas to start churches. Apostles and prophets usually work closely together.
Apostles are also responsible to equip people to do the work of the ministry. The term apostle came from the Roman Empire. When the Roman Empire would conquer a city, instead of destroying it, they would send out apostles with the kingdom mindset to shift the government and how the city functions.
Who is Apostle Paul in the New Testament?
Apostle Paul is one of the most well-known apostles in the New Testament. He was originally named Saul and he was a Pharisee. He was present at the stoning of Stephen and he approved of it. After that, he began to persecute Christians.
He was on his way to Damascus to persecute the body of Christ (Christians) there when he had a dramatic encounter with Jesus Christ (Acts 9).
After this encounter, Saul's name was changed to Paul and he became one of the most well-known apostles who ever lived. He wrote a large portion of the New Testament including fourteen books of the Bible!
What are the Roles of a Prophet?
A prophet releases God's word and truth. Prophets often receive messages from God that they then share with others to prepare God's people. Prophets also have a role in interceding for people. This means that a prophet can prophesy over others to edify or build up the church and church leaders.
What are the Roles of an Evangelist?
Evangelists gather people. An evangelist is someone who is responsible for sharing the gospel message with those who haven't heard it yet. They often do this through preaching and teaching. Evangelists also have a heart for discipleship, which means they help new believers grow in their faith.
What are the Roles of a Pastor?
A pastor is someone who shepherd's the flock (local church). This means that they care for the spiritual needs of the people in their church. Pastors also have a role in teaching and preaching. They often do this through sermons and Bible studies. Pastors guard the sheep, just like a shepard would protect his sheep.
What are the Roles of a Teacher?
A teacher is someone who is responsible for instructing others in the things of God. They often do this by breaking down the Word of God. That can be in a Bible study setting or from the pulpit. Teachers also have a heart for equipping people to be able to study the Bible on their own.
The five-fold ministry is an important part of what makes the Church function properly. Each member has a role to play, and when everyone is working together, great things can be accomplished for the kingdom of God!
Does Everyone Have A Five-Fold Gift?
No, not everyone has a specific gifting that is listed in the five-fold ministry. The fivefold is to equip and mature the body of Christ to function in the gifts.
Gifts of the Father
The gifts of the Father stay with us our whole lives; It is something we are born with. There are inherited gifts (grace gifts). To each has been given a measure of grace. This pertains to strengths in our lives.
Gifts of Jesus Christ
The gifts of Christ Jesus are the five-fold ministry gifts. The five-fold can be represented using a hand.
- The thumb is the Apostle because he functions in all five gifts.
- The pointer finger is the Prophet because he gives direction.
- The middle finger is the Evangelist because he has the most reach.
- The ring finger is the Pastor because he is married to the sheep.
- The pinky finger is the Teacher because he brings balance to the body of Christ.
Are The FiveFold Ministry Gifts Are For Today?
Yes! The five-fold gifts are for today! Just because we don't see them being used as often as they were in Biblical times doesn't mean that they are no longer valid. We need these gifts today just as much as they did back then!
Gifts of the Holy Spirit
The gifts of the Spirit are for today and they are listed in I Corinthians 12:7-11. These gifts are given to us by the Spirit of God and they are meant to be used for building up the Church.
What are the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit?
- Word of Wisdom
- Word of Knowledge
- Gift of Faith
- Gift of Healing
- Miracles
- Gift of Prophecy,
- Gift of Discernment
- Speaking In Tongues
- Interpretation of tongues
Conclusion: What is the 5 Fold Ministry?
In conclusion, the five-fold ministry is an important part of what makes the body of Christ function properly. Each member of the body of Christ Jesus has a role to play. The five fold ministry is to equip the body of Christ to function in gifts.
Not everyone is called to one of the offices in the five fold but everyone is called to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. While preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Bible says that signs and wonders will follow. Therefore, everyone can function in gifts so that we can reveal Jesus Christ and His kingdom on this earth. Now, when everyone is working together, great things will be accomplished for the kingdom of God!
Have a friend who doesn't believe in Jesus or is doubting God's existence. Share our blog called is God real or does God forgive all sins? Also, check out our blog post on God's age called "How Old is God? What is God's Age?"
FAQs
What is the 5 fold ministry explanation? ›
The concept of the five-fold ministry comes from Ephesians 4:11, "It was He (Jesus) who gave some to be (1) apostles, some to be (2) prophets, some to be (3) evangelists, and some to be (4) pastors and (5) teachers."
What are the 5 fold ministry giftings? ›Ephesians 4:11-13 “And Christ gave these gifts to the Church: The Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and the teachers.
What are the 5 gifts from God? ›- The gift of the Holy Spirit.
- The gift of faith.
- The gift of forgiveness.
- The gift of the church, and.
- The gift of heaven.
The Pastor (Soul Healer)
You bring fun and enjoyment to God's ministry and allow people to feel like they are part of a greater family. You are also instrumental in guiding people through brokenness back to wholeness and healing their soul from wounds that keep them where they are.
You can touch it. Not to mention see it, hear it, smell it, and taste it. The invisible realm of the spirit is as real as the visible world. In fact, the Scripture tells us that it is even more real (Hebrews 11:3).
What is the 5th gift of the Holy Spirit? ›The fifth gift of the Holy Spirit, knowledge, is often confused with both wisdom and understanding. Like wisdom, knowledge is the perfection of faith, but whereas wisdom gives us the desire to judge all things according to the truths of the Catholic Faith, knowledge is the actual ability to do so.
What is the most important gift of God? ›In John 3:16, we read about a most precious gift: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
What are the 5 gifts of the church? ›In the earliest days of the church, followers of Jesus embraced five core spiritual gifts―apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers―and the world was set on fire as a result.
What are the spiritual giftings? ›These abilities, often termed "charismatic gifts", are the word of knowledge, increased faith, the gifts of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues.
What are the Giftings of the Holy Spirit? ›YOUCAT 310: “The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit in order? ›
The gifts are 1 ) wisdom, 2) understanding, 3) counsel, 4) fortitude, 5) knowledge, 6) piety, and 7) fear of the Lord. This list is based on Is 11:2. The imparting of the gifts of the Spirit is associated with baptism, as well as Confirmation and Ordination.
What is the five fold apostolic ministry? ›The five-fold ministry is found in Ephesians 4:11, and it refers to the five roles that God has called Christians to fill. These roles are (1) apostles, (2) prophets, (3) evangelists, (4) pastors, and (5) teachers.
What are the 5 gifts for Christmas? ›The five gift rule says that you should give five gifts to your loved ones: one for each of the following categories: something they want, something they need, something to wear, something to read, and a special gift.
What is the most powerful gift of the Spirit? ›Wisdom. Wisdom is considered the first and the greatest of the gifts. It acts upon both the intellect and the will. According to St. Bernard, it both illumines the mind and instills an attraction to the divine.
What is the greatest gift God gave us? ›So, instead of abandoning us or retaliating against us, he offers us a gift, the best gift that has ever been given: his Son, crucified and raised to life again.
What is the difference between spiritual gifts and gifts of the Spirit? ›Spiritual gifts are blessings or abilities given by God to His children through the power of the Holy Ghost. Gifts of the Spirit are given to bless and benefit those who love the Lord and seek to keep His commandments.
What is the gift of discernment? ›It means “to understand or know something through the power of the Spirit. … It includes perceiving the true character of people and the source and meaning of spiritual manifestations” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Discernment, Gift of,” scriptures.lds.org).
What is the difference between the Holy Spirit and the Holy Ghost? ›The English terms "Holy Ghost" and "Holy Spirit" are complete synonyms: one derives from the Old English gast and the other from the Latin loanword spiritus. Like pneuma, they both refer to the breath, to its animating power, and to the soul.
What are the five symbols of the Holy Spirit? ›The Holy Spirit is presented with some symbols in the Bible, which depict a reality of truth about the Holy Spirit and throw light on both his nature and mission. The symbols of the Holy Spirit are: Dove, Fire, Oil, Wind and Water.
What are the 3 power gifts of the Holy Spirit? ›The reason we call them the power gifts, is because each one of these gifts, do something. The gifts that fall into this category are; the gift of special faith, gifts of healings, and the working of miracles.
What is the gift of counsel? ›
The Gift of Counsel is "to render the individual docile and receptive to the counsel. \of God regarding one's actions in view of sanctification and salvation." Primarily, this gift enables a person to judge individual acts as good and ought to be done, or. as evil and ought to be avoided.
What are the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12? ›Paul wrote about various spiritual gifts that can be received through the Holy Ghost. Each member of the Church is to contribute to the body (Church) of Christ. Apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, and spiritual gifts are all part of God's Church.