Saturday, January 24, 2009

The Five Fold Ministry


.....Ephesians 4:11-16 says, "He Himself gave some to be Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Pastors, and some Teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but speaking the Truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head - Christ - from whom the whole body, joined, and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."


.....These titles listed above make up the five fold ministry, or what I call the Ascension Gifts. This ministry is to preach a word that encourages the saints to mature in Christ. They are to help members of the body to prepare for whatever their gifts and callings are to do the work of ministry. They are also to encourage and edify people, enabling them to continue to reach for a higher calling in Christ.

.....Revelation of the mystery of Christ primarily comes through Apostles and Prophets. An Apostle's calling is mission minded, church planting minded, and fathering or mentoring minded. While a Prophet's calling is correction minded, such as establishing or restoring order in the church, and also event or future minded. Revelation from these people is two fold with the aspect of mind renewal. It establishes foundational knowledge of who we are in Christ. Revelation reveals the Will of God, which contains the power to renew the mind. We must then cast away any image which challenges the Word of God, removing it, which is the second aspect, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Then we are able to see ourselves as we really are, and how God truly created us to be. Apostles and Prophets are all priceless and invaluable to God's purpose, yet not all are good preachers.

.....An Evangelist is just a revivalist or a Preacher who travels around the country or world holding large services in different cities.

There are 4 types of Preachers or Pastors today:

Practical Preachers - They are good at dealing with everyday issues, and are more inspirational than revelational. Basically, simple and practical.

Strengths - They maintain a safe environment for those who want a good neighbor kind of life, lots of activities, support groups, and family fellowships.

Weakness - Anyone who eventually desires more in their spiritual walk with God would become frustrated and feel unfulfilled, and would have to at some point move on.

Principle Preachers - They are well taught, and have lots of structure in life. They make better sense of things, and get insight on some unanswered questions about God and His Word.

Strengths - They have stability, and are focus maintained, ( The How To's Of Life).

Weakness - Their discipline overrides their sensitivity, and they hold principles higher than a spirit of compassion and understanding.

Presence Preachers - They offer a spiritual experience with God that is not offered by others. They promote interaction with the Holy Spirit, supernatural healing, and cleansing, encouraging praise and worship.

Strengths - They are very encouraging, challenging and convincing others that anything is possible.

Weakness - Their good foundations are committed for the spectacular, seeking God in manifestations instead of He Himself. Their followers go around chasing and seeking for a movement of God, never being satisfied.

Person Preachers - They have been through it all, but keep pushing the envelope. They are interested in the mystery of Christ and His fullness. They exchange their own life for His, and against much opposition, they declare His person, passion and position in the church.

Strengths - They speak to the depths of the heart. Proclaiming a true message of redeeming grace, revealing who Jesus really is, and who we are in Him.

Weakness - They show impatience in immaturity in others. Visitors get overwhelmed by new things they don't understand and don't stick around.

.....Last, but definitely not least are the Teachers. They have a basic sense to help and train others to learn, to show, demonstrate, guide, and instruct. A true calling in Discipleship, giving knowledge and insight to duplicate the Christ that is in them, into others.

.....These callings were all designed by God and must continue until we all come into the unity of faith, the knowledge of the Son of God revealed, and a complete corporate man, in which the fullness of Christ (as high and complete as) emerges. 5 in Five Fold Ministry is the number representing grace. These people in these callings have an extra measure of grace over their lives. 5 is also the number of fingers a person has on 1 hand and also the number of toes on 1 foot. This represents a spiritual picture of God's hand reaching out to the world, and also walking it out in this world. Growth is the purpose of the church today. Maturing Christians, edifying, mending, perfecting, and equipping, which is a continual process for the work of the ministry. And with that, there are 3 reasons we are to attend Church... Prayer, Praise, and Personal Growth.

.....In closing, there is another calling or level above these, and that would be... an Ambassador for Christ. An Ambassador is a messenger, a servant, a special representative, the highest-ranking diplomat, an official agent with a special mission, appointed by a King of a Kingdom, God's Kingdom, having the power to make treaties, crossing over Denominational barriers, unifying the body of Christ, (the churches). I am an Ambassador for Christ, and I have come to blow the trumpet, and P.A.S.S. on a clear sounding word, God's Word to others. PROCLAIM, APPLY, SHARE, and SHOW. For those who have spiritual ears, listen up.
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