THE MAKING OF A MAN OR WOMAN OF GOD: FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY GIFTS 2

Key Scriptures: Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Corinthians 12: 12-31

Introduction:

The Scripture verse above highlights five distinct areas or roles of ministry which God has given to the
Church as a gift, so that it can operate in totality and reach maturity. Essentially the five-fold ministry
establishes a group of leaders to govern the Church based on giftedness in one of five areas, which together
provide a holistic and balanced perspective to complete Christian ministry. This model stands somewhat in
contrast to the more traditional hierarchy Church model with a Senior pastor, associate and assistant
pastors.

All five streams of giftedness are highly unlikely to be represented and well balanced in one or two
individuals. The five-fold model functions on the basis that leaders with the gifting of an Apostle, Prophet,
Evangelist, Pastor or Teacher oversee ministry areas where they have a proven anointing to grow and edify
the Church.

Key Points:

I. Leadership models in the Old Testament

A. In the Old Testament alone, we see many completely different models of leadership ordained by God.
Overall we see 6 different forms of leadership during the Old Testament:

1. Covenant bearers - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob

2. Divinely directly/appointed - Moses, Joshua
3. Priests - Aaron, Levites
4. Judges - Deborah, Gideon, Samson
5. Kings - Saul, David
6. Prophets - Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel

B. The offices of prophet and priest were already in operation during the time of the judges and the kings,
i.e. Deborah was a prophetess and a judge at the same time (Judges 4:4).

1. The 3 offices that had the greatest effect on leadership during the Old Testament were the offices of
priest, prophet and king. The Bible says that Jesus Christ operated in all three of these offices.
 Jesus is called the King of kings.
 Jesus is called our High Priest and Intercessor standing at the right hand of God.
 Jesus spoke about a prophet not being honored in his own country referring to Himself. His
disciples and other followers often spoke of Him as a prophet.
2. Because Jesus had fulfilled these offices just as He has fulfilled the Old Covenant by His eternal
sacrifice, it is no longer necessary for us to be ruled by priests, kings or prophets in the way that
occurred during Old Testament times.

II. Leadership Models in the New Testament

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A. The New Testament leadership model looks entirely different than any of the Old Testament examples we
looked at.
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1. We will also see that although prophets are mentioned in both Testaments, their ministries are
slightly different.
2. The greatest reasons for the new leadership model in the New Testament are:
 All of God’s people now have direct access to God the Father through Jesus Christ.
 The Holy Spirit who is the constant presence, power and witness of God (Christ), now resides in
each individual who professes Jesus Christ as Lord of his/her life.
3. Because of these two significant factors, God created a new leadership model for the church.

B. If we look at Ephesians 4:11-13 more closely again, we’ll be able to make a few interesting observations:

1. Spiritual gifts are supplemented by the gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers
(Eph. 4:11), which are as different as oil and water and yet brought together by divine chemistry
creating together an indissoluble bond. The whole book of 1 Corinthians is really about this unity.
2. What is the purpose of these ministries?
 For the perfecting/maturing of God’s people
 For the work or equipping of the ministry
 For the edifying/building up of the Body of Christ.
3. For how long?- Until we all come to complete unity in the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of
God
4. It is fairly safe to say that the three purposes for these ministries are just as relevant today as they
were 2000 years ago - probably more so today than ever before.

III. The ministry gifts in the local church today

A. The five ministries in discussion are Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher.

1. First, with the ministry gifts the believer himself or herself is the gift given by Christ to His church.
2. With a ministry gift, every aspect of the total ministry makes up the gift.
3. Third, a ministry gift cannot be divorced from a person’s character.

B. These leadership ministries are not merely "titles" but ministry functions or job descriptions.
1. The focus can and may never be on a man or woman, but rather on the task being
performed in obedience to Christ for the benefit of the Church body.
2. The purpose is purely to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ
may be built up.
3. Our ministry is the ministry of Christ expressed through the believer by the anointing of the
Holy Spirit.
 Christ is our Apostle (Hebrews 3:1)
 Christ is our Prophet (Luke 24:19)
 Christ is our Evangelist (Matthew 9:35)
 Christ is our Pastor (1 Peter 5:2-4)
 Christ is our Teacher (John 3:2).
4. Every ministry is an extension of the ministry of Christ Himself, who is the chief cornerstone
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of the foundations.
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5. Ultimately Christ Himself will replace the five-fold ministry leadership. The 5-fold ministries
are only temporary. Christ’s leadership is and will always be eternal.

C. The essential ingredient in the establishment of New Testament leadership within the local Church is to
ensure that all these gifts are in operation and that they are exercised in unity together. None can be
dominant, none can be absent.

1. Much of the danger associated with misuse and abuse of these gifts can be avoided if they are not
set up as an individual’s specific title or a formal office of the Church leadership structure, but rather
as recognition of a proven area of passion and anointing that a leader expresses in his or her
ministry.
2. Any local Church can maintain the New Testament directive simply by ensuring there’s an
established team of leaders.
3. The collective giftedness of the leadership team incorporates all five distinct areas of ministry and
ensures their influence in the life of the Church.

C. There are certain things we must remember about spiritual gifts and also the five-fold ministers who are
gifted to the church. Gifts or calling do not equate to maturity.

1. Fivefold ministers are servants. Matthew 20:25 states “whoever wants to be great must be a servant
of all.” Jesus is the greatest servant of all, he gave his very life for those he loves.
2. A calling on a minister’s life, i.e. five-fold minister, is one aspect of their ministry for the Lord, their
character is the second aspect. How much their character has been matured directly relates to the
level of authority that the Lord commissions them to have.
3. Every Christian needs to be accountable to those that are called to look after and equip them,
including five-fold ministers.

D. Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians (Read: Ephesians 3:7-21)

MINISTRY GIFTS IN EPHESIANS 4:11

IV. Apostle (Please refer to the first set of notes on “Five-Fold Ministry”)

V. Prophets: Guide

A. The word prophet originates from the Greek word, prophetes, which means an inspired speaker or a
foreteller.

B. The anointing to prophesy is seen oftentimes in believers who are called to the five-fold ministry.

1. They will operate in their respective offices while exercising prophetic insight and authority.
2. The prophetic anointing adds a depth and dimension to their ministries.
3. The prophecy of the prophet will provide direction, give insight into purpose, rebuke, correct, and
reveal future events in God’s eternal purpose. This is in addition to edification, exhortation, and
comfort. When the prophet ministers, the prophecies will be of greater depth, dimension, and
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clarity.
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C. Although prophets prophesy, there are other prophetic vehicles in operation and a greater responsibility
in the Church; therefore, the gift of the prophet to the church is not the same as the gift of prophecy, which
is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit recorded in 1 Corinthians 12.

1. The gift of prophecy is the ability to speak, in a language understood by the believer, words that are
inspired and given by the Holy Spirit. Prophecy is not just inspired preaching. Neither does it proceed
from human reasoning, learning, education, or seminary training. Like all the other gifts, it is made
possible only by the supernatural operation of the Holy Spirit.
2. The Greek word for ‘to prophesy’ is ‘propheteuo.’ It means to foretell events and speak under divine
inspiration. This means that the source of prophecy is God. No one can prophesy except the Lord
gives the revelation.
3. Though many connect prophecy only with foretelling, it can also serve any of a number of equally
important purposes. Most of them fall under one of these five categories, set forth in I Corinthians
14: 3 and John 16: 13– 15:
 Edification: undergirding, building, encouragement
 Exhortation: instruction, correction, admonishment
 Consolation: comfort, empathy, understanding
 Guidance: counsel, direction, callings, advisories
 Disclosure of things to come: annunciations, warnings, foretelling
4. In Scripture , you’ll find examples of these multiple purposes being served, many of which have
nothing to do with foretelling. So, a message from God that edifies, exhorts, consoles, or guides can
be every bit as prophetic as a message that discloses what is to come.
5. Each of these purposes serves to advance God’s redemptive objective, spreading the testimony of
Jesus, which Revelation 19: 10 calls the spirit of prophecy. Extending the kingdom of God in Christ is
of the essence in all forms of prophetic utterance.

D. New Testament prophets were initially raised up by God in Jerusalem among apostles. They came to the
apostolic Antioch Church in the early 1st century Church to bring great edification, exhortation and comfort
to the Church of God (Acts 11:27).

1. Because of the visit of Jerusalem prophets to Antioch Church, a strong prophetic Spirit settled over
the Church and made them minister to the Lord continuously in prayer.
 Then the Antioch Church was able to download the blue print of heaven and thus send apostles
strategically to turn the world upside down with the Gospel (Acts 13:1-3; 17:6).
 This will happen in our generation too in the coming days. Jesus himself promised to send
apostles and prophets to the world to challenge them to come face-to-face with the kingdom of
God (Luke 11:49).
 These end-time apostles and prophets will heal the sick and demonstrate that the kingdom of
God has come near to people. They are challenged to make a wise choice to be subject to the
power of the heavenly King of kings before the Great Tribulation comes to the whole world (Luke
10:9-12).
2. God has been restoring the office of prophets and apostles in the past twenty to thirty years in a
tangible way. Of course, finally it is becoming visible to all people, especially to the Church of the
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living God (1 Tim 3:15).

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E. The prophet, more than any other in five-fold ministry, is focused on the immediate voice of God (or the
rhema word).

1. Prophets have great ability to receive the heart and mind of God and declare it to people, churches,
businesses, cities, and nations.
2. Prophets receive revelation from the Lord in various ways but I would say that the most common is
through hearing and seeing.
3. They proclaim a divine message that should never contradict scripture, and should bring Holy Spirit
confirmation of truth within the person receiving the word.
4. They equip the church to hear the voice of God for themselves, and to move in the supernatural gifts
of the Spirit.
5. Just as with every five-fold minister, a prophet needs space to learn and make mistakes.

F. The prophets are there to guide the Church along with the apostles, who are called to govern the Church
of God. These two are foundational offices of the Church (Ephesians 2:19-20).

1. The apostles receive the blue print from heaven and start to build a work through the prophets who
bring revelation, guidance and admonition for the Church to excel and prosper spiritually (Ezra 5:2).
2. For most of the time in the past centuries, the lack of revelation of these two offices has made the
Church powerless to face the Babylonian adulteration of the word of God.
3. The ministry of the prophet involves being moved in prophetic utterance, which can be:
 Predictive (Acts 21:10-11; Acts 11:27-28)
 Directive (Acts 13:1-3)
 Corrective (Acts 15:22-23, 27, 32).

G. Prophets have a strong sense of right and wrong, but even more than that: they have a strong sense of
the Spirit’s leading.

1. Their spiritual antennae start quivering when things are going off balance or in wrong directions.
2. Their voice is important for keeping the Church on track in what the Lord wants to do.
3. Prophets also understand justice and are defenders of what is fair and right.

I. All prophets exhibit characteristics of messengers and interpreters.

1. Messengers are deliverers of the sender’s message. A messenger’s only task is to carry the message
from the sender to the recipient. God calls prophets to deliver the Word (message) of the Lord.
2. Messengers are responsible for the message they carry. Messengers have to be careful not to lose or
damage the message given them, whether it’s spoken or written.
3. Prophets are the eyes of the Lord. They have to watch in the Spirit for what the Lord will say and
deliver His message to the people (Ezekiel 33:7).
 The scriptures call the prophets “watchmen” and not shepherds. Though God will reveal many
things to them in the Spirit, they must minister those words in submission to local leadership.
 They should not alter the message because of personal opinion/bias, popularity, or gain.
Prophets have to resist prophesying to earn the favor of men.
 In addition, they have to guard themselves against ministering to bring people under their
control. Prophets that alter the word of the Lord are candidates for becoming false prophets.
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4. Messengers have to be fearless. Messengers have been killed for delivering the Word of the Lord.
There is no place for fear in the life of a prophet (Jeremiah 1:8). Prophets must deliver God’s
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message in spite of the consequences. Numerous prophets have ruined their ministries by choosing
which words to deliver and which to hold back.
5. Messengers have to be trustworthy.
6. Prophets are to possess integrity to fully cooperate with God (Amos 3:7).

J. Prophets are also interpreters

1. Interpreters are important to any kingdom. In the Church, prophets play an important role in the
revelation of Christ to the world.
2. Prophets understand the various manners in which God speaks. They help believers understand the
different ways in which God speaks. They are skilled interpreters of dreams, visions, signs, and
events.
3. Prophets have the awesome responsibility to make known unto man the counsel of an invisible God.
Therefore, it is imperative that the interpreter be able to not only translate, but also communicate
the intent of the words spoken.
4. Prophets also work alongside other ministries to ensure that the counsel of God is understood. In
addition, they labor to ensure its proper application in the Church and in the lives of believers.

K. Nine functions of a prophet

1. Preach/Teach the Word of God (Ephesians 3:3-5; Acts 15:32).

2. Serve as intercessors (Jeremiah 27:18a).
3. Lay spiritual foundations (Ephesians 2:20).
4. Reveal/Impart spiritual gifts (1 Timothy 4:14).
5. Prophesy (Acts 11:27-28; Ezekiel 3:10-11).
6. Interpret signs, wonders, dreams, and visions. Prophets are gifted to interpret the supernatural
manifestations of God (Numbers 12:6).
7. Expose false prophets and doctrines. Prophets are stewards of the mysteries of God (Jeremiah 5:31).
They have revelation and foresight to warn against spiritual deception. They will contend for purity
of faith and doctrine in the Church. They, like prophets of old, will warn and speak against false
prophets and ministers, unashamedly.
8. Perform signs, wonders, and healings (Isaiah 38:7-8).
9. Establish believers, churches, and organizations in the faith and will of God. Prophets have the ability
to promote growth and stability in the Body of Christ. In addition, through prophetic insight, they
will endeavor to make sure that the plan and will of God is accomplished.

L. There is such a thing as a false prophet (1 John 4:1). God sets clear guidelines:

1. Prophecies should be tested.

2. The words of a prophet are judged by church leadership (1 Corinthians14:29)
3. Any prophecy should line up with Scripture (2 Peter 1: 19-21).

M. Apostles and Prophets

1. There are certain functions and responsibilities that apostles and prophets share, but we see the
significant differences.
 Apostles evangelize while prophets prophesy.
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 Apostles raise up leaders while prophets intercede for them.

 Apostles establish organizations while prophets interpret its vision.
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2. These two ministry gifts work together: Cement and water; builders and inspectors. Apostles and
prophets bring balance to one another. Apostles provide stability for the Church, while prophets
facilitate mobility in the Church. Stability and Mobility work together as cement and water to lay the
proper foundation for the Church.
3. Apostles endeavor to lay a spiritual foundation for the saints to grow by.
 Their ministries provide structure and order for the worship of God.
 After the construction of a building, the building inspector’s job is important. They come in to
ensure that the building is safe for occupancy and that it meets all governmental regulations.
The prophet’s ministry can be comparable to this.

N. The apostolic and prophetic manifestations of the anointing work together as a check and balance to one
another.

1. In the human body, the heart brings substance to what is received in the mind, while the mind filters
the emotions of the heart.
2. Apostolic ministry balances the prophetic ministry by bringing stability and order to what God is
saying.
3. Conversely, prophetic ministry balances apostolic ministry, by giving direction to what is received
through the apostolic ministry.
4. They work together so that the Church will have the heart and mind of God in all situations.
5. In the human body, an alert mind and strong heart provide the basis for a strong body. The same is
true in the Church.
6. The apostolic anointing and the prophetic anointing work together to ensure the Body of Christ
remains strong.

HOMEWORK:

1. Contrast the gift of prophecy, as one of the nine gifts of the Spirit, and the gift of the prophet to the
Church.
2. What primary responsibilities does a prophet have?
3. Discuss several characteristics of prophets.
4. List nine functions of prophets in the Church?
5. What is the relationship between apostles and prophets? How do they work together? 31
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4Ekselans School of Ministry: Institute for the Formation of Christian Leaders 2013-2015