THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY

     And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11,12

The gift of the "Five-fold" ministry team was given by the Lord Jesus to equip the body of Christ to be able to do the work of service. The way the church is assembled today, the pastor is the uncontested CEO and, in most cases, does the work of ministry, leaving the body to sit, listen, and write checks to support the church.

The "Divine Design" given by the Lord Himself begins with the gift of apostle who is the architect who carries the blueprint to the church. He is the Master Builder who lays the foundation of Christ and appoints overseers to be involved with training, equipping, and discipleship.

Today, many true apostles are not able to walk in their gift because of a doctrine of demons that claims the apostolic gift has passed away! This demonically inspired doctrine has greatly weakened the strength of the church to operate as God designed it!

According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 3:10,11

PROPHETS

Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

God speaks to His body through the prophets to direct, encourage, exhort, and rebuke! This gift has also been ignored and, in some cases, perverted with self-proclaimed prophets spewing out what they think God said when He was nowhere around!

When a true prophet speaks, usually you will know it, but God has provided the way for it to be delivered. Two or three are to speak, and the others would judge the message to validate it. Prophets are subject to the prophets, not the pastor. We, as the body of Christ, also have discernment to hear and to judge false prophets. Jesus warned us that in the last days there would be many!

If the Five-Fold ministry gifts were aligned in the body, then we would function as the Lord Jesus desired and would be a powerful entity in the earth. The preceding appointments in the church are as follows!

And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? I Corinthians 12:28,29

EVANGELISTS

Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. II Timothy 4:2-5

There have been many great evangelists who truly walk in the gift, Billy Graham, Jonathan Edwards, and, in the beginning of the New Testament, John the Baptist!

Anyone who is a believer can do the work of an evangelist, but one who is truly anointed will stand out among the crowd. I have only known one who was appointed to evangelize; he was my associate when I directed a residential facility and pastored a church years ago.

Tommy Shaw was a district attorney from Oklahoma, and his life revolved around seeing people saved! We would be sitting at a restaurant, and when the waitress would come up, he would say to her, "You have been thinking about getting saved, haven't you?" With tears in her eyes, she said, Yes. I witnessed that more than once! Tommy died at fifty years of age after seeing hundreds come to the Lord and having one of the largest prison ministries in Oklahoma. RIP Brother!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16

PASTORS AND TEACHERS

And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding. Jeremiah 3:15

The gift of pastor is common in the New Testament churches, and normally, pastors are also teachers. Jesus was an example of a Shepherd who also taught the word of God.

Although pastors are plentiful, there are only a few who truly have the heart of a shepherd. Many walk in the wrong gifting, being prophets or evangelists, as those gifts are not recognized as much as pastor. In third-world countries, everyone in ministry is called pastor.

It takes a special person to be a shepherd over God's people and to lay down their life for the sheep. I was blessed to have a pastor with a heart for the ministry and for the many for whom he gave his life. (For a good read on what a true shepherd is, get the book, "A Shepherd Looks at the 23rd Psalm" by Phillip Keller.)

Therefore, take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28

Your servant in Christ, Timothy Laughlin
Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ