~ The 5-fold Ministry Equips the Saints for the Works of Service ~
Any competent builder uses blueprints if he wants what he’s building to last. Yahweh – the ultimate Builder – was the one who originated this concept. When He instructed Moses to build the tabernacle in the wilderness, He told him, “See that you make it according to the pattern.” (Exod. 25:40). Solomon, likewise, received a pattern for the Temple, a pattern, incidentally, that David had “by the Spirit” (see 1 Chron. 28:11-12). Yet for too long the ‘church’ – the Body of Messiah – has been building according to a different pattern than the one given in the New Testament. Is it any wonder that what’s been created is imperfect, flawed, and relatively ineffective?
There is a better way, the way Yahshua originally intended when He said, “And I will build my ekklesia (‘church’, assembly), and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” (Matt. 16:18). The foundation upon which He said He would build was the spiritual revelation of Him as both the Son of Yahweh and the Messiah [the Anointed One] (v17). Anything built on another foundation is ultimately going to crumble.
Unity of the Spirit
The apostle Paul understood the Biblical pattern for the ekklesia. He dealt with one major aspect of it in Ephesians 4:
Eph 4:1-3 I therefore, the prisoner in the Master, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called, (2) with all lowliness and humility, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love; (3) being eager (giving diligence) to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Notice, Paul was literally pleading with them to walk worthily of their calling (v1). How does he define ‘worthily’? He says it’s “with lowliness, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing one another in love” (v2). In order for us to walk worthily of our calling, we must see and conduct ourselves with humility, meekness, patience, and love. And we must give diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit. In other words, we’re going to have to work hard and diligently to maintain the unity of the Spirit. It won’t just “happen”.
One Body, One Spirit
Eph 4:4-7 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling; (5) one Master, one faith, one baptism, (6) one Elohim (‘God’) and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all. (7) But to each one of us was the grace given according to the measure of the gift of Messiah.
There is one body, one Spirit, one Master, one faith. While we can have differences of opinion on many things, we must be careful not to cast aspersion on those whom we deem not as “spiritually advanced” as we think we are. That gets back to the humility, meekness, etc. If we recognize that “to each one of us was the grace given” through Messiah, then we will show grace towards others who aren’t where we’re at spiritually.
5-Fold Ministry – Ascension Gifts
Eph 4:8-11 Therefore He says, “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men.” (9) Now this, “He ascended,” what is it but that he also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? (10) He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things. (11) He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers
When Yahshua ascended He gave gifts [domáta] of and to men. That is why some refer to these gifts as “ascension gifts”, because He gave them at His ascension. What exactly were these ‘doma’ gifts? They were gifts of men, consisting of the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. Because Scripture identifies five, some also refer to these gifts jointly as the “5-fold ministry”.
Perfecting of the Saints
Eph 4:11-14 He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) for the perfecting of the saints, to the works of service, to the building up of the body of Messiah; (13) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of Elohim (‘God’), to a full grown man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah; (14) that we may no longer be children, tossed back and forth and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in craftiness, after the wiles of error;
Yahshua never does anything capriciously, on a whim. Everything has a purpose. Here Paul explicitly states the purpose of these gifts: “for the perfecting of the saints, to the works of service”. Contrary to popular belief, the purpose of the 5-fold gift offices is not to do the works of service, but to equip, train up, and perfect the saints so that they can do them. The ultimate goal? The building up of the Body, till we all attain to the unity of the faith and the true knowledge of the Son of Yahweh (v13), to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Messiah.
Are we there yet? No. Are we even close? No. Therefore, all of those five ministry gifts are still necessary. In fact, in order for the Body of Messiah to become all that it’s ordained to be, the 5-fold ministry must be functioning properly together as one.
I eagerly await the day when the Body of Messiah not only accepts, recognizes, and receives all facets of the 5-fold ministry, but when those 5 gift offices are truly functioning together as a single cohesive unit.
For a more in-depth study on this subject, please request our free booklet I Will Build My House