“He handed out gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher to train Christ's followers in skilled servant work, working within Christ's body, the church, until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.”
Ephesians 4:11-12 (The Message)
Over a decade ago, I listened to a series of sermons on Ephesians 4:11-12 which characterized the “gifts” described as the five pillars of ministry in the church: apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching. Jesus certainly gives these discrete gifts to specific individuals, but they also describe a full pallet of activity Jesus intends for each of us.
We should share in the creative activity of establishing beachheads for kingdom work (apostles). We must tirelessly speak the Truth into our spheres of influence (prophets). Our lives ought to be characterized by relationships which provide natural opportunities for gospel conversation (evangelists). Loving others as ourselves requires that we care for each other and tend to our collective needs (pastors). We can’t know Jesus the living Word without encountering the written Word (teachers).
I have gifts that differ from yours and God calls each of us to various ministry activities. However, not having the gift of evangelism does not allow me to ignore developing relationships with those in my sphere of influence, praying for those folks, and having gospel colored conversations. In this sense, Jesus calls each of us to apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching work.
Discipleship efforts that combine these five pillars of ministry will create a solid, stable, secure foundation on which the ministry of the entire Body can rest. Doing so will renew our minds, transform our hearts, and result in sincere lives. We’ll “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). When the fruit of this type of transforming discipleship fills the Body, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers will abound. The ministry of the Body will explode beyond the church walls and begin taking new ground, expanding the boundaries of the Kingdom of God among us. Discipling as we go in this manner fulfills Jesus’ commission to the church.
Transforming discipleship requires that we know about God, but knowledge about Him differs from knowing Him. Knowing more about who God is will expose our hearts to that knowledge through the gate of the mind. However, only renewing our minds will result in transformation. We must do more than know Truth. We must use it to renew our thinking, to begin thinking Christianly. This will allow us the shift gears and begin experiencing heart transformation. That change will drive a new way of living, in “true righteousness and holiness.”
Can we find a fast lane to transformation? Not really, change takes time. But, God has made us a certain way and only methods that recognize how He put us together will flourish. Created in His image, He created us for relationship – relationship with Him and with the people around us. Embarking on the journey towards transformation with two or three others in a covenantal and transparent relationship agrees with the DNA of our souls. Engaging Truth in the right context will have lasting, transformational effects.
Ephesians 4:11-12 (The Message)
Over a decade ago, I listened to a series of sermons on Ephesians 4:11-12 which characterized the “gifts” described as the five pillars of ministry in the church: apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching. Jesus certainly gives these discrete gifts to specific individuals, but they also describe a full pallet of activity Jesus intends for each of us.
We should share in the creative activity of establishing beachheads for kingdom work (apostles). We must tirelessly speak the Truth into our spheres of influence (prophets). Our lives ought to be characterized by relationships which provide natural opportunities for gospel conversation (evangelists). Loving others as ourselves requires that we care for each other and tend to our collective needs (pastors). We can’t know Jesus the living Word without encountering the written Word (teachers).
I have gifts that differ from yours and God calls each of us to various ministry activities. However, not having the gift of evangelism does not allow me to ignore developing relationships with those in my sphere of influence, praying for those folks, and having gospel colored conversations. In this sense, Jesus calls each of us to apostolic, prophetic, evangelistic, pastoral, and teaching work.
Discipleship efforts that combine these five pillars of ministry will create a solid, stable, secure foundation on which the ministry of the entire Body can rest. Doing so will renew our minds, transform our hearts, and result in sincere lives. We’ll “put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:24). When the fruit of this type of transforming discipleship fills the Body, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers will abound. The ministry of the Body will explode beyond the church walls and begin taking new ground, expanding the boundaries of the Kingdom of God among us. Discipling as we go in this manner fulfills Jesus’ commission to the church.
Transforming discipleship requires that we know about God, but knowledge about Him differs from knowing Him. Knowing more about who God is will expose our hearts to that knowledge through the gate of the mind. However, only renewing our minds will result in transformation. We must do more than know Truth. We must use it to renew our thinking, to begin thinking Christianly. This will allow us the shift gears and begin experiencing heart transformation. That change will drive a new way of living, in “true righteousness and holiness.”
Can we find a fast lane to transformation? Not really, change takes time. But, God has made us a certain way and only methods that recognize how He put us together will flourish. Created in His image, He created us for relationship – relationship with Him and with the people around us. Embarking on the journey towards transformation with two or three others in a covenantal and transparent relationship agrees with the DNA of our souls. Engaging Truth in the right context will have lasting, transformational effects.
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