There are two different interpretations of the fivefold ministry that Paul mentions here.
- It can refer to individuals who were called to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. In other words, God gave some people the gift of being an apostle, others the gift of being a prophet, etc.
- But it can also refer to churches or ministries that receive these ministry gifts. That is, it is this characteristic, or otherwise the special anointing that characterizes the particular church or ministry. This is how we can have apostolic or prophetic churches and ministries etc.
The gifts that Christ gave to the church, or the five-fold ministry, were supposed to be more of a coach for believers, rather than operating the way we usually see them operating today. The coach's role is to train and help team members to function at their highest potential.
In most churches, the pastor is the one who does all the work of the ministry. The responsibility of spreading the gospel should not fall on the shoulders of the fivefold ministry. What should be happening is that the pastor, teacher, etc. should train the believers so that they can better share their faith, and as the members of His body are the real players doing the work, witnessing Christ and people are saved.
Shepherds don't bear sheep. Sheep bear sheep.
Let's look at a similar reference made by Paul:
"And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues." 1Cor. 12:28
The use of the word "first" implies that Paul established an order of authority-hierarchy among these gifts. Apostles have the greatest authority, then prophets, then teachers. The reason the shepherd is absent here is because I believe the shepherd is also a teacher (Eph. 4:11). Here it is very important to remember the way Paul described how the different gifts in the body of Christ resemble different members of the physical body:
"For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ." 1Cor. 12:12.
"No, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:" 1Cor. 12:22
Members have different functions, some more important than others, but there are no unimportant members. Therefore, this authority should not be exercised as an unbeliever would exercise authority:
"But Jesus called them to him, and said, You know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority on them.
But it shall not be so among you: but whoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
And whoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:" Μatt. 20:25-27
Ministers should not dominate over their brothers and sisters, but should lead by example:
"Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock." 1Pet. 5:2-3
Paul is not trying to promote an absolute chain of hierarchy in the church. This "lifeless" dominance has proven ineffective and damaging in many of the most functional churches.
It is biblical and necessary to have a system of church government that includes these ministry gifts (five-fold ministry). The solution lies in finding true apostles, prophets and teachers who answer to God and not to doctrines and traditions of men.
In the following messages we will deal with ministry gifts from Eph. 4:11. We will examine their characteristics and their function within the Body of Christ.
To be continued...
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