05/05/26 FOUR, NOT FIVE

05/05/26 FOUR, NOT FIVE

There are four essential ministry gifts in the Church.

Ephesians 4:11-12
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Two of these (Apostle and Prophet) were fully manifested in the Apostolic Period, but they continue into the Church today, with certain limitations. In other words, no one, since the Apostles and Prophets of the New Testament has had the same anointing, gifting and authority.

There are men who are "sent" by God with spiritual gifts to preach, teach, and plant churches, and therefore manifest those two gifts in a limited way. God has not gifted anyone since the first century to add to His inerrant, infallible, God-breathed revelation.

The other two gifts (not three) are Evangelist and Pastor/Teacher, and these two gifts (ministries) are still active today.

There are many people who claim these offices, but many are not Divinely called, chosen, or qualified.

There is a great lack of "Pastor/Teacher" ministry in the Church at large, and the local church in particular, which is a major reason for the lack of mature, strong, trained soldiers of the cross.

In some cases, the person with the gift of Evangelism may be a traveling preacher, but that is not the primary way we should understand this wonderful gift. Every Christian should be winning souls to Christ, but God equips some believers in local churches specifically to be soul winners.