How the Magnification of the Five-fold Gifts Stroked Egos & Obscured the Real Purpose of the Church

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By Tim Taylor, March 14, 2021 - On Sunday, I picked up a message where I left of the previous Sunday in Ephesians 4:11-13 where it says, "And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 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;"

We have served with a portion of the body of Christ who for decades have emphasized the restoration of the five-fold ministry.  In the 80's there was a great emphasis on the restoration of the prophet and starting around 2000 there was a growing emphasis on the apostle. When a truth is restored, it is first celebrated and then for a season it goes under the magnifying glass so we can learn how it works.  I've observed that if our adversary cannot stop a truth being restored, then he will try to get us to take it to excess. I fear that the over emphasis on the restoration of certain gifts has stroked some egos such that instead of saying like the Psalmist does in Psalm 34:3, "Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together," some of us have erred.  Our words and actions seem to say, "oh magnify my name and let us exalt my ministry together."  In doing so we begin to assume the church and ministry belong to us when you and I both know it is not ours.  Why even the gifts that He gave us are His gifts.  it's under our stewardship to serve His Church, for His purpose and for His glory; for when Jesus is lifted up, then He will draw all men unto Him. 

So, let me begin, where we'll end.  Jesus gave us the five-fold ministry to, say this slowly, Jesus gave us the five-fold to .... equip.... the saints... for... the work of the ministry.  The word translated ministry is the Greek word diakonia.  It means the service of a Christian teacher, the diaconate or minister.  The root word means minister or deacon. 

The purpose of the five-fold is to equip the saints to do the work of the minister.  Our job is to equip each person for the ministry. Each person: everyone is called to be a minister. Their job and the church's role is just like Jesus' role which is to:

1. Present the gospel of the kingdom (Matthew 4:17, Matthew 24:14, Mark 16:17-18, and Matthew 28:19-20).
2. Destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
3. Show forth the manifold wisdom of God to principalities and powers in heavenly places (Ephesians 3:10).

Jesus called each of as a king and as a priest.  Jesus set the example for both.  Like arrows in the hand of an expert warrior, the church's job, under the tutelage of the apostles and prophets and equipped by the pastor, evangelist and teacher is to prepare a base of operations to launch each person into their destiny which Christ prepared for them in Psalm 139.  They are the ones who'll re-present the gospel of the kingdom in the seven mountains of society.  

My friends, it's harvest time.  It's time for the glory of the Lord to be revealed.  It's time to deploy the net, on beautiful destiny at a time.  It's time to take our focus off ourselves and the Church and..... magnify our Lord Jesus Christ for when He is lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him. 

The Video​

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We recorded this on Zoom but unfortunately about halfway through it quit recording the audio.  So, here's the part we were able to capture if you prefer to watch or listen.   If you prefer Youtube click here.

The Notes
Sometimes folks ask for the notes so here you go. 
Kings & priests - our call - judge, make war, worship with offerings and intercede.

• Rev. 19:11-15 & Hebrews 7 - Jesus our example
• Isaiah 2:2-3 & Micah 4:1-2

5-fold - equip the saints for the work of the ministry
In a theocracy the office comes by appointment.  (Ie. Samuel - Saul chap 10  & David chap 16) - anoint = appoint (Ananias & Saul of Tarsus - Acts 9:10- go for he is a chosen vessel of mine to bear my name…)
2 Timothy 1:11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

We recognize what God has done.  Ie. My call 1994 took more than a decade before the fruit took away doubt.  But not from all.  (Ie. Old pastor, called up laughing…)

We recognize Eph 4:16…. Need for every part to do their share. 

You/we are to be a king and priest in all. 

Context 4 jurisdictions

1. Personal - eye gate, ear gate, determine, decide what to do.
2. Family - what comes in, what goes out of the family.
3. Church - same thing
4. Civil government - deploying the Church into all 7 spheres
   1. Gates = jurisdictions
   2. Key is to position kingdom minded disciples to serve
   3. Understand eternal Biblical principles
      1. Heb 5:12-14 - senses exercised to discern good and evil
      2. Understand eternal laws ie Lev 18:25
      3. Positions their community for blessing
      4. Seek the peace of the community you’ve been carried about to

Important to recognize your gift mix and how/whom Christ has “appointed” in different roles.

Matthew 10:40-41. (Mark 9:41)   "He who receives you receives Me, and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me. He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward. And he who receives a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.
Strengths and weaknesses

Apostle - apostolos - 80 times

• Given to the word and prayer - Acts 6:2-4
• 2 Cor. 10:3-4 - anointed strategist for war
• 1 Cor 3:10 - wise master builder (spiritual architect)
• Ephesians 2:20 - works with prophets
• 1 Cor 11:24 - establishes order
• Titus 1:5 - appoints elders
• Benefit - Love for God's plan and His will, big picture, see's where people fit and can help develop your strategy for destiny as not destiny or vision is fulfilled alone
• Strengths - ability to work, revelatory with a gift of wisdom. 
• Weakness - can be driven by vision and overwork those around them.​

Prophet - prophetas - 144

• Eph. 2:20 & Jer. 1;5-10 - made for spiritual war & government/building
  • Type and shadow - prophets work with kings and prophets work with apostles & other leaders
  • Government includes church, civil (business, non-profits, ngos, etc.)
• Distinguish between the gift of prophecy (1 Cor 12:10) & office (Eph. 4:11)
  • 1 Cor 14:3 - gift of prophecy for edification, exhortation and comfort  (Gift of HS - Parakeletos/comforter)
    • John 14:16-17 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you

g3875. παράκλητος paraklētos; an intercessor, consoler: — advocate, comforter.
AV (5) - comforter 4, advocate 1;

• Office - Jer 1:10, Ezk 33
  • Works with kings, Jesus was a prophet & a king
  • Kings judge, and make war. 
• Response depends on
  • The gift, the audience, and the context

• Benefit - Imparts a heart and ability to communicate with our Lord (Number 11:29)
• Strengths - love for God's spoken word, revelation, government and ability to discern. 
• Weakness, prone to being judgmental.  Can be light on mercy.

Teacher - didakalous - 59

• Ephesians 4:11
• Benefit - Imparts a love for the word of God and provides tools to study it.
• Strengths - loves to spend time in the word.  Not as people oriented as a pastor or evangelist.
• Weakness -  Thinks if taught it, then people applied it.  Can sometimes neglect application and also personal interaction. 

Evangelist - eugangelieste - 3

• Acts 21:8 refers to Philip the evangelist = preacher of the gospel
• Acts 8:6 - they saw the miracles he performed (unclean spirits & healings)
• Root word used 55 times and it means to preach
• Benefit - imparts God's heart for the lost
• Strengths - love which leads to boldness and courage, and also mercy. 
• Weakness - Sometimes gift of mercy lacks discernment and or concern for disipleship

Pastor - poeimenas - 18

• This term is only used 1 time in the sense of pastor and that is in Ephesians 4:11. 
• John 21:6 - Jesus tells Peter to "tend" His sheep = pastor
• Acts 20:28 28 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.
• 1 Peter 5:2 2 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly;
• Benefit - Imparts a love for the family of God
• Strengths - loves being with people, communicating, talking (ie. Counseling), because of the love to be with people there is a real limit to the number they can readily interact with.  God made them to gather, bring peace and comfort.  Psalm 23:2.  Makes sheep lie down.  It's why there are so many small congregations.
• Weakness - Does not like anything that disturbs peace.  Made to gather so can find themselves at odds with the apostolic gift which is made to send and the prophetic gift which is also made to war.

Pastors, Teachers and Evangelists can sometimes struggle with apostles and prophets because:

• Apostles/prophets were made to work together.
• Feel out of control  & don't realize the blessing that will come if all do their function

Why was there such a bigger emphasis on apostles and prophets in the NT as compared to pastor and evangelist.  I submit to you, because you teach on what is needed most.  It something is well established and easy, understood, you don't have to major on that as much.  The "Church" and apostolos were somewhat foreign to the Jewish religious world.  New concepts.

Two Points
We’ve had a propensity to focus inward.

1. "Ic"
   1. If connected to - aposotlic  (ie strategic)
   2. Prophet-ic
   3. Evangelist-ic
   4. Pastor-al
   5. Teacher- like (ik without the L and the E.)
   6. Everyone should be equipped

 

1. Church's role (govt - bishops and elders) is to deploy kings and priests into the world.  The main emphasis is not the 5fold but rather people, the ecclesia, the Church, individuals being deployed into society who are discipled and are deployed to disciple nations.  How?
   1. Vision, call, and passions
      1. Psalm 37:2-6 & 11 - meek shall inherit the earth
   2. Equipped with the word
      1. Made in God's image - Gen 1:26-27
      2. Understand how to frame your world (Heb 11:3)
      3. 1 Chron 28:2 - God choose David and he had it in his heart to build Him a house.  God gave him the plans by the spirit. 
         1. David was a king, prophet and a priest.  A forerunner
   3. God wants you to:
      1. Dream, envision and imagine.
      2. He just wants you to invite Him into the process
      3. He wants us to do it together (Tab of David)

Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Psalms 139:16-17
Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.
And in Your book they all were written,
The days fashioned for me,
When as yet there were none of them.
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God!
How great is the sum of them!

Isaiah 44:6-7
There Is No Other God
"Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel,
And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:
I am the First and I am the Last;
Besides Me there is no God.
And who can proclaim as I do?
Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me,
Since I appointed the ancient people.
And the things that are coming and shall come,
Let them show these to them.

Dream…. Envision.  Discover. 
1 Chronicles 28 God chose David and David had it in his heart to build God a house.

What’s in your heart?

Psalms 37:3-7
Trust in the LORD, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.

Send you out…. Arrows of the Lord. Zach 9:11-15