And He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13 NASB
When I first dedicated my life to the Lord and began studying I wondered how long it would take me to start making sense of my Bible. Everything seemed so complicated, and the King James Version Language had a whole learning curve of its own. Everyone around me in the classes and services seemed to have it all figured out. I was truly at a loss. Little by little things became clearer and the scriptures started to come alive. The detailed stories of the Old Testament and the promises and journeys of the New Testament. Bible reading first thing in the morning, Bible reading last thing at night, and pondering it all during the day.
How did I fit in??
I remember when I first read Ephesians 4 and all that it teaches about the”Business Management” of the church, so to speak, I was in awe of the thought of how it all worked and how “special” those people must be for God to choose them to lead. I was convinced that they had to be very spiritual, anointed and wise to be placed in those positions. I never, ever thought that I could measure up to any position in the church. Clearly, it was for the favored of God!
I loved the scriptures and God’s presence so much that I studied, studied, studied. Hours every day. I quit my full time job and found work that I could do in my home so that I could spend the entire day and part of the evenings studying. When I wasn’t studying I was praying. I wanted to get closer and closer to understanding everything about the scriptures and the nature of God. I wanted to know where I fit in this mighty Kingdom of God.
I remember people talking about the 5 fold ministry. Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Pastor. Teacher. Each with their own specific duties to bring the perfect message to the Kingdom of God. I needed to find out what that was all about.
The Apostle is to Govern the church, be the visionary for growth and balance. He is the envoy, the one commissioned to go forth as a representative of a body with a specific mission planted in his spirit by God.
The Prophet is to hear the voice of God and guide the other 4 ministers in what they are being called to do in that particular season. The prophet is one who speaks forth, is divinely inspired to communicate with God’s will and give that message to others. They are seen as God’s spokespersons, delivering warnings, guidance or revelation. Sometimes they foretell future events or provide insight into God’s plans and purposes.
The Evangelist is to gather people into the church through powerful messages and direction. The Evangelist is a missionary, a bearer of good tidings, a herald of the Gospel. The Evangelist is someone specially gifted and called to spread the message of salvation through Jesus. The Evangelist directs them toward the Church and the body who can lift the people up and help them understand the place they have in the Kingdom.
The Pastor is the Shepherd, He is the feeder, protector, and ruler of the flock. He cares for those who come into the church and keeps the day to day workings of the church running smoothly. He is the presiding officer, manager, director, overseer and Head of the Church.
The Teacher works throughout the week, preparing lesson plans and bringing the Gospel to the body in a format that is accurate and easily understood. The Teacher is an instructor of the divine truth of the Scriptures, teaching spiritual and doctrinal concepts.
Each function of the 5 fold ministry is critical and equally important! Each function is like the gears in a watch, all of the gears are needed for the clock to show accurate time. But – what about the rest of the verse???? “For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ.” Who are the Saints and what is their function?? And who are the Body and what is their function?
The concordance says that the Saints are holy, set apart, for a special religious or spiritual purpose. Were they the Disciples?? The concordance says that the Disciples are followers who most commonly learned from the teachers. Disciples follow a teacher or philosopher to learn their teachings and way of life. Or were the Disciples the Body??
The concordance says that the original meaning of the word Body was to save or preserve. Taken metaphorically it could indicate the Saved Ones or the Preserved Ones. Saved by Grace!! Preserved for God the Father’s use in the Kingdom, perhaps to, one day, become an Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor or a Teacher!!
Therein still remains the question – where do I fit? Which cubicle do I fit into?? If I am part of the Body then I can aspire to be a Disciple! If I am a Disciple I can aspire to be a Saint! If I am a Saint I can aspire to be a Teacher! I can aspire to be a Pastor. I can aspire to be an Evangelist. I can listen for the voice of God and see if I am called to be a Prophet or an Apostle. I am a part of the BODY of God! That’s where I fit. There are so many opportunities for growth and so much honor to be chosen for ascension. That’s where YOU fit too. We are the Body – we are Kingdom Disciples. We Are One!!!
Through all of that study and dividing and interpreting there is really only one thing that is important, one place where we all fit, one place where we are all equal! We are, first and foremost, a Child of God – and that is priceless.
** A Journey Through Ephesians – Chapter 4, Part 5
By Linda J. Humes – 1-25-2025
Linda J. Humes 