The 5-fold Ministry

There is also the restoration of the 5-fold ministry, on the basis of the 5-fold grace of the Lord Jesus, spoken of in Ephesians 4:11

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers”

The Lord began to restore the office of the evangelist in the 1950s, the office of the pastor in the 1960s, the office of the teacher in the 1970s, the office of the prophet in the 1980s, and the office of the apostle in the 1990s. These offices are graces of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. They are not titles, as doctor, reverend, deacon, elder, bishop, etc are titles. The 5-fold offices are functions. They are giftings, abilities, graces and anointings that the Lord Jesus operated in, and now He is distributing them among His servants. The reason why I mention the fact that these are not titles but functions, is because for such people, the title is not the important thing, but the heart, the calling, the function, the mandate. That’s their life.

You can always tell when a person is a prayer intercessor and warrior for example. Every believer is operating in a certain level of prayer, and every believer is praying at least a little every day. Yet, you can always recognize when a certain believer is not just praying for the record, but that’s his passion, his calling, and his destiny. That’s his/her life. He/She is an intercessor. It’s as simple as that. No need of convincing us that this person is such. It can be seen from 1000 miles.

Every believer is praising and worshipping the Lord to a certain extend as well. But we can always recognize the ones that are just called to be worshippers. Sometimes it does not have anything to do with their natural talents and abilities. It’s just that the heart of the worshipper that is in them in a much greater measure than in the usual believer.

It’s the same with the 5-fold ministry gifts. They are functions. A part of Jesus’ life and ministry has been invested in them. Jesus the Apostle has been invested in the ones functioning as apostles; Jesus the Prophet in the ones functioning as prophets, Jesus the Evangelist in the ones functioning as evangelists; Jesus the Pastor in the ones functioning as pastors, and Jesus the Teacher in the ones functioning as teachers. It’s the life of Jesus, the anointing of Jesus, the abilities of Jesus, the grace of Jesus, the functions of Jesus. That’s why; they become extensions of His ministry in the Church.          

Now the challenge again – each 5 fold office to accept the other, because they are all an extension of Jesus Christ on Earth. The second challenge is the Church to respond to and accept all the 5-fold offices, especially those of the prophet and the apostle. For the most part, the Church worldwide is accepting and responding to the offices of the evangelist, pastor and teacher, and that is very good, but it is only three fifths of the whole Image of Christ for His Church. Every office should be obvious for recognition, if we have an open heart and mind, and if we know the Biblical requirements and standards for each one of them.

Because if the Church doesn’t accept the 5-fold ministry in its fullness, it will not be able to progressively move forward to the next image of God’s Glory – the mighty movement of God’s Saints, that have acquired God’s image to the fullest. That’s actually the purpose of the restoration of the 5-fold ministry:

“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (bold added by the author) (Ephesians 4:11-16)

The purpose of the Lord restoring the five fold ministries is to equip His saints for the work of the ministry, so we can all reach what? – The measure of the Image (stature) of the fullness of Christ. God does not want us to remain forever babies and children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. You see, you can do nothing intelligent with a baby, except to amuse him/her. So, we must all grow up. That’s what the 5-fold ministers are here for.

A time is coming where every saint will move mightily in God’s image – revealing God’s Glory, God’s Grace and God’s anointing – expanding the Kingdom of God everywhere and bringing back the King, so He can rightfully rule and reign with His saints.

“Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours” (Deuteronomy 11:24)

“But the saints of the most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.” (Daniel 7:18)

“Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” (Daniel 7:22)

Do you believe that? If you do, it’s time to accept the challenge of each progressive image. Because it will not happen if we accept 1, 2, 3, or even 9 of let’s say 10 restoration revelation truths and it wouldn’t happen if we accept only 3 of the 5 offices of the Lord Jesus Christ. Obviously, the equipping will not be complete this way, and will not reach the full measure of the stature of Christ – only 3/5 of it.

The challenge is that the progressive image of God is coming through people (human vessels), and not directly to us from the Lord. But even if you receive the image of God directly, have you considered the fact, that all the others will still have the challenge of receiving that image from you, because you yourself are also a human being?

The Lord is raising fathers, pioneers, reformers and leaders that are bringing God’s order back to the Church. If you are such a person, or you are called to be one – please continue to seek the Lord and improve yourself in God’s Image, so you can say to the ones after you as Apostle Paul said: “imitate me, as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).

If you are called to be a son or a daughter, or be a part of the great company of saints following – be faithful to the ones the Lord is placing above you. Be a “Timothy to Paul”, an “Elisha to Elijah”, a “David to Samuel”, and a “Joshua to Moses”. Don’t reject, limit or stop the flow of God’s image, grace and anointing as Gehazi did for lack of character, lack of right motives, desire for money and power, etc. Be faithful! Your time will come. Help God’s man or woman above you. Help your apostle, prophet, pastor, teacher or evangelist.

Are you a part of a company? Are you a son or a daughter? Do you have a house of God where you belong? Are you committed to the father (leader) of that House? Are you involved in the vision of your local Church?  

Lone rangers are neither acceptable before God, nor are they productive for His purposes, because they are not connected to the Body and thus are carrying a rejection and division spirit.

Many Churches are filled with members, but how many have real sons and daughters in the House? It’s easy to fill a Church with members, because there is no challenge, no responsibility on the part of members. They are coming every week, get blessed by the sermon and the Praise and worship and then they go back home.

To raise sons and daughters though, is a totally different matter. Sons and daughters remain in the house (John 8:35). They take on and continue the work of the father, because they have been beget in his image, which is actually God’s image in him. So they have caught the spirit of the father (leader), his anointing, his passion, his heart, his grace and they are ready to go on with all this. It’s their father’s work anyway, so they are faithful in it. They are the inheritors of it.

Everybody that has natural children knows that there is a big difference between just having a son for example, and raising a son. What I mean is that many parents have natural sons and daughters that they are ashamed of. They wouldn’t even want to admit those are their children. Why? Because to give birth to a child is comparatively easy, while to raise it is so much harder. It takes much time and effort.

Spiritually, it’s the same. The Lord is raising leaders. He is placing His image in them and is giving them the responsibility to raise sons and daughters after their own image. On the other hand, it’s the responsibility of the spiritual children to allow the Lord to mold the image of the father in them.

Both parties have a tremendous responsibility. Both must live for the other and not for themselves. Both must pick up their Crosses and follow the Lord all the way, leaving all self-centeredness behind. The Bible says:

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.” (Romans 12:3)

We must all know where we are standing. What I mean is that we can be sons and daughters of our spiritual fathers and leaders, and at the same time, be spiritual fathers and leaders to others under us. We may be sons and daughters in the House the Lord has placed us in (our local Church), and at the same time be pioneers in other areas – our family, our neighborhood, our village, our work place, etc. So, we must have the perfect balance in everything – not crossing the boundaries set by the Lord through the ones above us, and not mistreating the ones below us with the spirit of arrogance. That’s faith working by love.

There are two people about whom Jesus said that they had not just FAITH, but GREAT FAITH. One of them, the Roman centurion in Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-9, is a perfect example of understanding faith in the right way. When Jesus wanted to go to his house and heal his servant, he said: “Lord, there’s no need that You come under my roof. I understand very well the principle of Your working. I myself am a man that is walking under the authority of the ones the Lord has placed above me, and at the same time, I have soldiers under my authority. I know You are in the same way – You are walking under the authority and leadership of God the Father, and everything else is under Your authority, demons and sickness included. So, just give the order, speak the word, issue the command, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8-9; Luke 7:7-8, paraphrased). To that Jesus replied that He had not seen such a GREAT FAITH in the whole Israel. In other words, He connected faith to the ability in a person to know where he is standing, the ability to understand authority, and the ability to walk in the principles of God’s Kingdom, because Jesus closed this event with the explanation that many people like this centurion will come from every part of the Earth, to sit with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 8:11).    

When we make the Lord and His Kingdom purposes our desire, we have received God’s image indeed.

“One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4)

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God:” (Psalm 42:1-2)

“Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.” (Psalm 42:7)

 “…Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: … Lo, I come … to do thy will, O God.” (Hebrews 10:5-7)

When we have that kind of spiritual image in us, the Lord will be able to trust us. Otherwise, we will be moving in our self-centeredness, self-ambition and self-desire for fame and promotion. The result will be the following – everything the Lord gives us (gifts, abilities, graces and financial recourses) – we will be using it wrongly.

“Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them” (Ezekiel 16:17)

This Scripture is scary, isn’t it? That’s what the Israelites did in the wilderness. The Lord had told Abraham, the father of the nation of Israel, 400 years before their coming out of Egypt, that by God’s Grace and favor, Israel would come out of Egypt with great substance (Genesis 15:13-14). When it was indeed time for them to come out, the Lord told Moses how that was supposed to happen and really, the Bible says that the Hebrews spoiled the Egyptians (Exodus 12:35-36). They came out with incredible amount of gold and other precious jewels.

So they had all the Divine provision, but failed to take the decision to accept God’s image and so, instead of using these riches for expanding God’s Kingdom purposes throughout the world, they built a golden idol with the image of a calf. Wrong image! They bowed to it as if it were god.

We are all very familiar with the following self explanatory Scriptures:

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” (Exodus 20:4)

“Ye shall make you no idols nor graven image, neither rear you up a standing image, neither shall ye set up any image of stone in your land, to bow down unto it: for I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 26:1)

Now, there’s an interesting Scripture in that train of thought:

“From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God. Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy? But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” (James 1:1-10)

If you are wondering why the provision for your vision is not coming, you must see God’s mercy and grace in that, because the Lord is more concerned about His image in you, than in giving you the provision to fulfill your own vision.

His image is not for self-blessing, but it must be connected with God’s purposes and intentions.

If we have fallen short of the image the Lord has for us, there’s one thing that will bring us back, and that’s repentance. Repentance is the greatest gift the Lord has given to man. The Lord will never turn down a repentant heart. He will always hear the cry of a person that is humbling himself.

“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Repentance means change of direction. It means to find out the direction at which God’s heart is beating and follow it. It means to feel God’s heart, God’s pain, when we reject Him by sticking to the idols instead of to Him, and to be willing to change and sin no more.

Repentance will draw us faster and closer to the Lord than any other thing will. It is the master key – the key of David – the key of the man after God’s own heart.

It’s not the self-righteous people that are the people after God’s own heart. It’s not the people that always confess that they are close to God – always better than the others. It’s the sincere ones – the ones that know God’s mercy and grace. The ones like David. He sinned many times; yet, his sins did not move him away from God. On the contrary! He was always throwing himself before God. God was his helper, his shelter, his friend, his Comforter, his provider, his shield, his strength, his beauty, his adoration, his desire, his passion, his hunger, his purpose, his meaning, his essence and his life. He was totally consumed by God and that’s why he fulfilled God’s will in his generation (Acts 13:22, 36).

If God’s image is in us, then we will be burning with the desire to serve Him and His Kingdom and not promote our own ideas. Our heart will be beating with the same frequency as His heart and His desires and passion will be ours too. His purposes will become the reason for our existence on this Earth.

You see, Life itself has three main components – Reality, Purpose, and Power.  If a person does not have Reality (and by that I mean God to be real to him) – that’s not life, but Mere Existence.  Life is an aggressive thing, not stagnant, nor apathetic.  We have to press forward always, so we can catch Him – otherwise we might as well lie down and sleep until we die.  

Then comes Purpose.  What thing can be called Life that does not have a purpose?  Everything that God has given life to has a purpose.  Every person that has ever been born on this Earth has been born with God’s Divine and Perfect Purpose to fulfill a given mandate in life.  And again, we have to do everything we can (pray, fast, seek, knock, praise, worship, adore, magnify, glorify, ask, consecrate, separate, etc.), so we can touch God, and find that Purpose for which He has given us our lives. 

Someone said that he saw a light in the tunnel, and it was the light from a coming train.  Of course, he said that in the negative sense, but I have a positive comparison.  When the train of our Lord hits you, you’ll never be the same again.  But we have to continue walking in this dark tunnel, because the train is always headed towards us, and the faster we go forward, never looking back, the sooner we’ll meet Him. We’ll be drawn into a head-on collision with His light, which will definitely bring Reality, and Purpose.  

And lastly, a life full of Reality and Purpose will definitely produce Power – Power to transform us first, and then those around us.