The Five-Fold Ministry of Jesus Christ

Jesus will build His Church—NOT man!

Matthew 16:13–19 13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” 14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” 15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood (man) has not revealed this to you, but My Father (God) who is in heaven.

18 And I also say to you that you are Peter (petros – piece of the rock – Living Stones, 1 Pet.2:5), and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give you (His Church) the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Kingdom AUTHORITY), and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (NKJV)

The Five–Fold Ministry

Ephesians 4:4–16 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts (1390 doma – gifts of a concrete nature) to men.”

The doma gifts are men themselves—special callings or offices—given by the Lord as a gift to the Church and mankind. These doma gifts are often referred to as the “Five-fold Ministry.”

9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill (fulfill, Col.4:17) all things.)

11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping (complete furnishing, perfecting) of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying (building up) 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; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying (building up) of itself in love. (NKJV)

THE APOSTLE - The HEAD of the Body - “Sent One”.

Galatians 1:1 Paul, an apostle (652 apostolos - from 649), (not from men, nor through man, but through Jesus Christ, and God the Father, who raised him from the dead;) (NKJV)

649 apostello (ap-os-tel'-lo); from 575 and 4724; set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out, send forth, set [at liberty]. Strong’s Greek Dictionary

THE PROPHET - The EARS, EYES, NOSE of the Body - Speaks what God says.

The Prophet speaks the Word—what he sees and hears—what God says, while the Teacher explains the Word—what God means.

John 8:38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.” (NKJV)

THE EVANGELIST - The FEET of the Body

Ephesians 6:13-15 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. 14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace (shalom - salvation); (NKJV)

Isaiah 52:7 7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” (NKJV)

THE PASTOR - The HANDS and ARMS of the Body

Isaiah 40:10-11 10 Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm (His Pastor or Shepherd) shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. (NKJV)

THE TEACHER - The MOUTH of the Body - Explains what God means.

The prophet speaks the Word—what God says, while the Teacher explains the Word—what God means.

2 Timothy 1:11-13 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles. 13 Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. (NKJV)

“That they all may be ONE”

John 17:20–23 20 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. 22 And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: 23 I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me. (NKJV)