Discipleship Series-YOUR PASTORS & LEADERS Part 2

 Tonight Bro. Jonathan Walker taught part 2 of the Discipleship Series on the topic of "Your Pastors and Leaders".  I enjoy hearing him teach and he did a great job of covering a subject that many do not want to hear and that's submission. As I have done in the past, I will copy directly from the lesson that can be found via the Bethel App.  Due to the length, I will only share portions onto this blog. This is part 2 of last week's portion of this lesson. 

THE FIVE-FOLD MINISTRY WITHIN THE BODY A. God has placed a specific five-fold ministry of leadership within the church. This five-fold structure is His blueprint for the operation, administration, and government of the church from its beginning until now. • Ephesians 4:11-12 – “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.” B. Each of these offices has distinct responsibilities, gifts, and operations that are unique and needful to the church. C. Apostles – individuals anointed with a specific message and commission. Apostles apparently receive a unique gift of miraculous power (2 Corinthians 12:12). 1. We are probably most familiar with the term “apostle” in its application to the 12 original apostles who were directly acquainted with Jesus Christ. 2. Jesus commissioned these men to carry the gospel throughout the world after His ascension. Their role was to lay the foundation of the church and to establish sound doctrine. Several of these original 12 apostles contributed to the anointed scripture that we call the New Testament. 3. Acts 1:21-22 indicates that one of the qualifications of the 12 original apostles was to have personally witnessed Jesus Christ. 4. Revelation 21:4 states that the names of these twelve apostles are inscribed on the twelve foundations in the New Jerusalem. 5. Ephesians 4:11 indicates that the office of “apostle” has been given for the entire church age, including today. 6. Part of the role of an apostle was to be commissioned to deliver the gospel to a specific geographical location or to a particular people. The apostle Paul referred to himself as the Apostle of the Gentiles (Romans 11:13). 7. The title or office of an apostle can never be conferred by mankind – it can be bestowed only by Jesus Christ (Romans 1:5). 8. Few people dare to claim this office today, even though they may indeed be an apostle and may be faithfully and successfully fulfilling this ministry.

Prophets – individuals who are divinely inspired or commissioned by God to communicate a specific message to God’s people. 1. The ministry of a prophet involves the operation of two spiritual gifts – knowledge and wisdom. 2. Prophets can foretell (predict) or forth-tell (proclaim). The word “prophesy” means both to tell the future and also to tell forth the Word of the Lord. 3. The role of the prophet was operative within the New Testament church. We read of prophets in the church at Antioch (Acts 13:1; 15:32) and Jerusalem (Acts 11:27; 21:10). Scripture also gives the account of four women, daughters of Philip the evangelist, who prophesied in Caesarea (Acts 21:9). 4. New Testament prophets must abide by the guidelines detailed in 1 Corinthians, chapters 12 and 14. 5. Prophets are commanded to submit themselves to the supervision and judgment of the leadership ministry of the church (1 Corinthians 14:29). 6. In both the Old and New Testaments, prophets are to be judged by the truthfulness of their words. 7. Jesus commanded us to beware of false prophets and to judge them by their fruit (Matthew 7:15-16). 8. Any prophet whose forth-telling contradicts the Word of God is to be disregarded as a false prophet (1 John 4:1). 9. Any prophet whose foretelling fails to come to pass is also to be considered a false prophet. 10. Genuine prophecy edifies the church (1 Corinthians 14:4), teaches and comforts the church (1 Corinthians 14:31), and can be used to bestow spiritual gifts upon others (1 Timothy 4:14). 11. Although the office of prophecy has been misused and abused from time to time, it is a necessary ministry in the church, and we are exhorted to “despise not prophesyings” (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21).

Evangelists – translated from the Greek word euaggelistes, which literally means a preacher or proclaimer of the gospel. It carries the meaning of preaching the gospel to those who have never heard it. 1. The ministry of evangelism is not directed toward the church, but toward the world. Evangelists have a distinct ability to proclaim the gospel to unbelievers, and it is largely through their anointed ministry that souls are born into the kingdom of God. 2. In addition to being a specific office of ministry, evangelism is also a work. A pastor, a teacher, or an apostle might on occasion do the work of an evangelist. • 2 Timothy 4:5 – “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” 3. All believers are called to do the “work” of an evangelist at times. When we witness, testify, and spread the gospel in any way, we are doing an evangelist’s work.

Pastors – translated from the Greek word poimen, which literally means “a shepherd.” 1. Jesus referred to his followers as sheep (John 10:27). 2. A pastor is called to feed, lead, and care for the flock of God in a particular location. 3. In the same manner that the natural shepherd protects the flock from predatory animals, the spiritual shepherd (pastor) watches and guards the church from the “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8) and “grievous wolves” (Acts 20:29). 4. The pastor is the chief leader of the flock. He teaches, preaches, counsels, admonishes, corrects, rebukes, and guides all the sheep, including other ministers who serve the same flock. 5. The shepherd is the most important leader of the flock, as is the pastor to the church.

Teachers – individuals commissioned to instruct the church in scriptural doctrine, taking Biblical principles and applying them to daily life. 1. The disciples were commissioned to “teach” (Matthew 28:19), and they “ceased not” to teach and preach daily (Acts 5:42). 2. Teachers in the church are commissioned to “rightly divide the Word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). 3. Teachers are commissioned to train other teachers that they also might become teachers (2 Tim. 2:2). 4. Teachers are appointed to feed the “sincere milk of the word” to the young lambs (Hebrew 5:12-13) and “strong meat” to the mature sheep (Hebrews 5:14). 5. There are solemn warnings in scripture that caution teachers in the operation of their ministry. • James 3:1 – “My brethren, be not many masters (instructors, teachers), knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.” 6. True teachers are models and examples. They must live what they teach. Jesus Christ, our greatest teacher, was also our greatest role model. 7. While it is impossible for human teachers to be absolutely perfect, true teachers strive to emulate Jesus Christ and live the principles they teach from the Word of God.

 Ephesians 4:11-12 – “And he gave ...apostles ...prophets ...evangelists ...pastors ...teachers...” A. The five-fold ministry is a gift of God to the church and is bestowed for our benefit and blessing. 1. The ministry is not placed over the church as a harsh corps of prison wardens to prohibit our happiness or restrict our individuality. If we view them as such we will be unable to thrive and mature. 2. God’s ministers are His gifts to His people – to edify them, to promote their spiritual well-being, and to assist them in reaching their full potential in Christ Jesus.

Various scriptures outline the responsibility that the five-fold ministry must fulfill to the church.

To Teach the Flock .  To Baptize the Flock.  To Preach the Word to the Flock. To Correct, Reprove and Rebuke the Flock.  To Exhort the Flock.  To Oversee and Protect the Flock. To Feed the Flock of God.

 Failure among God’s anointed is not a new phenomenon. Samson failed, King Saul failed, King David failed, King Solomon failed, even Judas failed. However, each man had been called and anointed of God to a specific position of leadership. In each case, these leaders either repented and accepted restoration, or God ultimately removed them from their place of authority

Ephesians 4:11-14 – “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting (equipping) 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...” A. The purpose of the five-fold ministry is to perfect or equip the church – the saints – so that they are better able to fulfill the life of service to which they have been called.

When the five-fold ministry and the saints of God work together as God has ordained, the church moves forward as the most powerful force in the world. But this power cannot be achieved unless the church submits itself to God’s authority structure and His ordained chain of command. Only when we submit to God, His will, and His leaders do we find fulfillment and success in our own personal lives and ministries as we seek to edify and build up the body of Christ.

God is good.