5-fold ministry- PROPHETS-

 

What is the 5 Fold Ministry?

The five fold ministry is a biblical establishment by Jesus Christ. It is the help form and grow the church. Some would even call it a form of church government.

The Bible says in Ephesians 4:11 “It’s he who gave some as apostles others as prophets, others as evangelists still others as pastors and teachers”.

These five different ministries have an impact on the church. They help equip Christians with what they need so they can do God’s will.

Paul, brings a lot of clarity to this in Ephesians 4. I encourage you to read it below as it will help you have a better understanding as we go along in this study. 

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; 

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 of itself in love. – Ephesians 4:11-16

I have to say this….celebrity pastors/ministers or big church/platform ministries doesn’t automatically make them a fivefold minister because of their size. 

Yes some of these ministers are functioning out a office or gift of Christ. But what I want to convey is that you or others can have a gift and not have a huge ministry platform. Size is not always a determining factor to gifting, character and anointing. 

Other Names for the Fivefold Ministry?

The fivefold ministry sometimes goes by other names like the gifts of Christ, Christ’s gifts, offices of the church, and the five offices. You will also see five fold spelled, fivefold (like above), or some use the number 5. 

No matter how you refer to it they still mean the same thing. And that’s what the Apostle Paul describes in Ephesians 4.

Why is the Five Fold Ministry Important?

Have you ever wondered why these 5 offices are so important? Shouldn’t a pastor just do it all?? They are running or leading the church shouldn’t they function in these roles? Or we don’t need these roles, the pastor is enough. 

This type of thinking is SUPER common in our modern church world. And it’s Biblically wrong.

If you don’t have the gift you then don’t have the grace or supernatural ability to actually do those things. 

These “offices” or “gifts” are not man-made. They can’t be taught in school or in a training session. These are gifts with anointings. Trying to make a true pastor a prophet or evangelist will never work because that is not the call or gifting in their life. 

The fivefold ministry is important because it helps equip God’s people to fulfill His will and purposes in the earth. In other words, the fivefold ministers helps prepare Christians for their spiritual callings.

This equipping helps to develop character and maturity in the believers life. It also allows for everyone to use the gifts that he or she has been given by the Lord. We will a deeper look at this in the next section. 

What Does the 5 Fold Ministry Do for the Church?

So, what exactly does the 5 fold ministry do? The five fold ministry was given by Christ to the church for a specific purpose. These are used in order to make sure that churches can be victorious no matter what this world system throws at us. 

• They equip the saints for work of service. In the KJV version of Ephesians 4:12 it uses the word, “perfecting” or in Greek, katartismos. It means complete furnishing (objectively):—perfecting. (Strong’s G2677). It’s this equipping that brings forth good fruit.
  
  • Bring maturity and growth to believers, which leads to healthier relationships and congregations. Character development is vital.
    
  • Knowledge and understanding of the Word of God
    
  • Draw us closer to the Lord
    
  • Bring unity to the body of Christ. 
    
  • Help believers discover their giftings and callings

Is the Fivefold Ministry Relevant for Today?

When the apostle Paul wrote about the 5 fold ministry , he was not thinking about the gifts of Christ being relevant for today. He knew it was something God gave to the church till Christ returns. 

The five fold ministry is still as applicable to the Church in these modern days just like it would have been back when Paul wrote on this topic.

These gifts and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are important for the church. As is maturity and character building. Together they can bring a huge impact on communities and nations. 

The 5 Offices of the Fivefold Ministry

Alright, now let’s take a look at each individual gift and what its function is. As a note, all people who are in ministry whether having a fivefold gift or not should have a proficient understanding of God’s Word. You can not lead well if you yourself don’t know the Word.

For more on leadership check out my Church Leadership Page.

What is an Evangelist?

εὐαγγελιστήςeuangelistḗs, yoo-ang-ghel-is-tace’; from G2097; a preacher of the gospel:—evangelist.

The word evangelist in Greek is translated from the word “euangelistēs” which means to preach or proclaim the good news. The New Testament mentions this word 3 times. 

Acts 21:8	On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
Ephesians 4:11	And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
2 Timothy 4:5	But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

What is a Pastor?

ποιμήνpoimḗn, poy-mane’; of uncertain affinity; a shepherd (literally or figuratively):—shepherd, pastor. (Strongs G4166)

The word pastor in Greek is translated as “shepherd.” The Bible says that Jesus is the “Good Shepherd” (John 10:11)

Just like a shepherd tends and watches over a flock. So, does a pastor. They lead the church, teach God’s Word and help care for the spiritual needs of their congregation.

Shepherds also protect their flock from animals that would try to harm the sheep. A pastor has the same heart. They don’t want to lose anyone to sin or the enemy’s tactics. 

It’s important to note that the words, bishop, elder, and overseer are also used interchangeably with the term pastor. We see this throughout the New Testament. A bishop is a pastor, same with an elder or overseer. This was the Biblical view of those positions. In modern times bishop has a different meaning and position. 

What is a Prophet?

προφήτης prophḗtēs, prof-ay’-tace; from a compound of G4253 and G5346; a foreteller (“prophet”); by analogy, an inspired speaker; by extension, a poet:—prophet.

The word prophet in Greek is “prophētēs.” A prophet is someone who has direct communication with God and can share what they have heard from Him to others [John 15:15]. They bring a foretelling (futuristic word) or bring clarity to an area where there is a lack of discernment. 

The ministry of the Prophet equips individuals or churches to live an authentic life by receiving divine inspiration under the direction of the Holy Spirit. This could come from the Bible, dreams, visions, the still small voice of the Holy Spirit, and more (Check out more ways to hear God). These words are meant to build up, edify and strengthen the church. (1 Corinthians 14:3)

What is an Apostle?

ἀπόστολος apóstolos, ap-os’-tol-os; from G649; a delegate; specially, an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ (“apostle”) (with miraculous powers):—apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

The word apostle in Greek means “sent one.” It is a title given to those who were sent out by Jesus.

An apostle’s role was not limited to teaching and preaching, but also included the task of supervising church leaders over a geographical region. 

Apostles in ancient times were not just a word Christians used. But it was actually a Greek/Roman word. Apostles had significant authority in society that extended to civil matters such as executing justice and governing cities.

You can learn more about apostles in my post…The Difference Between an Apostle and a Disciple

What is a Teacher?

διδάσκαλος didáskalos, did-as’-kal-os; from G1321; an instructor (genitive case or specially):—doctor, master, teacher.

The word teacher in Greek means to “instructor.” This is probably the easiest of the 5 to understand. As we use teachers in our school systems. Teachers equip and educate individuals and this is exactly what they do in a church setting. 

They pull out the mysteries of God and teach them in a way that believers can understand. If the Bible were a BIG juicy steak, a teacher would be like a parent who would come along and cut the steak up in smaller pieces for you. 

These smaller pieces would make eating (understanding) God’s Word easier. And if the teacher is REALLY good they will teach you how to use a fork and knife so that you can learn to cut (study) for yourself as well.

A Quick Recap Summary

Whew…that was a lot of information! If you are looking for a little more condensed version. Here is a quick summary of each of the fivefold gifts.

And remember all 5 are meant to equip the saints for service.

• Prophet- a prophet is someone who has been gifted with divine inspiration from God; they share prophetic words with the body of Christ. ( Example – Silas, Acts 15:32, )
  
• Apostle- an apostle is someone who carries the Lord’s message or teaching across geographical regions. Building up the body of Christ. ( Example – Apostle Paul)
  
• Teacher- a teacher helps Christians grow more deeply into their faith through teaching the Bible lessons, answering questions on doctrine, or offering guidance when people find themselves struggling. (Example –  Barnabas, Acts 13:1)
  
• Evangelist- an evangelist spreads the word of salvation by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ to unbelievers. (Example – Philip, Acts 21:8)
  
• Pastor- A pastor is someone who leads and cares for a congregation through preaching, teaching, prayer, and administration. (Example – Acts 14:23)

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In the church, there is a fivefold ministry that consists of 5 different offices. All are vital to the church’s growth and success. The gifts each person possesses are unique and help equip saints for their life’s work on earth while they wait in anticipation of Christ’s return. 

Keep going after God with all your might! Leave a comment below if you have any questions or thoughts about this blog post.”

Melissa is a passionate minister, speaker and an ongoing learner of the Bible. She has been involved in church and vocational ministry for over 18 years. And is the founder of Think About Such Things. She has the heart to equip the saints by helping them get into the Word of God and fall more in love with Jesus. She also enjoys family, cooking, and reading.

The term ‘five-fold' ministry is not new. Almost everyone who claims to hold one of the offices mentions it at some point. The question is, what is it, what does it mean, and how biblical is it?

The Origin of the Five-Fold Ministry

It's doubtful anyone can explain with any confidence where the term originates. But you will not find it in scripture. So however it came about, it is man-made. Yet the idea comes from Ephesians 4:11:

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

It is thought because these are given to the Church by Christ, they form a vital foundation of the ministry. But again, five-fold ministry is not a biblical term. So how accurate is it? We'll see as we go.

A Questionable Description of the Ministry Gifts

Have you ever seen the way some explain the “five-fold” ministry using hands? I cannot attest for it's accuracy. But here it is in a nutshell…

1. The thumb represents the Apostle and is the foundation to the working of the entire hand. It works along side, touching all, and enabling the other fingers to grip and function.
2. The index finger represents the Prophet. This finger points the way, being a corrector and a director. They are the ones who unveil the rhema will of God.
3. The middle finger represents the Evangelist. It is the longest finger and reaches out to the world. The Evangelist works together with the Prophet and Pastor.
4. The ring finger represents the Pastor. They are married to the Church and washes the Bride with the Word, so that she will become without spot or wrinkle.
5. The pinky, the smallest of all, represents the Teacher, the one who expounds God's Word. This is the finger which can most easily get into the “ear” of the people. The teacher works in close proximity with and submits to the Pastor.

Sounds plausible doesn't it? But you know this isn't from the bible, right? Some clever person thought this up. But there are a few issues…

The Apostle – The Thumb

The Apostles are the ‘sent ones' for the establishing of Churches. Uh, no. “He gave some Apostles…” Yea, twelve! The Apostles were sent to establish the Church, not churches. They accomplished this more than a millennia ago. So, argue as you may, the work of the Apostle was done after the work of Paul was completed! No one can establish or re-establish what has already been established by God!Today, we can only establish congregations or Ecclesia (gatherings/assemblies). And Pastors have done this for centuries! Oh, and by the way, as far as the thumb being the only finger that can touch all other fingers? Sorry, not true. Every finger can touch every other finger. Try it!

The Prophet – The Index Finger

Next, “Some prophets…” Sure! God used the Prophets to correct and direct. But that was in Israel! Now, we have the more sure Word of Prophecy according to 2 Peter 1:19. And it's done through preaching. All who rightly divide and preach instruction, direction, and correction from the sure Word of Prophecy can be considered doing the work of the Prophet. Besides, how many of today's ‘prophets' do the work of yesterday's prophets? Or live the life they lived? Hmm…

Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. James 5:10

And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect. Hebrews 11:32-40

The Evangelist – The Middle Finger

Evangelists go out to help spread the gospel to remote parts the world that may not have heard the gospel, not just work with Pastors and Prophets in the local Church. How many Evangelists do you know travel to lands less traveled to spread the gospel? Or do they remain local and preach where sent or ‘released' to go?Philip was an Evangelist. Read Acts 8:26-40. Phillip didn't sit around. He traveled to towns and cities that needed to hear the good news of the Kingdom of God. But yet, Timothy was told to do the work of an Evangelist in 2 Timothy 4:5. In other words, spread the news to as many people as you can during your ministry!

 The Pastor – The Ring Finger

Pastors are those set to feed the flock of God. Yet they are not Shepherds as we think of them. They assist our Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 13:20), in feeding the flock of God. Remember, we all are the sheep of His pasture. Even the Pastor is a sheep in the flock of God! 

For he is our God; andwe are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Psalms 95:7Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psalms 100:3

Where you think you read about Christ being a husband and the Church being his bride is scripture describing the relationship between a husband and wife as an example of how Christ loves the Church. Nothing more! If you want to know the true Bride of Christ, read Revelation 21:9-27. It even says it right there in the text. How can it be missed? According to that text, the Church IS NOT the Bride of Christ! And nowhere in scripture is it called such. If it is, please find it and post where you found it in the comments below. But I suggest reading my post on it first…

The Teacher – The Pinky

Last by not least, the Teacher is the one who rightly divides and expounds the Word. They take the time to carefully disseminate understanding, wisdom, and knowledge. But everyone in ministry should be able to teach. But that is not the case, is it? Some are able to give insight and knowledge at times. But Teachers are gifted by the Holy Spirit to break and serve the Word in a way that all who receive can digest it and understand.

Proximity Determines Relationship

Really? As it goes, the Apostles and Prophets work together to create the foundation, without which, the Church will fail. Remember this was already done during the Early Church. Oh, and besides, the thumb and index fingers are next to each other. The Evangelist answers to or works with the Prophet and Pastor. They say that because the middle finger happens to be between the index and ring fingers. Then the Teacher is under the Pastor in the local Church. This is funny, since all must be taught. I could go on with this but here's the deal. All are on the same level. No calling is greater than the other. All are needful for one purpose; the building up and growth of the Body of Christ! So forget the hand illustrations and clever terminologies. They mean nothing if we are weak in our knowledge of the truth and our lives are not up to God's standards.

So The Apostle Is Head Of All?

To hear it described, it would appear that the Apostle is over everyone in the Church. Well, they might be if the office was still in effect today. But we know that Christ is the Head. 

For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: … Ephesians 5:23

Note this as well. According to 1 Corinthians 12:28, God placed in the Church Teachers after Apostles and Prophets, not Evangelists. So what does this do to the five-fold ministry hand explaination? You see, this is not about placing one above or over another, but placing them in the order in which they were needed at the time! Understand that this was written during the formulation stage of the New Testament Church. God placed different gifts and callings as they were required.  It was never meant to be a hierarchical, top-down list of positions. It is a listing of ministry gifts given to some to keep the body of Christ growing and moving forward toward Christ's return. There is no place for power-mongers and people on ego trips in the Kingdom of God. Nor does Godwant us lording over one another! 

Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 1 Peter 5:3

All those whom God has truly called, serve the body. Those who look to be served or catered to are not called of God or have strayed off the path!

MIA Callings

While placing such importance on the five, what happened to the Deacon? Maybe he's the part of the hand the fingers are attached to and on which the fingers depend on to carry them around. If we can buy into the finger explanation, why not? And Elders. What about them? Well, all who are of age and well seasoned in the Word of Faith is considered an Elder. Even Pastors and Teachers. In fact, it is the position of Elder that blankets those who serve the Body of Christ. Even the Bishop, who is considered an Overseer, is an Elder. What do they oversee? That the truth of God's Word is being taught rightly divided to God's people and that the needs of the people are being attended to by the local Elders. That's it!

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 1 Peter 5:1

For The Good of All…

There needs to be a re-examining of the inner workings of the modern-day Church. We have gone so far from scripture and into the flesh through self-aggrandizement and puffiness.

But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. Romans 13:14 

How about these for goals. Not worldly success, not material wealth, not popularity. A life that mirrors Christ, a command of the truth, and love for the Saints. These are worthy goals because no matter what else we accomplish in this life…

…and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Hebrews 12:14

 The gifts God gives to the body of Christ can be divided into three categories. “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which works all in all” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6).

“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another” (Romans 12:4-5). Below is a basic outline of the gifts God gives His people.

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Motivational Gifts (Roman 12:1-8)

After conversion every believer is given a motivational gift to be used to strengthen, encourage and edify the body of Christ. These are listed in Romans 12:6-8. These are gifts that a believer is naturally motivated toward after they have been born again. These gifts may be fine tuned and sharpened by the Holy Spirit with use over time, but they are what a person is naturally inclined toward after conversion.

Manifestations (1 Corinthians 12: 4-11)

Paul referred to these as both spirituals and manifestations. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (1 Corinthians 12:1). The word “gifts” here was added by the translators. It should more accurately be “now concerning spirituals, brethren.” He goes on to refer to these spirituals as manifestations. Paul says, “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:7).

These are non-abiding gifts used by an individual believer only when the Holy Spirit chooses. These spirituals or manifestations are not used at will. “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills” (1 Corinthians 12:11). You may be used in one of the manifestations once or numerous times. They are to operate only as “He wills” or chooses (1 Corinthians 12:11). We must simply be a willing vessel.

Ministers (Ephesians 4:11-16)

These are often referred to as the “five-fold ministry” and are office gifts. “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office” (Romans 12:4). These are people God has gifted and placed in one of these offices for the benefit and building of the church. Actually, the men and women themselves are the gifts God has given to the church. It would do God’s people well to understand that the person God has placed over them is a gift from God to them and their local body of believers.

The Five-Fold Ministry

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect (mature) man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13). The five-fold ministry can interestingly be illustrated with the fingers of our hand. Each finger represents an office.

1. Apostle. An Apostle is a foundation layer, pioneer or entrepreneur within the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 3:10). This office is represented by the thumb, as the thumb can easily touch each of the other fingers on a person’s hand. This office flows in and out of each of the five-fold offices as needed. By virtue of being a foundation layer, they (out of necessity) must operate in all the other offices at times. When beginning a work or ministry, the other offices or gifts have not been raised up yet so the apostle must function in and out of all five.

It’s important to note in the authority given them as a foundation layer, there are many apostles in the church today. However, a distinction must be made between apostles today and the original New Testament apostles. While the original apostles had the authority to set forth doctrine (write inspired scripture – 2 Timothy 3:16 and 2 Peter 1:20-21), apostles, prophets, evangelist, pastors, and teachers today simply expound on what has already been given to us by the original apostles. Apostles today do not have authority to set forth doctrine as the original twelve did. Their authority is given in the realm of foundation laying or pioneering. This by no means diminishes the apostolic authority God has placed within their life.

2. Prophet. Prophets speak for God to the church and are usually called to speak to the church as a whole. This office is very different from the spirituals or manifestations spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. These are not someone simply giving a prophetic utterance (1 Corinthians 14:3), though they may at times, but these are men or women who hold the office of a prophet. Many within the body may be used by God to give a prophetic utterance and not hold the office of a prophet. This office or gift can be illustrated best by the index finger – pointing, speaking strongly and authoritatively and often in rebuke to the church.

3. Evangelist. This office/gift can be illustrated by the middle finger because it is the farthest reaching. Evangelists are soul winners, but there may be many in the body of Christ who have a burden to win souls who do not hold this office. Evangelists are not primarily soul winners, but are called to stir up the church and move its people into action. Many confuse this office and think an evangelist’s job is exclusively soul winning, but that is not their primary function. Much of their challenge is to encourage the church and its people to get behind their pastor, his vision, and all God is calling him and the church to do and be.

An evangelist as a soul winner, there has usually been one “world evangelist” in every generation that God raised up as a soul winner to the masses. He has usually had a unique gifting in seeing people won to Christ and acclimated into the local church. There have been many such men in past generations. Ours has without a doubt been Billy Graham. It is very likely that Billy Graham’s replacement may be Greg Laurie of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, CA and Harvest Crusades. He has a unique gift to teach the Word in the most simple way and hundreds respond to accept Jesus, many of them young people.

4. Pastor. The office of the Pastor can be illustrated by the ring finger in that he is married to the church, which is his life and passion. They are committed to and their heart has been given to the church. Notice, “He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). “Some pastors and teachers” – he did not say, as in the other offices/gifts, “some pastors and some teachers.” This is significant, because it is very probably one gift. Every pastor must be a teacher, but not every teacher is a pastor.

5. Teacher. Again, every pastor should be a teacher but not every teacher is a pastor. The teacher’s heart is for truth. Their desire is to dissect the Word of God to make sure the church thoroughly understands the truth of scripture. This office gift is best illustrated by our little finger. It is able to get into those hard to reach places and dig around. A teacher’s heart and passion is for truth. They are often expositors, theologians or have a specific burden and emphasis in some special area of truth to teach the body of Christ.

The five-fold ministry is more than those gifted by God but are themselves God’s gift to the body of Christ. They are actually the gifts God has given to the church. Let’s give honor to whom honor is due (Romans 13:7).

Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV); 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:rt

The essence of the prophetic ministry is to give direction both to individuals and to the body of Christ.

However, in the New Testament dispensation, it is the direction of confirmation and not affirmation, because the affirmations are of the Spirit.

What this means is that in this age, a prophet only confirms what is already affirmed or established as truth in the spirit.

It is a good thing to prophecy about the things that you see in the lives of individuals; be it marriage, promotions or any other issues concerning them.

However, a prophet ought to understand that divine mandate is deeper than any issue in a man’s life because our lives are subject to divine purpose.

That is why even after you have seen by the Spirit that so and so will get married or a certain event will soon come to pass in their lives, the question is, “have you aligned them to divine purpose?
Have you defined the call of God upon their lives?”

Look at the example of the prophets that commissioned Paul and Barnabas.

The Bible calls them “prophet teachers.”(Acts 13:1 MSG). This grace qualified them to separate these two apostles for the work God had called them (Acts 13:2-3).

They are different from prophets like Agabus who when he meets Paul speaks of him being bound and imprisoned if he went to Jerusalem (Acts 21:10-12).

The prophets at Antioch saw divine purpose while Agabus saw “chains and imprisonment” because he did not carry the burden of divine purpose: he did not understand what it means for a man to lose his life for the redemption of a generation.

He did not realise that the man to whom he spoke was ready to be cursed for the sake of his brethren the Jews(Romans 9:3); counted all things but loss for the sake of the gospel (Philippians 3:8); calls persecution light afflictions (2 Corinthians 4:17) and when in jail rejoices that the gospel is not in chains (2 Timothy 2:9).

Divine purpose is what gives you life after this life. You are alive to serve the call of God upon your life and prophecy primarily ought to align you to this. Hallelujah!

FURTHER STUDY: 2 Peter 2:15-16, Revelation 19:10

GOLDEN NUGGET: 

The essence of the prophetic ministry is to give direction both to individuals and to the body of Christ. However, in the New Testament dispensation, it is the direction of confirmation and not affirmation, because the affirmations are of the Spirit. In this age, the prophet only confirms what is already affirmed or established as truth in the spirit.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for this knowledge. I relate with the prophetic ministry in the understanding of the affirmations of the Spirit and the convictions of divine purpose. In this, I seek only after the higher calling in Christ. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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.

These crucial verses, along with others in the New Testament offer shining glimpses of the five fold ministry in cooperative labor together. Seen in the pages of Scriptural narrative and teaching, they provide three different perspectives of who they were and what they did then what is popularly believed about them today. 

First of all, there was a variety of unique and distinctive leadership ministries in the New Testament Church. 

The "apostles" originally referred to in Scripture were those recognized as the original 12 disciples who were eyewitnesses of the life and ministry of Christ Himself. Nowhere in the Scriptures, however, is there any indication that apostolic ministry itself was to be confined only to the twelve. "Evangelists" (such as Philip in Acts 21:8) were those engaged in specific personal and corporate ministries of Gospel proclamation to the unbelieving (Acts 8:4-40). "Prophets" were those like Agabus and Philip's four daughters (Acts 21:9-10) who gave actual prophecies of the future which came to pass as well as words of edification and encouragement of the people of God (Acts 11:28 and 1 Corinthians 14:3). 

Those known as "teachers" were those called to educate and instruct the church in Biblical doctrine and were to be highly esteemed for their labor (1 Timothy 5:17) but who were also held to a higher standard of personal and spiritual integrity (James 3:1). And "pastors" were those who held positions of spiritual authority in the local church congregation for the sole purpose of overseeing their spiritual and community welfare (as seen in 1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:7, 1 Peter 2:25), sometimes working in teams of eldership (1 Peter 5:13) or standing alone as a "chief elder" or "bishop" (as shown in Paul's letters to Timothy and Titus about the role of the bishop, and how Christ directed his comments to the seven churches of Asia in Revelation 2-3 as to their "angel" or "messenger"). 

Secondly, these "five fold" distinctions became obscured as the New Testament church labored together. 

The ministerial labor of these leaders was never revealed in Scripture as spiritual tasking only they were to bear. We see this in a variety of places: in Acts 13:1, we find prophets and teachers ministering "to the Lord" together in the church of Antioch and there is no distinction made among them whatsoever. Elders were appointed in every church (Acts 14:23) for both teaching and pastoral work. The apostles Peter and John simply referred to themselves as elders who viewed themselves as servants no better than any appointed elder (1 Peter 5:1. 2 John 1. 3 John 1). Philip, one of the twelve apostles, served as an the evangelist and Paul, an apostle himself, charges the young pastor Timothy to do the "work of an evangelist" in 2 Timothy 4:5 and all through his missionary labors displayed the same passionate devotion to evangelism himself (Acts 19:8-10). 

The account of the decisive Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 is by far one of the most revealing of all. In making one of the most vital decisions about the church's understanding of salvation itself, we find that apostles, elders and "brethren" gathered to discuss and even dispute whether the keeping of the law was required to receive grace from God. While the apostles in Jerusalem were looked to for a resolution of the question, they freely allowed dialogue and input from the whole body of believers and who also would eventually come into unity over what their decision would be. 

We can see from these examples that the "five fold" ministry was far more integrated into the entire New Testament church's lifestyle then we ever see in today's far more spiritually sedentary Western Christendom. That is the Biblical insight we must understand is the New Testament standard for true Christian ministry.

And thirdly, we must understand the historical evolution of Western church leadership that laid aside the "five fold" concept. 

A lot of water has gone under the church bridge since the Day of Pentecost. 2000 years of church history imposed upon our Christian cultures have indoctrinated us with the religious belief that there are "clergy" and there are "laity," that there are shepherds who lead sheep and that sheep are to be led, fed, watched over (and when errant shepherds deemed necessary, to be also controlled, manipulated, exploited and beaten). The flexible simplicity of New Testament five fold church government embraced a multiplicity of church leadership roles for the first three hundred years of its existence. But this was to eventually be swept aside by the creation of a dominant hierarchy of bishops, cardinals and popes that ruled like kings as the medieval church that would become the Roman Catholic institution arose in the wake of the fall of the Roman Empire. The Eastern Orthodox church, following its' own cultural direction, took a similar direction and as a result the entire known Christian Church came to accept this state of affairs as a divinely established social and spiritual order, when it had a far more human origin. 

The people of God in the church throughout history have come to accept these questionable and even tyrannically authoritarian and abusive forms of leadership far too meekly and silently for over two millenia. This concept has done more to hinder the work of spreading the Gospel as Christ commanded than perhaps any other failure the church might have blundered into. Tragically, both the mission of the church and the spiritual destiny of the world have suffered enormously for doing so. We won't belabor this tragic point here other than to observe that only the light of the Protestant Reformation brought the first attempt to restore Biblical church order to light. But the sectarianism that quickly resulted within Protestant ranks, however, only made the church's state of affairs far more complicated and divisive than ever before. And with the notion of a "professional" clergy in whom all of the duties of the sacred were to be exclusively carried out, even Protestant Christianity itself all but lost touch with its spiritual roots. 

Once afire with a congregational five fold zeal that carried the Gospel to all nations, the church has almost ceased to be a living organism of the Spirit but has become more of a static organization ruled by men, used of God in spite of itself not because of it.

A "Five Fold Church": The Biblical Mandate 

But God's revealed will in Scripture is that the entire Christian church itself is to arise to a level of spiritual maturity to act - as a congregation - in directions that are nothing less than apostolic, pastoral, prophetic, evangelistic and educational. That has always been the divine genius beheld in the workings of Pentecost itself: through the Spirit of God moving upon us, we can find in our churches today the humblest and most prepossessing believers who minister in such remarkable grace, power and authority that even the cynical among us cannot but gape in astonishment at their ministry and example. 

We have seen the fivefold mandate actively working in Christians who we otherwise would not view as "five fold ministers" without ever properly recognizing that the fivefold ministry mandate is being fulfilled hidden in plain sight. 

For example, have we not seen Christian brothers AND sisters acting as prophets as they admonished the troubled and sinful both corporately and privately, or giving prophecies of things that came to pass? Or have we failed to notice youth group members who burn with more of a passion to evangelize their pagan peers than appointed evangelists themselves would dare to do? 

Dare we ignore the examples of innumerable Christians we've encountered who are aflame with divine truth imparted into them by years of dedication to Biblical study and who fairly ooze Scriptural insight and wisdom as teachers who share in Bible studies that become places of life transformation for so many? Can we ignore what is going on when Sunday school teachers become more properly pastoral than "the pastor" by reaching out and providing shepherding oversight to Sunday school class members? 

And what of churches in urban settings that are lifting up Christ and the Gospel in the midst of enormous darkness throughdynamic outreach, ministerial initiative and powerful witness to the Gospel that cannot be called anything but an operation of apostolic power and authority? 

Shall I go on? I hope you are seeing my point here. 

If we are to ever truly manifest unity in the faith, as equipped and established disciples laboring for Christ, we are to do it through "the effectual working in the measure of every part", following godly leadership that facilitates and not dominates the flow of the Spirit of God among us. All the Church, from young to old, from rich to poor, from black to white shall be engaged to do the work of the Christian ministry, a true, living "five fold" ministry, as a "whole body fitly joined together" in spiritual unity, purity, stability and charity. In short, we will be as perfected in Christ as possible this side of heaven, the "colony of heaven" I spoke of in my opening article - and which will play as a streaming file when this article is opened.

It is in this vibrant, Spirit-led context that Ephesians 4:11 is to be fully understood. At this point, I can agree with those who emphasized the sovereign moving of the Spirit to "blow where He wills". Paul wrote to the entire church, and encouraged it to seek ministry of Christians who acted in those five roles, but who said they were exclusive domains of a ministry "class" of "office"? The gifts of the Spirit who "bloweth where He listeth" are for ALL of God's people to be used in. 

It's time we start letting God do what He really wants to do .. or we will continue to let every wind of doctrine and every gale of human tradition blow the listing Full Gospel ship all over the map.

What Does A "Five Fold" Church Actually Look Like?

Let first things be first things. 

I cannot be any more pictorial, evocative or practical than the clear mandates of Scripture alone: Let God's Word do the drawing here .. about how a "five fold" church is meant to function together in New Testament harmony:

Romans 12:4-16

4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

Unity in the Spirit by the blood of Jesus always involved a recognition and submission to the diversity of all, looking beyond cultural differences and personal biases to a mutual respect and celebration of our essential spiritual bonds.

6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

Look carefully: there are no 5-fold "classes" - just people moved upon by the "grace that is given us" to pioneer and engage in ministerial achievements both as leaders and disciples. The diversity seen in "differing gifts" is to reflect our individual testimonies as followers of Jesus who are acting upon the direction and calling His Spirit moves us to pursue.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.
14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.
15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

True agape, divine Christian love, underwrites it all as we serve "one another" working together in a wonderful Spirit-led unity respecting the dignity of the individual no matter their sex, race, socioeconomic status or age. This is the character of a "five fold" people, a "five fold" church - a warmly intimate, yet practical koinonia (fellowship). The word in the Greek cannot be translated fully to evoke the kind depth of intimacy and unity of heart and soul which it was originally meant to convey. But the Bible shows what it looks like. 

When was the last time you actually saw this in a church except only in fractional and imperfect expression? Be that as it may, we have no such excuse to not be fully engaged in this if we claim to believe what the Bible says, have Christ as our Savior and His Spirit alive in us. 

1 Corinthians 4:6-10

6 And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.
7 For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
8 Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you.
9 For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.
10 We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.

None other than the apostle Paul himself had any illusions about his apostolic authority and position - humbly recognizing that he was as subject to the painful conflicts with this ungodly and evil world as any other Christian, and even went so far as to admonish the proud Corinthians to realize that making much of their "lofty" positions was something they needed to completely avoid. "Five fold" churches will never make this mistake, although most, if not all, of those today who say they believe in the "five fold ministry" are guilty of this unjustified exaltation of the "five fold offices"

1 Corinthians 12:4-27 gives us even more blazing Biblical illumination into how the "five fold" church works together as the people of God guided by five fold ministers, not lorded over by them:

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

Again, there's wide latitude and allowance for how the administration and the application of spiritual gifts can be seen within the Body of Christ, how they are to "manifest" (literally, in the Greek, "shine forth") among Christians. But one thing is certain, they will be supernatural visitations bestowed by God's Spirit - not the futile exercise of a self-bestowed "gift" that is mistakenly viewed as "divine" and yet potentially "erroneous." A "five fold" church will bring forth spiritual giftings that never rely upon human understanding, mediation or frailty. This is indeed God's doing, and it is divinely inspired and directed. 

It is His treasure that pours out of earthen vessels, not ours. Despite our need to allow for inexperienced Christians seeking to be used of God in spiritual giftings of all kinds, the fact remains that true spiritual giftings will clearly minister to those whom it is offered. God WILL speak through any vessel willing enough to let Him do so:

8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

Words of wisdom and words of knowledge can be be both pastoral and prophetic as well as apostolic in nature - and they can be delivered to teach and edify as well as boldly establish a divine truth contributing to a powerful evangelistic setting (see Acts 13:1-5). Again, the five fold concept is seen as something that is far more broader in scope than the "five fold ministry" would care to admit. The ministrations of these kinds of words can encourage and uplift as well as direct and rebuke hearers. And there is nothing here in these verses stating they are delivered only through those said to be prophets exclusively.

9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:

Once again, Paul makes absolutely no distinction here whatsoever between those who manifest such giftings and those which we, in our backslidden day, think we should concerning so-called "healers", "miracle workers" and "prophets" today. If the free exercise of speaking tongues by all so-called "Spirit filled" believers is to be a norm, why should all not also expect to be used of God to work actual miracles, deliver prophecies, discern spirits or be used to bring healing to the sick? 

And if prophecy is meant to be so critical an issue for the church to heed in these times of "restoration", why doesn't this listing of verses by the apostle place any urgency or priority upon the gift of prophecy which the self-proclaimed "prophetic" of today claim must be recognized? 

Why not? Because it wasn't meant to be seen that way!

11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

God's divine plan is that all of God's people are meant to be used of Him in "all these" as the Spirit ordains each man to do. And note that verse 11 implies the Spirit's gifting is free enough to use man any way He chooses, and yet never suggests that these giftings raise people up into "offices" .. why? Verse 14 is plain enough:

14 For the body is not one member, but many.
15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

Again, this is an order of Christian unity established by God's very purposes (v. 18). God forbid that any man take to himself the task of setting in order what the Triune God intends to bring forth out of His own counsel and direction. Of course, that doesn't stop a whole lot of "five fold ministers" from trying anyway with their arms of religious flesh which create religious mazes out of books, tapes, videos, extended meetings, rhemas, etc.

19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:
23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.
24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

Again, there is that wonderful reference to the corporate unity of ALL believers (using the word picture of a body with various members and organs) that is established by God's Spirit. He binds all of our distinctive natures and giftings together in a glorious oneness of purpose, heart, soul and mind in that wonderful way that only He could do. 

No flesh will glory in this presence, and that goes for all who would imply that there are "master apostles" and "patriarchal prophets" who would run the "old school" church with their "cutting edge" last days "calling".  The Church does not need their species of "destiny" or "vision casting" whatsoever.

1 Corinthians 14:22

22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

This verse will shake up a lot of Pentecostals and Charismatics if they will but receive it. The gift of tongues are primarily meant to be manifest in public church settings as a divine sign to them which will bring divine conviction upon them for salvation. When was the last time you really heard the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues working as follows:

23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

The "five fold" church will be fully open to the manifestation of the power of God to do such mighty works in the hearts and lives of the lost who are exposed to His working through these spiritual giftings. Such a church will regularly find unbelievers stricken down with irresistible conviction. Frankly, such an mighty operation of the Spirit seems almost like a staged show when it actually happens, especially among the masses of Christians who attend churches where the gifts of the Spirit are rejected or, worse, misunderstood. But this is the Biblical ideal that does indeed still occur and I and others have seen it even today still at work in our local churches, however more and more infrequently as the dusk of the last days deepens around us.  

26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

All of God's people may indeed prophesy to the end that all of God's people may be built up in the Faith and strengthened. According to these verses, that makes them "prophets" who are fully subject to the accountability of others. So where do we see that it's only these "papa prophets" or church mothers who take charge as the exclusive mouthpiece for God?

32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

God's Spirit will be alive, dynamic, unhindered and flowing through any and ALL whom He wishes to speak through. And every Christian under the sun who wishes to be a vessel for His usage can be used of him in this powerful way!

The following Scriptures make this even abundantly clearer.

Colossians 3:16

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

1 Peter 2:5-9

5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

1 Peter 4:10-11

10 As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.
11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Once again, in Biblical emphasis, Peter points out once again how "every man" (or woman) in the church "hath received the gift" in a divine diversity of spiritual gifting that is meant to be freely bestowed upon all and for all. He begins with the classic definition of the Body of Christ as a spiritual plurality, a gathering of disciples who stand together as a "house" and a "holy priesthood" chosen by Him to glorify His Name in service unto God, providing redemptive ministry to the nations. This is truly what the end of five fold ministry in the church should be, that "God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ." Everyone is to do what God has enabled them to do and never unduly obsess about who is in charge when His divine order is in place.

These studies of New Testament insight on just how the "five fold" ministry is to be established are drawn from Scripture. These aren't "my views" .. they are what the Bible plainly says about it. If we would but let God's Spirit do what he wants, "Christendom" could once again be truly "Christian".Instead, we have let our traditions of yesterday and our flights of fancy of today completely drown out the clear testimony of Scripture itself. That's something all too easy to do when the unbiblical notion of "present truth" spouted by human tradition so easily supersede the eternal written truth of the Word of God.

While I affirm that Christian leadership is a vital must in the Church today, the thrust of this and the other Scriptures we've studied doesn't dismiss the shining truth behind it all - we are all expected to be perfected according the plain teaching of Ephesians 4. We should all be mature enough to be regularly used of God in some spiritual gifting somewhere in our ministries wherever we are in time in space in the Body of Christ. The shocking immaturity of the backslidden church today which can hardly begin to embrace this truth doesn't excuse us from still working toward the day in which we saints (plural) are perfected, when the many membered Body of Christ is working together in a flowing unity of ministerial harmony. 

So therefore, to say that the "five fold offices" are the norm of the New Testament just simply isn't correct and is yet another attempt to piece together a concept of church leadership that is fatally flawed.

If those given to the latent extremism of that position could only see the inherent accountability and humility that Ephesians 4:11 and 12-16 enjoins Christians to enter into, and would submit to the clear mandates of the Bible itself, there would be cease to be an Apostle or Prophet So and So delivering the stupid and vain babblings they do as "the word of the Lord," when He had nothing to do with it. The Church would truly arise and shine, with the Light of truth come upon it. 

Sadly, I don't see that happening, but what I do behold is the apostacy upon us and a church falling asleep instead.

Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

The Broken Record: Human Tradition Versus The Word Of God

The five fold view of "ministry" is simply one particular Christian faith tradition's view on how church-based ministry is led. Diversity in the Body's view about church government and ministry is something no one needs to fight over. However, the contemporary view of the "five fold ministry" in many quarters of the Charismatic and Pentecostal cultures that embrace it has been in many other instances thoroughly skewed by authoritarian and even cultic overtones as advanced by imbalanced, immature and manipulative individuals. As I have stated, my previous articles have noted this all too well. Certain aberrant and damaging social and spiritual dynamics within the closed circles of abusive five fold ministers and ministries have been successfully replicated throughout these two movements and have been disguised as inspired leadership provided by "the anointed" who cannot be questioned and are free to exploit churches at will in the name of God. 

I may start to be a bit repetitive here, but this is an issue that can't be too often focused upon. 

On the subject of the authority of the "prophetic," I cite a statement by a Charismatic minister I was sharing with about this in an email some years ago. As I have stated, the view among many in the so-called "five fold ministry" is that prophets and apostles somehow have a "greater" authority over pastors, teachers and evangelists, and this brother made it clear:

There is a fundamental change between the OT office of a Prophet, and the NT gift of Prophecy. The prophet of the OT was the highest recognized spiritual leaders. He was litterally the 'voice of God' to the people (it could be argued that the High Priest was); in the NT, Apostles are the highest leadership, but all can now go directly to God and hear His voice.