The Five Fold Ministry - Bible Study

The Five Fold Ministry

As I begin this teaching on the five fold ministry, I think it is important to define and explain what I mean when I say, “five fold ministry.” What is the “five fold ministry?” Where is the five fold ministry found in Scripture? And, why do we need it? I want to answer those questions in detail without being so focused on the details that we lose sight of the purpose, and vision that God has given us for Church Leadership and Ministry. But before answering those questions, I want to take a look at why it is so important that this Biblical authority of the five fold ministry is restored to the Church. Why don't we just keep doing what we are doing? Isn't the Church today a sufficient enough testimony of Jesus Christ and the message of the Gospel? Do we really need to “fix something that ain't broke?” Why not just reform what already exists, and make the Church stronger and better?

Those are some good questions, but the answers should come from the Word of God and not just our own feelings and opinions. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians chapters 1, and 2, that the Gospel message is foolishness to the World. That the message of the cross combined with the power of the Holy Spirit is God's design for reconciling the World to Jesus Christ. The same chapters explain how the wisdom of men will never accomplish the righteousness of God, and that what makes sense to our natural mind is inadequate to further the purposes of God. In fact, when Paul wrote this, he said that the hidden mystery given to those who believe God's Word, by His Spirit, is so necessary in understanding Christ Himself that it was the lack of this understanding that led the Leaders of this World, who knew their Bibles very well, to actually kill Jesus Christ their own Messiah because in their very educated natural minds they could not ascertain Jesus, or the Word of God, by the Spirit of God. I would submit that the same is true of those who claim to follow Jesus today. Those who refuse to understand the work of God through His Holy Spirit. Because they cannot understand the Word of God by the Holy Spirit, neither can they understand God's authority, and design in the spiritual leadership that God has placed in the Church to represent the ministry of Christ until Jesus returns.

In the last two thousand years of Church history, the Church has been getting farther and farther away from the original design and structure of the first Church. The Church that rose up on the day of Pentecost immediately after Jesus ascended into Heaven, and left His Apostles with His authority to lead the Church.
Some Church systems have deviated from the design and structure that Jesus gave us, until His design can't even remotely be recognized as “His Church”. Other Churches have many of the Biblical components of the Church that Jesus created, but at the same time, they have surrendered to some of the doctrines, and demands of a system of authority that is not Biblical, and has kept the their Church deadlocked and stagnant.


The most prominent Church system that we are seeing, especially in the United States, is a man pleasing Church system, aimed at pleasing the hearer of the teaching in the Church. They will do this by mixing Biblical principles with heart felt worldly sentiment, and ideology, and at times even introducing doctrines that are found in new age and occult teaching (doctrines of demons), but are accepted because those messages seem “positive” and “uplifting.” They do this because of their lack of true Bible knowledge, sound doctrine, and understanding, which comes from the leading of the Holy Spirit while learning God's Word.

Without question, another major reason is that they fear what men think, more than they fear God and obeying His Word. This structure typically creates an atmosphere that uses worldly entertainment designed to look spiritual, a flesh petting message that rarely, and/or inadequately truly addresses sin and its destructive work in our lives. Church programs that steer clear of the power of God and the transforming work of the Blood of Jesus or the power of the Holy Spirit.
This is the kind of “church” that is described in 2 Timothy chapter 4 verse 3 which says,

“for the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine but wanting to have their itching ears tickled they will accumulate for themselves false teachers who will teach in accordance with their own desires.”

In other words the Church will accumulate and employ Teachers, Pastors, Prophets, ect. who will not teach full Biblical truth but instead they will preach an alternate “Gospel” makes the fleshly desires of the people to feel validated even though they have one foot in the world and one foot in God. And this kind of Church and teaching will lead to the condition that the Apostle Paul explained in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, which verse 5 helps us understand that he is referring to the “Church” and not the world. This is the kind of condition we see described by Jesus Himself when addressing the Church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22.

So, what is the answer to the condition that a majority of the Church in the United States, and the rest of the World, have fallen into? What is the remedy that God has designed for the Church according to His Word? Well, I can say this, there isn't any one remedy that will force men to do what God wants them to do because our submission to God and His Word is a decision. However, God built into the Church a Leadership, that when assembled in it's fullness, and when operating in the Holy Spirit, and in perfect unity, will actually function in the same capacity as Jesus did while He was here on Earth. Now, before you slam this teaching down and walk away, I want you to understand that I know that what I have said sounds like an outlandish assertion. But, does the Word of God support what I am saying? Is there a ministry that is God breathed, God created, and God designed, that we have lost and forgotten as a Church? I would ask you to join me in this Bible study to understand what God has instructed us through His Word and as Paul said, “I will show you a more excellent way.”


What is the Five Fold Ministry?

As I began to write this teaching, I asked three important questions. The first question being, “What is the five fold ministry?”. The second question is, “Where is the five fold ministry found in the Bible?”, and the third question is simply, “Why do we need the five fold ministry?”
I guess that countless chapters and books could be written on these three questions, but in the interest of keeping this Bible study simple, straightforward, and to the point, I will answer each one of these.

What is the five fold ministry?

To kick this Bible study off we will start in Ephesians 4:7-11. I would much rather start at verse eleven but I want just a little bit more background to explain what verse eleven is saying, one very important part that is relevant to our study is found in verse eight that says, “And He gave gifts to men.” Notice that it doesn't say He gave gifts to men for a selected period of time in history, or that only half the gifts were relevant for only the time of the first Church, or that some of the gifts were for “now” and the rest were to be in operation until the return of Jesus.

But actually as we continue to read we understand that these gifts that we are about to address were all parts of Christ's own ministry on Earth, as no one person could carry out the ministry of Christ on their own. So why do I want to start in verse ten? Just to simply make the point that Jesus isn't physically with us anymore as He is now seated at the right hand of the Father and is making intercession for us His Church (Romans 8:34) and as Jesus said, “But I tell you the truth it is to your advantage I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (the Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go I will send Him to you.” (John 16:7)
And since Jesus is physically no longer here on Earth it is His Church that will represent His ministry to the World until He returns. Now before I go any farther I just have to look at that last scripture and say, how could it even be possible that it would be to our advantage that Jesus goes away? Why on Earth would it better if Jesus was not here? The basic answer to that Is that there was one of Him and potentially millions of us who would do exactly what He did so that the Gospel would be preached throughout the entire world (Matthew 24:14).
To indicate that this was Jesus plan that we would minister in the same way He did I would like to point out the conversation between the Disciples of John the Baptist and Jesus, when John while in prison wanted to understand if the guy he heard about who was preaching the Gospel in Jerusalem was the Messiah or not, to do that we will take a quick trip to Matthew chapter 11 verses 2-6.

“Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, He sent word by His Disciples and said to Him, “are you the expected one, or should we look for someone else.” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go report to John what you hear and see:
the blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.
And blessed is he who does not take offense at me.”

So why is this passage of scripture pertinent to our conversation? Because in this answer to John's Disciples Jesus is asked to describe Himself, to relay to John information without a photograph or selfie that allows John to know that through this description he will absolutely without a shadow of a doubt know that they have talked to Jesus the Messiah. Jesus could have said, “I have a long white robe with a red sash, brown wavy shoulder length hair with green eyes and olive colored skin” or any other kind of description, but instead this is how He chose to communicate to John that Jesus was indeed the “expected one.” But, why is that important to our study?
This description was is important to our study because Jesus is describing His ministry and the gifts which are used to express that the Gospel He is preaching is the truth. But does He expect that we will walk in the same way He walked? Is the ministry that Jesus left on Earth to do the same things that Jesus did Himself? Well lets take a look at just one chapter before chapter 11 of Matthew and read chapter 10.





Walking in the five fold ministry/The Apostolic Church

We have spent the last 20 years announcing and teaching Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11, it is now time to move beyond that single passage of Scripture and understand the full purpose and the calling of these Ministry giftings as God has designed them to function.
(read Ephesians 4:11-16 emph. on 12-16)
** What is the purpose? Why not just fix the current Church system?

The following are criticisms of the “Old Church System”, that no matter how negative, are also true, and must be addressed if we are to understand why the system has to change and what must be done to move forward as a Church. This list is in no way intended to give ammunition to people wounded by the old church system, or who are angry or disappointed with Church Leadership, and is not designed to excuse the true Christian from forgiving and loving those who have hurt us. Loving our enemies as Christ loved us, praying for those who we feel have mistreated us, and appealing to those who are walking in error with the express purpose of restoration looking to ourselves that we do not become ensnared in the same trap, which are Biblical commandments to every true Christian.
If we cannot forgive we will not be forgiven. When Jesus prayed for those that killed Him, He prayed, “Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”
We are literally called to do this and in so doing we prove to be Children of our Father in Heaven.
(Matthew 5:11-16, 5:43-48, 6:14-15, Galatians 6:1-5)

**The typical criticisms

1) The old system operated from a system of authority that was not Biblical and thus was not God breathed, and was designed by man. In almost every case spiritual authority, and approval was replaced by a worldly system of corporate ladder climbing.
(Ephesians 4:11, 1 Corinthians 12:28)

2) The Requirements, and training for Leadership were not Biblical. They were often patterned after man made institutions, that issued man made credentials, that in no way honored Gods calling or approval for ministry on the life of the individual. They did not require Apostolic discipleship, making a ministry that operated in the physical realm rather than the spiritual.
(Galatians 1:1, 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1:5-9, 1 Corinthians 4, 2 Corinthians 12:12)

3) The old system tended to exalt men and ministries, at times even making celebrities out of ministers, rather than servants of God who were devoted to serving Gods people.
(Matthew 20:17-28, John 13:3-16, 1 Corinthians 4)

4) The old system spent billions on building programs, ministry empires, brand names, multi millionaire prosperity teachers, and effectively turned much of the Church into businesses, programs, and social clubs with a cross on top of a building.

5) The old system lacked the power to change the world because it was not a system that was sacrificial. When given enough time, the Church was almost always transformed by the world rather than by the Word of God and the Holy Spirit.

6) When given the choice, the old system would almost always shut down the work of the Holy Spirit to stay on a man made schedule and timeline. Often, the work of the Holy Spirit was not understood, or honored, so that the order of the service was not interrupted. The old system maintained a motivation of not looking too controversial, facilitating a man pleasing atmosphere.

7) Because the Leadership and the Church system lacked knowledge and understanding of walking in the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, the most common tool used to maintain “balance” and position has been a spirit of control and/or a man pleasing spirit that kept its congregation full by keeping people comfortable, unchallenged, and unoffended.
Sadly, this has resulted in making a comfortable “safe place” for the worldly, carnal, and even the demonic (how sad is it when demons are comfortable in church pews). Rarely is sin addressed, and it goes unchallenged. Often times, mingling the worldly with the Biblical, resulting in a horrific compromise aimed at pacifying lukewarm “believers.” while the Holy Spirit Himself is rejected. Those who passionately love Jesus, who burn with the fire of the Holy Spirit, and are filled with the Word of God, eager to serve the Church/community, and to walk in their giftings so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ may be spread throughout their Cities are made to feel too “radical,” to “confrontational,” and lacking in “Balance”. They are often accused of being unloving because they love truth, and cannot handle the mediocrity, and compromise of the lukewarm Church. Thus, their message is perceived as upsetting to those who will not surrender their full lives to Jesus, and who reject the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives.

8) The Old Church system has left many in the Body of Christ feeling like they have nowhere to recommend for newborn Christians to go to be discipled, learn the Word of God, experience the power and work of the Holy Spirit, and to grow beyond being a congregation member or spectator. Also many Evangelists who are actively preaching the Word of God are finding it increasingly difficult to find or recommend a Church body that will receive and love newly converted Christians, many of whom do not fit the profile of the average Church goer, and who may not be well received by the Church because of their appearance or former lifestyle.

9) And finally the old Church system has left many in Church Leadership feeling trapped and unable to walk out the vision for Ministry that they initially received when they had first been called to service by the Holy Spirit. So many in this place feel like the passion and zeal they had for serving Christ, the Kingdom of God, and the Church, has been replaced with an expectation to keep a business or company running at a steady pace, all the while being forced to put down the vision of their original calling to fulfill and maintain the short sighted vision of a denominational man-fearing Leadership. This has led to the shipwreck of the faith of many who have endeavored to serve Christ in the ministry that they believed they had been called to, causing discouragement, loss of purpose, and in some cases walking away from their calling altogether.

* This list is not meant to be extensive, but rather to reveal why we need to understand that the “Old Church System” cannot simply just be fixed. We must recognize that Gods plan for His Church, and Church Leadership, as designed and specified in His Word, must be re-established, honored, recognized, followed, and obeyed.
Also, the Scripture references given are examples and are also not an extensive list.


The end of the “Church age” and into the age of the “Bride of Christ”

As I teach this concept I am not talking about some new profound teaching or a new idea but rather an idea that has been in the Word of God for 2000 years. When I refer to “the Church age” I am talking specifically to the Church structure that has been reformed many times since the first Church recorded in the Book of Acts, and is structurally very different than the Church that was founded by Christ Himself.
When I refer to the “Bride of Christ” I am talking about the Church that is very much like the first Church, but more specifically I am speaking of the true Church or the Bride of Christ at the end of the age, in the Last days or the End times as described in Revelation 19:7-9.
For a visual of this concept we see the picture of Christ and His love for the Church as His Bride and using this “mystery” to explain to Christian Husbands as to how they should treat their wives in Ephesians 5:25-32.
And we see Paul the Apostle describing his discipleship of the Church as preparing the Bride of Christ in 2 Corinthians 11:2.


Other Scriptures which use this language or concept to describe the mystery of the true Church being called the Bride of Christ.- Matthew 22:1-14, Matthew 25:1-13, John 3:29
Revelation 21:1-3 & 9-14 (1 Peter 2:4-10 & Ephesians 2:19-22 for context).


The Ministry Structure of the Bride of Christ.

** Moving past Ephesians 4:11 and moving into Ephesians 4:12-16 (explain, this will be the biggest portion of the teaching from the pulpit)

* Supporting Scripture - Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians chapters 12 & 14

The Ministry Leadership of the Bride be marked by several things (traits)

** Humility, with a focus on service – Examples (Talk to examples 1 & 2)

1) Matthew 20:25-28 (servant of all)
2) John 13:3-16 (the mystery of washing the feet) (John 15:3) (Ephesians 5:26)
3) 1 Corinthians 2:1- 3 (and yet with power v4-5)
4) 1 Corinthians 4:9-14 (and yet with power (v18-21)
5) Philippians 2:1-8

The doctrine of an “anointed” spiritual Hierarchy in the Church will pass away. The current culture of Apostles and Prophets being spiritual Celebrities in the Church will end. A focus on “equipping the saints” instead of building “my ministry.” A disdain of ministry competitiveness and a desire to work in unity with other ministries for the building of the Body of Christ. A seriousness for the accountability and responsibility of call of ministry so as not to being dishonor to Christ (James 3:1)

** A strong grasp and understanding of the Word of God and Prayer.

1) 2 Timothy 2;15 (approval for ministry by accurately handling the Word of Truth)
(“handling” also translated as “rightly dividing”)
2) 1 Timothy 3:14-17 & 4:1-4 (active use of the Word of God in ministry, also see Hebrews 4:12).
3)Acts 1:14 & Acts 6:13 (some ministries will be solely devoted to the Word and Prayer)
4) Ephesians 6:12 & 6:18
5) (Supporting) Colossians 4:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Jesus rebuked His Disciples for not being able to “keep watch and praying” for even one hour. (Matthew 26:40-41 & Mark 14:37-38)
6) An ability to reveal Christ through scripture as “stewards of mysteries” (1 Corinthians 4:1) (Colossians 2;16-17 & 2 Peter 1:19-21 as examples)


** A Sacrificial love for the Body of Christ.
1) Ephesians 5:2 (reiterated and expounded in Ephesians 5:25-32)
2) Colossians 3:12-14
3) John 15:12-13 (John 10:11-13)
4) 1 Corinthians 13
** They will walk with spiritual power and authority and expect that the Church will be able to do the same. They will disciple the Church to walk in the gifts of the Spirit.
1) 1Corinthians 2:1-52) 2 Corinthians 12:12
3) 1 Corinthians 4:18-21
4) 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 (contrast to 12:28-31)
5) 1 Corinthians 14 (emph. V31 contrast to 12:29)


* The Church age has been marked by division, which caused the Churches to become insular, having a Denominational culture that was difficult for new Believers to feel a part of. The Bride of Christ will be known for unity, for a deep love for God and for each other, and rather than being insular, this Church will be known for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the testimony of His power. (Revelation 12:11&17, Revelation 20:4)