Ministry and Collaboration of the Fivefold 

Ministry of an Apostle:

To bring God’s order to the Body of Christ and to strenghten local congregations. Preaching and teaching the Word of God with the power of God both in word and acts. To establish, expand and organize the work of the Lord. To give advices and orders to the congregations in collaboration with prophets and elders. To correct wrong ways of doing things in congregations and to solve conflicts. Characteristics to them is endurance, boldness and diligence. They birth the form of Christ in the church facing opposition from those serving rather people than God. 

Ministry of a Prophet:

To bring revelation from the Lord, often with miracles and different profetic acts showing the power of God. Calls to repentance. Gives advices to congregations with apostles and elders. Supports the work of apostles and shepherds with their prophesying, like Haggai and Sakarja supported Serubbabel and Joosua in the building of the temple.  Anoints and orders God’s servants to their callings. To prophecy, to tell the coming events, to see, to know, to show the way.

To prepare and to strenghten the Church of Christ. To reveal the works of the enemy, to bring forth the truth, to deliver from evil spirits. Chracteristic: Much opposition, disrespect, and persecution. The special relationship of a prophet and God.

The help of Apostles and Prophets to other ministry offices

The church is built on the foundation of apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20). Apostolic and prophetic teaching brings the order of God; Acts 4:32-37. Acts 2:41-47 and Eph. 4:10-16; the unity and the obedience to the Word of God.  

God’s grace in the offices of an apostle and a prophet are meant for the whole Body of Christ, and is foundational for the local congregations. Shepherds shoud receive them in the purpose and authority given to them by the Lord. Jesus said that this way they receive Himself, or forsake Him (John.13:20, Mark 14:18-21, Luke 22:21-23).

Apostles support the shepherds as spiritual fathers and keep up connections between the local congregations. Apostles organize the work of God where the evangelists have reaped harvest.

Prophets can support shepheds in helping to find out the callings and giftings of the saints through theri prophetic seeing. They strengthen and guide both the congregations and it’s members by their prophetic revelation from God, and revealing the work of the enemy. They send, ordain and set apart, alone or together with other offices, those the Lord has called to the five fold offices or to other ministry (Acts 13:1-3).  

Collaboration of Apostles and Prophets:

To serve the Body of Christ in general leadership, and to strengthen and quide the congregations in collaboration with shepherds, according to the areas and callings the Lord has given to each apostle or prophet. Strenghtening churces and taking care of their condition and order.

Acts 15:22-32; Judas and Silas, who were leading brothers, were sent with apostles Paul and Barnabas to bring advices to congregations and to prepare the saints. Apostles and prophets support each other by the difference of their anointings; prophets bring word from the Lord, and apostles acts on it. In collaboration this helps both offices and advance God’s purposes.

Ministry of an Evangelist

To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Often supported financially and by prayers of one of more local congregations. Working in areas the Lord has given to each one of them. Healings and other miracles as a wittnessing God’s power and love to the people. The ministry of an evangelist is according to Eph, 4:11-12 also to prepare believers for the work of the Gospel, so they should teach and train saints in the congregations to evangelize and to wittness to the unbelievers.

Office and ministry of a Shepherd

The office of a Shepherd (pastor, overseer, bishop) means elders of a local congregation in their different callings. The word “Pastor” is mentioned only in the list of the offices in Eph.4:11, and the word “Overseer” when speaking of the requirements of a shepherd. When the Bible mentiones this office in work, it always sayis it in plural form, never one pastor, or shepherd, of elder doing something alone, but together with other elders. This expresses the nature of the office of a shepherd; governing together a church. The office of a shepherd is the only one of Eph.4:11 offices that is local and concerns one certain congregation.

Apostle Paul speaks this way to the elders of Ephesus after calling them together (Acts 20:28); “Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

To the church in Philippi Paul addresses his letter like this; “To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons”. 

Apostle Peter writes of of the elders (1 Peter 5:1-4); “The elders who are among you I exhort… Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly… but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away.”

Jakob 5:14; “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him” 1 Tim.4:14; “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership.“ 1 Tim.5:17; “Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor”

Often apostles chose the elders for the churches, when they organized the new born believers as congregations. Acts 14:23;  “when they had appointed elders in every church…”, Tiitus 1:5; “that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you”

Ministry of a Teacher

The office of a teacher is important for the church of Christ to open and teach the texts of the Bible. Understanding the Word of God is one of the basic pilars of our walk in Christ, as our whole faith is based on the Word – which actually is Jesus Christ Himself. When during the end time many wrong Christs and wrong apostles and prophets are rising, knowing the Word is essential for every believer.

When Ezra, who was teaching to law to Israel, was opening the Word of God to them, they were awaken to see their condition in repentance. Ezra 7:10; “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.”

The office of a teacher can be local or wider including several congrigations and geopgraphic areas. The work of a teacher can be supported by one or more congrigations with their prayers and financial help.