BS5-How the Church Functions-Lesson 2

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Apostle
Prophets
Evangelists
Pastors
Teachers

To Bless & Edify Church
9-fold Manifestation of the Gifts of Grace

Word of Wisdom
Word of Knowledge
Faith
Gifts of Healing
Working of Miracles
Prophecy
Discerning of Spirits
Divers Kinds of Tongues
Interpretation of Tongues

To Govern the Church
The Offices

Apostle
Elder
Deacon
Priest

Other Categories

Believers
Tares
Goats
Unbelievers

LET’S CONFUSE THE ISSUE WITH SOME FACTS!
How many times do these words appear in the New Testament?

Apostle     19
Apostles    60
Prophet     71
Prophets   89
Evangelist   2
Evangelists 1
Pastor         0
Pastors        1
Teacher       4
Teachers      9

In Verse 11 of the Ephesians 4:8-14 passage below we find the 5-fold Gifts.

THESE ARE ‘THE FIVE-FOLD GIFTS’--NOT ‘THE FIVE-FOLD OFFICES’! (Verse 8)

1. (Ephesians 4:8-14 KJV) Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. {9} (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? {10} He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.) {11} And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; {12} For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: {13} 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: {14} 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;

REMEMBER! These Ministry gifts are Gifts of Grace. God gives you the gift; it is up to you what you do with it.

2. (1 Corinthians 15:58 KJV) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

GOD WANTS EVERY CHRISTIAN TO STAND IN AN OFFICE. Until you do you will never bear the fruit that God intends for you to bear.

Briefly Defined:

APOSTLE* - lays the foundation. He is a voice for God. The Apostle is accountable to the Elders.

ELDERS* - people with at least one five-fold ministry gift who are dedicated to building the house of God.

*The Apostle and Elders are the Leadership* and make ALL the administrative decisions in the church.

DEACONS - people who are moving in the 9-fold manifestations or the five-fold ministry gifts and are dedicated to meeting the physical needs of the church. The Deacons flow in submission to the Apostle and Elders of the church.

PRIESTS - Christians who preach the Gospel, lay hands on the sick for healing, cast out devils, flow in the gifts and in submission to the Apostle and other offices. The Priests flow in submission to the Apostle and Elders of the church.

BELIEVER - a Christian who attends the service who is not in submission to the Apostle and other Offices.

TARES - people who claim to be Christians and look like Christians but they really are not. The Leadership does not remove these people; God does.

GOATS - people who try to come in the church but are in rebellion to God or the leadership of the Church. The Leadership is responsible for removing the goats.

UNBELIEVERS - are the unsaved who visit the services.

In every church service, everyone in attendance will fall into one of these eight catagories,

Helping the saints understand the Word of God and how they are to respond to It.

Perfecting in the Greek is Kataritizo and means to equip for service. It also means to restore anything to its proper place.

Kataritizo is a medical term in classical Greek denoting the "setting of a bone." (THE COMPLETE BIBLICAL LIBRARY, Springfield, Missouri, USA, Page 288, Vol. 13)

3. (Ephesians 2:19-22 KJV) Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; {20} And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; {21} In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: {22} In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

How can the Leadership of the Church put anyone else in their proper place when the Leadership of the Church is set up Wrong?

How can Jesus be the True Head of the Church if we don’t set it up the way that the Word of God says to set it up?

4. (1 Corinthians 12:28 KJV) And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

How can the House of God be a true "habitation of God through the Spirit" when the Apostles, Prophets, and Teachers have to submit to someone who is called a Pastor?

5. (2 Corinthians 10:12 KJV) For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

The work of the ministry is to preach the Gospel to every creature.

6. (Mark 16:15 KJV) And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

This includes T.V., Radio, the Internet, Conferences, Tracts, and Planting churches, etc.

If the true structure of the Church is:

Jesus
     Apostle
          Prophet
               Pastors
                     Teacher, etc.

How can we come to maturity and unity of the faith until we find an Apostle that we can submit and flow with?

When a person is Born-again and understands what their Ministry Gift is, they shouldn’t look for a church to go to--But and Apostle to flow with.

7. (1 Peter 5:5 KJV) Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

Spiritual submission increases the Anointing. Pride causes God to resist you.

As we submit to the Offices and Ministry Gifts of the people in the church our Anointing will increase and grow. Submission increases the anointing. Competition between people in the church is Witchcraft.

8. (1 Corinthians 16:14-16 KJV) Let all your things be done with charity. {15} I beseech you, brethren, (ye know the house of Stephanas, that it is the firstfruits of Achaia, and that they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints,) {16} That ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth with us, and laboureth.

APOSTLES - Lay Foundations and Appoint Elders

9. (Romans 15:20 KJV) Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation:

10.(1 Corinthians 3:10 KJV) According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

The foundation of Christ is the Five-fold ministry with Jesus as the Head.

ELDERS - Lead the Church plus more.

11. (Acts 14:23 KJV) And when they had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord, on whom they believed.

Nowhere in the Bible can we find a Pastor heading a congregation. It is always the elders.

JESUS

Office >   APOSTLE

Office >   ELDER                   ELDER          ELDER        ELDER          ELDER*

Ministry
Gift   >EVANGELIST       PROPHET         PASTOR      TEACHER     APOSTLE*

*The APOSTLE can also function as and ELDER.

12. (1 Peter 5:1-4 KJV) 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: {2} Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; {3} Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. {4} And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

13. (Acts 6:1-5 KJV) And in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplied, there arose a murmuring of the Grecians against the Hebrews, because their widows were neglected in the daily ministration. {2} Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. {3} Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. {4} But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. {5} And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:

14. (Acts 6:8 KJV) And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

15. (Acts 8:5-8 KJV) Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. {6} And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. {7} For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. {8} And there was great joy in that city.

 

PRIEST - We All, as Priests, Should Minister to God, Offer up Spiritual Sacrifices, and Show Forth His Praises. This Also Includes Interceding or Praying for Others.

16. (Exodus 40:15 KJV) And thou shalt anoint them, as thou didst anoint their father, that they may minister unto me in the priest's office: for their anointing shall surely be an everlasting priesthood throughout their generations.

17.(1 Peter 2:5 KJV) 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.

18. (1 Peter 2:9 KJV) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

19. (Mark 16:17 KJV) And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;