The Five-Fold Ministry (2024)

The five-fold ministry gifts were given to the church to enable God’s people to do the work of the ministry. What is the work of the ministry? It’s all service that is done in order to bring people into the Body of Christ (His church) and to bring the church into the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The fingers of the hand symbolically represent the five-fold ministry that God set up within the church:

1. The Thumb represents the Apostle: The thumb touches all others and it enables us to grip.
2. The Forefinger represents the Prophet: It points
3. The Middle finger represents the Evangelist: it is the furthest reaching finger
4. The Ring finger represents the Pastor: married to the sheep he is always with them
5. The Pinky represents the Teacher: this finger is the one that gives balance to the hand

The Apostlegoverns, he must be called, appointed, and anointed, by God Himself in order to wear this mantle.

The Prophetguides, he is the body’s eyes and ears. Under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the body sees and hears what God has done, is doing, and will do.

The Evangelistgathers, they ( the evangelists) love sharing the gospel, and when they do, people get saved! Evangelists see Jesus Christ as the solution to every person’s problem. Frequently ‘signs and wonders’ accompany their ministries, authenticating their message about Jesus Christ.

The Pastorguards, he loves, feeds, encourages, protects, and cares for the flock.

The Teachergrounds, he or she explains and clarifies the truth. They have an amazing capacity to take complex subjects and make them simple resulting in a strong foundation and deep roots in the Word of God for both the pastor and the flock.

The concept of the five-fold ministry comes from Ephesians 4:11, "It was He (Jesus) who gave some to be (1) apostles, some to be (2) prophets, some to be (3) evangelists, and some to be (4) pastors and (5) teachers."

Ephesians 4:12-13 tells us that the purpose of the five-fold ministry is, "to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."
Some say the five-fold ministry especially apostles and prophets ministry passed away at the end of the first century because we have reached the fullness in Ephesians 4:13
Butsince the body of Christ definitely is not yet built up to unity in the faith and has not attained to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, the thinking goes that the offices of apostle and prophet must still exist.

What is the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ?

When every man can be presented perfectly to Christ (Colossians 1:28) we can truly say that we, His body, His bride, His church, -- are totally filled with Him and that we have left the world, the flesh, and the devil far behind us. We will have totally died to self and will be living in union with him. We will be lovingly and joyfully obeying him.

Just because you don’t find yourself among the five-fold ministry doesn’t imply that you don’t have a ministry.

In fact, the five-fold ministry is there to equip the Saints (that’s you and me) to do the “front line” work of the church. So we are all called to minister because the church needs to grow and thrive.

The five-fold ministers were given by Jesus to the Church. We need every minister that God has provided. Sadly, most churches have largely abandoned the broad-based “five-fold” ministry gifts of Ephesians 4:11 — that is, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers, and has too often settled for identifying most Christian ministers simply as “pastor”. But often those “pastors” are more precisely a combination of evangelists or bible teachers, or even prophets or apostles.

The Five-Fold Ministry (2024)

FAQs

The Five-Fold Ministry? ›

The concept of the five-fold ministry comes from Ephesians 4:11, "It was He (Jesus) who gave some to be (1) apostles, some to be (2) prophets, some to be (3) evangelists, and some to be (4) pastors and (5) teachers."

What are the 5 folds of the ministry? ›

The concept of the five-fold ministry comes from Ephesians 4:11, "It was He (Jesus) who gave some to be (1) apostles, some to be (2) prophets, some to be (3) evangelists, and some to be (4) pastors and (5) teachers."

What are the 5 gifts from God? ›

The gift of the Holy Spirit
  • The gift of the Holy Spirit.
  • The gift of faith.
  • The gift of forgiveness.
  • The gift of the church, and.
  • The gift of heaven.
Mar 3, 2020

What does a 5 fold mean? ›

: being five times as great or as many.

How do I know my calling in ministry? ›

Signs You're Meant to Enter the Ministry
  1. You possess the traits of a spiritual leader.
  2. You have a fervent desire to serve God.
  3. You've been told you're well-suited for ministry.
  4. God is flinging open the door of opportunity.
  5. You're spirit-filled.

What are the 7 major gifts from God? ›

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. While some Christans accept these as a definitive list of specific attributes, others understand them merely as examples of the Holy Spirit's work through the faithful.

What is God's biggest gift? ›

So, instead of abandoning us or retaliating against us, he offers us a gift, the best gift that has ever been given: his Son, crucified and raised to life again. And he promises he will reign over us in an eternal kingdom that is far better than any of us could ever ask for or imagine.

What are the spiritual gifts in order? ›

1 Corinthians 12:4-11
  • Word of wisdom.
  • Word of knowledge.
  • Faith.
  • Gifts of healing.
  • Miracles.
  • Prophecy.
  • Distinguishing between spirits.
  • Tongues.
Aug 16, 2022

Is fivefold the same as five times? ›

five times as great or as much. comprising five parts or members. in fivefold measure.

What is God's fold? ›

Coming to the fold of God is through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism and confirmation, and through continuing faithfulness.

What is the fold in the Bible? ›

A fold, or sheepfold, is a large enclosure, often constructed with stone walls, where the sheep are protected at night. It has only one opening. At the end of the day, the shepherd calls the sheep. They know his voice, and through the gate they enter the safety of the fold.

What are the signs of your calling? ›

Here are 7 signs you have found your calling.
  • Your actions match your plans.
  • You reach a state of flow.
  • You can't be deterred.
  • You suspect you're onto something.
  • Your output is huge.
  • You're happy.
  • You're making progress.
Oct 21, 2020

How do you identify your calling from God? ›

Our primary calling is to be in a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that God has called us into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ.... Our primary calling is not tied to our employment.... God values us for who we are, not for what we can produce or achieve within work.

How do I know what my spiritual gifts are? ›

Discover Your Gifts
  1. Ask others to let you know. Sometimes we don't see in ourselves what others can see in us. ...
  2. Look for gifts in adversity. ...
  3. Pray for the help to recognize your gifts. ...
  4. Don't be afraid to branch out. ...
  5. Search the word of God. ...
  6. Look outside yourself. ...
  7. Think about people you look up to. ...
  8. Reflect on your family.

What are the 9 spiritual gifts? ›

These abilities, often termed "charismatic gifts", are the word of knowledge, increased faith, the gifts of healing, the gift of miracles, prophecy, the discernment of spirits, kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues.

What is the gift of discernment? ›

It means “to understand or know something through the power of the Spirit. … It includes perceiving the true character of people and the source and meaning of spiritual manifestations” (Guide to the Scriptures, “Discernment, Gift of,” scriptures.lds.org).

What is the most powerful gift in the Bible? ›

Wisdom is considered the first and the greatest of the gifts. It acts upon both the intellect and the will.

What is the most beautiful gift of God? ›

The beauty of nature is God's gift to all of us.

What baby name means gift from God? ›

Jonathan. He was a prince of great strength in the Bible. His name means "gift from God."

Is speaking in tongues a spiritual gift? ›

The idea of speaking in tongues is mentioned in the Bible in 1 Corinthians:12 as a spiritual gift that a baptized person who has accepted Christ could receive from God and the Holy Spirit. This gift allows a person to speak a foreign language they otherwise have no knowledge of.

What are the 7 spiritual gifts in Romans 12? ›

The seven motivational gifts found in Romans 12—(a) perceiving, (b) serving, (c) teaching, (d) encouraging, (e) giving, (f) ruling, and (g) mercy—when viewed as a profile provide a base for person-job fit suitable for use with all people regardless of faith tradition.

What are the 3 power gifts? ›

The gifts that fall into this category are; the gift of special faith, gifts of healings, and the working of miracles.

What are the 5 gifts for Jesus? ›

In the earliest days of the church, followers of Jesus embraced five core spiritual gifts―apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, and teachers―and the world was set on fire as a result.

How many gifts does God give us? ›

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are an enumeration of seven spiritual gifts first found in the book of Isaiah, and much commented upon by patristic authors. They are: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.

What are the 6 gifts in the Bible? ›

Biblical and theological overview
  • Prophecy.
  • Serving.
  • Teaching.
  • Exhortation.
  • Giving.
  • Leadership.
  • Mercy.

What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit in order? ›

The gifts are 1 ) wisdom, 2) understanding, 3) counsel, 4) fortitude, 5) knowledge, 6) piety, and 7) fear of the Lord. This list is based on Is 11:2. The imparting of the gifts of the Spirit is associated with baptism, as well as Confirmation and Ordination.

How can I identify my spiritual gift? ›

Discover Your Gifts
  1. Ask others to let you know. Sometimes we don't see in ourselves what others can see in us. ...
  2. Look for gifts in adversity. ...
  3. Pray for the help to recognize your gifts. ...
  4. Don't be afraid to branch out. ...
  5. Search the word of God. ...
  6. Look outside yourself. ...
  7. Think about people you look up to. ...
  8. Reflect on your family.

What are the 3 gifts of God? ›

In the history of salvation”, the Pontiff continued, God gave three gifts to his people: “the gift of election, the gift of promise and the gift of covenant”.

What are the 4 unique gifts of God? ›

According to the Scriptures, these gifts include such ministries as faith, healing, prophecy, proclamation, teaching, administration, reconciliation, compassion, and self-sacrificing service and charity for the help and encouragement of people.

How do I receive spiritual gifts from God? ›

When you exercise faith in Jesus Christ, repent, and keep your covenants, you are eligible to receive spiritual gifts. Also, find situations where you can use your spiritual gifts. Remember that these gifts not only benefit you, but they can also benefit others (see Doctrine and Covenants 46:26).

How do I know my gifts and talents from God? ›

There are various ways to find what you are good at including:
  1. Prayer: Matthew 7:7 tells us to ask, seek and knock. ...
  2. Asking Others: Asking others can also give us an idea about our talents. ...
  3. Pay Attention to What You Enjoy: What activities do you enjoy? ...
  4. Practice: Talents do not develop overnight.
Aug 6, 2021

What are the 7 spiritual gifts Romans 12? ›

The seven motivational gifts found in Romans 12—(a) perceiving, (b) serving, (c) teaching, (d) encouraging, (e) giving, (f) ruling, and (g) mercy—when viewed as a profile provide a base for person-job fit suitable for use with all people regardless of faith tradition.

How do I activate my spiritual gifts? ›

4 Simple Steps to Receive/Activate the Gifts of the Holy Spirit
  1. Step 1: Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. ...
  2. Step 2: Develop a personal and intimate relationship with God. ...
  3. Step 3: Hunger for the Gifts of the Spirit and walk in love. ...
  4. Step 4: Take action by faith.

What is the 7 fold Spirit in Revelation? ›

The sevenfold ministry of the Spirit

Including the Spirit of the Lord, and the Spirits of wisdom, of understanding, of counsel, of might, of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, here are represented the seven Spirits, which are before the throne of God.

What is the difference between the Holy Ghost and the Holy Spirit? ›

The English terms "Holy Ghost" and "Holy Spirit" are complete synonyms: one derives from the Old English gast and the other from the Latin loanword spiritus. Like pneuma, they both refer to the breath, to its animating power, and to the soul.

What is the fruit of the Holy Spirit? ›

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” Those who are in Christ are distinguished from unbelievers in that they have been gifted with the Holy Spirit, enabling them to bear fruit.

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