The SIX Ministry Gifts

Ephesians 4:11-16

It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 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.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

How often have we heard of the "five-fold ministry gifts": apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers? I was just reading this to prepare for a Bible study when I realized that there are six ministry gifts, not five. The one that always gets omitted is "God's people" prepared for works of service. It is only with this sixth ministerial appointment that the Church can grow and build itself up in love. It is only as that part does its work that the Church has any meaning at all!

Apostles were (or are, depending on how loosely you apply that title) designated by God to lay the foundations of God's global Church. Prophets, likewise, are those empowered by God to bring the Word of God to the Church. Evangelists are tasked with spreading the Gospel. Pastors shepherd (lead, guide, direct and oversee) the local flocks of the Church. Teachers are those entrusted to instruct the Church in the ways and will of God. If ministry to and for the Church were all there was, the Body of Christ would still be entombed, cut off from the people He came to serve. Jesus demonstrated that His love was for the whole world, and He instructed us all, as witnesses of that love, to share it in "works of service."

• "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10)


• "Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers." (Galations 6:9)


• "…Serve one another in love. The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself ."" (Galations 5:13-14)

I will always consider the greatest tragedy of Jesus Christ's global Church is that it divides itself on the basis of the gifts of God. One says, "Because I am not a minister as you define it, I am not a part of your group," another says, "Because I refuse to believe that your ministry gift exists today, I cannot include you in my group." The voice that seems most prevalent of all is the Christian who has been muted by idleness. It is the voice that says, "Because I am not an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher, I am just an attendee." There is not one member of Jesus Christ's global Church who is not called to the ministry of others. What is the point of building a foundation, speaking the Word of God, recruiting members, organizing the group, and teaching them, just to watch the Body of Christ sit on its hands? It is the group defined as "God's People" who will do the lion's share of ministry. It is the job of the previous five to equip them and then jump in and participate in the efforts of the Church…"until we reach unity!"

The work is not done until it passes inspection. "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" (v. 13) our work is not done. The foundations have been laid, and the ministries are active, but the Body has not yet grown into the Head. The work is not yet complete. We have not reached unity. Oh, that God's will for His Church would be fulfilled! "From him, the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work." (v. 16)