Studies In The Kingdom Of God

Volume 2: Chapter 7: Preparing The People Of God For Kingdom Living

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" Ephesians 4:7-13

The ministry of Jesus on the earth was a course in Kingdom discipleship, leadership, and service. His ministry is the example for all followers of Jesus, especially for the Ascension gifts of Jesus listed by Paul in Ephesians 4. Jesus was focused on training and preparing people to live Kingdom lives and to carry out the Kingdom activities that God desires and intends for each of us. This was the main focus of Jesus, outside of His death, burial, and resurrection.

He spent His time preparing His followers to carry out the activities of the Kingdom, once His time on earth was completed. This is the main focus of the Ascension gifts of Christ – to prepare individuals and families of believers, as Jesus did, to carry out the activities of the Kingdom on the earth, from generation to generation, until Jesus returns to establish the fullness of His Kingdom on the earth.

Jesus was THE apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher. He was the fullness and embodiment of all of these ministries in one package. He is our example to follow. As the Father sent Jesus, Jesus has sent us. His focus was on instructing, discipling, mentoring, and preparing individuals and families to carry out the Kingdom work. This is what we are to do, as His Kingdom representatives. It's not about us as leaders, it's about the individuals and families we are to serve and prepare.

This is why we must understand our place as Kingdom representatives who are here strictly to represent the desires and intentions of Another, and not as individuals who are out to fulfill our personal dreams, pursue our desired lifestyle, and to carve out our ministry "niche". The true mission and purpose of the ascension gifts of Christ is to serve and prepare the Body of Christ for Kingdom service and representation. These gifts encompass more than the ministries of the Pastor, Teacher and Evangelist.

There are more than three ministry gifts that were given by Jesus, that are necessary and relevant to the Church today, especially the local church. Jesus gave us all five ministries and we need all five ministries active and functioning effectively if the Church is to be successful and accomplish all that Jesus wants us to do. The Apostle and Prophet must be embraced, active and functioning in the local church, as well, if we are to fulfill all that Jesus wants and expects from us.

To understand the purpose and place of the Prophet in the New Testament and in the local church, we must go to the place in Scripture where his role and function is identified and explained. This is done for us by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4:7-13. In this scripture, Paul tells us that after Jesus had put the New Covenant into effect, He ascended into heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father. It was after His ascension that Jesus gave specific servant leadership gifts to the Body of Christ. These ascension gifts are the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. All five of these gifts were given: 1) for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, 2) to the building up of the body of Christ, 3) until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

We could say it another way. If the saints are not fully equipped for the work of service, and the Body of Christ has not attained to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God, if it has not grown up into a mature man, to the measure of the spiritual stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ, then all five of these leadership ministries should still be present, relevant, vital, and active within the Body of Christ, and specifically the local church.

The question is, then, "If the Church has not attained to the measure of the stature that belongs to the fullness of Christ, then where is the Prophet? Where is the Apostle?" If we go to any local church, we will most likely find at least one Pastor and probably a Teacher. We have Evangelists in the field (even though you won't find many located and functioning within the local church). Many believers identify the missionary as the modern form of the Apostle but is it the Apostle Christ gave as a gift to the Church? Is the culture of the Kingdom of God effectively being planted and established within the local church as Jesus desires and instructed?