Five-fold ministry

[kingdomapostle]

Originally Posted by kingdomapostle

Did you cut and paste this? It sounds familiar to a point of view I once read online. No worries if you did, because its still how you view it...I was just wondering the source.

Because of my upbringing, the Five Fold Ministry was a fairly new concept. We had Reverend, Deacon, Deaconess...um yup that's about all. Oh we also had Pastor, and Minister.

Reverend was reserved for the ordained clergy while Minister suggested that you were not a Pastor, but called to preach.

I'm going to jump around...

Then, I learned of Bishops, Elders...etc. Their functions were different, depending on the organizational structure that was set up by their Presiding board (or whatever the called the governing body).

However, I don't see these roles as being the same-- as in the example you provided above-- Bishops are basically Apostles...etc.

[Sam]

Originally Posted by Sister Alvear

I believe in the five fold ministry...

As a young Christian I went to the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, MN to learn more about the Bible and to prepare myself for whatever way God might lead me. This school was established in the late 1930's and many UPC officials, ministers, missionaries, etc. received Bible teaching there. I was appalled to hear Bro. Norris (founder and president of the school) teach that there never could be any more apostles than those original 12 and that there could never be any prophets after the first century. He taught that choosing Matthias as an apostle in Acts chapter 1 was a mistake made by the others and that God never recognized him but instead replaced him with the apostle Paul. I hadn't been a Christian long but even I knew that there were about 20 people called "apostle" in the NT. Of course I wondered, if he's wrong about this, what else is he teaching wrong? That sure didn't instill much confidence in me as to the accuracy of a school which had such influence on UPC leadership and ministry.

[Sam]

The way I understand it, bishop/overseer/episkopos and elder/presbyter are basically the same per 1 Timothy 3:1-7 and Titus 1:5-9. Bishop or overseer speaks of the authority and elder speaks of age and wisdom accumulated.

In Acts 20:17-38 Paul called for a meeting with the elders/presbyters (verse 17) and called them bishops/overseers (verse 28) and told them to shepherd/pastor/feed the congregation (verse 28).

[OneAccord]

Well, the fact remains that the 5 fold ministry serves a difinite purpose in todays church. And that purpose will continue for a specfic duration of time.

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 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

Somehow, I just don't think we are there yet.

[kingdomapostle]

Originally Posted by oneaccord

well, the fact remains that the 5 fold ministry serves a difinite purpose in todays church. And that purpose will continue for a specfic duration of time.

eph 4:11 and he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
eph 4:12 for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of christ:
Eph 4:13 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

somehow, i just don't think we are there yet.

agreed!

[Sam]

Originally Posted by OneAccord

...Somehow, I just don't think we are there yet.

speak for yourself

[kingdomapostle]

Originally Posted by Sam

speak for yourself

[OneAccord]

Originally Posted by Sam

speak for yourself

Oh, so you disagree with me? Then, we are not in unity and one of us is imperfect. So, since I'm more apostolic than you, it must be you- you liberal Charsmatic.

Love ys, Bro. Sam!

[Seascapes]

I believe that the 5 fold ministry is in the church today. We have Pastors, Teachers and Evangelist in the Church, and then we have Apostles and Prophets in the BOOK.

I feel that there are no Apostles or Prophets that are living in the world today, because there are none that can fit the position. The Apostles were called by Jesus and their names are written in the twelve foundations. We do not need any Prophets only the Spirit of prophecy that is one of the gifts of the Spirit. The prophecies have been written in Revelation, and those are the ones that we know that will come to pass. I believe the Bible states that John the baptist was the last of the Prophets. Even though we do not have an Apostle or a Prophet walking in the flesh today, we have the Bible and therefore they are alive in the Church of today.

[kingdomapostle]

Oh wow. Um, I disagree seascapes.