Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Curiously, and without biblical support, this fivefold list of ordained ministries from Ephesians 4:11 has been split by the modern church into two lists.
I want to ask these two questions. Majority of Christians will fail this test.
• Question #1 — Which three of the Ephesians 4:11 ministries are mentioned most in the New Testament?
• Question #2 — Which two of those fivefold ministries are mentioned least in the New Testament?
The answers may shock you. They indicate how far out of balance the contemporary church has grown compared to the original church that Christ established on the earth.
• Answer to question #1:
• The word “apostle(s)” occurs 85 times in the New Testament.
• The word “prophet(s)” occurs over 150 times in the New Testament, about 20 of those occurrences referring distinctly to prophets in the Church Age.
• The word “teacher(s)” occurs 125 times in the New Testament.
• Answer to question #2:
• The word “evangelist(s)” occurs only 3 times in the New Testament.
• The word “pastor(s)” occurs precisely one (1) time in the entire New Testament! One time! (Ephesians 4:11)
Consider those numbers. The Bible speaks of New Testament apostles, prophets, or teachers a combined total of at least 200 times. Pastors and evangelists are mentioned a combined total of four times!
And yet the modern day church calls most ministers by the term “Pastor” and shies away from “apostles” and “prophets” like a horse avoiding a rattlesnake! Man’s prejudices, fears, or misinterpretations have deprived the Lord’s Church of the two foundational ministries — apostles and prophets — that He Himself placed on earth. The Church today, wherever it denies these two ministries, is improperly structured. Pastors, evangelists, and teachers alone cannot bring the church to maturity. They were never intended to. Jesus gave all five ministries for that purpose.
In the two sections that follow, we will examine the characteristics and work of prophets and apostles in the Church Age. Nowhere in Scripture is there a concise, precisely worded “job description” of these two offices. Therefore, I will offer to the reader overviews, or composites, of these two ministries in the New Testament. Of course, no individual apostle or prophet can be expected to fulfill every aspect of these descriptions. That level of perfection remains the privilege of the Lord Jesus Himself.
5. What are the biblical characteristics and ministry of apostles?
• Acts 2:4 They were filled with the Spirit.
• Acts 2:14-36 They preached the Word of God.
• Acts 3:1-8 They healed the sick.
• Acts 4:1-12 They were persecuted.
• Acts 5:1-11 They pronounced God’s judgment.
• Acts 5:12 They worked signs and wonders.
• Acts 5:42 They taught and preached Jesus Christ.
• Acts 6:1-6 They ordained deacons.
• Acts 8:14-17 They laid their hands on others to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
• Acts 8 and later chapters. They founded and/or strengthened new churches.
• Acts 9:36-43 They raised the dead.
• Acts 10 They preached to the Gentiles.
• Acts 12:1-11 They were martyred, persecuted, and sometimes delivered.
• Acts 13:4 They were sent by the Holy Spirit (the root of the word “apostle” means “sent”).
• Acts 13:11 They pronounce a curse.
• Acts 14:21-22 They confirmed disciples in their faith.
• Acts 14:23 They ordained elders.
• Acts 15:1-21 They settled doctrinal disputations.
• Acts 16:18 They cast out demons.
• Acts 19:22 They sent forth other ministering men.
• Acts 20-28 list further ministries that apostles performed.
• 1 Corinthians 3:10 They were wise master builders. They laid spiritual foundations.
• 1 Corinthians 4:14-15 The apostle Paul warned his “sons” in the faith.
• 1 Corinthians 7:1 They counseled and answered the saints’ questions.
• 1 Corinthians 11:34 They set churches in order.
• 2 Corinthians 11:28 Paul exercised “care of all the churches.”
• 2 Corinthians 13:10 They used their authority for edification.
• Ephesians 2:20 Apostles are part of the foundation of the church.
• Ephesians 3:3-5 They received revelation from God.
• Ephesians 4:11-12 They perfected the saints.
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