Ephesians 4:11-13

Ephesians 4:11-13

And He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers – for the full training of the holy ones into a work of service, into the building up of the body of Christ, until we all should arrive into unity of the faithfulness and the knowledge of the Son of God – into mature manhood, into a measure of stature into the fullness of Christ.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Anyone who knows me should know what this first point is about.  This passage gives us what we in the church often refer to as the 5-fold ministry styles: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. 

• Apostles are concerned about leading the people of God to their destiny (mission into the world). 
• Prophets are concerned with whether the people of God are hearing from God and responding appropriately. 
• Evangelists are concerned with whether or not new people are entering the Kingdom of God.  
• Pastors are concerned with care and compassion being shown to and by the people of God. 
• Teachers are concerned with whether the people of God are immersing themselves in scripture while it becomes incarnate within them.

All of us have a base area, although not all of us are spiritually mature in that base area.  It is important to understand our base area so that we can work confidently in that area of gifting as well as know when God is calling us into an area that may not be a strength.

Which area are you gifted in?  How do you know?  Is this an internal discernment or discernment that is guided by the spiritual people around you?  (If anyone would like to use a tool of discernment to discover your 5-fold, click HERE.  However, please come and discuss your results with me or your spiritual mentor if you use this tool.)

Second Thought:

As we move beyond the actual 5-fold ministry styles we turn to the two reasons that these ministry styles are given by God.

• First, it is for the natural training of the holy ones.  The Greek word here is katartismos (καταρτισμός).  You can see cognates of this word in 2 Timothy 3:17, Luke 6:40, or 2 Corinthians 13:9.  The point of this word is not just training, but full and complete training.  Furthermore, we hear from Paul that we are being trained for work in service.  We’re not being trained so that we can be better than others, we are being trained so that like Christ our life can serve other people in drawing them closer to God.
• Second, we are told that the 5-fold ministry styles are given for the building up of the body of Christ.  The Greek word here is oikodome (οἰκοδομή).  This word is a cognate of the Greek world oikos (οἶκος), which means household.  We are to be actively building the body of Christ.  We are to be building His dwelling place.  We are to be building community in Christ.

How are you involved in building community in Christ?  How are others trying to build it with you?  How are you responding to these invitations?

Third Thought:

What is the goal of these ministry styles and the building up of Christian community?  The goal is the unity of the faithfulness and the knowledge of the Son of God.  The goal is obedience to God as we grow in our understanding of Christ.  The goal is to become more like Christ.  The goal is to become a person who lays their life down in order to look like Christ as He laid down His life for us.  God equips us so we can be like Christ.  Again, it is entirely His work and our response to His work.

How obedient are you?  Would you say you are united in faithfulness to the spiritual people around you?  Would you say that you are progressing in the knowledge of the Son of God?  How can you continue to improve in these areas?

Passage for Tomorrow: Ephesians 4:14-16