Recognizing the Five Fold Ministries of the Prophets and Apostles

1. Recognizing the Five-Fold Ministries of the Prophets and Apostles The concept of five-fold ministry is brought to life through Ephesians 4:11 – 12 which affirms: “So, Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors, and teachers to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up” God bestows these missions upon those he fills with his abundance. The faithful are called to perform these ministries according to the clarion call of God. The Holy Spirit anoints them with his gifts and fruits, strengthening them spiritually to execute these missions as it pleases the Lord. For the chosen to perform these ministries in the best possible way, it requires recognition and support from the other faithful men as well. When they are working amidst a community that understands their call, supports their mission, recognizes their efforts and works along to establish their purpose, the proclamation of The Word and the efforts to build the body of Christ becomes more widespread, purposeful and meaningful as well. In order to support the prophets and apostles and their ministries, it is essential to understand their call and the nature of their mission primarily. A Prophet’s Ministry The call of a Prophet is to work upon the hearts of the people. They are to detox it from the devilish influence, free it from the clutches of its claws and reroute the heart to the Lord, to where it originally belongs. A prophet’s call is to mold the hearts of the people to seek God’s will and not lean on its own potential and worldly desires. The purpose of the ministry is to shape hearts that surrenders itself to the will of the Lord and work on every passing second to execute his plans in a way that pleases him and not the world. As a prophet is guided by the Holy Spirit to influence lives and cause a change of hearts, it is pivotal to acknowledge his/her efforts for Christ and rally for his cause in the proclamation of the Word of God. An Apostle’s Ministry

2. An apostle is called to proclaim the Kingdom of God in places that had not received it earlier. Their call is to uproot the establishments of the Satan and other idol worships and installs in its place, the faith of one true God, the Almighty. The apostles are called by the Lord and sent to places in the nook and corner of the world where people are sunk in the worldly desires so much that they have become numb to the voice of the Lord as well as their conscience. They are sent to people who have hardened their heart enough to turn a deaf ear to God’s call and to those who have detoured away from him and in executing his purposes. As the Holy Spirit strengthens them spiritually and provides them with the courage to proclaim the Word of God, recognition of their efforts by the community of the faithful will strengthen them mentally, morally, socially as well. The successful execution of the five-fold ministry lies in the understanding, recognition, support and enthusiastic involvement of the faithful. This will, in turn, bring to the Lord, the souls of the non-believers as well, ensuring successful transformation of their lives.