MINISTRY GIFTS 101

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There is some serious lack of understanding when it comes to Ministry Gifts in some parts of the body of Christ today, and this has led to abuse and misuse of these gifts. It’s saddening to see how far we’ve drifted away from the pattern set by the Head of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ himself.  When Jesus ascended up into Heaven after His resurrection, the Word of God says, He gave gifts to men for the equipping of the saints. These gifts were to work together towards the common goal of equipping the saints for ministry, each gift fulfilling a specific function.

¹¹ And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers – Ephesians 4:11 NKJV   

What the purpose and function of these Ministry Gifts?

 ¹² for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, - Ephesians 4:12 NKJV

So instead of wondering why the work of the ministry, ie. Making disciples of all nations is at a sluggish pace let’s pay close attention how we are being equipped, that is if we are being equipped at all. The thing is, we cannot substitute the Master’s pattern and strategy for the work of the ministry or for the perfection of the saints with our man-made alternatives and expect to accomplish much.

Why does the body of Christ need this equipping and what will it accomplish?

¹³ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; ¹⁴ that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, ¹⁵ but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ – Ephesians 4:13-15 NKJV

This passage in Ephesians clearly states that it is Christ, the Head of the Church who gave these five Ministry Gifts of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor and Teacher to the church and hasn’t stopped giving these gifts to the church today, remember He said “…I will build my church…” I submit to you that He is still building His church today, so all the Ministry Gifts are very much operating in the church today whether we recognize and accept them or not.

These Ministry Gifts are not given by man as he wills. Just because someone went to Bible school (and going to a good Bible School is a commendable thing, don’t get me wrong) it doesn’t mean they are called to be a Pastor or a Prophet or a Teacher or an Apostle or an Evangelist. If the Lord has called you out as a Ministry Gift, then by all means don’t shrink back, wait on Him, be faithful where you are and let Him place you where He desires. It is Christ who calls, appoints, anoints and sends Ministry Gifts to His Church.  

It is sad to see some segments of the body of Christ shun and reject some of these Ministry Gifts that the Lord has lovingly given them for their equipping; it is even sadder to see impostors flaunting Ministry Gift titles, claiming to be what they are not, lording it over precious redeemed souls of unsuspecting believers, ravenously devouring the flock… Yep these identity thieves and scammers seem to be everywhere.

Whenever someone insists on being addressed by what they claim to be “their proper title”, alarm bells should be going off in your spirit; more often than not they are impostors, very seldom will they be an authentic Ministry Gift and if they are then they would be quite immature and/or just walking in the flesh. True mature Spirit led Ministry Gifts will not be fixated on announcing themselves with titles, they’ll just be who they are and the gift that is within them will make room for them. “You shall know them by their fruits” is very applicable here.   

Some in the body of Christ today use Ministry Gift titles like well deserved promotions almost like the way the secular world system uses titles such as CEO, VP and the like. The thing is, those secular titles are promotions that are usually a result of an individual’s efforts while Ministry Gifts are not a promotion, they are gifts given by Christ to His church, they are to serve the body, not to boss it around. Ministry Gifts are not given to the body to be served but to serve… no ifs, ands or buts. Nowhere in the New Testament will you find any authentic Ministry Gift lording it over believers, it was always the impostors who did that, like the false apostles who Paul had a few choice words for:

¹³ For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. ¹⁴ And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. – 2 Corinthians 11:13-14 NKJV   

Source: Google Images

One cannot aspire to be a particular Ministry Gift and then work their way up through the ranks, as it were, to it. It is Christ who sets them apart and gives them to His body, His Church. Ministry Gifts are not a reward for one’s obedience to God or anything like that, no, otherwise they would be earned and therefore cease to be gifts. They are by His grace and His grace alone. Paul knew this and that’s why He said he was an apostle by the grace of God and that God had separated him to be an apostle from his mother’s womb.

⁹ For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. ¹⁰ But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. – 1 Corinthians 15:9-10 NKJV

¹⁵ But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace – Galatians 1:15 NKJV

When it comes to Ministry Gifts, may the Holy Spirit enable us to swiflty and accurately distinguish between the true and the false. May He also grace us with the boldness and courage to take the appropriate action.