Understanding the Five Ministry Offices and Their Roles in Church Leadership 6-26-26

Breakdown of the Five Ministry Offices

The proper way to learn what you are commissioned to do in carrying the Gospel effectively and to minister with impact is the directive that is given in God’s Holy Word:  And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 

for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,  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;  

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,  but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ—  from whom the whole  body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11-16).

Do you think one person can function alone as the leader in a church? God Himself is our example: He is the Triune God in three Persons – but always in oneness, harmony. That’s the way He designed His church to function; if not the entire body is off.

Reminder: None of these leaders are better than those they are in charge of, therefore, they are not to think more highly of themselves than they ought to because everyone has been given the same measure of faith they are different in position only (Romans 12:3); they are different in

position only. In fact, those called to be leaders are to be servant of all (Matthew 20:26).

Ya’ll read about this many times in my messages, but Jesus did the same thing; He repeated things so the we would get it, let  it in sink in our innermost part.

What are the saints equipped for? The work of the ministry- every child of God has ministry; called to serve in some capacity (Romans 12:7). How will they function without knowledge and understanding of their call?

What results from the saints being equipped?

The body of Christ is built up, edified, encouraged, and motivated to function in their call. This builds up their faith and help the saints to mature and come into unity/oneness. These steps are the criteria for being built properly on the foundation of Christ: having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). 

Why is the church so divided?

People are operating in the flesh (big headed- prideful). They could also be functioning in the wrong call. This is not a unified body of believers, because they are rejecting the dual offices of church leadership. The ministry is torn apart in its useless efforts.

The principle goes back to the Old Testament when God told Moses to appoint elders (same as the five offices in the New Testament- Ephesians 4:11) over the people. Why did God do this? The task for one person was burdensome and it was a hardship (Numbers 11:16-30).

So, the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.  Then I will come down and talk with you there (Numbers 11:16-17). Remember this, God's principles never change.

Betty A. Burnett ~ burnettministries.org