What is the five fold ministry
The acronym APEST describes five spiritual gifts that Christ embodied and distributed to humanity. It’s not the only list of spiritual gifts, but it’s the one that seems most to describe the architecture of a church community, since these are given for the building up of the Church. But what are they exactly?
5Q Central describes the five gifts by the question, “What would this gift do with a bar of chocolate?”
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APOSTLE: If an Apostle had an amazing piece of chocolate what would she do with it? Understanding the value of the chocolate she would immediately want to find a way to get that chocolate into the hands of every person in the United States in the fastest, most efficient and cost effective way possible. She would have vision, big pictures, and purpose in mind.
PROPHET: The Prophet would see the chocolate and know that we have been given the role of stewardship. She would ask questions like, “What did God intend for the use of this chocolate and how do we maintain God’s purposes?” She would be attuned to the heart of God, but ALSO be aware of the Shalom of God’s people. She would be mindful that nobody had too much and none too little. She would be a deep listener to both God and people and only cry out after all the dots between God’s intention and the Shalom of the community had been identified (and too often abused).
EVANGELIST: The Evangelist would take one taste of the amazing chocolate and then insist that everyone she knows would (not just should) TRY IT! No questions asked. She believes it! You should too! She infectiously communicates the power of chocolate and everyone should join along. It is hard to get her to entertain any thought beyond her own belief, because she is sure of what she has experienced! (We all know these people from food to phone preferences)!
SHEPHERD: The Shepherd immediately would see the chocolate as a gift to the community. It would be used as a way to communicate care and love to the community. It is a source of celebration and a source of comfort and even a source of reward after challenge.
TEACHER: The Teacher would be concerned about the origins of the chocolate. They could give you the historical context for the discovery of chocolate, how its purpose have evolved over history, as well as possibly the chemical make up — the deconstruction and reconstruction of the perfect chocolate morsel would be their utmost concern. It must be rightfully thought out and historically and contextually accurate.
Payton Jones gives several pages to answering questions about the five-fold gifts and how they work together and in conflict with one another. He provides a bullet-point list on pages 138-139 of Church Plantology.
Apostle
- Strategy
- Structure of organization
- Protect DNA
- New ways of doing thinking
- Multiplication
- Empowering others
- Outward oriented
- Growing mission, not maintaining it
- Vision casting
- Movement-style approaches
- Questions status quo
Prophet
- Questions status quo
- Justice
- Mouthpiece of God
- Critiques institutionalism
- Calls people back to the purity of worship
- Stirs up the gifts
- Calls people to the supernatural
Evangelist
- Outward oriented
- Gospel focused
- Equips others for evangelism
- Equips others for apologetics
Shepherd
- Enables discipleship
- Calls people to community
- Moves people into the community
- Fosters relationships
- Comes alongside people
- Plans meals together
- Builds community
Teacher
- Imerses themselves in the text
- Develops a biblical worldview
- Brings clarity to Scripture
- Applies Word of God to their personal lives
Gifts By Music (In Progress)
Another way to explore the gifts is to ask, “What does this sound like?” Here are a few examples by song:
Evangelist/Prophet - Keith Green
Prime example:
- Asleep in the Light (Evangelist/Prophet)
Do you see? Do you see? All the people sinking down? Don't you care? Don't you care? Are you gonna let them drown? How can you be so numb? Not to care if they come You close your eyes and pretend the job's done Oh, bless me, Lord! Bless me, Lord!" You know, it's all I ever hear No one aches, no one hurts No one even sheds one tear But, He cries, He weeps, He bleeds And He cares for your needs And you just lay back and keep soaking it in ... Come away, come away Come away with Me, My love
Prophet - Common Hymnal
- God Will Heal Our Wounds (Prophet)
If we stop loving on our own terms God will heal our wounds, God will heal our wounds