The Role of Fivefold Ministry (Part 2)

Fivefold Ministry is a matter frequently alluded to from the pulpit within many Charismatic and other Neo-Pentecostal churches and circles. Notwithstanding, such allusions appear to be little more than oratorical rhetoric, for the most part, because few churches make an earnest attempt to incorporate Fivefold Ministry within their ministry and structure. Certainly, I have never yet seen it in full and proper operation anywhere. Rather, for the most part according to what I have heard and witnessed, Fivefold Ministry and its function remains to be a shadowy and little understood matter to the majority of ministers, not to mention lay believers, including even those claiming to be Charismatic. Oh, some say they believe there is such a thing as Fivefold Ministry, which is more than can be said for the vast majority of so called mainline and Evangelical denominational ministers. However, most Charismatic ministers have what could only be referred to as a cursory understanding of these Ascension Gifts of Christ and how the Bible prescribes they are to function and flow together, and very few of them have incorporated all of those ministry offices into their rightful place of function within the structure of their local church.

The Role of Fivefold Ministry

Fivefold Ministry is the ongoing surrogate ministry of Christ Himself to the Church—His Betrothed. All legitimate ministry emanates from Jesus Himself and is an extension of His ministry. Unless it emulates His ministry, it’s not legitimate ministry. Jesus’ three-and-a-half-year fleshly ministry is the model for all genuine ministry, and we can see in the Gospel accounts that Jesus functioned in all five of the Fivefold Ministry Offices.