Having been raised somewhat in the Methodist church and my wife in a Lutheran background being saved was not in our vernacular as neither one of us ever heard that concept. Both of us thought being baptized as a child was all we needed. That is sad since I learned about both Wesley and Luther in bible college. Wesley rode 250,000 miles on horseback preaching you must be born again and Luther was heavy on justificatio sola fide or only justification by faith alone. We would have both gone to Hell even though I had Methodist on my dog tag and she had attended Sunday School with an Aunt. Thus being saved in a small General Association of Regular Baptist Churches in Dover, Delaware on April 6, 1975 was a real cultural change and probably some shock as well especially since the church had no steeple, stained glass windows or pipe organ.
Jump ahead forty plus years later and moving over to a Pentecostal environment definitely had some new changes and challenges. Some things were similar and others had to be translated for us. Many Baptists actually believe in a word of wisdom or word of knowledge. They just do not call them that and would argue to the death that what they believe is not same as what those terms describe. Thus it is still a learning experience as we have only been with Pentecostals for around five years. One thing is not different is that there are as many divisions among Pentecostals/Charismatics as there are Baptists having folks that are from somewhat far left to far, far right and some off the rails or chains depending on what colloquialism you choose to use. That said, some will affirm this study and others may have a conniption fit as Southerners say.
Ephesians 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
While I have heard Ephesians 4:11 preached in Baptist circles, we never called it the Five Fold Ministry. So when I heard this phrase I had to look it up and do some research. In so doing, I realized that both Baptist and Pentecostal teachers may not have looked at this closely enough. That is a flaw many of us Christians are known to have from time to time. We are often skimmers and miss things or get so scholastic that we can write a five hundred page paper on Mary had a little lamb or roses are red and violets are blue replete with numerous pictures or symbols with massive numerology completely missing the simplicity of the passage or rhyme.
This happened when I was just curious about computers. My Brigade was happy to get the new 286 computers with two 5¼ inch floppies and an 80 MB hard drive. I am telling my age. One of the programs written by the Brigade crashed and the computer I loved and depended on was out of commission for several days. In my curiosity, I starting looking at the programming and noticed that all but one line of code started with a +. That one – looked out of place. I figured it was already broken so I changed the – to a +, rebooted and it worked! I called the Brigade and told them what I did. What a bunch of expensive programmers failed to see because they were looking too deeply a neophyte saw because he did not know what the proper protocol was for troubleshooting the program. It would seem that now and then a simple mind can fix a complex issue better than a complex mind. Sometimes dumb luck is better than skill because you can still see the trees and not just the forest. ;-)
So while trying to understand this new terminology and the teaching that it represented something stood out to me that I never noticed as a Baptist because it did not come up in college or from a pulpit. While indeed there are five terms used there are only four categories of gifts.
The categories all start with “and some.” Four terms start with that, but not the fifth term. It is separated from the fourth by and, but not and some. Why is that? The Greek Word kai between two nouns can be translated as “and” or “even.” Thus because of the layout of the pattern “and some,” I believe that the fourth category is “and some” pastors even teachers, pastor-teachers or teaching pastors. They are not two categories. It is clarifying the role of a pastor as the teacher of the congregation and in the beginning pastors were the only teachers in the Body.
There were no Sunday Schools as we know them. That concept did not come into play until the 1800s in England when Robert Raikes created them to teach reading, writing and arithmetic to children who worked in factories or fields all week. It was not a discipleship class as it later became. Paul said that elders are worthy of double honor especially those who ministered in the Word or as some call them the teaching pastors or elders.
1Timothy 3:2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
Indeed, one of the qualification of a bishop or pastor is that he has to be apt or able to teach. He is a teaching pastor not a CEO or CFO as we now seek in a pastor. In a sense, he was the CIO as it was his gift and calling to study the information of Scripture and present in a way that the people understood or as it says in Ezra he gives the sense of the Word. Done right, once the sense or proper interpretation of the Word as determined by the Holy Spirit is given to the pastor he then, empowered by the Spirit, delivers the interpretation in power as well as word. After that, the Holy Spirit gives the person the understanding of the Word and applies it to his/her life in its varying applications. During that process as the Spirit moves through the congregation many things can happen. People can get saved, restored, healed and whatever else is needed to be done in their lives.
1 Corinthians 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
Now some may well balk at this concept because they have been trained differently and may be in a group that has taught five fold for over a hundred years. I get it. I was in a cessationist group for over forty years as a minister so it was not easy admitting that I may well have been in error. No one likes to think they may have missed something especially if they have been very studious and eagerly seeking truth. Yet, my first group and yours and now mine missed it here. We do not do ourselves a favor by not exploring a plausible explanation without hearing the facts. My Baptist brethren have done that to their hurt. I believe some Pentecostals have done the same.
Note, that the list is here in a different layout and two not mentioned that are in Ephesians although maybe only one is missing. One may be there only emphasizing the gift not the office that uses it. He also expands the list. In a church where what might be called the “showy” gifts by some are exalted and abused it is fitting to show that not all parts of the Body are exposed to public view.
Evangelism is missing, but then again, all of us are to be ready to give a reason of the hope that lies within us so we are all to be evangelists when the opportunity occurs even if we are introverts. Then again, maybe we also have looked at evangelism in a limited viewpoint.
2 Timothy 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Timothy was the youngest pastor to ever serve from the cultural perspective of the Jews. Before you could serve on the Sanhedrin you had to be thirty and married. Timothy was around twenty-one and nothing says he was married. Tough to get respect from the Jews or maybe Gentiles alike as Paul had to tell him to let no man despise his youth.
We define evangelists as people who spend their career in crusades to win the lost. Personal witnessing is evangelism as much as preaching the Gospel and like I said we are all to do that and that is also what a pastor and missionary does as well. The Great Commission says that we are to teach all nations. It does not mention preaching and I believe that preaching and teaching are really the same or two sides of the same coin.
A man preaching or teaching the gospel is actually a pastor-evangelist whether he does it stateside in one place, as a missionary overseas, on the road holding meetings, in the jail, nursing home, rescue mission, etc. We have many titles to cover the same office. A Chaplain is a pastor by definition. He is a pastor of a chapel. He is a pastor to the police, fire fighters or whatever group. I have been a Chaplain in several organizations doing pastoral duties or functions. We tend to have too narrow a view of the word pastor or rather pastor-teacher.
So, the term pastor is missing out of this list, but the third item is teachers. Again, the only teachers in the early church were pastors/elders. Why Paul did not use pastors or pastors even teachers I cannot say. It certainly would have taken away some of the clouded judgment in these last days. Then again we are commanded to study and compare scripture with scripture so the Spirit who verbal-plenary inspired the Word may have given us an incentive to fully study like the Bereans rather than being skimmers. Whatever the reason, we can still see by comparing scriptures that pastors and teachers are the same office or category of those given to the Church
Ephesians 4:
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Some might say, what does it matter? Well, it matters because it is true and we are to be people of truth rightly dividing or interpreting the Word. It does create some issues with the theology and practice of many people. A well intended, but misplaced, chapter division between Hebrew 11:40 and 12:1,2 has led people to believe that their loved ones are sitting around watching what is going on here on earth when clearly the cloud of witnesses are those recorded in Chapter 11. So also, by adding to the category/gift/office by missing the grammatical pattern has caused us to create a problem though we were well intended.
It is not easy for me to tackle this subject because I know it will anger some and will make them think and say things that are not good for them as well as for me. I am well accustomed to such things as I have at times ticked off the Left and the Right and scared the snot out of the Middle. Indeed, I have had many debates when I was a Baptist because I challenged some of their doctrines and practices. I never started out and still do not desire to just be a rabble-rouser or whatever name you may choose to call me after this. In my flesh, I am a joiner and for the sake of peace and acceptance I am often tempted to go along to get along. Like Peter, fear of what men might say has hindered my ministry at times. I have kept quiet or moved on when I should have stood up and said what should have been said. Still, there have been many times when I had to give the minority report because I felt that was the right thing to do. Thankfully, I cannot be excommunicated.
So here is where the thing gets edgy and will cause great controversy. With the realization that there are only four and the pastor-teacher is the one called to do the teaching we need to change some titles to line up with the office, category or gift and that will change personnel due to qualifications.
1Timothy 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
1Timothy 3:1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
Didaskalia is the word translated doctrine in 5:17 while didaktikos is the word teach in 3:1. The elders/pastors/bishops who teach doctrine are worthy of double honor. These passages show that teaching doctrine is an authoritative practice limited to those who meet the qualification of pastor/elder/bishop. It is not a job for just anyone that might be a good high school teacher or even college professor. If we have Sunday School as we use it then the all of the teachers should meet the biblical qualifications of a pastor/elder/bishop if they are teaching doctrine regardless of age group. If you had tutoring classes on Sunday then those teachers would have to be qualified, not necessarily certified, in their specialty.
I realize that this would make some be faced with radical reorganization and downsizing of their current Sunday School system. Sunday School for adults is not as popular as it was when I was saved in ‘75. If the younger parents do not bring their kids the program may well vanish with only a Junior Church setup surviving with the personnel definitely needing to be qualified as pastor-teachers. Some people will bring their kids and leave or allow grandparents to bring them, but while I am sure some places there is growth I feel like the overall church culture has lost interest.
With Sunday PM services being done away with and Wednesday meetings dwindling the opportunities to disciple also dwindle. Small groups should be led by those having the same qualifications of a pastor/elder/bishop since it is crucial to have sound doctrine in those groups as they can become a
hotbed of dissension and error causing grief and division. A group not under the oversight of a pastor is not a biblical model. Cell groups in a Body are fine, but the only cells that fall off of or away from our bodies are dead skin cells and are not profitable to the body. Caution must be taken. Though I am called a Maverick, I still work within a church body. Indeed, I give more of my time and talents to my local church than to Maverick Ministries and I charge no one for the things I do under that title.
God did not call us to be a scattered body. He gives gifts to be used in a Body. Cutting off fingers and toes kills the fingers and toes and handicaps the Body. A “para-church” organization not tied to a church is not the pattern Paul describes as you do not lay an arm next to the Body. Unless it is attached to the Body it cannot reach its full potential. Ministries come out of the Church, not along side of the Church. That is a man made construct based on division and personality, not unity. There is far too munch redundancy and poor stewardship of manpower and resources because of division of the Body.
Finally, we need to realize that we have bought into some constructs of the world when it comes to the qualifications of a pastor. While it is always good to seek more knowledge we have elevated education to the point that many who might be very qualified according to Paul’s list will never seek a pastorate because many churches required a PhD. It used to be ThD, but now it is a PhD. I suspect the world respects that one a tad more. I have seen more than one “job description” that neither Jesus, the Apostles and most of those martyred for their faith would not have on their resume.
We have made the Church a business and a calling a career so we have only an elite that need apply to serve. We no longer look for the “weak, base and foolish” to be called and it has weakened us. Not saying that ignorance is blessed or education is bad, but we need a balance. Many Liberals and heretics have great degrees and many false prophets do not. There are no educational requirements in Paul’s listing of qualifications. I know at least one man with no formal training that is more sound than many doctors and some that could use a bit of training.
The early church practiced apprenticeship and I believe we should return to that as it would help in many areas. Indeed, if you raised up a pastor from within the Body, you would at least decrease the chances of a man coming in and destroying the church as tends to happen. Everyone brings their A game sermons and interviews, but their agenda is not usually as clear. Indeed, Paul apprenticed Timothy and Paul had more education and better education than some have today though they have advanced degrees.
I have seen and heard of churches being hurt or devastated because the flock did not know how to call a shepherd or was deceived. Sometimes it is because they do not know what questions to ask like if a person is a JJJ man (Jesus, Jordan, John the Baptist) or a hyper-Calvinist or believes in grave sucking or some other unorthodox doctrine that might be geographical.
I received a call from a church in NY that called a man to pastor them from TX that was JJJ. He did not tell and they did not know to ask. He was there a month before they removed him for that doctrinal error that is usually only found in the South. He had a degree and good references along with a good personality and preaching skills. Still he was wrong for the church and with that teaching wrong for any church. Had their pastor prayed and sought for a replacement within that flock the sheep would not have gotten into that issue. Not saying it becomes a family dynasty as I have seen a few times because just because you are born into a family of pastors does not mean you would make a good pastor. However, in Acts the congregation picked deacons and the Apostles and their disciples found elders for the churches. I know, we are Americans and we do not like that concept, but are we Biblicists first or Americans in our theology? Does make a difference.
Finally, for this session, we have also allowed feminism to infiltrate the Church and that has also hurt us. While I was mortified to hear an evangelist say that “women are made for making beds, biscuits and babies” we cannot go the other direction and forsake the roles that God has made for men and women. I was even more shocked to not hear any rebuttal to that comment from the ladies in the congregation. I was waiting for them rush the pulpit and beat him black and blue with their purses as some of those could be declared lethal weapons. I did not hear one boo or hiss and there were a couple of amen ladies. Wow!
That said, when the Church started adapting to the culture in our male-female roles and relationships problems started not only in it but the culture. We seem to have a love-hate with Paul. On one hand we laud him for his strong preaching on grace versus law but we make him a man preaching his own opinion in areas that we do not want to see him writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit thus meaning that our Bible is not completely verbally-inspired. Somehow, God allowed Paul to go rouge from time to time preaching his own message and not God’s. I do not think so.
That is a real problem because how can we be sure it anything is opinion and not God’s? Even when he said that he had no direct command he believed he had the mind of Christ and as a called Apostle, that should be a given. Indeed, He would have known that Paul was about to go off on his own rabbit trail and would have pulled him back for instruction.
Indeed, if something was not relevant to the Gospel, holiness or separation I do not believe God would have allowed Paul to even touch on the subject. Paul was a pretty focused and direct lad before salvation. God did not change that personality, but harnessed it, empowered it by the Holy Spirit of truth so that Paul could cut to the chase and through the malarkey of false gods as well as the junk the Pharisees and Sadducees used to corrupt Judaism. He was not one to be distracted or go down rabbit trails or holes. In Paul’s position as the Apostle to the Gentiles/Nations God was not going to allow something to be written that He did not agree with though He did not directly say it to Paul.
His authority and teachings were challenged by Jew and Gentile alike. He shut them both down. He was especially rough on the Corinthians and those epistles are the ones that many Pentecostals/Charismatics tend to look to for inspiration and affirmation. It was an immature and carnal church so we need to be careful and pay attention to the issues Paul was speaking to unless we commit the same errors due to misunderstanding or focus. Indeed, many pull things out of context in Judges where every man did that which was right in their own eyes meaning most of the book was God was showing the wrong way to do things and then correcting those ways. Corinth is the same concept. The Corinthians are bad examples and Paul had to spend a great deal of time correcting them. I mean they thought they were so spiritual that they believed they could question Paul’s apostleship, authority and doctrines though they were won to Christ by him. Hmm, sounds like some today.
We need to rethink our interpretation of this passage and other doctrines as well because just like Judaism in Christ’s day much has entered into the mix that is not of Him. The Reformation was a start of cleaning house in the Church by rediscovering the doctrines of justification sadly much was still left of the ancient errors. Indeed, though the Pentecostal movement has rediscovered the doctrines of the Holy Spirit much has crept in that has diluted or abused the power that knowledge revived.
We need more than a Reformation II. We need a full blown Holy Spirit revival that will again cleanse the house and empower it to win souls while maintaining sound doctrine silencing the ignorance of foolish men and those that would tickle the ears. We need a return to marking them that cause division and rebuking false prophets. May that revival start with me and spread like a fire blown by that mighty rushing wind consuming our dross and chaff making the unbelievers take notice that God is at work. Maranatha!!!
