Is The Five Fold Ministry Biblical? What's My Ministry?

Oct 13, 2022
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is the five fold ministry biblical
Table of Contents
  1. What Is The Five Fold Ministry?
  2. The Dangers of Adding to or Taking Away From the Scriptures
  3. Spiritual Gifts
  4. Five Fold Favoritism
  5. What’s My Gift and Ministry?
  6. Conclusion

In the mid-1990s, I was part of a growing church in Portland, Oregon. The pastor and the core group us volunteers regularly prayed and sought the Lord together. It was a fascinating time for me as a young minister because we were wrapping our minds around the concept of a “diversity of ministries” vs a church led by just a pastor or a senior pastor and assistant pastors.


As I recall, the pastor met with other ministers in the northwest and elsewhere periodically, and from those meetings, he brought back the idea of the Five Fold Ministry. We were excited about it and taught the rest of the church. I fully embraced this new doctrine for a few years. But the more I searched the scriptures, I began to see some problems with it. Let me explain what I mean.


What Is The Five Fold Ministry?

Simply put, the five fold ministry doctrine comes from Eph 4:11-13:


And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 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:


As you can see, there are five ministries listed here, and these ministry gifts were given to the church to equip God’s people for the work of the ministry. What is the work of the ministry? It’s all the service done to bring people into the church and to bring the church into the fullness of the Lord Jesus Christ.


 

Some have used a hand as a symbolic representation of the five fold ministry, where the fingers represent each individual ministry.


1. The Thumb represents the Apostle: The thumb touches all others and enables us to grip.

2. The Forefinger represents the Prophet: It points


3. The Middle finger represents the Evangelist: it is the furthest-reaching finger


4. The Ring finger represents the Pastor: married to the sheep, he is always with them


5. The Pinky represents the Teacher: this finger is the one that gives balance to the hand


When I first heard all this, it sounded good. The rationale seemed solid. The illustration of the hand and fingers all seemed to offer supporting evidence of this doctrine. But while I was studying the scriptures further, I began to get uneasy. 

The Dangers of Adding to or Taking Away From the Scriptures

Years before I even heard about a five fold ministry, I was taught about the power and purity of the word of God. I taught dozens and dozens of Bible studies about the Importance of the Scriptures, and these verses are anchored in the bedrock of my soul.  


There is nothing like the word of God in heaven or on earth. The word of God doesn’t just contain truth; it is truth and must not be tampered with. We do so at our own peril.


Ps 12:6-7


The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

 

This is a powerful revelation for those who will receive it. The word of God is pure and perfect. Any editing man tries to do to the scriptures dilutes the power and endangers the editor. See for yourself how God wants us to treat his word:


Deut 4:12


Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.


Prov 30:5-6


Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.


Rev 22:18-19


For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.



None of us was ever given the authority to add to, take away from, or alter the scriptures in any way. And this is what came back to mind as I was studying more about the five fold ministry. 


  • Is “five fold ministry” mentioned in Eph 4:11? No.

  • Is “five fold ministry” mentioned anywhere in all of chapter 4? No.

  • Is “five fold ministry” mentioned anywhere in the Bible? No.


I began to ask myself, “If five fold ministry isn’t mentioned in the scriptures, then why am I teaching it like it is?” If God wanted it in the scriptures, it would be there! If it’s not in the scriptures, there’s probably a very good reason why it’s not.


Spiritual Gifts

In 2 Tim 2:15, Paul instructed Timothy to:


Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.


The second question I asked myself was, “If five fold ministry isn’t in the Bible, then what is? What are we really talking about?” Well, If we study and rightly divide the word, cross-referencing with other scriptures to get a more perfect understanding, we’ll realize Eph 4 isn’t the only place ministries are listed.


Rom 12:4-8


For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.


1 Cor 12:4-12


Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.


After reading and comparing these scriptures, can you see why I was uncomfortable with the five fold ministry doctrine? We’re talking about spiritual gifts! Even in Eph 4, in verse 7, we read, “But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.”


And if we're talking about gifts of the Spirit, we clearly see there are more than five! The whole five fold ministry doctrine collapses along with the helpful hand and fingers illustration when we rightly divide the word of God like we’re supposed to. 


Five Fold Favoritism

I’ve read about and witnessed how certain people are elevated above others because they were one of the five. The idea is that each church has or should have a five fold ministry, to equip the others for the work of the church's ministry. If you’re not one of the five, you’re just part of the masses and not recognized. But again, is that what the Bible teaches?


If we layer these related scriptures together, we find that spiritual gifts are given to every born again believer to edify the church, not just a select few. Just as we want full use of our bodies, Christ wants full use of his body. Every member! He is the head of the church - not a pastor, apostle, teacher, etc - and we are subject to him and to each other.


What’s My Gift and Ministry?

Gifts are given by God. They are not handed out by man, nor are they determined by our personality, skills at work, or by taking a spiritual gifts test. If you want to know how you’re gifted to edify the church, get to know a man named Philip in Acts chapters 6 and 8, and follow his example.


  • Philip was known for being honest and full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom. Is that your reputation?

  • He was elected to help in the daily ministration serving Grecian widows with six other guys, so he had the heart to serve. Do you have a heart to serve?

  • When persecution came to Jerusalem, he went to Samaria, where God used him mightily in miracles and preaching the gospel to the whole city. Do you preach the gospel, or are you willing to? 


We would later read about Philip this way in Acts 21:8:


And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven; and abode with him.


Conclusion

I believe the five fold ministry doctrine came about because someone took liberties with the scriptures and added to them. Something none of us should ever do. May Prov 30:5-6 ring in our ears:


Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.



Every member of the body of Christ has a gift or gifts - not just a select five in a congregation - and not for themselves. They are to edify the church. As we yield ourselves to the Lord daily and seek to serve the church, we will discover and develop our gifts for the glory of God.




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Table of Contents
  1. What Is The Five Fold Ministry?
  2. The Dangers of Adding to or Taking Away From the Scriptures
  3. Spiritual Gifts
  4. Five Fold Favoritism
  5. What’s My Gift and Ministry?
  6. Conclusion