Rarely does a week go by that I do not hear or see in print some comment about the five-fold ministry and the “significance of it to the last day church.” I'll start by saying that I am not sure this is the last day church - and neither is anyone else who really understands scripture. Jesus could come tonight or His coming can be after the year 3000. I don't know and He hasn't given me permission to speculate so I refuse to speculate. And he hasn't given you that permission either.
2 Timothy 2:16 KJVA
(16) But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.
But let's look at the basis for the Five Fold ministry. The only reference in the whole of scripture about the five-fold ministry comes from Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. Note the term Five-fold doesn't appear. So at the very minimum, the name is man-made. And for those who are into numerology, five isn't a very heavenly number. But let's inspect the scripture and see what it really says.
Eph 4:11
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
(KJV)
So much has been placed on this single verse in the developing of the concept of the "five fold ministry" in the last two decades. This man-defined concept may have been around before but I don't remember seeing it before the late 80's. I call it man-defined because it isn't specified in scripture and other than this one verse I can't find anything to support in scripture the collection of these five in one entity. This is mentioned here but no where else!
To build a theology, particularly one that has more than a dozen books written on it, I want several references to support a concept, not one verse, and a short one at that. I like the kind of support where Jesus or one of the other New Testament writers lay down a concept and then several other writers express the same concept.
As I have studied false teachings in the church I have found that most of these have basis on one single misappropriated scripture or several that have been sliced and diced till they were unrecognizable. Since the five-fold ministry fits the one-scripture theology I see it as one to investigate further.
Look at the individual words from this scripture at other places in the bible. The word "Evangelist(s) appears only two other places in the New Testament. Neither of these verses mentions the other four gifts together as a group so we have no five-fold anywhere else. One is a description of Phillip as an evangelist and the other is an admonishment of Timothy to do the work of the evangelist. What is the work of the evangelist?
Bringing men to a saving knowledge of Jesus. So Phillip was doing that and Timothy was being admonished to so. Let me state it simply, the "five" gifts only appear in Ephesians 4:11 as a unit. The concept appears to rest on this verse alone. Look at the other places evangelist appears. Certainly they do not refer to the five-fold ministry.
Acts 21:8
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.
(KJV)
2 Tim 4:5
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
(KJV)
The word apostle(s) appears over a dozen times, three times the verse also references prophets, but only one refers to other "gifts". It mentions apostles, teachers, workers of miracles, ministers of healing, tongues and interpretation. If the "five" were so important, I would ask what happened to the pastors and prophets. Why is this only mentioned by Paul one time, why never by Peter or James or John?
1 Cor 12:28-30
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.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
(KJV)
The chapter ends:
1 Corinthians 12:31 KJVA, (31) But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
And the next chapter begins:
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 KJVA
(1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
