What are the 5 ministries of the Bible? Find out here

In the Bible, the word ministry means service, but here it is a particular ministry. There are several ministry gifts given by the Lord Jesus to his Church, these come from God himself, for example, a good preacher is not a ministry gift from the Lord to his Church. Nor are the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Corinthians 12.

What are the 5 ministries of the Bible?

In his Letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote about 5 different ministries. These ministries are the gifts of Jesus to his church. In Ephesians 4:8, Paul wrote, "At the time of his ascension, he (Jesus) gave gifts to men." In Ephesians 4:11, Paul expresses what these ministries are:

• Apostles;
• Prophets;
• Evangelists;
• Pastors;
• Teachers (Doctors).

Apostles

THE APOSTLE

The apostle according to God's Word is an envoy or messenger (apostolos from the Greek). The Bible tells us that Jesus was the first apostle in Hebrews 3:1 "...consider him the apostle and high priest of the faith which we profess. ".

He Himself says: "As the Father sent you, so I send you" John 20:21. The apostle is therefore sent by Christ, as Christ was sent by the Father, always at the head of God-given ministries (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11).

The signs of the apostle are indicated by Paul (2 Corinthians 2:12-12) as having been experienced by himself: unfailing patience, signs, wonders and miracles.

The apostle's sufferings are such that it took the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians: 5:22-23) to be able to bear them.

Prophets

Again Jesus is the model (Acts 3:22). The Old Testament prophet was a spokesman anointed by the Spirit. He spoke for God, who taught him what to say and do (Micah 3:8; Exodus 7:1, 4:15).

In the New Testament we find them clearly designated by the name of prophet: Agabus in Acts 11:27-28, Judas and Silas in Acts 15:32, the founding apostles Ephesians 3:1-5 (Revelation 10:7; Matthew 5:12).

Some prophets are mentioned without being named (Acts 11:27,13:1, Ephesians 3:5).

The NT prophets speak primarily to the Church, but may receive words for the nations (Revelation 10:9-11).

The prophet speaks under the impulse of a sudden inspiration of the Spirit.

It can reveal future events Acts 11:28 "One of them, named Agabus, stood up and declared by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the earth.

She came, in fact, under Claude's command. (Acts 21:10-11; 11:27-30) or give the mind of the Spirit in general. He is a preacher of the Gospel in the New Testament.

Evangelists

According to the definition of the Greek word, the evangelist is a messenger who brings good news. It designates someone whose ministry is to preach, to announce, the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the NT, this name is given to those who announce the Good News of Jesus Christ, such as Philip the Evangelist. This word appears very few times in the New Testament. Acts 21:8 "We left the next day and came to Caesarea.

Having entered the house of Philip the Evangelist, who was one of the seven, we stayed with him. The proclamation of the Good News does not concern only the evangelists, but all those who, redeemed by the Lord Jesus Christ, are his disciples and witnesses:

However, this does not mean that everyone is an evangelist according to this specific ministry, which designates someone anointed with a particular anointing, given by the Lord, according to Ephesians 4:11.

Of course, there will be a difference between a Christian evangelist and a talented evangelist ministry that will have a particular anointing from God,

His message will touch powerfully and disturb the hearts, he will be accompanied by the divine supernatural (miraculous healings, deliverances for example).

Pastors

The word "Shepherd" is found very few times in the NT as well and in three passages, it refers to the Lord Jesus Christ, our sovereign Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20; 1 Peter 2:25 and 1 Peter 5:4).

In the Old Testament, we find it most often applied to the rulers of Israel, with the meaning of "shepherds," those who feed the flock, who lead the people.

Jeremiah 23:1 says: "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the flock of My pasture! says the Lord. John 10:11 announces "I am the good shepherd.

The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. And in 10:27 "My sheep listen to my voice. The shepherd is also called elder (Acts 20:17, Timothy 1:5) or bishop (1 Timothy 3:1).

Ezekiel chapter 34 beautifully describes the nature of the shepherd that the Lord desires for his people. In the NT we find the expression "shepherding the Lord's Church".

Acts 20:28 reminds us: "Take heed therefore to yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of the Lord which he purchased with his own blood.

"Thus, the pastor is the one who has been given the task of feeding, caring for, and watching over the flock. This is done by his teaching, his closeness, by helping believers to walk according to the pattern.

Teachers (Doctors)

The ministry of 'teacher', that is, of teaching, is undoubtedly the ability given by the Lord to those who will have to explain, make understood the Scriptures and above all lead those who believe to observe the teaching (Matthew 28.20). 

This ministry also mentioned in Acts, gives the one who receives it, the ability to explain the difficult parts of the scriptures and bring them within reach. Although it is closely related to the ministry of pastor, the essence is based on teaching.

We can see below the good that this ministry can do to the Church because of: the importance of teaching: for the edification, the growth, the stability, the balance of those who form the body of Christ, his Church.

He must be pure, upright, according to Christ's thought Titus 2:7-8 "... giving pure teaching, worthy, sound, blameless, so that the adversary may be ashamed, having no evil to say." Through the importance of teaching is defined the role of the physician.