CHURCH EQUIPPERS Truth, Judgment and Eternity Ephesians 4:11-13

Overview of Chapter 4:11-13 Church Builders vv – V11 Appointed Offices: Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers – v12 Equipping of the Saints – V13 Attaining unity and fullness in Christ

Amplified Version of Ephesians 4:11-13 Ephesians 4:11-13 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers. His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church), [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

Apostles Ephesians 4:11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), (AMP) The word "apostle" means "one who is sent out.’ One who is sent to plant Churches and take the Gospel to foreign places. Ministers over the centuries have declared that the gift of apostleship was exclusively a ministry unique to the first century....? However we have seen men in the church throughout the last 2,000 years functioning in this office. Paul gave this list, with apostles first, as a description of the gifts given to men for the building up of the Church.

Prophets Ephesians 4:11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be... prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), (AMP) Prophets are those who receive a word from God and then proclaim it. This word can come from a revelation, dreams or visions or from deep insight into the Word of God. Prophecy always “...speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.” 1Cor. 14:3 Again many say the gift of prophecy ended with John the Baptist, however we read of prophets after John’s death in Acts 11:27-28, Acts 13:1, Acts 21:8-9, 1Corinthians 14:29

Evangelists Ephesians 4:11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be... evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), (AMP) The Word Gospel in the Greek is euangeliou which means ‘Good News’ and evangelist is euangelistas is the bearer of the Good News. Evangelists then are the ones who preach the Gospel of the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are all called to preach the Good News, but some are exceptionally gifted in making the Gospel very clear in few words, and calling men to repentance.

Pastors Ephesians 4:11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be... pastors (shepherds of His flock) (AMP) Pastors are the shepherds of God’s people. Today, most people who go into ministry, call themselves pastors, yet true pastoring is a very specific gifting, and only some are truly able to operate in this office. A pastor protects his flock from enemies, cares for them, and feeds them the full counsel of God in an organised and systematic fashion.

Teachers Ephesians 4:11 And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be... teachers. (AMP) Teachers are not to be confused with pastors. Some ministers are brilliant at expounding on Scripture and unveiling gems of wisdom from the Word, yet have not the gift to be a shepherd to the people. The ministry of Teacher is a ministry which the apostle, prophet, evangelist and pastor operates in, just as an apostle may have a gift in pastoring, or an evangelist may have a gift of prophecy. But there is a distinct office which highlights the gift at a level greater than the others.

Equipping the Saints Ephesians 4:12 His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church), (AMP) This equipping of the Saints is why God has given these gifts (apostles, prophets etc.) to His people, and is for the purpose of fulfilling the Great Commission... Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Ministry of Reconciliation We all have been given a ministry: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

These Gifts in Ministers Will Outwork In Us: Ephesians 4:13 [That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ’s own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him. (AMP)

These Gifts in Ministers Will Outwork In Us: Oneness in the Faith: – Mature Christians will be unified together. – We will be truly reconciled to God. – We will be one with the Holy Spirit and His Will for us. Comprehension of the Knowledge of the Son of God: – We will have a deeper and more accurate comprehension of Jesus as the Son of God. – This knowledge of Jesus being the Son of God will keep us from falling into deception.

These Gifts in Ministers Will Outwork In Us: Becoming Mature: – We will grow and develop to maturity in our knowledge of God. – We will grow to maturity in our knowledge of holiness and walking in the Spirit. Attaining the Whole measure of the Fullness of Christ: – We will be complete and full in Christ, not desiring the lusts of the sinful nature. – Our ministries will be complete in Him, walking in the fullness of the Great Commission.

In Conclusion Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers are given to the Church to bring the believers to maturity and completeness. They are to make us effective in our ministries, and reveal to us all that we are called to walk in, so that we don’t fail the Lord. The Church today needs to pray that more and more believers walk in the fullness of their offices, so that we all walk in the ministry of reconciliation and fulfill the Great Commission.