In this article, we will discuss how the five-fold ministry functions. How is a person recognized as a prophet and what is the prophet’s role in the body? (Church or small group.)
The Five-Fold Ministry
In Ephesians 4:11-12 Paul says there are five types of gifted persons in the body.
Before we go ahead, let me clarify a few points:
I will use the biblical expression ‘The Body’ or just ‘Body,’ As I go along, and you will have gathered by now, this would refer to a church congregation or a small group of believers meeting in a private home and anything in between.
Gifted persons in these groups are those who feel a desire or are called to perform these roles and can be women and men alike.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, he outlines the five-fold ministry:
1. Some are Apostles.
2. Some are Prophets.
3. Some are Evangelists.
4. Some are Pastors (shepherds)
5. Some are Teachers.
None of these are ‘authority’ roles – only the Elders (as a team) have authority over the group, just as the Lord has power over them.
This article aims to teach share more light on the gift of prophecy, and we will deal with the rest of the five-fold ministry later.
The Prophet in The Body
This prophet would be a member of the group and possibly an elder. What are the characteristics of a prophet? Rather than describe these to you, I found a link to an excellent scriptural interpretation of the modern prophet:
9 Characteristics of a Real New Testament Prophet – (elsabebriers.com)
Reading through these characteristics, you will realize a particular spiritual and life experience within the New Testament prophet. Because essentially, the NT prophet helps to encourage and build the body up, they should teach and encourage individuals in the body, who could potentially be prophets one day.
Prophets in the body should follow a discipline in the meeting, clearly outlined in 1Cor14:29-33. In short, the prophet prophesies, and the group judges the prophecy.
Those who are readers of the scriptures, understand what God is saying, and diligently apply God’s word to their lives can judge. In addition, those filled with His Spirit can easily judge the prophet’s words – whether they are from God or not from God.
The Prophetically Gifted in The Body
Apart from the Five-Fold Prophet, there will be those in the body practicing some or all of the 9 Gifts of the Spirit. If one of their gifts is prophecy, they are free to prophesy if the Spirit within prompts. Once again, the body will listen and then judge.
How to Determine if You Have a Prophetic Gift?
There are many gifts: personal Gits, gifts of function, and the 5-fold ministry.
These will be discussed in full later, but for those keen to know about these now, see the manual on the Holy Spirit – page 18 onwards. I will only discuss the prophetical in the personal and function gift list.
The Holy Spirit, who is inside you, prompts, and you feel you need to speak. Yes, speak, no mistake in what I am telling you. Prophecy is no more than words that the Holy Spirit is prompting you to speak. The exciting thing is this; you will not speak unless you open your mouth! Your question to me is, what do I say? My response is anything that comes out of your mouth.
I used to ask the Lord to help me speak His word. (I did this in the privacy of my bedroom with a ‘Do not disturb’ notice on the bedroom door.) I kept doing this over and over until short sentences started to emerge. You might ask if people who prophecy have to practice at home first. No, not at all!
The most challenging thing for most people is overcoming their fear. The Holy Spirit within is always talking to us, but we don’t hear because of fear. What do I mean by fear? Fear of making a fool of ourselves in front of others. And this is why teaching yourself in privacy, learning to hear, and letting the Spirit speak through you is a necessary practice.
Prophecy by those in the body is the Lord’s tool to encourage, guide, and even teach his church. It is a tremendous privilege to be a vessel for the Lord.
Some time ahead, we will cover the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit in detail, and you will discover the beauty of participating in these gifts.
Love and Blessings
Peter James