Journey Through The Bible
      Old Testament Reading: 2 Samuel 8-10
     New Testament Reading: Ephesians 4

And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ, until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness (Ephesians 4:11-13).

Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church, selects certain men to positions of leadership in His church. The Apostle Paul list four positions here in Ephesians. The apostles were 11 of the original 12 men Jesus selected from among His disciples. Matthias chosen to take the place of Judas, and Paul was added to their number later.

The Prophets spoken of here were inspired preachers who proclaimed God’s message. Their work was especially important before the documents of the New Testament were formed into the canon of scripture we now have. The Apostles and Prophets together lead the early church and authored the New Testament. Through their writings, they are still building up the church two thousand years later.

Paul wrote that the church was built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph 2:20). A foundation is only laid once, and the building is built on it. There is no need to lay multiple foundations for a building. Once the foundation of the church (the New Testament scriptures) was laid these two positions were no longer needed.

The evangelists were the missionaries of the early church. They were itinerant preachers who helped plant churches in areas that were not evangelized. They instructed the new believers to establish the local church, then moved on to new areas. Today we still need and have many believers who serve as missionaries evangelizing the community and establishing churches both here in America and around the world.

The Pastors and Teachers is one position with two functions rather than two positions with separate functions. They serve in the local church to teach and shepherd the local believers that Jesus entrusted to his care.

The important point Paul is making in this passage is not the positions themselves, but the reason Christ gave them to the church. Paul states their purpose is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ (v12). These leaders are not to do the work of the church! They are to equip the believers. They make it possible for all the church members to do the work of ministry, not do the ministry themselves. Certainly, pastors may and do call on sick members of the church and perform other works of ministry in the church and community. But they do so as a Christian brother, not as a hired employee of the church.

When the leaders do the equipping and building up of the believers and the believers perform the work of ministry then Paul says, we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of God’s Son, growing into maturity with a stature measured by Christ’s fullness (v13). When the leaders equip and edify the believers and the members perform the work of ministry, unity in the church will be reached and we all will grow to spiritual maturity. How many problems would be solved in local churches if we simply followed this Biblical mandate for the church?