The Ascension Ministries |
Not Modern StructuresWe will never understand the ascension gifts, if we start with our existing church structures. The common church hierarchy is pastor-elder-people. If the pastor is placed above the elders then the other gifts have to be put up there too. People often want to put the apostle above the pastor, so we end up with a new hierarchy: apostle (pseudo-bishop)-pastor-elders-people. The problem is that no place is left for the evangelists and prophets. The starting point is wrong. The modern pastor-leader role just does not fit with Eph 4, because it does not exist in the New Testament. Apart from real sheep shepherds and Jesus the Chief shepherd, the Greek word shepherd is only used as a noun once in the New Testament. That is in Eph 4:11, and there it is used to describe a gift, not an office. The word pastor is used as a verb in Acts 20:17,27 and 1 Pet 5:1,2. In both these cases, elders are told to shepherd (verb) the flock that is in their care. We do not have a verb for shepherd in English, so it is usually translated with the verb “to be” plus the noun shepherd/pastor. This translation is misleading, because it makes the role sound like an office. “Tend” or “look after” would be a better translation. These two passages both say that shepherding is something that elders should do. The use of a verb rather than a noun suggests that Peter and Paul are telling elders what to do, rather than giving them a name. Therefore, pastor is not a higher-level ministry, but a responsibility given to elders. This can be hard to accept, but it is the NT teaching. Shepherds watch over their sheep, so tending includes watching. Therefore, it is interesting that these two passages also give elders a role in exercising “oversight” (watching over). Titus 1:6,7; Phil 1:1 and 1 Tim 3:1,2 also imply that overseer is another title that was used for elders. We confuse the situation by transliterating the Greek word “episkopos” as bishop. Actually it is just a word meaning “watch over”, which is a task that elders are commanded to do by Peter and Paul. We will never understand Eph 4, if we try to make the ascension ministries too big. They become a special ministry, with a special anointing, that do special work. This is dangerously elitist and unfortunately many people who take these titles are now being put in a special place above the rest of the body. Peter was quite happy to call himself an elder. We need to bring these gifts down to earth. When I look at what these ministries do in Eph 4:12-16 it pretty ordinary stuff, building relationships and helping people grow. There is no hierarchy above elders in the New Testament. This is why Paul only ever appointed elders. Not Part of the OnesA key point of Eph 4 is that while there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one of nearly everything else. The one thing that is not on this list is church leaders. There is not one church leader. A church needs more than one leader, because one person does not have all the gifts that are needed to be Jesus. Gifts for EveryoneIf forget about modern practice, and start from scratch in looking at Eph 4:11 there is no reason to think they are some higher office. Paul is very clear that he is talking about gifts.
The gifts are for everyone.
For all men, not an elite/ not leadership.
The gifts in verse 7,8 and verse 11 must be the same.
Gifts, given for everyone! What are these gifts? Paul say that grace was given to each of us as measured by Christ's gift, and then quotes a verse saying He gave gifts to (all) men. Surely, the gifts given to each of us must be the gifts described in verse 11. If they are not, we cannot call them ascension gifts. Therefore, these gifts cannot be limited to a few people; they must be diffused widely. The men .... de construction used in v.11 suggests that the list is exhaustive, ie some to be this, some to be something else and the rest to be that. This suggests that everyone should have one of these gifts. Gifts not OfficesPaul is talking about gifts, so he does not call them ministries. A gift is not a role. It is something that someone in a role can use. Shepherding is just one of the tasks that some elders will be gifted to do. Silas was an elder and a prophet, so propheting is also a task that some elders do. In 1 Tim 5:17 Paul refers to elders who work at preaching (evangelists). Some elders are gifted to be apostles. For example, John was an elder and an apostle. We have caused problems with apostle by translating the Greek word as “sent” when it is a verb, and transliterating it as “apostle” when it is a noun. If we translated consistently, we would get a different picture as the word is used all over the place. The seventy-two in Luke 10:1 were apostled. Two men were apostled to get a donkey for Jesus to ride on. Correct translation would bring the word apostle down to earth. Not Spiritual GiftsThe word used for gift in Eph 5 ( doma) is not the same as the spiritual gifts or carismata used in 1 Cor 12. This suggests that these gifts are personality traits with which we are born. Some people are born seeing things in black and white (prophetic). Some people are born with this urge to push the boundaries and break new ground (apostlic). You have to be born with a love for people and a compassionate heart to be an effective pastor. Some people are just born with the gift of relating to new people in all situations (evangelist). Life experience and the work of the Spirit may extenuate these giftings, but it is hard to see how this can happen, if the gifting is not already there. These personality types have to be anointed by the Spirit and shaped to manifest his fruit, but it is hard to move in one of these roles, if you do not have the appropriate personality. Basic Tasks The most obvious way to understand the role of the ascension ministries is to read what the scriptures say they do. Their role, which is fully described in the following verses, is:
The tasks described in this passage are:
This is all grass roots stuff that more mature Christians (elders) would be expected to do. There is nothing special about these tasks. They are all things that elders normally do. This explains the place of the ministries described in Eph 4:11. They are nothing more than a set of different roles that elders can take. Building Relationships and Growing ChristiansThe work of elders will be building relationships and helping new Christians to grow. That is why they had to be of good character and proved themselves in running their households. Surely, this is leadership and elders are leaders. A travelling consultant cannot be effective in helping Christians grow in the Lord. City-wide leaders cannot teach difficult people to work together. Anointed preachers cannot teach people to get their lives in order. Only an elder with a close relationship can do these tasks. Equipping the saints for service must be done by people who are local. Elder's GiftingsEphesians 4 does not define the ascension gifts; it just lists them without definition. We have to go to other scriptures to find a description of these giftings. We generally find that they are being fulfilled by elders. Apostles are EldersSome elders are apostles. The apostle John saw himself as an elder (2 John 1; 3 John 1). The apostle Peter also called himself an elder (1Pet 1:1; 5:1). Pauls was an elder at Antioch, until he became an apostle when he was sent out. (Acts 13:1-2). Prophets are EldersSome elders are prophets. Judas and elders were elders in the church in Jerusalem, they were also prophets.
One of the elders who prayed for Timothy was quite likely a prophet.
There were prophets among the elders of the church in Antioch. Pastor-teachers are Elders Most elders will be pastors-teachers. There were teachers among the elders at Antioch. Paul referred to elders who work at teaching.
He also said that elders must be able to teach.
Peter described elders who are also pastors (shepherds).
Paul challenged the elders at Ephesus to shepherd the church of God. Evangelists are Elders Some elders are evangelists. Paul spoke about elders who specialise in preaching.
Elders in the ChurchThe ascension ministries are different roles that elders can take. Each church in the New Testament was led by a team of elders (Acts 14:23). The minimum number of elders would be three or four. A church should be led by a group of elders working together. The circles in the diagram below represent the elders of a church. The lines represent their commitment to each other and the relationships between them. The strength of these links between the elders is the source of the strength of the church.
An elder can be an apostle, a prophet, an evangelist, or a pastor and teacher. These gifts represent different tasks that an elder may do. Each elder will fulfil one of these functions, according to the gifts that Christ has given him. Not everyone is an apostle or a prophet, but each one exercises the ministry to which God has called him. Whatever his gifts, the elder uses them to strengthen the people of God and to build up the whole Church. Prophets, evangelists and pastors are just elders who care for a church. All of the ministries listed in Ephesians 4:11 should be represented in the church eldership. One or two of these elders will be a prophet (R). One will be an evangelist (E). Several will be pastors (P). Having all these ministries present in the eldership gives balance to the church. Without this balance the church will not grow to maturity and unity. The prophet (R) will provide vision for the church and keep it on the right track. He will ensure that there is an emphasis on holiness. A prophet is really an elder, who has a passion for truth and righteousness. He asks the tough questions; challenges church members with besetting sins and specialises in getting vision for the church. The elders who are evangelists will ensure that the church grows. (I have not dealt with the role of the apostle here, they are covered in apostles. They are just elders who are sent out to establish a new church.) The pastors will ensure that new Christians are discipled and that all members remain united. Most of the discipling in the church will be will be done by elders who are pastor/teachers. The evangelist will be more occupied with preaching the gospel, than developing new Christians (unless they have an urge to evangelise). Prophets tend to have very high expectations of their disciples, with the result that they can easily be crushed. They will be more focused on developing holiness and vision in the whole church as a group. However, prophets will have a role in discipling potential prophets and evangelists will assist with discipling potential evangelists. Every member will need the ministry of the prophet from time to time. The evangelist will encourage all members to witness to Jesus. Sometimes new believers will be discipled by one of the other members of the church, with the more difficult aspects being handled by the elders. The elders would work together at their task. Because they each have different gifts and experience they would be able to complement each other. If an elder met a situation he could not handle, he would call on another who had the appropriate gifts. The prophet would be responsible for discipling any potential prophets in the Church. The evangelist would take care of any budding evangelists. Each Church member would have a strong relationship with one of the elders. At the same time, each elder would be responsible to the other elders for the way he exercises his ministry. Replication of MinistriesElders will replicate their ministries in their disciples (i.e. produce clones of themselves). This is an extremely important principle. Every person who has developed in a ministry should be training up several people in that same ministry. In this way the ministries of the church will multiply. Multiplication of ministry is as important as multiplication of membership. Potential evangelists will tend to be drawn to the evangelist. Potential prophets will be drawn to the prophet. Potential pastors will be drawn to the pastors. They will learn all that they can from them. That is why each elder is shown as having people with a similar ministry close to them in the diagram. Each elder will be developing some people who have potential to develop into a similar ministry. They will train someone to replace themselves, if they are called to leave. Jesus said that everyone who is fully trained is like his master (Luke 6:40). The true test of the quality of a church is what has happened to a person who became a Christian in the church three years earlier. Are they functioning in a ministry (Jesus disciples were)? If they are not, then the church is not functioning correctly. Is there a development path for the new Christian? Can they expect to be functioning in a ministry within three years? In a quality church this will be normal. (People who come to Christianity with severe problems may take longer to grow to maturity, but they should be on the same path). The ascension ministries are for equipping others. The best way to be equipped for a ministry is to learn off someone who is further on, as Elisha learnt his ministry by following Elijah. An elder is just someone who has been around a little bit longer, so new Christians should attempt to start where they left off. BusinessThese giftings can also apply outside the church in the world of business. For example, a business will function best with shared leadership. One person rarely combines all the skills needed to lead a business. Ideally, all the ascension ministries will be present in the leadership team. One of the leaders will have the drive and energy to push the business forward (apostle). Another will keep things on the right track and ensure that no corners are cut (prophet/accountant). A third will have marketing skills (evangelist). A fourth will have people skills and the ability to keep staff motivated and working in unity (pastor). Most businesses fail because one of these gifting is missing from the leadership skills of the manager. For example, an entrepreneur may have the energy and enthusiasm to get a business started, but lack the integrity or people skills to keep it growing. A Christian solution would be a leadership team of three or four people with balanced giftings submitted to each other. |
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