INTRODUCTION TO THEOLOGY AND MINISTRY

Before going further, we need to know what Theology is.

I. THEOLOGY

Theology comes from two Greek words: “Theo” to mean “God;” and “Logia” to mean
“Discourse” or “Study.” Hence, Theology is God-thought or rational reasoning about God. It is
human effort to understand the God of scriptures. However, we cannot study God like one who
studies a plant, a rock, or a storm; because God is invisible, and there are various beliefs about
him. The key word here is “beliefs” because people form beliefs about God based on various
reasons.

To be more precise, Theology is the study of God, God’s character, God’s actions in relation to
the “Cosmos” and especially God’s relationship to humanity (the character in history of human
kind) in its responsive relationship to God within the panorama of the world and history, space
and time.

The main focus of Theology on the other hand is on God. The question on what humans do in
their worship of God (and/or in the worship of their various and different gods that they serve
and believe in) is certainly the scope of theology, but is not at its center.

The Benefit of Theology

Theology helps us to understand, reflect and often re-evaluate how we are doing in our
relationship with God. Ultimately being able to improve on one’s relationship with God is the
best outcome that one could hope for as the result of studying theology.

The Importance of Theology

Theology is undertaken so our hearts might respond to God, and that our lives might be
conformed to His will.

FOUR TYPES OF THEOLOGY

 Biblical Theology
 Historical Theology
 Systematic Theology/Dogmatic Theology
 Practical Theology

BIBLICAL THEOLOGY

Biblical Theology is the study of the Bible itself. When one will use the lens of the biblical
studies, he will study the Bible book by book. It focuses on the teachings of the individual
authors and books of the Bible and places each teaching in the Scriptures’ historical

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development. It is a presentation of the Old and New Testament writer’s theological teachings
within their historical setting.

HISTORICAL THEOLOGY

Historical Theology likewise is undertaken within the practices of faith, paying specific attention
to all the movements of human history from the perspective of biblically informed views of
space and time, accounting for the dynamic movements of the Systematic/Dogmatic Theology
and the practices of the church.

SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

Systematic/DogmaticTheology is a discipline of the Christian theology that formulates an

orderly, rational, and coherent account of the doctrines of the Christian faith. It addresses issues
such as what the Bible teaches about certain topics or what is true about God and His universe.

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY

Lastly, Practical Theology begins with full consciousness that all the practices of the church are
Christians, and underwritten by theologies; Biblical, Historical, and Systematic. The goal of
Practical Theology is to reflect intentionally on present practices and their ingredient theologies
in order to critically discern their shape and character so as to deeper faithful practices, correct
those which are sinful, and discern with the greater clarity how to live our Biblical Christian
virtues.

The strength of a four-fold organization of theology is its capacity to simplify the overwhelming
and demanding complexity of the question of God and humanity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit in
all the Trinity’s relations with human creatures against the backdrop of creation in both time and
space. The challenge and temptation of this artificial organization within theological schools and
otherwise is to think of any of the four as discreet or independent.

Question: Do people like pastors, evangelists, apostles etc. need to study Theology? The answer
is “Yes.” Since they are dealing with the ministry and with God’s people, they need a certain
level of theological and biblical training if they are going to responsibly feed, disciple, and grow
the community in the Scriptures.

II. MINISTRY
Theology of Ministry is the service rendered unto the Lord. In the Greek language
used in the New Testament, the term always centers on acts of service to others. It
sometimes carries the more powerful connotation of servitude or slavery to God.
For example, Paul in his epistle to the Romans starts with the words, “Paul, a servant
of Jesus Christ called be an apostle…” This shows that Paul knew that he was
positioned by Jesus as a servant equivalent to a slave.

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The term “Ministry” is mostly seen in Ephesians 4:11-13 “It was he who gave some to be
apostles some to be prophets some to be evangelists, some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare
God’s people to do the works of service so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all
reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature attaining to
the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (NIV). Even though Scripture makes it clear that
there are other ministry calls such as administrator, those who give, those who govern, workers
of helps, dispensers of mercy etc. (Rom 12:8), but for the sake of our course and as far as the
ministry is concerned, we are going to concentrate on Eph 4:11-13 only.

A. APOSTLES
Question: Are there Apostles today? Some would say Apostles were only in the
first century church. There were only twelve of them. After those twelve
established the church and died, there were no more after them. Nor were there a
need since the church had been well established. To understand this we need to go
deep into the Scripture of Ephesians 4:11-13.
Emphasis should be put on the word “until” in the above Scripture to make a
point. Paul’s use of “until” imposes the span of time these five ministries are to
exist. Until we 1) all reach unity in the faith, 2) and in the knowledge of Son of
God, 3) and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of
Christ. Even an observation today’s church makes it clear that none of three
conditions have yet been attained.
The Apostle defined.
Let us begin by examining the original text word “Apostle.” The word used in
Greek is “apostello.” Apostello is a verb and refers to the act of sending. The
word “apostolos” is a noun and refers to the one sent. The use of “apostolos” as a
ministry is strictly New Testament. In fact, it was Jesus who first used “apostolos”
as a title for His disciples. Prior to that, the use of the word in secular Greek was
narrowly limited to describe ships, or messengers that were sent forth.
Since Jesus took the word “apostolos” and began to use it in a specialized ,
religious application, we need to make a detailed examination of “apostolos.
Narrow and Wider Uses of the Greek Word Apostolos.
With any word that involves in a language, various shades of meaning apostolo
are attached to the use of the word over time. Apostolos in no exception. In the
early days during Jesus’ ministry, “apostolos” clearly mearnt, “The Twelve.” But
the Gospel employs the term “apostle” in that wider sense which it came to have
after the Asension. Hence, the narrower use of the word “apostolos” means “The
Twelve” while its broader usen encompasses all others who the Lord called as
apostles as we will see in the book of Acts and in other New Testament books.
Paul found it necessary to denounce certain persons as “false apostles, deceitful
workers, fashioning themselves into apostles of Christ” (2Cor 11:13), showing

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that there was no thought in the primitive church of restricting the apostleship to a
body of 12 or 13 men.

In the NIV commentary by Alan F Johnston, “An apostle is the one who is sent as
a representative of another and bears the full authority of the sender. The word is
applied first in the New Testament to the original circle of the Twelve, who had a
special place historically in the foundation of the church (Eph 2:20; Rev 21:14).
But the New Testament further broadens this original circle to include others such
as Paul (Gal 1:1), Barnabas (Acts 14:14), James the brother of Jesus (Gal 1:19),
and still others (Rom 16:7). The name was applied to those who were
authentically and specially called by Christ to be his “authoritative spokesmen.”

The call of the Apostle

As with the call of the ministry, the initiative is the Lord’s. no minister simply
decides he wants to be an apostle, (or a prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher, for
that matter). He must be called to that office by the Lord Jesus. The most
extraordinary thing about Jesus’ call is that they were common, ordinary men.
There was nothing that marked any of them as special. They came from various
walks of life, some were fishermen, one a tax collector, there was even a
disgruntled political reformer! Notice that Jesus gave no explanation, no sales
pitch, no promises or elaboration with his call. He simply said, “Follow me.” But
to the one whom He calls, it has a powerful impact.
Look at the call of Matthew (Levi). “…..Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by
the name of Levi sitting at his tax booth. ‘Follow me,’ Jesus said to him, and Levi
got up, left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:27, 28). It is obvious that Levi
was wealthy. It took something very powerful to pull him from his lucrative
income and comfortable life-style. The call to serve Christ is always very
powerful. Levi responded as a called apostle, he “left everything and followed
him.”
Attributes of an Apostle
As with any of the five-fold ministries, there certain identifiable attributes. Not all
apostles will posses all of these attributes. But most of the attributes will be found
in any apostle. Let us look at them.
1. Forceful Personality
By “forceful personality” it doesn’t mean rudeness or pushiness. Forceful
Personality can be said to be the consistent assertiveness of one’s own person,
ideas and presence. A person with forceful personality cannot be ignored. We
can easily see this type of personality in both Peter and Paul.

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 Peter’s force of personality was demonstrated by such events as his standing
before the “Sanhedrin” (Acts 4), and his bold preaching on the day of
Pentecost (Acts 2), and his standing against the other apostles concerning his
entering the house of the Gentile, Cornelius (Acts11). Paul’s force of
personality is equally visible in his indignant demand that a sexually immoral
man in the church be dealt with (or 5), in defense with his apostolic ministry
(2Cor 10), and numerous other places in Scripture as well. Indeed, Paul’s
forcefulness comes through in all his writings as well as the book of Acts.
2. Great Authority
The Apostles have special significance as leaders who enjoy the full
accreditation of the Lord with a universal commission to what is to be a
universal community. The Lord is still behind on what they say and do. He
himself is the subject of the message.
The messengers’ authorization is subsidy to that of Jesus. By the same token,
however, it is he who sustains them in their offices, hence the importance of
the “paracletos” whom he sends. Commissioning by Jesus means humiliation
rather than exaltation. Service and humility purge the apostolate of the claims
which might accompany its legal authorization. They make it commission
rather than an office. Significantly, is the linking of the apostles with the
proclaiming of the Word. Full and obedient dedication to the task of
demanded Action accompanies speech in demonstration of authentic
commissioning. The works are not a subject of boasting or evaluation but of
joy that expresses a complete ignoring of the person and absorption in the
task. Thus we see that the apostle is an officer of Christ whose primary
responsibility is to found churches.
3. Leadership Skills
Leadership is the ability to inspire others to action. Leadership radiates
confidence, ability, control, and vision. Those with leadership have the ability
to attract and inspire others, and to motivate mass human effort toward a
common goal. A leader also has the ability to read people, determine their
strength and weaknesses, and then place them in the exact organizational
position to best use those strengths.
Leadership skills are essential for Christ’s apostles since they are tasked with
founding and building up churches. Peter demonstrated this kind of leadership
when, on the day of Pentecost, he stood, began to speak and thereby took
control of the crowd. Paul also demonstrated great leadership in Philippi,
Ephesus, and other places through his preaching and church building. (Please
note that leadership skills in varying degrees are common to all of the five-
fold ministries).
4. Knowledge of the Lord.

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 If mature apostles “have full power to speak and act as Jesus does,” this
means they must possess special knowledge of and closeness to the Lord Jesus
Christ. One way we can observe this intimacy with Christ is by the apostle’s
being directed by the Holy Spirit on an ongoing basis.
One example of this direction is when Peter and John stopped on their way to
the temple, looked at the lame man and Peter said “Silver or gold I do not
have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,
walk” (Acts 3:6). This act was totally unplanned. Obviously the Holy Spirit
spoke to Peter and he moved in instant obedience. Perhaps one would say, it is
because they watched Jesus do the same. But Paul was not one of the original
apostles. He obviously gained his intimate knowledge of Jesus by prayer,
study, and the listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit’s direction. And
through the ages, every mature apostle has had to do just as Paul did. As the
apostle prays, learns, and listens to the Holy Spirit, he is able to do whatever
he is directed to build up the church.
5. Signs and Wonders
In 2Cor. Paul identifies what could be called apostolic signs. He wrote, “The
things that mark an apostle – signs, wonders, and miracles – were done among
you with great perseverance” (12:12).
From the above, and from human experience, we know that even today’s
apostles do have signs, wonders and miracles accompanying their ministries
from time to time.

The Works of the Apostle

1. Evangelism
Apostles evangelize. As we follow the ministry of Paul through the book of Acts
and his own writings, we see his never ending zeal for evangelism. Paul had
compelling desire to preach the Gospel. We see this when he skillfully seized the
opportunity to preach to the pagan philosophers at the meeting of the Areopagus
in Athens Paul’s zeal jumps out at us again when we read about his intense desire
to address the rioting crowd in Ephesus (Acts 17,19).
Evangelism is the number one priority of all apostles. Indeed, the evangelist and
the apostle have this priority in common. But the apostle’s focus is really beyond
that. The apostle one he has a few converts begins to form them into a church,
whereas the evangelist is continually looking to new fields of evangelism. Unlike
the evangelist, the apostle senses that his work is not complete until a church is
formed. Then he will move on.
2. Lays the Spiritual Foundation of the Church
The apostle understands the absolute necessity of laying a proper spiritual
foundation for every church. He forms churches “built on the foundation of the

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 apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone (Eph
20:20).
3. Builds Churches
Apostles build churches and usually continue to supervise these churches in both
their spiritual and material erection. So many of the apostles we speak have
abandoned this name and are now called “missionaries.”
4. Ordain Elders
We see in Acts 14:23 that, Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each
church and, with prayer and fasting, committed to the Lord, for in Acts 14:14
Luke wrote, “But when apostles Barnabas and Paul head this, they tore their
clothes and rushed out into the crowd…”
It seems that ordaining elders was the biblical pattern wherever the first century
apostles established churches. Once the apostle has evangelized, taught, laid the
foundation, and ordained elders, he moves on to a new territory or city and starts
all over again. He also returns from time to time to his established churches to
check on their progress, make corrections, and to encourage them.

Hardships of the Apostle

Apostles, because of the spiritual significance of their wok, suffer many
hardships, beatings, shipwrecks, imprisonment, hunger, and trials (2Cor 4&11).
The Apostle Peter, in his two letters, makes many references to hardships, trial,
and tribulation. In the book of Revelation we see the apostle John exiled to the
island of Patmos, “.…because of the word of the Lord and testimony of Jesus”
(Rev 1:9).

B. PROPHETS AND POPHECY IN TODAY’S CHURCH

There is a great deal of confusion, misunderstanding or lack of understanding, and
just plain bad teachings on prophecy in the church today. We will therefore
attempt to clarify what the prophetic word is and is not, and what a prophet is and
is not.

Prophecy and the prophetic word

Webster’s dictionary defines prophecy as “In the New Testament, the gift of
speaking under the influence of the H0oly Spirit, predictions of the future under
the influence of divine guidance; the act or practice of a prophet. Any prediction.
Something prophesied or predicted, specifically, the divinely inspired utterances
of a prophet, a book of prophecies.”
In its simplest form we may define prophecy as God speaking to the people. The
Old Testament contains entire books of prophecy. There also prophecies scattred
throughout the entire Bible. An excellent example of biblical prophecy is

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2Chonicles 20. In that chapter, King Jehoshaphat found himself surrounded by
three hostile armies. After he assembled the people of Judah and prayed a most
eloquent prayer, the Spirit of God moved on Jahaziel, a Levite, and he prophesied
(2Chr 20:15-17).
Another example of prophecy is found in Acts 21. In that chapter, the Apostle
Paul was in Caesarea on his way to Jerusalem: “… a prophet named Agabus came
down from Judea. Coming over to us, he took Paul’s belt, died his own hands and
feet with it and said, ‘The Holy Spirit says, in this way, the Jews of Jerusalem will
bound the owner of this belt and will hand him over to the Gentiles’” (Acts
21:110-11).
These two excellent examples from the Scripture exemplify a prophetic word, that
is, God speaking to His people concerning His acts and purposes.
That same gift of prophecy still operates today. Please note that no current
prophecy from God will ever supersede, override or be in conflict with the
Scripture. Genuine prophecy will always pass the test of harmony with the
Scripture.
The gift of prophecy is one of nine major gifts of the Holy Spirit found in 1Cor
12. The gift is operative when the Holy Spirit moves on an obedient person who,
under the unction of the Holy Spirit, speaks forth God’s word. The Apostle Peter
explained the operation of this gift: “For prophecy never had its origin in the will
of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit”
(2Pet 1:21).
Just because someone prophecies does not mean he is a prophet. Prophecy may be
spoken, and often is, by one who is not a called prophet. Any Christian under the
anointing of the Holy Spirit may operate the gift of prophecy as afore described.
Speaking prophetically simply means that the Holy Spirit has used that individual
as a vessel to speak God’s word. There is a distinction between the prophet and
one who occasionally operates the gift of prophecy. One difference is that a
person may learn to operate the gift of the prophecy in a very short time, but it
takes years to make prophet.

The Timing of the Prophetic Word

There are two different frameworks in the delivery of the prophetic word. God
causes his word to be given in what is called the “word of the moment: and/or the
“Word of Season.”
1. The Word of the Moment
The Word of the Moment is an utterance which is spontaneous to the speaker.
It occurs when God sovereignly moves on an individual to speak forth a word
that He wants those present to receive. This kind of word can be delivered by
either a called prophet or a person moving in the gift of prophecy. For those

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 churches with the more fee move of the Holy Spirit, an utterance of this kind
most often comes in public service. If the service is being led by the Holy
Spirit, such an utterance will always be in harmony with the rest of the service
(Cor. 14).

2. The Word of the Season

The Word of the Season is the word of the Lord delivered after a season of
prayer. It is often a direction the lord is telling a group o individual to take.
Usually this kind of word is delivered by a called prophet who has been
burdened by the Holy Spirit on a subject on behalf of an individual or group.
The prophet may spend days, weeks, or even months in prayer with this
burden. Then, when it has a fullness in his or her spirit, and the Lord’s timing
is right, that person knows it is time for delivery. This kind of word may also
be delivered by one who is not called a prophet but whom the Holy Spirit has
burdened about a situation and who has thoroughly prayed that burden
through.
This Word of Season is often delivered in the form of a sermon or prophetic
message to an entire church or group. A speaker who has a prophetic call may
come from without to a church to a church with this kind of word from the
Lord. Note that this kind of word does not need to be long.
It should also be bone in mind that the Word of a Season may involve the
past, present or future. The Word of the Season does not necessarily mean
“now” alone.
Categories of the Prophetic Words
 Words of Edification – Build up the hearer.
 Words of Exhortation – Motivate and renew the spirit of the hearer.
 Words of Comfort – Comfort the hearer.
 Predictive words – Give guidance to the hearer.
 Directive words – Give guidance to the hearer concerning some action
or decision, most often relating to the immediate or near future.
 Words of Rebuke – Point out sin and extend a call to repentance.

JUDGING PROPHETIC WORDS

Scriptures make it clear that all prophetic words are to be judged (1Cor 14:29). Even the Apostle
Paul after being supernaturally taught his doctrine by revelation from the Lord Jesus Himself,
submitted that doctrine for judgment to those who were mature in the Lord (Gal 1:11-2:2). Since
the Scripture tells us that prophecy should be judged, three immediate questions come to mind:

 Why should prophecy be judge?

 By whom should it be judged?

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  What are the criteria for judging prophecy?
1. Why should prophecy be judged?
When a prophetic word comes forth in an assembly, a holy quiet falls over the
congregation. There is an ambient assumption, particularly among young Christians that
God is speaking to his church. But the truth is that it may not be Go speaking. The Bible
teaches that there are three sources of prophecy:
a) The Holy Spirit (1Pet 1:21).
b) The human spirit or soul (Jer. 23:17).
c) Satanic or demonic spirits (Jer. 23:13).

Many who hear prophetic words and do not know of these three possible sources tend to gullibly
receive every uttered word as “from the Lord.” There will always the spiritually immature in the
church and it is for their protection that prophecy is to be judged.

2. Who should judge the prophecy?

There are three categories of people who are responsible for judging prophecy. They are
prophets, pastors/elders, and every individual Christian, although the primary
responsibility falls on the first two categories. The Apostle Paul instructs, “Two or three
prophets should speak and the others should weigh carefully what is said “ (1Cor 14:29).
Here Paul puts the primary burden of judging on other prophets. But the pastor and elders
are also responsible for what happens in their assembly, especially in the absence of
prophets. It is important for a pastor, or whoever has control to come forth and signify to
the assembly whether or not the word spoken should be received as from the Lord. If this
is not done then every individual Christian, specifically the immature will judge for
himself even if the judgment if incorrect. If it is from God, a leader should encourage
obedience to that prophetic word.
3. How should the prophecy be judged?
Many people mistakenly believe that the only criterion for judging prophecy is whether
or not the word of prophecy will come to pass. However, this is not the only and final
criteria for judging prophecy. There are at least three segments of Scripture that helps us
to determine the validity of prophecy.
a) If the Lord has not spoken the message (Deut 18:21-22).
b) If the message is away from God (Deut 13: 1-3).
c) The source of a prophetic word (James 3:13-18).

THE PROPHET
Now let us define what a Prophet is.
A prophet is a man or woman who is called by God to operate in the office a spokesperson for
God. The prophet is one sent by God to speak the word of the Lord to an individual o group of
people, most often a church. A seasoned and mature prophet is a God-called, God-trained
individual whom God has shaped and modeled into a spokesperson for Himself. The prophet
does not belong to himself alone, he belongs first to God, second to the church, then to himself.

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The call of a Prophet
Let us look at the call of two prophets in Scripture, Isaiah and Jeremiah.
Isaiah’s call:
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying …..” (Is 6:8,9).
This was a clear and distinct call from God. There is no mistake of understanding the call.
Jeremiah’s call:
“The word of the Lo came to me saying …….” (Jer. 1:4-8).
The call of God to be a prophet may as well be on an individual before birth.

Prophet or Psych?
There are today many people who can predict events in the future or see in the spiritual realm
and are all thought by some to be prophets. Some are not, they are psychics. A psych has
precognitive experiences (i.e. the perception of an event before it occurs) or the possession of
other super natural powers. According to the dictionary, a psych is person who is
supposedlysensit6ive to forces beyond the physical world. There are individuals who are using
psych powers in certain churches today to “prophecy.”

Characteristics of a Prophet
There are certain common characteristics or basic personality traits of an individual who has a
prophetic call on his or her life. The following observations through the Old and New Testament
prophecies are quite accurate:
1. Strong Personality
Prophets are usually intense about most things and are always intense on their walk with
God.
2. Direct – Issue oriented
They see things in black o white. For him, most things are either right or wrong. He will
not easily compromise on an issue. Nor does a prophet have a lot of mercy for
those who can’t or won’t measure up to the standards of God as he sees them.
3. Strong in Prayer
The true prophet has a burden, not only for God’s will, but for God’s people as well, both
those saved and those not yet saved. This inevitably leads to a strong intercessor’s prayer
burden for people and issues.
4. Outward life in order
Since the prophet sees matters in black and white, he is much less likely to become
ensnared in such outward sins.
5. Authority and Power
A prophet moving in the prophetic call will move with great authority and power. This
authority and power should not be confused with speaking in a loud voice or trying to
impose his will to others. When God delivers his word though a prophet, it is God’s
power and authority that is manifested, not the prophet’s.
6. Spiritual Gifts accompany him
The mature called prophet will exercise many of the spiritual gifts enumerated in 1Cor
12. Though the prophet may operate all of these gifts at some time at his o her ministry,
the gift most often manifested are the prophetic word, words of knowledge and wisdom,
and the discerning spirits.

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C. THE EVANGELIST
First, let us recognize that in one sense all Christians are called to evangelism. For
the Scripture says, “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 men’s sins against them. And he has
committed to us the message of reconciliation” (2Cor 5:18,19).
This is the personal responsibility of evangelism that falls on every believer. We
are all called to witness and lead lot people to salvation though Jesus. But this is
not to say we are all called evangelists.
The New Testament for evangelist is “euaggelistas.” It appears in its verb form:
“euaggelion.” It only appears three times in the noun form meaning “evangelist.”
(See Acts 21:8, Eph 4:11, and 2 Tim 4:5).
The Greek word “euaggelion” in its verb form means “to preach the good news”
or “to preach the gospel.” The most literal translation is “to announce the glad
tidings.” The Hebrew equivalent used in the Old Testament also means “to
announce the good news,” but in a much broader sense than we think of today.

The Evangelist’s Burden

The called evangelist seems to have an intense understanding of the ultimate fate
of the unsaved. He is often gripped with a vision or sense of the harvest field and
the lost souls in it. His heart aches for the lost. His continual prayer is for the lost.
He longs to see their salvation.
Since his vision for the lost is so intense, once a person receives salvation, the
evangelist often forgets about him or her. It his compelling vision of the harvest
field that dives him.
This is the characteristic that separates the evangelist from the apostle. When the
evangelist makes converts, he wants to quickly move on. The apostle stays and
works to form a functioning church before he move on to a new field.

Boldness when moving in the Gift

The evangelist moves with great boldness when he or she is moving in the gift.
There is power and authority in his words. There is a fearlessness when he or she
I proclaiming the good news of salvation. Now this does not mean that the
evangelist has a naturally bold personality. When they are stirred by the Holy
Spirit to speak God’s truth to the lost, that is when the directness and intensity
flows.

Signs and Wonders Accompany the Call

Very often signs and wonders accompany the ministry of the evangelist. The
Evangelist is not speaking and preaching; it is proclamation with full authority
and power. Signs and wonders accompany the evangelical message

D. THE PASTOR
Pastors occupy an awesome position in the church of Jesus Christ. They have the
joy of seeing new people born into the kingdom of God and the privilege of
helping new believers mold their lives into the image of Christ. The pastor stands

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in the place of Christ as he or she shepherds their congregation and sees them
grow up in Christ. However, the office of the pastor also carries with it heavy
responsibility. In a very real sense, the pastor stand responsible before God
Almighty for all that his church does or fails to do.

Pastor in the New Testament

The New Testament Greek word used for pastor is “poimen” which means “a
helper, or feeder of ship.” This Greek word appears 18 times in the New
Testament. Surprisingly, “poimen” is only translated once in the NIV as “pastor”
(Eph 4:11).
Evolution of the word “Pastor”
The most common word used in the New Testament to describe a church leader
was “Presbyter” o “Elder.” The Greek word for presbyter is “presbuteros” which
is usually translated as “elder” and identifies a person. Thus, elder appears to be
the common term the New Testament used to describe any one in church
leadership or in spiritual authority. In fact, both John and Peter, though they
occupied the highest New Testament Office as apostles, claimed the title of elders
for themselves. John starts two of his epistles with the phrase “The elder” (2John
1 and 3John 1). Peter wrote, “To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow
elder… (1Pet 5:1). A common expression in Paul’s epistles is “… to appoint
elders in every city.”
Thus by the end of the second century the term “elder” was generally used to
describe any one in spiritual authority in the church, regardless of his or her
specific ministry calling or position.
The much more common word used in the New Testament to describe the person
in charge of a church was “bishop.” The Greek word for “bishop” is “episkopos.”
The literal meaning of “episkopos” is “overseer” and describes what he or she
does. The Bible uses the word “overseer” seven times in the New Testament.
Here are two examples:
a) Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus to all saints in Christ at Philippi,
together with the overseers and deacons (Phi 1:1).
b) Here in a trustworthy saying; “If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,
he desires a noble task (1Tim 3:1).
None of these verses make it clear whether there was one or more than one
overseer in the local church. The term bishop would have applied to the senior
elder in a church or group of churches and was sometimes used interchangeably
with the pastor. But by the end of the second century, the tem “bishop” began to
be used to describe someone who either had a large congregation or several
churches under him.
By the mid-second century, the rapid growth of the churches throughout the
known world made convenient to have a single official who represented the local
congregation at a regional or city-wide gatherings of clergy. So from among the
elders of the church, various churches began to elect a principle alder as
“permanent president” of the congregation. This person became known as the
pastor and bishop. Eventually, the tem pastor came to designate the single
individual with authority over a specific church. Let us take a quick look at how

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the role of deacons differs with that of pastor in the church. In Acts 6, we read
about the early church choosing seven men as deacons. The Geek word for
deacon is “diakonos”, and means one who renders a service to another, or one
who ministers. The verb from of the word is “diakonia”, and it means “the act or
process of serving or ministering.”

SHEPHERD
Scripture frequently uses the term “shepherd” to describe the love and care Jesus
felt for his people. No other English term in Scripture equals the word “shepherd”
when it comes to describe the loving, self-sacrificing care a pastor uses to oversee
and minister to his congregation. The verb form of shepherd or “poimaino” in
Greek is used to describe the function of work of a pastor.

About the Pastor Today

Now that we have looked at the Scripture and the unfolding of the office of the
pastor, let us examine the call, the office, the character, and the ministry of the
pastor in today’s church.
1. The call of a Pastor
Every pastor must have a call of God to the office. Indeed there will often be
such hard times on the path on any ministry that the only thing sustaining the
pastor will be the knowledge that God has called him or her. God’s call to an
individual can take many forms. Perhaps he speaks to a person during an altar
call or in the privacy prayer and meditation on the word or through another
person. But the one common element with each call is that “everyone who is
called by God knows – it is God’s calling.” Each of us who are called to one
of the five – fold ministries must have a specific understanding from the lord
as to which office he or she has been called.
2. Characteristics of a Pastor
a) Identifies with the people
The mature pastor identifies with the people of God. He or she feels both
the pain and the joy of his flock. This empathy is one of the reasons people
feel free to go to their pastor in times of trouble. His identity with his
people can be sensed and is greatly appreciated.
b) Loves the church and the people of God
The call of the pastor encompasses great love for God’s church and His
people. He also will specifically and genuinely love his own congregation.
c) Flows in great mercy
The pastor has an abundance of mercy. It is mercy that is one of the key
and absolutely necessary ingredients for a successful pastorate.
d) Cares more about people than issues
While a pastor cares about issues which face the church, his primary focus
is on people, his sheep. The pastor sees issues in very human terms, who
will be please, who will be hurt or unhappy, and so on. Unfortunately, this
approach can limit the effectiveness of a pastor in dealing with an issue or
problem. That is why it is important for the pastor to have good, strong

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 godly advisors who can help him weigh all the factors involved in any
decision.
e) Focuses on the sinner not the Sin
While the pastor is aware of the sin, and must be willing to deal with it,
the pastor’s focus and intensity is on the people involved much more than
on their sin (to make them come out of sin).
3. The Office of the Pastor
The office of the pastor is a sacred position. It is the office of the pastor as the
head of the local church that elevates the person of the pastor. There may be
other ministers, even apostles and prophets in a local church, but the one who
occupies the office of pastor is in charge of any responsibility for that
congregation. (This does not to say that the apostle or prophet may not
exercise spiritual authority over the pastor as an individual from time to time).
4. The character of the pastor
In an ideal world, every pastor should be able to say to his congregation the
same thing Paul said: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ”
(1Cor 13:10). Paul’s words must be the goal of every pastor.
The pastor’s personal life should be one of godly purity is or her family and
community. Many qualifications of a pastor are mentioned in 1Tim 3 and
Titus 1:
a) Above Reproach
b) One Wife
c) Sober, not given to drunkenness
d) Self-controlled
e) Respectable
f) Hospitable
g) Not violent
h) Gentle
i) Not quarrelsome
j) Not loving money
k) Manage his own family well
l) Children obey him with proper respect
m) Not a recent convert

E. THE TEACHER
One of the other five-fold ministries is a teacher.
The teacher is part of God’s plan to strengthen and build up His church. Yet, for
the most part, today’s church still fail to recognize the existence or importance of
this vital, church building office.

The term “Rabbi”

Among the Jews of the post exile era, the word “teacher” was “rabbi.” The word
“rabbi” has been used in Judaism for centuries. Originally, it was a respectful
term used for those who were teachers in general. It applied to any field of
learning. The tem meant “my great one” or “lord.” Although it was a custom fo a
pupil to address his teacher as rabbi, the word became commonly used by anyone

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greeting a teacher, not just a student. But to the Jews by the time of Jesus, it was a
term of very high respect reserved for those who were regarded as schools of
God’s word. It was therefore a very coveted term by many in Judaism who
wanted the public recognition and honor given to the rabbi.

The term “Teacher”

In Jesus’ day, the word “teacher” was an honorable term, but it carried lesser
honor than the term rabbi. We must note that there was, and is, no restriction in
the use of words to describe what one does. There is no problem for one to say, “I
am a teacher.” But for one to require or receive the title “teacher” as a position of
esteem would indicate pride and be a violation of Jesus’ instruction and example.
This restriction of the use of the word rabbi as teacher can be seen in the gospels.
With exception of John - Matthew, Mark, and Luke favored the use of “teacher”
for Jesus over “rabbi.” In fact Luke never used the word “rabbi.”
So as the first century church began to grow, the term “teacher” lost its former
glory and became functional, descriptive term describing one called to the office
of a teacher. Note that we see no one in the New Testament church, outside Jesus,
ever addressed as “teacher,” but some are referred to as “teachers” (Acts 13:1, Jas
3:1). The term “rabbi” was never used.

Teacher, or Pastor and Teacher?

Some believe that the term “teacher” is simply an extension or function of the
office of the pastor. The precise wording in the Greek text found in Ephesians
4:11 leans toward this interpretation. While it is true that the function of teaching
is certainly a part of other ministry offices, that does not negate the office of a
teacher. To add support for teacher as a separate office, Paul seems to list the
offices in order of importance for the building up of the church. “And in the
church god has appointed fist of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers…”
(1Cor 12:28).
To further support the claim of a separate office of a teacher, Paul goes on to ask a
series of rhetoric questions, “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all
teachers?...” (1Cor 12:29).
Of course many and most called pastors have a secondary call to teach. The
primary call is that of a pastor, But God most commonly accompanies that call
with secondary teaching call. Why? It is because every church needs to be well
taught and the pastor is the most obvious person to do at least some of that
teaching. Goo preaching motivates people. Good teaching brings understanding.
The two are not quite the same.

Characteristics of a Teacher
1. He/She seeks understanding
We can define this trait as a divine curiosity. When the teacher sees something
in Scripture or in the church that he doesn’t understand, he will diligently
search the Scripture and read any and everything he can get hands on seeking
to understand the “what” or “why” of the subject.
2. He/She has natural speaking ability

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 An experienced teacher find it easy to speak publicly and he o she actually
enjoys it. He has the God-given ability to explain things in such a manner that
people easily understand. His mind can spontaneously come up with simple,
graphic illustrations and good word picture that help the hearers grasp a point
better.
3. He/She teaches by principles or by Books of the Bible
There are two basic ways of teaching God’s word, one is by analyzing and
teaching principles, and the other is by selecting a book of the bible and
teaching through the book, verse by verse.
4. He/She has a burden for the church
All of the five-fold ministry offices have a burden for the church. But the
teacher’s burden is that every Christian should have understanding. His
teaching is continually moving from subject to subject seeking to impart the
necessary scriptural understanding that leads to Christian maturity and victory
over sin and circumstances.

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