Mandate

This is one delegated or sent forth with orders to a specific region or territory, as a co-labourer with Christ to build the Lord’s church. This did not end with the original twelve but God continues to extend to grace to us in these present days. It is the grace of God that makes an Apostle who He or she is. (1 Corinthians 15:10) Apostles may also have oversight over the work in a local assembly, group of churches through an ordaining agency.

This term is from the Greek word episkopos, meaning overseer. This is one who is charged with the duty of seeing that things are being done rightly by those to whom they have been assigned. Every Apostle has the ability to operate and perform the responsibilities of a bishop as a governing official with oversight in the Lord’s church. This is done due to church growth, where the need arises to appoint individuals to oversight the business and daily administrative affairs of the church and added local churches.

A Prophet is moved by the Spirit of God to become his spokesman and interpreter of the hidden things or oracles. He or she will declare what is received by inspiration concerning future events especially those that pertains to the Kingdom of God. He or she, being filled with the Spirit of God and is authorized by him to plead the cause of God and ushers humanity into repentance, restoration and salvation, comfort, encourage, rebuke and convict.

An evangelist has been given the special ability by God, which allows him or her to always be ready and passionate to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with unbelievers. They bear a great burden for those who are not a part of the kingdom of God. This burden becomes a passion, in such, that they affect the numerical growth of the local church as men and women often become Jesus’ disciples and members of the Body of Christ. The evangelist must be someone who understands the truth of God’s word.

The Pastor is the heart of the church. He or she is a shepherd who assumes a long-term personal responsibility to care for the sheep and is ready to lay down everything for them.

He or she wants them to be fed, grown, equipped, develFBF3E8

oped in their gifting(s) and to step into the calling that God has predesined for them.

The term “elder” is the Greek word presbyteros, which is one who presides over an assembly or Churches. Elders are not ordained to the body at large but to specific churches and/or ministry/organizations to help distribute and carryout the workload associated with that ordaining church/ministr/organization.

The teacher edifies the church, imparts the word of God as divine life to their listeners who are hungry for such. They enjoy studying the Bible and are dependent upon the Holy Spirit to teach and reveal the truth to them. While the prophets reveal the heart of God the teacher reveals his mind, this creates a perfect balance in the church, but can also create tensions. Prophets have revelation of hidden things of the future while teachers deal with hidden things in the word. Prophets have foresight and are risk takers, teachers have insight and moves by understanding and plans. Teachers are important to the body of Christ so as to provide a good foundation of the word, for the sheep.

All gifts are given by God through the Holy Spirit for the Body of Christ to make it complete. These are supernatural graces (divine influences upon the heart, and its reflection in the life) which individual Christians need to fulfill the work of God in the earth.