There are three kinds of Apostles: Apostles of the Lamb (the 12), Foundational or News Testament Apostles (Paul & Others) and then, the Modern Day Apostles.
Before now, Apostles are generally explained as those who plant churches but the understanding has gone far beyond that. It is not that God’s plan changed but our understanding improves as times & seasons unfold God’s definition.
An Apostle is a massive Church planter across different territories.
Or- an apostle is a pioneer and groundbreaker of a particular territory.
Or- an apostle revives a particular doctrine in the body of Christ.
Or- an apostle ushers a generation into a move or dimension of the Spirit.
A person who combines the Prophet office and the Teacher office is an apostle. That is because he is likely to revive a particular Biblical doctrine(s) or truth or move.
PROPHET
There are also TWO KINDS of Prophets. Foundational or News Testament Prophets or Modern Day Prophets. A prophet is usually a preacher with the regular manifestation of five to six prophetic gifts (word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, interpretation of tongues & prophecy). The degree would be quite high in at least one of those gifts and manifest adequately in others. Some prophets try to teach, they try to reignite a doctrine and also try to establish new doctrines. These prophets usually commit massive blunders while trying to do so. Meanwhile, they can desire the teaching gift but they need to be humble to learn how it is done. Prophets usually have healings and they are more evangelistic than pastoral.
PASTOR
“A Pastor has an organized Church”. Sorry, I mean we used to think all Pastors must have an organized denominational church. It is not so. A pastor is a shepherd with sheep in an organized setting (denominational or non-denominational). A pastor preaches or teaches. A pastor tenders, nurses and watches individuals NOT a building or chairs.
EVANGELIST
If you break new grounds, if you have massive signs and wonders including healing and miracles EVEN if you see Jesus but if you do not have an organised membership (pastoral service), you are not an apostle, you are an evangelist. You are a great man of God and not the least of all. Evangelists are also less prophetic. Many evangelists exhort or preach and some (a few) teach.
TEACHER
Actually, a minister of God either preaches or teaches. But God raises people in the office of a Teacher to teach concrete Biblical knowledge and doctrines. They have both pastoral and evangelistic tendencies because they win souls and groom those souls. This differentiates them from teachers in the help ministry.
HELP MINISTRY
If you sing, you’re not an evangelist. If you act drama, you are not an evangelist EXCEPT if you are an evangelist that sings or an evangelist that acts drama. Else, you are in the help ministry.
Note, I am not explaining or criticizing titles, I am only explaining offices. In heaven, many ministers will come forward to receive the reward of planting a Church but a woman in the help ministry of prayer who birth the Church on her knees will be called forward. The Help Ministry is big and recognised. God can call men into it as full-time or part-time. For further study, I have three free books in circulation on this.
NOTE
You will only grow into the full realization of your calling. You can’t get there the day you stepped into the ministry. Also, title does not necessarily promote, growth does.
Many will not grow into even the first phase of their ministry and calling till they die. So, we must take heed to ensure that we fulfil our ministry.
Let me remind you that, if you are called into the ministry, the journey has not begun until you answer FULL TIME.
3 Comments
I learnt alot tonight on this study
Welcome
Thanks for the exposition sir
I was blessed