Every significant discussion of spiritual gifts in the New Testament is situated in the context of a complex system—we are “one body with many parts” designed to operate in symbiotic harmony with one another. The problem is that the way we’re taught to understand and express our spiritual giftedness can often be a very individualized and siloed experience—we’re taught to understand our personal gifts, but we’re left to wonder how those gifts actually work together in the way God intended.
This is the power of the five-fold gifting Paul outlines in Ephesians 4. Not only is there room for individuals to better understand how God has wired them in their unique callings, but also we’re able to see with greater clarity how God has designed these five vocations (yes, ALL five) to play their parts in His symphony—equipping the body of Christ for works of service so that we may mature together. At least as important as understanding which of the five callings God has uniquely entrusted to us is understanding how these five work together as a complementary system.
As with any complex system, each of the fivefold vocations of Ephesians 4 contribute both a critical burden that enlivens the whole and a gap that is addressed by another key partner in the system.
TWEET: God gives us gifts to play a symphony, not a solo. @releasetheape http://releasetheapes/1hcG0il
CRITICAL BURDENS
Each of the five-fold callings demonstrate unique burdens that are essential for the health of the wider body:
APOSTLE — The fundamental burden of the apostle is for expansion across borders. Apostles start new things in new places and leave a trail of communities in their wake.
PROPHET — More than anything else, the core burden of the prophet is for God Himself. Their concern is for allegiance to God in both their own lives and the life of their community.
EVANGELIST — The heart of the evangelist burns hot for lost people who are far from God. Evangelistic leaders live to see those who are far off be reconciled to God through Christ.
SHEPHERD — Shepherds care deeply about people, and specifically the community of faith. They value transformative relationships and love to create spaces of hospitality for others.
TEACHER — At their core, teachers have a burden for others to gain a depth of understanding of the mysteries of God. They love to train others and watch them “get it.”
Just as one would expect, each of these burdens is profoundly good and absolutely necessary for the maturation of the body. Where would we be as Christ’s followers without teachers who help us put down roots in understanding? Without evangelists who lead us out to the lost? Without prophets who redirect our attention up in repentance? Without apostles who call us forward across borders? Without shepherds who invite us in and knit our communities together? Thanks be to God for the good gifts He has bestowed upon His body!
TWEET: Each of the five-fold callings demonstrates unique burdens that are essential for the health of the wider body. @releasetheape
KEY PARTNERS
At the same time, “every gift casts a shadow,” and the five-fold of Ephesians 4 are no different. To be sure, each of these callings needs all of the other four for health (it is most certainly an “all-channel” network). But in my experience, every one of these vocations betrays a particular gap able to be addressed by another partner from the five-fold gifts. Here’s what I mean.
APOSTLE — In their zeal to see ministry expand, a core temptation for apostles is to succumb to “empire building.” As such, it is critically important that they create space to listen to the prophets in their midst who challenge them not to lose sight of God and His Kingdom as primary.
PROPHET — The first (and often only!) concern of prophets is God’s person and presence—they are often unconcerned with the perceptions and opinions of others. As such, prophets must rely on shepherds who can help them connect the mystical with the tangible needs of the community.
EVANGELIST — Evangelists live to see people start to follow Jesus, but can often tire of the long, sustained work of sanctification and disciple making. As a result, evangelists can be served by connecting with teachers whose concern is for understanding that leads to maturity.
SHEPHERD — Shepherds excel at creating warm, welcoming spaces for the community to connect. But this can sometimes come at the expense of a concern for those outside the family of faith. In that light, it is critically important for shepherds to connect with evangelists whose fire for the lost will help them move beyond the borders of the community.
TEACHER — Perhaps the core temptation for teachers is to be content with perpetual learning that never translates to action. In this sense, the activist drive of the apostle can help to ensure that the teacher’s discipleship is based not just in information but obedience.
TWEET: Every gift casts a shadow, and the five-fold of Ephesians 4 are no different. @releasetheape
Our hope is that these descriptions help you in understanding how the five-fold gifts can function not as soloists, but symphony members under the direction of the maestro.
Jon Hietbrink works with InterVarsity/USA as the regional director for the Central U.S., where the vision is to see “a movement of missional communities planted in our ‘Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth': 500 Cells, 50 Chapters and one overseas student movement.”
This post is excerpted from the new FREE Exponential eBook, Release the APE by Beau Crosetto with Jon Hietbrink and Eric Rafferty.
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