I will tell you upfront that this post is totally unlike anything that I have shared in the past 16 years. For maybe three months, I have sensed the need to share a quick story, a couple of scriptures, and, the reason for this post, a few questions, ones that I trust you to answer.
THE STORY: Throughout the 1980s, Vickie and I traveled all across America conducting what was then called Kid’s Crusades. For some 45 weeks of each year, we traveled from church to church ministering to families using puppets, blacklight stories, illustrated object lessons, etc. filling every church with families and seeing many individuals brought to Christ in each crusade.
I will never forget one particular four-day crusade conducted in Waco, Texas. During this phase of our ministry, we traveled driving a large cube van to hold our ministry equipment and pulled behind our vehicle a 34-foot Avion trailer to serve as our home while we traveled. If I remember correctly, we had prearranged a time when we would arrive at the church and, upon arrival, be greeted by the pastor.
Having never previously met the pastor, upon arriving, we made small talk as I unhooked our trailer from the cube van. The pastor was a very kind, gracious man, one that was easy to talk to. Maybe it was his gentle spirit that caused me to feel comfortable in asking when was the last time that the church had previously held a Kid’s Crusade for their church and community. His answer caught me off guard. He informed me that Vickie and I were the first evangelists that the church had invited to minister in many years.
Before I go any further, I need to add this disclaimer. At this given moment, I was young and dumb. After hearing his answer, I gave a response that I immediately regretted. My speak-now-and-think-later response said, “So, your church is perfect?” I’m quite sure that you can imagine the look on his face. I went on to explain my comment by saying that Paul wrote to the Ephesian church that the office of the evangelist, along with the offices of the prophet, apostle, and teacher are given with the office of the pastor for perfecting and edifying the saints. From my understanding, all five offices are needed. Thankfully, when I apologized the next morning before church, he graciously accepted my apology and we worked together that week to have a tremendously successful crusade. At the end of the week, he apologized to me for not having used each of the five-fold ministry offices and asked us to return for future ministry.
THE SCRIPTURES: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:” Ephesians 4:11-12
TWO SENTENCES & FOUR QUESTIONS:
- Notice who gifted the Church with these five distinct, unique offices.
- Though each office differs in function and operation, their ultimate purpose is to complement and work alongside the other offices for the perfecting and edifying of the body of Christ.
If these five offices each with distinct giftings and anointings were placed in the body of Christ by Jesus Himself,
- Were they placed here for a designated time and later withdrawn? (See Ephesians 4:13)
- What does each office provide to the body of Christ?
- Which office(s) is/are seen in the Church today?
- (Here’s the most gutsy question) Shouldn’t each office be utilized in your local church?
I close with this reflection. I remember as a child and teenager, my pastor, B.B. Hankins, repeatedly brought the five-fold giftings to our local congregation. He recognized that individuals operating in different offices could bring strengths and anointings that he as a pastor couldn’t offer to the fullest. Just to name a few, we benefited from those standing in the office of the teacher, ministers like Brother Kenneth E. Hagin who brought insights that Pastor Hankins standing in the office of a pastor didn’t have the grace to offer. At times, these meetings went on for weeks (that’s right – weeks – plural) bringing much growth and maturity (AKA perfecting and edifying) to our church. Engaging the office of a true evangelist (not someone with five sermons repeated week after week), Pastor Hankins brought in individuals like Brian Ruud to stir our congregation and our hometown of West Columbia, bringing a fresh visitation from heaven. From time to time, Brother F.E. Ward from Houston, Texas came to West Columbia and brought apostolic oversight to our body.
Please forgive me. There is still so much to share but I’ve gone way too long. My prayer is, “Lord, may we recognize, honor, and welcome these gifts one more time!”
What is your response to what I have written?
That was powerful and needed in the church today like never before. The enemy of our soul tries to keep us (busy) (being under satan’s yoke) and constantly going. It’s refreshing to hear a new word. I truly enjoyed the Camp meetings and World Conferences at TCI from all the men of God that came to preach the Word of the Lord. Thank you Pastor Billy, we love and miss you guys.
Thank you, Ron. Where have the offices of the apostle, prophet, teacher, and evangelist gone? I’m not talking about self-appointed offices. You can buy those titles for $50 on the internet. But, God did place these offices to the Church in the body. Where are they in today’s Church? Without them, there can’t be the complete furnishing of the body of Christ.