“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.” Ephesians 4:11 (NLT)
Get those words… God gave us, the church, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers! But where are they operating in our city? Most evangelists feel all alone! Apostles and prophets are treated like a weird breed, to be kept at an arms distance. And if teaching alone would release revival, it would have done so long ago. Our nation has been blessed with many, MANY great teachers of the word of God. But it requires more than teachers and pastors to advance the kingdom of God.
I recently heard Robin Bullock talking about how the church has been operating without the thumb and index finger. And then he gave this cool, and very helpful picture / example of the five-fold ministry as a hand. The little finger represents the teacher. The wedding finger represents the pastor. The middle finger represents the evangelist. The index finger represents the prophet and the thumb represents the apostle. For too long the church has operated without the prophet and apostle. No wonder we have been so beat up in battle. How can you handle a sword without the thumb and index finger? But this is changing. Evangelists will no longer stand alone! An increased fiery anointing will rest on them as they begin to operate as part of this five-fold ministry! This five-fold gift to the church is necessary, as each one amplifies each other and equips the body of Christ to complete what has been given to her to do in this hour! This gift is not just for a local church, but for the church in a city that is working together in unity!
I have been praying that the prophets and apostles in Athens would arise. We need them, not just to operate in a local church but in the church of our city! These people would not just have a voice and leadership influence in a single local body, but across the city. Please join me in praying that God would raise up and establish these vital parts of the body of Christ in our city. Ask God to restore and mobilize these five gifts to the church in our city. Ask God to bring the church in Athens to a whole new level of kingdom unity.
