Ephesians 4:11-13 has always been of great interest to me. There are many things to say about it. Here is one thing that seems clear to me: The gifts God gives to people are to be used to equip others to build up the body of Christ. Here is what that means to me-- the gifts in this passage are for multiplication and edification, not demonstration!! They're not to be performed while others look on. Rather, they are to be reproduced. An evangelist's true fruit is not a convert, but another evangelist. Good teachers make more teachers. Gifted Pastors notice and shape the pastoral heart in those around him. On it goes. Sadly, what ends up actually happening is that the "specialist" teachers, evangelists, apostles, pastors, and prophets speak at the conferences, give the seminars, and instead of equipping others, they simply perform their gift making it feel even less possible for you & I "normal" people to ever operate in it. I believe that the five fold ministry is given by God to be given away- multiplication for edification! Are you an apostle? Go make more apostles. A teacher? Teach others to teach better than you ever could. An evangelist? Go ye therefore and multiply yourself for our lost world! Got the gift of prophecy? See it in others, draw it out and affirm their gift. Is your gift set pastoral-- love to love people? Find those compassionate hearts near you and release those Shepherds!
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