By john

In Ephesians Chapter 4 the Apostle Paul listed five ministries that he called "gifts" to the church.  These gifts come directly from our Lord Jesus Christ and are an expression of His grace towards us.  The chapter explores all five of these gifts giving us a framework for seeing how the gift of a prophet fits in with the other four.  We learn how they all work together to nurture Jesus' body, protecting, nurturing, healing, guiding and innoculating against error.

1. In Eph 4:11-16 the Bible lists the fivefold minsters.  Is there a reason for the order in which they were written down?

2. Is there someone in your life/church who seems to “see” more clearly than others in the spirit?  Would you say this person is simply operating in the gift of discerning spirits (1 Cor 12:10), a full-fledged fivefold prophet, or simply a prophetically-oriented person?

3.  Some people are called to eldership in the church, others to fivefold ministry, others to some other kind of ministry that relies on giftings that flow from the Holy Spirit.  Everyone is called to and gifted for some kind of work for the Kingdom of God.  What is your calling/gifting and how are you living it out?