Excerpt
Fully Equipped

Introduction

“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).


The most important assignment facing the church of the twenty-first century is equipping the saints. As important as the five-fold ministry is, the church of the twenty-first century has to move from Ephesians 4: 11 to Ephesians 4: 12. There must be a shift from the emphasis on the five-fold ministry to the saints being been trained and fully equipped to do the work of the ministry, which Jesus Christ left His church to complete. The Holy Spirit knows how this job is to be done. It is His Work. This is seen clearly in many passages in the book of Acts.

“As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, ‘Separate
me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them’ ”
(Acts 13:2)

“So they, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and
from thence they sailed to Cyprus” (Acts 13:4)

“Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia,
and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, After they
were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered