HOW DOES A CHRISTIAN KNOW WHETHER THEY ARE CALLED TO AN OFFICE GIFT?

Are The Offices Of The New Testament Church Gender Specific - For Males Only?

●The Calling to an Office-Gift

●How Does A Christian Know Whether They Are Called To An Office Gift?

●When Does the Appointment to An Office-Gift Take Place?

CHAPTER 3

The Calling To An Office-Gift

In the church there are two types of gifts.

There are the gifts (divine endowments) of the Holy Spirit that each believer receives. Some receive one gift, some receive more than one gift, and not everyone receives the same gift or gifts. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are divine empowerments, extraordinary powers, and a favor which one receives without any merit of their own.

Are gifts talents? No. Talents are received at birth. They are natural endowments. Gifts are not talents; they are God-given to those who are born again. These gifts are given for the edification of the church.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Corinthians 12:7)

The other type of gifts I will call office gifts. Only some believers receive one of these gifts. The office gifts are those relating to the leadership positions in the church such as apostle, prophet, evangelist, and pastor-teacher. Collectively these office gifts are bestowed: for the perfecting (mending, repair, or correcting all that is deficient) of the saints; for the work of the ministry (the work of Christian service); and for the edifying (to cause to grow strong) of the body of Christ so that every member might become mature or fully grown.

The office gifts names and functions are delineated in the following verses.

And he gave some apostles and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers

Suggested Reading:Ephesians 4:11-16

God has given some in the body of Christ an office gift such as:

●Apostles: obtained a special commission from Christ, being a witness of Christ following his resurrection; received special inspiration (an extraordinary divine agency upon teachers while giving instruction, whether oral or written, by which they were taught how and what they should speak or write); were accredited by signs, miracles, and wonders; and founded churches.

●Prophets: foretold certain events; discerned as to whether what a man of God said was of the Holy Spirit; were preachers and expounders under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit. ●Evangelists: denotes a minister of the gospel who was not located in any place, but who traveled as a missionary to preach the gospel, and to found churches (by providing the need for them). ●Pastors and Teachers: feed and lead the local church, utilizing the teaching and expository preaching of the word of God with special assistance from the Holy Spirit.

And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11)

So far you have been taught there are two ways to determine a view on any topic, which is determined by the verses which are used to support it. As to whether the call to the office gift of pastor in the New Testament Church is gender specific – for males only, this hasn’t been determined yet. What we have learned about a pastor concerns their qualifications, duties, and what the content of their messages should reflect. We have also been made aware as to the names and functions of the office gifts that a believer can be called to; one of these positions being pastor-teacher.

In the next chapter we will look at more in depth as to how does a Christian know they are called to an office gift?

CHAPTER 4

How Does A Christian Know Whether They Are Called To An Office Gift?

Some will respond by saying, that’s easy, because they went to bible college or seminary, having taken certain courses which satisfy the academic requirements of the office. Should going to bible college or seminary be the basis for determining whether a Christian is called to an office gift? Is this what the word of God says? Please go to 1 Timothy.

If a man desire the office of a bishop

Suggested Reading: 1 Tim 3:1-7

These verses talk about a person desiring (seeking after) the office of a pastor (bishop).

The determinant as to whether a person is called to the office of a bishop (pastor) are five-fold.

Initially, as the person grows in the Lord the spiritual qualities of the Holy Spirit will be manifest to others.

2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;

3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;

Secondly, the believer will have a valid marriage condition.

2 …the husband of one wife…

Third, they will exhibit a family testimony, if married.

4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;

Fourth, there will be evidence of a genuine testimony (reputation) before the unsaved (those who are outside the church).

7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Fifth, a divine skill that is requisite to this calling will be apparent to the believer and fellow believers, that of being apt to teach (to teach true doctrine and refute false doctrine; able and skilled in teaching; a love to study).

2 …apt to teach…

I believe that each office gift will have a five-fold determinant. The only difference has to do with the divine skill that is given by God and evidenced as pertaining to the particular office.

Someone who is called to the office gift of an evangelist will evidence a divine skill in the area of soul winning.

Someone who is called to the office of a prophet will evidence the divine skills of: foretelling future events; determining as to whether what another prophet said was under the influence or filling of the Holy Spirit.

Someone who is called to the office of an apostle will evidence the divine skills of: wonderworks resulting from supernatural power that bring about a sense of awe and an increase in spiritual understanding by pointing to a spiritual reality; being a witness of Christ following his resurrection.

Now that you know what to look for concerning a person’s calling to an office gift the next question is, when does the appointment to the office take place?

CHAPTER 5

When Does The Appointment To An Office-Gift Take Place?

In the verses that follow there was an urgent need to delegate to some in the assembly the responsibility of caring for the Grecian Jewish widows. These widows needed to meet certain criteria in order to be eligible for assistance. Let’s see what this was all about.

But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word

Suggested Reading: Acts 6:1-6

There arose a complaining of the Grecian Jews (Jewish immigrants to Palestine-those who spoke Greek) against the Hebrews (the native Jews who also spoke Aramaic and Greek), because their widows were overlooked in the daily administration of money and food. The apostles recommended that the brethren (the assembly) choose (by the showing of hands) seven men of honest report (of an authentic testimony), who were full of the Holy Spirit (whom the Holy Spirit directed; who were spiritually minded) and wisdom (skill for practical affairs) whom they were to appoint (put in charge) over this matter. This would allow the apostles to continue in prayer (public prayer; public worship) and to the ministry of the word (the preaching the word of God). After these men were chosen by the assembly they were set before the apostles, who prayed for them while laying their hands on their head, which was a gesture signifying commissioning and granting of authority.

The choosing of the deacons occurred out of necessity in order to address the needs of the widows. They were chosen by the assembly through the showing of hands based on the evidence of the spiritual qualities of the Holy Spirit. It is possible that the apostles delineated to the assembly the spiritual qualities of character as indicated in 1 Timothy 3:8-13 along with the recommended divine skill in practical affairs to the assembly before they voted.

With these guidelines in mind a Christian might have an office calling, but the timing for voting, prayer, and the laying on of hands over them might not be forthcoming, because they have had difficulty in cultivating the spiritual influences of the Holy Spirit in their life. I’m sure when the time is right there will be a prompting by the Holy Spirit to someone in the assembly for the ordination of a particular person who has been called to an office-gift in the church. And by the way some churches believe that the office gifts of apostles and prophets are no more. So if this is the case this process would not apply. Other churches which believe that these two offices still exist advocate that an appointment to this gift through voting, prayer, and the laying on of hands is not the protocol, but rather a person is acknowledged as being called to this office by the evidencing of the spiritual qualities of character and the related divine skill.

In the next chapter we will begin to look at answering the question as to whether the calling to an office gift in the church is gender specific – for males only. Obviously some churches believe that it is, while others believe that it is not. We will look at certain scripture sections, the related content, and what would the responses be of opposing views concerning answering the question, is the call to an office gift in the church gender specific – for males only?

Hopefully you will be enlightened as much as I will be.

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