Gifts for building

The fourth forgotten way involves the gifts of service identified by Paul in Ephesians 4:11- 16. The gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, shepherd and teacher work together. Do we recognise these gifts in our brothers and sisters? The apostolic gift lays foundations and releases and stirs up the other gifts. All of them are there in every one of us, but we tend to be strongest in one or two.

Gifts for building

The church has had a long history of misunderstanding the five gifts of service mentioned in Ephesians 4:11-13. What is perfectly clear is that Christ himself provides apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers to equip us to serve - that is what the passage says. And his purpose is clear too, he wants us to reach unity in the faith, to be knowledgeable about him, mature, and growing to fully measure up to him.