LEADERSHIP WORKING TOGETHER
The five special gifts of leadership function together in the ministry of the church.
Apostles extend the Gospel message to various regions and raise up organized bodies of
believers. God gives special miraculous signs and wonders to assist in this extension of the
Gospel. The apostle provides special leadership to the churches he raises up.
Prophets also provide leadership in the church. One of their functions is to give special
messages from God through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Evangelists communicate the Gospel in such a manner that people respond to it and become
believers. They may minister individually or in large groups, but their ministry always produces
new believers. These believers then come under the care of apostles, prophets, pastors, and
teachers of the church who guide their spiritual development. The example of Philip in Acts
chapter 8 illustrates this. He brought the Samaritans to Christ, then turned them to the apostles
for further teaching.
Pastors exercise long-term leadership and care for those who have believed through the
message of the evangelist. They provide pastoral care to those who have become believers
through the ministry of apostles. Their ministry is a picture of the loving care of a shepherd for
his sheep.
Teachers provide instruction which goes beyond the presentation of the Gospel by the
evangelist. They teach believers to be spiritually mature. They train faithful people who are
capable of teaching others.
The main responsibility of those with special leadership gifts is to train other believers to
discover and use their spiritual gifts (Ephesians 4:11-16). The following chart illustrates how the
special gifts function together in the church: