How to Use Five-Fold Ministry in Your Church

Today at the Vineyard Underground (a church that I help lead with a team of other people) we talked about the five-fold ministry in Ephesians 4 and how to identify with one or more of the callings. You can find the documents I used below.

I did a brief teaching off of Jon Hietbrink’s post last week on the way the five callings work together.
We also did a survey, created by James Choung, to help people figure out where they may be called by God and what is already stirring in them.
Then we prayed for people by calling and asked God to release them further into those ministries.

It was a really fun day at church and there was a ton of energy around the topic. People found the idea of building a church off of the foundation of five callings really exciting and they could see how robust a ministry could be if we were actually activating all five reflections of Jesus.

We also had a bit of discussion about how the callings in Ephesians are “callings” while the gifts in Romans and Corinthians are given to interweave with the five-fold. The way I see it in scripture (and I am not alone here) is that Ephesians is talking about vocation (Christ has given people as gifts to the church) while Romans and Corinthian gift lists are talking about literally spiritual gifts that people have and use.

[How to interpret Ephesians 4]

So as an apostle you may use leadership gifts or administration gifts. As a shepherd you may have mercy gifts, or service gifts. But knowing how God is calling you with regards to the APEST is very helpful in how to deploy the spiritual gifts that you have been given by God.

What I used at Church

The message I gave hasn’t been uploaded yet, but I do have the documents if you want to take a look at them and even use something like this in your church or fellowship on campus. It was helpful for people that have never dabbled in the five-fold before.

I would love to know what has been helpful for you in discussion with a church or fellowship. I would also love to know what other kinds to of resources you want to see here on Release The APE to help you have that conversation. Please share in the comments.