The church plays a very important part in FATHER’S Plan as does the five-fold ministry. In Ephesians chapter 4 Paul writes about the training infrastructure to bring forth the Kingdom:
7 But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.
8 Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”
9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers,
12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
It is important that we neither add nor subtract from FATHER’S Divine Intent and plan. The purpose of the church is to teach and train people in preparation for them to establish the Kingdom on earth as it is in Heaven. Our educational system in the United States was designed and built with a similar mandate- to prepare the youth to become productive citizens by equipping them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and understanding in the area of their interest.
Everybody needs a foundation of Truth to build from, and that is one of the primary mandates of the church. To be an instrument of growth for the immature should be a primary goal of every pastor. The church should be a unifying factor in people’s lives rather than promoting division and isolationism. The pastor is not the "covering" of the body of Christ, Jesus Himself is. None should attempt to displace or substitute that covering.
A prophet is only to speak what FATHER instructs without adding his or her soulish view and opinion. The prophet’s fruit must be examined for authenticity. FATHER doesn’t "miss it," but many who claim to be prophets give words with a different motivation, and thus their words fall by the wayside.
Each of the fivefold ministry must be motivated by Love else some aspects of their ministry are subject to FATHER’S judgment. Their hidden sins will be revealed, and we should no longer be surprised when that event happens. The ministries should have a motivation to serve rather than exalt themselves as though no one else has the capacity to hear FATHER personally. Those who have a heart to serve will see their ministry expand.
Some of the most underutilized assets in the world are church buildings. Many buildings in the past reflected the ego of the church leaders rather than the need of the community. Millions of dollars were poured into structures as the widows and orphans continued to suffer in the immediate vicinity. I expect that to change soon.
My parents’ desire for me was to progress beyond grade school, junior high school, and high school. If I never went beyond grade school, everyone would question my intelligence and ability to become a productive part of society yet nobody finds an issue with someone warming a pew for forty years. Pastors of churches who have a monetary consideration welcome members who perpetually go nowhere as long as the contributions continue to flow in. If the Gospel never leaves the four walls of the church building how can we ever expect to experience the Kingdom throughout the earth?
Never before have those who are called to teach had a better platform than what is provided by technology today. If you are anointed to teach, and you have FATHER’S Love for people, expect doors to open up as you prepare yourself accordingly. With the advent of social media, there has never been a greater opportunity to reach out to an audience unrestrained by geographical location. The cost of spreading the Gospel has become negligible versus what it took for the last generation to reach the lost.
Apostles are "sent ones" by FATHER, not man. Your education doesn’t qualify you to be an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher but your calling does. FATHER anoints those whom HE calls, and they will produce good fruit in the area of their calling. The mistake is made when you attempt to walk out another’s calling. Yes, you may have some results since the Word has the power within itself to cause itself to come to pass but the delivery mechanism isn’t the deciding factor. Acts chapter 13 provides us an excellent example of being sent to minister:
2 As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
3 Then, having fasted and prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them away.
When men and women align themselves with FATHER, HIS SPIRIT will instruct them according to the need at the time. FATHER and HIS Love are inseparable so you cannot align yourself with HIM if you are not walking in Love and forgiveness toward others.
An evangelist is a bringer of good tidings so I suppose that makes me an evangelist to some degree. The fact is we should all be evangelists to those crossing our paths but there are some who have a greater anointing which means they are to serve as an evangelist in a greater capacity. If they have FATHER’S Love for the lost, doors will open for them to evangelize towns, cities, states, provinces, and nations. In the past, some evangelists focused on building a personal empire rather FATHER’S Kingdom and in many cases their hearts were exposed. Their bad publicity did not hurt or change FATHER’S plan for it is greater than any adversary.
Many believers have been hurt by the church in some manner whether it be the leadership or its members. When FATHER tells you to depart from a congregation, we should not focus on any shortcomings or weaknesses, but instead, you should be thankful of the training and lessons you received. If you develop bitterness because you received the "left foot of fellowship" then you must repent and forgive them. FATHER may want you to minister to the same ones you left at some point in the future. Keep your eyes focused ahead of you don’t look back at the past and let it define your future.
FATHER is big enough to fix all the issues with the church. HE will remove those who produce no fruit or bad fruit, as the case may be. HE will resurrect the purpose of the church in its original purity. If a severe judgment comes upon a nation, you can be assured that those empty church sanctuaries will come alive once again. As soon as man realizes he has no control in a time of judgment, he tends to repent or suffer to a greater degree. Lawlessness and perversity will cease to be tolerated as the cleansing process begins. There is plenty of infrastructure in many of the nations who were once known as "Christian" nations to handle a dramatic influx of sinners seeking to repent of their evil ways. Adversity tends to expose men’s hearts and forces them to deal with their actions.
The Revelation of Jesus Christ reveals the issue with seven different churches as types and shadows. Many have focused only on the external churches of today. Others have assigned the meaning to church history as the primary revelation being given to the Beloved disciple John. Yet a smaller group look at these seven churches at a personal level applicable to each of us to some degree. I believe there is Truth at all three levels and I am unwilling to restrict the mysteries being revealed to just these three views.
If there is anything I have learned over the past 45 years of studying Scripture and related doctrines it is this- Never assume you have the full and complete revelation of any passage in the Bible for FATHER will bust your doctrine into pieces if you get too opinionated about HIS Word. Men have built church doctrine on obscure words in the Bible as though they are the only ones FATHER could possibly share HIS Heart. The do a disservice to the immature and impressionable who are simply looking for fellowship and a sense of belonging.
Many churches have become marketing organizations since they have not tapped into HIS anointing. We must return to the basics of ministering to those in need. Jesus did not need a marketing plan to get people to listen. He spoke and acted upon FATHER’S Word applicable to those in front of Him. When His healing power was made known, people responded. When Peter was sent to the house of Cornelius in Acts chapter he shared what he had seen:
36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all—
37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached:
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
Jesus is the embodiment of the fivefold ministry, and thus His example applies to the proper growth of each ministry. We must go about "doing good." We must not omit the need of healing all who are oppressed by the devil.
What is the best way for a ministry to grow in demand? By word of mouth. People respond to good fruit, and the word spreads quickly. In Mark chapter 1, we can see how FATHER’S anointing will bring forth an increase:
21 Then they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath He entered the synagogue and taught.
22 And they were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
23 Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit. And he cried out,
24 saying, “Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!”
25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”
26 And when the unclean spirit had convulsed him and cried out with a loud voice, he came out of him.
27 Then they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? What new doctrine is this? For with authority He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him.”
28 And immediately His fame spread throughout all the region around Galilee.
When we align ourselves with FATHER’S Plan, HE will provide the increase. We must prune away the worldly method of success and earnestly pray and fast as is necessary to hear HIS Voice. The purpose of the church has not changed, and those who repent and place their focus on the first and foremost Love will be allowed to flourish in the time before us.
Good fruit is the determining factor of success, and the church should be producing good fruit for the rest of the world to eat and be nourished by the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Love of Our Heavenly Father. Love will bring peace on earth, not war and the church should be a prime source of preparing those to go forth in Love. Their doors should not be intended for new arriving members only. Instead, they should become a base of operations for Love to be spread outward into the community and beyond.