A Life of Discipleship
THE PENTAGON –
FINDING YOUR MINISTRY
Penge Baptist Church
23rd June 2013
Who is a minister?
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Is it a consumer church?
Or an all member ministry?
Doing church versus being church…
….by finding who God has made us to
be
Ephesians 4:7, 11-13
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But to each one of us grace has been given
as Christ apportioned it…. It was he who
gave some to be apostles, some to be
prophets, some to be evangelists, and some
to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s
people for works of service, so that the body
of Christ may be built up until we all reach
unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the
Son of God and become mature, attaining to
the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
The pentagon
Ministries for all!
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“But to each one of us”
“Grace has been given as Christ appointed”
“It was he who gave some to be apostles,
some to be prophets, some to be evangelists,
and some to be pastors and teachers, to
prepare God’s people for works of service, so
that the body of Christ may be built up”
“until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become
mature, attaining to the whole measure of
the fullness of Christ”
Spiritual gifts versus ministries
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Spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 and
Romans 12 to specific church situations
– “applying grace”
1 Corinthians 12 “the dancing hand” of
the Spirit
Romans 12 about service and unity
Ephesians 4 teaching how all churches
should function
Ministries versus spiritual gifts
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Ministries are roles/functions for each
believer
Gifts are tools to enable each believer
to exercise role better
Only Jesus fulfilled all five perfectly
When all roles fulfilled church is
effective
Apostles
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“one who is sent out”
Visionary, pioneer, new territory
The 12, Paul, Priscilla, Aquila
“It has always been my ambition to preach
the gospel where Christ was not known, so
that I would not be building on someone
else’s foundation.” (Romans 15:20)
Jesus was sent from God (John 3:16)
Entrepreneurs, explorers…
Prophets
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One who hears from God – foretells and
forthtells
Anna and Simeon, Agabus, Philip’s
daughters
Jesus foretold destruction of Jerusalem
Creative types, musicians, artists…
Evangelists
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Brings good news and shares message readily
– know Word and can make relevant
“But when they believed Philip as he
preached the good news of the kingdom of
God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were
baptized, both men and women.” (Acts 8:12)
Jesus with Samaritan woman (John 3)
Salesman, politicians, public relations….
Pastors
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Shepherds God’s people, cares for
others, empathise, patient
Barnabas in defence of Mark (Acts 15)
Jesus as good shepherd (John 10)
Counsellors, social workers, nurses….
Teachers
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Holds forth the truth and excited by it
Apollos (Acts 18) “instructed in the way of
the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and
taught about Jesus accurately, though he
knew only the baptism of John.”
Jesus – teacher or rabbi, seen as having
authority
Lecturers, trainers, school teachers….
Base and phase
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Base ministry is the one to which God
has appointed us for life
Phase ministry when he calls us to fulfil
another one for a season
Shouldn’t try to fulfil all five at once….
….but still called to care, hold out truth,
listen to God, share Good News, fulfil
God’s call
Finding your base
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Extrovert or introvert?
Extrovert – apostle, prophet, evangelist
Introvert – pastor, teacher
Fill in questionnaire!
Discerning your core calling
Extroverts
Apostles Prophets Evangelists
Pioneers
Settlers/developers
Pastors Teachers
Introverts
Pioneers and settlers
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Pioneers for change, flexibility, breakthrough,
new challenges – win new territory for God
Settlers for continuity, stability, conservation –
consolidate territory won for God
Church needs both pioneers (apostles,
prophets, evangelists) and settlers (pastors,
teachers) for kingdom to grow!
So need mutual respect and acceptance…
…and flexibility brings maturity
We are all called to serve!
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“Whoever wants to become great among you
must be your servant, and whoever wants to
be first must be slave of all. For even the Son
of Man did not come to be served, but to
serve, and to give his life as a ransom for
many." (Mark 10.43-45)
“But you are a chosen people, a royal
priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging
to God, that you may declare the praises of
him who called you out of darkness into his
wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
Remember the pentagon!