Equipping The Saints
Asher Intrater
Israel
©June 5, 2009
Our vision at Revive Israel (as our name implies) is to foster revival in the land of Israel, and from there to the rest of the world. In order to do so, we are formed as an apostolic team, based on the model of Yeshua's twelve disciples and of Paul's ministry team. This is also called a "5-fold ministry" team as described in Ephesians 4.
Ephesians 4:11-12
He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry for the building up of the body of Messiah.
Here are a few pointers worth noting:
1. Team Work – These verses speak of cooperation between leaders. This is not an option but a necessity. We will not see revival without cooperation between leaders.
Do you remember playing a team sport like basketball, and a certain player, every time you passed him the ball, immediately took a shot? That's how many ministers are today. They don't know how to play with team work. Team ministry means knowing not just how to shoot the ball, but also how to play defense and how to pass to a team member. It's embarrassing that ministry leaders do not know how to play on a team. Team work demands submitting one to another, and it is our pride that keeps us from doing so.
Teamwork ministry requires time from the leaders to invest in developing personal relationships of trust and loyalty.
2. Different kinds of Ministry – Not all ministers are pastors. We must know that there are 5 kinds of offices listed here, and know how to discern the difference between them. Prophets and evangelists trying to serve as pastors can be damaging to the flock. Demanding that gift ministry level prophets and evangelists submit their ministry to a local pastor will only cause frustration. An apostolic team serves to coordinate and oversee the work of these ministries.
The five ministry gifts are only leadership offices. There are many other gifts for all the members of the body, as listed in Romans 12, including service, generosity, administration, encouragement, etc. All members are given spiritual gifts to serve and build up the body.
We also recognize that work in the marketplace (business, government, media, education, etc.) is ministry just as much as that within the church. The ministry of Yeshua is to be a light in the midst of the world around us.
3. Training Young Leaders – This passage speaks of "equipping the saints". Equipping begins where basic discipleship ends. While it is not restricted by age, training generally flows from the older generation to the younger. Our congregations should be set up as a training ground, a playing field, a laboratory, where younger potential leaders are given a chance to minister alongside and under the oversight of more experienced leaders. The leaders must take the role more of a "coach" than a "player".
At our recent Tikkun USA congregational conference, we called for the young people to come forward in one line across the front of the assembly to minister the baptism of the Holy Spirit, while the senior leaders stood behind them in the second line, encouraging, watching and coaching. In our recent ministry in Tel Aviv at Tiferet Yeshua congregation, I brought seven of our younger team members who took turns sharing the message and praying for people.
As leaders, whenever we teach or minister, we should let our disciples minister alongside of us. This training model will allow the kingdom of God to multiply and our covenantal relationships to be passed on to the next generation.