Ministry Offices - The Teacher
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.
Ephesians 4:11-16 (NLT)
Ministry Offices - The Teacher
David’s Notes from Bible College
THE TEACHER
EPHESIANS 4:11
11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and TEACHERS…
1 CORINTHIANS 12:28,29
28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, THIRDLY TEACHERS, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? ARE ALL TEACHERS? ...
ROMANS 12:4-8
4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same OFFICE:
5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, LET US PROPHESY according to the proportion of faith ;
7 Or ministry, LET US WAIT on our ministering: or HE THAT TEACHETH, ON TEACHING.
8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation : he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Teachers hold an important place in the New Testament and the church today.
The teacher is the only one mentioned by name in all three lists of ministry in the new testement.
We separate the offices to define them.
In Acts 13:1 names five men who were either prophets or teachers, or prophets and teachers.
ACTS 13:1
1 Now there were in the church that was at Antioch CERTAIN PROPHETS AND TEACHERS ; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen….
a. Barnabas was a teacher (Acts 11:22-26; 13:1).
b. Paul was a prophet and a teacher (Gal . 1:12; Eph. 3:3; 1 Tim .2 :7).
c. Both became apostles (Acts 14:14).
d. One who is a teacher but not a pastor many times has a traveling ministry among the churches. If one is a pastor and a teacher (and often this is the case), they would not necessarily have a traveling ministry, although they may go travel out at times to teach.
e. The teaching gift is a divine gift.
God is talking about a supernatural office when He talks about the teacher (Rom . 12:4).
Paul is talking about men or women who are called by God and are set by the Spirit of God to stand in the office of a teacher, to teach by supernatural ability.
f. A teacher is not a teacher only by virtue of natural ability. The teaching gift is not a natural gift; it is a divine endowment to teach God's Word.
g. No teaching ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit is dry and dull! It will convey rivers of living water.
Paul described the teaching ministry as watering. It is full of life.
1 CORINTHIANS 3:6-9
6 I have planted, APOLLOS WATERED ; but God gave the increase.
7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, NEITHER HE THAT WATERETH ; but God that giveth the increase.
8 Now he that planteth AND HE THAT WATERETH are one : and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
9 For we are labourers together with God: YE ARE GOD'S HUSBANDRY [garden]….
When the watering process, which is the teaching of the Word of God - is carried out by a spiritual gift because one is called and endowed to teach, it leaves people refreshed and revived, just as watering a plant leaves it revived and fresh.
If teaching does not leave people refreshed, the teaching simply is not being executed and carried out in the power of the Holy Spirit.
A true teacher of the gospel of peace will never teach doctrinal error which will divide the Body of Christ. They will not cause division by what they teach.
The work of a teacher is to build up people- not tear down people.
Christ gave teachers for the edifying and building up of the Body of Christ (Eph. 4:11,12)
Teachers should be always ready and open to receive fresh glimpses of truth from the Word of God.
1. Revelation from the word of God marks a teacher's ministry.
2. Be teachable. I would not listen to any teacher who was not willing to be taught.
3. Keep a humbleness of spirit and a humbleness of mind .
4. Keep an open mind and be always ready to learn.
5. Don't be a “know-it-all."
The teaching ministry is more important to the Body of Christ than most people think, because christian believers need to be taught, edified, and matured by the teaching of the Word. Teaching the Word of God establishes a Christian in the faith.
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