WHY it matters //

The gifts of the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers are the people themselves appointed by Jesus to guide and equip the church into maturity. These gifts are different than the spiritual gifts that we all receive. Spiritual gifts are available to all believers, but not all believers are called into the office of an apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, or teacher. We can't ask to become these things; people either are or aren’t these things according to who God intended us to be to fulfill his will. The purpose of the 5-fold leadership gifts is to promote maturity and to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church.

WHAT it’s talking about //

Paul wrote this letter around 60AD to the church in Ephesus, while he was in prison at Rome. However, this letter was not only written for the Ephesians, but it was intended to circulate through many churches in Asia Minor. The purpose of this letter was to help the believers understand the dimensions of God’s eternal purpose and grace and to realize the extraordinary plans God has for the church. Ephesus was the most important city in this area (now Turkey). The culture was heavily influenced by pagan traditions, and the citizens were proud protectors over its pagan temple that was dedicated to the Roman goddess Diana (Greek Artemis) (Acts.19:23-31).

Ephesians 4:7-16 NLT

7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ. 

8 That is why the Scriptures say, “When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people.”

9 Notice that it says “he ascended.” This clearly means that Christ also descended to our lowly world. 

10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.

11 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. 

13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 

15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 

16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.