WHY IT MATTERS //

As members of Revive we are Committed to Jesus and Committed to one another. This commitment (also known as koinonia) is one of the pillars of our ReviveHOMES; It sets a foundation for us to grow and mature in community. Each unique ReviveHOME is a local expression of the same DNA that God has given us as a family of churches. Over the next weeks we will explore together our shared convictions, our identity and the Kingdom mission God has called us to accomplish in unity.

Revive is a body of believers led by Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Evangelists and Teachers who share the responsibility of guiding the overall direction of the church. We have local leadership such as house church pastors and elders (in more established churches) who serve to nurture and shepherd. We also have an Apostolic team that exists to unify and mature all of the churches. This is the leadership model displayed both in scripture and in the life of the early church. Some people would refer to this as a 5-Fold or Apostolic ministry model. While this is the only leadership model we find in the Bible, many contemporary churches are led by only one ministry gift, such as a pastor.

WHAT IT’S TALKING ABOUT //

The 5-Fold Ministry gifts described in Ephesians 4 are different then the spiritual gifts described elsewhere in scripture. 1 Corinthians gives examples of the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to all Christians to serve others and to fulfill their callings. Ephesians 4 explains that Jesus himself appoints specific people with what is needed to lead and govern in the church on His behalf. They have different strengths that work in tandem to accomplish two tasks: Unity and Maturity in the body. Unlike the Spiritual gifts, these people are themselves the gift that Jesus gives to the body. When they work together the church gets what it needs to grow and be strengthened in all the strengths possessed by these leaders. A different way to understand this would be that any person can desire a gift of prophecy whether they are a prophet or not, but the person called to be a prophet not only has a gift of prophesy, but a calling to equip the body of Christ. Here is an example of some of the primary strengths of the different people that Jesus calls to 5-fold church leadership:

Apostles govern and strategically build
Prophets reveal and declare
Teachers illuminate and guard truth
Evangelists preach and reach with the gospel
Pastors nurture and protect

Ephesians 4:11-16 NLT

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.