Teachers Of The Gospel
Ephesians 4:11–13
“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” (NKJV)
About Ephesians. Ephesians is a letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus while he was in prison. Chapters 1–3 tell believers who they are in Christ. Chapters 4–6 show them how to walk it out. In chapter 4, Paul explains that Jesus Himself gave gifts to His Church so it would grow up, stand together, and become like Him.
What is the fivefold ministry?
The fivefold ministry is the five offices Christ gave to lead and equip His Church: apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Their purpose is not position or title. Their purpose is to equip believers for ministry and build up the body of Christ until it reflects Jesus fully.
Each office is connected to the others. One assignment leads into the next:
- The evangelist goes out and brings souls in.
- The teacher grounds them in the Word so they stay.
- The pastor cares for them, makes sure the Word takes root, and prepares them for the call of God.
- The prophet confronts sin and calls out what is blocking the church.
- The apostle builds, lays foundations, and establishes the work.
When all five work together, the Church is healthy, growing, and ready.
The role of the teacher
“For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach statutes and ordinances in Israel.” (Ezra 7:10)
The teacher explains the Word of God so people understand it, live it, and stay rooted in it.
- Make the Word plain. The Levites “read distinctly from the book… and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand” (Nehemiah 8:8).
- Rightly divide the truth. “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God… rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
- Ground believers so they stay. Teaching keeps people from being “tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine” (Ephesians 4:14).
- Guard sound doctrine. Hold fast the faithful word, so you can exhort and convict those who contradict (Titus 1:9).
- Make disciples. Jesus said, “teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:20).
Why God called you
God called you because “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6). He wants His Word to take root in good soil and bear fruit (Matthew 13:23).
Teachers carry a serious responsibility, because “we shall receive a stricter judgment” (James 3:1). God trusts you with His truth because He wants His people to stand firm.
Pitfalls and solutions
Every calling has areas where the enemy attacks. These are areas of opportunity, places to grow stronger.
- Head knowledge without the Spirit. “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Corinthians 3:6).
- Solution: Study on your knees. Ask the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth (John 16:13), to teach you first.
- Teaching what you do not live. Jesus warned of those who “say, and do not do” (Matthew 23:3).
- Solution: Follow Ezra’s order: seek the Word, do it, then teach it (Ezra 7:10).
- Pride in knowledge. “Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1).
- Solution: Avoid foolish arguments and teach with gentleness and patience (2 Timothy 2:23–25).
- Teaching over people’s heads. Deep teaching is no help if no one understands it.
- Solution: “Write the vision and make it plain” (Habakkuk 2:2). Jesus taught with simple stories people could remember.
- Drifting from sound doctrine. People will want teachers who tell them what they want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3).
- Solution: Stay anchored in Scripture and test every new teaching by the Word (Acts 17:11).
Go deeper
Why coaching matters
- Prayer. One-on-one time where we begin and end in God’s presence.
- Reflection. We reflect on what God is saying for this season.
- Clarity. Identify what is missing or blocking your growth.
- Calling. Go deeper in your calling and understand your assignment.
- Comfort and exhortation. Be strengthened and encouraged to keep going.
- Prophetic insight. As the Lord leads, receive a prophetic word.
- Next steps. Seek God’s direction for your next step.
Ready for personal guidance in your calling as an apostle? Book one-on-one coaching with Jen Ford.
Email: CoachJenFord@gmail.com
Website: http://www.coachjenford.com