So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:11-13
When I became a Christian in the early 1980s the role of shepherd-teacher was the "be all and end all" in the Evangelical Church. It was embodied by role models such as Chuck Swindoll, Charles Stanley, and John MacArthur. Churches grew based on the teaching ability of a central figure who "preached the Word."
Many of us eventually reacted strongly to that, jettisoning this over-emphasis on head knowledge and the internal focus of shepherding and teaching.
In graphic form, we rejected this version of APEST:
A P E S TEACHER
Alan Hirsch and others have sought to take a new look at Ephesians 4 and the five-fold ministry of the church, an attempt to recalibrate these inter-related callings.
Interestingly enough, it seems to me that history is repeating itself. In reaction to the church's poverty in regards to the apostle and prophet we have apostolically minded people who... do the very opposite of 30 years ago. Now APEST looks something like this:
APOSTLE P E S T
I am wondering if it is possible to have a more integrated approach to this five-fold ministry, wherein the APOSTLE and the SHEPHERD are not only valued in words but live in dynamic tension as they both lead.
When I became a Christian in the early 1980s the role of shepherd-teacher was the "be all and end all" in the Evangelical Church. It was embodied by role models such as Chuck Swindoll, Charles Stanley, and John MacArthur. Churches grew based on the teaching ability of a central figure who "preached the Word."
Many of us eventually reacted strongly to that, jettisoning this over-emphasis on head knowledge and the internal focus of shepherding and teaching.
In graphic form, we rejected this version of APEST:
A P E S TEACHER
Alan Hirsch and others have sought to take a new look at Ephesians 4 and the five-fold ministry of the church, an attempt to recalibrate these inter-related callings.
Interestingly enough, it seems to me that history is repeating itself. In reaction to the church's poverty in regards to the apostle and prophet we have apostolically minded people who... do the very opposite of 30 years ago. Now APEST looks something like this:
APOSTLE P E S T
I am wondering if it is possible to have a more integrated approach to this five-fold ministry, wherein the APOSTLE and the SHEPHERD are not only valued in words but live in dynamic tension as they both lead.
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