How Jesus Provided Gifts for the Church

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.(Ephesians 4:11-12)

Evangelists as Gifts for the Church

The Greek word for evangelist means “one who preaches the good news.” These were men who preached the kingdom of God to the lost and helped establish new congregations. Two men are called evangelists in the New Testament. Luke calls Philip an evangelist in Acts 21:8; remember, Philip preached the gospel in Samaria and to the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8. Paul also tells Timothy “to do the work of an evangelist” in 2 Timothy 4:5. Paul singles this group out as a gift to the church with special responsibilities. Unlike apostles and prophets, the work of evangelists continues into our present day.

Pastors as Gifts for the Church

Jesus also gave the church “pastors.” The word pastor is another word for shepherd, and in the New Testament, it is used interchangeably with two other titles. Pastors are often called elders, referring to the maturity of the role, and bishops or overseers, referring to their authority. Paul tells the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:28 to shepherd the church, just as Peter instructs elders in 1 Peter 5:2. These leaders ensure the congregation receives spiritual nourishment and protection from false teaching. Paul describes these men in 1 Timothy 3:1-8 and Titus 1:6-9 as having exemplary character.

Equipping the Saints through Teachers

The final role Christ gave was that of “teachers,” mentioned in passages like 1 Corinthians 12:28 and Acts 13:1. Unlike miraculous roles, the writer of Hebrews suggests teaching is a skill developed through growth (see 5:12). Paul’s phrasing in Ephesians 4:11 implies a combining of roles, perhaps “teaching pastors,” as 1 Timothy 3:2 says elders must be able to teach. Regardless, the church requires teachers with a good understanding of the Bible to communicate it well. Christ gave these gifts to the church to accomplish specific objectives, such as equipping the saints for ministry and edifying the body.