Ministry Roles Explained
This is Part 3 of the Biblical Leadership Series.
Click here for Part 1: “Called to Lead” and here for Part 2: “Called to Follow.”
Within the church today, there are many differing opinions about the roles of leadership among Christians. The Bible is very clear about some of them, and then some groups and denominations have added more titles to their spiritual authorities than the Bible uses itself. (I am not saying this is good or bad. Just a fact.) However, generally, there is consensus on what are God-given leadership roles, and as we come to understand them, we will begin to see where we fit in, with our specific callings and gifts.
Biblical Leadership Roles
Throughout the Bible, we see God appointing people into all kinds of leadership positions. We know from the Old Testament that God appointed civic leaders, such as the Judges and various Kings (1 Samuel 10:1, 1 Samuel 16:13, and others). Then, in the establishment of His worship, He ordained priests to lead in the Temple ministry (Exodus 28:1), and appointed Prophets to guide the nation in following the Lord.
In the New Testament, we see that Jesus placed in the church “apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers,” who would lead His people (Ephesians 4:11). We also see leaders who are called elders (Acts 14:23), overseers (Acts 20:28), and deacons or official “servants” (Acts 6:3, Philippians 1:1).
Different variations of leadership positions have been taken from the original languages, giving us words like bishops (typically synonymous with overseer or elder) and presbyters (typically used to reference a member of a group of elders, which would be called a “presbytery.”)
You Don’t Choose Your Calling
What I find interesting about these various leadership roles is that all of them are appointed by God. They are spiritual, and therefore originate with the Holy Spirit. Though a person might choose to become an architect or a lawyer as a career, a person does not have the ability to choose a spiritual role for themselves. The Holy Spirit must initiate that appointment Himself. For example, in the Old Testament, a person could not wake up one day and decide to become a King or priest. Those callings had specific guidelines set by God, determining who would fill them. If someone met those guidelines, there still had to be a recognized call from God, and acceptance by God’s people, in order for them to take on that role.
Similarly, today, although we live in the age of “the priesthood of all believers,” even those desiring to take on a leadership role in the body of Christ must ultimately be called by God and recognized by the church. Unfortunately, there are many people seeking spiritual authority who do not meet God’s guidelines and qualifications to lead. They instead appoint and anoint themselves to lead.
Self-Glorifying Authority Figures
In addition to self-appointed leaders, another major problem facing the church is with leaders who may be legitimately called, yet seek to use the ministry for their own benefit. It is common to find Christian leaders who go far beyond what their biblical calling mandates or allows in taking authority over others.
Although to give an exhaustive list of how some leaders self-glorify would be impossible, let’s explore just a few.
Some seek power and influence.
It is common today to see people who use their spiritual role as “pastor” or “apostle” as a means to hold power over others. They live to be served, and their role enables them to both expect and require others to follow their orders, and meet their every need.
In Africa, I see too many pastors who surround themselves with an spiritualized entourage, who’s job it is to make sure their leader is treated like a celebrity. They give them superstar introductions when they come to preach. They lead the congregation in giving standing ovations to celebrate the appearance of “God’s man” on the platform, and again after they have “ministered” to the people. It isn’t God getting the glory. It is aimed at the man (or woman).
Out of church settings, this entourage spends their time making sure the leader doesn’t have to do anything for themselves. They drive his car, carry his bags, do his laundry, cook his food, manage his social media, and even manage his wife and children on his behalf.
Just turn on a Christian television station for a little while. It won’t take long to see the Christian version of Jay-Z or Beyonce. Their desire is to be rock stars in the pulpit, and expect people to glorify them as such.
Some seek wealth and personal gain.
When I entered into ministry almost 17 years ago, I wrestled with the fact that most pastors I knew were generally poor. Coming from a lower-middle class family, I had big aspirations to do something with my life to pull myself and my future family up economically. However, recognizing the clear leading of the Lord, I resigned myself to live by whatever He would provide, and follow Him into the work He had for me.
You can understand my shock, then, as the rise of global technology has spread the prosperity gospel around the globe, faster than the message of salvation!
The Prosperity Gospel
If you are unfamiliar with the basic premise of the prosperity gospel, it is this. If you give God your “seed” offering, you have put Him into your debt, and in turn, He is obligated to give you back a “harvest” on that seed. Usually, this promise is 10x or 100x your original gift.
Now, I do believe that God blesses our finances when we are faithful stewards of what He has given to us. I do believe there is blessings which come when we give our tithes and offerings. However, the mindset is different. The prosperity gospel says because of my giving, God owes me. The Bible says that by my giving, I am acknowledging that I owe Him everything!
The secret of the prosperity gospel, as I have observed it, however, is that the only ones who truly prosper are the pastors collecting the “seeds.” They manipulate God’s people to grow their own wealth, by making false promises for the Lord. Even Benny Hinn has recently repented of his involvement with this false gospel, saying “It doesn’t work for the people.” None of those planting seeds has ever prospered.
Spiritual Prostitution
Another problem with the money-seeking leaders is that when they do have legitimate gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as prophecy or healing, they begin selling their services, rather than “freely giving” as Jesus commanded (Matthew 10:8). This is a prostitution of their gift!
No matter what they call themselves – pastor, apostle, bishop, or something else – leaders who are only interested in financial benefits are not serving the Lord and His Kingdom. They are only serving themselves. Jesus Himself said,
“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”
Luke 16:13
I have said it many times before, and I will say it again: “if your pastor talks more about money than he talks about Jesus, you need to find a new pastor!”
Some seek titles and recognition.
Even if leaders are not trying to get rich and famous from the ministry, many still deal with a sinful need to be recognized for their work in order to feel validated. Their self-worth comes from human affirmation, rather than from the Lord.
These leaders may not seek great applause after their sermon, but they still eagerly wait for compliments from the members at the exit door, or from their spouse on the way home. They don’t have big television shows or radio programs with their names plastered all over them, but their self-esteem is still boosted or suppressed by public recognition in their own towns such as getting asked to pray before civic meetings, or to speak at public events.
In a way, this is more dangerous than the rich, celebrity pastors, because it is more subtle, and often harder to spot. For these leaders, their identity is in their ministry title, and their self-worth is in public validation, when those things should come only from God.
I think it is this low-level form of self-glory that almost all ministers deal with at some point in their lives. We must remember that Jesus called us to Himself before He called us to the work. Therefore our identity and validation is in Him alone. The ministry is for His service and benefit, only.
Job Titles or Job Descriptions
This brings us back to leadership roles themselves. If becoming a pastor or evangelist is not about having a title on our business cards or getting our names put up on posters and billboards, then what are they for? If “Pastor” or “Apostle” isn’t supposed to be a new name for church members to call you, then what are they?
I believe that the biblically-identified leadership roles — apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher, etc — are actually the job descriptions of the work we are called to do.
Apostle is not the top of a hierarchical food chain. Paul says that the apostles are the “last” and a “spectacle to the world, the angels, and men” (1 Corinthians 4:9). When he talked about his apostleship he said he was an “ambassador in chains,” whose only job was preaching the gospel where it had not been named (Ephesians 6:20 and Romans 15:20). The Apostles job is to pioneer the Kingdom of God into new territory and new wineskins as the Lord leads. They lay the foundation of the church (Ephesians 2:19-20), and raise up the leaders who will come up behind them to take over.
Evangelist is not a title to be honored in a committee meeting, (and certainly not a title for a pastor without a church). Rather, an evangelist is someone who serves the church by reaching out to the lost, and equipping other believers to evangelize as well. Their job is to pull people out of the grip of hell. It isn’t about the numbers of salvations or miracle-signs taking place. For them, it is to “become all things to all men so that by all means they might save some (1 Corinthians 9:22).
Pastor is not your nickname. It means you are called to do whatever it takes to “shepherd” and raise the “sheep” entrusted to your care.
Being a prophet isn’t about having a platform before men, it’s about having an intimate relationship with the Lord so that through you He can communicate His heart.
I could go on, and look at every role, but I won’t. My point is that if God appoints you to one of these roles, it is not just another title for your resume. It is the categorization of the work which you are called to do. It is simply your job description.
Not Levels of Promotion
I would also note that the different roles Jesus appoints are not levels of promotion in ministry. You don’t start as an evangelist who gathers the lost and get them saved, then transition to being a teacher to disciple them, then get promoted, once again, to pastor once there is a church formed.
I often joke that some think they are a Pastor when they lead a church. Then when there are other pastors raised up within the church, they become the Bishop. Then when those other pastors leave and open other churches, now they become Apostles. That is not how it works. These are job descriptions, given by God, assigned to workers in His church and His Kingdom. They are not a hierarchy, and they are not about getting to higher levels of honor from men.
True leadership in the church is upside down. Rather than being at the top, the apostles and prophets, who lay the foundation of the church, are actually at the bottom, serving the evangelists, pastors, and teachers. The “higher” your ministry role sounds, the lower you are actually called to go.
Biblical Leadership is Servant Leadership
I must once again remind us that Jesus says “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35). No matter the calling you take on — pastor, teacher, minister, choir leader, other or none of the above — it is all about serving God and His people.
If you are called into a leadership role, the thing you must remind yourself of often is that it is not about you. It is all about Jesus. You bring people to Him and He reaches out and touches people through you. Like a hammer or drill, you are simply being held in the hand of the Carpenter as He builds His House. Serve Him and serve His people, and you will succeed in the ministry.
Let’s Connect
In the next post, we will begin looking at the biblical qualifications to serve as a leader in the body of Christ. Until then, I would love to connect with you!
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© Anthony Scott Ingram 2020. All Rights Reserved.
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