Five Spiritual Gifts of Ministry

Most think of ministry gifts as belonging to those in authority in the Church.  These leadership roles  typically fall to someone who has been to seminary school.  Church leaders do need to be educated in the Holy Bible and theology in order to teach and guide others.  Although most are called to these roles and pursue the necessary education to receive the title, some are called to take on guidance and teaching roles using training outside seminary.  

God can use you for His work too!  if you are not called to preach, you may be called to teach or write.  Pray for guidance before pursuing any ministry role in order to receive the training, skills, and attitude necessary to proceed.  If God reveals He has other plans for you, then that plan may fulfilled through other spiritual gifts. 

"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, 
pastors and teachers;  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, 
for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, 
and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, 
unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" - Ephesians 4:11-13 (KJV)

Below is information on the 5 spiritual gifts of ministry roles:

• Apostle (aka Church Planter, Missionary) is a person who takes the gospel to new places.  They spread the Word of God and help create new churches.  They may provide leadership and advice on spiritual matters for new churches and ministries.  
• Evangelist (aka Revivalist, Traveling Preacher) is someone who is able to successfully communicate the gospel, typically to non-believers and the lost.  They are sent from the Church to bring more people into the body of Christ using charismatic messages and creative methods. 
• Pastor (aka Church Preacher, Counselor, Leader, Shepard) is a person who is responsible for spiritually caring for a group of believers within a specific Church.  They have responsibility for counseling, guiding, leading, nurturing, overseeing, protecting, serving, and teaching the congregation and individuals within the Church.  For this role, they must have authoritative knowledgeable of the Holy Bible and be fully grounded in the Word of God.  A pastor should be humbly committed to the mission of the Church in which he/she is given by God.
• Prophet is someone who speaks God's divinely inspired message to His people.  The message may be a vision of the future of God's will.  Or it could be meant as a warning or encouragement to the Church body.  True spiritual prophecy is to be seen as a blessing to the Church from God, not a curse or something to be taken lightly.  Only through prayer and the test of time can you find the truth in God's heart given through man's words.
• Teacher is a person who can instruct others in the Holy Bible in a way that communicates information in a understandable way for the spiritual growth in God of others.  Teachers must study, research, and look for creative ways to deliver lessons that establish a Biblical foundation and bring the truth of God's Word to the group or age level they are educating.  Keys to teaching include being willing to: consume scriptures, take responsibility for planning lessons, communicating the lessons, and leading  discussions with others.  

Pray to God for guidance in the spiritual gifts He wants you to pursue.  This way you can obtain the necessary training and skills to accentuate the talents and desires you may already have.  Ministry roles require time dedication in not only studies, they need fervent prayer time as well.