Apostles are the first gifts given by the Lord to the church. They represent the highest office that God established in the universal church (1 Cor. 12:28; Rom. 1:5), and they have the authority to establish churches in every locality. The apostles are ordained by God Himself, not by man; they are sent directly by God, not by man. God specially appoints and sends them to work for Him in every place to establish churches (Acts 8:14, 25; 13:2; 14:14, 21-23). These apostles are not limited to the twelve apostles appointed by the Lord in the beginning. In addition to these twelve, many other apostles were appointed by God, such as Paul, Barnabas (v. 14), Sylvanus, Timothy (1 Thes. 1:1; 2:6), the Lord’s brother James (Gal. 1:19), “our brothers” (2 Cor. 8:23), and so on. In addition to the many apostles appointed by God, there are self-proclaimed apostles; but these are false apostles (Rev. 2:2; 2 Cor. 11:13).
Although the highest office established by God relates to the apostles, these apostles should not be regarded as a special group of exceedingly excellent men. They are merely workers commissioned by God to preach the gospel and establish churches. Whoever has been commissioned by God and has been sent by God to preach the gospel, to bring salvation to others, to impart the Holy Spirit, to increase and spread the Body of Christ (vv. 4-5), and to preach God’s word to others is an apostle (2 Pet. 3:2). The proof of one’s apostleship is in the fruit of his work (1 Cor. 9:1-2) and in his power—the power of the life that bears all things and the miraculous power to work miracles (2 Cor. 12:11-12).
Prophets are gifts with the ability to speak for God to build up the church (1 Cor. 12:28). Primarily, they speak for God in an ordinary way through the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:6), but they also can receive the miraculous power of the Holy Spirit to foretell the future (1 Cor. 12:10). Whether they foretell the future or preach in an ordinary way, prophets speak for God in the power of the Holy Spirit; therefore, they have the authority of God, the ability to impart the revelation of God, the ability to establish and build up the church, and the ability to convict unbelievers (14:24-25).
Although a prophet fulfills his ministry of speaking for God in a local church (Acts 13:1), he can speak for God as a prophet in any place. Agabus, Judas, and Silas were prophets in the church in Jerusalem, but they also could speak for God when they went to Antioch or Caesarea. They spoke in an ordinary way to edify others and also in a miraculous way (11:27-28; 21:8-11; 15:22, 30, 32).
Prophets are the greatest gift for the building up of the church because their speaking imparts a spiritual supply (1 Cor. 14:1, 4-5). Just as apostles are the highest office for establishing the church, prophets are the greatest gift for the building up of the church. The Bible acknowledges the importance of these offices by saying that the church is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets (Eph. 2:20).
Evangelists are appointed by God to preach the gospel. They have a particular gospel work as their ministry. Philip was such a person (Acts 21:8). The work of the prophets and teachers is directed primarily toward those who are the church for their building up. The work of the evangelists is directed primarily toward unbelievers for their salvation to be brought into the church. Such a gospel work must be carried out in many places. For example, Philip was originally in Jerusalem, but later he went to Samaria and to other cities to preach the gospel (8:5-12, 26-40; 21:8). Although evangelists may save many through their preaching of the gospel, the establishment of local churches is not part of the measure of an evangelist. The responsibility of establishing local churches has been measured to the apostles (cf. 8:5-12, 14-17). Evangelists can go to many places to preach the gospel, but apostles must establish churches in these places.
Shepherds and teachers are also gifts to the church. Shepherding the church involves teaching the church, and teaching the church involves shepherding the church. A shepherd and teacher is one person with a gift that involves two aspects. Shepherds and teachers receive grace from God to have a heart to care for the believers, and they understand God’s Word and can lead believers according to the teachings of the Bible. In their ministry they shepherd and teach by using God’s Word to feed, cultivate, and teach the church. Prophets preach the word of God according to revelation, whereas shepherds and teachers preach the revealed word of God. Prophets speak God’s revelation; shepherds and teachers teach what God has revealed. They teach the church according to God’s revealed truth so that the believers might be established and built up in the light of God’s truth. Like prophets, shepherds and teachers principally exercise their ministry in a local church (13:1) but can also shepherd and teach the church of God in every place. In the early days Apollos was a shepherd and teacher. Whether he was in Ephesus or Corinth, he taught and watered people with God’s word (18:24—19:1; 1 Cor. 3:6).
Gifts are given to the church by Christ; they cannot be appointed by man. They can be given only by Christ, the ascended Head. In the giving of gifts, there is room only for the authority of Christ the Head.