We don’t often delve into this topic due to the abuses we’ve witnessed. When we embark on our journey with Jesus, we are grounded in His promise that He will ‘never leave or forsake’ us. (Hebrews 13:5) The nearness of God becomes tangible through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s work, as Jesus defined it, is to teach and cause us to remember all that He said. (John 14:26) His work also unifies the Church, stirring us to walk humbly and serve one another. (Ephesians 4:1-16)

As the apostle Paul rightly points out, the Holy Spirit’s role in uniting the Church is completed through the gifts that Jesus gave to His Church. These five giftings, often called the ‘five-fold ministry,’ cannot be ignored. They are essential for the Church to fulfill Its purpose. We need the full function of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Each holds a unique and vital value.

Let’s be honest. We’ve seen much abuse by those who claim to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, or teachers. We’ve seen men and women take up these titles and then demonstrate a crippling deficiency in integrity. The name and message of Jesus have suffered a significant loss because of the abuse of these titles. These giftings in a person do not exempt them from the perils of pride, moral compromise, or fraudulent behavior. In fact, after every uncovered impropriety, financial scam, and report of emotional or verbal abuse, the Church’s confidence in the five-fold ministry suffers reproach. Whenever I speak with someone who discounts the need for the five-fold roles, their objection isn’t rooted in a scriptural context but rather in the abuse of a specific person who claimed to be a prophet, evangelist, or apostle.

Our cautionary hesitation, though often justifiable, shouldn’t keep us from experiencing the truth of what Jesus gave to us. We need true apostles to establish healthy spiritual, sociological, governmental, and cultural systems. We need prophets who can teach the Church how to see into the realm of God’s activity and bring about supernatural deliverance for communities. We need evangelists who passionately stir the heart of the Church to impact a region with the love of Jesus. We need pastors and teachers to cultivate families and Church communities to live in the fullness of who they are in Christ. Each of these roles plays a distinct part in the influence of the Church in a region.

We need them, but how do we differentiate between true and false prophets, evangelists, apostles, teachers, and pastors? First, rely on something other than social media to be your source of information. Most popular pundits rise to fame because they are excessively vocal in criticizing spiritual leaders. Too many have succumbed to the delusion that they have a “calling” to alert the Church regarding false prophets. This is not a calling; it is simply a grab for popularity. Hostile accusations are indicative of the enemy’s work, and it’s heartbreaking to see so many Christians aiding the enemy’s plan of strife and division.

How do you evaluate someone who claims to function as a five-fold minister? Jesus’ warning gives a clear standard to use. He said, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits.” Though this text speaks of false prophets, the principle is easy to apply to all leadership. What does fruit in this text mean? It means a visible pattern of behavior.

For example, if someone claims to be a prophet but has a pattern of behavior that causes division, strife, fraud, or immorality, they are a false prophet. Let me clarify that they may have a gift, but because they lack the character of a godly leader, they are not to be followed or trusted, hence the reason they are identified as “false.” When one is recognized as a “false prophet,” it doesn’t mean they don’t have the five-fold gift they claim; no, it means that they can’t be trusted despite the gift.

Too often, we can fall into the trap of trusting someone because they can demonstrate a supernatural ability; this is a huge mistake. Trust can only be secured by a visible pattern of behavior. So, to evaluate a five-fold minister, go back a few years into their life and see what patterns of behavior they have developed. Do they cause division in churches? Do they have anger problems? Do they push the moral boundaries? Do they have the discipline to say no to self-interests? Do they demonstrate humility? These are the questions you should be asking. Then there’s always ask-your-spouse” or community test. Ask people you know and trust what they hear from the Holy Spirit about that leader. Let me close with the questions I often ask when evaluating a five-fold minister.

1. Did they submit themselves to a time of extensive training? I’ve heard inexperienced preachers argue that “the disciples never went to Bible School” to validate their lack of education. But this only reveals a greater need for it. The title that the disciples most frequently used to address Jesus was Rabbi. This title indicates the Jewish system of vocational religious training. A rabbi selected disciples and trained them for years to duplicate his life and teachings. In John Mark Comer’s book, “Practicing the Way,” you can discover how the clear and compelling model of rabbinical teaching worked. Rabbis didn’t transfer knowledge as a professor teaches physics; he taught a way of life that was prescribed through his understanding of the scriptures (Torah). It is this model of training Jesus offered His disciples for three years. If it took the disciples three years of face-to-face training with Jesus, the standard need for extensive training is evident.
2. Is this leader developing godly, victorious disciples? Yes, every leader has followers who can distort their teachings and use them to benefit their ambitions. However, a healthy leader creates a reputation by producing godliness in their followers. False leaders, by default, duplicate pride, promiscuity, greed, and other unhealthy behaviors.

With these evaluation tips in mind, my hope is that you will throw off the belief that there are no healthy five-fold ministers of the gospel. There are many out there. Unfortunately, the few broken ones tend to grab our attention and distort the perception all healthy leaders. I have great relationships with healthy apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teachers. They have enriched my life and aided me in following Jesus. I challenge you to seek out five-fold leaders with these giftings to empower you in your spiritual and personal growth.