AHU - The Apostolic Hub in Uganda

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Which role do you identify with best?

Some helpful definitions of the five-fold ministries.

Apostle – an apostle is a Christian who advocates an important belief system and is sent out to construct the kingdom of God here on earth. Apostles have a spiritual gifting and special job, combined with exemplary characters. An apostle has Christians, congregations and ministry leaders who recognise the gift and willingly submit to the apostle’s spiritual authority. An apostolic ministry is defined by central tasks, such as receiving revelation, transmitting a vision, pioneering, establishing a functioning polity, discipling, sending off, and activating God’s blessings in others, as well as aligning generations and equipping Christians in local churches.

Definition: “An apostle is a Christian leader, gifted, taught, commissioned, and sent by God with the authority to establish the foundational government of the church within an assigned sphere of ministry by hearing what the Spirit is saying to the churches and by setting things in order accordingly for the growth and maturity of the church and for the extension of the kingdom of God.”(Peter Wagner)

The Apostolic Office becomes a public affirmation that a Christian is recognised as possessing an apostolic spiritual gift and is authorised to use that apostolic gift within the church. The gift of apostleship is a special calling given to some so that a Christian can exercise apostolic responsibility in a number of local churches and ministries having exceptional authority in spiritual questions. This, in turn, is recognised and appreciated by the churches that have recognised the gift and the accompanying authority. Apostels are not at the top because they have successfully climbed the church ladder; they have a serving position because they were able to build a relationship and trust with others around them, who then awarded them leadership responsibility.

Prophet – A prophet is a Christian who is believed to have been chosen by God to speak the messages that God wants people to hear. There is a difference between the office of a prophet and the gift of prophecy; not all who prophesy are prophets, yet every prophet prophesies. The office of the prophet carries a much greater influence in word and deed, and a Christian who holds the office of a prophet has a role of authority, as there is a different realm of spiritual responsibility. Prophets build up other Christians by using their gift, through training and mentoring and by laying on hands to impart spiritual power to others. A prophet often leads a prophetic team and will be recognised as such by a congregation. The prophetic office also requires an advanced level of character. The prophetic office is significant because there a connection between the gifts of prophecy and apostleship. God speaks directly to apostles through the gift of prophecy and prophets. It is the sole responsibility of every Christian who receives a prophetic word, to test it in accordance with the biblical procedures described in the New Testament. As it is possible for a prophet to err, such a person should be open to correction by other Christians; a true prophet is fully open to correction. A prophet is never a fortune teller or diviner, but always seeks to improve the revelatory process between God and humans. Prophetic authority is granted in order to establish a passion for Jesus Christ and an uncompromising heart for doing things God’s way.

Evangelist – An evangelist is a person who publicly preaches the gospel of Jesus Christ with the intention of inviting his audience to become Christians. An evangelist has a gift for sharing the gospel in such a way that those who do not already believe in Jesus, will easily become followers of Christ.

Pastor – A pastor is a leader of a Christian group or congregation who gives clerical advice and spiritual counsel. It is derived from the Latin word pastor, meaning shepherd. The understanding of pastoral ministry developed strongly after the 16 th century. Many denominations are well accustomed to the function of a pastor, as many churches have had them for around five hundred years. The ministry of pastor is defined as having the ability to manage people’s personal problems and having a big heart for people. Being a good pastor is having a spiritual gift for counselling and not primarily a gift of leadership. Their emotional energy will not be completely exhausted by other peoples’ problems and such a pastor will show a high level of sensitiveness. A gifted pastor will be empathic without tiring of other’s problems.

Teacher – A teacher is a person who helps other Christians to acquire knowledge and competence about theological issues and Christian doctrine, including the meaning, context, and application of the Bible to their lives. People who are gifted in teaching enjoy studying the word of God and other pertinent teachings, so to communicate spiritual insights and wisdom to other Christians. Such people can easily organise immense amounts of information so that it becomes easy to communicate, understand, and remember. It is a teacher’s task to train Christians in what God's word says, communicated in a way which holds their interest, fits their audience’s age level, correctly represents doctrinal intent, and encourages others to use what they have learnt. Effective teaching helps Christians to know, follow and serve God in all that they say and do.