Equipping the Equippers

The topic of the fivefold ministry-the apostle, prophet, teacher, pastor and evangelist appointed by Christ to equip His Church (Eph, 4:11) was central to two movements in previous decades: the Shepherding Movement in the 1970s, and the New Apostolic Reformation in the 1990s and early 2000s. While both movements saw important elements of this ministry restored to the church, they also saw misunderstandings and abuses that prevented the fivefold from becoming more widely established in doctrine and practice. Yet a fresh wave of fivefold restoration is coming to the body of Christ and with it, fresh understanding about why this ministry is so critical to the growth, health and success of both the local and global church.