WHY WE TOTALLY NEED EACH OTHER IN CHURCH MINISTRY

By Brother Josphert Kimatu

 We share with you another dynamic outline of a timely message named “Unity in Ministry”. We have two classes of believers. One is the class of carnal believers shown by the life of king Saul, and the other is the class of Spiritual believers who are represented by the life of king David, through these two men you will study and see the five-fold ministries of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. The five ministries according to the study below have been ordained by God that they should all work together in a perfect interconnection.

 

WHO IS A CARNAL BELIEVER?

The Apostle Paul in I Corinthians Chapter 3 says about carnal and spiritual believers from verse one,

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat, for hither to ye were not able to bear it, neither yet are ye able, for ye are yet carnal; for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

From the above you easily see the characteristics of a carnal believer, which I have listed below.

1. They are babies in Christ. A new born believer can only be carnal most of the times.
2. They do not understand the deep things of Christ. Hence, they only want to dwell on the basic doctrines of Christ.
3. They are envious.
4. They have strife or conflicts or contentions.
5. They are usually the cause of divisions.

To be “carnal” means to manifest “self” will. It is a believer who has eternal life but still very selfish. He is using the will of God to satisfy his own will. He can not pray “not my will but thine be done”. He fights never to suffer for Christ’s sake. A carnal believer is ready to blame others for hard times and circumstances and ready also to claim honour for the good which has happened. He will use others for experimental purposes and if they fail he blames them. He does not understand that God has put the wondrous treasure of His will in an earthen vessel (II Cor. 4:7). My dear brethren, the church has so many carnal believers who can not say like Paul “I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ who lives in them” (Galatians 2:20). We in many cases do not see Christ alone being manifested but a mixture of Christ and the person. May we disappear from the platform and let Christ alone be seen. For Christ’s sake, let us allow the cross of Christ to do a deep work in our lives. For Christ’s sake!

 

The Pictures of Carnal Believers in the Bible

The word of God paints a dramatic picture of carnal believers in the Old Testaments. I believe we have more dangers as a body of Christ in carnal believers than from heathens. That is why I think our Lord Jesus Christ warned us of throwing our holy things and our pearls before dogs and swine, Matthew 7:6

Give not that is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest thy trample them under their feet and turn again and rend you.

Clean animals, according to the Old Testament are animal which have divided hooves and chew the cud. According to that definition it seems the dog is unclean outside, because it has no hooves, and it is also unclean inside because it has no ability to chew cud. Hence, dogs represent sinners, those who are not washed in their hearts and in their character. The swine have divided hooves (meaning clean outside), but they do not chew the cud, meaning they are unclean inside. These are the most dangerous, the Bible calls them hypocrites. Their character seems to have some godliness but their hearts have never touched the Lord Jesus Christ in his Holiness. I believe this is the effect of allowing carnal believers to be preachers.

Other pictures of carnal and spiritual believers’ relationships are shown by:

1. The life of Esau and Jacob. Esau was carnal but Jacob was spiritual. Although, in many other scenes of their lives you could see other lessons of different life principles like passive versus active seekers of God’s eternal will or the desire to take God’s purposes seriously and the carelessness which does not facilitate divine acceleration on one’s life.  The battles between the two were a matter of life and death. One sees God, the other one sees himself. One sees eternity, the other one sees now.
2. The life of Saul and David. This is a real lengthy graphic illustration of the details and even the eventual outcomes of the soulish and spiritual parallel lives, and this is what I will dwell upon in this study.

Precaution:

Open your Bible and let the Holy Spirit show you the Gospel.

You know that truth is in three facts. These are in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6). In the Word of God (John 17:17) and in the Spirit of Truth (1 John 5:6). If the three are not agreeing please avoid deception and be wise, in Jesus Name.

CARNALITY: AS SHOWN BY SAUL

(Read the entire book of I Samuel). After reading you shall realize that nobody can say that Saul never knew God. Saul actually knew God. He had a touch of the Spirit of God. He knew Jehovah, the God of Israel. Actually, the Bible says in I Sam. 10:10 that when Saul was anointed, the Holy Spirit came upon him and he prophesied. That is a person who knows God. The Bible also tells us that when he sinned, the Holy Spirit departed from him. The Holy Spirit can only depart from where He was before. This can also speak as well of a believer who has been touched by God, but does not walk in the Spirit. A believer who has touched God, but does not walk in the Spirit. A believer who wants to use the Holy Spirit instead of allowing the Holy Spirit to use him or her. That is the case of Saul.

The Fruits of Carnality

On studying the life of Saul, we see the development of the stages which usually will destroy all carnal believers. Let me say briefly, that carnality is a dangerous attitude. One who is carnal will be triggered to his end at the moment he or she meets the spiritual. So long as all people around you are as carnal as dead as you are there is no problem. But the moment the spiritual brethren came into the scene your doom is inevitable.

The Appearance of the Spiritual

When David appeared to King Saul with his exploits, the carnality of king Saul was exposed. David killed Goliath and this triggered the carnality of Saul to be manifested. The growth of carnality can be traced from a starting point, and each starting point leads to another, and to the glory of God, it should be realized that the carnal believer is usually trying to accomplish the spiritual by using his or her own efforts not by the Spirit. Thank God, the purposes of God are not achieved by physical power. It is not by power nor by might but by My Spirit, saith the LORD.

The Development of Carnality

Stage 1: Jealousy (I Sam. 18:8)

This is always the starting point of the manifestation of carnality. When self is confronted with a deed which it can not do, but can only be achieved by the Spirit of God. Saul became jealous because women were praising David that he had killed Goliath.

As they were coming home, when David returned from slaying the Philistines, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul with Timbrels, with sings of joy, and with instruments of music, and the women sang to one another as they made merry, Saul has slain his thousands, and thou sands, And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him;…And Saul eyed David from that day on. (I Sam. 8:6-9)

That is the first manifestation of carnality, it begins with jealousy. Brother if you do not control it at this stage, it will reach at unmanageable levels. Who or what is that which makes you jealous. Stop it and let the Spirit of the God take you to your level of your faith. Be humble and God shall supply the grace and in due time you shall be equipped with the Goliath destroying anointing also. There is a Godly challenge which is inspiring; but there is also satanic and fleshly jealousy which will soon enter into stage two.

Stage 2: Hate (I Sam. 18:29)

Saul continued eyeing on David but God kept the spiritual man in the path of advancement (I Sam. 18:14). This caused Saul to enter into stage two of carnality which is hate.

When Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that all Israel loved him, Saul was still more afraid of David, so Saul was David’s enemy continuously. (I Sam. 18:28-29)

Saul hated David to the extent of wishing him to enter into snares, troubles and even death. When you see, some people hating you it is because of something you have or can have which causes the hate in their hearts to manifest. Don’t revenge the hate because you will also be acting carnally. Do not cut even their garments of take their spears. Your work is to continue walking in the Spirit and you will see the glory of God. King Saul continued manipulating all people and events to join in his carnality but God was secretly showing his faithfulness and favour to his son David. This made the hate of Saul to overflow through his mouth as stage III of carnality.

Stage 3: Profane language (I Sam. 20:30)

Saul was so moved with envy and hate that he began to speak abusive words to his son Jonathan. I mean, Saul spoke the worst kind of abuse which a father can speak to his son. How can a man abuse a son concerning his wife!?

Then Saul’s anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said to him, “you son of a perverse rebellious woman, do I not know that you have chosen the son of Jesse to your own shame, and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness?” (I Sam. 20:30)

Carnality is an easily manifested character, when you hear these abusive words, son of God, do not worry or wonder, that is carnality. Don’t join them for their end is certain. Their talk will soon turn to be murderous, which is stage 4.

Stage 4: Killing God’s servants (I Sam. 22:17)

Saul realized that David was not easily deceived or misled to his traps, hence he decided personally to kill David. Not only that, but the servant of God who supported the spiritual man are also to be attacked. Is it not amazing that anybody calling him or herself saved is hated by the carnal even before they have fully explained themselves? They are called fanatics, foolish or anything but God is their shield by His Spirit.

And the King said to the guard who stood about Him, “Turn and kill the priests of the LORD; because their hand also is with David, and they knew that he fled and did not disclose it to me. (I Sam. 22:17)

The Lord has promised to keep not only the life of those who fear Him but even their bones shall not be broken (Ps. 34:20-22). And not any one who tries to kill a servant of God will be a friend of God even his cries will not be heard.

Stage 5: Prayers will not be answered (I Sam. 28:6)

When God starts to rebuke carnality and its deeds He starts by having a brass heaven on top of the carnal believer. And when Saul inquired of the LORD, the Lord did not answer him, either by dreams, or by Urim or by prophet (! Sam. 28:6).

My friend, if God says “NO”, who will dare to say anything? But because the fellow knew something about the supernatural. He decided to seek for demonic manifestation because of his pride, so that the group of people around him or her will not know that God has said “NO”! This is stage No. 6.

Stage 6: Turning to the devils (1 Sam. 28:7)

Then Saul said to his servants, “seek for me a woman who is a medium, that I may go to her and inquire of her.” And his servants said to him, “Behold there is a medium at Endor.” (1 Sam. 28:7)

This is a very dangerous deceptive demand. Pride demands signs and wonders but the self and the flesh can’t produce. Hence, the devil will have the chance to say “I can still help you”. Do you know that this is happening today? Some believers have gone to seek the devil for help because God said “NO” to their selfish wills! There is a time when God will take a believer like he told Abraham, I need you to sacrifice that “Isaac” who you love you’re making an idol out of the blessing which I have given you. At such a time say “yes” to God and “no” to your flesh and pride, otherwise you will turn to stage 7, for God will not share His glory with His creation.

Stage 7: Death (I Sam. 31:3-6)

The battle pressed hard upon Saul…he was badly wounded by the archers. Therefore, Saul took his own sword and fell upon it…thus Saul died, and his three sons and his armor bearer, and all his men, on the same day together. (I Sam. 31:3-6)

The carnal believer will die, and thank God that the calculation of the events will be that it is not the spiritual brother who will kill him but the carnal believer will kill himself by his own sword.

Hence, these are the seven stages of a carnal believer please memorize them and fill the blank spaces below

From your heart:

Jealous produces ………………, which makes abusive words to proceed out of the mouth, revealing the murder in the heart of a carnal man, this will stop prayers from being answered, and the carnal believer will turn to …………… and this will lead to death.

I believe that today carnality has reached stage six and soon we shall experience stage seven at a larger scale, let us see what we are supposed to do as spiritual brothers and sisters.

 

SPIRITUALITY: AS SHOWN BY DAVID

When Saul was manifesting his carnality, David was also being led by the Spirit into seven opposite places for maturity. And these places have a great mystery of pointing to us the five-fold ministries. Hence, we will show the places and the ministries which each place represents in the New Testament.

Place No. 1: Ramah (1 Sam. 19:18)

So David fled and escaped and came to Samuel at Ramah, and told him all that Saul had done to him. And he and Samuel went and dwelt at Naioth (1 Sam. 19:18)

When Saul was killing, and seeking to hurt the spiritual David, God led him to a place to hear the Word of God from the Prophet. You see, when Saul is speaking abusive words, David is prophesying. Hence, the spiritual believer hears or enters into the prophetic ministry. He went to dwell with Samuel. Whoever Samuel touched prophesied.

Place No. 2: Nob (1 Sam. 21:1)

Then came David to Nob to Ahimelech that priest and Abimelech came to meet David. Nob is a place for priesthood role in a believer. It’s a preparation of a deeper ministry in his or her life. God is starting to trust a believer.

Place No. 3: Adullam (1 Sam. 22:1-2)

David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam, and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him and every one that was in distress and every one that was in debt and ever one that was discontented fathered themselves unto him; and he became a captain over them and there were with him about 400 men. (1 Sam. 22:1-2)

The ministry which helps the distressed and discontented is the Evangelist Ministry. David now winning souls when Saul was killing souls. David was winning souls for God. Dear Sir, you are either gathering or gunning souls.

Place No. 4: the land of Judah into the forest of Hareth (1 Sam. 22:5)

In this forest, David said to the people of God in verse 23, “Stay with me, does not for he that seeks my life, seeks your life, with me you shall be in safekeeping.” (1 Sam. 22:23)

The Ministry of a pastor was manifested as David was instructing fearful brethren and guarding them as a shepherd of the Lord’s flock.

Place No. 5: At Ziph (1 Sam. 23:15)

And the two of them (Jonathan and David) made a covenant before the LORD: David remained at Horesh and Jonathan went home. (1 Sam. 23:18)

God will lead a faithful son to a deeper commitment to him by showing him his covenant (Ps. 25:14). The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, him He will show them His covenant. This is now COVENANT RELATIONSHIP. It’s eternal.

Place No. 6: Engedi (1 Sam. 23:29)

And David went up from thence and dwelt in the strong holds of Engedi (1 Sam. 23:29). At this stage, according to 1 Sam. 27:2, there was growth from the 400 men to 600 men.

So, David arose and went over, he and the six hundred men who were with him (1 Sam. 27:2). Hence after, David taught the people about the LORD the anointing attracted them to God, hence the teaching ministry was manifested. The ministry of a teacher.

Place No. 7: Hebron (II Sam. 2:13, II Sam. 5:3)

It requires great grace for us to reach this stage but we have started to see so much of this stage.

And David brought up his men who were with him, every one with his household, and they dwelt in the towns of Hebron. And the men of Judah anointed David king over the house of Judah (II Sam. 2:3-4).

If you consider Acts 13, you will see the Holy Ghost telling the elders of church in Antioch to separate Paul and Barnabas for the work which they were called. Hence the place Hebron speaks of the Apostolic Ministry.

You can see the addition of priesthood and kingly ministries in the above places. All these ministries are glued by covenantal relationship between a believer and God.

Now brethren, let us give all the glory to God for all revelation above, Amen.

 

THE REVELATION

Now, I was thrilled by such an understanding and I realized that the order in the Old Testament is almost opposite the order of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelist, Pastors and Teachers in the New Testament (Ephesians 4:11). I started doing some mathematics and realized the following:

ACCURATE BIBLICAL MATHEMATICS

When you look at the order of the five ministries in the Old Testament and the order in the New Testament you shall see an amazing divine organization. We wrote two columns as:

The Ministry’s	The Ministry’s
Old Testament Order	New Testament Order
1. Prophet	1. Apostle
2. Evangelist	2. Prophet
3. Pastor	3. Evangelist
4. Teacher	4. Pastor
5. Apostle	5. Teacher

Then, I realized that I could pair the column of the Old Testament with the column of the New Testament. Therefore, I came up with the following pairs of the ministries:

1)    Prophet who is No. 1 in the Old Testament pairs with an Apostle who is No. 1 in New Testament.

2)    Evangelist who is No. 2 in Old Testament pairs with No. 2 in the New Testament who is a Prophet.

3)    A Pastor who is No.3 in Old Testament pairs with No. 3 in the New Testament who is an Evangelist.

4)    A Teacher who is No.4 in Old Testament pairs with No. 4 in the New Testament who is a Pastor.

5)    An Apostle who is No.5 in Old Testament pairs with No. 5 in the New Testament who is a Teacher.

Hence the pairs which I call the main pairs are listed in summary form below:

THE MINISTRY MAIN PAIRS

1. Apostle      +          Teacher

2. Teacher      +          Pastor

3. Pastor        +          Evangelist

4. Evangelist +          Prophet

5. Prophet      +          Apostle

You can notice the line which crosses the four lines (4 is the number of earth). That line is the Ministry of Apostles and Prophet who lay the foundation of all the work of the church of Jesus Christ.

If you love mathematics you can feed the information in a computer and work on it. On every occasion, you will see the Apostle + Prophet Ministry combination being the most pronounced.

Further analysis of the data shows that we need not only the pairs but all the other ministries are important.

Apostle according to the data above will need a Teacher and a Prophet who is turn will need an Evangelist and a Pastor.  see the chart on the side.

 

Who can say that this is not God ordained? It is not only the mathematics bit, but also the carnal believer and the spiritual believer analysis which seem to be so divine. Glory to God in Jesus Name!

This brings strong combinations between:

1. Apostle + Prophet (Father)

2. Evangelist + Pastor (Holy Spirit)

3. Pastor + Teacher (Son)

The Father is the originator, the Holy Spirit expands it, but it is the son who keeps it!

Q: Do you understand how the strong bonds above have been calculated From Table 1?

If the number or order in the Old Testament is written above the specific ministry, and the like orders linked. The scheme usually follows as shown below, to reveal that we are all linked to make up a complete house.

 

NB:

1. You can learn tremendously great things in the chart above, as you consider how we should link the ministries.

2. I have a Prophetic-Teacher Ministry and that is why as a teacher I relate will with the Pastors and Apostles, but as a Prophet I relate will with Evangelists and Apostles.

3. And Evangelist who cannot relate with Pastors and Prophets is not a God ordained Evangelist.

4. It is not easy for a Teacher to relate to Evangelists, they account Evangelists as too shallow, but a Pastor will link the deep and shallow for the saints.

The strong team of Apostle Paul:

Paul was called when he was a Teacher and a Prophet, in Acts 13:1-2. At that time the Holy Ghost gave him the Apostolic Ministry (II Cor. 12:12). But he moved around with Timothy who was an Evangelist (II Timothy). Paul actually sought for him. Titus was a Pastor (Titus).

Hence this is Combination No. 1

 

The Bible says a Cord of three strings is not easily broken (Eccl. 4:12)

I believe we are yet to fathom the mystery of how the church should be build, but the Holy Spirit is revealing them to us now. Amen.

For further inquiries:

This teaching can further be discussed in Bible studies and conferences. Blessed are those who seek the Book of the LORD (Isaiah 34:16) for they shall find the deep glory of our Father’s wisdom in Christ.