Next wave july 2013 final by Life Network

THE VOICE OF THE FIVEFOLD ROUNDTABLE | VOLUME 81 ISSUE 7 JULY 2013

IN THIS ISSUE: LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE – HOW DO I KNOW MY FIVEFOLD MINITRY ROLE? Distinctions in Ministry Gifting, Role and Function

What You Should Know About Fivefold Ministry

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FIVEFOLD MINISTRY ROLE Bernie L. Wade

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Distinctions in Ministry Gifting, Role and Function

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RESTORATION OF THE CHURCH 2

Pride and Punishment By Robert Straube

HOW DO I KNOW MY

know what it is that God has called them to contribute. This is much more important in the larger mission as Disciples of Christ. If you already know what you are called to do then you are on your way to understanding your fivefold role. The thing that God has given you to accomplish will be your passion. It will be the thing that makes you want to get up in the morning. You will think about it in some form or fashion nearly all the time. In most cases it will be the primary thing in your life even in work and hobbies. For example someone who is called to the fivefold role of teacher will most likely find that they are passionate about teaching in general; not just in the body of Christ.

FIVEFOLD MINISTRY ROLE? By Bernie L. Wade If you are like many others you may not know for certain your fivefold ministry role or gifting. You are certainly not alone. I find that many ministers have not been helped in this area. It may be that you are filling a role without really knowing if that is what God called you accomplish. I’ve noticed a lot of leaders fill, volunteer or be drafted for positions because there was a need, not because it was how God designed them or gifted them. As a result, many are feeling tired, unfulfilled and empty.

This person will desire or fill a teaching role in their family, job and community. We oft times don’t see that the gifting God has placed in us transcends beyond that function in the Body of Christ. God gave you the gifting and it will function wherever you are located.

Knowing for certain the role you are to fulfill in the fivefold ministry will remove doubt, confusion, and indecision. Let’s see if we can help. For a moment, set aside the particular role of ministry that God has called you to and let’s focus on purpose. We have found that the best way to start is to understand what God has called you to do. Most people 3

the Spirit in the bond of peace. The very first thing that all fivefold ministry needs to understand (and unfortunately this is very lacking in the Body of Christ) is we are instructed to be worthy. Worthiness is not measured in works but in spirit. We are first instructed to have genuine humility and gentleness. This is to be followed by longsuffering and love. These are attributes of the fruit of the spirit and while we should all have them; they are not manifested in most of the lives of those claiming to represent God in some fivefold role. We cannot move forward without true humility. We are inundated with load of SELF. Most of those who are identify themselves with fivefold roles do so by making it an office, title and position. They are introduced as, The Very Reverend, Dr. Bishop, His Eminence, Lord So and So or some similar designation. Wow!

In this example the purpose is to teach the Body of Christ. This helps us to understand the fivefold role which is teacher. Now let’s turn our attention to the fivefold roles. Ephesians 4:8, 11-13 speaks of five ministry gifts given to the Body of Christ by Christ after he ascended. “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men…And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” KJV The first thing to notice is that these roles are all presented in lower case. These fivefold roles were not offices of the church; these are gifts from God and He is the only thing that really matters in the equation. These gifts are also known as ascension gifts because Christ gave them after he descended to earth and ascended back to heaven. (Ephesians 4:1-16, John 3:13, Psalm 68:18) I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, 2 with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,3 endeavoring to keep the unity of

Do you read humble and gentle in that? I expect not. Rather, this is a manifestation of pride. These sign their business card and other related items 4

Pastor So and So. They have their name on their Church sign with similar designation. Unfortunately, these are not manifestations of God or His ministry. These are rather manifestations of man and man-made religious systems. In case you are looking for the one guilty of these sins, let me make it easy for you. I am the man. I am guilty of these things.

with our sins of OMISSION. Spurgeon reminded us of this regarding our sins of omission. “There must be worked in us as a work of Divine Grace—a deep abhorrence of sin, an earnest clinging to purity, a resolute pursuit of everything that is peaceful, and lovely, and of good repute—or else let us prate as we may, we shall have no inheritance in the kingdom of God! I preach not salvation by works in any sense or degree, or shape, or form, but salvation by Grace alone!”1

I know that many of us have fallen prey to these deceptions but the time to correct this error is now. Claiming to be a love slave to Jesus Christ and then signing your name, Prophet so and so, screams of false humility and pride whether we realize (or admit) the error or not. You are not alone. Many of us have been guilty of these errors. I am reminded of Jeremiah telling us to deal

Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit. Volume 14 org 1 SINS OF OMISSION NO. 838. DELIVERED ON LORD’SDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 25, 1868, BY C. H. SPURGEON, AT THE METROPOLITAN TABERNACLE, NEWINGTON.

lord over them. Apostle Peter2 gave us this instruction: 1The elders which are

To these profound errors we must make immediate correction. We are not the GIFT. Jesus Christ is the Gift; we are merely vessels He chooses to use. We need to understand that the fivefold ministry given by Christ are roles within the Body of Christ for specific purpose. These were not purposed to in any way exalt men or make them seem or feel superior. In fact, if anything be the case these make the fivefold more a servant role than the rest of the Body of Christ.

among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away. (I Peter 5:1-4).

I have often said, “If there was no money connected to ministry most pulpits would be empty on Sunday morning.” I would add to that, “Take away the esteem, the pomp, the ceremony and the titles and there will be even fewer feeling the ‘call’ to ministry.”

Yet, we are all servants of Jesus Christ. To make these errors even more pronounced we have created a plethora of ministerial groups most of which lift up, separate or esteem the ministers above the rest of the Body of Christ. We then use these man-made systems to create division from our brothers and sisters. This is SIN. This is a manmade system and is not in any way associated with the New Testament Church or the Body of Christ. Of this we need to repent.

This is a clarion call to the people of God. We have to get back what we have lost. We have inherited a church that is more interested in man-made religion than on being the people of God; we have to repent. My friends, drop the titles! Your gift will make room for you! Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater here. There are some purposes for ministerial fellowships, but they are few. One good

The fivefold ministry is given to help the Body of Christ not to be superior to or

Note: the capital here is only to designate a proper noun.

example is to provide documents that help ministers gain access to restricted places such as jails, hospitals, etc. who want to know that qualified individuals are coming there to minister.

to earth to redeem man; and ascended to heaven to glorify us.4 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. I Cor. 12:28

While I shall be trying to speak of your great omissions, perhaps conscience may be at work, and the Holy Spirit may work through conscience so that you may be led to repentance, and to faith, and through faith to salvation.3 Pause here and ask God to cleanse your heart. Ask Him to help you to learn to be humble as His perfect example was to all of us. Ask Him to help you to walk in humility. Ask Him to help us all to remember that not one of us is greater than the other, but we are all made worthy because He redeemed us from our sins. Nothing else really matters!

Since the writer said first apostles letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s begin our study with the apostle. APOSTLE apostolos = a delegate; ambassador, from the word delegate; specifically an ambassador of the Gospel; officially a commissioner of Christ ["apostle"] (with miraculous powers):-apostle, messenger, he that is sent.

Remember that no man helped Jesus Christ redeem us from our sins. This He did alone and for us. Christ descended 3

Robin Kegler. http://fivefoldministryanswers.wordpress.com/2007 /10/06/tip-what-is-the-five-fold-ministry/

Ibid. Spurgeon.

ambassador = A diplomat of the highest rank accredited as representative in residence by one government to another

applying this word, apostle, to the role of the ministry Jesus extends His authority to the disciples. This authority and power is unprecedented and manifested throughout the New Testament. The word "apostle", from the Greek apostello "to send forth", "to dispatch", has etymologically a very general sense. Apostolos (Apostle) means one who is sent forth, dispatched -- in other words, who is entrusted with a mission, rather, a foreign mission. It has, however, a stronger sense than the word messenger, and means as much as a delegate.6

It is evident that as Christ manifested the true and birthed His vision for His Kingdom that He expected His apostles to fill the same role in molding the standards of His Church and instructing overseeing the general direction of His Church. "Heaven's blueprint for the Church."5 The apostle brings no will of his own but is merely the agent of heaven and his King, Jesus Christ.

The body of Christ is the continuation of His earthly ministry and is eternal. The apostle is sent by God to establish the work of God. When God calls, He also equips. As we see in Gal 1:21-24, While Apostle Paul was generally ignored by the Jerusalem Church he was mentored in the things of Christ by his spiritual father Apostle Barnabas who guided him into spiritual maturity. There is the misconception that you can only work for the Lord if you are in full time ministry, (i.e. you are being paid a salary). This is not the model of the New Testament Church as probably all of the Apostles had occupations like Apostle Paul who made tents. If you have an occupation you can also be in ministry.

In New Testament times, in the Roman army, an apostle was a military officer who enforced Roman cultural standards and practices in cities where the Romans had recently conquered. In

For what is it wherein ye were inferior to other churches, except it be that I

The Next Wave. Restoration of the Charismata. Apostle. Page 31. Dr. Bernie L. Wade. 2010. Truth, Liberty and Freedom Press (TLFP).

Wade. Apostle. Page 35.

myself was not burdensome to you? forgive me this wrong.

the rest of the Fivefold ministry in particular and the Body of Christ in general. 3. An apostle will be a spiritual father (I Cor 4:15-21) although he will not be called ‘father.’ 4. An apostle will be a visionary. This vision will make manifest in direction and leadership others can follow. We can follow an apostle because first and foremost he will follow Christ. 5. An apostle will have humility. This characteristic is coupled with servant hood. Humility is a necessary attitude because of the calling of apostleship. The apostle will have understanding of the other fivefold roles (prophet, pastor, teacher and evangelist). In our diagram of the hand (see below), the apostle is the thumb.

Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. Paul was not burdensome on the church of the Corinthians. We are sometimes taught by other Christians that we will one day go into the full time ministry if we obey God, serve them like Joshua served Abraham, and if we attend church regularly, pay tithes or some other scheme in which men attempt to persuade you to submit to them. This is the man-made religious system – not the plan of God. Our overall purpose in this article is to help determine roles in the Body of Christ. We have developed a quick list to help you see if your role is in this area. Each of the fivefold ministry gifts has specific qualifications. Here are 5 for the apostle: QUICK LIST FOR ROLE OF APOSTLE 1. An apostle will have a servant spirit. Any position of fivefold ministry, especially this one, requires a servant heart. 2. An apostle will have spiritual authority. It is understood authority from Jesus Christ, not lording over others; or dictatorship. An apostle is also under someone else’s authority answering to

Like the thumb, the apostle can touch each of the other fingers. However, all five fingers are needed for the hand to function properly. This does not make him all five as some incorrectly 9

understand but gives definition to his role as the apostle brings Gods government to the body of Christ.

Christ). 3. Anointed by other members of the fivefold as in the example of the Antioch Church and confirmed by the Body of Christ. 4. That they should have independent plenary knowledge of the gospel. 5. Should be willing to pay the price (make the necessary sacrifice) to be an apostle. 6. Preach or be a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 7. Do the work of an evangelist 8. Organize and/or strengthen the body 9. Identify, appoint and train qualified ministers to teach others thus continuing the mission and the ministry of the fivefold and the relationship of spiritual fathers to sons. 10. Signs and wonders.

Being an apostle means being part of the five-fold ministry. Their purpose is to bring the body of Christ to maturity so that the body can do the work God has purposed for them. Being an apostle means that signs and wonders will be part of their ministry. Their job is to represent the kingdom of God within the other kingdoms. The authority of the apostles was modeled by the chief Apostle, the Lord Jesus Christ, who taught them that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve,” (Mark 10:45). Demonstrating the type of authority he would place in His church through his apostles Jesus, on occasion, acted sharply and decisively against certain sins, such as the desecration of His Father’s house (Mark 11:15–17; John 2:13–16) and the exploitative hypocrisy of the teachers of the Law and Pharisees (Matthew 23). He carefully avoided the trappings of political and institutional power and modeled extraordinary humility and patience for His apostles.

Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

CRITERIA FOR AN APOSTLE 1. Called by God 2. Appointed to their role by someone of equal or higher spiritual authority (i.e. someone in the Body of 10

PROPHET

in specific terms. With the words of wisdom, they provide wisdom in difficult situations. Jesus displayed such gift of wisdom when He was faced with the condemned adulteress (John 8:1-12) and also during the issue about to whom should the people pay their taxes (Matthew 22:15-22). In having the gift of discernment, prophets are able to discern whether certain people are speaking on behalf of God's Spirit, human spirits or evil spirits.”

nabiy' = a prophet (to speak by

While the apostle brings the fivefold gift of casting vision or direction for the body, the prophet confirms that the apostle is hearing from God and moving the body in the proper direction or order. “The prophets speak on behalf of God and reveal His will. They are important in today's church because all Christians need to know the heart of God and learn how to work together for His glory.”i

"Eighty and six years have I served Him, and he never did me any injury; how then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?" ~Polycarp No exposition of the office of Prophet would be complete without a thorough examination of the actual name "Prophet" in the original language of the Bible. The Hebrew word for Prophet is the word nabi from a root meaning "to bubble forth, as from a fountain," hence "to utter". This Hebrew word is the first and the most generally used for a prophet. 7

Like the apostle we find the prophet in the New Testament as part of the gifts that God gave to his bride. It is here in the true that we find the imprimatur for the prophet which was the dominate role or office in the Old Testament. God continually revealed Himself and His plan for the redemption of mankind to His prophets and through His prophets to His people.

The purpose of the prophetic ministry is to guide the church. The prophets usually exercise revelation gifts such as words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discerning of the spirit in their prophecies. With the words of knowledge, they may foretell the future

We have developed a quick list to help you see if your role is in this area. Each of the fivefold ministry gifts has specific qualifications. Here are 5 for the prophet:

The Role of the Prophet in the New Testament Church by Rev. Mark J. Dibois, Ph.D.

After the Advent of Christ we see numerous accounts of the prophets continuing their role of being the ‘watchmen on the wall’ such as the prophet Agabus prophesying to Apostle Paul. Like the rest of the fivefold the prophet finds his true in the New Testament and is in the pattern of God in the Old Testament and still today.

The role of the prophet confirming the apostle is apparent in many places in the bible. This shows the importance of the fivefold ministry working in harmony providing protection and direction to the Body of Christ. It is evident in the life of Abraham, Moses and others. The prophet does not make stuff up to say or imagine the will or plan of God.

QUICK LIST FOR ROLE OF PROPHET 1. Prophets guide. Prophets confirm. Hand in hand with the apostle 2. Prophets must speak not of their own accord or in their own name or any other, but in the Name of the Lord only. 3. Prophecies must be consistent with prior revelation. Prophets do not recreate God’s plan they confirm His plan. 4. Prophets speak what the Lord tells them to speak. Prophets must not encourage idolatry or any other sin. Deu 13:5 And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, shall be put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. 5. All prophecies must come true (the test of Moses for the true prophet). Deu 18:21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the

The whole purpose of the bible is to redeem mankind from his sin. The whole of Scripture is consumed with this theme which would have its fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Prophets of old did not predict in the sense of some extra sensory perception. Rather (as God has spoken the end from the beginning as the lamb slain before the foundation of the world) the prophets were reporting on what God had revealed to them concerning the events leading up to His coming.

LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.

1. Not everyone is a prophet. For example, a boy may wear a Cubs baseball cap, but that does not mean he plays professional baseball for the Chicago Cubs. You may prophesy, but operating in the simple gift of prophecy does not qualify you to stand in the office of a prophet, much like wearing a Cubs hat does not qualify you to play baseball for the Chicago Cubs - you must be gifted. To stand in the office of a prophet, one must have a consistent manifestation of at least two of the revelation gifts ( word of wisdom, word of knowledge, or discerning of spirits) plus prophecy.9

A very common misunderstanding about prophets is the difference between:

2. The gift of prophecy edifies, exhorts, and comforts (I Corinthians 14:3); helps us build up or strengthen; and should lead us to the Word of God. It is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to come (John 16:8-11).

1. The role of the prophet and 2. The operation of the gift of prophecy. The two are distinctly diverse. There must be distinction made between one who speaks out under the unction of the gift of prophecy and one who is a prophet. The prophet is a role. The individual in that office will almost certainly operate in the gift of prophecy as well as other revelation gifts (word of knowledge, word of wisdom, and discernment of spirits) but should not be limited to this. Elijah for example operated in the gift of miracles.8

It is interesting to note that little is depicted about the role of the role of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;New testament prophetâ&#x20AC;?. This can also be said of the other offices in the body of Christ. It is therefore no stretch to assume that the role of the Prophet is essentially unchanged

The Role of the Prophet in the New Testament Church by Rev. Mark J. Dibois, Ph.D.

http://www.christcenteredmall.com/teachings/gifts /prophecy.htm

from its function and duty in the Old Testament.10

that thou shalt surely die, thou, and all that are thine.

It seems almost impossible to eliminate from the popular mind the idea that "prophecy" means "prediction." Yet this is a purely modern modification of its meaning. It rests upon a false etymology: the pro in this word is not the pro which means beforehand (as in prospectus), but the other pro which means in place of (as in pronoun): a prophet is one who speaks in place of another. When Moses had been shrinking from the mission to Israel on the ground of his inefficiency as a speaker, and Aaron was granted him as an assistant in this respect, the words were: `See, I have made thee [Moses] a god unto Pharaoh; and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; (Exod. 7:1)." As Aaron is thus the mouthpiece of Moses, so regularly in Scripture the prophet is the mouthpiece of God.11

Aaron Exo 7:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh: and Aaron thy brother shall be thy prophet. It is significant that as Moses emerges in an apostolic role (like his predecessor Joseph) that God brings the role of the prophet into full form through Aaron. Where the apostolic role brings government and direction the prophet provides guidance.

Miriam Exo 15:20 And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

Examples of Prophets Abraham Gen 20:7 Now therefore restore the man his wife; for he is a prophet, and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live: and if thou restore her not, know thou

Sometimes "prophets" try to hide the fact that they are not really prophets. They do this by saying that something did not happen because you and I did not have sufficient faith for it to happen. Once God says that something will happen, you no longer need faith - He

The Role of the Prophet in the New Testament Church by Rev. Mark J. Dibois, Ph.D. 11 The Role of the Prophet Reprinted from THE HERALD of November, 1949

said it will happen and therefore it is as good as done and there is nothing you or I could do (or not do) to prevent it from happening. This is called FAITH God will honor His Word because He cannot lie, make a mistake or be late because of unforeseen circumstances. A faithful servant is better off than a prophet

1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The Lord has always been very strict on prophets (and other five-fold ministers). His instructions are that we need to evaluate the information supplied by these prophets and that we should not just accept anything they say. But we have to compare what they are telling us to God's Word and if this is in line, we have to obey. But if these are not in line, these prophets were put to death in the Old Testament:

In conclusion it may be revealed that the office of Prophet is very much a part of the New Testament Church. His or Her role is one of aiding the various members in hearing from God and placing them in the correct path of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s will. There are some New Testament Prophets that use their gifts to predict the course of various members of Christâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body as well as predicting the course of some individuals. Prophets operate primarily in the revelation gifts. They are maintainers of order in themselves and Body at large. The Prophet office is as essential today as it was in the days of Elijah or Jeremiah. 12

DEU 18:20 But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. It is crucial that we know when a prophet is really talking by inspiration of the Holy Spirit and not the inspiration of their flesh or other things.

Judging Prophets 1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 12

The Scripture tells us that a pastor must be above reproach (Titus 1:6, 7; 1 Tim 3:2). This is the overarching, summarizing characteristic that is applicable to all of the fivefold. God never intended for the pastor to be somehow spiritually superior to the rest of the fivefold ministry or the Body of Christ.

AM I A PASTOR? STRONGS NT 1317: HEBREW: ra`ah = to tend a flock; to rule; to associate as a friend

You will find similar (but not identical) lists in 1st Timothy and Titus. Living a life above reproach is the first requirement in both lists and Titus repeats it. The other items on the list explain what “above reproach” means. If we peruse the two lists, as well as First Peter, we find 17 qualifications of an elder who is above reproach. This is a qualification for all in ministry. Apostle Paul, in his apostolic role, was setting order in the church. He was not creating positions, titles or hierarchy.

GREEK: poimen = a shepherd The meaning of the word Pastor is linked to that of a person who is responsible to tend to the flock as a friend or caretaker. διδακτικός, διδακτικη, (equivalent to διδασκαλικός in Greek writings), apt and skillful in teaching: 1 Timothy 3:2; 2 Timothy 2:24. (διδακτικη ἀρετή, the virtue which renders one teachable, docility, Philo). The most generally acknowledged of the fivefold roles is that of pastor. There are literally hundreds of thousands of pastors in the world. First of all, we need to remember that God, in His wisdom, gave pastors to the Body of Christ. However, He did not make them the head of the Church. He did not appoint pastors to rule over the local congregation. Those who operate in such a manner have man-made religious systems – not the plan of God. 16

In the modern application the pastor has in some man-made systems become the supreme leader of the local body (in various degrees) and in others he is merely an errand boy or a hireling to officiate over the religious services. None of these are the God given role of pastors.

flock, and any sick sheep is healed. Each one is known by name. 4. A nurturer, a friend. As a nurturer the pastor will generally minister to a manageable number of persons that are in their charge. In the modern church many of those who wear the title of pastor oversee a vast network of other subservient pastors. Note: this is not the biblical model but the model of men. 5. Teach knowledge and understanding. (Jer. 3:5).

We have developed a quick list to help you see if your role is in this area. Each of the fivefold ministry gifts has specific qualifications. Here are 5 for the pastor: QUICK LIST FOR THE ROLE OF PASTOR 1. Ability requirement. A Pastor must be able to teach (Titus 1:9; 1 Tim 3:2). All of the other qualifications are character qualities. This is the only ability-based requirement. A pastor must to be able to teach sound doctrine both by their own example and in communicating to others. If you are not capable of teaching then you are not a pastor as outlined by Scriptural standards. 2. A shepherd who watches out for the people of God. 3. Pastor-Teacher. The Greek word translated as pastor is simply the word for a shepherd. A shepherd is a person (man or woman) who cares for a flock of sheep. He or She leads them to a place where they can find food and water. He keeps the flock together, so it is safe from attack. At the same time each sheep receives individual attention. Those that stray are brought back to the

NOT A TEACHER EQUALS NOT A PASTOR It is interesting that many who wear the title ‘pastor’ see themselves as somehow disconnected from the people rather than the biblical model which has them very ‘hands on’ working daily with the people. The pastor is not an ascetic (living a life out of the reach of others) person but one of the Body of Christ (a servant). I am surprised that those who call themselves ‘pastor’ often admit that they are not teachers. This does not mean 17

that they are not a value to the Body of Christ; but it does reflect that they are not pastors. Most have been assigned as a pastor as part of a man-made religious order. Titus 2:15, Paul sums the pastoral role up in three words: teach, encourage, rebuke. This is the work of the pastor and teacher.

full of love. God calls them because they are people after God's heart. They do not qualify just because they attended Bible School or have some degrees behind their names. (Jer 3:15). Pastors are sensitive and reasonable (Jer 10:21) honest and truthful (Jer 23:14). It often happens that people leave their secular job to start a church. Starting churches is not the biblical role of a pastor.

JER 3:14 Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion: 15 And I will give you pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed you with knowledge and understanding. Eze 34:4 You have not strengthened the weak or healed the sick or bound up the injured. You have not brought back the strays or searched for the lost. You have ruled them harshly and brutally.

JER 10:21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the LORD: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.

The pastor is part of the five-fold ministry, fulfilling a vital role in the caring for the children of God. They are not the head of the church; neither do the other ministries have to submit to them. If you wanted to contend that anybody has to submit to anybody else, the pastors would have to submit to Apostles. Remember the earmark of the entire fivefold ministry is humility.

JER 12:10-11 Many pastors have destroyed my vineyard, they have trodden my portion under foot, and they have made my pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land

If the Lord anoints a pastor, He anoints somebody who is according to His heart. That will mean that they will be 18

is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.

flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. 3 And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD. The Lord will restore His flock all on His own, without involving the church and the pastors if need be. The children of God are not really sheep (sheep and shepherds are an analogy) – the people of God are temples of the Holy Ghost and each one of them are lead differently. So a pastor cannot throw the whole congregation into a pot and try and control them all the same way. This normally happens because the pastor is not properly aligned with the fivefold ministry. In place of proper alignment with fivefold ministry and the Body of

One minister reflected this, “Many who wear the title of pastor force the people into doing things by telling them that they do not love God if they do not do this or that. They keep the people in such bondage that they are no longer allowed to have any friends outside of the local congregation. They have taken the people, removed the call of God on their lives through their lies and replaced it with the calling of men. Some even admit that openly and declare boldly that if you serve other people long enough, you will qualify for your own ministry!” People do not qualify for ministries; they are called by God into them.” JER 23:1 Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture saith the LORD. 2 Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my 19

Christ these ‘pastors’ take the place of ‘sole overseer’. These self appointed or man appointed pastors then are generally too lazy to find out from God what each member of the congregation has to do, or they just cannot hear from God.

TEACHER JOH 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

In order to understand this role better, it would be a good idea to investigate the life of Jesus Christ. He kept on giving the people knowledge and understanding, showed them the right ways, but never ever forced them to stay with Him or follow a certain calling. He never once told them they were not allowed to go to other Christians and fellowship with them. Being a Pastor is a great privilege and honor. It is also a great responsibility - one that the pastor cannot carry alone. They need the assistance of all four the other five-fold ministers in order to get their congregations to the point where they can successfully flow into their own ministries.

Translation - didaskalos = an instructor

The role of teacher is vital to the continuation of the life and ministry of the Body. The teacher instructs in the areas that the apostles have directed and the prophets have confirmed lifting truth from Scripture and dedicating this to purpose. This is proper doctrine and the teacher is the primary instrument used by God to bring truth to His Body. The concept of a fivefold minister is to instruct and mentor others in the Body of Christ. The teacher must have a working knowledge of the Body of Christ to help 20

nurture, train and mature believers and bring another The teacher teaches the students the basics as well as the intricacies of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, the Preacher publishes the wonderful works that God has done. Like the Bible says: We have overcome Satan by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony". Preaching proclaims what God has done and stirs up our hopes. We become on fire for God and have very high hopes for Jesus to do miracles in our midst. A real teacher does not care to prove himself or herself to unbelieving people. They know they have the truth and the fact that God moves with them is proof enough for him or her. God moves with them with signs and wonders. We have developed a quick list to help you see if your role is in this area. Each of the fivefold ministry gifts has specific qualifications. Here are 5 for the Teacher.

God. "My people perish because of a lack of knowledge" The Teacher provides this knowledge. 5. Teaching rather than preaching. ACT 28:31 Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.

EVANGELIST euaggelistes = a preacher of the gospel Evangelist is much more about function than office (as are all the fivefold gifts). We have developed a quick list to help you see if your role is in this area. Each of the fivefold ministry gifts has specific qualifications. Here are 5 for Evangelist

QUICK LIST FOR TEACHERS 1. Not just an instructor but committed to the outcome of those to who he or she teaches. 2. Qualified and appointed by the authority of Jesus Christ to bring understanding through the teaching of doctrine. Doctrine is truth lifted from Scripture and dedicated to purpose. 3. He or she sometimes uncovers things from the Bible that other people just seem to miss. 4. They teach doctrine. This becomes knowledge to the people of

QUICKLIST FOR EVANGELISTS 1. A Preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Preach = kerusso, kayroos-so which means to herald (as a public crier), proclaim, publish as related 21

to encouraging, exhorting, the local church body. 2. Brings the Good News. 3. Evangelists in the fivefold application bring encouragement to the body of Christ. One man asked me to help him understand what his role was in the fivefold ministry. He was certain of his call to ministry but confused about what role he filled. Local pastors had told him he was a music minister or music pastor. He was further cofounded because he could not find ‘music pastor’ in the bible. This man served to lead worship in two congregations within his local community. His role was evident as an evangelist to the local body of Christ. He was confused about his role because the body of Christ is divided because of religious politics, but God was not confused about how he set His body in order. Christ is not divided. The fact that the body in that area was fragmented into various congregations has not deterred the flow of the Spirit as it moves in His gifts. 4. Evangelists have the specific role of bringing encouragement to the body of Christ and also to bring spiritual revival to the lukewarm.

annual evangelistic meetings and received little responses for salvation. Then on one occasion, he broke with his tradition and invited a gifted Evangelist to preach. The result was astounding. There were more responses for salvation in one meeting than all the meetings that the pastor had ever conducted. A Holy-Spirit empowered gift is something to be reckoned.”ii

5. The Lord also blesses Evangelists with signs and wonders so as to confirm the words that they preach. One of the purposes of the Evangelist is to lead seekers to Christ new. However, this is also part of the role of the entire body of Christ. Some of the greatest men in the bible were called evangelists, Timothy and Phillip to name two. Evangelists hold an important role in the five fold ministry. The evangelist is key to encouraging the body of Christ and as such is an invaluable equal to the pastor and apostle.

It will be good if the church can identify those who have this gift from among their congregation and use their gifting. As not all pastors are Evangelists, it will be wise to spot some early. “For example, a pastor of a small church, who did not have the gift of an Evangelist, was constantly frustrated for years when he preached at his own

If we look at the Great Commission, are we then all evangelists? Although we all evangelize, only some people are called 22

to use this calling to train other people in getting them ready for their ministries. Remember the call of the five-fold ministers.

scriptures, for the reason that they alone are profitable for the things necessary for one’s spiritual development (2 Tim. 3:16, 17); an evangelist is not to preach his opinion but “the whole body of revealed truth” (Acts 20:27).

Evangelist is a special gift to the body to encourage and uplift. Many people who have been misnamed as pastors are evangelists. Music ministers are generally evangelists, as are a plethora of other gifting to the Body of Christ.

To “be instant” - “To stand by, be present, be at hand.” “Hold oneself in constant readiness to proclaim the word” (Acts 13:13-16). “In season” literally, “well-season.” The word is translated “conveniently” in Mark 14:11. The gospel was “in season” in Acts 2:37.

The work of the evangelist is:  To follow the pattern of sound words (2 Tim. 1:13)  To teach faithful men and women (2 Tim. 2:2)  To correct opponents of the truth (2 Tim. 2:25)  To preach the word of God (2 Tim. 4:1-4) - This is an obligation of every Christian (Acts 8:4).  To “be watchful”

To “reprove” - “To convict, confute, refute, usually with the suggestion of putting the convicted person to shame” (Acts 24:25). To “rebuke” - “To charge one with wrong; implies a sharp, severe rebuke, with a suggestion of impending penalty” To “exhort” - “To admonish...to urge, one to pursue some course of conduct” (Acts 2:37-40).

An evangelist is to proclaim the

“With all longsuffering” - “Forbearance, patience.” “Patience with regard to antagonistic persons.” “That quality of self-restraint in the face of provocation which does not hastily retaliate or promptly punish…the opposite of anger…is associated with mercy” (Acts 14:19-22). “With…doctrine” - “Sound and reasonable instruction in the truth” (2 Tim. 3:16,17).

QUALIFICATIONS OF THE FIVEFOLD MINISTER, ELDERS, AND OTHERS

Character requirements of all fivefold ministers (the goal is to have the best example of mature, Holy Ghost filled, leaders in these important roles in the Body of Christ): 1. Spiritually mature (1 Tim 3:6) Positions of authority without spiritual maturity lead to the trap of pride. When pride grows in a man, sin abounds. 2. Devoted to their spouse (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim 3:2). 3. Children must be in submission (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim 3:4-5). 4. Faithful Steward (Titus 1:7) 5. Humble - not arrogant (Titus 1:7) 6. Gentle - not quick-tempered (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3) 7. Sober - not a drunkard (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3). This is not just overindulgence in alcohol but is idiomatic for any behavior that fuels addictive responses. 8. Peaceful - not violent (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3)

WHAT AN EVANGELIST IS NOT  The evangelist is not an itinerant preacher, who merely goes from place to place preaching for what he can get in special contributions.  The evangelist is not one who only holds gospel meetings or “revivals.” [While an evangelist may limit his work in such a way, the Bible does not so restrict him.  He is not someone doing the evangelist job while “looking for a church to pastor”. 

the fullness of Christ!

9. Must have financial integrity - not greedy for gain (Titus 1:7; 1 Tim 3:3; 1 Peter 5:3) 10. Hospitable (Titus 1:8; 1 Tim 3:2) 11. Lover of good (Titus 1:8) 12. Self-controlled (Titus 1:8; 1 Tim 3:2) Self-control is a characterization of every area life: diet, time, mouth, exercise, relationships, sex, and money. 13. Upright (Titus 1:8). Integrity in his relationships and in the way they treat others. 14. Holy (Titus 1:8). A life devoted to Jesus externally and internally. 15. Respectable (1 Tim 3:7)

Some contend that everyone has a fivefold role and that the work of the fivefold is to train the rest of the Body so that they know and understand their purpose. I am not certain that everyone has a fivefold role but certainly everyone needs instruction. However, there is nothing wrong with everyone having a ministry role as this is the role of the Body of Christ. Everyone may be called to hold a fivefold role. Certainly, we are all called to do the work of an evangelist. I believe there is value in stressing the truth that there must be diversity of function in the body of Christ... a. This point is often overlooked when churches think about how they might involve every member b. Yet failure to appreciate this truth can hinder true growth, and at the same time be very frustrating for the members of the body of Christ Some congregations have been built around one particular kind of ministry or program. In those congregations, the only members who are really involved are those taking part in that one special program. But the church is a body. A body must have diversity if it is to survive. Evangelism, edification, benevolence, and worship are functions of every local congregation.

The role of fivefold ministry is to fulfill the function described in Ephesians 4:12-13, " ... to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ."

This by no means concludes the lessons in related to the fivefold ministry. This is only the beginning. Enjoy your journey. I am available to help in any way I can.

Leadership's function is to train and equip the body for the work of the ministry! The focus of good leadership is nothing short of aiming for the whole body to attain to the whole measure of 25

From the FIVEFOLD ROUNDTABLE TEACHING SERIES

The good definition of understanding is the foundation under which we stand; or what is under that which we stand? In exalting the gift, they fail to find their true purpose. There are many gifts among them—helps, ministry, tongues, healing, prophecy, administration, encouragement, salvation, etc. The empowerment of God’s grace in any area of our life is a gift. Ministry is how we are called to serve God; gifts are how we are empowered by God to minister.

Distinctions in Ministry Gifting, Role and Function

The Bible says that all can prophesy, but this does not mean that everyone holds the office of a prophet.

By Barney Philips

All the leadership can pastor and care for the “sheep,” but that does not mean they all have the God-given office of a pastor in the fivefold ministry. Many can teach, but each one does not operate in the office of teacher.

Many have wrongly assumed that their gifting is their ministry rather than how they are to administer or dispense their gifting. Gifting is not ministry, but the empowerment and means God gives us to accomplish our ministry. God’s grace in ministry works through our gifts; see Romans 12:6 and First Corinthians 3:10. When someone declares their gifting to be their ministry, he or she usually lacks understanding and foundation.

God gives spiritual gifts to all, but ministry gifts he appoints only some to particular offices by measure of grace and authority. This is the distinction between charisma and ministry gifting. The fivefold ministry gifts of Ephesians chapter 4 are ministerial

offices of authority, given by grace, according to the measure of the gift. Whereas, the gifts of Romans chapter 12 are charisma gifts that are given to each Christian by the Spirit according to His purpose for their life. Charisma gifts are part of who we are, and they are in us even prior to salvation, even though their full exercise may only manifest in service to God.

evangelist in a certain place because of the need. However, just because he did the work of an evangelist at that time, does not mean that he held the office of an evangelist. In the same manner, if someone prophesies, that does not necessarily a prophet. Just because someone done the work of an apostle and set up some churches and helped with foundational structure does not necessarily mean that person is an apostle; they are simple operating a gift of the spirit of an apostle. The man God sets in a place operates under an apostolic gift of authority. He should then train others to minister and should provide people to care for the congregation. He should help define their gifting, ministry and call. The ones who should fill positions in the Church are those God has gifted and called for particular areas of services. When leadership is lacking

Everyone has been given charisma gifts, but not everyone has ministry gifts which manifests itself in offices of authority. Due to the immaturity of the Church, resulting from the absence of the Teacher, most recognize and seek charisma gifts; few are able to appreciate or recognize ministries of authority. This is one reason the Church is so lacking in foundation and Godly direction. Those in ministry may flow in a variety of gifting from time to time. Even though Timothy was called an apostle and an elder, Paul told him to do the work of an

this order, you can then pin point the reason the church is lacking identity and 29

purposes. The set man should seek for the conformation of the Holy Spirit concerning the appointment of eldership, and then bring them before the apostle, prophet and elders for conformation; a presbytery of ministry who are in set order.

Restoration of the Church Three things that the New Testament church had that are lacking in the Modern Church:

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. (Luke 6:38).

1. Infilling of the Holy Spirit. 2. The gifts of the Spirit & 3. Fivefold ministry

Apostolic Reformation Throughout history there have been waves of the Holy Spirit that resulted in attempts at restoration or reformation of the Church to return it to the original doctrine of the Apostles of Jesus Christ. Movements of Apostolic Reformation have happened repeatedly since the time of John Wycliffe. In the last Century there was an Apostolic reformation that birthed the Apostolic Faith movement and subsequent Pentecostal Movement. It is our expectation that we are on the verge of another similar wave of the Spirit. We refer to this as The Next Wave.

Barney Phillips serves as ICOF Vice President of Missions http://www.icof.net

"If the Lord tarries, there may yet be a grass-roots awakening that will overflow all sectarian barriers. There are a host of good people... who long for a visitation from heaven in old-time power. The kindling wood is scattered all round in all the churches. May God help us to rake off the ashes, uncover the live coals and may He blow upon us with the breath of His Spirit!" -Vance Havner

The Next Wave The Next Wave will move away from the traditions of men and focus on the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teaching of the New Testament church and the Apostles of Jesus Christ. The next wave has little interest in superficial events and pseudo "outpouringsâ&#x20AC;&#x; opting for a real and sustaining manifestation of the power of God. 30

Royal Priesthood

times each day. This is a commitment to daily prayer for the rest of our lives. This prayer time can be anytime during the day but we are suggesting the following: • Morning - Pray by yourself, with your family or those where you work or go to school. This will help set the tone for the day. • Mid Day - Before or after lunch take time to pray wherever you are. Encourage those around you to pray with you (co-workers, peers, clients, etc.) • Evening - pray with you family, your friends, neighbors, etc. Encourage places of business, church buildings, malls, etc. to designate a place for daily prayer. Pray for God to give us space for REPENTACE!

For the Royal Priesthood (or the Body of Christ) to come to maturity it will take a fully functional fivefold ministry. To this end we have committed to ICOF

Pray for your family, friends and others who are not committed to Jesus Christ. Pray for healing, renewal, deliverance and more. Prayer is communication. The key thing is to STOP what you are doing. Take time to find a quiet place where you can communicate with God. We are not directing you how long to pray. Rather we are leaving that up to the individual or the group, but by all means - PRAY!

In a recent weekly Executive Session we discussed how the enemies of the cross seem more committed to prayer to their false deities than followers of Jesus Christ demonstrate. In discussing the challenges, understanding that there has been some 2000 years since the advent of Jesus Christ's earthly ministry, we concluded that there is no organized effort to call the people of God to daily prayer. Granted, there have been and remain efforts to such as the national day of prayer but this is only to direct us to prayer one day per year. Thus, it is our expectation to see a global 'Call to Prayer' where Biblical Christians (followers of Jesus Christ) would commit to pray on a daily basis.

Posture - in Scripture we find people praying in a variety of postures kneeling, standing, laying prostrate, etc. All of these are acceptable. IF you would like to connect with others who are praying in like manner please feel free to email: JOIN THE CALL TO PRAYER administration@icof.net

Here is our challenge: Prayer - 3 times a day. We are asking every follower of Jesus Christ to commit to prayer three 31

availability, legalization would increase drug abuse and the number of men and women behind barsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; black, white and Hispanic. Simple possession represents a tiny minority of prison inmates. Drug abuse is the greatest destroyer of individuals and families, and marijuana is not innocent. Tens of thousands do worse in school and later in life because of this drug. Teenagers who smoke marijuana regularly drop out at twice the rate of non-users. Those who care about racial injustice will note that black men are disproportionately imprisoned for all types of crimes, not just drugs. Legalizing marijuana will worsen, not improve, the lives of black men, women and children.

Drugs and Drug Addiction have no Religious Preference

June 9, 2013

Letters to the Editor The New York Times 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 To the Editor: As an African-American who works to rehabilitate drug addicts, I am dismayed to see the plight of black Americans used to push a prolegalization agenda. Most black men in prison for drugs are in for crimes committed because they were under the influence. By increasing

Bishop, Dr. Ron Allen President/Founder International Faith Based Coalition

Drallenifbc@yahoo.com 916-807-1210 P.O.Box 5062 Sacramento Ca. 95818

What You Should Know About Fivefold Ministry

We have to appreciate these pastors for being versatile enough to do the fivefold ministry. However, in the biblical sense this is not ideal. The Lord has never placed all the gifts in one person but wants the fivefold ministry to be shared among the leaders of the church. The church grows stronger when these ministers cooperate and serve the people, building them to become matured in their faith. The end result will be an effective congregation united in Agape love and at the same time doing the "works of service" by reaching out to the community.

By Albert Kang

It was He who gave some to be Apostles, some to be Prophets, some to be Evangelists, and some to be Pastors and Teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the Body of Christ may be built up until We all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.'

Mobilization of Laity The mobilization of laity is absolutely vital for the church to grow strong spiritually and also grow large numerically. The "quantity" of the churchgoers goes hand in hand with the "quality" of the church. (Though the opposite may not necessary be true). Seekers respond to the Gospel when the church's lay ministers are spiritually strong and well trained enough to present it with the power of the Holy Spirit. The fivefold ministry of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers has to be reintroduced in every church. The pastor has to observe, select and train lay people who have such relevant gifts. After training, these gifted people should be given clear guidelines, ministry descriptions, and the appropriate authority to serve and build God's people for other ministries. God has given us a selfperpetuating programme it is up to us to obey Him and implement this in our church.

Ephesians 4:11-13 You have heard about the fivefold ministry as found in Ephesians 4:11-13, but have you seen it in operation? The chances are that you may have seen twofold or threefold ministry in the church. In most churches, the pastors are the ones who usually serve as Evangelists and Teachers. On some rare occasions, they might even take on the prophetic role and utter some prophecies. Once a year, they might lead mission teams to plant churches in other countries and thus take the role of an Apostle.

Apostles Govern

constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. (2.Corinthians 11:23-28)

The early Disciples of Christ were known as Apostles. They were the ones who were anointed by the Holy Spirit so that they could establish the fledging Christian faith in different countries. Apart from the twelve well-known Apostles recorded in the Gospel we have to take note of the Apostles recorded in the other parts of the New Testament. The lack of clear distinction between these two groups of Apostles has led to misunderstanding as to what Apostleship is all about. We now know that there are people who are called to the office of Apostleship and then there are many who have apostolic gifts. Paul the Apostle challenged those who claimed to be Apostles but who were not willing to pay the price of that esteemed office:

Today, there are Christian ministers who call themselves "Apostles". There is no doubt that some of these are true Apostles but others have assumed this title as position of elevation. (Surf the Internet and you will be able to observe quite a few of these so-called Apostles). Few of them hold apostolic credentials like that of Paul and I suspect that it is their insatiable appetite for recognition and power that has resulted in this abuse. When I was in China, I had the privilege of traveling with an old Chinese pastor who had been imprisoned for his faith, by the Communists, for 27 years. During the journey, I observed how humble and Christ-like he was. Even at 75 years old, there was fire in his eyes whenever he talked about the Lord and the future of the Chinese churches. He was poor but was most willing to share the little money that he had with others. He had no car or even a bicycle. He dressed simply and had little possession. For more than ten years after his release from prison, he had been traveling around Southern China to establish underground churches. After traveling with him to visit a couple of these churches and watching him counseling, correcting and even reprimanding

Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been 35

younger pastors, I had no doubt that he was a true Apostle. In every church, he encouraged the congregation to establish more cell groups and more churches. In one church, he had to leave in the middle of a sermon because the police was after him. Even though he had never announced himself as holding the apostolic position, the people whom he served, recognized that.

should the people pay their taxes (Matthew 22:15-22). In having the gift of discernment, the Prophets are able to discern whether certain people are speaking on behalf of God's Spirit, human spirits or evil spirits.

Missionaries who pioneer and establish churches can be considered to be the modern Apostles because the primary task of Apostleship is planting churches. Even though I have planted more than 16 churches and a few orphanages, I can only say that I am doing the apostolic work. The emphasis is upon the word "work" rather than the word "apostolic". It is a privilege to be used by the Lord in this way and never shall it be used as a position of elevation and honor.

Prophets speak on behalf of God and reveal His will. They are important in today's church because all Christians need to know the heart of God and learn how to work together for His glory. Most Christians may have prophetic gifts but not all hold the office of a Prophet. Today, there has been an increase in the number of so-called "Prophets" who abuse this position of gifting. Many of them have assumed the mystical aura to impress na誰ve Christians. Sadly, many Christians are still as superstitious as the pagans and they are taking these "Prophets" to be their personal fortunetellers. This is a very dangerous trend because if prophecies were based on the practitioners' ability to guess and convince, then the people would not be able to distinguish between the real and false prophets. In some of the surveys done in USA, such prophets were only twenty per cent accurate. This was tantamount to guessing as those who did not have the prophetic gifts also gained similar scores. The shamans and mystics in Asia would have done better

Prophets Guide In the New Testament, Agabus was known as a prophet even though his advice to Paul was inaccurate (Acts 21). The daughters of the Evangelist Philip were also well-known prophetesses. The purpose of the prophetic ministry is to guide the church. The prophets usually exercise revelation gifts such as words of knowledge, words of wisdom and discerning of the spirit in their prophecies. With the words of knowledge, they may foretell the future in specific terms. With the words of wisdom, they provide wisdom in difficult situations. Jesus displayed such gift of wisdom when He was faced with the condemned adulteress (John 8:1-12) and also during the issue about to whom 36

than that. In the Old Testament, the prophets had to be 100 per cent accurate or else they would be known as false prophets and be stoned to death.

salvation. Then on one occasion, he broke with his tradition and invited a gifted Evangelist to preach. The result was astounding. There were more responses for salvation in one meeting than all the meetings that the pastor had ever conducted. A Holy-Spirit empowered gift is something to be reckoned with.

Let me emphasize that we should not reject those who are called to the prophetic office but neither should we accept every utterance without using the biblical guidelines of evaluating and judging them. Let us be cautious as we weigh every prophetic word with the Scripture.

The Lord also blesses Evangelists with signs and wonders so as to confirm the words that they preach. The purpose of the Evangelists is to create new converts. After that, they hand these converts to the church and let the pastor-teacher does the grounding work so as to make these converts into Disciples. We should encourage those who have this evangelistic gift to come forward to be used for the kingdom of God. This is especially crucial for the future existence of the church because it is only through new converts that new Disciples come forth.

Evangelists Gather

Pastors Guard We are most familiar with the role of a pastor as this is the most prominent office in the church. He is the undershepherd of the Chief Shepherd who is Jesus Christ. His gifting is in the area of caring and nurturing the believers. He has overwhelming emotional stamina, patience and also wisdom to resolve church problems and human relation issues. James, the brother of Jesus, was known as the pastor of the Jerusalem church. Even the Apostles returned to report to him and the elders in that church.

Evangelists are Christians who have the specific gift of challenging seekers to have faith in Jesus and also to bring spiritual revival to lukewarm churches. They are the "sales" force of the church. It will be good if the church can identify those who have this gift from among their congregation and use them for the purpose of winning souls. As not all pastors are Evangelists, it will be wise to spot some early. For example, a pastor of a small church, who did not have the gift of an Evangelist, was constantly frustrated for years when he preached at his own annual evangelistic meetings and received little responses for

Today, the churches are in a confused state because we do not recognize the call of God for ministers to serve in any 37

one of the other four ministries, except that of a pastor. Therefore we erroneously deem anyone who has a divine call should automatically become a pastor.

However, the pastor alone is never enough. He must activate other gifted lay members to take on this teaching ministry. Spirit-gifted and anointed teachers are different from those who are teaching in the secular schools. This teaching gift is divinely given and special because it allows the teacher to impart divine life and at the same time reveal hidden spiritual truth. With the gift of wisdom, the teacher speaks the mind of Christ to his students and thus stirs up further hunger within them. The more the congregation understands the will of God, the better it is in serving Him. Sadly, many modern Charismatic churches are missing out on the dedicated teaching of the solid doctrines of the Scripture. The overt emphasis upon the spiritual gifts has led to neglect in the didactic ministry. No matter how many spiritual gifts that the Christian might have, nothing is more important than the consistent studying of God's Word under the guidance of an anointed and gifted teacher.

I met a Christian brother who is gifted as an evangelist but he is pastoring a church. This is frustrating him to no end. He has tried to be a full-time Evangelist but during that time, even though the ministry results were good, his family almost starved. For practical reason of getting a fixed income for his family, he became a pastor. Evangelists usually do not get a full salary and have to live from offerings to offerings. It is now time for the churches to recognize the needs of the other parts of the fivefold ministry and to accord these ministers with appropriate income so that they can concentrate on their calling and serve the Lord and His church. Teachers Ground

Restoring Fivefold Ministry For the modern churches to be powerful and effective, they have to reactivate the ministries of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. The fivefold ministry is like the five fingers of a hand. Yes, we can use the hand even though it has only three fingers but it is not ideal. The handicap is obvious when we want to use it for heavier task.

The role of the teachers is vital because the spiritual and doctrinal foundations of the church depend upon them. They are the ones who do the grounding work. I can usually tell that a church is strong by seeing the number of good teachers it has. Most pastors are gifted with teaching ability and so they usually take the role of being pastor-teachers.

The task of churches today is heavy indeed. We therefore have to restore the complete operation of the fivefold ministry by giving the rightful positions of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, 38

Pastors and Teachers. We must emphasize that for the fivefold ministry to be effective we must include the lay people. It should never be reduced to a domain for only a select few. The maturity of the Church of Jesus Christ is at stake and the fulfilling of Christ's command to make Disciples of all nations has yet to be achieved. The churches cannot afford to play church games any more. Let's arise and make every effort to allow God to use us effectively in whichever part of the fivefold ministry that He has for us. Let's fulfill the Great Commission of the Lord without further delay.

Reverend Albert Kang received his Master of Divinity in 1985 from Far East Advanced School of Theology (now known as Asia Pacific Theological Seminary), a Bible Seminary belonging to the Assemblies of God. God has used him to initiate 16 churches and 3 orphanages in Asia and USA. His first church in Singapore grew from 23 people to 1,700 within six years. For 7 years, he ministered in Cambodia where he planted a Cambodian church and 3 orphanages. He then co-founded a new church in Pittsburgh, PA before returning to Singapore in 2001. Today, his ministry is based in Malaysia and affiliated with High Praise Church in Subang Jaya.

for "property values" and a better `dental plan´ we left it behind. But that is not the worst part of it. The worst part is that we don´t know how to get it back again. Or perhaps we don´t really WANT to get it back again. The cost simply doesn´t bear thinking about, does it? And so, as we drive around in our nice shiny cars with our groovy plastic toys, and attend "church" as we know it twice a week for 2 hours;- As we live a life that is about as unlike Jesus as you can get, a life of comfort and coddling undreamt of by billions around the world;a lifestyle in the top 10% of the earth today (-in debt up to our eyeballs all the while) the fact is that we don´t really CARE that we have lost original Christianity, do we? We are too busy, man. Don´t bother us with that kind of talk.

WE’VE LOST CHRISTIANITY by Andrew Strom

Despite the thousands in our mega churches today, soaking up the warm entertainment offered to them every week, I want to put it to you that we have lost Christianity. Despite the Christian books now found in every Wal-Mart, and the "crossover" of Christian artists into the mainstream, and our Christian mega-stores and CD´s and DVD´s and Study-Bibles, I want to put it to you that we have lost Christianity.

It will all be OK, the preacher tells us. We will all make it to heaven in the end. We are all "decent" people here. We have "prayed the little prayer". We have `given our heart to the Lord´. But what is this? What is that thundering voice I hear? "DEPART FROM ME." `But LORD... But LORD....´

Despite our lavish Cathedrals in the suburbs (`Charismatic or not) with their pastel hues and comfortable pews, their projector screens and $30,000 sound systems, I want to put it to you that we have utterly lost Christianity. We left it behind somewhere when we shifted our churches from the inner city into the "comfortable" suburbs. We left it behind when we stopped welcoming the bums off the street into our meetings and started welcoming only the "respectable" people. We left it behind when we stopped preaching "take up your cross" and turned the gospel into a success formula - `Seven Steps to your Best Life Now.´

"I said - `DEPART FROM ME´. Don´t call me Lord. You never truly lived like I was your Lord and you know it. For I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not clothe me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me...." What is the essence of true Christianity that we have lost, my friends? It is simply described by James as follows- "Pure religion and undefiled is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their

Somewhere in our comfortable suburban streetscape with its manicured lawns we lost the real thing. Somehow in our concern 40

affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." (Ja 1:27).

stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel—because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.”

PRIDE AND PUNISHMENT By Robert Straube

Let’s first look closely at the immense pride that directly opposed God’s will. I. Spiritual pride is rebellion against God (Genesis 11:2-4). Human pride, which is expressed by one’s ambition for self renown in defiance of God’s will, is open rebellion against God. We are not talking here about everyday matters that involve some pride, such as being proud of your work, or proud of your appearance, or taking pride in your children, especially when these feelings of pride are in harmony with the overall desire to serve the LORD. But we are talking about spiritual pride, that attitude that robs God of His glory and His rightful place in life, that lives in rebellion of His laws as if they were out of date and inferior, and that chooses to think that the human race can function very well on its own. People do not start off with this rebellious pride, it gradually incubates; they gradually develop in it the more they refuse God and His will. That gradual development of spiritual pride is also reflected in this passage.

(Genesis 11:1-9) “Now the whole world had one language and a common speech. As people moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there. They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” But the Lord came down to see the city and the tower the people were building. The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” So the Lord scattered them from there over all the earth, and they

A. Pride begins with disobedience to God’s word (v. 2). Here we have to look a little at the context of our story. In chapter 9 God instructed the early human family to move out and fill up the earth. But according to Genesis 11, they all came together in the land of Shinar, which is the region of Babylon. They did not do what God told them to do, perhaps 42

thinking there was safety in banding together. They thought there was strength in their unity, even though God told them to spread out in the earth. Now if you are reading Genesis through and you come to chapter 10 it will look like the people of the earth did what God had told them, for that chapter describes them in their lands and tribes divided by their families and their languages. But the presence of this chapter in this place is a stroke of genius by the writer. It is common in Hebrew rhetoric to give the conclusion first and then explain how it happened. Here we have the command to spread out in chapter 9, the report of how the tribes spread out in chapter 10, and the explanation of what made them spread out in chapter 11. The evidence for this is that in chapter 10 they were divided by their languages; but chapter 11 takes you back to when they all spoke one language. So eventually they did what God had commanded them to do, but not because they were obedient.

refusal to obey the command. And the fallout of it was that instead of having a harmonious race living all over the world we have a list of warring nations and clans that do not understand one another and try to control or destroy one another. That is the best that pride can produce in the human race. B. Pride is strengthened by human ingenuity (v. 3). The people were clever enough to survive and thrive, even though they were not doing what God had commanded. They came to Shinar, a plain, and did not have the products with which to build--no stones, no natural mortar. So they made their bricks and gathered asphalt for cement, so that they could make their city and their tower. The text records their enthusiasm and ingenuity: “Come, let’s bake bricks and make them hard.” That was the first step. With that success they then said, “Come, let’s build a city with a tower that reaches into the heavens.” With each success they became more and more independent, and more and more ambitious, ultimately ascending to the heavens. If you read the Babylonian account of the building of the city of Babylon, you will see the immense pride that comes through. The city was considered so glorious that its building was attributed to gods, who then lowered the celestial city from the heavens and placed it in the plain of Shinar. And the tower that is described is the beginning of the building of the ziggurat in Mesopotamia, the stair-step tower with the temple of the high god at the top. For centuries it stood out as the center of Babylonian worship, the rival worship to the true one. Not until the Book of Revelation

They were scattered because God confused their language so they could not live together. The fact that they lived in all these lands was therefore evidence of divine punishment for their 43

would the Babylonian world system that rivals God be destroyed. C. Spiritual pride is characterized by ambition and fear (v. 4).

his foot, he could move the earth out of its place. Herostratus burnt Diana’s temple for a name. Protagoras, Plato tells us, bragged that he had lived sixty years, forty of them corrupting youth. Tully tells us that Gracchus did all for popular applause, and observes that even those philosophers that wrote of the contempt of glory, have still put their names to their writings to be remembered. And we could add to this list for centuries. Today, political leaders, athletes, entertainers, pulpit kings and the like, as well as now the common person making his run at television reality, want the fame and the glory, even if it is short-lived. And sadly enough, they want renown at any price, even if it means defying and flaunting the laws of God and robbing Him of his glory and honor. But there is another, rather telling, motivation to this spiritual pride:

The text adds the motivation for their building project: they wanted to make a name for themselves, lest they should be scattered across the face of the earth. Fame and fear, the two motivations for their activities. 1. Ambition: The people sought to preserve themselves in strength and thereby make a name for themselves. It is fame at the expense of God’s reputation. The city and the tower would be a monument to their strength and their unity. They would become famous for it, but they did not realize that “the expectations of the wicked will be cut off.” 2. “Making a name” for themselves. This is a disease that we all have from time to time, and it is not always bad. But it becomes evil when we seek all the honor and the glory rather than the honor that comes from God or belongs to God (see John 5:44). History and literature is filled with samples--but we could add samples from our own lives or our own circle of friends. In the ancient Greek and Roman world, Epicurus would have us believe that he was the first ever to find out the truth about things.

3. Fear: The people strengthened themselves in unity out of fear of being scattered across the earth--the very thing God wanted. This dual motivation of ambition and fear is very much like our modern technological works, or our military or space initiatives, and sadly, most of our mega churches. In our selfsufficiency we do mighty things to gain fame and strengthen our force. Why? Because we are afraid of being destroyed and dispersed.

Palaemon gave out that all learning was born and would die with him. Archimedes, the mathematician, thought that if he had but where to set

We want fame. But we are driven by fear. This should tell us right away that we need God, for we cannot live independently of Him for long. In fact, 44

not at all, if we but knew the truth behind all that we accomplish. Eventually, though, all such immense and disobedient arrogance will be abased and subjugated by divine intervention, and the proud will be famous for the wrong reasons as what they feared the most will come upon them.

it. They may have claimed in time that the city was built by the gods, but God came down to see what the humans were building. So the language reveals careful judgment by God. He knew He was going to judge them, because He knew what they were doing. But the close examination is designed to reveal that God is cautious in judgment. And God’s examination leads to the conclusion that if these people are united and speak the same language, then nothing will be withheld from them. In other words, their unity is their strength, but if their unity is evil, then what they produce will be evil as well. God’s judgment will therefore be a preventive judgment, preventing them from greater evil. B. God chooses to subjugate the proud (vv. 6, 7). So with the observation that if the race was allowed to continue in its ambitions and fears as well as its open defiance of God’s will, it would produce a despotic and oppressive race, God determined to act. God would not allow their collective apostasy to run its course. He will not allow that to happen at any time, especially now.

II. Proud rebellion against God will be judged (11:5-8). The judgment from God is what we call “talionic,” that is, the punishment matches the crime, like an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, or whatever we sow we will reap. In the second half of the passage we see how God does this, eventually providing a name for them and scattering them across the earth.

In the passage the description of the divine intervention is designed to mimic their work in the previous verses. God says, “Come, let’s go down . . . , Come, let’s confound . . . .” The choice of these words shows that God’s punishment will be a response to their pride. God will end their rebellion and accomplish His own will by simply confusing their language and thereby destroying their strength. Disunity, with its wars and conflicts, is better than arrogant, collective rebellion against God. In the end of our age the evil one will once again try to unite people under

A. God investigates the activities of arrogant mortals (v. 5). God, of course, knows instantly what everyone is doing. But in this passage God is said to come down to investigate the matter. This is a very bold human description of God; it is as if He wanted a closer look to be sure that what they were doing was wrong. But it is also condescension: no matter how high their tower was constructed, the LORD still had to come down to investigate 45

a false, “Babylonian” system, only to see it destroyed by God again. God has innumerable ways of showing his displeasure at human folly and sin. He touches a person’s bones, and they are put out of joint; He breathes upon someone’s brain, and such a one is unable to think; He sends the east wind to dry the earth, and the crops fail; He raises the storms, and life is flooded away. He comes in the night and shakes the foundations of someone’s most trusted works, and in the morning there is nothing but a heap of ruins.

that we need him in order to find true and eternal security. C. God cuts off the expectation of arrogant mortals (v. 8). The text simply reports the effect of God’s judgment: the people were scattered. The cause for the scattering came in the change of their language. In spite of their ingenuity and their strength to overstep God’s boundaries, God shows greater ingenuity and strength by simply confusing their speech. And since they cannot communicate, they are scattered by groups to every part of the world. And the text says that they left off building the city. The unfinished city was a monument to the abasement of the proud Babylonians. Epilogue (11:9) The contrasting ideas of the passage are aptly summarized in the word play in verse 9. They called the name of that place, “Babel” (pronounced bah-vel), which in Babylonian means “the gate of God” (bab-ili). But the text makes a pun on the name to give it its real significance in human memory: “confusion.” The name does not mean “confusion”; but the name sounds like the Hebrew word for “confusion.” And so the text takes the Babylonian name and by a clever word play gives it its true significance. The name stands forever as a monument to their pride ad God’s judgment. His is not the name they wanted to make for themselves, but it is the name they received. Contrast in Genesis 12 how Abram in his obedience followed God, and God promised to make his name great, to make him famous.

He disorganizes a person’s memory, and in an instant that person confuses all the recollections of a lifetime. He touches someone’s tongue, and that afflicted person stammers. He breaks the staff in two, and whoever was leaning on it falls down. He shakes people’s confidence in corporations, and as the prices fall people see what they were trusting in vanishing away. Or, He can withhold His restraining hand, and terror strikes at the heart of our trusted institutions. When will people ever learn that life lived in open defiance against God will not bring lasting security and peace. God will step in and destroy our false security and peace, not because he is mean-spirited, but because he knows

Conclusion 46

The point of this passage in Genesis is crucial. It shows once again how the human race in arrogance openly rebel against God. Genesis 1-11 is the history of that rebellion; and it explains why people need God’s blessing. Here at Babel the race was judged by God in such a way that it is left hopelessly divided and warring with one another, and scattered around the world without a hope for God’s blessing. Out of these scattered nations God will choose one man to make a new nation, an obedient nation, through whom all the families of the earth may be blessed.

put down, for God will subjugate the proud who rebel against Him. But let’s think for a moment on the personal level. The individual who refuses to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, who refuses to follow any of God’s laws, who insists on living a worldly life by his or her own strength, God will judge. Maybe not immediately, for God is patient. The rebel may live a long, full life without God. He or she may find the ambition and be famous. But in the end there is ruin, and no salvation. Edmund Leach warned, “Unless we teach those of the next generation that they can afford to be atheists only if they assume the moral responsibilities of God, the prospects of the human race are decidedly bleak.”

The message would present a basic principle for that new nation of Israel: all the nations of the world around them were evidence that God would judge the proud. All nations are under His sovereign control. And this new nation of Israel, chosen to be a true theocracy, would likewise find themselves scattered around the world speaking different languages if they rebelled against God in pride. And that is exactly what happened to the nation at the exile and the diaspora.

And in the judgment, what will happen? The very thing they refused to do they will do, for every knee will bow and acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord. God will subjugate the proud who refuse to kneel before Him. But even though they will be forced to acknowledge it, they will have no share in the world to come. Now concerning those of us who have put their faith in Jesus and are trying to follow Him, the warning of this text should ignite in us a resolution to humble ourselves in obedience to God’s word. Christians, being human, also at times become arrogant and rebellious, seeking selfish ambitions and reputations. But nothing escapes the notice of God: He looks at our diaries and our ledgers to see how we are building our lives; and He examines our motives and our attitudes to see whether our aims are rightly and honestly secured. And although God will deal differently with Christians than with the world, He nonetheless will destroy the

To us in the modern world the principle remains. Stubborn, rebellious pride will be judged. Any nation that refuses to live by God’s statutes will eventually be 47

“ivory” towers that we build in defiance of Him. He is no respecter of persons, even in His Church. “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, ‘Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons’...” (Acts 10:34 KJV).

Corruption wins not more than honesty .... Let all the end thou aim’st at be thy country’s, Thy God’s, and truth’s; then if thou fall’st, O Cromwell, Thou fall’st a blessed martyr! Had I but served my God with half the zeal I served my king, He would not in mine age left me naked to mine enemies.”

But when we build our towers, our lives, our jobs, our ministries, our activities, under the conviction that every act and every motive will be examined by God, we may expect our “Christ-centered” lives to be on the solid foundation of His will. Those who humble themselves in this way to do what is pleasing to God, God will exalt and prosper. It is merely a matter of recognizing our total dependence on God and living in obedience to Him.

Robert Straube is President of Rock of Zion Ministries

In Shakespeare’s play Henry VIII, Cardinal Wolsey expresses his great remorse after realizing that the pursuit of selfish ambition rather than obedience to God brings abasement and ruin (Act III, Scene II): “Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition: By that sin fell the angels; how can man, then, The image of his Maker, hope to win by it? Love thyself last; cherish those hearts that hate thee; 48

USA UGANDA

Dear greetings in the name of the lord, we had a wonderful service and we so the holy spirit moving to the people of God, I shared the book of Mark (2:25 to 27) it talks about the pharisees so they were asking Jesus why his disciples where breaking the law on the Sabbath day, but we had praised how Jesus answered them by telling them the story of David, then we experienced the power of God that was moving thus making people to start giving out there testimony. This week we kindly ask you to have a moment to stand with us in prayers because there is no rain and our plants are getting dry up and now people are worried because this is the month of hunger, stand with us in prayers and have a good week, may God bless you Pastor Alex

Bishop Ron Allen* ICOF Vice President of Substance Abuse and Intervention

KENYA Dear

Bishop Bernie, Wade,

Mercy ministry to the widows and orphans. The photo you see of kids its poor orphan children who have lost both parents, they need education, shelter, medical, clothings, food, and so that they can enjoy the life like others. They do sleep on the floor, and life itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just a challenge to them, they have never experienced the love of God. May God bless you, as you pray? George.

JULY 1ST, 2013. 8 PM EST FIVEFOLD ROUNDTABLE All Ministers are invited to participate CALL 218.862.1001 PASS CODE – 680181#

JULY 11th 2013 - 9 AM ICOF Executive Session Via ICOF Conference Center 218.862.1001 Pass Code 680181#

SEPTEMBER 2, 2013 SPECIAL EVENT FIVEFOLD ROUNDTABLE LABOR DAY CELEBRATION FOOD, FELLOWSHIP, SINGING AND MORE. LIFE CHURCH SULPHUR KENTUCKY FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT REBECCA GOINS administration@icof.net

502.410.4263 i

Reverend Albert Kang.

Reverend Albert Kang