Beyond the Veil Ministries adheres to the order of the church as prescribed in the Holy Bible.  The Ministry is built on the solid foundation of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and organized principally according to the five-fold (or ascension gifts) ministry of the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 12:28: 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.

Ephesians 4:11: And he gave some, apostles, and some prophets ; and some;

evangelists and some, pastors and teachers.

Understanding the five fold ministry of the Holy Spirit:

1. Who is an Apostle* ?

An Apostle is a specially sent messenger and leader---not chosen by men---but sent by God to bring Kingdom order and spiritual maturity to the Body of Christ, under the direct leadership of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:12-15). The office of the Apostle is the first part of the five-fold ministry set in the church (1 Corin. 12:28). Apostles also successfully plant and establish churches (Acts 2:42, 46-47). 

The apostle's special ministries are:

A.To preach the Gospel.

B.To plant and establish churches.

C.To bring forth and develop those called to ministry with guidance and instruction until they can be confirmed in their calling.

D.To carry responsibility in prayer and counsel for the churches and elders who have been confirmed.

E.To be trailblazers of first hand revelation until it is received as doctrine by the church.

F.To establish believers in foundation truths.

G.To take the Gospel in word and demonstration to unreached people.

H.To correct errors in doctrine or conduct, directly or through giving authority to local churches.

2. Did the ministry of an apostle end with the original twelve apostles ?

-NO, according to the Holy Scriptures, this is not the case. The Apostolic and other New Testament offices, were among the gifts given to the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit in the Church Age. According to Ephesians 4, these gifts are "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ...".This is an ongoing work. Additionally, many persons throughout the New Testament were called apostles. Paul became the apostle to the Gentiles and made reference to the "other apostles" in his epistles.

Read Romans 11:13; 1 Corinthians 9:5; Romans 16:7.

3. Who is a Prophet* ?

Like the apostle, the prophet is a specially sent messenger from God. An appointed spokesman for the Lord God, the ministry of the New Testament prophet is appropriately submitted to that of the apostle, because the historical facts and information about Jesus Christ were first recorded and taught by the apostles. The prophet has special ministries of:

A. Speaking the word of God.

B. Bringing forth revelation and increased spiritual understanding of the Scriptures.

C. Predicting and warning of future events.

D. Providing direction in ministry, doctrine and worship.

E. Keeping the flow of God's Word fresh and alive in the local church.

F. Revealing the secrets of men's hearts as a sign to unbelievers.

G. Acting as members of the presbytery, they confirm and impart spiritual blessings and gifts.

4. Who is an Evangelist* ?

An evangelist is one who proclaims the Word of God with the special ministries of:

A. Extending the Gospel of the Kingdom to unreached areas.

B. Demonstrating the Gospel of the Kingdom by works of faith and power.

C. Exhorting men to repent, believe and obey the Gospel.

D. Maintaining communication among the churches and ministers.

E. Ordaining elders and establishing or restoring order in various churches.

5. Who is a Pastor* ?

A pastor is an undershepherd appointed by the Great Shepherd, Jesus Christ, to tend a local fold. The pastor's special ministries are:

A. Feeding and nourishing the people God puts under his/her care.

B. Taking the responsibility of protecting the door of the fold from false teachers.

C. Disciplining the local congregation as a whole or dealing in love with any individual who needs reproof or correction.

D. Governing and guiding the congregation.

6. Who is a Teacher* ?

A teacher brings the knowledge of truth to others by careful instructions, illustrations and example. The teacher's special ministries are:

A. Clarifying the application of truth in our lives to enable us to obey the Word.

B. Organizing truth into topical studies and practical disciplines.

C. Providing motivation for further study in the Scriptures by making truth interesting and rewarding.

D. Carefully examining the truth they have already experienced and communicating revealed truth to bring unity of the faith through understanding.

7. Did Jesus operate in these special ministries/offices ?

-YES. That is exactly why we should adhere to the Word of God in the order of the church. Jesus Christ set the perfect example:

Jesus the Apostle:

Set up the twelve disciples (Matthew 10:1; 11:1).

Jesus the Prophet:

Foretold future events and the secrets of men's hearts.

Such as the coming of the Lord (John 14:3) and the life of the woman at the well (John 4:17).

Jesus the Teacher:

Consistently taught the multitudes and the disciples (Matthew 9:35).

Jesus the Pastor:

Covered the twelve disciples (John 17:9-12).

Jesus the Evangelist:

Traveled to various areas preaching and teaching the Gospel truth. During His earthly ministry,

He traveled some 271 miles (Matthew 9:35).

OTHER FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

8. What about the argument some present about women in the church...can women  operate in these gifts/ministries of the Holy Spirit ?

-YES. Scripture clearly states that in Christ, there is neither male nor female. Christ, who is the Head, anoints whom He will to minister in His church. Read Galatians 3:28; Joel 2:28-29.

NOTE TO VISITORS: The descriptions provided here are presented based on our scriptural interpretation of the examples set before us in the Holy Bible. While this is the order which the Holy Spirit has led us to establish and adhere to at Beyond the Veil Worship Center, we also respectfully acknowledge that the duties and responsibilties of ministerial and other church leadership, as well as the established order of individual churches/ministries may vary as the Pastor and church leadership is led.

Reference Sources:

1:The Holy Bible, King James Version

2: Understanding God and His Covenants, Rev. Patricia Beall-Gruits

   Published by Rhema International (c) 1985