The Divinely Called Ministry
As taught in the Pentecostal / Charismatic tradition
The purpose of leadership (Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers) for equipping the saints.
The question of who is authorized to lead the people of God is as old as the community of faith itself. Within the Pentecostal tradition, and specifically the Assemblies of God (AG) lineage, this question is answered not primarily through the lens of ecclesiastical hierarchy, academic credentialing, or hereditary succession, but through the conviction of a "divinely called and scripturally ordained ministry." This subtopic addresses the fundamental Pentecostal belief that the ministry is a gift from Christ to the Church, initiated by a sovereign act of the Holy Spirit, and sustained by His ongoing empowerment.
By the end of this lesson
- **Identify** the distinctively Pentecostal definition of a "divinely called" ministry as a sovereign act of the Holy Spirit.
- **Distinguish** between the "general call" to all believers and the "specialized call" to the five-fold ministry offices.
- **Explain** the theological significance of the "enduement of power" (Acts 1:8) as the prerequisite for effective Pentecostal ministry.
- **Articulate** how Ephesians 4:11-16 serves as the primary scriptural framework for the purpose and goal of the ministry.
- **Trace** the historical development of Article 11 of the Assemblies of God Statement of Fundamental Truths.
- **Defend** the necessity of a holistic ministry that includes both spiritual leadership and social responsibility (Galatians 2:10).
- **Compare** the Pentecostal view of "scriptural ordination" with other denominational views of clerical authority.
- **Apply** the principles of the five-fold ministry to the contemporary mission of the local church.
Scripture
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