"And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
( Eph. 4:11-12 )

A Summary of Church History

Most people are used to a prototype of church where the church leaders do most of the ministry, and the rest of the people sit in their chairs.
However, in the early church, which reflects God’s original intent for what the Church is suppose to look like, the people, the saints, they did all the work, while the church leaders trained them.

With time, this was lost in the Dark Ages (500AD-1500AD).

“whom (Jesus) heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21)

This verse declares that before Jesus can come back, things must be restored to their original purpose, and since Christ is coming back for His Church, it is His Church that must go back to Her original shape.

We see this in the 15th Century when God first restored salvation by faith in the Protestant Movement. Then in the 18th Century the Church experienced another radical move with the restoration of the Sanctification of the Believer in the Holiness Movement. In the beginning of the 20th century God restored the gift of the Holy Spirit in the Pentecostal Movement.

Through the 20th Century, the offices of the Five Fold Ministry were affirmed and restored: First the Evangelists (1940s and 1950s), then the Pastors (1960s), then the Teachers in the Faith Movement (1970s). The Prophets in the Prophetic Movement (1980s), and then the Apostles (1990s) in the Apostolic Movement.

The Prophetic is not unusual in God’s eyes. It is actually the norm. Religion has bound people to believe that they need others to speak the words of God to them, when in fact; every believer that has been born again has the ability to hear God for themselves.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27)

Prophecy means simply to speak the heart and mind of God for a person, a group of people, a situation, or a nation.

It is vital for the Church that the Prophetic is present. Here is why:

-It provides direction about God’s purposes and desires for His Church and for people.
-It brings edification, exhortation and comfort to the Church (I Cor. 14:3)
-It builds and edifies the Church (I Cor. 14:4)
-It provides an agenda to pray and intercede according to God’s heart.
-It provides strategies to advance the Kingdom of God and defeat the Kingdom of Darkness.

The Apostolic is necessary now like it was in the first Century Church. The Apostles performed great signs and wonders and miracles. That was the norm; Jesus said they would and they did. This empowered all the believers to also perform such signs.
Many religious groups claim that God no longer performs miracles through His Church. The truth is that God never changes, and the need for His miraculous power is just as vital now, as it was in the first century.

The Apostolic also brings order, government, leadership and establishment to God’s Church.
“having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,” (Eph. 2:20)

The Apostles and Prophets lay the foundation for the Church. God has called them to do that. Without a foundation, how can the Church stand?

In today’s day and age, the use of prophecy and the presence of apostles may seem unusual. However, as God establishes His Church the Apostles and Prophets in our modern day will become more acknowledge and respected by the whole of the Church. With all of the Five Fold Ministers working together, the saints will be fully equipped the way God intended and the entire earth will witness the greatest move of God this earth has ever seen.

So in summary, every saint can hear God’s voice and therefore prophesy. Prophets are here basically to train and activate people to do this. Every saint can move in signs and wonders and the power of God. The Apostles are here to train and activate people to do this.