DCLM Daily Manna 31 March 2026: Purpose of Ministry Gift
Text: Ephesians 4:8-13 (KJV)
Therefore He says:
“When He ascended on high,
He led captivity captive,
And gave gifts to men.”
9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;
KEY VERSE: Ephesians 4:11,12
“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 the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ.”
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American Bible teacher and writer, Warren W. Wiersbe, once perceptively noted that “Spiritual gifts are tools to build with, not toys to play with or weapons to fight with.”
Apostle Paul provides an insight into this subject in our text. He affirms that the five-fold ministry gifts are to be exercised collectively to ensure the unity and growth of the Church. The goal is to achieve a spiritual balance that will secure and mature members in the faith. Poor understanding of the purpose of the ministry gifts is largely responsible for the disunity and stunted growth of many assemblies.
Some leaders build their ministries on a single spiritual gift. Some claim to have a deliverance ministry, while others focus solely on holiness or evangelism. Many charismatic preachers have built a cult of personality around themselves, reminiscent of the divisive chant of ‘I am of Paul, I am of Apollos’ (1 Corinthians 3:4). The average Christian associates miracle-working with the seal of the call to ministry. Besides, a leader could adopt a critical attitude towards another minister with a ministry gift different from his own. The gifts should complement one another.
The prophet is expected to inspire the teacher, and the teacher to steady the prophet. The evangelist continually reminds the Church that the harvest is plenteous, while the pastor motivates to nurture the converts. The apostle is to chart new territories for the Lord.
The five-fold ministry gifts are often compared to the five fingers of the hand, each with a specific role in the building process. ‘The thumb is the Apostle because he functions in all five gifts, holding everything together. The index finger is the Prophet because he gives direction. The middle finger is the Evangelist because he has the most reach. The ring finger is the Pastor because he is tasked with caring for the sheep. The pinky finger is the Teacher because he brings balance to the body of Christ.’
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The more the diversity of ministry gifts, the more the church is blessed.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:
Nehemiah 11-13
DCLM Daily Manna 31 March 2026
