Pain, My Best Friend.

“Pain is a good indicator that you are alive.”

As a human, I often find myself in battle of needing answers for the pain and suffering I endure.

Pain, for over a decade has been my enemy. However, over the last few years, pain has become my best friend. In Christianity, I feel as though we sometimes have a poor perspective on pain. I believe we spend most of our lives running away from it.

Let me first say this, pain doesn’t feel good. Pain is uncomfortable. There are so many moments I wish I did not endure pain. Nonetheless, pain is necessary and essential. Pain is a good indicator that you are alive. I remember the days since I didn’t “feel.” The moments where everything seemed numb. I look back on those days and realize how dead I was. 

What’s interesting is the dynamics that pain produces within us. Without pain, we don’t grow. 

As believers, we are driven by our feelings. The problem is when pain invades our feelings we desperately try to run as far away from the situations that bring or causes pain. The pain I am talking about isn’t physical pain, although, at times it is. The pain in which I speak of is internal pain. The one that is driven by fear, anxiety, depression or confusion. That pain we so often try to runaway from instead of embracing it. Definitely easier said than done. 

What if I told you that pain is good? 

Good? Yes, good. Good doesn’t always mean it’s going to feel good. Good can often feel like tragedy and long suffering. Without pain in your life you will never truly grow. We spend more much of our life trying to run away from pain that we never really discover how strong we truly are. Learning to embrace pain as an essential part of the human essence changes our perspective on how we journey through life, and how we come and pray for Our Father. 

Pain lets me know that I am alive. The mindset changes. Pain lets me know my need for Jesus. Pain makes me aware that my soul longs for the great counselor. 

Let me finish with this. 

God can and will heal your pain in life, however, it isn’t always when we want it. Therefore, while in the waiting, let pain be what moves you closer to Holy Spirit. In my life, pain always causes me to confusion and question. See, God doesn’t have an issue with confusing you, as long as it leads you to ask Him questions.That’s what I have come to learn from my pain. Pain, leads me to a greater relationship with my Father in heaven. I get to ask Him question while enduring the suffering. 

I would much rather be in pain but alive, than be numb and dead. 

I haven’t ever shared my perspective on this matter publicly, but a few weeks ago I had a unique opportunity to share briefly with a generation of new leaders and influencer at Awaken GenZ, a ministry of Awaken OKC. 

I’m still on a discovery journey on this matter, but I hope this perspective can help shift our paradigm on pain. 

Lastly, the scripture that always brings me hope is,

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” —Romans‬ ‭5‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ 

Fivefold Ministry | Apostolic Culture (Part One)

Over the past years, I have been doing an extensive study on the fivefold ministry. The fivefold ministry has always been something that has fascinated and challenged me. 

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve most likely have heard hundreds of perspectives of what the fivefold ministry is. However, there’s always this one theme that I have listened to with so many that I just can not get my head around. 

This one thing that I hear from the various teachings is how they characterize individual gifts. The problem that this leads to is we, in our human understanding of things or lack of seeing beyond the external, we in our minds categorize individuals based on what we see instead of what they’ve been anointed for. 

Now, this message is not to learn how to categorize someone, no, in fact, it’s the exact opposite. It’s to learn how to recognize an anointing. That doesn’t mean you say, “Hey, I’m this” or “hey, you’re a fill in the blank.” My heart is to break down the perspective that anointing and gifting have to look in a particular manner. 

For example, I’ve heard how an apostle is a quiet person, extremely introverted. Always to himself. However, I’ve also listened to the polar opposite; apostles are loud, extroverted, and so forth. 

I’ve heard just about every characteristic of each fivefold ministry, and I can confidently say that it isn’t all true. I know of numerous leaders who play a specific role in the fivefold, and they look like nothing depicted in some of the teachings that I’ve heard. That doesn’t mean the teaching is flawed or wrong; it just means that we can’t and shouldn’t categorize people based on how one acts or what we see them doing. 

Fivefold is first and foremost a gift, and secondly, it’s an anointing. God will place these things on whom He pleases. Just because a person is loud, abrasive, or extroverted doesn’t mean they are the evangelist. I have a friend who you wouldn’t even suspect this guy is evangelizing left and right because his personality and nature is the polar opposite to his anointing. 

Now, I don’t want to get narrow-focused on the human attributes of someone that will classify them this or that. 

So below, I did my best to mention attributes that come with the anointing. Some may seem like human attributes; however, it does not say how it looks. I wanted to leave that open because people of different personalities will manifest these attributes differently, and that’s okay. 

Before I dissect individual gifting, I want to mention the importance of why we need a fivefold ministry environment in church, or another term, an apostolic culture. 

Why is the Fivefold Ministry essential?

When you belong to a fivefold or apostolic church, you’ll quickly begin to realize certain things that you will not see in a typical church. 

You’ll learn quickly that a fivefold church heavily revolves around the presence of God. Vision and mission statements revolve around His presence. In a fivefold church, dreams, visions, and risks are celebrated. The environment of the fivefold is hugely empowering. People are empowered and pushed to jump into the destiny God has for them. 

Why is a fivefold culture so empowering? To put it simply, because a fivefold culture is called to equip the saints and send out. In other words, the word equip in its root definition means to “align,”; meaning the fivefold helps to align the body of Christ with heaven’s purpose for them. To be unified in the spirit with His kingdom and His will so that they may be equipped and sent out into the earth. 

Fivefold culture enjoys the sending. Its value is we are more robust and better because you go. We are expanding the kingdom of God because you are stepping into everything God has called you to be. 

The value system is based on how to serve God rather than serving people. 

Now, don’t twist my words. That doesn’t mean fivefold forgets about humanity. It just means that the reward or satisfaction is not in catering to a large body, but how can we join with heaven and see heaven manifested on earth. 

See, in a true fivefold or apostolic culture, everyone does their part so well that heaven and earth are being served well for the glory of God. No one is left clueless; no one is left behind; no one is insignificant. Everyone plays a crucial and significant role in making sure the needs are fulfilled. 

I will have another teaching soon on the importance of a church being led by not a pastor but an apostle. That is a teaching all on its own; however, that will be for a different time. 

In part two, I will break down the attributes of each fivefold anointing.

Fivefold Ministry | Apostolic Culture (Part Two)

Attributes of the Fivefold Ministry gifts

A great way to that has helped me is seeing these ministry gifts is using “The Hand of God” example.

• Pinky — Teachers

• Ring Finger — Pastors

• Middle Finger — Evangelists

• Index Finger — Prophets

• Thumb — Apostles

Apostles (Culture/Visionaries) — Thumb

Apostles are visionaries. They are consistently thinking about how they can cultivate the kingdom of heaven on earth. Apostles cultivate a thriving environment around them where one can feel empowered in their identity and also called to believe and dream for the impossible. They are pioneers or builders whose desire is to build kingdom culture.

Apostles are travelers or sent ones, whose mission is to help shift or cultivate kingdom culture in churches, regions, or influencers. Apostles are known to change atmospheres, empower people, walk in humility, and demonstrate the Spirit's power. Apostles have an incredible gift of faith. Apostles are continually challenging us to renew our minds or change our perspective through their revelatory messages.

Thumb: The thumb is not in opposition to or over the fingers, but it is designed to complete the full function and power of the hand. Apostles function in administration and (together with prophets) lay the foundation with proper doctrinal and spiritual structure.

Prophets (The Spirit Realm) — Index Finger

Prophets awaken the church to the unseen spiritual realm to partner with what heaven is saying and doing. Prophets cultivate an environment of freedom. Prophets celebrate identity, righteousness, purity, and holiness. Prophets call us to excellence and spiritual maturity. They discern the times and the seasons for the local body and members of the body.

God will usually first speak to the prophets before the changing of a season or shift. They have a healthy gift of prophecy, edifying, exhortation, and correction in ways that help transform the way we think and see things. 

Index Finger: The forefinger is often called the pointer finger — the prophet functions in revelation and point the way for believers. The office of the prophet is different than the gift of prophecy — it carries a governmental authority with higher responsibility.

Evangelists (The Lost) — Middle Finger

Evangelists are 100% after the lost. They desire to preach the gospel. Nothing is more important than lost souls. To the evangelist, the harvest is crucial because Jesus is worthy of it. In everything they do, Jesus has to be the very center of it all. Evangelists cultivate welcoming environments where people from all walks of life feel loved. They walk in great faith, gifts of miracles, are the best storytellers, and burn with a desire to see the lost found.

One of the roles of an evangelist is to equip the saints in evangelism. Having an evangelist around will make it difficult for a local church to sit inside the four walls of the church. The evangelist is always emphasizing the "Go." You'll rarely find evangelists in churches or conference settings; their mission is outside the church walls.

Middle Finger: The middle finger  extends the furthest on the hand — it represents the outreach ministry extended to evangelize the world.

Pastors (The Church) — Ring Finger

Pastors have a great love for the church. They truly value and see the best in people. They are continually encouraging people to do their best, offering a relentless passion for their sheep. Often for apostles and prophets, they can sometimes be too focused on heaven's agenda and evangelists to focus on the lost.

However, for the pastors or shepherds they care for people with a grace that demonstrates the Father's heart. Pastors' environment calls people to be made whole in their marriage, finances, and emotions. The pastor takes the church and makes it feel more like a family.

Ring Finger: The ring finger is the wedding ring finger, symboling the pastor’s commitment to His flock. Prophets and evangelists might come and go, but the pastor is bound to the local saints in a shepherding relationship.

Teachers (The Word of God) — Pinky

Teachers cultivate a revelatory environment. Often, teachers have been misclassified by being called apostles. The critical mistake made is this; Apostles teach revelatory teachings usually inspired by either supernatural encounters such as dreams or visions, whereas teachers teach from being inspired by the Word of God. Both are spiritual revelations; however, they come very differently to apostles and teachers.

Teachers are known to develop discipleship methods where people grow in the Bible and what it says about them. Teachers keep us all rooted. Especially in environments where the supernatural is natural, teachers keep us in line with doctrine and biblical truths.

Pinky: Although it’s the smallest finger, the little finger is essential and provides balance. The teacher grounds the church in truth through instruction in the principles of the Word of God.

What can we learn from this?

1.) It is not for us to categorize people in gifting or callings. God will use whom He pleases, and He isn’t looking for the “right” personality that fits the gifting. Each gifting will manifest differently, but the anointing and attention will be the same. 

2.) Belonging to a fivefold church or apostolic environment is crucial for our walk. Fivefold culture revolves around the presence of God first and foremost. That must be our top priority in our walk. 

Lord, how can we make your name known today? Lord, how can we see your glory revealed on earth as it is in heaven? 

In other words, many have said, “don’t be so heavenly minded that you’re no earthly good.” However, the fivefold culture says, “be so heavenly minded that you are earthly good.” Fivefold perspectives first think of the things of heaven. The same call Paul gave to the Colossians