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Offices
of the Holy Spirit 6
The Teacher
by Pastor John Hamel
“And he gave some,
apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and
TEACHERS;” (Ephesians 4:11)
In this final study
of the offices of the Holy Spirit, we will look at the Teacher. The
Apostle Paul referred to this New Testament office in all three of his
Ministry office listings. (Romans 12:7; 1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians
4:11)
The Greek word for
Teacher is “didaskalos.” It means,
“Instructor, teacher, Master and Doctor.” In the Gospels alone, this
word is used in reference to Jesus forty-seven times.
It is not uncommon
at all for a New Testament Teacher to stand in more than one Ministry
office. Jesus did. The Apostle Paul did. Some who were
involved with the Church at Antioch did so as well.
“Now there were in
the church that was at Antioch certain prophets and teachers; as Barnabas,
and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of
Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up
with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.” (Acts 13:1)
It is possible for
one to be an Apostle/Teacher or a Prophet/Teacher or an Evangelist/Teacher
or a Pastor/Teacher. One may also stand in the office of the Teacher
only. Those who have only a teaching Ministry usually travel
frequently. Some Pastors may also serve as itinerate
Teachers, as well. Those who do must always keep their home flock as
their priority. During the years I have Pastored,
I have often taught and preached for other Pastors. However, my own flock
is always my priority. They are where my heart is. (Matthew
6:21) A Pastor/Teacher could easily lose a congregation by not
keeping them their number one priority.
Excellent Teachers
are always excellent students. This is the only way to excel in this
supernatural office.
“And a certain Jew
named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man
was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord,
knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the
synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had
heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more
perfectly.” (Acts 18:24-26)
Obviously, when Aquila and Priscilla
approached Apollos, he was humble enough to
receive their instruction. They had the further revelation of the New
Testament he needed and he was willing to pay the price to get it. No
doubt, they shared the “Foundational Doctrines” of Christ with him.
The Apostle Paul refers to these Doctrines in his Letter to the Hebrews.
“Therefore leaving
the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not
laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith
toward God, Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of
resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-2)
These are the
Foundational Doctrines of Christ: Repentance, Faith, the five Baptisms, the
three Resurrections and the five Judgments. An excellent Teacher is
grounded in all of these. An excellent Teacher is also grounded in
the Major Bible Doctrines. For example, the Oneness of the Trinity,
the Deity of Christ, Fall and Redemption of Man, Church Ordinances and
Government, Ministry Offices, Scriptural Gifts, Faith, Divine Healing and
Prosperity, the Rapture and Second Coming of Jesus, the Millennial Reign of
Jesus, the Final Destiny of the Righteous and the Wicked, the New Heaven,
the New Earth, the Nation of Israel, etc. Revelation in all these areas and more are the marks
of a true New Testament Teacher. Visit our tuition-free JHM
Online Bible Training Centre on this website for further teachings/study
in all of these areas.
The teaching office
is supernatural. Just because someone is a schoolteacher does not
mean they can teach the Bible. No one calls himself or herself to any
of the Five-fold Ministry offices. There must be an anointing from
the Holy Spirit to stand in any of these Supernatural offices. (Romans
12:6,7; Hebrews 2:4; 5:4,5) There must be a Divine calling.
From the day I was
first saved I considered myself to be an Evangelist only. That was
all I wanted to be. However, after a few years in Tulsa under the Ministry
of the Prophet/Teacher, something happened inside of me. A Divine
enabling attached itself to my spirit. Whenever I would try to write
out an evangelistic, preaching outline, it would come out as a teaching
outline. A teaching anointing had come upon me that I had never
wanted or asked for. It was supernatural.
One day while
crossing the 21st Street Bridge in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the Holy Spirit
said, “Pastor.” That was one of the last things in the world I ever
thought of doing. However, I began to cooperate with what had
happened inside of me. Since then, Pastoring
and Teaching have actually become “normal” to me. It became something
more natural and satisfying than anything in life. I still preach
evangelistically, of course. That is still a passion. But even
when I preach, it comes out like teaching. I call my combined
teaching and preaching Gifts “Treaching.”
My point is that standing in the office of the Teacher is a supernatural
ability.
In the same way
that Evangelists are gifted to “proclaim” the simple truths of Redemption,
Teachers are gifted to “explain” the more complex truths of
Redemption.
Some call Teachers
“dry” and “wordy.” That is because they have not been exposed to Holy
Spirit anointed Teachers. Holy Spirit anointed Teachers can be as
dynamic as any Evangelist. They can be equally as powerful and
refreshing, as well. Particularly when their bold teaching is
confirmed by the operation of the Revelation Gifts of the Spirit.
These would be the Word of Knowledge,
the Word of Wisdom and the Discerning of Spirits. This is quite
common with the New Testament Teacher.
The Holy Spirit uses these three Gifts in the life of the Teacher to
meet the emotional, spiritual and practical life needs of his/her hearers
supernaturally.
The New Testament Teacher
should always remain sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit both while
and after teaching. After all, the
meeting belongs to the Holy Spirit, not the Teacher. The Holy Spirit should always be allowed
to minister to individuals as He wills.
When the Holy
Spirit moves on the Teacher to minister individually or corporately through
the Gifts, it is never an interruption.
It’s part of His plan for that specific gathering. The Teacher should never be nervous about
yielding to the Holy Spirit in this way.
He always makes us look good while bringing Glory to Jesus.
The New Testament
Teacher also frequently operates in the Utterance Gifts, even as the New
Testament Pastor does. These would be the Gift of Prophecy, the Gift of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues.
A final word about
teaching and miracles.
“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.” (1 Corinthians 12:28)
Here Paul lists
teaching before miracles for a reason. Teaching is more important
than miracles. Miracles cannot establish anyone in Foundational or
Major Bible Doctrines. Miracles cannot
establish anyone in faith. (Luke
16:24-31) That is the job of the diligent Teacher. Baby and
mature Christians alike need information as much as they need inspiration.
The Evangelist has
Power Gifts following their preaching to catch the attention of the
lost. The Teacher has Revelation Gifts following their teaching to
hold the attention of the saved. It is like working as a team to
catch fish.
As a Pastor/Teacher, I have always told the visiting Evangelist,
‘You catch ‘em. I’ll clean ‘em!”
Whatever office you
may be called to, one
fact remains true all across the board.
All of us who stand in
Ministry offices must remain humble, acknowledging our dependence upon the
Holy Spirit and one another. (Acts 10:38; 1Corinthians 12:27)
Operating in pride
is a slippery trip down the one-way slide.
Be Blessed … John and
Barbara Hamel
How
to Be Born Again (Receive Christ as Your Savior)
How
to Receive The Holy Spirit & Power
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