FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

in the early twentieth century, which has continued to increase globally since that time.

While there are signs that follow all believers, and especially the ministries of the apostle and prophet, it is the evangelist ministry and the preaching of the gospel that seems to be surrounded by an abundance of signs, wonders, healings, and cures. And Jesus said we could do greater works even than He did. John 14:12 “ Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. ” Bringing someone into the new birth has been considered by some to be the greater works that Jesus was speaking of here. I do not limit what Jesus was saying simply to leading people into the new birth or baptism of the Holy Spirit. I believe it includes all the miraculous works which followed Jesus. While I do not believe that any one person can hope to match the works of Jesus, (John 21:25) I do believe that corporately we, the body of Christ, are currently doing more and greater works than Jesus did while He was on earth. Apostle Paul was ordained an apostle, a teacher, and a preacher (2 Timothy 1:11). Everywhere he went he evangelized and encouraged this in others. When he instructed his spiritual son Timothy to do the work of an evangelist he was not indicating that Timothy was an evangelist by calling, (Timothy was an apostle, as evidenced in 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2:6), but Timothy would, by doing the work of an evangelist, have the fruit of the evangelist’s ministry, and through that would fulfill his own apostolic ministry. The same can be said to other Christians. 2 Timothy 4:5 “ But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry .” The five gift ministries are primarily intended to equip the Church to do the works of ministry, Ephesians 4:11 “ 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 ,”

As evangelists continue to equip the body of Christ to preach (euaggelizo) the gospel of the kingdom, the fruit of evangelism will

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