APOSTLES, PROPHETS, PASTORS, TEACHERS, EVANGALISTS....

The Savior setting apart the twelve disciples as APOSTLES.

I "love" this passage of verses from the fourth chapter from Paul's epistle to the Ephesians. It demonstrates a number of things about Christ's earthly church.

11And he ^agave some, ^bapostles; and some, ^cprophets; and some, ^devangelists; and some, ^epastors and ^fteachers;

First of all, Paul indicates that Christ had an organization of laborers or church officials in his earthly kingdom or church. And, it also demonstrates that He was the one to call them (they didn't call themselves).
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12For the ^aperfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the ^bedifying of the body of Christ:

Paul also states the reasons why the Savior called and set these men apart from everyone else: They were to help in the perfecting of the saints (members of Christ church), they were to help in the ministry and for edifying (building up) the "body of Christ" or the Savior's kingdom.

13Till we all come in the ^aunity of the faith, and of the ^bknowledge of the Son of God, unto a ^cperfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

This statement by Paul is particularly interesting, He indicates how long these officers and offices were to be in the Church: Until we all come to a unity of the Faith. Think about that for a while. Do you see a unity of Christianity anywhere on the earth right now? No? Which Church has modern day Apostles and Prophets, etc. to carry out this mission?


 14That we henceforth be no more ^achildren, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of ^bdoctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

Here is a group of twelve men who are sustained and supported by fourteen million people world wide as a modern group of Apostles, holding the same authority and priesthood that the original twelve men whom the Savior called in His day had, before his crucifixion. They are also sustained as Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. We refer to them as the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Here is another group of three men, who are also apostles, who form a quorum of priesthood bearers who are designated as the First Presidency of Christ's Church. The gentleman sitting in the middle is named Thomas Spencer Monson. He is the Lord's Prophet on the earth right now and presides over all of Christ's Church on the Earth. He is assisted by two councilors who are also Apostles. On the left is Henry Bennion Eyring who has the designation as President Monson's First Councilor. On the right is Dieter Friedrich Uchtdorf, a native born German who is the Second Councilor in the First Presidency.

None of these men called themselves to the ministry. As an Article of Faith in Christ's Church states, "We believe that a man must be called by prophecy, and by the laying on of hands, by those who are in authority to preach the Gospel and administer in the ordinances thereof."  Article 5

All of these men came from ordinary walks of life, none of whom were part of a paid ministry. Some were educators, some attorneys. President Uchtdorf was a fighter pilot in the German Air Force and then an executive at Lufthansa Airlines. Three were former university presidents. One was on the bench as a state supreme court member. One was a famous heart surgeon. Some came from a business background, including one who owned an automobile dealership. The one thing they have in common, besides their Church Membership and priesthood, is the special witness they have through revelation from the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ and the special calling to be a witness of Him throughout the world.

(Interestingly enough, all the members of Christ's Church have the same witness of Christ's divinity and calling as the Savior of the World.)