The Four Faces of Ministry ( The Man, Lion, Ox, and Eagle)

A.postolic  R.egional  M.inistry (ARM)  is the hallmark of the “wheel within the wheel.”  It shows the multiplicity of ministry through the four faces of the living creatures  in Ezekiel’s vision of a 1) man, 2) lion, 3) ox, and 4) eagle.  Interesting, each had the face of a man, each one the lion on the right side, and an ox on the left side, and each had the face of the eagle.

Many well respected theologians, including the late Judson Cornwall, who was more than a theologian and scholar, but a spiritual leader, linked what we call the “Fivefold” ministry to these “four faces”, referring to the “pastor-teacher” as one gift, hence the “fourfold ministry!  In Eph. 4:11 in the original, there is no comma between pastor(shepherd) and teacher, as there is in the rest.

When Barnabas and Saul were set apart into their apostolic commission in Acts 13, it involved going into cities and regions with an apostolic company.  Acts 13:13-  Now when Paul and his company (party) set sail from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia;  and John, departing from them, returned to Jerusalem. 

The varied faces of the man, lion, ox, and eagle represents these ministries, and still does no damage to refer to the five facets of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.  The common understanding is a “pastor must be able to teach, but a teacher does not necessarily pastor.”  But the principle in scripture (Acts 1:1) is “doing and teaching”, not either/or!  It we teach we must do (practice what we teach), and if we do (the work of), we must be able to explain how we do it!

Ezekiel 1:5,6a-  Also from within it came the likeness of four living creatures.  And this was their appearance;  THEY HAD THE LIKENESS OF A MAN.  Each one had four faces,…