The second listing of gifts is found in Ephesians 4. In this instance, the word for “gift” in verse 8—“He ascended up on high…and gave gifts [doma] unto men” (KJV)—means literally “a present.” Looking at this verse in context we see that after Jesus ascended to the Father He presented gifts of people who were called and gifted to lead and train the rest of the Body of Christ. While many versions do not repeat the implied word “gift” in verse 11, the Amplified Bible does:

“And His gifts were [varied; He Himself appointed and gave men to us] some to be apostles (special messengers), some prophets (inspired preachers and expounders), some evangelists (preachers of the Gospel, traveling missionaries), some pastors (shepherds of His flock) and teachers.”

It is important to note that in this verse the words “men” (AMP) or “some” (NASB) are used in the sense of “mankind”—men and women. Therefore, both can be domas to minister to the Body of Christ. There are five ministry gifts listed in this passage: The apostle, one who establishes and strengthens churches. The prophet, one who speaks forth the message of God. The evangelist, one who is called to preach the Gospel. The pastor, one who feeds and shepherds the believers. The teacher, one who instructs believers in the Word of God. We purposely list these gifts in lower-case type to emphasize the fact that these are not titles, but functions. A person does not become a prophet by being given the name. Rather, he becomes a prophet as he develops his God-given ability to function in prophet-like ways, responding to God’s specific call with a willing heart. The purpose of these ministry gifts is clear.

“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”

These five ministry gifts might equally well be called “equipping” gifts, enabling the saints (believers) to do the work of the ministry so that Christ’s Body on earth (the Church) can function as His true representative. Therefore, these gifts are not the possessions—the things that belong to us—spoken of in 1 Peter 4:10. Rather they are people who are gifted to be equippers of the rest of the Body of Christ.