Do you ever go to a store which has a seasonable aisle? The inventory on that aisle rotates to fit the need. During one season, there will be grills and charcoal. During the next season, there will be rakes and campfire materials. During the following season, there will be coats and gloves. During the subsequent season, there will be shovels and seed. The items on the aisle are displayed to meet the current needs.
Have you noticed Ephesians 4:11 lately? That verse mentions that God “gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” This list of spiritual giftedness is different from the spiritual gifts list in Romans 12. Also, this is different from the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. This may look at how an individual’s spiritual gifts impact the church. Pastor-teachers build upon the work of apostles, prophets, and evangelists as they share God’s Word. The role of a Pastor-teacher is to equip others to minister. Don’t you love to see new guys learn how to minister? How do we minister? By sharing the love of God. When ministry happens, it builds the body of Christ and ministry helps the church to be unified.
At the church where I serve, I followed a pastor who had been my friend for many years. There is a difference in our ages of about 30 years, and I am unlike he is. If the Lord tarries, this church’s next pastor will be altogether different from me. Why is that? The gifts of God are fitting for the time period. That’s why I was called to serve this church during this time period. The same is true for you and your ministry. God gifted you to share His love in a particular with a chosen group of people. Never forget that God has called you to an exact ministry for a specific reason and season.