Ephesians 4:11
“He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers;”
What does Ephesians 4:11 mean?
Paul is describing how Jesus distributes different kinds of gifts and callings throughout the church, each one designed to help the community grow and stay spiritually healthy. These aren't ranks of importance, but rather different roles: some people are called to lay foundation and lead movements, others to speak God's truth into specific moments, others to share the good news with those who haven't heard it, and still others to care for people's wellbeing and help them understand Scripture. The beautiful thing here is that Paul assumes every single church will have people gifted in various ways, working together like different parts of a body, rather than expecting everyone to do the same thing.