Numbers 17:8 (NIV)

⁸ The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

The header image above shows almonds which can be used to symbolize the fruit of the Fivefold Ministry just as the rod of Aaron the high priest budded and blossomed and bore almonds in a single-night! This provides a type and a shadow of spiritual things which speaks of how a Fivefold Minister (New Testament Levite) can produce the fruit of his calling just like branch of an almond tree producing almonds. The Fruit of an Apostle is divine order and the fruit of a Prophet is holiness and fear of the Lord and the fruit of an bible Teacher is revelation of God's word and the fruit of a Pastor is oversight as a shepherd provides oversight over a flock of sheep and the fruit of an Evangelist is winning souls. It is the fruit of these ministry gifts that identify them and their specific gift.

Luke 6:44 (NIV)

⁴⁴ Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.

Jesus said that each tree is recognized by its own fruit and this same principle can also be applied to the Fivefold Ministry (New Testament Levites) who are distinguished by the fruit that they produce.

Aaron was distinguished as the one chosen for ministry because his rod produced fruit. A rod can also illustrate authority as a scepter held by a king. In the same way the rod of Aaron budded and produced ripe almonds overnight showing that he had the evidence of the "fruit" of his calling. The same can also be applied to present-day Fivefold ministers who can produce the fruit of their calling according to their gifts. These Old Testament things (like the budding of Aaron's rod) are spiritual types and examples to teach present-day believers about spiritual things.

1 Corinthians 10:11 (NIV)

¹¹ These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

The things that occurred in the Old Testament serve as examples and warning for the believers who live under this present dispensation. These are types and shadows which provide believers with spiritual understanding.

A shadow is a dark image our outline of something but not the clear representation. As such a shadow only gives basic spiritual principles but not in great detail. It is the same also with the rod of Aaron which budded and produced almonds. This is a spiritual type and shadow which speaks of those called into the Fivefold Ministry which produce fruit (almonds) related to their calling.

Hebrews 5:4 (NIV)

⁴ No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was.

Just as the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament was an office which was appointed by God to Aaron and his descendants so in the same way those of the New Testament Fivefold Ministry are also born into their calling. No man can take this honor upon himself by his own choosing but in fact only those born with a Fivefold Ministry Gift from their mother's womb are called into the ministry.

Those who served as Levitical priests under the Old Testament were only those who were born within the lineage of Aaron and in the same way this is a type and shadow that only those who are "born" with a Fivefold Ministry Gift under the New Testament era are true ministers of the Lord.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 (NIV)

⁴ The word of the LORD came to me, saying,

⁵ "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

The prophet Jeremiah was born as a prophet from his mother's womb. It is a calling from God and no man can take this honor upon himself to appoint himself into the office of a prophet. If a man is not born with the gift of prophet then he simply is not a prophet!

Galatians 1:15 (NASB)

¹⁵ But when God, who had set me apart even from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, was pleased

Apostle Paul was born with the Fivefold Ministry Gift of "Apostle" from his mother's womb. He had formerly been a religious zealot but when he believed in the Lord and was saved then he realized his calling and gift of Apostle (which he possessed from his mother's womb). The same also can be said of each of the Fivefold Ministry Gifts including Apostle, Prophet, Teacher, Pastor, and Evangelist. These are all gifts from God given unto men from their mother's womb. If they are not born with these gifts then simply, they are not called by God into the ministry!

Just as Aaron was called by God and did not appoint himself into this role so also every Fivefold Minister is also called by God and did not appoint themselves into their particular offices. Just as all priests were born into the lineage of Aaron so all Fivefold Ministry Gifts are also born into their gifts and calling of being a Fivefold Ministry Gift.

See the link "Fivefold Ministry Gifts" for more details.

The Old Testament is filled with types and shadows that communicate spiritual truth according to general principles. This can also be seen in the confirmation of Aaron by God for the Priesthood by the example of having his rod blossom and produce ripe almonds. Those who are born with a ministry gift will blossom in the ministry and be fruitful with the fruit which is evidence of their calling from God.

Attempted Self-Appointment into Priesthood

Numbers 16:1-3 (NIV)

¹ Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites--Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth--became insolent

² and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council.

³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"

The example of Korah is an Old Testament testimony given as a warning for all future generations until this present time. Korah sought to appoint himself into the priesthood without the confirmation of God. Korah engaged in political intrigue and poisoned the minds of the congregational leaders against Moses using slander. Korah simply pointed out the weaknesses of Moses and then cast doubt upon the intentions of Moses and this was enough to poison the minds of the key leadership. In this manner Korah was able to poison the minds of almost the entire congregation of over 600,000 Jewish households!

Korah got together the 250 key leaders and had them all stand in opposition to the leadership of Moses. Korah claimed that every member of the entire congregation was holy (implying they could all hear the voice of God for themselves and thus they could all make their own leadership decisions). This was a blatant mutiny against God's appointed leadership as these laymen (sheep) were trying to take over the leadership position of Moses (the shepherd). Korah went further in his accusations to accuse Moses of setting himself over the congregation!

This accusation is totally baseless but only was used as an excuse by Korah to cast doubt upon the good intentions of Moses so that Korah himself could take over the leadership position for himself! The ironic thing however is that Moses in fact did not even want the job!

Exodus 4:13 (NIV)

¹³ But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."

When Moses was commissioned by God in the desert near Mount Horeb in Arabia, he asked God to send someone else because he did not want the job! This angered God and Moses was forced to stop making excuses and obey God or face judgment!

Numbers 11:11-12 (NIV)

¹¹ He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me?

¹² Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers?

Moses was overwhelmed with the complaining of these grumbling faithless Israelites and he asked God if he was being punished by having to bear the burden of leading these whiners in the desert! Moses asked if he had given birth to them that he was required to carry them around like infant babies! It is clear that Moses did not even want the job and it was God who appointed Moses to the leadership role so Moses had no other choice but to obey God.

This is typical of most men called into the Fivefold Ministry because most of them do not even want to be in the ministry and would have been content just to work a job like a layman and be free from all of the pressure of leading people spiritually. But they know that they were born with their Fivefold Ministry Gift and if they do not fulfill their role and accept their calling from God then they will face unspeakable damnation! Therefore the Fivefold Minister really had no real choice but to accept the call to the ministry and obey God because resisting the call and damnation are not options worthy of consideration!

Numbers 16:3 (NIV)

³ They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"

Again, Korah had the audacity to accuse Moses of setting himself over the congregation as if it was Moses own personal idea to be the leader when in fact Moses did not even want the job and would have been content to shepherd some four-legged sheep who did not give him any problems like these complaining people did continually!

It is commonplace that those who want to seize leadership positions will accuse others of harboring the exact evil motives that they themselves carry! It was Korah who wanted to set himself over the entire congregation (not Moses) but Korah was quick to accuse Moses of the very crime that he himself was guilty of!

Numbers 16:4-7 (NIV)

⁴ When Moses heard this, he fell facedown.

⁵ Then he said to Korah and all his followers: "In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him.

⁶ You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers

⁷ and tomorrow put fire and incense in them before the LORD. The man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!"

Moses said that these defiant leaders could go ahead and take censors and place incense in them and stand in the role of a priest to offer incense before God. Then it would be God who would show whom He had chosen for the priesthood.

Numbers 16:8-10 (NIV)

⁸ Moses also said to Korah, "Now listen, you Levites!

⁹ Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the LORD's tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them?

¹⁰ He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too.

These men were actually from the tribe of Levi but they were doing the work of natural service like cutting wood and hauling water and carrying equipment for transporting the tabernacle. In modern times they would be serving as the equivalent of a deacon who is a laymen who does natural service in the church. Under this type and shadow the Priesthood represents the Fivefold Ministry and the serving Levite division represent elders and deacons who serve in natural matters within the church.

Numbers 16:11 (NIV)

¹¹ It is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?"

When a congregation or group of people assemble to resist God's chosen leaders then they are in fact banding together against God who appointed the leadership over them! Again the analogy of the priesthood speaks of the Fivefold Ministry and typically most of those called into the Fivefold Ministry never wanted the job but are forced to obey or face eternal damnation. Those who are really called by God are doing it out of obedience to God not by self-promotion.

Numbers 16:15 (NIV)

¹⁵ Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, "Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them."

Moses was not engaging in the ministry for the purpose of making money or creating a livelihood for himself. He never took a donkey (lowest priced animal) from anyone and never wronged a single person in the congregation.

Numbers 16:16-19 (NIV)

¹⁶ Moses said to Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow--you and they and Aaron.

¹⁷ Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it--250 censers in all--and present it before the LORD. You and Aaron are to present your censers also."

¹⁸ So each man took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.

¹⁹ When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the entire assembly.

Again, Moses told them to stand before God with censers and incense as a priest would do. Korah gathered all of his followers in opposition to Moses and Aaron at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting.

Numbers 16:23-27 (NIV)

²³ Then the LORD said to Moses,

²⁴ "Say to the assembly, 'Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.'"

²⁵ Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him.

²⁶ He warned the assembly, "Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins."

²⁷ So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.

It was Korah, Dathan and Abiram who were the leader and ringleaders that served as the instigators of rebellion over 250-other laymen leaders of the congregation. God first dealt with these leaders of rebellion warning everyone to get away from them!

Numbers 16:28-30 (NIV)

²⁸ Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea:

²⁹ If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the LORD has not sent me.

³⁰ But if the LORD brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt."

Moses made it clear that God had sent him to do all of these things. It was not the personal idea of Moses to deliver the people out of Egypt and bring them to the Promised Land. Moses was only obeying what God told him to do and it was all God's plan and God was doing everything. As a sign that it was God who was doing everything Moses said that the ground would open and swallow up these rebels and all they owned alive into hell! This would be a testimony that these rebellious men had treated the Lord with contempt when they despised God's appointed leadership. It was not a rebellion against Moses and Aaron but in fact it was a direct rebellion against God who appointed these leaders over the congregation!

Numbers 16:31-34 (NIV2011)

³¹ As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart

³² and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, and all those associated with Korah, together with their possessions.

³³ They went down alive into the realm of the dead, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community.

³⁴ At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, “The earth is going to swallow us too!”

These rebel leaders were served a special type of judgment from God and were the first people to ever be swallowed up alive into hell!

Numbers 16:35 (NIV)

³⁵ And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.

The followers of Korah (the 250-layman leaders) who were offering incense (asserting themselves into the role of a priest) were instantly destroyed by fire from God and burned to ashes!

Numbers 16:36-40 (NIV)

³⁶ The LORD said to Moses,

³⁷ "Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to take the censers out of the smoldering remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy--

³⁸ the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the LORD and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites."

³⁹ So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar,

⁴⁰ as the LORD directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD, or he would become like Korah and his followers.

God instructed that the censers presented by these burned rebels should be hammered out as plating for the altar. This plating was to forever serve as a reminder that no Israelites [who were not a descendant of Aaron] (born into that lineage) should ever burn incense before the Lord. The deaths of Korah and his followers is recorded in the Old Testament to provide warning for believers living under the current dispensation. Just as it is forbidden that laymen intruders stand in the office of a priest so also it is forbidden that laymen intruders stand in any of the offices of the Fivefold Ministry. This is a type and shadow that gives warning to laymen not to intrude into the ministry for which they were not called by God to enter. If they are not born with a Fivefold Ministry Gift then they simply are not permitted to enter into the ministry.

Minds Poisoned by Slander

Numbers 16:41 (NIV)

⁴¹ The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the LORD's people," they said.

Once human minds have been poisoned by slander then it is almost impossible to get it out! Even after the dramatic display of God's power to swallow up the key leaders into hell and then burn the 250-laymen leaders to ashes, these people still wanted to accuse Moses and Aaron of killing the Lord's people! This is totally insanity as if Moses could make the earth open up and swallow these wicked men who deceived the entire congregation and poisoned their minds against Moses and Aaron. It should be obvious that it was God who swallowed up the rebels alive into hell because no human can make the earth open up like that! Also only God could have burned 250-laymen leaders to ashes instantly (in those days without the use of Napalm)! It was God who brought about this dramatic judgment but these survivors were so poisoned in mind by Korah that they still thought Korah and his leaders were people of the Lord! Typically a laymen cannot tell the difference between a real Fivefold Ministry New Testament Levite and a laymen intruder (Korah-type).

These survivors of the judgment of Korah could not see that Korah and his followers were wicked men who only served themselves. These evil men poisoned the minds of the people to cast off Moses and Aaron as leaders only so they could assume the leadership role for themselves!

Laymen Cannot Discern Ministry Gifts

This provides an illustration of the fact that layman cannot generally discern the difference between a laymen ministry intruder and one who possesses a real Fivefold Ministry Gift. It is for this reason that it is complete nonsense when laymen hold an election to vote on who they want to have as a leader (such as an Apostle or Prophet or Pastor). It would be insane to think of sheep voting on who they want to to have as a shepherd but it is also just as crazy to assume laymen can vote on spiritual leadership when they are incapable of discerning between a laymen ministry intruder and a real Fivefold Ministry Gift!

Acts 13:1-3 (NIV)

¹ In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.

² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

It should be noted here that there were certain prophets and teachers (speaking of a dual ministry gift of Prophet/Teacher). Such men have the fruit of a Prophet (which is holiness and fear of the Lord) and the fruit of a Bible Teacher (which is the ability to see and teach revelation of God's word). It was these Prophet/Teachers (Fivefold Ministry Gifts) who were instructed by the Holy Spirit to lay hands upon Barnabas and Saul to set them apart from the work of the ministry for which they had been called.

We have already discussed that Apostle Paul was born to be an Apostle from his mother's womb and came to realize his gift when he was saved on the road to Damascus. But even a Fivefold Ministry Gift has to mature and grow in the Lord and when God sees they are ready it is then that they can be ordained by the laying on of hands.

This laying on of hands however must be done only by men who have a Fivefold Ministry Gift and operate in the Spiritual Gift of Discerning of spirits. The gift of Discerning of spirits also works to discern if a man was born with a Fivefold Ministry Gift. The Fivefold Ministry Gift must have both the calling and the maturity before he can be ordained and sent out into the ministry.

See the link "Spiritual Gifts" for more details.

Never should an entire congregation of laymen presume to lay hands upon a Fivefold Ministry Gift for ordination. Ordination can only be done by a fellow Fivefold Minister who can recognize the same gifts in others (by the operation of Discerning of spirits).

Numbers 16:42-50 (NIV)

⁴² But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tent of Meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared.

⁴³ Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting,

⁴⁴ and the LORD said to Moses,

⁴⁵ "Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." And they fell facedown.

⁴⁶ Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer and put incense in it, along with fire from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has started."

⁴⁷ So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them.

⁴⁸ He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped.

⁴⁹ But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah.

⁵⁰ Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, for the plague had stopped.

The surviving congregation accused Moses and Aaron of killing off the Lord's people (as if Moses and Aaron had destroyed Korah's bunch out of jealousy to protect their own leadership position). But this accusation shows that the minds of these people were still poisoned by the slander of the now deceased Korah!

Then another 14,700 people died from a plague in addition to those who already had died because of Korah. Apparently these additional 14,700 people had their minds poisoned against God's ordained leadership and there was nothing that could be done with them except to cull them from the congregation. If they were left to remain with their poisoned minds they would have again corrupted the rest of the congregation that remained after the judgment.

Proverbs 18:8 (NASB)

⁸ The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

Proverbs 26:22 (NASB)

²² The words of a whisperer are like dainty morsels, And they go down into the innermost parts of the body.

The same thing was repeated twice in the book of Proverbs stating clearly that gossip (or slander) is like dainty morsels which go down into the innermost parts of a human being. This means that these additional 14,700 people had been so ill-effected by the slander of Korah against Moses and Aaron that there was no correcting them. They had to be culled from the congregation by God for this reason.

If there is a church split resulting from slander sown into the hearts of people by a Korah-type leader then these people will all have to be expelled from the church together with the one they are following. It is not possible to cure them once their minds and hearts have been evilly affected by slander against God's ordained leadership!

Almonds as Fruit of the Ministry

It was after the judgment of Korah and his followers and the additional 14,700 poisoned in mind that God instigated the sign (of the budding almond rod) to endorse Aaron as the one to serve in the priesthood.

Numbers 17:1-5 (NIV)

¹ The LORD said to Moses,

² "Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff.

³ On the staff of Levi write Aaron's name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe.

⁴ Place them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you.

⁵ The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites."

God commanded that twelve staffs be collected from each of the leaders of each of the ancestral tribes. Each of these leaders were to write their name upon their own staff. Aaron also wrote his name on his staff to represent the Levite tribe. Then God would cause the staff of the one he has chosen to bud and this would be a sign against the rebels in the future who would try to usurp authority away from God's ordained leadership.

Numbers 17:6-8 (NIV)

⁶ So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron's staff was among them.

⁷ Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.

⁸ The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

The staff of Aaron had budded and blossomed and produced almonds but the other eleven staffs remained as fruitless dry sticks! The almonds are an Old Testament type and shadow of the fruit of the Fivefold Ministry under this current dispensation. A tree is known by its fruit and the same is also true of a Fivefold Minister.

Matthew 7:16 (NASB)

¹⁶ "You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?

Those who do not have a Fivefold Ministry Gift cannot produce any fruit of that gift. Men do not gather grapes from thorn-bushes nor figs from thistles and in the same way no laymen ministry intruder can produce the fruit of a Fivefold Ministry Gift.

Fruit of the Fivefold Ministry

Each of the Fivefold Ministry Gifts can be identified by the fruit that they produce. The fruit of the Apostle is divine order and the fruit of the Prophet is holiness and fear of the Lord and the fruit of a Bible Teacher is revelation of God's word. The fruit of a Pastor is oversight like a shepherd provides oversight to a flock of sheep. The fruit of an Evangelist is to win souls so salvation is evidence of the gift of Evangelist.

In the same way that the rod of Aaron budded and bore fruit so those who are called by God into the Fivefold Ministry can be identified by the fruit that they produce.

Dry-Sticks = Term for Fruitless Laymen Ministry Intruders

The other eleven staffs remained as fruitless dry-sticks showing that they had no fruit to identify them as being called by God into the priesthood. This is a type and shadow speaking of fruitless laymen who are not called by God into the ministry. Being fruitless dry sticks represents laymen ministry intruders who are unable to evidence any type of fruit of the Fivefold Ministry. I refer to these ministry intruders as dry-sticks for this reason.

See the link "Glossary" for more details.

I know of a man born with the dual gift of Apostle/Evangelist and as such he could get people saved and found a church rapidly and his works were lasting even after he left. But this same man had a sister who was too familiar with her brother's weaknesses and defects. She grew arrogant and thought that she could preach better than he could any day of the week! So she intruded into the ministry to start a church for herself thinking it would be great to have limelight and attention before the people and to create a livelihood for herself. The only problem was that she was not called into the Fivefold Ministry and in fact all of the offices of the Fivefold Ministry are exclusively "all-male" in operation. If a woman seems to have an interest and drive toward spiritual things then this is usually an indication that she is called to be a helpmeet to a husband who is called into the Fivefold Ministry. But a woman who has a "spiritual-interest" should not be mistaken as evidence that the woman is called into the ministry herself.

See the link "Levite Woman" for more details.

In the example of this sister of an Apostle/Evangelist she ended up dying a premature death because she was in fact intruding into the ministry for which she was not called. There are some who have intruded into the ministry for a long time without experiencing judgment but often this is because they do not know any better. However, when God delivers his last warning to such people it is at this time that they will typically experience judgment (if they harden their hearts and continue to intrude into the ministry for which they were not called by God to enter).

There are numerous laymen ministry intruders who suppose that it would be great to preach once a week, stand before the congregation and have all of the limelight and attention and to escape the boredom of a secular job. So many of them try to start their own ministry but they remain forever as "dry-sticks" unable to produce any fruit of a Fivefold Ministry Gift.

The problem with all false religion is that it is operated by those who are laymen ministry intruders who have no gift or calling from God whatsoever. As such they cannot meet the spiritual needs of the people. This is why they focus on having some sort of social project or organizing free handouts or having an entertainment-based church to attract people to come. All of this activity seems fun on the surface but in fact it is doing nothing to get people saved nor preparing them for eternity to qualify them to enter heaven.

If people are serious about spiritual things, they need to have a real Fivefold Minister as their leader not a layman ministry intruder who is nothing but a dry-stick and has no fruit or evidence of a calling from God!

See the link "Religious Vultures" for more details.

There are two types of false leaders and these are the Balaam-types who have a real ministry gift (but were sold out for money) and there are the Jeroboam-types who are the dry-sticks of laymen ministry intruders who do not have a Fivefold Ministry Gift.

1 Kings 13:33 (NIV)

³³ Even after this, Jeroboam did not change his evil ways, but once more appointed priests for the high places from all sorts of people. Anyone who wanted to become a priest he consecrated for the high places.

Jeroboam invented a false religion that "aped" the true form of worship conducted in God's temple in Jerusalem. Jeroboam appointed any type of person who wanted to to be a priest into this false religion without regard to being a "Levitical Priest" of those who are born of the lineage of Aaron. And so all these were laymen ministry intruders who were operating in a false man-made religion that was unrelated to anything in the kingdom of God.

The same is also true for every false church or ministry run by a laymen ministry intruder in this present day and age. These fake religions exist only to please humans and focus on having a social club and entertainment but this is not something related to preparing people for eternity. False religion is distinguished by having leaders who are not called by God but are only self-appointed people who seek limelight or attention or escape from secular employment. This is vastly different than a Fivefold Ministry Gift who is required to fulfill his calling from God whether he likes it or not. A real Fivefold Minister is not in the ministry for money (except for a few Balaam-types who fell out in greed) but most Fivefold Ministers exist only to obey God.

Real Fivefold Ministers have fruit of their ministry gift evident like the almonds of Aaron's staff that testify to God's endorsement. Anyone else in the ministry (who is not a Fivefold Minister) is a layman ministry intruder and a "dry-stick" for this reason!