We were driving down the main drag in Panama City Beach and to my right was a building with its foundation on top. It’s an edutainment center in reality but as I looked at the building the Lord began to speak that when He releases gifts to the church its not for position but function; it’s not for hierarchy but order. This building is a great example of what many think when they read in 1 Corinthians 12:28 ““And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.”

When we think hierarchy first means top, but Paul was speaking function as in building the church. When you build the church you first need to lay the foundation, this is the work of the apostles they lay the foundation of kingdom truths. Apostles biblically are the foundation not the apex. Paul goes on to say second prophets, for the prophets are the mouthpieces that build the infrastructure of the building called the church. Third teachers is content or in our building analogy, insulation, sheet rock, form. It’s a beautiful picture of how God builds, but it’s order not hierarchy.

As we see the unveiling of the apostles and prophets into the church, it’s been hierarchal so we look like this upside down building but that’s only because we flipped the building. Jesus began this building project called the church in Matthew 16:18 “I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” It started with the apostles as the foundation. Order Matters. The Lord is unleashing the apostles and prophets again into the church not for heirarchal positions but for foundational functions because we are upside down. The function of apostles and prophets will set us in order.