Transitioning the Modern Day Church: From the Three-Fold Model to the Five-Fold Ascension Model

By Marcus W Vann

Transitioning the Modern Day Church: From the Three-Fold Model to the Five-Fold Ascension Model is a strategic apostolic work that asks the question of those in leadership, ministries and believers: Is your organization fully in line with the pattern Jesus Christ set forth?
It is not the book's central message that nothing from the past is good, or that the pastoral ministry, elders or deacons are not necessary. Instead, it reflects an urgent challenge that is facing the Church today: Have we constructed structures for ministry that reflect the governmental, equipping, developmental pattern that Christ gave to the Church?
Many congregations have been functioning since time immemorial on the basis of a three-fold organization, consisting of pastor, elders and deacons. A significant biblical position is given to these offices and functions. The issue is that when this administrative system is the only way the Church thinks about leadership, ministry, authority, equipping and spiritual growth, the glaring problems of its system become evident. In the New Testament there is something greater.
Ephesians 4:11 says Christ gave to His Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These were not presented as prestigious honors but as gifts. They are given as gifts of ascension from the victorious, ascended Christ for the equipping, development and maturity of His people.
The question is not just, 'Do apostles and prophets exist?', it is the apostolic question:
The granddaddy of the questions is: Has the Church allowed the full pattern of ministry which Christ gave to it to play itself out in its life? This book is a call to shift from a maintenance ministry structure to a Kingdom structure for equipping, deploying, maturing, multiplying and advancing.
Transition isn't rejection.
Transition is a purposeful shift from one understanding, structure or function to another, that more effectively serves the purpose. God always led His people into a time of transition. Israel went from Egypt into the wilderness and then to the Promised Land. Moses gave way to Joshua as the leader. The prophetic age led the way to the appearance of Christ. The disciples became followers of Jesus in His earthly ministry, and then after Jesus' ascension, they were commissioned as apostles to advance His Kingdom. Discernment is a necessary element for every real transition.
Leaders need to be familiar with what needs to be kept, what needs reinforcing, what needs fixing and what needs to be altered. The challenge of the modern Church is to not equate tradition with biblical pattern. A building can be known, successful, and accepted in the community, but still need reforming.
Jesus spoke out against traditions that might render the Word of God useless. Not all traditions are bad. It is that no tradition should be more important than the pattern and purpose of God.
The Church has a need for self-examination. Are we raising up mature believers?
Are our leadership structures developing other leaders? Is the Church being released for what is called to do?
Are congregations making impact in the Kingdom outside of the Sunday gathering?
Can ministries be passed from one primary leader to another?
Do Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers function harmoniously?
Are we constructing according to Heaven's plan, or are we just holding on to buildings that were constructed for us?
These questions are a part of the core of Transitioning the Modern Day Church.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0HHYJZBH3
• ISBN13: 9798906718600
• Release Date: September 2026
• Publisher: Kingdom Life Institute Press
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.57 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 6.7" x 9.6"