Christian Living

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APOSTLES TODAY
by Rev. Lynn Fowler


There has been some discussion in the circles in which I move about the whole question of apostles: Can there be apostles today? Was there only the twelve? If there are apostles today, what is their role? Obviously, to fully answer these questions would require much more than one short message, however today I felt to address the most basic issues.

Some people believe that there was only ever the twelve apostles who were personally appointed by Jesus, with Judas being replaced by Matthias after Jesus' death and resurrection, and Paul being thrown in as a “bonus”.

However, Ephesians 4:8-11 says, “This is why it says: "When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men."(What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions ? He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers” This is clearly saying that what we refer to as the 5-fold ministries were given after Jesus had ascended. For this reason they are also sometimes referred to as the “ascension gift ministries.”

The twelve were appointed whilst Jesus was on earth. They were not ascension gift ministries, because at the time of their appointment, Jesus had not yet died, risen and ascended. Matthias was chosen on the same terms as the twelve to replace Judas. This was in order to maintain the number 12, corresponding to the 12 tribes of Israel. To say that there was only ever the 12 plus Paul would be to make Paul the only ever ascension gift apostle.

Ephesians goes on to give the reason for the ascension gift ministries: “to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” If this is the reason God gave the ascension gift ministries – all five of them – then we must believe that those ministries will remain in the Church till God's purposes for them have been fulfilled. Has the Church yet reached the unity of the faith? With hundreds of different groups teaching hundreds of different things, it is obvious that we haven't! Has the Church become mature? With large numbers of Christians comfortably asleep, with many others interested only in what they can get from God, with petty squabbles about positions and titles, with blatant witchcraft passing itself off as spiritual gifts, with selfishness, greed, self-promotion, carnality... The list goes on and on, prompting a resounding NO! as the only possible answer. Has the Church attained to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ? Does the world look at us and see nothing but Jesus? I won't even bother answering that one! The work for which God gave the ministries of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher is nowhere near complete. That means that all five are still relevant, and still operating in the Church today.

So what is the role of the apostle today? Many define an apostle as a “sent one”, but in a very real sense every Christian is a “sent one”. There is not one person in the Body of Christ who is exempted from the command, “Gointo all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” (Mk 16:15. NIV) What each of us needs to determine is not that we are sent, but where we are sent, and what we are sent to do. That, however, is another message. Beyond simply being sent, the apostle's role, in broad terms, is outlined in this Scripture: to prepare God's people for ministry, and to build up the body of Christ.

In specifics, the apostle is a pioneer and a foundation builder. The apostle is the one who breaks new ground, both in the natural by pioneering new works and breaking open new territories, and in the spiritual by leading God's people to new places in God. The apostle cannot be content to sit where it is comfortable, either in the natural or in the spirit. There is always a “beyond” that needs to be pressed into and taken for God. There is always a new “promised land” with its own particular giants waiting to be brought into submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.

The apostle is one who builds up. Ideally, he/she works with the prophet, whose job it is to tear down the altars of Baal and everything that exults itself against God. The apostle then clears the rubble and lays the foundations of truth. The apostle also builds individuals, establishing truth in their life, establishing them in sound relationships within the Body of Christ, encouraging them to take up the thing to which God has called them, and mentoring, training and releasing them in the ministry.

The ministry of the apostle is marked with a high level of authority. Firstly in the spirit realm, the apostle must come to a place where he/she understands the authority which he/she has been given in Christ, not jut at the intellectual level, but at the level of owning it. As a front-line general in the army of God (an army which has no “desk generals”) the apostle will be challenged and opposed not only by low-level demons and spiritual forces, but by principalities and powers. He/she needs to know how to stand agains these and to command their submission to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In the natural the apostle also has authority in the Body of Christ, particularly in relation to those who come under his/her covering. However, this authority is not something to be forced (that is control, which equals witchcraft) but something which is freely recognized and accepted by those who come under it. In fact, this recognition and acceptance of his/her authority is one of the marks of a true apostle.

Paul speaks of the apostle and prophet as foundational ministries. Unfortunately, many in the Church today see these two ministries as the “glamour jobs” of the Church, and think that being called to these ministries gives prestige, honour and power. When you look at a building, however, you do not look at the foundations and exclaim, “Oh what wonderful foundations! Look how beautiful they are! Look how strong they are!” No, when you look at the house you may comment on the beauty of the house, or how well it is designed or built (or how badly!), but you don't even notice the foundations.

Think you want to be an apostle? Listen to Paul's description of the job: “For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.” (1 Cor 4:9-13. NIV) Still want the job? Of course, this does not mean that all apostles will be “hungry and thirsty, ... in rags, ... brutally treated, we are homeless.” What it does mean is that those who are called to be apostles must have a heart attitude which is willing to be all those things, and more, if that is what it takes to fulfill their purpose to bring the Church to the “whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”

Much, much more could be said about the role of the apostle. This ascension gift is still needed, still relevant, and still very real in the Church today.

© Lynn Fowler, 2005.
Rev. Lynn Fowler is the Founder and International Director of Glory to the King Ministries International. Visit us at http://glorytotheking.com
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