The Ministry of the Apostle

The apostolic ministry is actually the first one that our Lord, Jesus, established in the New Testament church.

And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles.

Lk 6:13

Why did Jesus establish the apostolic ministry first? Because it was to be the foundation of the church government in the New Testament, as the priesthood was the foundation of the ministry in the Old Testament. So, without apostles in the ministry, the ministry gifts are literally without the necessary foundation.

And (you) are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.

Eph 2:20

The word apostle is a Greek word, and literally means, "one who is sent." If I tell my son to take out the trash, he is an apostle to the trash. In the Christian context, that means that an apostle is one who is commissioned by the Lord, and sent to accomplish a specific purpose.

Although they are not called apostles (because that term being Greek, didn't exist until the New Testament) we find apostles in the Old Testament as well. The greatest examples of these are Moses, and Nehemiah. In both of these cases, they were commissioned by God, and sent out, to accomplish a specific purpose for His kingdom.

The most common understanding of the apostolic ministry is that of pioneers, doing the missionary work¹ of planting churches in new areas of the world. This is based upon Paul's ministry, as shown in the book of Acts. While this is part of the apostolic ministry, it is not all of it. This definition totally ignores the works of the other 12 apostles. Nor is it even all of what Paul did.

Actually, true missionaries should be apostles, not evangelists. The western concept of missionaries evangelizing the country, and nothing else, is incorrect. As I stated earlier, when I was talking about evangelists, if a believer tries to live off the spiritual diet he receives from an evangelist, he will die. The evangelist will get him saved, and will keep him encouraged, but the believer won't know how to live a victorious life for the Lord.

Due to the nature of the apostle's ministry, especially when he is pioneering, he will sometimes have to function in the other ministry offices. Paul, in his missionary journeys, clearly fulfilled the roles of evangelist, pastor, and teacher. We know that he also prophesied, because he said he did. Although I can't think of a specific instance of this in the book of Acts; we do see that he moved in a prophetic manner, following the leading of the Holy Spirit in his travels.

Additionally, spiritual pioneering doesn't always mean to go out into a new physical area and plant churches. There are other types of pioneering work to be done. Some pioneering is to open new spiritual areas of revelation and teaching. This is as much pioneering as planting a church, and usually has a broader impact on the church overall.

Paul didn't only plant churches, but trained and "raised up" leaders for the churches in each of the cities where the Holy Spirit sent him to work. Then, once he left those cities, he continued to minister to those churches, and especially to their leadership, by the letters he wrote and in many cases returning to visit and strengthen those churches.

A great part of an apostle's focus is on the other ministry gifts, and ministering to those who are operating in them. This is especially true of those in the pastoral ministry. In the same way that pastors have a heart for the sheep, apostles have a heart for the pastors.

In this capacity, apostles actually pastor the pastors. They are the ones whom the pastor should go to for prayer, counsel, instruction and spiritual help. They also act to correct, edify, exhort, and encourage the pastors.

Part of the frustration that pastors are dealing with is because they don't have an apostolic covering to go to with their problems. They are trying to carry much more emotional load than God intended them to, and it is coming out in frustration, stress, and burnout. Pastors need the emotional release, and support of having someone who they can go to with the problems, just like their congregations come to them.

In the current systems of church government, the pastor usually reports to either a district superintendent for the denomination, or to the board of his own church. If he is reporting to a superintendent, then in a sense he is reporting to a boss. The pastor can't be honest about his problems, for fear that the superintendent can remove him from his position. Instead of having a mentor he can be honest and open with, the pastor has to hide his feelings, doubts, and problems.

This is even worse in a situation where the pastor is reporting to the board of his own church. In addition to the inability to be honest, there is an authority problem. Spiritually, he is supposed to be over people who are organizationally over him. That creates an authority circle, preventing any true authority.

In either of these circumstances, the pastor is unable to truly follow the leading of the Lord, especially if the Lord is directing him to preach something that goes against the desires of his board. He is forced to decide between obeying the Lord, and obeying man. Unfortunately, man usually wins.

In the book of Acts, we see that the apostles who were there worked together and formed somewhat of a council, along with the elders; governing over the church (Acts 15:6). When decisions had to be made on doctrine, or organization, they were made by this group of apostles and elders. We see this in chapter six, when the need for the position of deacon was realized (Acts 6:2-3). We also see it when Paul and Barnabas came to Jerusalem to settle the question about the need for circumcision.

And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter.

Acts 15:6

Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business.

Acts 6:2-3

However, nowhere in scripture do we see this governing council taking disciplinary action on a pastor, or minister. They didn't remove pastors from office, nor did they direct them to preach in a particular way. They were a resource available to the other ministry gifts.

A large part of this "resource" was the spiritual covering that the apostles offered to the other ministry gifts. While any believer has the right to go to God for his own needs, there has always been an authority structure that God has created.

In the family, this authority structure is through the man, acting as the head of the house and as the priest of the home. He receives his authority from Jesus, who has received it from God the Father. In turn, he passes this authority on to his wife. She operates under his authority, and has him as a resource to use if her authority is questioned.

Within the church, we see a similar authority structure. All authority flows "downhill" from God's throne. Jesus, as the head of the church, receives His authority from His Father. He, in turn, passes that authority on to the apostles, who pass it on to the head pastors (bishops) of the various congregations. Whatever other elders, leaders, and ministers exist within those churches receive their authority from that head pastor.

By breaking this chain, at any point, we lose the best possible connection to God's authority. That doesn't mean that believers can't receive God's authority on their own, but they won't have the connection that God ordained. So, there is a strong possibility that they won't have the fullness of God's authority available to them.

There are governmental levels in spiritual realms. These are called "principalities, powers and rulers." Each has a different realm of authority, a different authority level, and a different manner of operation.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Eph:6:12

Likewise, we have different levels of authority in the different ministry gifts. Here is where the apostle's authority is truly needed. At times, a pastor is confronted with different types of spiritual attacks. Without the spiritual covering of an apostle, he can be battling against powers and rulers that he is not actually anointed, or prepared to battle against. With the apostolic covering, he is able to draw upon the apostle's anointing, understanding, and experience in these battles. Instead of fighting alone, he has the spiritual support he needs.

Accountability is a major issue in the church today, and is directly connected to authority. Someone who is not properly submitted to authority doesn't have the right to exercise authority over others. An evangelist, or teacher who isn't submitted to a pastor doesn't have the right to exercise authority. Likewise, for a pastor who isn't submitted under the authority of an apostle.

This, of course, raises the question of who the apostle is to submit to. We see from the scriptural example of the early church that the apostles submitted one to another. When Paul started out in his ministry, he went to Peter to have his ministry confirmed. He freely submitted to Peter's authority (Gal 1:18).

However, we later see that Peter was in error, and Paul corrected him (Gal 2:11-14). In this case, Peter submitted to Paul. Both were humble men, who accepted the authority of another apostle in their lives.

One final point on apostles. A pastor's focus is on his congregation. An apostle's focus is more over a city, region, or even the world.

Because of the type of ministry an apostle has, his work will take him into many different situations and congregations, seeing what has worked in other places, and learning from a broad base of sources. Because of this, he will have a different focus, and understanding than the pastor does. This difference in focus can also be an asset to the pastor. He is able to advise the pastor on problems within the church, help the pastor deal with leadership issues, and increase the work of the church congregation.

There is a need of reestablishing the prophetic, and especially the apostolic ministry in the church today. This in fact is happening. Only when it is truly, fully in place will the Body of Christ be able to receive the fullness of what God desires for His church to have.

If your church has been functioning without the fullness of the five-fold ministry, I encourage you to seek out ministers who the Lord has gifted and anointed in these areas. Seek which of them the Lord would have you form relationships with, and enter into a covenant relationship with them. Accept from them, and allow them to minister to your lives.

I would caution you however to be cautious about who you form these relationships with. The New Testament warns us several times about both false prophets, and false apostles.

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Mt:7:15

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

1 Jn:4:1

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.

2 Cor:11:13

One sure sign of a false prophet, or false apostle, which is actually a "wolf," is what they ask from you. Jesus didn't go around asking for the people to give to him; neither did Paul. They set out to do good and be a blessing to all they came into contact with. They formed relationships. They gave and ministered.

Wolves try and get from the sheep, shepherds try and give to them. Likewise prophet and apostle wolves try and get, instead of give. The difference is that they are trying to get from the pastor, instead of give to him.

The Bible is always about our Lord, and being in relationship with Him. Likewise, when the Bible talks about the church, it talks about relationship one with another. Notice that I didn't mention joining the organization of a prophet, or apostle, I talked about entering into relationship with them. If all you are receiving is membership in an organization, you aren't receiving the blessing of those ministries. You only receive it through relationship.

¹ The word "missionary" doesn't exist in the Bible. It is a word that was later created by the church for those who did cross-cultural work, usually in foreign lands. It is interesting to note that the root word of "missionary" is "mission," meaning that one who is a missionary is one who has been sent on a mission. This comes very close to the definition of "apostle."