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Concerns & Questions

There has been much talk about the Apostolic ministry during the past 15 years or so. But it really didn't start then. I remember the first time I heard a message on Apostles and Prophets, and that almost 25 years ago. Years before, the emphasis on Apostles and Prophets was clearly seen during the Latter Rain movement (1940-50's). Even earlier yet, Daniel Wesley Myland, a pioneer of the Pentecostal movement of over 100 years ago, wrote a book on the subject. But that makes sense doesn't it? The "that" being this: every time God begins to loose Himself in a revelatory way to restore the Church, the Holy Spirit calls us back to eternal foundations Christ always intended for His people to be established on- the immutable, unchangeable petra of His very own eternal revelatory substance.

What About Today?

How can we observe the emergence of Apostles today, the Apostolic dimension of Christ's nature and leadership? It is an enormous question, and one I do not pretend to be able to single-handedly answer. However, I want to make some general comments which apply to Christ's Body as a group and to individuals, then highlight some specifics which need to be embraced by emerging Apostles.

What matters most is that we ask the right questions. To determine those questions, we can choose to either begin with us and our perception of the need for Apostles, or with God and His example in the Word of how He once acted and longs to now move to restore the Church. To me, there is no doubt we should begin with God and His Word.

Having answered that easily enough, the "questions" before us are these:

A.   What will it take to reclaim what belongs to God?

B.   What must take place for the church to begin seeing restoration of ?whatsoever' the devil has illegally squatted on?

C.   How will the church's function and form be changed as this begins to take place and as it is fully established?  

Such are immense, enormous, inquiries, I realize: but God's awesomeness can be observed in His simplicity. All that Christ wants to do in and through the Church will feature a foundation which:

1)    Values the Holy Spirit above natural wisdom and power.

2)    Prioritizes the creativity of God through the anointing over popularity, programs or existing structures.

3)    Demonstrates and establishes that being led of the Spirit is not just essential for decision making, but for being recreated into Christ's image daily through intimacy and relationship.

Such restoration can only be activated by demonstrating Kingdom power. But the kind of Kingdom power that will remain functioning and set things into eternal order cannot be separated from flowing in Christ's love, because it requires true spiritual freedom and liberty. That is the simplest, most pure explanation of what it means to set the stage for restoring the Body of Christ. Only by becoming those who "hunger and thirst after righteousness," do we become a people who "shall be filled" (Mt.5:6). And lest we think righteousness to be a self-dimension of moral purity centered in religious piety, dominating political frameworks, or separation from the world, we must remember that "righteousness" is the first dimension of the Spiritual nature of the Kingdom of God (Ro.14:17). But for those without an ongoing, activated dimension of the Spirit in their own lives, any "form of godliness" will become equated with changing the social order and accomplish nothing more than "denying the power thereof"  (2Tim.3:5).

For us to be in position to receive the Apostolic that Christ came to establish, we must renew our minds to the following. The Kingdom of God is not a matter of moral purity centered in religious piety, dominating political frameworks, or religious separation from the world. Neither is it about conquering the "7 mountains of influence;" nor is it about naive notions of 'getting everything ready' to hand over to Christ at His Return. Instead, it is the reign of Christ within the hearts of mankind resulting in a transformation that leads to advance, increase, permeation and influence from the Spirit (Lk.17:20-21; Lk.13:18-21). Which is what it means that the "gospel of the Kingdom will be preached to all nations as a witness" (Mt.24:14). Valuing, prioritizing, and being led by the Spirit for walking with God and reclaiming what belongs to Jesus and the Kingdom is the prerequisite for that restoration of "witness." All of us can and must continually pursue this to advance with Him into fulfillment of His purposes. It is an absolute requirement; we are everyone accountable.

True Vision is Revelation

Valuing, prioritizing, and being led by the Spirit for walking with God and reclaiming what belongs to Jesus and the Kingdom will result in true vision being released to the church. For the sake of clarity and accuracy, however, we need to define to "vision" as it really is, however: "revelation" (Eph.3:4-5). It is as Christ Himself reveals His person, ways and desires to individuals and groups, that fulfillment of God's purposes can begin to take place (Eph.3:8-11). In the same way that at the time of Samuel "there was no open vision," and "where there is no vision the people perish," the church cannot walk with God apart from what that word "vision" really means: "revelation" (khawsone 1Sam.3:1; Pro.29:18). Without such revelatory encounters to establish our lives and release God's direction and purposes, we cannot conclude that we have "vision." Part of the "faith delivered once for all to the saints" is that "those who are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God" and that the Spirit "will teach you all things" (Ro.8:14; Jn.14:26). To clarify: it was "faith" that was "delivered once for all to the saints," not theology or traditions which "having the form of godliness," void the word of God (2Tim.3:5; Mk.7:13).

But as this authentic revelation of the Divine Mystery takes place, people and groups will not only begin to find themselves enraptured by what God Himself discloses, but also confounded as to how to live it out. The revealing of the person, power and passion of God through Christ- as awesome as it can be - is but the first step of an ongoing process. After the ways and will of God have been established in the hearts of those He has revealed Himself to, the mission of God has to be perceived through the Spirit. Then, the steps must be continually discerned (Psa.17:5; Pro.16:9; 20:24). It is during that time gifts need to be identified, readiness of character needs to be developed and discerned, and faith walks have to be evaluated. All the while, the body finds (both individually & corporately) that the orchestration, order, deployment, power and wisdom for breaking through into fulfillment are often quite insufficient, if not lacking altogether.

Apostles Have to Go Ahead Before Others can Move Forward

It is the call, responsibility and role of the Apostle, however, to carry the dimension of Christ's nature and authority that allows them to just "know" what to do, when to do it, whom to utilize and how to release it all in a way the church can run with it. Every emerging Apostle should understand that the Lord is desiring and endeavoring to build such orchestration of order, function and authority into them as they are faithful to move in that which God processes them through along the way. This is how the Apostle (or Prophet) is moved by God from being "called to be" into "commissioned as." In fact, such emergence of that inner orchestration of order, function and authority within an Apostle (or Prophet) is part and parcel of what it means to be "commissioned as," much more so than any ceremonial rite they receive, position they occupy, or office they hold.

How does one become developed with such spiritual architecture?' Although the experiences of others can sometimes supplement our understandings, the emerging Apostle begins to receive this anointing of being built and building by personally experiencing "the mystery of Christ" in the Spirit (Eph.3:4-5). As an emerging Apostle grows in this intimacy which produces revelation and power, others under their authority can, will and actually must (if they are to remain in place & become able to co-labor alongside) increase as well. To be truly Apostolic means to "be with him" and "to preach" and "to have authority to drive out demons" (Mk.3:14-15). To move in the Apostolic means "to devote ourselves to prayer, and to the ministry of the Word" (Acts 6:4). To be part of an Apostolic company means those who participate have similar capacities which are activated and prioritized in their lives. If not, at best they can be deemed "supporters" and at worst, "apostolic tag-a-long's."   

Although there will always be work left undone at the end of every day, the Apostolic overseer moves back and forth from intimacy to obedience and is therefore charged with insight, spiritual know-how and breakthrough anointing for each and every assignment that unfolds as they walk in the Spirit. Being faithful to live out this dynamic to even a greater degree than they emphasize it to others it is the only quality they possess which enables others to do the same. It is God's intention that (by this Apostolic lifestyle) such a covering will result in the other ministry gifts and members having the same opportunity to walk in that same sense of direction and purpose (Eph.4:11-13).

Apostolic in Name More than Function Produces Bifurcation

As implied above, it is not a new vocabulary, enhanced doctrines, updated structures and new job descriptions which must be established. Instead, we must receive Christ's revelation so He can release and firmly establish His own Apostolic nature, power and wisdom into us (& then others) to a profound degree. If not, we may well be talking Apostolically, but thoroughly walking traditionally. If we do not move into new wineskins of valuing the Holy Spirit above natural wisdom, we will not prioritize the creativity of God through the anointing over popularity, programs or structures. And if we do not prioritize the creativity of God through the anointing over those, we will fail. How? We will not have demonstrated and emphasized that being led of the Spirit is not only for "when all else fails" decision making, but first and foremost for daily intimacy, relationship, direction and purpose with Christ.

To set precedent for Apostolic function in the local body, we must function more like Christ in our relationship with those we lead than like a friend,  a concerned fellow believer, or especially different from what commonly passes for "pastor." Not without compassion, we must be ready to address character when others cry out in circumstance, establish discipleship when others are pleading for preservation of their comfort, and emphasize eternal purposes when being sought out for that which is concerned with nothing but matters of this age.  

The example of Christ, the narrative of Acts, the writings of the Epistles and the book of Revelation all give us adequate example for doing functioning this way. In other words, we cannot allow ourselves (as Apostles) to be prevented from calling people forward by being relegated to allowing ourselves to be (for example): "the preacher who is there when I have a need." This is neither cold nor heartless, it is instead to provide others with a valid opportunity to experience Apostolic grace. The Apostolic is as the Apostolic does.

Bill Click