Cultural Blindspots

American schoolchildren are taught that on December 7, 1941, the Japanese attacked the US Naval Base at Pearl Harbour without provocation, devastating the US Fleet and killing nearly 2,500 Americans in the deadliest attack on American soil until 9/11.  The Japanese who attacked are viewed as cowardly, deceitful, and murderous, attacking an innocent party without warning.

Japanese schoolchildren are taught that, in the years and months of growing global tension preceding Pearl Harbour, the US had levelled economic sanctions against Japan, withheld oil, and built up military forces in Asia in an attempt to keep Japanese ambitions in check.  The US had not entered the war yet, but if they did, the Japanese would certainly be a target of attack.  Viewing the economic actions and military buildup as a preparation for war, the Japanese chose to strike first, seeking to disable the US fleet at Pearl Harbour in order to protect themselves from what they viewed as a certain eventual American invasion.  In other words, the Japanese viewed Pearl Harbour much as Americans viewed the 2003 Invasion of Iraq – as a justified, pre-emptive strike against an enemy who was preparing to attack them.

Interesting, no?  Two completely opposite views of the exact same event.  While the Japanese perspective in no way diminishes the horror of the attack, it does show us that there are always multiple sides to a story.  We will see this pattern repeated over and over again, in virtually any given historical situation, with opposing sides coming to completely different conclusions from the exact same event.

As much as we would all like to believe that our own perspective is absolutely pure, it simply isn’t.  We are all products of our culture, our upbringing, our gender, our biases, our worldview, etc.  We don’t see things purely, with a righteous heart and clear mind – we perceive everything through the many filters of who we are. 

This affects how we interpret God’s Word, how we do church, how we discern His will, and how we walk with Him.  This struck me very clearly on a ministry trip to Zambia, where several pastors told me that we were living in the end-times, right now.  When I shared that most from my country would think of the end-times as a series of future events, the pastors thought I was crazy!  As Africa was being swallowed up in disease, violence, warfare, martyrdom, poverty, and widespread death, they saw the book of Revelation being lived out around themselves, every day.  In our safe and comfortable North American worldview, we see no such thing.  Our cultural worldview causes us to view things in a certain way, just as the Zambian cultural worldview caused them to view things very differently.  Both sides are Christians, reading the same Bible, filled with the same Spirit – yet coming to very different conclusions. 

Even the early apostles were not immune to cultural blindspots.  Spirit-filled and anointed as they were, their Jewish worldview caused them to initially question the Gentiles’ right to participate in the Church (Acts 11:1-3).  One can’t blame them; that was the only way they knew.  It was how they had been raised and taught.  Even in the purity of the revelation and power of the early Church, their flesh, influenced by their culture, was still at play.  It took an act of God to get them to alter their views (Acts 11:4-18), which thankfully they did, and the rest, as they say, is history.

The point is, we all see things dimly, and in part (1Co 13:12).  If the apostles were not immune to such errors, then neither are we.  We are all products of our culture, and our culture is not necessarily always right.

What is one to do?  Be willing to admit that our worldview may be wrong, for one.  The apostles did, and it unlocked tremendous blessing for the church.  Like the apostles, we must be open to a different viewpoint.  Listen to various perspectives, and weigh each on their own merits.  Understand that our authority is not in what the culture says, or even what the Church says, but upon what God says.  Where we have been in error, we must repent and move on.  And we must remain tied to God’s Word, constantly seeking the truth of His revelation.  Our personal cultural perspectives may be impossible to overcome completely in this life, but if we are aware, humble, and open-minded, then perhaps we can do better, and better, and better.

 

Biblically Speaking: What are Teachers?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his 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.” (Eph 4:11-13)

Finally, let us look at the role of the Teacher. We will look through the eyes of Scripture, and discover its place in the New Testament Church.

As with the other four offices of the five-fold ministries, we look to Jesus as the perfect manifestation of this gift. He is our great Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher. When He walked the earth, He was acknowledged with the title of “Teacher” by the people (Mt 19:16; 23:10; Mk 9:17), and also referred to Himself that way (Jn 13:13). It was one of the main focuses of His ministry, as He taught everywhere He went, speaking in towns and cities all over the region (Mt 9:35; 11:1). Everywhere He went, he amazed the crowds with the power of His teaching, who had never heard anything like it before (Mt 7:28; 13:54).

As He prepared to leave this earth, part of the command of His Great Commission was for His disciples to continue His teaching ministry, showing others how to obey everything that He had taught them (Mt 28:20).

So, what does a biblical teacher look like? 

First, teachers bring teaching that is inspired by God. There is a huge difference between “teaching” and “inspired teaching!” Even a non-Christian could take a passage of Scripture, study the meaning and original context, and unpack what the text says, even providing some principles for us to live by.  Case in point: American founding father Thomas Jefferson was not a Christian or believer in God, but he admired the moral teachings of Jesus.  So, he removed all supernatural references from the Gospels and formed the “Jefferson Bible”, filled only with the ethical instructions of Christ, which he encouraged people to follow.

This obviously requires no inspiration or connection with God, and anyone can do this, Christian or not. Biblical teachers are more than just dispensers of information based on the text of Scripture; they are desiring to find the “God-breathed” inspiration behind the Word (2Ti 3;16), and bring a fresh revelation of what God is saying to us through it.

Scripture warns against teaching that has its roots in human origin instead of divine (Col 2:22). Godly teachers will not seek to bring forward their own agendas or values through Scripture, but rather seek God’s ways alone and communicate them. Jesus said, “My teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me.” (Jn 7:16). Likewise, He also said that after He left, the Holy Spirit would come, and that He would “teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (Jn 14:26) So we see that Jesus was not attempting to bring His own ideas, but only His Father’s. And the Spirit has been sent to continue that very same ministry, teaching us from what Jesus has said. True bible teachers will walk in this same anointing, hearing from Heaven what God is desiring to reveal through His Word, and then communicating that revelation and understanding to the Church through the Scripture.

When this occurs, teachers will teach with authority. This is what Jesus did, and it amazed those who heard Him (Mt 7:28-29). He was not simply unpacking old revelation or showing people what the Scripture said. He was bringing brand-new understanding (Mk 1:27), and a fresh revelation of who God is and what walking with Him looks like. Another biblical example is Stephen, who went about bringing the new teaching of the Gospel, and as he did, he shut the mouths of those who publically challenged him, because they “could not stand up against his wisdom or the Spirit by whom he spoke.” (Ac 6:10). Divine authority comes when teachers have a true revelation from Heaven, and their words will carry an undeniable weight when they do.

Moving on, a biblical teacher will use the Bible to teach, rebuke, correct, and train in righteousness (2Ti 3:16). They understand that “all Scripture is God-breathed”, and that all of their authority and understanding comes from the power of God’s word. Wielding the Bible as their greatest tool, verses will flow from a teacher’s mouth in any situation, using the Scriptures to exhort, encourage, discipline, and build up the Body of Christ. While a prophet presses in for revelation directly from the Spirit, a teacher seeks Holy Spirit revelation through the written Word.

Good teachers will confront what is false. Part of their job is to protect the Church from misleading or unscriptural teachings and doctrine (1Ti 1:3-7; 2Ti 4:3; 2Pe 2:1-3). Teachers know that the Word of God is the full revelation of who He is, and what He requires. Nothing contrary to Scripture can be from the Lord. By pulling pure doctrine from the Word of God, and preaching it with the above-mentioned inspiration and authority, teachers will be able to point out error and turn God’s people away from it (2Pe 3:17).

New Testament teachers will live by the words that they teach. Jesus warned His disciples about the teachers of His time, telling His followers to “obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” (Mt 23:3) Jesus called these teachers “hypocrites” on many occasions (see Mt 23). This should soberly challenge anyone who teaches! Good teachers will not just be communicators of the ideals of Scripture; they will live them out every day. In establishing his credentials with the Corinthian church, Paul wrote that the way that he lived his life “agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. (1Co 4:17) Paul was not preaching one way and living another; he made sure that he was “practicing what he preached.” Although none are perfect, teachers must strive to fulfill their own instruction.

Finally, it is worth nothing that teachers will face a higher standard than others. James said that “Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.” (Ja 3:1) Because of their special role in handling the divine revelation of Scripture, teachers will be held to a higher account than the rest of the church. As with the title of “Apostle” that we already examined, the office of “Teacher” brings a lot more with it than some have bargained for! To call oneself a Teacher is to call upon God for a stricter judgment, and that is not something to be taken lightly. Because of this, those who are called to teach should do so within their God-given authority, and those who are not called should accept this peacefully. God has a place for everyone, and there is no need to try and fit into someone else’s anointing!

The roles of Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher are gifts that God has given to His Church. They are all necessary, and it is important that they all function together, complimenting each other. When one of the five is missing, there is a large void in the effectiveness of Church ministry. Only by all five offices moving in lockstep with each other can the Church move into its full potential. Hopefully, through this study of these amazing gifts, we will have a strong overview of each role, and of its place within the Body. And as we see and understand each purpose, we can pray for and seek these gifts, helping each other find our place, and see the Body of Christ move into the maturity that it is destined for.

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Biblically Speaking: What are Pastors?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his 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.” (Eph 4:11-13)

In our modern Church context, the role of the Pastor is central to every local assembly. In fact, in many cases, the Pastor is actually expected to be the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, and Teacher for the whole local church, when in fact, biblically, it is clearly separate from these roles, and has a very specific function.

The word for “pastor” comes from the Latin term “pastorem”, which means “to shepherd.” The word is actually only used once in the entire Bible, and that is only in the description of the five-fold ministries of Eph 4. However, the concept of “shepherding” is much more common throughout the Bible, and so we will look at what the term means for God’s Church.

As with all of the aspects of the five-fold ministries that we have examined so far, Jesus is our prime example of this gift, just as He is the perfect example of an Apostle, Prophet, and Evangelist. Jesus is the greatest Pastor of all, calling Himself “The Good Shepherd.” (Jn 10:11:16). Just as a pastor is the head of a local church, ultimately every pastor is submitted to Jesus, who shepherds the entire church at large (Col 1:18). As the Good Shepherd, Jesus watches over His sheep, leading them, caring for them, feeding them, and protecting them. His role is mirrored by the earthly ministers who are called to these tasks.

Biblically, and in our modern churches, pastors are leaders and overseers of a local assembly. It seems, within New Testament context, that the biblical “elders” and “overseers” were considered pastors, instructed by Scripture to “shepherd” believers within a designated community of Christians (Ac 20:28; 1Pe 5:2). Jesus Himself is referred to as the “Shepherd and Overseer” of our souls (1Pe 2:25), which may confirm the idea that “overseers” and “shepherds” (pastors) are referring to the same role. As well, passages such as 1Pe 5:1-4 and Titus 1:5-9 use the terms “elder” and “overseer” interchangeably, indicating that they too are the same role.

So then, it appears that the biblical terms of “pastors”, “overseers”, and “elders” are all describing the same single office. They were mature believers who were appointed to lead (or join a team of leaders) the local assemblies (Ac 14:23; Tit 1:5), and were responsible for caring for God’s people (1Ti 3:5).

By examining the requirements and instructions placed on elders and overseers, we can learn much about what a biblical “pastor” is. As well, by reading through Paul’s “Pastoral Letters” to Timothy and Titus, we can add to our understanding, as we study the teaching that Paul gave to these local pastors to help them in their ministries.

First of all, just to reiterate the basic definition, pastors are shepherds of God’s flock. Evangelists lead people to Jesus; Apostles lay foundations, build, and establish new things; Prophets hear what God is saying to His Church and share it - and Pastors nurture and care for the sheep. There are believers that are placed under a pastor’s watch that he/she is responsible for (1Pe 5:2). With the LORD as the best example of a Shepherd for us (Ps 23; Jn 10), we can deduce that pastors will lead God’s flock (Ps 23:2), feed God’s people (ibid), guide them through life (v.3), protect them (v.4), and be so committed to loving and caring for their own that they lay down their lives for the sake of those under their care (Jn 10:11).

Pastors set an example for God’s people (1Ti 4:12; 1Pe 5:3). As the most visible members of the church, and the ones sitting in leadership over it, pastors are observed by everyone in the church, and so must live in such a way that others can view them and be inspired by the godliness and faith that is being modeled for them. Paul’s charge to the pastor Timothy was to set an example for his flock “in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.” (1Ti 4:12).

Pastors are required to “be above reproach” (1Ti 3:2) and “blameless” (Tit 1:6). Scripture actually lists some very specific character requirements for pastors, including that they be the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, not overbearing, not pursuing dishonest gain, that they are lovers of what is good, and that they are upright, holy and disciplined. (1Ti 3:2-6; Tit 1:6-8). While no one is perfect, and while this is obviously setting a high standard, this makes it very important that a person actually be called by God to the ministry of pastoring, and not just take it on by their own will. If one is called, there will be grace to live up to biblical expectations. If not, it will be impossible, and that will lead to nothing good!

Pastors are called to “correct, rebuke and encourage” the church —“with great patience and careful instruction.” (2Ti 4:2). Through good teaching and sound instruction (1Ti 4:11), a pastor feeds the sheep from the bread of God’s Word, and at times, corrects behaviour that is sinful and out of line with Scripture (2Ti 4:3; Tit 2:1). Ultimately, encouragement will be a part of every pastor’s ministry (Tit 1:9; 2:15), as they build up the Body of Christ and assist each believer in their walk with Jesus.

Like a good shepherd, pastors protect the sheep. Paul warned the pastors at Ephesus that after he left, “savage wolves” would come in among them (Ac 20:29). Pastors fight to keep the wolves away, whether those “wolves” are manifested as unscriptural doctrine (1Ti 4:1-6), false prophets and teachers (1:3-7;4:2-3), or sinful behaviour (2Ti 3:1-5). A good pastor is not afraid to stand up boldly for truth, to call what is false “false”, and to point out sin for what it is. These are the actions of a loving, caring shepherd who wants to see that the sheep are kept from harm.

Pastors can be teachers of the Word (1Ti 3:2; 4:13). In our modern context, most pastors are expected to be teachers to some degree. Whether through sermons, bible studies, or even just sharing a verse of encouragement with a person in need, pastors know that “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness.” (2Ti 3:16). The Word of God is the ultimate tool and the ultimate authority for pastors to use with their people.

However, it is important to note that Scripture says that “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.” (1Ti 5:17) The wording of this passage indicates that there will also be elders whose work is NOT preaching and teaching. Not all pastors are gifted teachers; some have great concern for the flock and are more drawn towards the personal “care” side of pastoring, rather than the teaching side. Regardless, every pastor will have a strong knowledge of the Bible and use it to lead them in their ministry, whether they are public teachers or not.

Pastors are supervisors of the administration of church business (1Tim 5:3-16). Deacons are given to assist leaders in this task (Ac 6:1-4), but as overseers of the church as a whole, pastors will be involved in managing the practical affairs of an assembly.

Pastors are called to the ministry of training and releasing others under their care (2Ti 2:2; Tit 1:5). Paul specifically tells Timothy not to do it all on his own, saying that “the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” (2Ti 2:2). It just makes sense, really; one believer can accomplish much, but a hundred equipped and anointed believers can accomplish much, much more. A good pastor sees the potential in the people under his care and knows how to equip and release them into their God-ordained purpose.

Pastors are called to be gentle (1Ti 3:3; 6:11; 2Ti 2:25). A shepherd who walks into a flock of sheep and is overly bold, sudden, or harsh, will find that the sheep scatter and stay away. Scripture commands pastors to be gentle, as the Good Shepherd is gentle with us. The sheep will follow one who they trust, and in order to properly care for them, a shepherd must be able to get close to them. Gentleness will allow these things to happen.

It is important to recognize the “noble task” of pastoring (1Ti 3:1), while at the same time understanding the great responsibilities that it entails. True shepherds will share the heart of the Good Shepherd, who loved His sheep so much that He died for them. Jesus did not come seeking title or prestige; He came, not to be served, but rather to serve others Himself (Mt 20:28), and to lay down His life for His flock (Jn 10:15). True pastors will walk in the same manner; they are here to serve, and to sacrifice of themselves for their flocks’ sake. In so doing, the sheep under their watch will be built up, fed, cared for, protected, and edified in their relationship with Jesus.

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Biblically Speaking: What's an Evangelist?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his 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.” (Eph 4:11-13)

The English word for “evangelism” comes from the Greek word, “euangelion”, which is most usually translated as one bringing “good news”. The term “evangelist”, meaning the title given to one who evangelizes, is literally translated as “I bring a good message.” A fitting title for one who shares the story of the risen Jesus Christ! Evangelists are the “fishers of men” (Mt 4:19) that Jesus spoke of, the workers who long to bring in the harvest of the lost that His blood has purchased at great price (Mt 9:37-38). They are hungry to see people come to Christ. 

Jesus Himself was the first evangelist, with Scripture often describes His ministry as the preaching of “the good news” (Mt 4:23; 9:35; Mk 1:14; Lk 8:1). After seeing His wonders and hearing His message, many believed in Him and became disciples (Jn 2:11; 7:31; 12:42), which really is the true purpose of evangelism: that those who don’t yet know Him would believe in Jesus, and follow after Him.

Evangelism styles and structures have shifted over the centuries, as the culture has changed. This is a good thing! But rather than look at specific styles or techniques of evangelism, we will look at biblical principles of what makes an evangelist, regardless of culture or time.

To begin with, by way of description, an evangelist leads people to Jesus. This is their main role within the church. As Paul and Barnabas travelled through Europe, they had great success in their evangelism ministry. In one encounter, Scripture says that “They preached the good news in that city and won a large number of disciples.” (Ac 14:21). That, in a nutshell, is evangelism: sharing the good news and winning people to the Lord, whatever that may look like.

To that end, evangelists will have a heart that is drawn to the lost. Their hearts will echo the heart of the Saviour: “When (Jesus) saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Mt 9:36) While a pastor will have a passion to care for the sheep of God’s family, an evangelist will be moved to compassion for those who are “harassed and helpless” in this broken world, and who are hopeless without a Saviour. Their ministry comes from that place of sincere concern for those who need Jesus.

Evangelists are driven by the Great Commission: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt 28:19-20) Evangelists have heard the word “go” and take that command seriously! Whether at home or on the mission field, evangelists are stirred by the authority that Jesus has given in these verses, and want to please Him by obeying what He has said.

The only person in all of Scripture who is actually given the title of “evangelist” is Philip (Ac 21:8), (although we do see others preaching the Gospel and leading people to Jesus). Therefore, in understanding the evangelistic gift, it is worth taking a good look at the “evangelist’s” life. By examining Philip’s ministry, there is much that we can learn about the role of an evangelist within the Church.

Philip was one of the first deacons, chosen in Acts 6 to assist the apostles in the administrative aspects of the Jerusalem church (v.3). He was chosen with six other men, all of whom were selected because they were “full of the Spirit and wisdom,” (ibid).

As he moved into his ministry, he teaches us that evangelists walk in divine power. Not all will function in signs and wonders necessarily, but Philip did, as did the apostles when they went about preaching the Gospel. After the stoning of Stephen, the disciples were forced to flee Jerusalem to avoid persecution (Ac 8:1). Philip travelled to Samaria (v.5), and God performed many miracles through him (v.6-7). While in Samaria, Philip’s main job, however, was preaching the Gospel, and as the crowds were amazed at his words combined with the signs and wonders, “they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ”, and many were baptized into the Name of Jesus (v.12), including a well-known sorcerer (v.13). Signs and wonders confirmed the power of the Gospel message of the resurrected Saviour. Not all evangelists will function in this specific way necessarily, but regardless, Paul said “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). He understood that this was more than just words or a good story. Evangelists know that there is divine power in the Gospel for salvation, and there is incredible Holy Spirit-anointing on its words (Isa 61:1; Lk 4:18).

Moving on, evangelists will partner with the other five-fold ministries of the church. Of course, all of the ministries must work with each other, but this is especially true with evangelism, as newborn Christians are at stake. An evangelist leads people to Jesus, but someone else must be in place to care for them from there, or else the new believer may fall away.

For years, the Billy Graham Evangelical Association would travel across the United States, seeing thousands come to Jesus every year. Early in the ministry, he functioned in the classic evangelist style of that time, by which a travelling minister would come into town, preach the Gospel, lead people to Jesus, and then leave, with no follow-up or help for the new converts. Realizing that many of the people they were leading to Jesus were falling through the cracks, the Association began to insist on partnership with local Bible-believing churches in every town that they visited, so that new believers could be connected with a church right away, and continue to grow in the Lord. This model is now the standard for evangelistic ministries around the world, and remains one of the core values of the Association to this day.

As people began to get saved in Samaria under Philip’s evangelistic ministry, the apostles John and Peter came to assist him, laying hands on people so that they would receive the Holy Spirit, since the people had gotten saved but had not yet experienced the baptism of the Sprit (v.15-17). This is a good example of the five-fold ministries working together, with Philip the evangelist leading people to Jesus, and then the apostles coming and building upon that foundation to edify the new believers. Based on the basic model that we see in Acts (14:23), it is likely that pastors would then have been appointed over local churches in the area, who could nurture the new believers even more. Evangelism is the first step in making disciples, but there are many other steps that follow as well. All need to work together to bring people from the place of being unsaved into true maturity in Christ.

Continuing on, evangelists are sensitive to the voice of the Lord (8:26). While it is certainly a biblical method to preach the Gospel to anyone who will listen, Philip also was sensitive enough to hear specific direction from Heaven that he was to travel to a certain place for a divine appointment with a lost soul. By obeying the Lord’s leading, Philip encountered an Ethiopian eunuch, a man who could not have been more ripe for harvest than he was in that moment! (8:27-29). Philip led this man to Jesus, and taught us the importance of hearing what the Spirit is saying, as one never knows when it might be God’s appointed time for a person’s salvation.

This same story also teaches us that evangelists will be just as committed to one soul as they would be to many. In Acts chapter 2, Peter leads three thousand people to Jesus (2:41); Scripture takes just as much time to tell the story of the one Ethiopian (8:26-39). Evangelists will feel the Father’s heart that is communicated in Scripture: “If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.” (Mt 18:12-14). For a true evangelist, it’s not about numbers, it’s about souls: real people who are lost and broken, who desperately need someone to go and find them, and bring them home.

Finally, evangelists can be missionaries or localized. Neither is exalted over the other; an evangelist can travel and literally go to the nations, or can stay in one place and commit to bringing the Gospel there. Philip did both, travelling throughout the land (Ac 8), before landing in Caesarea, buying a house, and remaining there for the rest of his known ministry ( 8:40; 21:8). When the Pentecostal movement started, much emphasis was placed on missions, sending people to the ends of the earth to bring the Gospel. This is good and of course needed! But there are many unsaved all around us, every day, and someone needs to bring the message of good news to them as well. Again, for evangelists, it is all about souls. Whether here, or there, someone just needs to bring in the harvest.

This key element of the five-fold ministries could arguably be called the most important, as evangelists are fulfilling both the Great Commission and the Great Commandment by their actions, and, by God’s grace, they are bringing people from darkness into light (Jn 8:12). And what could be more important than that? Evangelists seek to fulfill the words of Jesus with a pure heart, and to see those who are perishing redeemed by the blood of the Lamb. They rejoice in the words of the Saviour, and give their lives to see them fulfilled:

“I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” (Jn 5:24)

Biblically Speaking: What's a NT Prophet?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his 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.” (Eph 4:11-13)

There are volumes of books written on the subject of prophets and prophecy, and there is far too much information to do the topic justice in this space. Rather, this will serve mainly as an overview, and will look specifically at the issue of prophecy in the New Testament church.

This, like apostleship, remains one of the more controversial topics in New Testament Christianity. Many believe that the gift is no longer for today, while others believe that it is one of the most important gifts that the Church could possibly have.

Just as with the title of “apostle”, much confusion occurs over the title of “prophet”. When a “prophet” gets a prediction wrong, it degrades the role within the church. It seems wise to avoid the seeking of such a title. Choosing a path of humility is a better way of avoiding controversy and becoming a stumbling block for others. One can function in a gifting, and be a blessing to others, without demanding or requiring a title to go with it. 

If we believe that the Bible is the full revelation of what we need to know about God and His Kingdom, (and we do believe this!), then we must also conclude that it has the answers we are looking for.

So, to begin: What is New Testament prophecy?

It is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, whereby He speaks a message to a person that is to be communicated to the Church or to an individual (1Co 12:10; 1Co 14). We see it in action throughout the Gospels and the book of Acts, and instructions are given for its role and function in 1Corinthians. A simple definition for the prophetic gift might be, “Communicating the heart and the will of the Father, as revealed by the Holy Spirit.”

As in all things, Jesus is our key example. He referred to Himself as a Prophet (Mt 13:57), and was acknowledged as such by the people who witnessed Him (Mt 14:5; 21:11; Lk 7:16; 24:20; Jn 4:19; 6:14; 9:17).

Jesus walked with a constant connection to the Father, telling His disciples, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” (Jn 5:19). Likewise, when describing the coming Holy Spirit, who would be poured out on the earth after Jesus’ departure, Jesus said that “He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears,” (Jn 16:13) – ie, what He hears from the Father and Son. So when Jesus walked the earth, He communicated what the Father was doing and saying to the people; after Jesus left, the Spirit would come and continue the same ministry, communicating to the people what the Father is saying.

Another key question regarding the prophetic: Is the gift of prophecy for today, or was it only for the early church?

Those who would say that the gift is no longer functioning (also known as “cessassionists”) often point to 1Corinthians 13:8-10: “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.”

Cessassionists believe that this Scripture passage makes it clear: prophecies will “cease”. They hold that the “perfection” of the last verse refers to the perfect revelation of Scripture, and that since the canon of perfect Scripture has been completed, that there is no room or need for any more revelation to come through prophecy.

The problem with this view is found in the context of this particular passage in 1Corinthians. For one thing, it mentions that prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will all end when “perfection” comes. Regardless of how one feels about the gifts of prophecy and tongues, we would all have to agree that the principle of knowledge still exists, and in fact we are encouraged to grow in knowledge by Scripture (Ph 1:9; Col 1:9-10; 2:3; 3:10; 1Ti 2:4; 2Pe 1:5). Since knowledge did not pass away with the completion of canonical Scripture, it stands to reason that the “perfection” has not yet come, and that therefore the other two gifts mentioned have not passed away either.

Also, it is worth looking at the next verse in that same passage of 1Corinthians: “Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1Co 13:12). So, the most obvious reading of this verse would indicate that “face to face” is referring to literally standing before Jesus, face to face, and that to “know fully” is a reference to knowing Jesus in His Presence, and not just “in part” while here on earth. When we stand before the throne, there will be no need for prophecy, tongues, growing in knowledge, or any other spiritual gifts, because we will be face to face with our Saviour and will know Him freely. The spiritual gifts are given to help us to see Him and experience Him while we wait for Him here on earth; once we are in heaven, however, we will then be “face to face” (v.12) and see His “perfection” (v.10) and all of the “imperfect” tools on earth that point to Him will cease, as they will no longer be needed at all.

Besides this Scriptural argument, there is also a common-sense argument as well. If we serve the “Living” God (2Co 6:16; 1Th 1:9; Heb 9:14), and if He is a Father who loves us (2Th 2:16; 1Jn 3:1), then why would He stop speaking to us, giving us guidance and direction and a revelation of His specific will for us? And if Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come and speak to us (Jn 16:13), and if we believe that the Holy Spirit is still here on earth, then why would the Holy Spirit stop speaking to us? If would seem to be an awful waste of His time and abilities, not to mention unscriptural, if the Spirit of God dwelled inside of us and never communicated anything at all!

Another key issue to discuss is the matter of the difference, if any, between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament prophecy.

This is a tricky problem, with many holding that the gift must be the same throughout Scripture, while others believe that there was a shift at the cross that changed how it functioned.

Many have maligned prophecy in the New Testament era by pointing to the unfulfilled prophecies of modern-day ministers, and then quoting Deuteronomy 18:20-22:

“But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death.” You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD ?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him.”

This is the Law, and it was faithfully obeyed at the time. If one reads the book of Jeremiah, we see him fighting with false prophets throughout. It was a very real problem in the OT, and carried a very heavy penalty (death). This was for a very important reason, one which is crucial to understand.

The reason is this: the Holy Spirit had not been poured out on everyone yet. This would not happen until Acts chapter 2, in fulfillment of Joel 2. Today, every believer has the Holy Spirit living inside them (Rom 8:11; 2Ti 1:14), but this was not the case in the OT. The Spirit would come upon specific people for a specific purpose, so that they could prophesy or fulfill some other God-appointed task (Jg 3:10; 6:34; 1Sam 16:13; 2Ch 20:14; Eze 11:5), but He did not come upon everyone.

Because only some had access to the Holy Spirit, it was very important they be listened to, and that their words be accurate. If people simply presumed to speak for the LORD, they could do much damage, since individuals did not have access to the Spirit so that they could discern things for themselves. OT Prophets needed to be trustworthy, and so God laid down a very strict standard for them.

This is not, however, the way that God wanted things to stay! And this is why the prophet Joel spoke of a new day, when God would pour out His Spirit on ALL people (Joel 2:28), which Peter proclaimed had begun in Acts 2, as the fullness of the New Covenant came into effect.

Jeremiah foretold what this New Covenant would look like, saying:

“This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Jer 31:33-34)

We have to always remember that the cross changed everything. It changed the way that every single one of us could relate to God. In the past, all of humanity was at a distance from Him because of our sin. In the OT, priests and prophets stood between us and God, with priests speaking to Him and interceding for us, and with prophets speaking to us for Him (and interceding as well). Because of this, the rules placed upon priests were rigorous (see Leviticus), and the standard for prophets was unbelievably high, because the entire nation was at the mercy of these ministers, as the nation depended fully on these offices for their spiritual well-being.

This is completely different now! Now, we are each filled with the Spirit, and each can connect with God on our own, and so while we do still need the help of others to grow together, we are no longer fully dependant on others to interact with God on our behalf. The priestly role was dramatically and forever changed after the cross. Does it not stand to reason that the prophetic role might have shifted as well?

In the NT, Scripture tells us that within the church, “Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.” (1Co 14:29) If the prophetic gift is supposed to be infallible in the NT, as it was in the OT, then why does Scripture tell us to weigh what the prophets say? Shouldn’t their words be automatically accepted, if their revelations were perfect all the time, as in the OT? 1Th 5:20-21 repeats the sentiment, saying that we should “not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil.” Again, why would it be important to test prophetic words, and hold onto the good, putting aside the wrong, if all of it is supposed to be 100% accurate, all the time?

Some have suggested that these passages refer to false prophets who had infiltrated the church, but they are not called false prophets in these verses, and the Bible has no problem referring to the false as “false” elsewhere in the NT. The clearest understanding of these verses, in light of the New Covenant, is that prophetic voices will speak, they might not be 100% accurate, and because of that, it is up to each individual believer to make up their own mind concerning the words spoken.

In the OT, the words of a prophet were to be considered words from God Himself. The very fact that we are commanded to weigh things on this side of the cross means that the role of “prophet” in the NT does not match the power or authority of the OT prophets, where a moment’s hesitation to obeying a prophet’s words could lead to dire consequences (1Ki 20:36; 2Ki 13:19-19)

In the Old Testament, the burden was on the prophet to establish that he was from God by his words being fulfilled. In the New Testament, the burden is upon each individual believer to decide whether a prophet’s words are from God or not. And the fact that we are told to weigh a prophet’s words must mean that there is the possibility of error, even from a prophet’s mouth.

Even just in practical thinking, the idea of a 100% accurate prophetic gifting is hard to grasp. Every Christian prays for direction, wisdom, and understanding from God. And every Christian has made a mistake or two along the way, mishearing or misunderstanding the will of God. Pastors and teachers and evangelists make mistakes in their walk with God. Even the original apostles made errors in the Gospels and in Acts. Must the prophetic gift alone be considered infallible, especially in the era of grace? Based on all of the evidence, it seems reasonable to conclude that, as the cross changed every other manner in which we interact with God, so too the prophetic gift has undergone a change, as we all now have the ability to hear from God ourselves by His Spirit. The prophetic gifting is given to the Church so that those who are sensitive to the Spirit can communicate His will. We are not, however, dependant on the gift as they were in the OT, since all of us can hear from the Lord ourselves.

Let’s move on, and look deeper at the gift itself within the New Testament. There are not a large number of actual descriptions of the gift of prophesy in the NT, but the ones that we do have are very telling indeed.

First, just as in the Old Testament, NT prophecy can be predictive. The Holy Spirit knows what the Father is doing, and at times will communicate to God’s people concerning events before they happen. Jesus said specifically that one of the Spirit’s roles would be to “tell you what is yet to come,” (Jn 16:13). We see this practically in Agabus, who is given the title of prophet in the book of Acts, and who by the Holy Spirit predicted a famine in the Roman world (Ac 11:28), as well as Paul’s imprisonment by the Romans (Ac 21:11). Peter accurately discerned Ananais and Sapphira’s sin (Ac 5:1-11), as well as heard from the Holy Spirit that Cornelius’ men were coming to look for him and that he was to go with them (Ac 10:19). Paul was shown by the Spirit that suffering awaited him in the various places that he visited (Ac 20:23). So we see that one of the functions of this spiritual gift is to give insight to God’s people on events before they happen so that the Church may be prepared.

Much focus is put on this aspect of the prophetic gift, but it is by no means the ONLY way that the gift can function.

Prophecy is also given for “strengthening, encouragement and comfort” (1Co 14:3). 1Corinthians makes it clear that the primary function of NT prophesy is to edify the church (14:4). Nowhere in the New Testament does it speak of using prophecy in judgment or in the tearing down of others. That is something that occurred in the OT, but the NT focus of the gift seems to be more for the building up of the church. Jesus referred to the Holy Spirit as the “Paraclete” (Jn 15:26), which can be translated as “Counselor, Helper, Comforter”. It therefore stands to reason that, if the role of the Holy Spirit in the church is to be a Helper and Comforter, that He would more focused on building up and encouraging His people.

This is not to say that prophecy cannot include warning, as that too is a biblical idea. But many prophetic voices have looked at the OT prophets, and somehow missed 1Co 14:3-4, and have functioned in an attitude of judgement, criticism, and negativity. NT prophecy is primarily given to help the church.

As well, prophecy can show God’s power to unbelievers. Scripture says “if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” (1Co 14:24-25) The Holy Spirit is not only concerned with building the church, as we know that God is desiring that all people should come to salvation (2Pe 3:9). The Spirit of God can move through a prophetic person with supernatural knowledge and insight that can cut to the heart of an unsaved person, showing them that there is a God in heaven and convicting them of their sins, drawing them to Christ.

Prophecy can be used to release spiritual giftings. Paul acknowledges that this is what happened with Timothy, telling him “Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you.” (1Ti 4:14) This is not the only way the spiritual gifts are released, but the Holy Spirit can show someone what He is doing in another believer’s life, and use that person to pray and proclaim it into being.

Finally, it is worth noting that Paul referred to prophecy as the spiritual gift that should be the most desired (1Co 14:1), because it is a gift that greatly blesses other people. He tells the Church that we should “be eager to prophesy” (14:39). It is a gift whereby the Holy Spirit speaks to His Church, encouraging and building it up, and because of that, it is a gift that we desperately need. He has already spoken clearly through His written Word, and prophecy must always be consistent with Scripture, but He has words that are meant to encourage us where we are at and help us grow in our understanding of Jesus. If Jesus promised that the Spirit would speak, then, as Paul commanded, we should eagerly seek the gift so that we can know what He is saying to the Church. The prophetic gift is key to understanding the will and purpose of Heaven, and it will keep us on track, so that we can fully walk in the call of God for our lives.

Biblically Speaking: What's an Apostle?

“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,  to equip his 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.” (Eph 4:11-13)

One does not need to go far to find the term “apostle” thrown around within the Church. A quick Google search reveals a wide range of ideas on the subject, from those who would personally claim the title, to those who believe that the role has passed away, to those who are unsure of what the word even means.

Most of us understand what the role of the apostles was in the early church, and we see throughout the New Testament what the original apostles did.

Where it gets a little tougher is in figuring out what that role looks like for today.

There are many who believe that there are no apostles anymore. They hold that the role was only intended to lay down the foundation for the early church, and thus is no longer required.

However, particularly in the context of the passage above from Ephesians 4, it would seem that the most logical interpretation is that the role is for today. Even for those who dispute the existence of apostles and prophets, we absolutely have evangelists, pastors, and teachers today, all to build up the church and prepare God’s people. If we, as the Church, still need to be prepared and built up, then why would apostles no longer exist? Given that there is no indication in the NT that this function would end, it is reasonable to conclude that the role is still meant to function in the church right now. We will see why this is so important shortly.

The term “apostle” is certainly one that has been abused, and many have claimed it for themselves as a title of honour and prestige, using to claim higher authority within the church. Since, in the Bible, the apostles were the overseers of the entire church, some have used the word to place themselves above submission or accountability. And Scripture clearly warns us about those who would “masquerade as apostles of Christ.” (2Co 11:13)

Because of this, many have avoided the word and role altogether, wishing to distance themselves from the abuse of power. Then, there are also many ministers running around out there calling themselves “Apostle Jones” or whatever their name might be, and it is a word that gets tossed around a lot in charismatic circles. So, given all of this, it is important to delve into what the role of an “apostle” really means, how an apostle is defined biblically, and what the office actually looks like.

The word “apostle” comes from the Greek “apostolos”, which means “sent one, messenger, ambassador.” Jesus is called an apostle (Heb 3:1), an acknowledgement of His role as the One sent from the Father to perform His will. And of course, the title was given to the twelve disciples who had walked intimately with Jesus (with new apostle Matthias replacing the deceased Judas – Acts 1:26).

However, there are several others who were added to the list of apostles in the NT. Most notable, of course, was Paul, who was not one of the original Twelve but who was called by Jesus to be an apostle (Rom 1:1). His partner in ministry, Barnabas, is also called an apostle in Scripture (Acts 14:14). At the end of his letter to the Romans, Paul acknowledges a married couple, Andronicus and Junias, who he declares “are outstanding among the apostles,” (Rom 16:7). This is particularly interesting, as Scripture appears to show that there was at least one female apostle in Junias (but that is a whole other topic!)

As well, some commentators believe that Silas and Timothy can be classified as biblical apostles, due both to the roles that they filled in the NT church, as well as Paul’s inclusion of them as possible co-authors of 1Thessalonians (1Th 1:1), since only apostles claimed authority to write to the churches and instruct them. This, however, is conjecture, as they are not expressly called “apostles” in Scripture. Likewise, some feel that Apollos’ inclusion in 1Co 4 implies that he, too, was apostolic in the early church. Again, this is certainly a possibility, but not clearly stated.

So, the role is obviously bigger than just Jesus and the Twelve. The original apostles had a unique role, in that they were laying down a one-time foundation for a brand-new belief system. Since the canon of Scripture is closed, it is safe to assume that this part of the apostolic role was a one-time event, where those who had seen Jesus face-to-face established a new Scripture and a new doctrine based on what Jesus had taught them personally, and what was revealed to them by the Holy Spirit. To that end, no modern-day apostle should claim a level of revelation or authority equal to the original apostles who wrote the inspired Scripture.

But, again, if we are not cessassionists, and if we believe that the spiritual gifts of Scripture are for us today, then we need to accept all of them and not just pick and choose the ones that we are comfortable with. We must wrestle through the text of God’s Word and discover the answers we are looking for.

So let us look specifically at what the role of apostle entails. What makes someone an apostle, from a biblical standpoint?

First of all, and most importantly, apostles are called by God. At the beginning of most of his letters, Paul acknowledged that he was an apostle because God had willed it (Rom 1:1; 1&2Co 1:1; Gal 1:1; Eph 1:1; Col 1:1; 1&2Ti 1:1). It is a divine calling, and not a title that can be created or given by man, either given by others or by someone claiming it for themselves. It is an office created by God, and should be acknowledged by the Body only when evidence is given of the other Scriptural characteristics listed below.

Apostles are overseers of the church. While pastors and elders and deacons oversee the local church, apostles have authority that moves beyond just one church. They minister to the Body as a whole. We obviously see this through most of the epistles of the NT, where apostles wrote to local churches to teach, correct, and encourage them, with an acknowledged and respected authority. This is also evidenced in Scripture by passages such as Acts 15, where the apostles gathered in Jerusalem to discuss the doctrinal issue of whether circumcision should be required of believers (a big deal for Jewish Christians!). After arriving at a consensus, the apostles’ decision became the official policy for all of the churches.

It is interesting, however, that at the Council at Jerusalem, after the apostles had weighed in, it was local Jerusalem pastor James who stood up and had the final word (15:13-21). So we see that, while the apostles were honoured as overseers of the church, they also worked in partnership with local pastors, in an attitude of mutual submission and respect. Apostles were not lording it over local leaders, but serving and helping them as they all grew together in their understanding of the Lord.

Partnering with the “overseeing” portion of the apostolic function, apostles are also mentors. They are spiritual fathers and mothers. They do not need to do everything themselves, but seek to raise up others in their own giftings and purpose. This is clearly demonstrated in Paul’s letters to Timothy, where he instructed and advised the younger man in his Christ-centred destiny. Paul and Barnabas planted many churches, but then they mentored and released leaders within them before moving on (Acts 14:23). Paul also wrote to the Corinthians, saying “in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.” (1Co 4:15). The original apostles moved from church to church, training up leaders and releasing them, keeping in touch through the epistles and continuing in their care through the letters of instruction.

Apostles are foundation-layers and builders of the church (Eph 2:20; 1Co 3:10; 2Co 13:10). Building upon the foundation of Jesus Christ, apostles seek to see the church grow, numerically and especially spiritually. As already mentioned, none today will be functioning in quite the same manner of the original apostles, but apostles still serve the Body by pioneering new directions and breaking new ground. Scripturally, this often showed up as church-planting, which Paul and Barnabas did throughout Acts. Apostles establish new things, forge into new territory, build up churches and ministries, and give their lives to these tasks.

Apostles walk in the revelation of the Spirit (Eph3:5). All revelation must obviously be consistent with written Scripture, but apostles walk with God in such a way that they hear clearly what the Spirit is saying to the church. The authors of the epistles were remarkably gifted at bringing fresh revelation from established Old Testament Scripture, which was the only Scripture at the time. The written Word came alive through them, bringing new ideas and fresh understanding, as God gave them insight into what His Word meant for the church. As well, there was much that was revealed to them directly from the Holy Spirit, as He spoke His truths to the Church through them. Apostles have new ideas and fresh revelation, all of which will be in line with written Scripture.

Apostles show evidence of the other aspects of the five-fold ministry. This is not expressly stated in Scripture, but there is strong evidence for it nonetheless. It makes sense, really; if apostles are to serve as overseers of the church at large, then it makes sense that they should have some understanding of these other key roles within the church so that they can build them up.

Certainly we can see that the apostles of whom we have the most information were prophetic; Paul, Peter, and John all wrote letters containing predictive revelation concerning the end-times (1Th 4-5; 2Th 2; 2Pe 3; Rev), and throughout Acts gave evidence of clearly hearing and acting on instructions from the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:1-9; 10:9-20; 13:2-4; 16:6-10; 20:23).

As well, the apostles acted as evangelists. They were firmly committed to preaching the Gospel. Scripture says that “With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all.” (Acts 4:33) Whatever other aspects an apostle’s ministry may have, a biblical apostle will have a heart for souls and for preaching the Good News.

Continuing the five-fold theme, apostles have a pastoral heart. They do not serve a local congregation, but really act as shepherds nonetheless, overseeing and helping many places, and pastoring local church leaders. Paul spoke with compassion to the Thessalonians, saying “As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children.” (1Th 2:7). We see throughout all the apostolic epistles a very real concern for the people of God, a love for them, and a strong desire to see them grow in their relationship with God. This is a shepherd’s heart.

Rounding out the five-fold ministries, apostles are teachers. This is obvious and really needs no unpacking, as it marked the early church (Acts 2:42), was a major part of the apostles’ ministry (4:2; 5:42; 18:11), and much of the evidence of this is preserved for us through the epistles. Apostles are communicators and expositors of God’s Word, and use it for “teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (2Ti 3:16).

Moving on, the ministry of an apostle is proven by signs and wonders (Acts 5:12). Scripture specifically calls these, “the things that mark an apostle—signs, wonders and miracles,” (2Co 12:12). This is likely one area where the term “apostle” gets misused and misunderstood, where someone claims the title because of the fact that God works miracles through their ministry. This alone is not the only thing that marks an apostle. It appears, however, to be a biblical requirement for apostleship.

Finally, and one of the most important things to note, is that the life of an apostle will be marked by suffering. This was certainly true of the greatest apostle, Jesus. And church history tells us that all of the original apostles were terribly persecuted and martyred except John, who was terribly persecuted but managed to avoid martyrdom. In a passage of Scripture that the NIV subtitles as, “Apostles of Christ”, Paul wrote:

“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.” (1Co 4:9-13)

Knowing this information might change the desire to seek this title! Apostles pay a price for the authority and revelation that they are given. The term is not one to be bestowed on someone just because they teach well or lead well or because God performs miracles through them. To walk the path of an apostle is to walk a very difficult life and ministry.

Biblically, the seat of an apostle was not a place of “honour” in the traditional sense. They were certainly honoured at times within the Church, but they lived lives of unbelievable hardship, heartache, and brokenness (2Co 11:23-29). They were often outcasts and were mocked, even within Christian circles (2Co 10:1). Paul had to fiercely defend his ministry, even to a church that he had personally founded (2Co 11). And he teaches us an important principle through his “thorn in the flesh”: when there is great revelation and great authority and great gifting, God WILL send trials to keep his leaders humble (2Co 12:7-9). Paul embraced these things, saying, “I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” (v.9)

Some have claimed the title of “apostle” who have not paid the price of suffering for it. Some have taken it as a title of honour, given by man. Some are claiming it who may have a few of the above-mentioned attributes, but not the rest. And then there are some servants of the Lord who are actually properly walking in the biblical authority of an apostle, fulfilling their roles with power, with revelation, and with grace.

We need apostles in the Church today, as they will be the ones to build the Body up and take us to new places. By understanding what a scriptural apostle looks like, hopefully we can begin to encourage and recognize those who walk in this gifting, and then all of us can receive the blessing that comes when God uses apostles properly to guide and grow His Church.