A Relational Discussion Forum Dedicated to Apostles

Why Apostles?

Why do we need apostles?

When Jesus was on earth He only ordained twelve and He ordained these twelve as apostles. It is true that these men had other ministries among them. We know this because no apostle can be an apostle only, but must manifest his or her apostleship through one or more of the other four ascension gift ministries. As the early church continued to grow other ministries were ordained and confirmed, first by the original twelve and then by other apostles. It is clear that the Lord intended for the apostles to continue to minister and raise up others into ministry until such time as He would close out the church age. Ephesians 4:13 says that we will have apostles with us “[un]till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.” This is something we have not attained yet.

Apostles functioned openly and powerfully in the church until perhaps the third century when they were replaced first by a position known as “Bishops”, which is a corruption of the biblical position of bishop or elder, and then finally the apostles along with the rest of the five-fold ministry were supplanted by an new testament “Priesthood”. The church is still in the process of overcoming these man made substitutions.

The apostle brings a needed dimension to the rest of the ministries that is missing otherwise. If the five ministries can be seen as the working hand of God than the apostolic ministry would function as the thumb connecting the others and arranging them into a more powerful unit than four or five separate digits.

1 Pet 5:6 “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”

There are other aspects of Christ which the church is lacking that the apostle will bring. One major apostolic impartation is patient endurance.

2 Cor 12:12 “Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.”

This verse is often referred to in light of the proofs of apostolic ministry, and rightly so. Yet the first proof that Paul listed is often overlooked, down played or disregarded all together. This is too bad as it is a necessary attribute of the true apostolic. In fact other ministries may walk with powerful signs and wonders and Jesus said all who believed would manifest signs (Mk 16:17). Prophetic ministry often has accompanying signs of work of knowledge, foreknowledge, prophecy and others. Evangelistic ministry often has the accompanying signs of gifts of healing, miracles signs of conviction and other manifested power and mighty works. But neither the prophetic nor the evangelistic ministry have been able impart patient endurance to the body of Christ. This is coming with the increase of apostolic ministry.

Heb 6:12 ... imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

I have a Prophetic friend who is well known for quoting this verse with the added comment that “we have had a faith movement, but where is the patience movement?” It is clear biblically, and confirmed through ministry that the apostolic movement is the patience movement. In the records we have from the apostle Paul defending his apostleship or explaining apostleship he did not point to the signs, miracles and wonders. He left the telling of these testimonies to others, such as Luke who recorded many in the book of Acts. When Paul was describing his proof of apostolic ministry he pointed to the many things that he endured for the sake of the gospel. The church today is in as great of a need, or perhaps in greater need of an impartation of patience endurance. The saints can not be perfected without the impartation of all of the five ascension ministries, but if the church is to press forward into what it is being equipped to do we all will need apostolic ministry functioning so that we will continue forward with systematic endurance and apostolic patience.

 

Lloyd C. Phillips, Director
The Fellow Laborers' International Network (FLInt Net)
P.O. Box 113 Missoula, MT 59806
Phone (406) 251- 5730
impact@flintnet.org
http://www.flintnet.org