New Apostolic Church - Florida Preacher Crosses Denominational Lines to Embrace Apostolic Mandate

Although as a child his military parents took him to "whatever denominational church had the most life at the time," Brown took a major doctrinal detour when he attended a Catholic college. That's where he was confirmed as a Roman Catholic, but it's also where God confirmed his calling to preach the Gospel.

After graduating college, Brown returned to Protestantism with a theological degree in one hand and a preaching license in the other. He immediately plugged his gifts and talents into the Community Missionary Baptist Church in Hollywood. Fla. A few years later, the set man passed the pastoral torch to Brown, but it wouldn't be long before the apostolic call would come knocking on his denominational door.

"I really thought you had to have a denomination, especially if you’re going to be licensed to preach. That was one of the biggest hindrances to answering the apostolic call,” Brown admits. “But I learned that denominations were never God’s intention and I realized why I never fit in with denominations.”

Brown is quick to credit the Baptist church’s emphasis on studying the Word of God, and on preaching and teaching, as a foundation for his apostolic understanding. “If you just steadily study the Word and read it without religious mindset glasses; if you just let the Holy Spirit guide you, then you will eventually end up at the apostolic,” Brown explains. “Then you have to make a choice. That’s where it gets interesting.”

Interesting, indeed. When Brown took over as set man of the Baptist church in 2000, he began asking God, “What is the purpose of the Church?” God answered by illuminating apostolic truths in the Word, then leading him to conferences and seminars that began to awaken in him a new perspective of ministry. That’s when he changed the vision statement of Community Missionary Baptist Church to include a stronger mandate to reach the lost. He also began to prophesy over his congregation that change was coming; change and a shaking.

Brown didn’t know that shaking would start with him. Just as he was getting comfortable as the pastoral set-man, God gave him a prophetic dream that made it clear to him there were still apostles in the world today – and he was one of them. Other apostles and prophets began to confirm the calling. Still, he resisted the title or even the recognition because he knew the war would be on, and he wasn’t quite sure he was ready for the battle. “I was afraid people would think I was just looking for the next fad to keep the church growing,” Brown admits.

The young apostle didn’t resist for long, though, and, as he rightly discerned, the apostolic recognition drove him into a new level of spiritual warfare rife with religious spirits. “Welcome to the apostolic,” Brown says, recalling his reaction to the enemy attacks against the Word he was teaching, preaching and demonstrating. Some church members threatened to withhold their tithes. Others simply left. Still others suggested he not preach so boldly.

“You would have thought I was telling people Jesus wasn’t God. There were false accusations and a committee wanted to meet with me because they thought I was hijacking the church. I told them if they could prove I was doing something non-biblical then we could talk about it,” Brown recalls. “If not, I told them, maybe they need to pray and repent. God will birth boldness in you with the apostolic. The key to transitioning is hearing from God, trusting God and standing firm. Whatever He says, do it.”

Brown reports fruit that remains from the apostolic transition. Financial and health breakthroughs have manifested, along with a greater understanding of purpose, callings, and the Kingdom of God. “You will never be fulfilled until you find your lane and run in it. We are tearing down the mindset that says we have to put up and just get along. We are pursuing God’s will, even if it means a shaking,” Brown explains.

Once again, the shaking started with him. “I didn’t want to be looked at as a fly by night, self-proclaimed anything. I had to fight against seeing the Kingdom and the work through religious eyesight. I asked the Lord to help me keep those glasses off so I wouldn’t color the truth He was trying to get to me,” Brown explains. “Now, the Scriptures have opened up to me and I let the Holy Spirit speak without trying to make it fit into any denominational category.”

So Brown learned that transitioning to the apostolic is not a denominational work – it’s not a quick work, either. He has felt the pain of being rejected by those whom he has poured his life into. He has felt the disappointment of starting to build a team only to have the team leader abandon God’s plan. But he has also felt the excitement of watching a faithful intercessory group birth new things in the spirit and a youth ministry that has caught the vision and is running with it.

Finally, Brown has learned the value of divine relationships. He notes the African proverb that says, “It takes a village to raise a child.” So far as the local church goes, he looks at that village as the apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. Brown is convinced he would not be in ministry today if it weren’t for relationships with five-fold ministers who raised him up; relationships with folks who care just because they care.

“There are fathers and mothers who care deeply about the success of the Kingdom and where God has placed you. It’s key to find those relationships and pull on those men and women, and let them know you appreciate them. Everything I have gone through in the apostolic transition has been worth it. We are becoming more effective week by week, day by day, minute by minute. To me, all the warfare was worth it. I have found my home with the apostolic. I didn’t fit in anywhere else.”

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