The
apostolic reformation is crossing denominational lines.
Learn how a leader in the Pentecostal Holiness Church had
his eyes opened to the ministry of modern-day apostles and
prophets
.
You would probably never think a person who grew up
in a Spirit-filled, Full Gospel, Pentecostal church could be
a functional cessationist. But that’s exactly what happened to me.
I believed in speaking in tongues. I believed in miracles. And I
believed in the other nine gifts of the Spirit catalogued in 1
Corinthians 12:4-11. I even accepted Christ’s ascension gifts of
evangelists, pastors and teachers, but when it came to apostles and
prophets, well, yes, but… that’s where my cessationism began. I
believed Jesus chose 12 apostles, plus Paul, and that prophecy had
to be about end time events. The possibility of contemporary
apostles and prophets was simply not on my radar screen at that
time. While no one was flat-out attacking the notion of contemporary
apostles and prophets in the local church, most assumed that
apostles were little more than missionaries and prophets were merely
excited encouragers and exhorters. That’s what I believed until the
late 1990s.
It was then I was confronted with the reality and necessity of
contemporary apostles and prophets. Since then, the Holy Spirit has
opened new doors to help me better understand and appreciate what He
is doing in the world today through the ministry of apostles and
prophets. That has included a personal re-connect with some
contemporary apostles.
When you meet strong apostolic leaders you sense the divine fire
that has burned for 2,000 years as the Lord has called forth and
anointed people in every generation. You sense a passion for the
lost, a vision for the local church that is greater than a local
community, a spiritual authority over geographical areas, a profound
sense of the Word and faith, and a life radically transformed and
conformed to the person of Jesus Christ by the power of the Spirit.
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As I’ve reflected on apostolic ministry in the 21st century, there
are four broad areas – shunning personal extremes, a recognition of
apostles and prophets as foundational gifts, a revelation of
jurisdictional impact of ascension gift ministry, and the keeping of
Ephesians chapter four in the proper context – that I sense are
critical for us to understand in order to avoid the kinds of errors
that have hindered this movement in the past.
First, we must navigate apostolic ministry through the maze of
extremes. There are at least three extremes that tempt believers to
abuse apostolic and prophetic ministry: cessationism, terminology
and personal attitudes.
Cessationism is one of the biggest hindrances to the apostolic. The
early Azusa Street Pentecostal inheritors did not have the
revelation of ascension gift ministries that we enjoy today. Sixty
years ago the Latter Rain Movement attempted to restore these gifts
to the Body but was met with theological and organizational
resistance for a variety of reasons. The solution? Those of us open
to this restoration of what the Bible proclaims need to live with
such grace and wisdom that those within and without Pentecostalism
will find God’s glory irresistible.
Terminology is another obstacle to believers embracing the
apostolic. There are many today who conceptually allow for
contemporary apostles and prophets but who struggle with publicly
identifying them. Part of the reason for that struggle could be
because those titles seem to convey a greater level of authority
than do evangelists, pastors and teachers. Yet, to fail to properly
recognize those who are called to the offices of apostle and prophet
is to ultimately do a disservice to Christ Who has given these
gifted servants to the Church.
Personal attitudes can also get in the way of a true apostolic
reformation. The opposite of the reluctance to recognize apostles
and prophets is the tendency out of spiritual pride among some
leaders to insist that they be called by such titles. If the Body
can find a way to recognize and affirm such gifts, particularly
among our respective spheres of God-given authority, then our
personal attitudes are molded by the humility that comes when we
realize others have affirmed something in us that God has given
rather than us having to toot our own horns.
The second principal we need to understand to safeguard against
error is that apostles and prophets are foundational in establishing
the sphere of Christ’s Kingdom rule in the earth (Ephesians 2:20;
3:5). Ephesians 2:20 ties apostles and prophets to the formation of
a new household and community in the world that stands in stark
contrast to the world. This new community of Kingdom people is
clearly established on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.
Ephesians 3:5 then connects divine revelation to these foundational
gifts. So we learn that revelation is not left to our every whim or
opinion but is certified because it stems from the foundation.
Believers today can glean two primary implications from these
Scriptures. The original 12 apostles (plus Paul) are a
non-repeatable foundation both in terms of the initial formation of
the Church and of establishing the limits of revelation in
Scripture. Still, there are dimensions of establishing foundations
that will remain active until the Lord returns, including taking the
Gospel into new territories (geography, cultural, ethnic groups) and
foundationally establishing the presence of Christ through the
Church. Apostles and prophets also exhibit foundation-laying
ministry through their vision and spiritual authority in a given
area. This authority is in the spirit realm, relationships are
expressed through covenant, and spheres of authority are affirmed
and respected.
The third point we need to understand in order to keep the apostolic
reformation free from error is the impact of ascension gift ministry
in a region. When the Gospel penetrates a new area or group of
people, it does so through the initial impact of visionary apostles
and prophets who speak to the spiritual landscape, teachers who
declare and establish Biblical truth in the power of the Spirit,
evangelists who reap the harvest, and pastors who shepherd and
disciple the growing flocks of God.
“Does every congregation need to have all five of these gifts
resident?” is a common question from today’s local church leaders.
In order for the believers to become fully equipped for the work of
service, the answer is “yes.” In large congregations it is likely
that all five gifts are present. The challenge for those leaders is
to work together in a common vision and in genuine accountability.
The average-sized congregation, however, may not have each of the
five gifts resident. When that is true the pastoral leader, or
set-man, should identify his/her gift-mix and determine what is
lacking. The set-man may invite respected and accountable ministry
gifts to impart the missing graces to believers in the local church
through sermons, seminars and the laying on of hands. These outside
ministry gifts are often leaders that the Lord has spiritually
bonded to the local church. Such persons have a spiritual right
vested in the leader’s ministry and the spiritual authority to speak
with wisdom and grace into the life of that congregation.
Finally, if we are to avoid error as we boldly walk in the apostolic
anointing, we must always remember the context of Ephesians chapter
four. Other than some references in the Apostle Paul’s letters to
the Corinthians, Ephesians is the primary New Testament source for
discussion of ascension gift ministry. That demonstrates that the
early Church had a much better understanding of how these gifts
operated than we do today, so there was little need for Paul to
write more.
Much of the confusion in our day comes from not placing apostolic
and prophetic ministry in the total context of the Bible. But we can
make progress in our understanding and our relationships with one
another by returning to the context of the ascension gifts described
in Ephesians chapter four. Three fundamental contextual issues
surround Ephesians 4:11: the heart of the matter, the grace of the
matter and the purpose of the matter.
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Verses one through six reveal the heart of the matter, and this may
be the most important practical aspect of the contextual issues. It
is here that Paul discusses the character and heart of each of the
ascension gift ministries. He does not even begin the discussion
with reference to himself as an apostle. He identifies himself as a
“prisoner of the Lord.” It’s not about titles. It’s about Jesus!
When our lives reflect all lowliness and gentleness, with
longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace that Paul taught, then
there is common heart-ground for the Spirit of God to work in our
midst.
In verses seven through 10 Paul discusses the grace of the matter.
Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers are Christ’s
gifts to His Body and they have been purchased by His death,
resurrection and ascension. This victory broke through the
stranglehold that Satan had upon the full release of the power of
God in the world. Captivity has been taken captive and ascension
gifts are evidences of the victory of the passion of the Christ.
In verses 12 through 16, Paul addresses the purpose of the matter.
Rick Warren is right about the purpose-driven Church. But it’s even
more purposeful than he writes! It is the divine purpose of the Body
of Christ being so fully equipped and released in grace-filled power
and faith that the world looks with wonder at what God is doing in
this new community of people who really do love one another, really
do worship their God, and really do sacrificially care for a lost
and hurting world.
The purpose of the matter is really what apostles, prophets,
evangelists, pastors and teachers are supposed to be. We are
meant to live in the fullness that Paul prophesied in Romans
9-11. It is there that he envisions a Church so filled with
the blessings of God that the Jews become jealous and turn
to Jesus as their Messiah. I believe that ascension gifts
have been given to the Church so that God’s people can be
equipped and released in such faith-filled blessings that
the whole world becomes jealous and longs to know the power
of our risen Lord!
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