WHY
APOSTLES ARE NECESSARY TODAY
written
by Andrew Corbett
FOUNDATIONAL
The
New Testament says that apostles and prophets are the foundation
of the Church (Eph. 2:20). We can observe the importance that
Christ gave to the ministry of apostles. When Christ walked
the earth for three and half years, He prioritised His intimate
times to training apostles. When He established the
Church, He did so based almost entirely on that of the apostles
(Acts 1, 2). When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he said that
God had placed apostles "first" in the Body (1Cor. 12:25-26).
Christ
has designed that the Church be led by apostles. In Ephesians
4:11-12 it is clear that apostles are necessary to bring the
Church to maturity, and Christlikeness. When we consider the
role of apostles, it becomes apparent that each local church
needs the ongoing input of apostles.
HOW
APOSTLES INPUT INTO LOCAL CHURCHES
The
role of apostles can be summed up into 4 categories, each
starting with the letter "D". Many local church leaders tend
to struggle with these areas, and the ministry of trans-local
apostles come to the fore in these areas.
©
2001 Andrew Corbett, Legana, Tasmania, Australia, 7277
DIRECTION
Apostles
are visionary leaders. They are overseers, which means they
see over. This implies that while local leaders are
seeing an immediate picture, trans-local apostles are able
to see a wider picture, and give appropriate direction.
Apostles
can give direction to local churches and leaders by: (i) helping
them to identify their strengths and weaknesses, (ii) obstacles
that need to be addressed in order to fulfil their mission,
(iii) coordinating larger outreach efforts such as overseas
mission activities, and (iv) helping to bring clear focus
on what God wants the church to be doing.
©
2001 Andrew Corbett, Legana, Tasmania, Australia, 7277
DOCTRINE
Apostles
are guardians right doctrine. They understand the heart of
God, the nature of God, the person of Christ, the implications
of the Cross, the judgment of God, and the destiny of man.
They advocate no higher authority on earth other than the
Sciptures of the Old and New Testaments. Any aberration from
these doctrines is swiftly, decisively, and authoratitively
dealt with.
In
recent times many novel doctrines have crept into the Church
which are not necessarily helpful, or Scriptural. While deliverance
from demonic possession is Biblically valid, some extreme
teachings of corporate possession (such as territorial spirits
controlling regions, etc.) overflows out of the realm of the
ridiculous into the realm of the dangerous. (You may like
to refer to my article SPIRITUAL
WARFARE?)
©
2001 Andrew Corbett, Legana, Tasmania, Australia, 7277
DEVELOPMENT
Apostles
have a keen eye for potential in others. They have a sense
for discerning the gifts and callings of God on a person in
order to develop that person into their potential. Ephesians
4:11 says that apostles equip people. This equates
to the development of leaders. Apostolic leaders are more
interested in promoting others than they are themselves. Every
local church leader needs to come under the attention of a
fatherly apostolic ministry who can help them to develop their
giftings.
©
2001 Andrew Corbett, Legana, Tasmania, Australia, 7277
DISCIPLINE
Apostles
don't invent doctrine, they merely teach and promote by their
lifestyles the doctrines of Christ. This is the correct sense
in which Christ said that the apostles could "bind" or "loose"
on earth, what has already been bound and loose in heaven.
The Jewish Rabbis had two forms of Law: Binding laws, and,
Loosing laws. Nearly all of these were manmade! What Christ
was telling His apostles was that they were not to invent
their own laws, but teach His. In the same context of binding
and loosing, Christ gave instructions about church discipline
(Mat. 18).
Apostles are authorised to carry out discipline (reprimanding,
rebuking, and removing) where it is necessary. Every local
church needs the safeguard of a translocal apostle to support
them in areas of discipline. Too many renegades are proceeding
unchecked. Danny Guglielmucci recently said, "If the Church
really was an army, many of its members would have to be courtmarshalled!"
©
2001 Andrew ©
2001 Andrew Corbett, Tasmania, Australia
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