As we approach a New Year it appears that the world is sinking faster and faster into darkness. The news of what is happening would allow a person to quickly assume that we are sliding into even darker darkness if that is really possible, and it is, it appears! And, the year-end news summaries verifies that it has been and is getting more and more ridiculous. Read more
As we continue our look at the role of the apostolic office in the church today, we see that apostles are to:
God calls those in the apostolic office to be good stewards over the mysteries of God that have been revealed to us through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Apostles are in governmental oversight in the church as part of the five-fold ministry (Ephesians 4:11) and so must warn the shepherds of those who call themselves apostles and are not. As well, they must be well grounded in biblical doctrine so as to quickly reveal any false teachings in the church. Read more
The Church is about to move forward into a new season in North America. A season where things as they have been will no longer be; where we will move from a pastoral base of ministry to a prophetic base as seen and experienced in the early Church. This new season will see us listening more so as to receive direction, and even our daily agenda, from the Lord and not from the needs of the people. We will hear the voice of our God and simply obey what it is that He is saying to His Church. We will be directed prophetically, by revelation. Read more
The third function or role of an apostle is to encourage or strengthen the church. We see this in several places in the book of Acts.
After preaching the Good News in Derbe and making many disciples, Paul and Barnabas returned again to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia, where they strengthened the believers. They encourage them to continue in the faith, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations. Acts 14:21-22
So they traveled throughout Syria and Cilicia to strengthen the churches there. Acts 15:41