APOSTOLIC - Ralph Howe Ministries

Laying Apostolic Foundations
in the 21st Century

Loving God, Equipping People, Mentoring Leaders, Reaching Nations

Asking Yourself The Hard Questions

November 13, 2020/in Apostle's Perspective, Personal Reflections, Random Thoughts, The Apostolic Church /by ralph

Early in my life as a believer I knew that God had called me, and every believer, to “go into al the world and make disciples.” When I read about God’s desire to reach the entire world with His love and grace, I quickly saw that I had a personal responsibility to fulfill that mission. And when I opened the book of Acts and encountered God’s desire to reach the nations, I concluded quite simply that God intended for me – and every born again believer – to play a part in that.

Early in my life as a believer, it was so matter of fact: this is what God offers His people; this is what God intends for His people; this is what God expects from His people — and His people, obviously, will respond with obedience and trust. I am not suggesting that I always got it right, because I did not. But, still, the way to be obedient and trusting seemed so clear. And the need to be obedient was beyond question.

I am not sure if I ever heard it said out loud, but I also picked up the idea that obedience to God’s call would result in a life of safety and security. Obedience, it was implied, would lead to effective ministry and measurable results and even success. “The safest place to be,” I was told more than once, “is right in the center of God’s will.” And that sounded both true and reassuring.

I admit, however, my surprise when, many years later, I found myself living a life that was neither safe nor secure. I was stunned when, despite what I considered to be a life of obedience – even, at times, sacrificial obedience – I could point to very little in my ministry that appeared “effective.” In certain situations there were simply no results to measure. And ‘success’ was a word that I would have never used to describe what I had done.

It might, in fact, be safe to be in the center of God’s will — but we would be wise to stop and think about what it means to be safe. I feel that I have lived a life in response to the call of God. But as I look back on certain situations and ministry opportunities, I don’t see a lot that I would call effective ministry that brought long-term results. And, I certainly have not always felt ‘safe.’

So, this honest evaluation led to a number of questions that I needed to answer:

- Does God, in fact, promise His children safety?
- Does God really ask us to sacrifice — and to sacrifice everything?
- What happens when our best intentions and most creative ideas are not enough?
- Is God at work in the hard places? And does He expect us to join Him in those hard places?
- Isn’t it possible to love God and to pretty much keep living the life I already have?
- What does it mean for God to tell us that His ways are not our ways?
- Would He really allow people who love Him dearly to fail? And, if so, is this a God who can use even holy failure for His purposes?

All of these questions and others I have struggled with, boiled down to: Would I choose to trust this God who I could not control? Would I be willing to walk with this God whose ways are so different? Would I, once again, lean on this God who makes impossible demands and promises only His presence?

When I began to honestly ask these questions – it was the start of the real journey of faith. A journey where I discovered what I truly believed. A journey where I learned to trust and to follow without knowing all the answers or even all the questions. A journey where I discovered the joy of serving – and even more, the necessity of dying. A journey where I discovered who I really was “in Christ.” A journey where I became secure enough to begin to reveal the real me and express myself openly because I discovered God accepted me for who I was. A journey where I was able to see the Kingdom of God expanding in the nations where I worked. And oh so much more.

I don’t have answers to all of my questions. In fact, I have even more questions as I move forward in my journey. I am not sure where this journey might lead. But I am sure that the questions are worth asking — and I am certain that the journey is God-given and God-lead. That He is patient with me and walking with me as I ask the questions and seek His answers.

I continue to give myself permission to ask myself the hard questions!

The Insanity of Christ’s Teachings

November 12, 2020/in Apostle's Perspective, Evangelism and Soul-winning, The Apostolic Church, The Bible, The Church Jesus Is Building, The Dangerous Church /by ralph

As I read through the New Testament – which I do on a regular basis – I always note something new or see something in a different light than the last time I visited the story or the passage. It has been true this time as well. As I have been reading the four gospels and the story of Jesus’s birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection I have noted how tough some of His comments and commands really are. And, how crazy-sounding some of them are.

It seems to me that those of us who have grown familiar and even comfortable with the teachings of Christ may have allowed His teachings to lose their edge. So much of what Jesus taught makes no sense from the human perspective.

- - Love your enemies
  - If you want to be great, first learn to be a servant
  - If someone smacks you across the face, turn your head and let him slap you on the other side
  - If someone steals your coat, offer him your shirt as well
  - If you want to live, you need first to die to yourself

The complete list of Jesus’ crazy-sounding teachings is a lot longer than that. But, you get the idea. A little insane. A completely different perspective from the way the world lives.

To me, the most startling thing Jesus ever said was when He assigned His followers the task of going out in pairs to share His good news with lost people. He said that He was sending them “as sheep among wolves.” Still, He expected them to prevail. In the history of the world, no sheep has ever won a fight with a wolf. The very idea is insane. Yet, it was a direct command and Jesus expects His followers to be obedient to His commands.

We often don’t deal with these statements that Jesus made. They appear not to relate to us or to our world and so we are able to discount them or simply ignore them. But, we should not push our questions and our struggles out of sight. In fellowship with other believers who love us and in the local house church where I attend and belong – it is safe to deal with these ‘insane teachings’ the Lord has left us.

This one comment in the midst of many “insane teachings” leads us to ask ourself:

- - Can God truly overcome evil?
  - Is love really more powerful than hate?
  - How can a person maintain even a small hope in a dark place?
  - How is it possible for faith to survive in an insane environment where war rages and radical religious fanatics follow their own destructive disregard for human life?
  - How can someone live the abundant, victorious life that Jesus promised in our world’s hardest places?
  - Can Christianity work outside of western, dressed-up, well-ordered nations?
    - If so, how?
  - How does the Christian faith fit into the insanity of evil, the inhumanity of people, and the pain of loved ones dying needless deaths?
  - Is the good news of the gospel powerful enough to overcome the forces of evil in our world’s darkest places?
    - And if it is, why do we see so much ‘crucifixion’ and experience so little of the resurrection?

I work hard to answer these questions and others because although we are sent out as sheep among wolves we don’t want to be or have to be stupid sheep among wolves.

Never be afraid to ask yourself and others the hard questions. They need to be answered and can be answered as we take our faith into all the world and make disciples.

A Biblical Church

November 5, 2020/in Apostle's Perspective, Around the Globe, Church and Culture Today, Evangelism and Soul-winning, Society Today, The Apostolic Church, The Christian Church, The Dangerous Church /by ralph

I have always been captivated by the vision of what a church can be — an authentic community of faith that reaches increasing numbers of lost people and helps them grow into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

Yet sometimes churches do not reach their full redemptive potential. They motor along year after year, well entrenched in programs and traditions, but ineffective in their main calling.

My hope – and what I work for in my ministry to the nations – is that churches around the world will make regular, strategic adjustments towards finding and following their true calling of reaching people with the Gospel of the Kingdom. Any time we can become more effective in this task it is well worth the effort.

We are in a season when we need to adjust our course to follow the whispers of His leading. We don’t need more programs and continued traditions. We need obedience. We should desire to become churches that people love to attend and that God uses to advance His Kingdom. We must desire to live the words of 2 Corinthians 5:9, both individually and as churches: “We make it our goal to please Him.”

Since the day I was saved in a small town in my province I became aware that I only have this day until my final day to get the word of Christ out to as many people as possible. And the older I have become the shorter that available time frame becomes and so the stronger the urgency I feel. I, like Paul, feel ‘compelled.’

I have this desire – inner compulsion: I want everyone I meet to experience the saving grace found in Jesus Christ. My aim is to rid myself of life’s superfluous activities and take the transforming message of saving grace to everyone I’m able. And as I mentioned, as my remaining days get fewer, my sense of urgency for the sake of the Kingdom is going up, not down.

I believe that through Jesus Christ, the Church is the hope of the world, and we as Christians need not make any apologies for wanting to get better at what we are called to do. We must be dead serious about helping people come to know Christ and about helping Christians grow to be Christ-centered.

Our one task – our calling – as the Church is to “go into all the world and make disciples.” This is the task of every believer and not just those called to the office of evangelist or those extroverts gifted in carrying on conversations with everyone and anyone. It is the work (ministry) of everyone who declares the Name of Jesus and follows Him as a disciple. It is the reason Jesus came to earth. He Himself states that He came “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10) and He calls His Church to complete that task in each generation.

As believers we cannot sit back and leave it to the leaders to win the lost. Programs within the Church, no matter how good, seldom bring people into the Kingdom and ground them in God’s Word. The task was left to individual Christians to share their faith with their family, friends, neighbours, and those they meet in the daily activities of life. Sharing Jesus must become a part of everyday life and not a program run on Tuesday nights from the church building. The motivation to tell others comes from the natural overflow of the love that we have received from the Lord.

Paul writes, “And may the Lord make your love to grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else…” (Philippians 1:9)

So, as we have been loved unconditionally by the Lord we are to love others in the same way – with no strings attached. And, as we do, we will see opportunity arise to share the Gospel. Doors will open for you to tell others what Jesus has done in your life and is still doing as you walk with Him daily.

A biblical church is not self-focused. It does not exist for itself or its members. It exists for the non-members … those who do not attend. It is a community of believers who gather to encourage and strengthen each other so that they can become true “fishers of people.” That is what Jesus called us to when we answered His call and became born again. He stated it plainly and in a very clear manner. “Follow Me and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). If we are not fishing then we are truly not following.

I believe it is time for the Church – the true believers – to step out in faith, build relationships with non-believers, and then show them the love of God as truly experienced in Jesus – inviting them to join with you on this amazing journey of faith.

Laying Apostolic Foundations in the 21st Century

Laying Apostolic Foundations
in the 21st Century