What is a true apostle?

This new push about apostles today is bringing in many fasle apostles. But by knowing the Bible we can easy see what is true and what is false. It is a calling from God for the church today. And the church needs it today, but a true apostle works with the rest of the calling and graces in the church, "hand in hand" not above them. I have been called by God and recognized by the church to walk in the calling of an apostle. I have seen God work through me in planting churches on the mission field, also rasied up leadership, and given direction in church problems so they can be solved. I just want to make one clear point about a true apostle. He is always working to replace himself with others, or always working himself out of a job. What I mean is simply this: an apostle is a man with a vision for the church, and sees all that needs to be done. He is always looking for someone he can work with and help develop the gift in them to do the work also. In this work you can never work you way out of a job, there is so much to be done. But when you watch a true apostle he is always working to get others in their calling and in taking his current place so he can reach out into a new area and work again. A true apostle does not have a secure position in a certain place; nor does he try to make a secure place for himself. In operating in special gifts he never promotes them as his specialty; but works and prays with others till the whole church operates in the fullest of the Holy Ghost.

Mr Ed, That is a very keen and refreshing insight. Thank you for sharing it. While you did not quote any scripture, I don't see anything that contadicts it either. God bless you real good in your ministry."O"

bro MrEdbless the Lord for your testimony! the apostle is indeed not above anyone in the Church for Christ is the head of the Church. if anything the apostle is treated as the least and is the servant of all. When Paul wrote and spoke he made no bones about his calling to this work so people would know the authority by which he spoke. that being said whenever he was in the presence of the brethren he was called brother paul. when paul wrote to the corinthians he mentioned how to them he sounded most imposing when he wrote and yet when they met him they thought it seemed he was weak. the apostle reveals the mysteries of the purposes of God to the Church. as we see Paul speaks much on the formation of Christ in us, the death of self and speaks about many other mysteries such as our calling before the foundations of the world. bro bless the Lord He's brought yet another called to this work as He has me. bless the Lord indeed. AMEN.

A true apostle is simply concerned about establishing Christ as Chief Apostle, not himself. They are not interested in establishing their own ministry, but Christ's. They are looking to see Christ formed where Christ is yet formed. Thus, they set out as missionaries (which is a word that comes from the latin translation of the word 'apostle') to take the gospel to new places, to new people who have never heard the gospel. Furthermore, they exist to build up the local body of Christ, and strengthen the brethren. Thus in part, they are evangelists, thus, Paul's admonition to the apostle Timothy to "do the work of an evangelist." At the same time, they act as roaming pastors, providing spiritual oversight to congregations they come to have relationships with. Apostles are not super-ministers with super-anointings with super-authority. In fact, such individuals are indeed, false apostles. Nearly all of 2 Corinthians was written towards this fact! A group of false apostles were making their rounds (with credentials from other churches at that!) to the different churches, seeking to hijack them by boasting of how great they are, and how pathetic other "lesser" apostles like Paul were. Thus, today with the "new apostolic revolution" with the likes of C. Peter Wagner, you have another group of false apostles slowly infiltrating the churches, looking to hijack them nearly on the same grounds which the false apostles of 2 Corinthians. There are geniune modern day apostles today, as there have always been. But they are not these super-anointed people that we have always imagined. They are quite regular. Where they are extrodinary is not so much in the miraculous, but in their lives. Yet, unlike many modern day apostles who seek to be super-stars, like the original 12, they make it their ambitions to lead quiet lives doing the work the Lord has called them to do. Thus, most of the first apostles we know nothing about outside of the Scriptures. Yes, some fantastic legends circulated about them after their deaths, but outside of Peter, John, James, and Paul, we know little to nothing of those first generation of apostles. But apostles they were. And apostles there are. What those first generation of apostles left us was not their personal memoirs detailing us their own personal lives. Nor did they leave us their own ministries to pass on by "succession." Rather, they left us Christ.

bro KingJimmyindeed bro indeed, the true apostle isn't onw who seeks the call but one who is himself called upon. He is one whom people will not think to be an apostle or has anything apostolic in him. those that seek this calling are out ot build their own kingdoms or usurp the kingdoms that have been built by men, ie trying to make themselves supreme in this current church system as opposed to the tearing down of it so that the true Church can be ushered in. of course the apostle will be used of God to start congregations, tend to flocks etc and in some cases reveal the mysteries of the deep things of God. of course such a one the Lord breaks down to make him humble so as to be the least and to be the servant of all in the building of Christ in each believer. God bless you bro

I want to give you an "object lesson" to help you better understand what we do. The object lesson for this illustration is your hand. As you look at it, I hope it has 4 fingers and a thumb. I Ephesians 4, Paul tells us that God gave to the church Apostles, Evangelists, Prophets, Teachers, and Pastors for the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry. This is commonly called the five fold ministry. As you look at your hand, the index finger represents the prophet because he points the way. The middle finger represents the evangelist, because he goes the longest distance. The ring finger represents the pastor, because that finger is associated with love, covering, and the heart. The small finger represents the teacher. Now, lets work our way back to where we started. The teacher works really well along side the pastor, but not the evangelist or the prophet. The teacher's make up and gifts are designed this way so that the the Teacher most benefits the pastor and the congregation that the Pastor watches over. The pastor is located between the teacher and the evangelist. These are the two he works best with. One wins souls, the other trains them. The pastor oversees the process. The evangelist is between the prophet and the pastor. Someone has to take in the new babes and feed them and shepherd them. The prophet provides insight for the evangelist and helps keep things pointed in the right direction. Now the thumb represents the apostle. The apostle works best with the prophet, but it is the only member on the hand that can touch all the other fingers quite easily. The apostle helps keep a tight grip on the church and assits all ther other leaders in the training process. All the others depend on the apostle to hold things together. The apostle is also capable of operating and working with all the others on a close and personal basis. Yea, I know this is basic and simple. But I like things that way. I think it is also insightful. So I hope that it blesses you.Immersed in Him,Onesimus4God

KingJimmy, You nailed it brother. There is absolutely nothing I'd take away or add to what you said. No arguments, no questions. Thank you very much. God bless you real good today. In Him,"O"