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The Apostle

by Pastor Abby Davidson

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors, and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13

We have looked at the ministry roles of Shepherd, Evangelist, Prophet, and Teacher. This week we are looking at the role of Apostle.

The Greek word that our word Apostle is based on, means “one who is sent out”. The twelve apostles of Jesus show us what it means to live in this role. They were sent out to share the good news, to grow the Church, and to help God’s kingdom to the ends of the earth. They were pioneers, venturing out into new lands. They did this in very innovative ways as each place they visited had a unique culture.  We also see that Jesus filled the role of Apostle as he was sent by God to us, in order that God might be revealed to us.

What does the role of Apostle look like in the Church today? You might be an apostle if you:

• Love to start things up
• Enjoy change
• Embrace new tasks and challenges
• Dream
• Have a lot of big ideas
• Can attract people to your vision of how to build things up

Apostles are often the ones who start church plants or new ministries within a church. Apostles are helpful for churches because they are committed to a forward moment and can help ward off complacency. They also inspire others to come alongside the vision. Sometimes their ideas can be overwhelming to others and they need to slow down so that everyone else can catch up.

Apostles are important for Church growth. Their energy and ideas help keep churches healthy and alive. They aren’t afraid of new ideas and their openness is important when churches are listening for God’s leading and discernment.

Think you might be an Apostle? Let us know. Here is the link to take the FiveFold ministry test. http://www.fivefoldsurvey.com/