AN APOSTOLIC TEAM
Recently we put together an article based on (Phil 1:1) where we see God's perspective of what He must consider a typical local community Church. Here Paul, who was definitely called by God as an apostle, at his conversion experience on the Damascus Road, received his divine appointment. (Acts 9:1-25) As he recorded in his letter to the church in (Eph 3:1-13), God had given to him a revelation of the Church, that had been kept "secret" from mankind until Paul came on the scene. In chapter 4 and verses 11 to 16 we see the "gifts" that Christ gave to His Church, and what these gifts were meant to add to the various different churches that Paul had started. These gifts were certain people who Christ had placed with in them the ability to function in these 5 different "roles" within these churches. But certain ambitious men have chosen them as "titles", and have set themselves up as "Apostle so and so, or Prophet so and so, or Pastor so and so" etc. This scripture has been taken completely out of context, and has become known as "The Five Fold Ministry" completely separate from the local Church setting that Jesus had meant these gifts to function in! This is only one of many examples I have seen where the modern day church has veered off course!
Are there any groups of churches who are still operating according to this original plan that was given to Paul? Yes there are, and I believe I have discovered one and am presently exploring them a little more carefully. They have a website called <New Covenant Ministries International>, and you can check it out for yourself. The main way they differ from most denominational churches that I have been familiar with is in their local church structure, and who they are accountable to. Their local structure is governed by 2 or more elders, assisted by 2 or more deacons, who are set in place by an "apostolic team" who form their accountability party. Very much like we see in the book of Acts, where Paul the "Apostle to the Gentiles", where Peter was known as the "Apostle to the Jews", operated in this way. "Gentiles" was the name given to "non-Jews", and from God's perspective this was the way He divided the then known world. So it seems He gave the responsibility of spreading the good news of the "Gospel of the Kingdom" to the then known world through these men. And any brief study of early church history after the book of Acts, up until the fourth century, will prove they did a very remarkable job. That would appear to be the turning point, when the Church was joined with the Roman Empire!!
Sincerely submitted.
Dave Jamer 06/02/12
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