Apostles: A Movement of Fathers part 1
by Daryl O'Neil
There are many questions being asked today about apostles, apostolic people and apostolic ministry. I will in the next several articles share some thoughts which I hope will be able to help to give clarity on some of the different dimensions associated with this wonderful grace given by God to help equip the saints. I want to highlight in this teaching a particular dimension of the apostolic much needed in the church today: Fathering.
There are leaders (those who influence others) emerging all over the earth in this season who will touch the lives of others. Sadly, not all of them are emerging in a healthy way. Many are hurt, wounded and insecure. Many are in need of a father or mentor.
One of the aspects of the anointing of the apostle lends itself to training, equipping, nurturing sons and daughters. Let's look at the gift of the apostle.
There are leaders (those who influence others) emerging all over the earth in this season who will touch the lives of others. Sadly, not all of them are emerging in a healthy way. Many are hurt, wounded and insecure. Many are in need of a father or mentor.
One of the aspects of the anointing of the apostle lends itself to training, equipping, nurturing sons and daughters. Let's look at the gift of the apostle.
What is an apostle? An apostle is one called and sent by Christ to have spiritual authority, character, gifts and abilities to reach and establish people in Kingdom truth and order…especially through founding and overseeing churches. It is a term used of men who were naval officers responsible for an entire fleet of ships. If a fleet of ships left Rome to establish a new colony (pioneering) somewhere all of these were called apostles the fleet, the admiral and the newfound colony. All of these represented the sender, Rome and were to be faithful to transmit or reflect the sender. “one that is sent with orders”. I want to make a bold declaration I believe is very clear from the scriptures, Apostles are for today!!!
The bible teaches they will function…until we all come to the unity of the faith ( Ephesians 4:12). Scripture does not declare that they have ceased. We should not say this office has ceased! This grace is one that will help bring identity and maturity to a new generation of leaders raised in the
church in this hour.
church in this hour.
Reformation is to affect the maturity of the Church. In the words of Dr. Noel Woodroffe founder & apostolic leader of the World Breakthrough Network, a reformation creates a new spiritual generation in the global church. It creates a new quality, condition, or class of men/women in the earth and so is actively preparing a generation to carry the torch of the advance of the Kingdom to a new level.
This is a season of destiny. It is a day of great exploits and majestic movements into the next level in God and of Kingdom breakthroughs. It is a day of the reformation!
There is a present reformation being led by apostolic/prophetic fathers in the Body of Christ. These fathers are those, who will impart anointing & revelation that deal with the internal structures that shape the mentality, attitudes, understanding and behavioral positions of the church; so that we have lifestyles that make us more effective preachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There is an end-time movement of fathers in our day: Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. (Malachi 4:5-6)
It is an end-time move of the spirit, these natural father & son relationships will be mirrored in the spiritual father/son relationships in the Kingdom. God must restore this position to the family of God, so that the Body of Christ will receive the love, training, provision, reproduction, and impartation that He has ordained. Jesus is building His church and that is being done by relationships…covenant relationships.
There are different pictures in the scriptures of Apostles functioning as a discipler. Jesus, Barnabas and Paul for starters. For a moment let us look at the apostle Paul as an example and sense his heart as a father. Paul is a pattern for apostolic building of a lifestyle that brings glory to God and establishes the kingdom of God in the earth. Paul understood himself to be a spiritual father: Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. (1Corinthians 4:15 )
Paul had a particular mentality that could be useful to anyone who has the responsibility for developing healthy leaders. One of my favorite passages in the bible is 1Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 1-8. The key to raising healthy leaders secure in their identity is to give not just spiritual things but our very lives because they are dear to us. He let those he trained near him. In verses 10-12 of the same chapter it becomes quite evident Paul's lifestyle becomes the pattern for future successful ministry.
Paul had a particular mentality that could be useful to anyone who has the responsibility for developing healthy leaders. One of my favorite passages in the bible is 1Thessalonians chapter 2 verses 1-8. The key to raising healthy leaders secure in their identity is to give not just spiritual things but our very lives because they are dear to us. He let those he trained near him. In verses 10-12 of the same chapter it becomes quite evident Paul's lifestyle becomes the pattern for future successful ministry.
Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe: as ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory. Paul also exhorted, comforted, and charged them that they walk worthy of God.
Paul was a true father to those he was called to father. I have a lot more to say on this subject. Check out part 2 for more.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
