The word “apostle” means “sent one”. Knowing that does not even begin to scratch the surface of what the New Testament teaches us about apostles. Many people are beginning to talk about apostles in the church today and apostolic ministries in the world today. That makes some people a little apprehensive, a little nervous. After all, just what do the folks mean who are talking about apostles and apostolic ministries?

I grew up in Southern Baptist churches – both traditional and contemporary. We had pastors and teachers and occasionally an evangelist. I never gave it much thought. That’s just the way it was and I assumed that was all there was to it. Even in seminary we never really looked beyond that reality of church. Then one day I came across someone teaching about apostles and I really thought they were out of their mind. Imagine having apostles like Peter and Paul running around today writing new books of the Bible and doing miracles. I could not accept it. The canon of Scripture is closed! There will be no more Bible written!

After arriving on the mission field and digging deeply into Scripture to see just what the church of the New Testament was like, I came across a text I had not truly considered before. In Ephesians 4.11-13 we read,

And God gave some apostles, and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the followers of Jesus for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.

Then I realized what this text means. God gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to the church in order to have a complete and healthy church.

I had to ask myself, If apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers were necessary in the First Century in order to have a complete and healthy church, why do we believe that all five are not necessary today?

I have talked about this with many friends and colleagues. I have heard many arguments from theology and church history for why people think they are not necessary. However, I have yet to find any text of Scripture that tells me that some of these gifts of God to the church will cease to exist.

That is the process that I went through to arrive where I am today. I do believe that all five of these functions are necessary if we are to have a complete and healthy church today. I’ll qualify that by saying that I have heard and seen the title “apostle” abused far more often than I have seen it applied correctly. That saddens me, but it does not discourage me from seeking the true and right application of the function of the apostle in the church today.

In the weeks to come I want to continue explaining my understanding of apostles and apostolic ministries. I hope you’ll join me.