DISCIPLE UPCOMING APOSTLES: Jesus identified twelve apostles. Was this a one-time event or a model that modern apostles need to have? One of the failures of many apostles has been the failure to identify emerging apostles. Many apostles identify pastors to shepherd the churches that are birthed through their movements. This is not the wisdom of God for several reasons. The first reason is that the next generation of leaders also will need an apostolic anointing to continue in the momentum of the founding apostle. Jesus identified leaders that would carry His message and penetrate to the uttermost parts of the world. Apostles have the ability to break through and expand the movement begun by the founder. God will place emerging apostles around a founding apostle. It is up to the founding apostle to discern who they are and train them. The failure to do so often causes the next generation to replace the apostle’s leadership with managers and administrators. Some fellowships resort to voting in order to replace leaders. Without emerging apostles the fellowship is not in a position to advance and progress. The apostolic gifts in a church need to be recognized, encouraged, and released. This is the strategy of Jesus, and it should be our strategy today! “And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; the first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. These twelve Jesus sent forth.” — (Matt. 10:1–5)
Posted on: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 15:32:22 +0000