Here's a posting I promised -- The FiveFold Ministry (Part VI)

Before moving on to the gift of the Apostle, there is also something else we would suggest about the Prophet. We would suggest that although most church structures have a preaching time, it would be better if a Prophet abstains from teaching, and simply spends the time ministering to the people. (Preaching is only fine if there is an extended message given by God for the people; and even then we would argue for a moderator to check through because of the amount of abuse nowadays from the pulpit.) This is because the strength of the Prophet tends to lie more in delivering God's will to the people, rather than necessarily teaching the Scriptures in a systematic way or in being a motivator (although we must say that God's word, with conviction power, often carries its own motivational power). So we would advise that a Prophet abstain from teaching/preaching (except in the case where the Prophet has both strengths of teaching and prophesying, which happens to be pretty rare by the way).

Also, like the other eldership gifts, personality also plays a role in how the Prophets express themselves. Prophets do not necessarily have to be harsh, although in recent times there have been quite a few prophets who are more blunt and direct (largely, we would argue, because of their personality than because God demands it be that way). The Old Testament shows a variety of prophetic styles: ranging from Samuel, Hosea and Jeremiah, who are among the more sensitive, gentle prophets, to Elijah, who is really a prophet of fire. One thing though that they share in common is the willingness to do God's will whatever the cost and to suffer disappointment or even persecution for it.

Leadership Gift #5: Apostle

Apostle = comes from Gk apostellos, which means "sent out one".

To properly understand this term, we need to take note of:
A) What it would have meant in ancient times--The messenger concept;
B) What Jesus used the term to mean;
C) Who were those being called apostles in the New Testament.

A) Now in talking about this word "sent", it is important to understand what in ancient times is called the "messenger concept". Basically given the lack of technology, people had to rely on messengers to convey a message, or sometimes even as their agent to get things done for them, whenever they cannot be personally present. Now in today's context, we also have some remnants of this around--we have housing agents who represent us to help us choose houses, and countries have ambassadors who represent the home country in a foreign land. But given the lack of technology at that time, this concept was far more pervasive. Not only is the messenger supposed to carry a message (like a postman), he also could be tasked to give a present or to carry valuable items for the sender. He also could be tasked to make decisions on behalf of the sender. So let me give you a nutshell of what this whole "messenger process" comprises:

1. The "sent one" or messenger has to be completely obedient to the sender;
2. The sent one is also allowed to make decisions on behalf of the sender;
3. The courtesy or disrespect given to the sent one is regarded as given to the sender rather than to the messenger. (i.e. if you execute a messenger from another country, it's not as if you have something personally against the (poor) messenger. It's rather an insult to the country he is from, or the King who sent him).
4. So long the sent one is obedient (Rule #1), the sent one is allowed to make a whole host of decisions which fit his mission. This decision making will be regarded as if the sender himself made it. (It is legally binding in ancient times by the way.)
5. The sent one, upon completing his mission, goes back to the one who sent him, and gives a report of all that happened.

Now this happens more than once in the Bible. In the Old Testament, Abraham, for instance, sends his most trusted servant, as his sent one or representative to find a wife for his son. Notice that i) specific instructions are given to the servant; ii) the servant represents his master and obeys the instructions totally (e.g. not to take a Canaanite wife for Isaac); iii) he prays, not just to make a good decision for his master, but partly because this is one of those important times that he has to use his own initiative (making decisions on behalf of the master); iv) upon identifying himself, the servant gives jewellery and precious items to Rebekah (in order to show that he is serious about the affair); notice the hospitable treatment the servant is given (not because he is of high status but because it is the respect they would have given Abraham)--all this goes to show the kind of formalities you would expect in a negotiation and that Rebekah's family had no intention of offending Abraham whatsoever; v) finally, after negotiating the terms and conditions with Rebekah's family about her dowry etc (making decisions for the master), he asks to be sent home speedily to deliver the report to his master. Notice also that Rebekah's family ask him to stay for quite a few days? It's partially because they don't want their daughter to go so fast, but partly also part of showing courtesy to Abraham's servant, as part of showing it to Abraham.

Now for Jesus, this is also the case. Notice that in John's Gospel, you get Jesus emphasising more than once that people should "believe in the one God has sent". In John 17:8, Jesus refers to his disciples as those who believed that "you [the Father] had sent me [Jesus]". So Jesus is effectively the "sent one" by God. That's why in John's Gospel, you see statements from Jesus like "whoever has seen me has seen the Father"; "I came not to do my will but the will of him who sent me"; John 3:17-- "God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world but to save the world through him"; John 3:34-- "For He is sent by God, and speaks God's word, for God gives Him the Spirit without limit". What these statements demonstrate is that Jesus came not to represent himself, but the Father; all he said and did was meant to demonstrate who the Father was (and thus whoever saw him saw the Father); John 5:43 says "For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me"--this shows that the rejection of Jesus is not just a rejection of Jesus himself, but of the Father that he was representing. The whole of John is littered with these references to Jesus as "sent" by the Father.

Notice also that the ascension of Jesus to the right hand of the Father is just like the reporting back of a messenger to the one who sent him. We're not taking away any of Jesus' claims to be God, but Jesus' mission on earth is very focused and definite: to be the perfect messenger of God to carry out what God had intended all along--the salvation of the world.

So if Apostle means "sent one", how do we see this in the New Testament?
1) Jesus can be seen as the ultimate Apostle, as mentioned above;
2) The Holy Spirit as sent by Jesus to take his place-- "But when the Father sends the Paraclete as my representative--that is, the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and remind you of everything I have told you" (John 14:26). Notice that the Holy Spirit thus functions as the messenger and representative of Jesus: doing everything that Jesus would do if he were still on earth, and representing Jesus to the apostles (to the entire church, in fact!) in his physical absence. It thus is no stretch to say that in the same way Jesus was the Apostle of the Father, the Holy Spirit is the Apostle of Jesus.

Now what about the apostles as the disciples of Christ?

Continued in the next post.