by Brett Jacobsen

 

Historically, there usually seems to be a counterfeit before, after and during real moves of God. The current reformation and the restoration of the true apostolic are in no way exempt from histories repetitious woes. 

In this modern Christian setting we need to be on guard against things which pretend to be something biblically genuine, but are in fact not. It is perhaps more crucial in this season where God is re forming the structures of leadership and church. Many men and movements profess reformation. In reality they are clinging to the old ways of carnal Christendom and dressing them up with new lingo, programmes and positions.

Below are six [1] main areas where I see the pseudo (fake) apostolic showing its true extra-biblical colours: 

1. So-called Apostles who are over not under the body – There are many ministries (for lack of a better term) today who have a head Apostle over them. These claim revolutionary status due to being daring enough to recognise modern day apostles. However these systems are more ‘revolting to the Lord’ than ‘revolutionary for Him’. They’ve done nothing more than continue the horrendous hierarchical, clergy/laity system inherited from the Dark Ages and added another Pope to the pile, presiding over God’s people. 

Consider the following scriptures in relation to these Head Apostles:

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (1 Tim 2:5) 

But be not you called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all you are brethren. 9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven. 10 Neither be you called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ. 11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Matt 23:8-12)

So all of us are brothers, we all have but one master (Jesus), there ought to be no-one between us and God (except Jesus) and biblical leaders (apostles included) are servants to Jesus’ sheep. 

Also, apostles (and prophets) are foundation ministries:

According to the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. (1 Cor 3:10-11) 

…the household of God; 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an holy temple in the Lord: (Eph 2:19-21)

Foundations are at the bottom of a building, mostly beneath the ground, they are never at the top. These Head Apostles who head up organisations, denominations and “churches” are in breach of their role definitions. The same goes for other head positions like Senior Pastor. Not only do they plant “churches” rather than plant Christ’s Kingdom (which produces spiritually connected communities), they linger past the foundational stages and gravitate to, or remain at, the top of the pile. 

A true apostle will lay Christ as the foundation beneath people and communities. This he will do for a season. He will then pull back and allow everyone else to build thereon. Although he will have true heavenly authority in his life, he will not be head over anyone nor mediator between God and men, he will simply serve. A true apostle will cause himself to be obscured by the rest of the body, laying himself down as an example of Christ to see the Kingdom manifest in the body. 

(Beneath this article are the links to chapter six of Heaven’s Underground Blueprint in which I present a clearer biblical picture of New Testament leadership, including that of apostles.) 

2. Owners of people and organisations – Another sign of the not so genuine apostles in our time is that they love to have their stamp of ownership on THEIR work. This stems from insecurity, fleshly striving and pride, among other symptoms of spiritual sickness [2].  

Carnal men love to get the kudos for what they have built. One sure way for wayward Apostles to appease this debased desire is to stamp a name on a group of people- denominating in some manner [3]. This causes the people who identify with that named organization to have their identity in it, not just in the Lord. 

Another way this false ownership of God’s sheep manifests is through the sheep themselves when they say things like “I go to so-n-so’s church” or “I’m under such-n-such Apostle”.  

The fact is that Jesus is the only good shepherd, the only one who owns any sheep. John’s gospel provides all the clarity we need for the subject:

I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, sees the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees: and the wolf catches them, and scatters the sheep. 13 The hireling flees, because he is an hireling, and cares not for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. (John 10:11-14)

This passage has been ab-used too often to tell positioned Pastors to be good shepherds rather than crook hirelings. That teaching is full of error. 

Jesus is the only shepherd mentioned in the passage. Every other leader/minister in His Kingdom sheepfold is a hireling: one employed [4] to work amongst HIS sheep. Reading this in its true context reveals that the “hireling” that Jesus was specifically referring to was the leaders of Israel at that point in history, they were bad hirelings. However, we can be good hirelings, but when all is said and done we are all His sheep, owned by Him alone.  

3. Sole operators (who may join token coalitions) – Many modern “Apostles” operate more like travelling salesmen and business C.E.O's than Kingdom equippers.  

It is scarce to see true apostles working as a team with other apostles and believers amongst what is clearly portrayed as God’s flock.  

Mostly we see Apostles who have ‘their’ people and other Apostles who have ‘their’ people. Some form networks or coalitions and work together to a degree as they help each other with each others’ sheep. This is still a far cry from a biblical picture of apostolic ministry. 

Here are a few key factors to biblical apostles working together: 

- They should mostly work “in pairs” or in larger groups rather than as dissociate one man bands (Luke 10:1 NASB). 

- The people/sheep who are in any of the areas that the apostles work are the Lord’s only, they don’t belong to a specific apostle even though they may be his “work in the Lord” (1 Cor 9:1). This way other apostles (and other equippers) are free to come alongside the work as the Spirit leads and builds the church. 

- They each ought to be about building the Kingdom of God (which “comes not with observation” Luke 17:20) rather than something more publicly evident. 

- They should be sent out by the Holy Spirit from the local ecclesia instead of drifting from stage to stage, meeting to meeting as they or their itinerary decides… or popularity. 

- They ought to be financially supported by and in relational accountability to their local ecclesia rather than going from love offering to honorarium to conference payment. When true apostles are moderately supported by the local believers, they can wholly focus on the building of His Kingdom where, when and how He wishes. [5] 

These and other keys will save many future apostles from being swallowed up by the ministry monster which seeks to devour all who stand up to be used as a servant to His body.  

4. Stage strutters rather than life examples – Sadly, the church didn’t take very long to move out of every day life into special holy buildings with performance platforms. A mixture of Old Testament and Pagan practices as well as Greek philosophy and ideals created the prancing podiums which modern ministries continue to occupy. 

Church ministry has largely become a ‘scene of men’ where Christian communicators are “seen of men” as they perform spiritual activities before the passive pew sitting pack (Matt 6:1-6). This ought not be so. 

The main function of any leader, apostles or other, is to be an example to the flock: 

Paul-

…to make ourselves an example [tupos] to you (2 Thess 3:9) 

…you have us for an example [tupos]. (Phil 3:17)

Peter-

“The elders” […] “among you” […] “being examples [tupos] to the flock” (1 Pet 5:1-3)

Tupos – an example; a stamp; a shape; style or resemblance; a sampler; a model; a pattern. 

Jesus-

For I have given you an example [hupodeigma], that you should do as I have done to you. (John 13:15)

Hupodeigma – an example; an exhibit for imitation or warning; pattern.

For even hereto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example [hupogrammos], that you should follow his steps: (1 Pet 2:21)

If you are going to train someone to play soccer you should go with them onto a soccer field and teach them while playing and practicing with them. If leaders (apostles included) are going to equip and train Christians in Kingdom life then the best method is to play and practice Kingdom life with them. Trading in your pulpit for a couch and/or cafe and your cathedral for a living room is not only a biblically sound move; it’s a pragmatically effective one. 

Of course there is a time and a place for a larger crowd of Christians to gather and even for an equipper to teach with only a small amount of input from others. This however, should not be normative… and it’s not what church really is. 

5. Church hiders and cathedral evangelisers – It was the apostles who Jesus commanded to “go you into all the world, and preach the gospel…” (Mark 16:15). The larger population of believers in an area are to manifest the Kingdom of Christ as they live in Christ-centred community. The apostles and prophets (sometimes with others in a team) are to be sent out by the local ecclesia to plant the Kingdom seed of Christ. 

Most apostles are geographical apostles who are graced and called to take the gospel of the Kingdom and plant it in a new area. There are also more reformation type apostles who are to re-lay a truer foundation of Christ throughout the church. These will be clearly manifest as ones who are called to bring about change (re form) to the body. 

Many who have been titled Apostles in our modern era go from “church” to “church” doing ministry. They, along with other leaders and believers expect the world to come to their meeting to find God. Remember, Jesus said “go”. [6] 

Also, many of these “Apostles” have their church movements which grow by taking other “churches” under their “covering” and the “churches” grow largely by transfer growth from other “churches”. It’s all a bit too insular, divided and competitive isn’t it? 

Apostles are the first examples to the believers and therefore it is crucial that they model ministry which is out there in everyday life. The true modern day apostles should for the most part be out there doing much of their ministry with the not yet and just saved people- laying Christ beneath them by Word and example in everyday life. 

6. Man praising rather than valuing elders – Due to many pieces of the modern apostolic puzzle being out of place we have a leadership in the church which leans heavily on carnality and therefore produces all sorts of carnal fruit. 

One of the results of this is men honouring men in a way that they should not. Yes we ought to “honour [time]” the elders who “labour in the word and doctrine” (1 Tim 5:17). This honour is very different from what we see in “ministries” these days. Paul used the word “time” which means to value (especially financially) the elders which Peter said were “among” the saints (1 Pet 5:1).  

We are taught that we should value (including financially) the work of equipping elders who work amongst us… we are not to honour/praise/revere them though. What many modern leaders have promoted and taught the saints to give them is more like doxa honour. Let’s see what Jesus spoke about to the Jewish leaders concerning giving men doxa:

I receive not honour [doxa- glory, dignity, praise] from men. 42 But I know you, that you have not the love of God in you. 43 I am come in my Father's name, and you receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you believe, which receive honour [doxa] one of another, and seek not the honour [doxa] that comes from God only? (John 5:41-44)

Jesus, when He ministered on earth would not let men even give Him doxa-honour (glory, dignity, praise). He scolded Israel’s leaders because they “[received] doxa-honour one of another” and therefore had “not the love of God in [them]”. Though we may think we are honouring leaders by revering them we actually do them a great disservice, we rob them of being honoured by God alone.  

This will be another characteristic of true modern apostles. Not only will they shun the limelight and laudation of fellow saints, they will operate in a biblical manner which will obscure them and reveal and glorify Christ alone.      

 

[1] Six is the number of man and beast (both created on the sixth day) and it is fitting that there just happened to be six major areas that came to mind while I pondered the false, humanistic attempts at apostolic leadership in the modern church. 

[2] Of course in some cases it is more a lack of understanding as well as inherited structures and doctrines which has them operating as an owner of Christ’s sheep. 

[3] See chapter eight of Heaven’s Underground Blueprint for more points on biblical unity compared to man’s ecumenicalism, or go here: http://www.christisall.org/2006/01/25/one-body-embracing-true-biblical-unity-by-brett-jacobsen/

[4] I don’t mean that they are all financially employed, just engaged in the work. 

[5] Much more discussion is needed on the subject of financing apostles and other equipping gifts but we don’t have the space here to go into depth. This is a subject which I will be addressing more thoroughly in the near future. 

[6] Yes Jesus said “come unto me, all you…” but this in no way tells us we should try to get sinners to “come” to “church” (Matt 11:28). He said “come unto ME” and we all know that Jesus is “through all” rather than being tucked away in a religious edifice (Eph 4:6). We go to them so that they can come to Jesus- read Hebrews 12:22-24 to see where Jesus wants them to come.   

 

For more reading on New Testament leadership and community as well as other reformational insights, see the author’s book Heaven’s Underground Blueprint here-  http://www.christisall.org/hub-book for a copy or a free PDF version.     

Chapter six of Heaven’s Underground Blueprint is a teaching on biblical leadership instead of man’s traditions. You can read the chapter called Heaven’s Underground Leadership Blueprint here:   

Part 1- www.christisall.org/2006/05/10/heavens-underground-leadership-blueprint-pt-1-of-5-by-brett-jacobsen/ 

Part 2- www.christisall.org/2006/05/16/heavens-underground-leadership-blueprint-pt-2-of-5-by-brett-jacobsen/ 

Part 3- www.christisall.org/2006/05/19/heavens-underground-leadership-blueprint-pt-3-of-5-by-brett-jacobsen/ 

Part 4- www.christisall.org/2006/05/24/heavens-underground-leadership-blueprint-pt-4-of-5-by-brett-jacobsen/ 

Part 5- www.christisall.org/2006/05/27/heavens-underground-leadership-blueprint-pt-5-of-5-by-brett-jacobsen/

 

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 at 5:15 pm and is filed under Biblical Leadership, Brett Jacobsen's teaching, Church Structure, Reformation/ Revival. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.