Pathfinder7
Well-Known Member
"John Wesley fitted that description.."I'm not actually fighting the issue. All I am doing is stating the Scriptural qualifications of a true apostle of the church. There were only the Apostles of Christ who lived in the 1st Century, who were directly appointed and commissioned by the risen Christ. None of those exist today.
But apostles of the church can still exist today if they are appointed by the Holy Spirit in much the same as Paul and Barnabas were commissioned through the group of teachers and prophets at Antioch where the Holy Spirit said, "Separate to me, Barnabas and Paul for the work I have called them." In my view, the validation that the Holy Spirit has genuinely appointed a person to be an apostle to the church is that his ministry is accompanied by signs and wonders. If the miraculous healing and deliverance is absent, then there is nothing to validate the claim that the ministry has been appointed other than by men in charge of the particular denomination that "apostle" is working in.
Any denomination can appoint an itinerate ministry to go around the churches of that denomination to confirm the saints in the faith and to glorify the grace of Christ as much as he is able. He could be called an apostle, but an apostle of that denomination, and not of the wider body of Christ.
Another qualification of an apostle is that he preaches the Gospel throughout the world and plants churches. John Wesley fitted that description because he spent most of his ministry itinerating between towns and cities and there were 250 cases of miraculous healing in the course of his ministry.
So, there is a wide difference between being called an apostle and actually being one according to Scripture.
- Good point.
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The issue is..
- People focus on 'the title'.. too much.
- For recognition, status, etc..
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There are Christian leaders/workers involved in 'pioneer missions' work in difficult places..
- In countries.. where 'traditional missionaries' from overseas are not allowed..
They are not into..titles, status, recognition, etc..
My perspective is..they are doing 'apostolic ministry/mission' work.
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I have been working with Christian leaders in 'restricted' countries.