KINGDOM, POWER AND GLORY

God is restoring all the ministry gifts of the New Testament, including the gift of apostle. But we must beware of cheap imitations on the market today. In recent years a thriving apostolic movement has emerged in the global church. I personally have welcomed these people we call apostles for several reasons:
1. Because they carry a special anointing to mobilize the church to achieve its mission;
2. Because apostles are biblical and they did not pass from the scene with the publication of the New Testament—as some cessationist theologians contend;
3. Because the church today is in desperate need of strong, inspired, visionary leadership to help us win the world for Christ.
Yet it seems whenever the Holy Spirit breathes new life into the church, Satan is ready with his counterfeits. Thus the restoration of apostles has brought both blessing and confusion. As much as we need apostles, we also need to be cautious of the misguided people who have highjacked the term and are now running it into the ground.
The apostle Paul called these imposters false apostles in print, and he probably called them worse names in person. They were using their position of leadership and their convincing charisma to pull people to themselves rather than toward the purposes of God.
No matter what continent I visit these days, a genuine apostolic movement is being challenged by foolish wannabe apostles who are drunk on power and position. In Holland one so-called apostle has been teaching that certain high-level church leaders may marry more than one woman. In South America, false apostles are demanding that even their closest friends address them with the “Apostle” title—as if carrying the title alone gives you heaven’s endorsement. And in some churches in the United States, false apostles require that offerings be laid at their feet!
How do we combat this craziness? I would offer these characteristics as biblical qualities of a true apostle:
1. Apostolic authority.
A genuine apostle not only casts demons out of people. He or she also mobilizes God’s people as a unified army to dislodge territorial demons so that entire cities and regions can be transformed. My African mentor Mosy Madugba, an apostle from Nigeria, has literally seen God remove demonic principalities from their power sources in rural villages after the residents became Christians.
2. Apostolic miracles.
Some denominations teach that New Testament miracles ceased when the Bible was published. Today, we need to invite apostles from the developing world to our seminaries and allow them to tell how God has healed the sick, raised the dead and multiplied food for crowds. These things still happen! And God is using apostles to restore these miracles to the church today.
3. Apostolic vision.
A genuine apostle sees the big picture and becomes agitated when the church is not fulfilling the Great Commission. We need these men and women in our midst to stir the pot and keep us hot. Apostles also understand that God does not always follow our 10-point plans or our nice church-growth programs. Apostles leave room for the divine strategy of the Holy Spirit and they depend on intercessors and prophets to help them hear God’s agenda.
4. Apostolic boldness.
Genuine apostles are not afraid of men, religious systems or oppressive governments. I will never forget the eight days I spent with a group of Chinese apostles. All of them had been beaten with crowbars and thrown in jail three and four times. Nothing stopped them—they just kept on preaching in the jails, even when guards would pour hot water on them or stick needles under their fingernails. Like Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail, they rejoiced even in their sufferings—and then they continued to preach with even more boldness.
5. Apostolic character.
Those who carry the true anointing of an apostle are not going to be involved in the financial funny business we see in so many charismatic circles in the United States today. Apostles do not demand to be driven around in Rolls-Royces or require five-figure offerings. Those who do such things have proven they are counterfeits. Genuine apostles lead with humility. They do not have an authoritarian spirit, but their ministry is marked by gentleness and a servant’s heart. True apostles serve on teams and do not engage in one-man or one-woman shows. Ministry is not about them. They do not view apostleship as a means to control people, but rather as a way to equip and empower others to discover their ministries.
6. Apostolic compassion.
The apostle Paul told the Romans that he would give his life in exchange for the salvation of the Jews (see Rom. 9:3-4). He was moved at the very deepest core of his being for lost souls. Can we say the same about those who use the title “apostle” today? Many of them seem more like noisy gongs, devoid of love yet full of selfish greed. True apostles don’t cater to the rich and powerful; they share the love of Christ with the poor.
7. Apostolic intercession.
We all know about the apostle Paul’s prayer life. He often gave up food and sleep in order to intercede for a spiritual breakthrough. He even entered into the dangerous realm of travail—a place few of us know. He literally allowed the groanings and yearnings of the Holy Spirit to be poured through Him. That is the calling of any person who carries the anointing of an apostle.
We desperately need these apostolic leaders to emerge! But let’s not settle for imposters who want all the glory but none of the groaning, and who want the title but not the travail. False apostles can tickle our ears but they cannot conquer new territory. I pray we have the sense to know the difference between the real and the cheap imitation!