GlocalNet

Click here to listen to my recent sermon “Apostles”

In Ephesians we see the 3 expressions of the church.  Arguing about house churches or city churches are arguments out of ignorance of Scripture or how the body operates.  Only the church in America would put one part of the body of Christ against another part.  There is the cell, house, basic, simple, organic representation of the church which is where the body operates and hears from God through the use of spiritual gifts.  There is no way in a worship sevice with hundreds, let alone thousands – the entire body can operate.  It is possible and necessary in the basic unit.  The congregation – or city church – is the coalition of the cells, house churches, etc. that moves strategically to engage a city and spread the gospel and serve people – this is where polity comes into play.  Polity was never meant to be a structure that you put in place for the church to grow – instead it was what came around a movement in the making.  Finally – or third is the global church or the universal church.  If you are not connected at all 3 levels you are missing something.  Most church planting starts at the city church or congregational level.  I believe the healthiest place to start is the basic church, cell, house church, etc., and then from there it adds on the next piece without loosing the first.  Now it’s time to connect global, which is critical to define what church should be because it’s outside your own culture.  This allows the Gospel to go global.  When it becomes tribal or cultural it looses it’s power and is then shaped more by men than God. 

The expression of that movement in moving forward is the apostolic.  It’s the mission of the church – the forward motion.  The church was the first global corporate entity – what happened at the Jerusalem conference was everything the church went global.  IBM, GM, Walmart, UN, Twitter & Facebook, medicine & drugs, Boeing, music are all global but no divine mission!  How in God’s name did the local church become just a local church?  How can it even be a church and be only local – how can it not extend?  This is why our new churches are required to pick a spot in the world – they are going global – we are rediscovering that in the American church today.  The church was meant to extend beyond it’s own personal local existence. 

Dallas Willard’s definition of the Kingdom of God “God in Action.”  He said, we churches are holding within all that God is doing – it must be released. 
The purpose of all this is to equip, mature, unify – and focus.  All 5 of these are critical. 

DEFINTION:  to send out
METAPHOR:  Roman military commander in charge of ships - ADMIRAL
PURPOSE:  EXPAND AND EXTEND beyond a single local church

Apostolic Churches – they are teaching churches, global churches, influencing churches, etc.  This is how apostolic pastors operate globally of leading churches. It’s not about our one location – we have to be concerned about that – but all of the other 4 have to drive towards apostolic leadership – if it doesn’t it winds up a fractured church trying to move in different directions

Apostles – Prophets – Evangelist – Pastors – Teachers
Direction – Hearing – Sharing – Nurturing – Learning

To be an apostolic church it takes a team of people doing all of these to accomplish it.  APOSTOLIC CHURCH – was a given.  Brian Bloye at Westridge, Vance Pittman at Hope, Matt Carter at Austin Stone, David Platt, JD Greer – and others operate in this manner.  Church planting yes,  but more than just local – a global influence.  The Nicene Creed says it really good from 325AD We believe also in only One, Universal, Apostolic, and [Holy] Church

APOSTLES ARE AMONG US.
Ephesians 2:19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Two qualifications for 12 – Eyewitnesses of Jesus and his ministry – some say of resurrection and some of baptism of Jesus – and specifically commissioned by Christ. 

JESUS CHRIST
Hebrews 3:1 Jesus “the apostle and high priest whom we confess.” 

THE 12
Mark 3:14
And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach – Ultimately all of them will wind up outside Jerusalem – it was hard getting the Jerusalem church to go global – it never did voluntarily. 

BARNABAS & PAUL – AS CALLED BY LUKE
Acts 14:14
But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out,

PAUL SPEAKING OF HIS OWN
Romans 1:5
through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,

2 Corinthians 11:5
Indeed, I consider that I am not in the least inferior to these super-apostles.


OTHERS REFERENCED
Adronicas, Apollos, Barnabas, Epaphraditus, James-half brother of Jesus, Silas,
This is why entreprenural men are so critical to the church.  I learned a long time ago – if I reach a child, I get the child, a woman – I get the children, but if I reach a man I get the whole family.  There is an “apostolic” role in fatherhood, and I mean physical fatherhood.  You men are setting the direction for that family. 

APOSTLES ARE VISIONARIES.  How does the Apostle equip the body – in primarily 4 ways.  Without this – the church doesn’t move forward.  A church with the teacher as foundation – is a Sunday event – a disciple of hear and learn.  Not hear and obey and there is a forward motion to it.  With a church where the pastor is primarily a “pastor” it’s a group of people who love one another but never really reach any lost.  With a pastor as evangelist – you have a lot come in but you have a lot leave.  You need all these gifts – but without that foundation of apostle – there is no forward motion.  Without the prophet – there is no word from God of directional movement forward.  This is why the church in America today is the Sunday event.  Pastor apostles, see the city – not just the church. 

Foundation
Acts 2:42
 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
 
Direction
Acts 5:29
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than me. 
Dallas Willard speaking of spiritual disciplines and formation says formation has become the end – it is only a means of connecting with the Father so we can move forward and fulfill his will.

Initiation
Acts 2:43
And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
Mobilization – This is a critical issue – generally Apostles don’t seek leadership – they are about the mission and people are required for the mission.  It’s the call of the God, his glory and his cause that drives them.  They may like pat on the backs but they are going forward regardless – they are driven by call and what matters. 

APOSTLES ARE MULTIPLIERS.
Disciples -  Dallas Willard in an interview said,  “Keep in mind it’s disciples of all nations – meaning we are making disciples for the world.”  Our goal should be not to transform the world, but transform the character and the disciple – when that happens, the world is transformed.  Cells - Apostalic cells multiply 5 – fold, Your city, metroplex, subdivision – I want to see this happen in church planting.  This is not only where dispcles are made but where the recruits from church planting comes.  I’m going to blog on this later but it holds the key engaging a city.  We’re starting churches in city – but there isn’t the strategic, collaborative engagement that must be as a unit and as the entire body of Christ.  Leaders - Who are those in major spheres that need to be raised up. 
Churches are multiplied.  Also, recognizing those divine moments and doors that open as Colossians 4:3 talks about.  Whether it’s city engagement, church planting, loving people of from different religions, serving hurting nations, etc., many different initiatives

APOSTLES ARE FATHERS.
1 Cor. 4:14 I do not write these things to shame you, burt as my beloved children I warn you.  15 For though you might have 10,000 instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore imitate me. . .
I tell our church planters all the time, until you can say “imitate me” you have no business planting.  Doesn’t mean you’re going to be perfect, but how do you handle the things that come your way good and bad.  Apostles are people you can watch, observe, and learn from.  They are Fathers of Emerging Leaders,
Churches, and Movements