The Importance of the Local The Importance of the Local Church being Connected to Church being Connected to

an Apostolic Teaman Apostolic Team

THE BASIC PURPOSE OF THETHE BASIC PURPOSE OF THELOCAL CHURCHLOCAL CHURCH

EvangelismEvangelism• To reach every available person at every available To reach every available person at every available

time by every available means with the Gospel of Jesus time by every available means with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.Christ.

DiscipleshipDiscipleship• To establish them in the local church, teaching and To establish them in the local church, teaching and

training them to become like Christ.training them to become like Christ.

MobilizationMobilization• To mobilize the army of God, to help each person to To mobilize the army of God, to help each person to

find his or her place and function in the Body of Christ.find his or her place and function in the Body of Christ.

THE BASIC PURPOSE OF ANTHE BASIC PURPOSE OF ANAPOSTOLIC TEAMAPOSTOLIC TEAM

• To help the local church raise up and To help the local church raise up and release 5-fold ministry giftings into Holy release 5-fold ministry giftings into Holy Spirit directed service.Spirit directed service.

• To plant (church planting) churches to To plant (church planting) churches to work together for the purpose of work together for the purpose of reproducing leaders and churches.reproducing leaders and churches.

• To give apostolic oversight that To give apostolic oversight that strengthens and supports the local church. strengthens and supports the local church.

THE BASIC VISION OF ANTHE BASIC VISION OF ANAPOSTOLIC TEAMAPOSTOLIC TEAM

• To plant (church planting) organizations in as To plant (church planting) organizations in as many nations in the world as is possible.many nations in the world as is possible.

• To raise up apostolic teams with a key leader in To raise up apostolic teams with a key leader in each nation.each nation.

• To release developed 5-fold ministry giftings into To release developed 5-fold ministry giftings into Holy Spirit directed service to the nations.Holy Spirit directed service to the nations.

• To work together as united nations with common To work together as united nations with common purpose to reach the world with the Gospel of purpose to reach the world with the Gospel of Jesus.Jesus.

THE ULTIMATE PUPOSE OF THE ULTIMATE PUPOSE OF THIS CONNECTIONTHIS CONNECTION

• To create an To create an infrastructure where all of infrastructure where all of the Ephesians 4:11 gifts the Ephesians 4:11 gifts can operate under a can operate under a governmental structure, governmental structure, so that the church at so that the church at whole can be mobilized in whole can be mobilized in power, then “the gates of power, then “the gates of hell cannot prevail against hell cannot prevail against it”.it”.

LOCALCHURCHES

APOSTOLICTEAMS

WHY SHOULD I WANT TO BE WHY SHOULD I WANT TO BE PART OF THIS CONNECTION?PART OF THIS CONNECTION?

BecauseBecause it is on the precipice of what it is on the precipice of what God is doing again in our day and God is doing again in our day and time!time!

Because it is divine!Because it is divine! It was not It was not thought up by man, nor based on thought up by man, nor based on men’s traditions, but rather given by men’s traditions, but rather given by God for the first apostolic church. It God for the first apostolic church. It was HIS only endorsed form of was HIS only endorsed form of church government. You can see it at church government. You can see it at work throughout the New Testament.work throughout the New Testament.

• The New Testament church planters The New Testament church planters almost always worked in teams.almost always worked in teams.

• These team members were not all These team members were not all gifted church planters, many gifted church planters, many contributed other gifts to the contributed other gifts to the apostolic mission of the team.apostolic mission of the team.

• In an attempt to do apostolic work In an attempt to do apostolic work alone, we can become vulnerable and alone, we can become vulnerable and suspect.suspect.

• An individualistic mentality was An individualistic mentality was discouraged, in that apostles were not discouraged, in that apostles were not self-appointed, but chosen by others, self-appointed, but chosen by others, who recognized God’s calling on them.who recognized God’s calling on them.

• Doctrinal errors and character Doctrinal errors and character weaknesses are to easily left weaknesses are to easily left uncorrected in a lone ranger ministry.uncorrected in a lone ranger ministry.

• Because it works… And GOD is at the Because it works… And GOD is at the center of its government and center of its government and relationships!relationships!

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BLESSINGS OF BEING BLESSINGS OF BEING

CONNECTED TO AN APOSTOLIC CONNECTED TO AN APOSTOLIC TEAM?TEAM?

The Blessing of Committed The Blessing of Committed RelationshipsRelationships

• To be in life-long peer level relationships To be in life-long peer level relationships with other leaders of like mind and spirit.with other leaders of like mind and spirit.

• To be in fellowship with a family of peers To be in fellowship with a family of peers who are “pressing in” for revival and who are “pressing in” for revival and harvest.harvest.

• Close committed relationships with other Close committed relationships with other ministers and congregations.ministers and congregations.

• Since apostolic teams develop out of Since apostolic teams develop out of relationships, you gain a strong base of relationships, you gain a strong base of prayer and fellowship support.prayer and fellowship support.

The Blessing of Covering (accountability)The Blessing of Covering (accountability)

• Admonitions or discipline to ministers and Admonitions or discipline to ministers and congregations when necessary or called upon.congregations when necessary or called upon.

• Apostolic mentoring.Apostolic mentoring.

• Apostolic Teams offer wisdom from many years Apostolic Teams offer wisdom from many years of combined ministry, and has the ability to of combined ministry, and has the ability to strengthen, advise, as well as offer wise strengthen, advise, as well as offer wise warnings to churches and leaders.warnings to churches and leaders.

• Having apostolic covering gives the pastor Having apostolic covering gives the pastor someone to talk to, relate to and just sound off someone to talk to, relate to and just sound off to.to.

The Blessing of Good CounselThe Blessing of Good Counsel

• In doctrine, to help deal with doctrinal In doctrine, to help deal with doctrinal issues confronting a church or causing issues confronting a church or causing division in the church.division in the church.

• In church discipline, this is especially In church discipline, this is especially helpful in difficult cases to avoid personal helpful in difficult cases to avoid personal attacks against leadership when a member attacks against leadership when a member needs discipline.needs discipline.

• Apostolic teams are made up of seasoned Apostolic teams are made up of seasoned leaders who can help restore focus or define leaders who can help restore focus or define the vision for existing churches. They can the vision for existing churches. They can also help teach you how to articulate that also help teach you how to articulate that vision to the church.vision to the church.

The Blessing of ProtectionThe Blessing of Protection

• Apostolic teams can help provide an Apostolic teams can help provide an atmosphere of safety and security for both atmosphere of safety and security for both the pastor and the congregation.the pastor and the congregation.

To protect the people – if a leader falls into To protect the people – if a leader falls into error or sin, the congregation knows they error or sin, the congregation knows they have someone to appeal to, helping to avoid have someone to appeal to, helping to avoid a church split.a church split.

To protect the pastor – the pastor can ask To protect the pastor – the pastor can ask the apostolic team to help resolve conflicts the apostolic team to help resolve conflicts brought about by false accusations.brought about by false accusations.

The Blessing of ConfirmationThe Blessing of Confirmation

• If needed or desired, an apostolic team If needed or desired, an apostolic team can help in the overseeing of licensing and can help in the overseeing of licensing and ordination services.ordination services.

• Apostolic covering can be used to confirm Apostolic covering can be used to confirm and ordained elders and other fivefold and ordained elders and other fivefold gifts in the church. Having someone else gifts in the church. Having someone else to interview and confirm candidates for to interview and confirm candidates for ministry can provide and an objective view ministry can provide and an objective view that is often missing in independent that is often missing in independent churches.churches.

The Blessing of Strengthening and The Blessing of Strengthening and EncouragementEncouragement

• EquippingEquipping

• IntercessionIntercession

• ImpartationImpartation

• ConsultationConsultation

• EvaluationEvaluation

• TransitionTransition

The Blessing of OpportunityThe Blessing of Opportunity

• To be part of something greater than To be part of something greater than yourself.yourself.

• Leadership and ministry development Leadership and ministry development training opportunities.training opportunities.

• Mission opportunities for both ministers Mission opportunities for both ministers and church members.and church members.

• Special meetings to augment the spiritual Special meetings to augment the spiritual formation of new leaders and to enhance formation of new leaders and to enhance present leaders.present leaders.

• Local, National and International Local, National and International Conferences. These conferences provide an Conferences. These conferences provide an opportunity:opportunity:

To increase visionTo increase vision

To build relationshipsTo build relationships

To encourage fellowshipTo encourage fellowship

To receive teaching and ministryTo receive teaching and ministry

To connect with a global visionTo connect with a global vision

To be personally strengthened and refreshedTo be personally strengthened and refreshed

• Continued education through college Continued education through college courses (F.C.M.I.).courses (F.C.M.I.).

These courses are fully accreditedThese courses are fully accredited

Future use of the Internet and DVD Future use of the Internet and DVD education around the worldeducation around the world

You can use these courses to help train your You can use these courses to help train your present or future leaders.present or future leaders.

The college takes full advantage of all the The college takes full advantage of all the gifted teachers within the apostolic team to gifted teachers within the apostolic team to impart their wisdom and knowledge to the impart their wisdom and knowledge to the people within your church.people within your church.

It helps to free up the pastor while still It helps to free up the pastor while still knowing that his people are getting good, knowing that his people are getting good, Spirit filled, Bible based teaching.Spirit filled, Bible based teaching.

The Blessing of SynergyThe Blessing of Synergy

• What is synergy? Simply defined it means What is synergy? Simply defined it means the whole is greater than the sum of its the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.parts.

One can chase a 1,ooo and two can put One can chase a 1,ooo and two can put 10,000 flight.10,000 flight.

Apostolic teams offer networking with other Apostolic teams offer networking with other ministers and churches.ministers and churches.

The availability of an apostolic team The availability of an apostolic team consisting of all five ascension gifts consisting of all five ascension gifts (operating in the Ephesians 4:11 order) (operating in the Ephesians 4:11 order) moving in spiritual authority, anointing and moving in spiritual authority, anointing and gifting.gifting.

BOTTOM LINE –BOTTOM LINE – What is The Importance of What is The Importance of

the Local Church being the Local Church being Connected to an Apostolic Connected to an Apostolic

Team?Team?

Because it is divine!Because it is divine!

It was not thought up by man, nor It was not thought up by man, nor based on men’s traditions, but based on men’s traditions, but rather given by God for the first rather given by God for the first apostolic church. It was HIS only apostolic church. It was HIS only endorsed form of church endorsed form of church government. You can see it at work government. You can see it at work throughout the New Testament and throughout the New Testament and it still works today!!!it still works today!!!

Because it is the devil’s worse nightmare!Because it is the devil’s worse nightmare!Without looking at the Church of the New Without looking at the Church of the New Testament with rose colored spectacles, it Testament with rose colored spectacles, it is very apparent that in that first century is very apparent that in that first century great damage was done to the kingdom of great damage was done to the kingdom of darkness. Nations and cities ruled and darkness. Nations and cities ruled and dominated by evil spirits, false philosophies, dominated by evil spirits, false philosophies, pagan deities and heathen temples were pagan deities and heathen temples were penetrated by the Apostolic Church in a penetrated by the Apostolic Church in a way that changed history. In spite of way that changed history. In spite of everything that Hell was throwing against everything that Hell was throwing against it, the church was advancing. This is it, the church was advancing. This is exactly what we need today!exactly what we need today!

Like the Apostles of the First Like the Apostles of the First Apostolic Church, it is time for Apostolic Church, it is time for

us to start being accused of us to start being accused of “turning the world“turning the world

upside down”, and this GOD upside down”, and this GOD ordained connection is the key!!!ordained connection is the key!!!