"An Apostolic House in Theology and Operation"

WHY IS THIS (An Apostolic House in Theology) SO IMPORTANT?

DISCLAIMER:  

The APOSTOLIC FUNCTION in the UNIVERSAL CHURCH operates under “the” INEXHAUSTIBLE HEADSHIP of JESUS CHRIST, and it is the explicit obedience of HIS Children to the Spirit’s leading that serves as the basis for effective, productive, and supernatural ministry in the earth!

APOSTOLIC HOUSE IN THEOLOGY IS “NOT”:

1. Replacing or fulfilling the role of the twelve disciples (apostles) of the 1st century church. “Title-frenzy pursuits” surrounding the apostolic function are about self-promotion and the flesh.

2. Adding to or writing “new scripture” passages to the Canon of Scripture, in any way.

3.  Dominating or lording-over society in any way. But, through servant leadership, love, compassion, and truth serving the world by the grace of Almighty God.

APOSTOLIC HOUSE IN THEOLOGY “IS”:

The Function of the apostolic ministry in the Body works in tandem with the Five-Fold Ministry Gifts that prioritizes IDENTITY, MATURITY, UNITY, and INTIMACY of the Body of Christ.

THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE..

— Bringing the reality of Heaven into the earth.

In order for the Universal Church in the 21st Century to remain relevant and respondent to Christ's Inexhaustible Headship in the present reformation, we must be "apostolic" in our theology and operation - to SEE the government of God influence and impact our local fellowships, our communities, and the nations for God's Glory!

This is a brief outline that provides the apostolic mindset or attitude - and the prophetic thrust that guarantees, as an extension of Christ's ministry in the earth, the increasing and intensifying weight of His presence and power in transforming His people into His likeness, more and more!

The "manifesting sons" cooperatively align and agree with Christ as His ambassadorial representatives that take the mandate to occupy and disciple the nations to heart. We sacrifice, serve and suffer for righteousness sake until Christ returns, and use our influence to draw the lost and communicate His heart of love for the world that He died to save.

Being "in this world, and not of this world" places a burden of responsibility upon us "to relate, and not to debate"; "to care and share, not judge and begrudge"; and, "to be holy as He is holy, not be legalistic and self-righteous". Steering from a religious impotence and sterility, an Apostolic and Prophetic Ministry embraces the ebb and flow of the Father's heartbeat, and allows the fluidity of movement and manifestation never to be stifled by tradition, unbelief or indifference.

The "what would Jesus do" philosophy is the simplification of a true apostolic vision, except the real question from an apostolic house demands movement, evaluation and change, as directed by the Holy Spirit.

Here are some "practical responses and attitudes" we should develop in fostering apostolicity in the following areas (ultimately in every area) of our Christian witness:

1. Willful Sin:

The Believer - church discipline and biblical counseling in love

*Application: In our developmental transitions from childhood to adolescence to adulthood (spiritually speaking), our process should not be demonized by accusation, condemnation or shame about the "normal" growth that is akin and similar with every Christian disciple. "Puberty" is natural, not abnormal - we shouldn't make it to be. We must call sin-sin, but make Christ the only remedy to solve or resolve our issues. We can't be afraid to lovingly confront.

The Unbeliever - mercy and truth in love

*Illustration: As a believer in Christ, through the grace available to us because of the Finished Work, the stricter demand towards righteous living and holiness is a necessity; but to the "powerless" unbeliever, we should never place a yoke of guilt or condemnation upon them about their sin in regards to "behavior modification" and personal discipline, to change anything! It's a grace thing for us all, and until they've tapped in to Christ's resurrection power, preaching at them to change is futile. We are to live a life worth imitating, and that will draw them to Him.

2. Christian Living and Biblical Standards:

The Believer - discipleship and accountability in love by God's grace

*Application: Our Christian conduct is a representation of Christ's redeeming power in the life of a believer, but only to the degree that we allow it to be efficacious, will it be. We are not the "standard bearer and keeper" through a law-based righteousness or perfect performance that eventually pleases God; but we by faith receive and represent Christ's nature and character the more we yield to the Spirit, and not to the flesh.

The Unbeliever - modeling and path finding in love by God's grace

*Illustration: "The natural man does not receive things that come from the Spirit, they are foolishness to Him; nor can he know them, because they spiritually discerned." Jesus didn't come into the world to condemn it, but to save it. Heaping condemnation and judgment upon sinners who sin is nowhere represented in the New Covenant, and our attitude towards the world must be compassionate, loving and forgiving.

3. Evangelism and Witnessing:

The Believer - training in spiritual warfare, strategic prayer and mastering the love walk

Application: If the believer is a yielded respondent to the Holy Spirit's ministry of convicting the world of sin, righteousness and judgment, our evangelistic thrust and soul-winning should be much easier! If we understand that spiritual warfare is about the condition of the heart, realize that our agreement with God through strategic prayer is the key, and master the love walk by using our faith in every circumstance to prevail, overcome and triumph - we will demonstrate that He is God!

The Unbeliever - discipling and relating with a clear overcoming testimony and developmentally-appropriate biblical application, as led by the Spirit

*Illustration: Our main problem with reaching the lost is, we relate to them as if we are not or were never sinners ourselves. The unbeliever always judges your walk more than your talk, so choosing to go after God and live your life with and on purpose, is enough for the lost to be provoked to curiosity and consciousness to His existence, and only as the Spirit draws them can they see Him as He really is.

4. Career and Vocational Training:

The Believer - apostolic impartation with prophetic declaration based upon the known capacity and ordained potential of the individual, through gift assessments and prayerfully-given ministry assignments

*Application: In an apostolic house, every believer embraces their "king and priest" disposition and profession in our New Testament Reality. Because of this, since we' re all ministers and do not allow clergy-laity politics to contaminate the vision of Christ for His Church, through the commitment of five-fold ministry gifts to thoroughly equip the saints for the work of ministry. As we are all equal in essence, we are different in function, and career paths and vocation only help to actualize our callings, but are never meant to limit our expectations or faith expressions.

The Unbeliever - demonstration of kingdom principles and prayerful discipline to model stability, wisdom and understanding by winning them through the prosperous life

*Illustration: The believer's primary inroad into the life of an unbeliever is a prosperous life that is marked by righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. As we are connected to an apostolic and prophetic ministry, our peculiar and blessed lives, no matter what oppositions, storms or uncertainty may exist in the earth or in our world at the time; are a sign and a wonder to the outside world that sees the favor and influence of the Kingdom of God at work in every season.

5. Worldview and Society:

The Believer - Biblical worldview from a New Testament Reality that embraces the Finished Work of Christ by faith, walking in God's grace in every area of life

*Application: A comprehensive worldview encompasses culture, epistemology, historical analysis, and faith. For the believer, kingdom culture is the infusion and release of Christ's aroma as a sweet fragrance in God's nostrils through a devoted Christian life flooded with God's grace and growing commitment to walk by faith from glory to glory. "Knowledge construction" is the epistemological arrangement of building and developing our understanding of the world and everything around us, but without a careful review of history (including spiritual and natural "landmarks"), we are bound to repeat the blunders of our past, limit the impact of our faith, and become a religious monument instead of a vibrant spiritual movement.

The Unbeliever - consistent representation of the Biblical worldview in thought, word and deed

* Illustration: The unbelieving world is going to call what's crooked straight, and what's evil-good, but we aren't to stress out or get upset about this. Though this ungodly worldview and humanistic influence has been the cause of much persecution against the Christian faith, Jesus has already overcome the world. The believer must take every opportunity to let our lights shine as salt and light, with the knowledge that the world is watching and taking notes. Winning the world them becomes about mastery of our kingdom culture, instead of being influenced by the dominant culture, and it's corruption, lust, and greed.

6. Education:

The Believer - Informed and enlightened without being infected or polluted by the vast "trees of the knowledge of good and evil"

*Application: The educational system has humanistic and conflicting principles to the Word of God, but the volume of factual information and the bodies of knowledge that encompass the various fields and disciplines are critical to understand, in order to allow the influence of the Kingdom of God to be made manifest. If the commandment of Deuteronomy 6:6-9, to teach our children the Word of God ever became a family priority, no diabolical or demonic influences would be able to deceive our children - no matter what the schools teach!

The Unbeliever - Self-actualized by attaining the highest academic certifications and degrees to represent superiority and conformity to the worldly standards that dictates importance and value

*Illustration: A believer must allow God to determine the particular educational path they undertake, because He knows the extent in which our purpose and potential in Christ require certain exposure and understanding about the base knowledge that informs most fields and disciplines. An unbeliever is generally seeking mastery in a field or discipline, but without the understanding of God's purpose or regard for His plan. So, their influence in life will automatically be limited, no matter what notable accomplishments are made, because eternity in heaven won't be populated with important people with great achievements...

7. Politics:

The Believer - Engages and influences every political player and platform that will affect the livelihood and future of the citizenry impacted by their leadership, without buying in to the hype and corruption that lies subtly beneath the surface of many public servant's philosophies about public service and administration.

*Application: If we seriously accept the mandate to go into all the world and preach the gospel, we will not neglect this key platform for communicating God's truth through public service that challenges economic, social and religious injustices, as well as provides an environment in communities throughout the world - to enjoy, stability, security, safety, and prosperity when righteousness is exalted, and as godly leadership and the application of biblical principles without imposing our worldview brings results and transformation that is indisputable.

The Unbeliever - Uses politics to further whatever agenda and issue that will further their own ends, using control, manipulation and power to lead.

*Illustration: Because their worldview is generally without concern for the human dilemma from the standpoint of eternity, temporal thinking generally yields limited results with a cyclic impact that wreaks of dysfunction and death. Every decision is made with mammon's influence as the basis for advancing a particular policy or issue.

8. Social & Physical Sciences:

The Believer - A confident assurance and excitable disposition about the world of psychological, sociological, biological facts, etc (the list goes on) due to the evidence of mankind being created in the image of God that is fearfully and wonderfully made, which the most brilliant minds are still trying to grasp or understand; without conformity to theories and philosophies that contradict God's word.

*Application: Literally, every field or discipline has some kind of humanistic rebellion toward God's truth that is ultimately devised by Satan; but a strong grasp on God's Word through study and meditation makes all discovery and learning in these fields and disciplines exciting, because you can see Him hidden within the truths that exist in the social and physical science's communities and bodies of knowledge.

The Unbeliever - programmed to believe what their five-senses, intellect and rebellious hearts tell them is true, based upon the facts and the unproven theories and speculations that feed humanistic reasoning and darkness of the soul.

*Illustration: If the debates continue concerning the evolution versus creation or "intelligent design" accounts of human history, the intelligent response from believers should be to research and share the most updated empirical evidence that can only confirm what the Scripture reveals. Hurling insults, hiding in corners of the religious community, or remaining uneducated makes us look barbaric, ignorant and like religious fruit-cakes. The unbeliever needs to see our balance, hear God's wisdom, be confronted with verifiable and current facts, and see an intelligent response to legitimate questions that we should be answering, as Christ makes known the mysteries that were hidden from ages past in and through us!

9. Arts & Entertainment:

The Believer - A commitment to representing the creative genius of God through the diverse mediums the world of arts and the expanding field of entertainment presents, as we represent Christ through our identity, intentionality and intelligence, without compromise.

*Application: As arts and entertainment has an undeniable impact on shaping the minds of the masses, the believer should tap into the Mind of the Spirit to yield creative genius through the various mediums that influence dominant culture. The beauty of God's creation is meant to represent the magnitude of His personhood and infinitude of His purpose, by all the unique expressions that are represented on the platforms, stages and in the products sold throughout the world. If we use what He's given us without the same underlying profit-motives, there'll be no more pimping and self-promoting in the House of God!

The Unbeliever - Works to falsely prostitute the use of the creative genius of God at work through all of humanity, as their worldview tends to emasculate and manipulate the use of gifts, talents and abilities to mesmerize dominant culture with the ideas or suggestions that will yield a financial return and profitability, at the expense of the person's faith or eternal future.

*Illustration: The Hollywood Community is still considered the entertainment capital of the world, but is the foundational producer and exporter of more pornographic movies and materials than any other city on earth. Dreams are fulfilled, stars are born, and billions are made, but all at the expense of family values, God's truth, and to demand the worship of the "almighty dollar" above the worship of Christ!

IN CONCLUSION:

When an Apostolic House in Theology is staying in the flow of the Holy Spirit's work in the life of the Church, it's impossible for these and other areas not to be powerfully impacted for making an eternal difference in the lives of the multitudes- if the people of God would only stay the course in seeking Jesus Christ as our only priority and purpose, with a right heart attitude at all times!

Healthy servant-leadership is critical for this to occur, and I'm believing God to raise-up and release many more true apostolic and prophetic voices, so the kingdoms of this world will become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, in the final fulfillment of Christ's Messianic Reign and the consummation of all things!  WS-3

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Walter L. Smith III (WS-3)