It is essential to raise up apostles because they enable churches to be founded well, are able to pioneer and God uses them to transform nations.

The Great Awakening Example

I have studied the 18th Century Great Awakening, the greatest revival since the 12 Apostles, for many years and my biggest question has been why a few men like Howell Harris, John and Charles Wesley, George Whitefield and others were able to transform a whole nation at a time when there was no precedent for this and in which Christianity was suffering from rapid decline. In fact Whitefield was responsible for the transformation of two nations, the UK and America. It was responsible for the forming of the first missionary agencies that eventually took the Gospel to the ends of the earth and made Christianity a truly global religion. The answer is because of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and because the movement was driven by a new generation of apostles.

How do we know who is an Apostle? Read my “7 CHARACTERISTICS OF APOSTLES” article. An apostle is not necessarily a pastor who oversees many churches (an able pastor can do this) nor any person who starts a church (an evangelist can do this). An apostle pioneers new churches and ministries and knows how to found and develop them.

Today we seem to have few true apostles in the Church. Why? Because they are often not recognised or accepted in the Church. So they pursue their gifting and pioneering talents in the secular world.

So how can we raise up a generation of apostles in the Churchwho will transform nations?

1. True apostles can raise up and release other apostles

For example Barnabas encouraged Paul. Then he sent for him to help at the first Gentile church at Antioch (Acts 11:25-26).

Paul went on to do exactly the sane. He encouraged and discipled Titus who is called an apostle in the original Greek in 2 Cor 8:23 (NIV translates it as ‘representative’).

If you are an apostle, it is imperative you raise up other apostles and not be threatened by their development but be happy even if they exceed your ministry.

2. Use the 7 characteristics of an apostle

If you are a church leader, and not an apostle, examine the 7 characteristics of an apostolic ministry in my article 7 CHARACTERISTICS OF APOSTLES as a checklist to recognise believers with this gifting. Then encourage them into their ministry and gifting.

3. Pray for the Lord of the harvest to send apostles into the harvest field.

Mt 9:37-38 says:

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

4. Encourage young people with signs of apostolic gifting onto your leadership team.

See my other article on HOW TO GROW AN APOSTOLIC TEAM

One of the best examples of how to recruit and grow apostles was Hudson Taylor who started the Chinese Inland Mission (CIM) that became the largest Protestant missionary agency in its time. In 40 years of ministry he raised up an incredible 800 missionaries. His method of doing so was well known because he wrote about it. He believed that Mt 9:38 was the primary method of raising up and recruiting. Of this 800 many had apostolic gifting whom he encouraged to pioneer. Some left CIM to found other missionary agencies like C.T. Studd, part of the Cambridge Seven, who started the Heart of Africa Mission, now called WEC International.

George Verwer, the founder of Operation Mobilisation, also recruited others with apostolic gifting, who went on to found other agencies. He often invited his disciples to travel with him on the train, to learn from him.

What now?

So let’s do all we can to raise up the next generation of apostles to transform the nations. Let’s do this first in prayer and then encourage and disciple those who God sends our way.