LOCAL CHURCH MINISTRY CLASS 4

MIN 201 - INSTRUCTOR: LEN BALLENGER

BUILDING A STRONG FOUNDATION – PART 1

INTRO:

[John 3:16] 16 For God so loved the world that He gave (sent) His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

The Target of God’s Love: The World

Divine Commission:

· Jesus was “sent” by the Father

o “Son of God” to become the “Christ of God”

o Jesus was not self-appointed

· The Holy Spirit is a “SENT ONE” [John 14:25-26]

· We are “SENT ONES”

o We are all “sent ones”

o No divine commission – No divine work

I. The Spiritual Gifts sent to the Church [Ephesians 4:11-16] [I Corinthians 12:27-28]

A. Apostles

B. Prophets

C. Evangelists (miracles/healings)

D. Pastors

E. Teachers

F. Support Ministries

G. Administrative Ministries (deacons)

H. Lay Ministries

II. The Foundational Gifts [Ephesians 2:19-22]

A. The Chief Cornerstone – The Foundation of the Apostle

1. Jesus – The heavenly apostle [Hebrews 3:1-3]

· Jesus is the prototype, He serves as the model for all apostolic ministry.

· Everything in Jesus ministry is on Jesus’ relationship to His Father and the mission given to Him by His Father.

2. The Mentor of Leaders: Jesus had success in leadership development because He had a five-part approach.

· He demonstrated for them

· He prayed for them

· He systematically trained them

· He prepared them to be sent

· He opened doors of opportunity for them

B. The Twelve Named Apostles [Luke 6:12-13]

1. When Jesus gathered His disciples together after all night in prayer and named twelve of them apostles, He did not make up a new term.

2. One problem that we face is that we have no cultural reference point for the identity of the apostle.

· Common terms do not need detailed explanation because it is a function that we see all around us.

· It is hard through cultural reference to say “that is an apostle” because it is not a concept with which we are familiar.

C. What is an Apostle? Common definition: Apostolos “One who is sent”

1. So general it could be applied to almost everybody and everything.

2. The History and the Mystery:

· “Apostle” (Greek) was originally a seafaring term that was most specifically applied to military expeditions – sometimes referring to a fleet of ships and the officer that commanded the fleet

· Over time came to be applied to a man or group of men sent out on an official expedition that was authorized by the government for a particular purpose.

· Carried the idea of commissioning by a higher power to act on behalf of that power.

· As the Roman rule came into being, this term represented the colonists who set up regional centers in alien cultures to serve as a hub or “energy center” to spread Roman culture to the smaller cities and regions round about.

3. Focus of the apostolic is always on two things: The “purpose” and the “sender…”

· The apostle is a clearly commissioned and authorized agent of a higher power who is fully accountable to that power for the purpose and results of the mission that originates from that power.

· An apostle is in every way an official ambassador – as such, must be the embodiment and true representation of the sender.

4. The New Testament Apostle: Paul – [Rom.1:1]

5. Present day Apostles

D. The foundation of the Prophet

1. The Old Testament Prophet: Elijah – [I Kings 18:22]

2. The New Testament Prophet: Agabus – [Acts 21:10]

3. Modern Day Prophets

III. Gifts, Callings, and Commisions

A. Gifts: Irrevocable – used to support calling [Rom. 11:29]

B. Calling: Irrevocable (Romans 11:29) – Given by God before the foundation of the world [Romans 8:29-30]

C. Commission: Revocable: [Matt. 20:16] [I Sam 15:26]