PASTOR OLAJIDE OGUNDANA
The word ‘apostolic’ comes from the word ‘apostle’. An apostle is one who is sent on a mission. An apostolic community is God’s embassy here on earth. An apostolic community is expected to be heaven on earth. An embassy is a body of people who are sent to represent and advance the interests of their home country. They are governed by the rules of their home country rather than their host country’s rules. They bring the influence of their home country on their host country. Every New Testament church is expected to be an apostolic community with different measures of authority and influence. An apostolic community is governmental and territorial in operation.
II CORINTHIANS 5:17-20:” 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. “;
MARK 3:13-15: ” 13 And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him. 14 And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach, 15 And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:”
Apostolic centres are stewards of the word of reconciliation. They are ambassadors for Christ. An apostolic centre is appointed, that is, they have the holy unction conferred upon them. They are appointed to certain intents. The first intent of God for an apostolic centre is that ‘they might be with Him’. To be with Him is to be married to Him, to be intimate with Him, to be reconciled with Him. The second intent is that ‘He might send them out’. To be sent out is to be given an assignment. God is not raising us without giving us specific assignments. God is sending us out to colonize the territories of the earth (Matthew 28:19: “19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”). Harvest will not be possible if we are not sent out. The underlying principle of harvest is ‘to bring in’. The basic harvest is to bring people from the world into Christ. The ultimate harvest is to bring people into the fullness of Christ.
The third intent of God for an apostolic centre is ‘to have power to heal sicknesses’. When God sends us out, he empowers us to heal sicknesses and diseases. We must always acknowledge the deposits of God in us so that we can put them to use (Philemon 1:6 “That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus” ). We need to step out boldly in order to activate certain dimensions of God in us. The fourth intent is ‘to cast out demons’. Demons are unclean spirits which must be exorcised. Casting out demons spice up our operations as an apostolic people. An apostolic community becomes fully operational when they walk in God’s full intent, plans and purposes for them. As apostolic people, we have to pursue all that God has for us!