apostles - slaves of Christ
With permission from Brian Dodds I include some quotes from an article he has written about true apostolic.

The full article can be read here on Steve Hills site.

Why do some apostles make themselves into super stars? And conversely, why do some folks claim there are no apostles today? Paul identifies it as one of the five gifts needed for the building up and maturing of the church. Why would some exalt this gift ? And why would some believe that God has taken this gift away? The answer is centered in a misunderstanding of what an apostle was in the first place (in the Greco-Roman social context), and is based on a hierarchical understanding that places apostles at the top of the church structure when the New Testament clearly places them at the bottom. The understanding of leadership in the New Testament that should frame our understanding of apostles is the foot-washing, low-status slave (John 13), and the “race to the bottom” to become a “slave of all” (Matthew 20:20ff; 1 Corinthians 9:19).

An “apostle” in the ancient world is simply someone who is sent (Greek: apostolos). An apostle was someone who was sent to conduct business on the behalf of another. There was—originally speaking—nothing religious about them. They were normally an unvalued slave, who was expendable.

Travel in the ancient world was dangerous, and something that individuals did not choose lightly. Who would have the right to send someone on their behalf? A slave owner or a governmental or military commander. The person sent—the apostle—did not have a choice. In the case of the government or military, the apostle sent with orders normally would be a part of an armed entourage. The slave-apostle would not have such protection. The master would pick the slave he could most afford to lose, and send that one to conduct his business in some extended location. The apostle-slave might be the same as the lowest household slave who was given the shameful duty of washing feet (see John 13). Mattering least, and therefore sent.

“Apostle” was not a title for a high status leadership position. Before and after Jesus “apostles” were low status slaves with no power of their own, and they were as common as dishwashers are today. If we practiced slavery like they did in the ancient world, when you said “apostle” today no one would think of the manager, owner or executive of a restaurant. They would think of the dishwashers and busboys...

...What we need more than anything is a release of these kind of slave-apostles for the mission of Jesus to the lost and hurting. God is a sending God and commands his followers to go to those who have lost their way, not waiting for them to come to us.

posted by alexander @ 10:37 AM    2 comments

2 Comments:

"...What we need more than anything is a release of these kind of slave-apostles for the mission of Jesus to the lost and hurting. God is a sending God and commands his followers to go to those who have lost their way, not waiting for them to come to us.

Good stuff, Alexander. One of the issues we struggle with big time in our midst is the sending of these apostolic workers into the harvest fields. There are many who are willing, but few who are willing to support them in their task. I think it was Wolfgang Simson who has said maybe this is something the Church in the West could do to "pour oil" on these workers and use the West's financial strength to bless those who are willing and yet unsuported harvest workers. I know such is a very controversial subject in missiology, but I throw it out there anyway. At least we need to be struggling with this issue or how we are to support these apostolic workers.

By  GuyMuse, at 4:18 PM  

Guy, I'm challenged by your comment. interestingly those here in the 'west' who are 'willing' to pursue organic church planting work (full time) also struggle to find those willing to support them! secondly, if we (or any other readers of this blog) as a home church wanted to support a 'willing worker' out there, through you, how might this work?

By  alexander, at 9:01 AM  

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