Apostolic Motivation

Building organizations is very different from building people. 

Pure religion is ministering to those who can do nothing for you in return for it removes the leverage out of the playing field.  As leaders, we can remove that leverage by walking with a pure heart.

Apostles and prophets are called to work together in team.  Team is the primary approach to building regionally and especially in laying foundations for Kingdom advancement.

Some of the key purposes of foundation building teams ie: apostolic prophetic teams is to help create the developmental and equipping processes for the saints and to establish the framework for the inner-workings of leaders and believers within a given region. 

Apostolic prophetic teams are called to bring a nurturing dimension to other leaders and the saints at large.  By nature each leader has a metron or measure of grace which defines their role in the building process.  The mixture of apostolic and prophetic graces create a style to the way the building out and developmental processes take place regionally.

Apostolic teams have a metron also based upon their unique grace mixture within the team.  The metron is connected with both people and geography as the Kingdom advances not only in the hearts of men but it also advances within the earth geographically through His called ones, the saints.  Each saint is called to release the leavening effect of the Kingdom through their callings and giftings into the land and spheres which they are led by Holy Spirit to engage and occupy.  

Apostolic and prophetic leaders functioning in team can cause the waters of their grace metrons to get muddy if they try to build too organizationally rather than by virtue of their assignments.  When teams build too organizationally they are typically focussed on developing the organization rather than the saints.  Some times those two can be accomplished at the same time but not always. 

When we build organizationally without connecting it with assignment or geography then we tend to build from an ownership mindset rather than an empowerment or stewardship mindset.  Often those who focus by building organizationally are about building their reputation and name rather than bringing transformation to the earth.  

By this I mean people become our people rather than God’s people.  This happens subtly as we bring directives into the lives of those under our care.  Rather than empowering people in “their assignment”, we instead yoke them to ours.  Can we do both? Absolutely, but motive is the tell.

Some leaders, rather than working themselves out of a job by empowering people tend to build job security into the mix by creating inordinate codependencies. 

I am not at all saying we do not need ministries and organizations or government to accomplish our roles in the body of Christ.  All these things are necessary however our ministries must be about the business of the Kingdom.  Less about us and more about the ones we are empowering.  More about fruit rather than numbers.  More about geography rather than job security.

Apostolic and prophetic oriented leaders are called to help people steward their callings.  They are called to empower visionaries rather than yoke people to themselves improperly. 

It is true that those who are raised up by apostolic teams have a natural honor and alignment with the ones pouring into them.  This is proper but the goal apostolically should always be for the sons and the daughters to find their own way in Christ.  They are to pursue their own callings within the land and not just build the machine we call “our” ministry. 

When we build in an organization centric style then we tend to keep people in a constant state of training rather than producing the fruit of the Kingdom.  We need organization to build as partnership and working together is a key Kingdom principle but partnering with people to build our kingdom is much different than partnership in His Kingdom.

The role of apostles and prophets is to equip people to become fruitful in their ministry pursuits along with helping them to work in community, leaning on the strengths of one another. 

We are in this together.  Each has a role to play.  Each has a metron.  We should never lord over one another even if our grace is 1st and 2nd.

Apostles and prophets are called to build people.  We might need to be organized to accomplish the task but our organization should not be our identity.  Nor should we absorb people into an identity other than Christ.  For our lives are found in Christ and not in the organizations we connect with or the organizations we build.

How are we to walk as one people, arm in arm with synergy and harmony?  

I believe we do this by walking humbly before our God as stewards of the calling set before us.  Loving one another and never harnessing anyone for our own gain.  Being fellow workers in the Kingdom is about all of us and not just a few.  Partnering in the gospel is different from building an organization.  We have to get this right if we are to see His Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven.  Humility is the benchmark of a true leader for humility calls out to the greatness in everyone within the room. 

Children are not called to live at home forever.  Eagles were created to fly and horses were created to run.  We must build with this in mind.

Sons and daughters were created to be fruitful and multiply and have dominion.

Apostles and prophets should never let selfish ambition or their need for money determine their engagement with the saints.  Mammon will sully the purest of intentions.  You can get all of your theology right, but if your motives are tainted, then your structure has no integrity.

More of you Lord and less of us.  Dying to self is an absolute necessity for those who are called to apostolic, prophetic team ministry.  Money driven, ambition driven ministerial structures will not survive the days that are coming but he who builds his house upon the rock will rejoice in the day of calamity.

Luke 6:46-49 (NASB)

Builders and Foundations

46 “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? 47 Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.”