7 Steps to Effective Apostolic Ministry - Part 1

I got this excerpt from an article on Apostle Jonas Clark's website and this is an interesting road map to follow, especially for those who are called to disciple others. 

Although the context of the message is about building an apostolic team, it can be beneficial to know that each ministry can learn from this concept, including us in the prophetic ministry.

7 Steps to Effective Apostolic Ministry

Man cannot save himself. We live in a world taught that they don’t need the God of the bible. Secular humanists have educated them to believe they are their own gods and capable of finding their own way through life.

The sad conclusion of this doctrine is complete moral collapse, unmitigated corruption and lack of identity, direction and purpose. The only salvation for humanity is Christ. Jesus said, “Come to me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and you will find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Jesus is still looking for disciples that will take his Gospel into the harvest fields. Unfortunately, we have a problem. Churches around the world have become ineffectual in reaching the lost and unchurched. Our model of ministry, draw people to a building with every gimmick you can think of, is not working. We need a better way, a New Testament way, and an apostolic way.

Christ will return for a glorious Church that has cleared away the humanistic dross and rediscovered God’s model for effective ministry. Ministry leaders are struggling with falling church attendance, apathy and lukewarmness in their congregations and the lack of spiritual fervor. If we want something different then we must do something different. We need a new model of ministry. Current church models do everything they can to draw people to their buildings to attend services. That model only produces a group of people shuffled from one church to the next. No new converts.

Apostolic ministry gifts bring structure and order to the Church (Titus 1:5). We cannot expect change by doing the same thing this year that did not work the year before. To reach our cities for Christ apostolic tactics are needed. Building apostolic teams and companies of sent ones from Antioch model ministries is one of those tactics (Acts 13). Instead of expecting the lost to attend our churches on their own accord we must go out and get them. This how the founder of the Church, Christ, taught his disciples. Jesus said, “Go out into the highways and hedges and compel them to come in that my house may be filled” (Luke 14:23). We must learn how to compel the unchurched to come into God’s house. This is the New Testament model for church growth, go get them.

If we are going to see the glorious church revealed then we need to change the way we reach our cities with the Gospel (Ephesians 5:27). Apostolic churches are modeling a different pattern for ministry. Instead of doing everything possible to attract people to a church they are training various harvest teams to invade their communities. This type of ministry will need us to build apostolic teams and companies. They are, however, effective. Forming apostolic teams and companies is one part of the new apostolic church revolution.