[This is a series designed to bring you into the the unique A.P.E stories of each writer on this blog. We hope each one of you can find a little of your A.P.E story inside of one of us. Read the other stories]
You Know You Are An Apostle When…
“Dave, you are definitely an apostle.” I had planted a church, my friend worked for a Christian magazine and it was over a lunchtime conversation that I heard this for the very first time. Of course I knew about apostles in the Bible, but what did he mean, “Dave, you are definitely an apostle.” He went on to explain, “An apostle is one of the gifts God gave to equip the church.” Then he looked at me like I was an idiot, “Ever read Ephesians 4?” Of course I had, but no one had ever used the term “apostle” to describe me. So I asked, “Why do you think I’m an apostle?” As he finished up lunch he explained,
“An apostle is someone who can see over the horizon to what is next for the church. Wherever an apostle goes they start new things and leave fresh expression of the church in their wake.”
As I look back over the last several years, if my friends definition of apostolic is correct than I am an apostle. By the grace and gifting of God I’ve been able to start and lead a church that is continually reproducing and now has twelve locations in Chicago with sites #13 and #14 coming in 2013. This church I started with my wife, my brother and a few college friends is called COMMUNITY. And COMMUNITY has embraced the dream of becoming a church with 200 locations in Chicagoland because they understand that Jesus intends the church to be a movement. I also have the privilege to provide visionary leadership for NewThing, an international network of church plants that starts a new church every 11 days. I also have the honor of being the president of the Exponential, a church planting conference that will have more than 5,000 church planters in attendance next April in Orlando. When I write, I author books about reproducing movements (Exponential) and the apostolic future of the church (On The Verge). I don’t tell you this to impress you, but just to let you know a little bit about who I am and how God has graciously used the apostolic gift He gave me. I’m ok with being an apostle. Actually, I like it!
Let me challenge you – embrace your full identity in Christ. If gave you have an apostolic gift – be an apostle and do the work of an apostle! If God gave you a prophetic gift – be a prophet and do the work of a prophet. If He gave you an evangelistic gift – be an evangelist and do the work of an evangelist!
I want to say thanks to Beau for launching this blog. It’s a great idea! And I want to say thanks to you for reading this post. I look forward to interacting. Feel free to leave a question or a comment. I love discussions about the church, church planting, movements and mobilizing all people for mission…and sports! Anything about the Chicago White Sox, Bulls or Bears is also welcome!
Release the A.P.E.’s!
[This is a series designed to bring you into the the unique A.P.E stories of each writer on this blog. We hope each one of you can find a little of your A.P.E story inside of one of us. Read the other stories]
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Thanks for this. I enjoyed the article but the links don’t work. I managed to work out why and was able to visit the intended destinations but most of your readers won’t be able to do that.
So you might like to fix up those links asap.
Should be fixed now. Thanks for the heads up!
Curious. What do you see as the “work of the prophet?”
Jason, Check out the “Our Belief” page for more info on that and also Sarah Carter’s Story http://releasetheape.com/ape-sarah
We will be writing more to define this in the near future!
You have re-ignited me. Thank Apostle