The Apostles Are
Coming To Your City, Ready or Not
by Orell Steinkamp
The Plumbline, Vol. 6, No. 2, March/April 2001
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/orrel3.html
C. Peter Wagner
[Chief
apostle?]
In a previous issue of PLUMBLINE, I
described the efforts of C. Peter Wagner to create a New
Apostolic Reformation (NAR) which he predicts will be even greater
in scope and significance than the Protestant Reformation of the 1500's.
The centerpiece of the movement is the purported restoration, by God,
of the NT office-gift of "Apostle' to the end-time church.
Now Wagner and his apostolic buddies are
attempting to move from vision to reality. In an article titled,
APOSTOLIC REFORMATION on his Website
www.globalharvestministries.org, he reveals moves that are currently
underway to implement his apostolic reformation....
Wagner asserts: NAR is an extra-ordinary
work of God at the close of the 20th century that to a significant
extent is changing the shape of Protestant Christianity around the
world. ... Within this reformation, Wagner sees a growing
recognition of present day apostolic ministries who are giving birth to
their own family of leaders and churches to whom they have a relational
commitment. Within New Apostolic Christianity, this
governmental authority is being exercised in the local church by the
pastor and on a translocal level by apostles who operate with a
relational authority. Wagner sees what is happening in the NAR
as key to world harvest. ...
Wagner is personally involved in an
accountability structure called the "New Apostolic Roundtable."
Twenty-five apostles were invited to join as members and they plan to
meet together annually, the week after Easter. Eventually, the
names of the roundtable will be made public....
Because this movement is growing so
rapidly around the world, Wagner also sees a need for a larger kind of
structure. As a result he and a number of others have formed what
they call the International Coalition of Apostles. ...
In Wagner's new book, APOSTLES OF THE
CITY: HOW TO MOBILIZE THE TERRITORIAL APOSTLES FOR CITY TRANSFORMATION,
he ... defines Apostles to the City as those "whom the Holy
Spirit gives an anointing for extraordinary authority in spiritual
matters over the other Christian leaders in the same city."... Wagner
hypothesizes that the most extensive pool for identifying apostles of
the city is among the mega churches....
When asked what he thought the
main stumbling block would be... Wagner cites "a commitment to
tradition amongst ministers." Wagner states: "I think that some
are bound by religious forms and functions that are ineffective and
I think in many cases it is demonic influence." ...
...the new apostles are to be
recognized by "invitation only." ...
Paul, The Last
Apostle
The NT also refers to this broad use of
the term "apostle." In this instance, 'apostle' simply means
'messenger' or 'one sent' on a specific mission (John 13;16; 11 Cor.
8:3; Phil. 2:25). These references, however, are never confused in
the NT with the restricted and special meaning of the office of
apostle. These 'apostles of Christ', along with those who held
the prophetic office, were part of the foundation of the church with
Jesus Christ, himself the chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:20).
1. NT apostles were required to be
eyewitnesses of the resurrected Jesus. This is indicated in
Acts 1:22 when Peter insist that the replacement to Judas "must become
with us a witness to His resurrection." Paul in defending his
apostleship says: "Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen our Lord?"
(I Cor. 9:1) ... Last of all the apostles, Paul saw the risen
Jesus. "Last of all" can only be an adverb describing something
that is last in a series (this is especially true when there is a serial
presentation, such as then ... then). Paul is thus the 'last of
all' apostles.
Orrel Steinkamp is publisher of
The Plumbline newsletter and director of Plumbline Ministries.
He has served as a missionary to Viet Nam, Professor and pastor in
Australia, as well as America. Most recently he has retired
from the pastorate to pursue Plumbline Ministries fall time. (He
received his M.Div and Dr. of Ministry degrees from Bethel
Seminary).
Dr. Orrel Steinkamp <onst@tds.net>
74425 Co. Rd. 21
Renville, MN 56284