So excited for Pastor Justin and Suzie Maslanka and CityReach Church in Cleveland.  They launched their very first Friday night outreach service last week and had 65 people there on a Friday night.  CityReach Cleveland is one of the churches in our 100 Church (in ten years) initiative.

Justin sent me this email report:

This past Friday we launched our Friday Night Service’s with 65 plus people in attendance and several responding to the invitation to make Jesus the Lord of their life! One man Tim (an alcoholic) came off the street, drunk, unemployed and dejected. He had no real prior ” religoius experience” but was down & out & looking for answers in life. That night he gave his life to Jesus then called in the morning to see if he could learn more about God. After that Tim practically begged to go to church with our Team on Sunday. he is now a new Disciple of the Lord and is moving forward in life.

The focus of the ‘apostolic’ gift is on mobilization.  Apostles mobilize God’s Kingdom work.  They identify the potential in others.  They equip them for leadership and ministry.  They send them out to fulfill God’s purpose and to step into their destiny.

Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.  Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-12

There are FIVE gifts mentioned in this description.  Each of these GIFTS are God-called INDIVIDUALS who serve as gifts given to the church for the purpose of EQUIPPING people to become effective in performing their God-ordained ministry.

Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and Teachers are all gifts given to the church to equip the body to do the work that God has destined and designed them to do.

The other four of these MINISTRY GIFTS are exclusively focused on equipping and releasing people into ministry.  I believe that the ‘apostolic’ gift is focused on equipping, positioning, encouraging, and mobilizing the other four MINISTRY GIFTS to fulfill their purpose.

Apostles equip the equippers.

Apostles mobilize the Ministry Gifts to equip the church.

They have a sense of strategy and a capacity to identify the gift in another and to help clarify the placement and positioning for that person to be used to their greatest potential.  Once they have identified a gifted person and the place the gift is best deployed, they SEND THEM OUT WITH AUTHORITY to accomplish God’s purpose.

In the process of deciding to do ministry, it is possible to just GO, but it is far better to be SENT.  When we GO, we choose to do things independently.  It’s not that we refuse support.  Most everyone will take money or even prayers when they are offered to them.   It’s that we are not interested in spiritual covering, true backing, advice, correction, and relationship.

When we are SENT we choose to do things interdependently.

One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Dedicate Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and SENT THEM on their way.  Acts 13:2-3

When we have planted churches it becomes clear after a little while which planters want to just GO and which ones truly want to be SENT.  A person being SENT wants more than just resourcing.  A person being sent wants relationship.  A person who wants to GO is looking for bottom line benefit.  ‘What will you give me to help me do my thing?’

A person being sent wants something more than just benefit, they want to belong. You can see this desire for more in the following ways:

THEY LISTEN

It’s more than just hearing, it’s being hungry for advice and counsel.  They don’t have to be convinced.  They want to be told because they value the experience and wisdom of the one who is their spiritual covering.

THEY LEARN

When they hear advice, they begin to adapt their plans and approaches based on what they are learning.  Those who want to be sent are asking questions because they truly want to know.  Those who are wanting support are asking questions because they want to win enough influence to gain what you have to give.

THEY LIMIT

A person who is being sent is willing to limit their plans and approach by the wisdom and counsel of those who are sending them.  They honor advice by choosing to tailor their plans by the advice they are receiving.  Those who want to just GO are often frustrated by advice and feel continually constrained by being submitted to someone else.

THEY LEAP

A person being sent wants more than just resources.  They want relationship.  When given an opportunity to spend time with their SENDER – they leap at the chance.  They want to be around the person doing the sending because they want a portion of the anointing/grace that is one their life.   The person who choose to just GO will only want to spend time with the SENDER if it fits their schedule or priorities.  To them the SENDER is just another supporter and not a spiritual father.

THEY LAUNCH

Eventually, there is a pressure that builds up under the feet of the person being SENT and they are lifted and launched into greater impact because of the loyalty and commitment they have shown to their SENDER.  Somehow the DNA is transferred to the person being SENT and a level of AUTHORITY is released upon their life.  The atmosphere in the SENDING PROCESS is charged with authority when a person truly longs not just to GO but to be SENT.

There is a certain nervousness about the apostolic gift.  I believe that the church world gets a bit on edge when someone begins to talk about modern-day ‘apostles’ because the very word itself has to do with AUTHORITY.   When Jesus established the original twelve apostles – he did so by SENDING them out with his AUTHORITY.

‘And he called his twelve disciples together and began sending them out two by two, giving them authority’ Mark 6:7

There is an inherent danger this is associated with the concept of authority.   Authority can be abused.  Authority can be misused.  Authority without proper accountability can cause a tremendous amount of damage.  Self-appointed ‘apostolic’ authority has been responsible for a series of scandals in the past 100 years of church history.

But it is this very concept of authority that makes the ‘sending’ process that much more powerful.

Jesus did not just send out his disciples to do ministry.  He did not just ask them to own his mission in the world and to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.  When he sent them, he sent them with His authority.  They received the mantle that rested upon his life as He imparted it to them.  They went carrying his backing, his impact, and the grace that was upon his life.

Here’s my observation:

1.  When a person functioning in an apostolic gift is focused on SENDING, the authority on their life is directed and submitted to a Kingdom vision.

2.  When a person claiming an apostolic gift is focused upon people SERVING them and their vision, their use of authority begins to shift into the potential for abuse and misuse.

As long as the focus is on serving and sending others, then the authority is being used very well.  But when the focus shifts to a desire to be seen as important and over others – then the authority is used to dominate and crush.  This is why it is probably best NOT to use the title APOSTLE when it comes to referring to one another.  Even the title itself creates a potential for pride.

Titles and positions were never important to Jesus.

He never insisted on being called a Rabbi or an Apostle or even a Pastor.  He simply did the work.  These gifts refer less to titles and more to function.  You can see that a person is a pastor when the shepherd others.  If you have the title ‘pastor’ but do not ‘shepherd’ sheep, then you are fooling yourself.

If you have a title ‘apostle’ but are not reproducing yourself in others and sending them out, then you are trying to walk in a position that God has not given.  You can see the function of the apostolic by the authority in sending others to take new territory, plant churches, and establish ministry.

This week my plan is to blog along a particular theme.  What I aim to discuss is the Biblical definition of ‘apostolic’ and its impact the reproductive capacity of a spiritual leader and/or a church.  Now I must include that any discussion about the word role and function of an apostle, in today’s culture, tends to be met with controversy.  My hope is to keep the focus on the practical and make some simple observations that can, hopefully, be agreed upon by all.

There are two Biblical passages that address the ‘apostle’ as the lead role in leadership to equip, coordinate, and mobilize the people of the church.

• Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.  Ephesians 4:11-12
• Here are some of the parts God has appointed for the church:  first are apostles, second are prophets, third are teachers…. 1 Corinthians 12:28a

In both of these passages the focus is on making sure that EVERY MEMBER of the body is equipped, placed, mobilized, and functioning together well.

There seems to be a key role for the ‘apostle’ to play in this process.  When the gift of the apostle is rightly recognized and functioning with the proper attitude and focus – it has a major effect on the capacity of the ‘body of Christ’ to be released to it’s highest potential.

It makes sense that this would be the case!

• TO SHEPHERD – if the role definition of a ‘pastor’ is to be a shepherd to people?  When the ‘pastoral gift’ is the point gift in an organization, the focus will be on people being well cared for and developed.
• TO SEND – if the role definition of an ‘apostle’ is to equip and release people to go and do?  When the ‘apostolic gift’ is the point gift in an organization, the focus will be on people being well equipped and sent out to fulfill their purpose.

So if SENDING is the goal?  (which it is in the process of church planting) Then the role of the APOSTLE is critical to effective and consistent church planting.

Over the last few years, there has been an explosion of tremendous training, resourcing, and coaching in regard to launching a new church.  There are many great associations that have also formed that provide unique opportunities to connect and be resourced.  Because there are so many great partnerships available – my recommendation is this:

DON’T PLANT YOUR CHURCH ALONE!

1.  Find a Parent Church that will help you launch.

2.  Build a Launch Team that will dream the dream and help you lead this new initiative.

3.  Connect within your denomination to find covering, encouragement and resorces.

4.  Identify an ASSOCIATION to partner with.  Here are several to consider:

• ARC (Association Of Related Churches)
• CMN (Church Multiplication Network)
• Act 29 Network
• Vision 360
• NewThingNetwork
• Exponential Network
• Stadia Group

Reflecting today on the person of Jesus and His work on the cross.  Good Friday revealed so much about who Jesus was as a person.  Here’s ten reasons why I have chosen to follow him.  These are TEN LEADERSHIP QUALITIES that every leader can imitate.

#1 – Courage - I love the scene in the Passion Of The Christ where he is being flogged.  It looks like he is down for good, beaten beyond all strength.  Then like a scene from Rocky, he rises again to offer his back on more time to his attackers.

#2 – Compassion - I love that at His worst moment, he was thinking of others.  While hanging on the cross, he considers the needs of his mother.  He tells John, ‘This is your mom now.  Take care of her.’

#3 – Boldness - Isn’t it amazing when he says to Pilate, ‘The only authority you have is what has been given you from heaven.’  Pilate is deciding whether he lives or dies at that moment.

#4 – Devotion - During the Passover meal, the night he was betrayed, he says to his friends – No matter what happens, I am devoted to you (in covenant with you).

#5 – Vision - During that same meal, he was looking ahead to the moment when he would again celebrate the Cup in the Kingdom of heaven.

#6 – Mercy - He looks at those crucifying him and says, ‘Father forgive them for they don’t know what they are doing.’

#7 – Humanity - Jesus was the Son of God ,but he was also fully human as well.  When on the cross, we see his agony.  He says, ‘I thirst.’  He wasn’t any different from us in his ability to experience hunger, thirst, pain, and rejection.

#8 – Focus - In Luke 19:10 Jesus gives us his mission statement:  ‘The son of man came to seek and to save what was lost.’  He is faithful to that idea to the end.  As he is dying, he is reaching out to the thief who is dying next to him and working for him to be saved.

#9 – Surrender - What amazing yieldedness!  In the garden the night of his betrayal, he prays, “not my will but yours be done.’  Then at the end, ‘Father into your hands I commit my spirit’.

#10 – Love - I am overwhelmed that he did all of this for me.  Hebrews 12:2 says, ‘For the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame.’  You and I were his joy.

Thank you Jesus for what you have done and for who you are.  Help me to be more like you.

There is one characteristic that is common to every successful leader that I know.  Let me define what I mean by ‘successful’.  I do not mean that they have the largest or fastest growing organization.  I don’t mean that they have the most talent or skill in what they do.  What I mean is that they remain unhindered in their ability to grow themselves and their organizations from where they are now to where they need to be.

What’s the quality that is common to the unhindered leader?

TEACH-ABILITY – the apparent willingness and desire to listen to advice, submit to a spiritual covering, and receive constructive criticism without an attitude of self-pity, resistance, or the rejection of advice.

Church planters especially need this quality.  Those that I have worked with that have this approach to life – have planted with great impact.  Their churches are still growing today.  Favor is upon their life.  Leaders are lining up to work with them.  Their growth has not stalled.  And they continue to seek input and advice.

Leaders who stall, who seem to lack momentum, who are often frustrated or hindered have a different quality.

SELECTIVE SUBMISSION – the tendency toward partial submission; to pick and choose which parts of wise advice are wanted and desired; the feeling that ‘I know better’; resistance and/or avoidance of constructive criticism in areas where input may be desperately needed.

You may have expected the opposite quality to be UN-TEACH-ABILITY.  But most people are not totally unteachable.  Actually, you don’t have to be totally unteachable to miss out on the momentum that comes from others.  All you have to do is be picky and selective about which pieces of advice you want and when you are ready to hear things that are unpleasant.

Selective hearing is enough to slow down the momentum of your life.

A number of years ago, I heard Bill Hybels deliver this message on Self-Leadership.  It truly has shaped my perspective.  You can read the message here.  Below are some excerpts from it.

My last post was a reflection about the balance between Good Stewardship and a Generous Spirit.  When a person, planter, or church has both = they position themselves for the release of God’s ongoing favor upon their life and ministry.  I see a similar relationship when it comes to the execution of ministry.

#1 – SOLID ADVANCED PLANNING

This is also a matter of stewardship.  Planning demonstrates good stewardship of time, resources, volunteers, and opportunities.  When a new church is planted based on a well thought out plan – it has a much higher possibility of momentum and success.  So many great resources are now available to study the demographics of a community, establish a mission statement, develop a strategy and an execution plan.

Now there is so much available that identifies best practices in building a Launch Team, holding Preview Services, connecting with the community, and hosting a large Grand Opening Event.  We are foolish not to take advantage of every available piece of wisdom and information that is out there today.

#2 – STRONG INTERCESSORY PRAYER

God moves in response to persistent passionate prayer.  When we seek the face of God we open our spiritual ears to hear His voice.  We position ourselves to step into His breakthrough moments.  Without His presence at work in our lives, the best that we have to offer is our limited human wisdom and effort.

No one has ever been changed by simply by a great strategy.  Souls are only saved by God’s power.  Families are restored by God’s grace.  None of that is released without a robust and vibrant life of prayer.

Every leader tends to lean in one direction or the other.  You will either have a bent toward planning and execution?  Or you may have a bent toward active and intense prayer and fasting?  The real strength comes in the combination of the two.

When you pray your guts out and they plan your brains out – then you have recipe for breakthrough favor from God.