Forgotten Ways, Ch. 5
Apostolic Environment
Just when you thought we had reached the zenith of the book. This week’s reading is quite stimulating so I wanted to post early, encourage everyone to read it, and begin the dialog now (comment below) for those ready.
Hirsch affirms – and I have been making this case through my recent series on the apostolic sending in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke – that now is the time to be an apostle. Whenever there is a movement of historic proportions in the church it is accompanied by a movement of apostles – people who push Christianity out into the culture.
The apostolic leader thus embodies, symbolizes, and re-presents the church’s mission to the missional community. Furthermore, he or she calls forth and develops the gifts and callings of all of God’s people. Without apostolic ministry, the church either forgets its high calling or fails to implement it successfully. Sadly, in declining denominational systems, such people are commonly ‘frozen out’ or exiled, because they disturb the equilibrium of a system of stasis.” The Forgotten Ways Handbook, p. 113
It is commonplace in religious movements to see a leader and then a cast of followers, the pastor and the flock. But I think an apostolic movement is different. This is manifest in our culture of leadership, “merit-ocracy” – a horizontal structure that would not have been allowed in a church a generation ago. My point is this: Don’t look at me. You are the apostolic leader. You are the apostle, the sent one. You are commissioned to boldly go where no Christian has gone, into today’s community, to seize the wind of the Holy Spirit and embody, symbolizes, and re-present the church’s mission to the community … as a righteous, humble, servant-inspirer.
The apostolic leadership dynamic that needs to be emphasized is that of servant-inspirer, not one who ‘lords it over others.’ It is more about spiritual authority than it is about organizational governance. Genuine apostolic ministry is authenticated by suffering and empowerment rather than by positional authority. It draws its authority from service and calling, from moral and spiritual influence.” The Forgotten Ways Handbook, p. 114
