Apostolic Ministry
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A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The School of Theology Fuller Theological Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry
by Stephen B. Addison October, 1995
A Basis for the Continuing Ministry of The Apostle in the Church’s Mission Stephen B. Addison Doctor of Ministry 1996 School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary
The purpose of this paper is to establish a biblical, theological and historical foundation for the recovery and contemporary functioning of apostolic ministry in the church’s mission. The main thesis is that the Lord of the church continues to gift individuals for the apostolic ministry of church planting and strengthening. Apostolic ministry is grounded in the fact that the God of Scripture is a sending God who graciously reaches out to a fallen world. Jesus is both the supreme revelation of the God who sends and the perfect example of one who is sent as an apostle. The church is an apostolic people sent into the world. Jesus appointed the Twelve with unique authority as witnesses to the resurrection. Paul shared in that unique authority but also demonstrated that the ministry of apostle continues in a functional sense. The spiritual gift of apostle is given to individuals to equip the whole church in its apostolic calling. Apostles are
called by God, but their calling is to be recognized by the body of Christ. The ministry of an apostle is trans-local and involves both church planting and strengthening existing churches. The authority of an apostle is determined by the apostle’s willingness to be a servant of the gospel and of the body of Christ. An apostles are recognized by their pioneering
and translocal ministry of church planting and
A Dissertation Submitted to the Faculty of The School of Theology Fuller Theological Seminary
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Ministry
by Stephen B. Addison October, 1995
A Basis for the Continuing Ministry of The Apostle in the Church’s Mission Stephen B. Addison Doctor of Ministry 1996 School of Theology, Fuller Theological Seminary
The purpose of this paper is to establish a biblical, theological and historical foundation for the recovery and contemporary functioning of apostolic ministry in the church’s mission. The main thesis is that the Lord of the church continues to gift individuals for the apostolic ministry of church planting and strengthening. Apostolic ministry is grounded in the fact that the God of Scripture is a sending God who graciously reaches out to a fallen world. Jesus is both the supreme revelation of the God who sends and the perfect example of one who is sent as an apostle. The church is an apostolic people sent into the world. Jesus appointed the Twelve with unique authority as witnesses to the resurrection. Paul shared in that unique authority but also demonstrated that the ministry of apostle continues in a functional sense. The spiritual gift of apostle is given to individuals to equip the whole church in its apostolic calling. Apostles are
called by God, but their calling is to be recognized by the body of Christ. The ministry of an apostle is trans-local and involves both church planting and strengthening existing churches. The authority of an apostle is determined by the apostle’s willingness to be a servant of the gospel and of the body of Christ. An apostles are recognized by their pioneering
and translocal ministry of church planting and