4. What are the functions & duties of apostles today?

Luke 12:48c - Great gifts mean great responsibilities; greater gifts, greater responsibilities! (The Message Bible)

There are obviously many duties that accompany the high spiritual office gift of apostleship. Yet, no Scriptural list of just what those duties are has been given. So in order to compile one, all of the Scriptures about the functions and activities of the Biblical apostles need to be consulted.

II Timothy 3:16 -17 - All Scripture is inspired of God and is profitable for teaching...for training in righteousness so that the man of God may be...equipped for every good work (including the duties of apostleship).

Therefore, the list being set forth here of an apostle's many duties comes from all of the pertinent Scriptures which I have so far found which describe how the first apostles functioned. To best bring forth this teaching, these Scriptures have been combined with my own many personal experiences as an apostle.

Romans 15:18 - For [of course] I will not venture (presume) to speak...of any work except what Christ has actually done through me [as an instrument in His hands]...

Please review all of this information carefully for yourselves to see if the Holy Spirit confirms its correctness to you.

Acts 7:11 - ...(being) noble-minded...they received the Word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures (for themselves)... to see whether these things were so.

If you find errors, inconsistencies, missed functionings or any distortions of Scripture within my list, please feel free to constructively comment below or send me an e-mail at anonymousapostle@gmail.com, so that it may be corrected.

Ministering unto the Lord

To start, it seems to be the case that the foremost duty of apostles is for them to at first minister exclusively unto the Lord Himself until He is ready to send them out into service with apostolic powers. This is shown when Jesus told his apostles after He was resurrected that they were to stay in Jerusalem and wait there until they were clothed with apostolic powers by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 24:49b - (Jesus said)..."You (speaking to his apostles) are to stay in the city (Jerusalem) until you are clothed with power from on high."

Also, Paul and Barnabas prayed and fasted and ministered unto the Lord before they were sent out by the Holy Spirit with all of their great apostolic powers.

Acts 13:2 - While they were ministering to the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."

So, it seems that apostles are to first minister unto the Lord before they will be qualified and empowered by Him to go out and minister unto men for Him.

Ministering to people

Once apostles have been chosen, prepared and then sent out into their ministry by God unto those whom He has selected, it appears that their most important duty is to proclaim the Word of God from the Bible.

Acts 13:4 -5 - So, being sent by the Holy Spirit they went...and began to proclaim the Word of God...

When they go forth to so preach God's Word after His empowerment of them, the Lord then works with them supernaturally. He does this by confirming their preaching with substantiating signs and wonders which are designed by Him to convince the people to whom his apostle is sent that he has truly sent to them by God.

Mark 16:20 - And they (the apostles) went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the Word by the signs that followed.

Apostles will be given many wondrous powers by the Holy Spirit, especially those which He knows will be needed as time goes by to further confirm their apostolic ministries.

II Corinthians 12:12 - The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with all perseverance, by signs and wonders and miracles.

So, after first ministering unto the Lord. the apostles' next major duty seems to be to preach the Word of God, especially the word of the gospel, to anyone to whom they are sent.

I Corinthians 9:16 - For if I (the apostle) preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for I am under compulsion; for woe is me if I do not preach the Gospel for...I have a stewardship (from God) entrusted to me!

As people truly receive and believe their preaching of the gospel, an apostle's next duty seems to be to quickly water-baptize them in order to declare to all present, their immediate renunciation of sin and their cleansing from it by the Lord Jesus Christ.

Acts 16:33 - ...immediately(!) he (a brand new believer) was baptized (by an apostle)...

The apostle Paul, after being blinded by the Lord and not eating for 3 days, had his sight restored to him. Immediately Jesus had him baptized, even before he ate anything!

Acts 9:9, 17 -19 - And he was 3 days without sight, and neither ate nor drank...So Ananias...entered the house (where he was staying) and after laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus...has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit." And immediately...he regained his sight and he got up and was baptized, and (after that) he took food and was strengthened.

After a 3 day fast and considering the ravenous hunger that Paul must have had, being first baptized before eating illustrates just how important to God it seems to be for his newly born-again believers to be immediately baptized! Urgency of baptism is later recounted when Paul quotes Ananias comment to him during this healing event...

Acts 22:16 - "Now (that you are healed from blindness) why do you delay? Get up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name."

The immediate baptismal duty of even the evangelist is illustrated in the Biblical account of the believing response of an Ethiopian eunuch to Phillip's preaching to him of the gospel.

Acts 8:36 - 39 - ...they came to some water and the eunuch said, "Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?"...and...(Phillip) baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Phillip away and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went rejoicing on his way.

Notice that God did not finish ministering the gospel to this eunuch thru Phillip until, at just the right moment, they just happened (!?!) to find a miraculous water supply right there in the dry, arid desert by which for Phillip to immediately baptize him. Then, once the baptism was finished, the Lord instantly removed Phillip from ministering to him any further. (As an aside, this testimony builds a case that we are not always called to minister discipleship to a newly saved person.)

Another duty of apostles seems to be for them to lay hands upon and call for the the Holy Spirit to fall upon any brethren who, after being baptized, have not yet perceived His power as being manifested in some way, upon or within them.

Acts 8:15 -17 - (the apostles) came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For He had not yet fallen upon them; they had simply been baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus.

Then they began laying their hands on them, and they were receiving the Holy Spirit.

So gospel preaching immediately followed by water baptism for converts are 2 major duties of all apostles everywhere. They should also lay hands on them to bring forth the spiritual baptism upon them of the power of God's Holy Spirit.

Establishing Churches

Apostles also seem to be duty bound to establish local fellowships of and for believing brethren or they are to place them into an existing church. Then, if they minister within that church, they appear to be duty bound to carry on the ministry of God's Word to build up their faith.

Acts 16:5 - So, (by the presence and preaching of the Word of God from the apostles) the churches were being strengthened in the faith...

Apostles seem to be duty bound to exercise all of the gifts of which the Holy Spirit empowers them, bringing forth supernatural signs and wonders, miracles and healings which will help their brethren to perceive and believe that God is truly present among them.

Acts 22:42 - Everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place thru the apostles.

Apostles (and the church's prophets) seem to also be duty bound by God to bring forth pertinent prophecies from God to guide that particular assembly's brethren.

I Corinthians 14:3 - ...one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.

As well as bringing forth prophesies, apostles should also be giving teachings and describing their revelations from God to their brethren in order to increase their knowledge of the Lord.

I Corinthians 14:6b - ...what will I (the apostle) profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophesy.

As apostles form churches, they seem to have the duty to initially pastor their brethren and give them various kinds of helps while also conducting any needed administrations. But in so doing, they are not to neglect their ministry of prayer and the Word of God.

Acts 6:2b - 4 - ..."It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables. Therefore brethren, select from among you...men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word."

As time goes by, founding apostles seem to have the duty of confirming newly God-appointed junior apostles, prophets and teachers in these groups as God raises them up. They seem to also have the duty of selecting elders and deacons to pastor their brethren and to continue to teach them the Word of God.

Acts 14:23 - When they had appointed elders for them in every church (in various cities), having prayed with fasting, they commended them to the Lord (who is the Word!)...

It seems to be an apostle's duty to teach the brethren over whom God has established their authority, to conduct their church worship meetings in an orderly, Holy Spirit led fashion according to I Corinthians 10:15 thru 14:40. In these meetings, worshiping brethren can speak forth making requests of God and giving their revelations, teachings and prophecies. They can also pray and sing hymns in their native language and also speak and sing in tongues with interpretations.

I Corinthians 14:25b - ...When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all be done for (mutual) edification.

Apostles should encourage Bible study in a fellowship and they should also to teach the brethren how to exercise and control all of their God-given supernatural gifts within the privacy of the home fellowship.

I Corinthians 14:40 - ...all things (taking place in a fellowship meeting) must be done properly and in an orderly fashion.

Apostles seem to also be have authority from God to establish their protective and teaching authority over any existing fellowships, to which they might be invited to do so.

Conclusion

As God's Holy Spirit moves thru the apostle's ministry, brethren to whom they are sent will eventually be raised up as new apostles and prophets, evangelists and teachers, healers and miracle workers, pastors and elders to nurture and shepherd and perpetuate each church of the brethren.

I Corinthians 12:4 - 11 - Now there are distinctive varieties and distributions of endowments (gifts, extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians, due to the power of divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit) and they vary, but the [Holy] Spirit remains the same.

And there are distinctive varieties of service and ministration, but it is the same Lord [Who is served].

And there are distinctive varieties of operation [of working to accomplish things], but it is the same God Who inspires and energizes them all in all.

But to each one is given the manifestation of the [Holy] Spirit [the evidence, the spiritual illumination of the Spirit] for good and profit.

To one is given in and through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] a message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] a word of knowledge and understanding according to the same [Holy] Spirit;

To another wonder-working] faith by the same [Holy] Spirit, to another the extraordinary powers of healing by the one Spirit;

To another the working of miracles, to another prophetic insight (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose); to another the ability to discern and distinguish between [the utterances of true] spirits [and false ones], to another various kinds of [unknown] tongues, to another the ability to interpret [such] tongues.

All these [gifts, achievements, abilities] are inspired and brought to pass by one and the same [Holy] Spirit, Who apportions to each person individually [exactly] as He chooses.

The apostle will be given the ability from God to discern who these gifted brethren are and what gifts they've been given. Apostles then seem to be duty bound to encourage each of them in their gifts and also to encourage the flock to acknowledge them as being so gifted. In time the apostle can train the new apostles within a fellowship to remain with it to protect and guide it if he is called to permanently leave it or to go out from it for a time to minister to others at the Lord's leading.

Matthew 18:12 - "What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?

There are some excellent further teachings on the authority and the role of apostles amongst the brethren today. They can be found at Peace Apostolic Ministries, a website that I highly recommend. It has been established by a senior apostle whom I believe to now be an apostolic father from God, even though God has not yet let me meet him personally!

So, just as all Christians regard Biblical apostles and just as you regard me and I regard you, he and I have not yet met and we may never meet until we get to glory! But having reviewed his teachings within his website, I have recognized the grace which has been given to him by God to teach me personally much about the fatherly love, authority, power and functioning of apostleship within the church and therefore to apostolically father my own ministry.

This elder apostle has a great grasp of this entire subject which (it is obvious to me) God has given him over his many years of apostolic ministry. So recognizing his seniority as it was revealed to me by God thru his teachings, I felt led by God to place myself under his apostolic fathering authority and his teaching ministry. I believe that God revealed to me that this is now necessary in order to protect the flock that I lead and myself from evils which, in my prior ignorance of this man's particular apostolic teachings, God Himself protected us.

You the reader, may also reach that same conclusion about his ministry as I have after your own review of everything on his website.

Thank you and may God richly bless you.