What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

What does it mean to you to be Apostolic? What do you look for in an Apostolic Church?

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

:chirp

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

It means to not be naughty :naughty

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

I guess we need to change this scripture to read like this.... Acts 11:26* And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Apostolics first in Antioch.

BeenThinkin

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

What I look for in a church-a group of people who:
love one another as Christ loved them.
exhibit the fruit of the spirt (as in love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness, meekness)
do unto others as they would have others do unto them (if a church is full of envy, bitterness, strife, gossip, pride, bragging, and so forth, it won't be my church).
I wouldn't be ashamed to bring visitors to meet.

In addition:
A pastor who overlooks faults and seeks to minister to others, treats each person he meets with respect, is conscious of others' time, leads in love, knows it is God's church-not his, and genuinely cares about others.

There's a start, at least...

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

What does it mean to be Pentecostal? Good luck. Any serious scholar on Pentecostalism knows it is nearly impossible to categorically define the term. The nature of Pentecostalisms includes hundreds of splintered groups that were formed at the disagreement with others, and on and on and on it goes.

I would say the role of the Spirit is a common denominator, but that term now combines with Charismatic and stretches into various denominations, missing an exclusive definition of a particular faith. Perhaps it is best, Pentecostalism was always an experience first, and only because of arguments it became a propositional doctrine.

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

Most think "Apostolic" means a person dresses a certain way in "standards" and is Oneness, and believes in Acts 2:38. Apostolic means "of the apostles". It is a belief that we must preach and practice what the apostles taught without any traditions the apostles never taught. So, that drops the certain dress standards issue. But they were oneness and preached Acts 2:38's truth.

In recent years APOSTOLIC STRUCTURE and church GOVERNMENT, highlighting the fivefold ministry, has come into the limelight, aside from the Apostolic DOCTRINE issue that most here are familiar with. Apostolic church government involves much more prophetic and gift emphasis than most familiar with apostolic doctrine have been involved in.

I LIKE BOTH.

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

I just want to be right whatever that may be called...

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

Amen. It's not in titles.

Re: What Does It Mean To be Apostolic?
 

What does it matter? To be Christ like is more important than whatever Apostolic means. They were never called Apostolics but they were called Christians because they were like Christ. Maybe we are too wrapped up in what we think salvation is instead of being like Christ. Jesus said he that beleiveth in me shall shall not perish.

Seem kind of funny that we get all wrapped up in saying the Apostles preached salvation comes in baptism and recieving the holy ghost (evidence of speaking in tongues) when careful study of the Gospels Jesus never said this.
Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Where do we get in this passage a plan of salvation? They are to teach all nations, what? Whatsoever he commanded them. Now tell me other than in theses passaged at the end of his ministry did he ever command baptism. It was an after thought as it would be if it was a custom or formality of sorts.

Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mar 16:16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
Mar 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
Mar 16:18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
Notice beleif is the point of salvation. Baptism is put in as an additional thing we do to show our beleif. The command was not to preach a plan of salvation, it was to preach the gospel (the good news).
It seem that by the time Luke came along the working was more in its proper perspetive.
understand the scriptures,
Luk 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luk 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luk 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luk 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

We have gone round and round about baptism being for remission or because of remission. The fact is that the way we conduct baptims today is not how it was done in bible day anyway. The person being baptised called on the name.

Just some thoughts I know this is jumbled but all this calling ourselve Apostolic, Pentecostal, or any other name to separate ourselves from the rest of the church world is getting to me. We are so far from what the early church was like its not funny. Most of the so called Apostolic/Pentecostal churches I have been in did not have true move of God in them for months. Hardly ever were the gifts of the spirit in use. I used to think God was in a eloquit message delivered by a name preacher or when emotions ran wild and people danced, or shouted. Truth is that was not the move of God, praise and worship should be what we do unto God not God coming down and rattleing our cages.