In some churches much is made of apostolic authority. I wish to make a few brief points.
When Jesus chose the twelve, we are told he called them “apostles” which means “sent ones”. This tells us that apostleship is not primarily about authority over churches but mission. Remember that the great commission is to go into all the world to spread the good news of the Kingdom, not just to run churches. Christ gives apostles to the church to serve them in mission not to control them:
“Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” (Ro 1:5 NIV)
Because the calling on an apostle is to “go into all the world…” and plant churches, it is natural that during the early years of a church the apostle will have authority in the churches they helped plant:
“… built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.” (Eph 2:20 NIV)
Apostles plant churches and become “foundational” through relationship. The church is not founded by studying a systematic theology, but by the example, teaching and instruction of the apostle:
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Ac 2:42 NIV)
It is natural and proper for a church to give close attention to the biblical teaching of the apostle. That is how the Kingdom works - through people and relationships. Jesus works the truth into us and out through us. And so Paul urges the churches to follow the pattern he has passed on to them.
“What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.” (2Ti 1:13 NIV)
The relationship is forged in love and fatherly concern and care. The relationship naturally includes an aspect of authority, but the exercise of that authority must be subject to scripture, including testing what the apostle is saying:
“Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” (Ac 17:11 NIV)
Where the apostolic relationship is genuinely relational and foundational then it is to be expected that the apostle will relate directly with the church members and not only through the leadership. They may therefore bring correction directly to a church without deferring to the leadership. We see this in the various epistles where teaching is addressed directly to church members. However this apostolic relationship must not usurp the autonomy of the local church or undermine the leadership. Paul repeatedly urges the people to honour and respect their leaders.
Visiting ministries are able to take a more objective view of things than is possible for those in local leadership, and as such may offer advice about vision, focus, church programs or practices. The apostle will want to see that leaders are being developed and released to new ministries rather than the local church program simply growing ever bigger.
Churches can very easily become inward looking or maintenance minded whereas the Apostle’s calling to “go…” will help to keep the wider calling to mission before the leaders.
It is all too easy for leaders to expect members to come to multiple meetings each week and to make attendance a mark of commitment or discipleship. The effect may be to burden people with heavy expectations that are difficult for them to meet and may detract from discipleship and mission as people spend less time amongst unbelievers because they spend so much time at church meetings. Jesus warned about overloading people with requirements that are not from Jesus:
They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. (Matt 23:4)
Where leadership proves to be false or hypocritical, we see both Jesus and Paul publicly reprimanding leadership:
On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues … Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.” The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water?” (Lk 13:10,14-15)
When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong. (Gal 2:11)
The apostle may have a duty to intervene if things go badly wrong with the church leader.
An apostle may send someone in his place as a delegate for a particular purpose as Paul did, sending Timothy, but it is hard to see how the apostolic role can be delegated, since it is Jesus who gives these gifts.
