APEST and Justice, Mercy and Faithfulness

What will people of the Kingdom of God actually do in the wake of the changes in the United States that took place almost immediately after the story of the murder of George Floyd became public knowledge?

I don't know that a more compelling challenge has confronted the "church" in the last few decades.

What's happening in the world now could become a moment in which the Kingdom scores one of its great victories in its history...

...or, it could lead to one of the most debilitating disasters the church has ever experienced.

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A few thoughts.

1. In the first years of the Kingdom, the Lord prepared, called and empowered one person to be the, I'll say, instrument the Lord would use in expanding the proclaiming of the gospel to the gentiles.

Certainly, it was His will that all believers support that ministry but, as crucial as evangelizing the gentiles was to God's eternal purpose, leading that Kingdom ministry fell to one person who was prepared, spiritually gifted and empowered. That person, of course, was Paul.

In a sense, all of the subjects of the Kingdom of God participated in the preaching of the gospel to the gentiles, but the leading of that ministry was focused on one man...and, eventually, to the, well, team, he assembled.

2. Honestly, I've been watching to observe how some of the people I know of in ministry, are providing ministry that can be followed in these times of racial strife.

It seems to me that what I'm seeing is APEST in action...for better and for worse.

When I see an APEST person whom I believe to be a shepherd, I hear shepherding words in the sermon, no matter how much angst there may be in the listeners' heart, no matter how much must be done. When I listen to a sermon from someone inclined to be an evangelist, I hear the strong and simple gospel truths. And, while the gospel is always appropriate, in these times, the gospel could be applied in specific ways and, I've not heard that. And, and you get it: Teachers are teaching.

Often, if I didn't already know it, as I view the messages I'm seeing, I wouldn't know that riots are taking place and that there is upheaval everywhere.

Here's what I know. This is not a time when evangelists and shepherds and teachers will be able to be followed in doing the things that Kingdom people need to do.

3. This is a serious problem for the CGGC. Since I entered our ministry in the mid 1970s, we have not been faithful in integrating apostles and prophets into our ministry.

Often, we have, as quietly as possible, sent prophets packing or made it so uncomfortable for them to stay that they moved on on their own.

Our experience with apostles has been nearly as tragic. It's normal that our institutional authorities will offer an apostle the chance to plant a church or, perhaps, to be an intentional interim. But, apostles are men and women of innovation who make God's new ways clear and able to be followed.

We are people of our own churchly tradition. The truth is that we haven't kept many apostles and, certainly, our approach to ministry is not driven by the apostolic gift, as it always is when the Kingdom thrives.

4. At times like this in the history of the Kingdom, when the organized church has met the challenge, it is because the Lord empowered apostles and prophets to provide ministry that can be followed. At the times the church advanced in crisis, the people gifted to be shepherds and teachers, especially, followed apostles and prophets.

For the most part, the people who hold positions of authority in our churchly institutions are shepherds and teachers. This is not a time when the world will benefit from an institutional response from the church.

On the other hand, it is a time when the people of the Kingdom, following apostles and prophets called to specific ministries, can, to use the language of the Book of Acts, "turn the world upside down."

5. I am not hope-less...I can't go so far to say that I'm hope-ful...for the CGGC in this moment of crisis and change.

We do have some people who are able to provide ministry that can be followed in this moment.

I'm certain that there are more than three, but from my place 40,000 feet in altitude, and out here in the wilderness, I can point to three.

One, obviously, is Andrew Draper, who's been living what needs to be lived for a long time, at great personal risk. Undoubtedly, he can be followed.

Second, Nick DiFrancesco. While Nick has a position of prominence in the ERC institution, he, nevertheless, produces fruit of a person with either apostolic or prophetic gifting. The wisdom and passion that oozes from him...and his ability to connect talk and walk, common among APs...suggests that, in this moment of Kingdom opportunity, he can be followed.

Third, a name that is less familiar. Jack Guyler. I mentioned that I have watching to see how people I know are providing ministry that can be followed in this challenging time. I've seen sermon crafters simply be who they are, often in ways that are irrelevant to the challenge of the moment.

When APEST was new to me, Jack and I were serving together on an ERC commission and we had several APEST conversations that were helpful to me. And, Jack and I agreed that he probably has some apostle in him.

I watched his message yesterday. It was simple, natural to him, innovative, compassionate and powerful. It was as appropriate a response to these times as any message/sermon I've seen.

Based on that, I can say Jack is providing the sort of pulpit ministry that can be followed. I access him on Facebook at, I think, Harmony Church.

Check him out. This message is not long and, based on what I understand, it oozes apostleship.

And, as I said, it is extremely followable. If you're a pastor, you might want to steal it. You could do worse.

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My friends,

We are in a time when the Kingdom will advance or the church will be defeated.

Times like these have never been times when institutional Christianity has distinguished itself.

But, these are times when apostles and prophets, called and empowered by the Holy Spirit, have created for the Kingdom, its greatest moments.

It's also, sadly for the church, the sort  of moment when new movements...

...such as ours...

...have emerged as Kingdom remnants because the institution would not walk in the Spirit.

This is a moment of opportunity.

We must repent.