Implications of Apostolic Leadership in the 21st Century Part 10

Parts 1-10 can be found at yulcrawfordgroup.com

wenty-two apostles are mentioned in the Word.  Apostles are referred to eighty times in the New Testament. Also, prophets are mentioned by name four times, evangelists one time and teachers are mentioned one time in the New Testament.

Jesus Christ is the chief apostle.  The apostles who served Him are called “Apostles to the Lamb.” The apostles who preceded the Apostles of the Lamb are called post-ascension apostles.

1. Peter Wagner categorizes apostles the following way:

• Vertical apostles – Apostles who head up apostolic networks that are composed of churches. (Apostle Paul)
• Horizontal apostles and convening apostles – These apostles have authority over other apostles or possess the grace to bring numerous apostles together for governmental reasons. (Apostle James – Acts 15)
• Hyphenated apostles – These apostles function as secondary officers as well as the apostolic anointing. (Apollos, an apostle – teacher and Silas an apostle) (Acts 15:32) – prophet (Acts 18:24-25)

Barney Combs in his book, Apostles Today, categorize apostles this way:

• Equipping Apostles (Eph.4:8,11) – They are commissioned to train, prepare and equip the saints for the works of service.
• Local Apostles (1 Cor. 12:28) – These apostles function within local churches.
• Ethnic Apostles (Gal.2:7-9) – These apostles are set apart to bring a particular ethnic group into the full knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Peter was sent to Jerusalem. Paul was sent to the Gentiles.
• Fathering Apostles (1 Cor. 4:14-17; Titus 1:4) These apostles serve as fathers to churches and leaders. Paul was a father to the church at Corinth, as well as Timothy, Titus and others.
• Serving Apostles (Phil. 2:22, 25; 2 Cor.8:23) – These apostles serve on apostolic teams in a subordinate position to the presiding apostle. (Titus and Timothy)

1.Do you prefer Peter Wagner or Barney Combs classification of apostles? 

2.Which type of ” Apostle ” do we see more of in North America from your vantage point? Please share your view point.

 Parts 1 through 10 can be found at yulcrawfordgroup.com

Five Key Manifestations of Wisdom

There are five types of wisdom that is discussed in the word of God. At least one of these 5 types of wisdom are in most people. Each of these five types of wisdom are doors into the realm of divine favor with man and God when developed and used to extend the kingdom of God. The five types are: anointed/ skilled hands, relational wisdom, body coordination, intellectual or depths of understanding and revelatory biblical insight. In my seminar called " Promotion in the Marketplace through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit" we discuss these 5 manifestation of wisdom. I have just completed a wonderful seminar on "Being Promoted in the Marketplace through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit." Since so many people have been asking me if they could download the seminar because they were not able to attend or they couldn't get the time off, I would like to extend to everyone for the next 72 hours $25.00 for the download. If you desire to purchase the download send me your email information and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make payment. Once that is done, we will email you download. After Friday, it will go back to its regular price of $40.00. My email address is yul.transformer12@gmail.com

20 + Most Common Dreams People Experience

 In the second half of the seminar," Promotion in the Marketplace through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit" we talk about 20 basic dreams that many people experience: loose teeth, falling, being chase, going back to school, sexual, dying, past romantic relationships, money and much more. Some times people have these many times indicating that interpretation of these dreams can turn their lives around or lead them around " potholes" in life. Always pay attention to dreams that you experience over and over. I have just completed a wonderful seminar on "Being Promoted in the Marketplace through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit." Since so many people have been asking me if they could download the seminar because they were not able to attend or they couldn't get the time off, I would like to extend to everyone for the next 72 hours $25.00 for the download. If you desire to purchase the download send me your email information and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make payment. Once that is done, we will email you download. After Friday, it will go back to its regular price of $40.00. My email address is yul.transformer12@gmail.com

Something that will bless your life

I have just completed a wonderful seminar on "Being Promoted in the Marketplace through the Gifts of the Holy Spirit." Since so many people have been asking me if they could download the seminar because they were not able to attend or they couldn't get the time off, I would like to extend to everyone for the next 72 hours $25.00 for the download. If you desire to purchase the download send me your email information and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make payment. Once that is done, we will email you download. After Friday, it will go back to its regular price of $40.00. My email address is yul.transformer12@gmail.com

Traits of an Administrative Gift Part 2

1. Tend to assign tasks or solve problems with his or her eyes on the future impact of his decisions and actions. 
2. Is strongly motivated to help others become more efficient in carrying out tasks. 
3. Recognizes the importance of maintaining good records and of writing clear instructions.
4. Tends to avoid the limelight; he definitely enjoys the role of a strategic commander working behind the scene. 
5. Tends to remain firm and steadfast, regardless of opposition, once he has determined that a particular goal is in God's will. 
6. Appreciates initiative. He values people who can foresees problems and take action to prevent or correct them without having to get detailed instruction. 
7. Demonstrates an ability to finalize difficult decisions, though he is very careful and deliberate to first examine all of the pertinent facts. 
8. May appear to be a perfectionist because he insist on detailed planning and preparation. 
9. May tend to view people impersonally as resources available for helping him  achieve goals.  Some people working for them may feel that they are being used. 
10. May appear callous to those who misinterpret his willingness to endure reaction.
11. May appear insensitive to the weariness, schedules and priorities of people on his team because of his strong desire to complete a given task as quickly as possible. 
12. Receives great fulfillment  in seeing all the pieces of a project fitting together and in seeing others enjoying the finished product 

Before the End of Black History Month Ends, I wanted to give Tribute to Some African Apostolic Gifts Who Contributed Racial Reconciliation of All Races

Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola

God used Apostle Babaloloa  for being the key catalyst for the great spiritual revival of 1930 in Oke Oye in llesha, Nigeria.  He was popularly known as the Apostle of Africa. The church which he founded, Christ Apostolic Church has branches all over the world and has a membership of over 10 million worshippers of Jesus Christ across the globe. Some say it is possibly the largest Pentecostal Mission along the West African coast. Like the apostle Paul he received a heavenly call directly from the Lord to be His spokesman. The heavenly vision that he received was later confirmed by Prophet Fapounda in Ipetu-Ijesa. His ministry was filled with mighty signs and wonders. At the inception of his ministry the Lord Jesus Christ instructed him to buy a hand bell with which to terrify forces of darkness who when they hear the sound of the bell was scared with the light of heaven that will always shine every time the bell sounds . Also the Lord instructed him to always bless water for people to drink as a means of healing and deliverance. His said his apostolic ministry did not begin to expand through out the wide geography of Nigeria until the Lord granted the expansion. It was in accordance to the Lord's timing. This expansion begin to take place in 1930. During the early years of breakthrough he injured his leg on a broken bottle. In order to heal properly he decided to go on a forty day fast during Lent. It was during this Lenton period  that satan brought his host to battle with this man of God. In the spiritual realm witches came to battle against him but in the name of Jesus he defeated them. The bushes around him were taken over by demons and they rose in battle against him but in the name of the Lord he destroyed them. Then arose the forces of darkness in the firmament and in the ground to battle with him, but by the blood of the Lamb he over powered them. Rev. 12:10-11; Psalms 118:9-17. After this battle through the power of the Holy Spirit he brought his crusades to Oka, Aromoko, Calabar, Ghana , Lagos, Ifira, Epinmi, Ishua, Ipesi, Idoani , Idogun, Ekpe, Igarra, Otuo. When the Lord called him to minister, He told him it would last 30 years. As the time dawn him, you could hear him in the midnight hours praying in a vibrated voice the shook the building ,which indicated that he was praying regarding an issue that touched his heart.
     In 1959 during these times of protracted intercession God revealed to him that a time was coming in Nigeria when it will appear as if a spiritual revival had never taken place before. He said the spirit of the 1930 revival will be absolutely diminished. However, he revealed to him that after 30 years , God was going to start another revival but the person that God was going to use was still a very small boy and that satan was planing to kill him but the Lord Jesus Christ was not going to allow this to happen.
     According to one of his assistants, on the eve of his home-going, He was heard praying for the entire nations of the world for spiritual revival and peace. He prayed for all existing churches  and ministers of the gospel that the work of the gospel should progress. At that point he breathed his last breath with three distant breathes that shook the building.
    I wanted to honor this man of God on Black History Month because his passion was for the entire Body of Christ. I've done research on apostolic ministries for the last 15 years. From my research, I make these conclusions about about authentic apostolic gifts :

1. They love God's church. They see the Christ Church through His eyes and heart. They are willing to lay down their lives for the maturation of Christ Church in the earth. They exist for building Christ Jesus Church.
2. They possess a passion to reproduce and develop men and women who are greater in stature than themselves so that the perpetuity of the gospel is perpetuated and it on going progress is assured. Once their eyes sees ministerial potential in an individual, with their submission they can build them from the ground
3. The posture of their hearts is to see the knowledge of God's glory spread across the earth.
4. Great restorers of fallen and broken leaders
5. Everything they do emanates from an ongoing revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are many other qualities. In fact, what I just mention is quite simplistic. However what was mentioned about Apostle Babalola can be founded in the book, " A Call To Honor, A Biography of Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola" by Rev. Babatunde Ezekiel Ajibola.

Administration, one of the missing gifts Part 1

     Many years ago Ted Engstrom wrote several books on leadership and organizational development.  I want to share some excerpts from his book " The Gift of Administration" on the traits of  an administrator. Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Cor. 12:28-29 refer to the gift of administration in the New Testament. Moses, Joshua, King David, King Solomon Apostle Paul, Luke,  Josiah, etc.   flowed in various levels of the gift of administration. Romans 12:8 states," one who rules well." The word " rule" in its original language is " prostemi." Prostemi means " take the lead; to be over; to superintend and preside over.  Romans 12:8  is not referring to administration as an office , but to one who possess an administrative approach to situations. Just as an artist wants to paint, a musician wants to play and an evangelist wants to preach, so one with the gift of administration wants to give active leadership from a strategic- aligned systems perspective. Below are some of the Engstrom's identification traits of a  gifted administrator:

1. Possess an ability to integrate several ministries, tasks, and/ or projects  towards the fulfillment of a long- range goal. 
2. Is sensitive to future needs, particularly to future needs that are not being planned for by others. 
3. Has an ability to  visualize overall needs and to clarify long- range goals 
4. Has an ability to put together individual Christians to form efficient , well - organized teams on which the members work well together, divide their labor efficiently, and enjoy each other's company.
5. Has an ability to discuss the talents, resources, and spiritual gifts of individual believers. 
6. Tends to avoid involvement in anything for which has no organizational responsibility. Has a tendency to remain on the sideline until the leaders in charge give them responsibility. 
7. Desires to see that his time  and the time of others is used efficiently 
8. Tends to insist on thorough planning and organization before embarking on a new task or new ministry. Tends to to avoid the develop- as- you- go to ministries or projects. He wants things done right from the beginning. 
9. Demonstrates a willingness to wait on a project or ministry until it is properly set up. Once a project is set up, however, he or she will push for maximum speed in accomplishing its goals. 
10. Is strongly motivated to organize anything for which he is responsible.