And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach  and have authority to cast out demons.

Mark 3:14-15

Mark 3: 13-21; Luke 9:1-2; Mathew 10:1-2

Recurrent Thought

Organizations of impact are driven by an agenda or mission. To assess the relevance of such entities one has to see the organization’s alignment to its original mission

The Jesus Team was formed with a well stated purpose. They were to multiply the efforts of what Jesus desired proclaimed, the Good News of the Kingdom. As earlier stated a team is a group of people with a high degree of interdependence geared toward the achievement of a goal or completion of a task. The Twelve were a work team for Jesus. The designation work teams imply teams that work. Therefore, when we refer to Ministry teams we refer to teams that minister. They are not a set board (committee) to develop policies for others to execute.

The Apostles are not a board that sets work for others. Apostles are people that demonstrate their identity. The Twelve, whom he also called apostles, meaning Sent Ones, would later be sent out. The designation (name) represents their reason for being. The sent ones (Apostles), would later be sent out. The twelve are set as a team for one singular reason to be sent out to preach the gospel. Therefore, it is abnormal when apostles don’t go out.

The name (designation) of the twelve reveals the purpose of their formation. Apostles truly remain apostles when they are sent out to preach the gospel and open new territories for God. Jesus committed to train them for the purpose of sending them. The twelve existed for the Mission. The twelve, who represents the Church in its embryonic state, were set to fulfil a mission. A Swiss theologian, Emil Brunner, captured this when he wrote, “The Church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning.”

Here is a two-fold Mission of the Church

1. The Mission of the Church is to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom
   • What is the Gospel?
   • Basically, the word Gospel means Good News. But what is that Good News?
   • Concisely, the Gospel explains how God accords Grace to an undeserving person making them be a forgiven, justified, adopted child of God.
   • Therefore, the Gospel is the message of transformation of a person. The Gospel speaks freedom from sin and accessibility to the Grace that accords one resources of God
   • This Good News of the Kingdom speaks of the Reign of God. This emancipation is not possible without God ruling amongst us
   • This Good News was made possible through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus
2. The Mission of the Church is to Exercise authority over the Agencies of Human Brokenness
   • When human beings fell from the Grace of God, brokenness became part of human existence.
   • Brokenness is seen in the sufferings of humanity of all kinds and in many dimensions.
   • As the Church goes out to preach the Gospel, Jesus grants it the authority to perform miracles
   • Miracles are not the gospel but a demonstration of the goodness and love of God for those suffering
   • They are times when miracles do not happen, but that does not reduce the authenticity of the Gospel.
   • The total healing of human brokenness and a fuller reconstruction of humanity shall happen when Jesus returns and mortality puts on immortality, corruption puts on incorruptibility
   • However, as the believers go out, God wants to accompany them with signs and wonders.
   • Miracles accompany the preaching of the Gospels. Miracles happen more as the people go out to preach the gospel.

Application for the Church Today

1. Every believer and Local Church should demonstrate this two-fold mission of God,
2. Our replica teams should demonstrate the Urgency to Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom and believe for manifestation of the Power of the Kingdom

Altar Time

• Lord give me the urgency to Preach the Gospel
• Lord allow signs and wonders accompany the preaching of the Gospel