We are compelled to reach out as far as is required to not only save a soul but to engage them in the process of becoming a disciple.  

Reaching farther adds to the church while reaching deeper multiplies the church. Adding is good but not good enough to reach the four billion people in our neighborhood. But when we mobilize disciples who will mobilize disciples, growth will be exponential.

An apostle is like the nobleman in the parables of the minas. He will entrust a portion of his currency to his servants, according to the potential he sees in them.

The worth of the apostle.

As in the parables, the currency of the Kingdom is the gift you have been given by Jesus; apostle, prophet, evangelist and pastor/teacher.  

What do you have to give? The gift you have received and whatever you have built that makes you an influencer. How do you know if the gift is working? It is reproducing itself in those you lead. 

An apostle owns something his disciples have need of in order for them to succeed. He is a father to those who agree with adoption and a role model of how a disciple can disciple others.  

Apostolic attitude.

Apostles despise ordinary existence. Ordinary is the state of life where you just serve yourself. The Kingdom makes no promises to ordinary people, except that they can become extraordinary! 

Ordinary people are born and they die, and in between they take selfies, or they make bricks just to keep themselves alive. 

Ordinary people don’t build anything beyond their own comfort zone because they can’t see anything beyond their own wants. They think the world, their country, their employer, their church, their family and God owe them a good life. Everything exists to benefit them. They value the church and giving to charity in as much as their involvement makes them feel better about themselves, usually for about $10. They have no vision, no restraint, no plan for success.  

The ordinary never wins the race. Ordinary people become casualties of war in the war for purpose. Andy Stanley explains that the catch to ‘purpose’ is that it’s not for you. You are not the end goal, you are a means to an end. Your purpose is for others or it’s not a purpose. People don’t want purpose because it makes you exist for the benefit of others.  

Apostolic trigger. 

In reaching deeper, how can we turn on the process of discipleship?

When the apostolic is activated, destinies are perceived and pursued. Remember Jephthah from Judges 11? He was born to a big family of brothers, the problem was that he had a different mother – he was the son of a prostitute. He was rejected from the family inheritance and excommunicated by his brothers. He made friends with other outcasts, they were a rough and renegade bunch. But when the clan was threatened with war, the wimpy brothers called Jephthah back to be their leader. They needed somebody with enough brass to instigate and lead a war. They needed somebody who could pull the trigger.  

How do we instigate advancement, launch vision, trigger the apostolic gift? It’s simple,  when nobody else knows what to do, stand up and prophesy.  

Here’s the version in full HD (Heavy Duty)