True apostolic leaders base their teaching on the Scriptures. Counterfeits either wrest the Scriptures exegetically or base their teaching on subjective experience. Joseph Mattera

True apostolic leaders base their teaching on the Scriptures. Counterfeits either wrest the Scriptures exegetically or base their teaching on subjective experience. Joseph Mattera

True apostolic leaders uplift Pastors and churches. The counterfeits usurp the authority of pastors and their churches. Joseph Mattera

The profile of the apostolic leaders in the Bible does not make it personality driven but part of the organic church that serves as the visible body of the invisible Christ. Joseph Mattera

By nature, apostolic leaders are visionary leaders called into territories not yet reached for Christ; they are used by God in the areas of church planting, networking leaders, creating coalitions and equipping the saints to serve Christ in the workplace, not just the church place. Joseph Mattera

Although those in the so-called NAR teach that the church should transition from a “pastoral paradigm” to an “apostolic paradigm”, it does not mean that the pastoral role has to be eradicated or overthrown. By nature, pastors are called to maintain, protect, and care for the flock, which may have initially been founded by the apostolic ministry. Hence, while the apostolic leader usually doesn’t stay focused on one local congregation but exerts extra local influence in some capacity (after the local church is established), pastors are appointed to focus on the well-being of the local church. Joseph Mattera

Some historians have estimated that by A.D. 100, the gospel had spread to nearly every Roman Province and region. Up until A.D. 50, the focal point of the church was Jerusalem and Samaria, however, within the next 50 years, the major concentration of the church was in Rome and Ephesus. Joseph Mattera

The fact is that when the goal is to merely plant a church, the main objective would be to gather a big crowd and build big buildings to house the masses. However, if the goal is to make disciples, then the focus would be to create a Jesus community whose goal would be to establish Christ’s Kingdom and not man’s. Joseph Mattera

Discipleship is tough. Disciples have to have the attitude and diligence of a soldier, athlete, and hard-working farmer. They also have to be faithful, capable, and able to communicate the gospel clearly to others. Joseph Mattera