Some people say there are no apostles today. On the other hand, some Charismatics think it’s wrong to ever call someone a “false apostle.” They say things like, “Let the Lord judge,” “Don’t touch the Lord’s anointed,” or “Don’t be divisive. Nothing good comes from this.”
Yet Scripture praises Christians who tested people claiming to be apostles and found them false. It also warns against false apostles who enslave, exploit, exalt themselves, and preach another Jesus.
Whom we receive matters
Rejecting someone Jesus has truly sent is rejecting Jesus. But receiving a wicked person means participating in their evil work.
I believe true apostles still exist today. But true apostles equip and release the body of Christ; they do not make believers dependent on themselves.
False apostles often intimidate and manipulate people. When I was younger, I would fall prey to their antics. But now I know better. In this article, I want to show, through Scripture and personal experience, how to recognise the difference between true and false apostles.
How the Bible Tells Us to Test True and False Apostles
Scripture commends Christians who test those who claim to be apostles but are not and find them false.
Revelation 2:1-2 (NIV) To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands. I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked people, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
Many Scripture passages warn against false prophets, false apostles, and false teachers. See 2 Corinthians 11:13–15, Revelation 2:2, Matthew 7:15–20, Matthew 7:21–23, Matthew 24:24, Mark 13:22, Philippians 3:2, Galatians 1:6–9, Galatians 2:4–5, 2 Peter 2:1–3, 1 John 4:1, 2 John 7–11, Acts 20:29–31, Romans 16:17–18, 1 Timothy 6:3–5, 2 Timothy 3:5–9, 2 Timothy 4:3–4, Titus 1:10–11, Jude 4, 11–13, 16, Deuteronomy 13:1–5, Deuteronomy 18:20–22, Jeremiah 23:16–22, 25–32, Ezekiel 13:1–10, Micah 3:5, 11.
2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NIV) For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
From a biblical perspective, false apostles exist; they masquerade as servants of righteousness, and we are supposed to test and recognize them. Therefore, it’s unhealthy when Christians fail to recognize who is true and who is false.
In my own life, I grew in discernment as I got to know Jesus better. If we have no idea whether someone claiming to represent Jesus actually resembles Him, that may reveal that we do not yet know Jesus well or what He is like.
John 10:27 (WEB) My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
Scripture not only commends Christians who test apostles, but also rebukes Christians who put up with false apostles.
2 Corinthians 11:4, 20 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we didn’t preach, or if you receive a different spirit which you didn’t receive, or a different “good news” which you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough…
For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.
I live in Nigeria, and many Christian leaders here bear “Apostle” as a title, but most Charismatic Christians look down on anybody suggesting one of those leaders isn’t truly sent by Jesus. This is true even when there are reasons as serious as verified sexually predatory behaviour to question if Jesus really sent that person.
Scripture’s rebuke to Christians who put up with false apostles applies to much of the church today.
The answer is not to become suspicious and critical-spirited, pointing the finger at everybody we’ve ever heard called an apostle. Rejecting true servants of Jesus is just as much an error as failing to discern false ones. Rather, Scripture gives us concrete qualities that we can use to test whether someone is a true or false apostle.
What Is A True Apostle According to the Bible?
What Does the Greek Word “Apostle” Mean?
The word “apostle” in the New Testament is ἀπόστολος (apóstolos) and literally means one who is sent. The standard LSJ Greek lexicon defines apostolos as “a messenger, ambassador, envoy” and gives examples of the word in secular Greek literature before its Christian use. When the New Testament was written, this was not a title or a particularly religious word.
This is important because many people have wrongly viewed apostleship as a high position in a religious hierarchy. Some have argued that there are no more apostles today, while others have construed apostleship as a position of command and control.
Apostles Are Sent Servants, Not Spiritual Rulers
According to Jesus’ teaching, greatness in God’s kingdom is not about ruling, but about serving.
Scripture repeatedly associates apostleship with being a servant, or more literally, a slave.
Romans 1:1 NIV Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God…
2nd Peter 1:1 (NIV) Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ…
The apostle Paul associates apostleship with low status, not high status:
For it seems to me that God has put us, apostles, on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honoured, we are dishonoured!
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty; we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.
Paul did not claim rulership over God’s people, but rather that he was their slave:
For what we preach is not ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves [merely] as your servants (slaves) for Jesus’ sake.
1 Corinthians 9:19 (NIV) Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.
In his paper Apostles—Slaves of Christ, Brian Dodd (Doctor of New Testament Studies, Sheffield University) writes that an apostle was normally an expendable, unvalued slave. The master would pick the slave he could most afford to lose. The apostle-slave might be the same as the lowest household slave who was given the shameful duty of washing feet, as Jesus did in John chapter 13.
In fact, immediately after washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus himself compares an apostle to a slave. The word translated “one who is sent” in the verse below is the Greek “apostolos.”
John 13:16 (WEB) Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him.
What can we infer from this? One of the most surprising inferences is that apostles were common, not rare. There were many of them.
Another important point is that “slavery” is not an office of authority over others. Apostles did carry authority, but only inasmuch as they represented the master who sent them. The authority was not their own.
Are There Apostles Today?
To answer this question, we need to set aside later religious ideas about the word “apostle” and consider what it meant to Jesus and his disciples. It was simply someone who was sent. The Bible uses the term “apostle” to describe many people beyond the 12 disciples.
The Latin word “missio” means “sent,” just as the Greek “apostle” is a “sent one.” This is where we get the word “missionary.”
Does God send people today? Does he call missionaries to carry his message today? If he does, there are still apostles today.
Think of what Paul and the other New Testament apostles did. They proclaimed Christ’s message in new places, and many of them were eventually killed for it. Many Christians in modern history, especially in Asia and Africa, have carried Christ’s message and been killed for it.
Many true apostles of Christ are still at work today. They are common, not rare. But many of them are relatively unknown and don’t carry “Apostle” as a title. Many people today also claim the title “apostle” but are not.
Ephesians 4:11-13 says God has given us ministers, including apostles, to perfect the saints, serve, and build up the body of Christ until we all reach maturity and the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.
If it is clear that the church has not yet reached the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, it should be clear that Christ still sends apostles today.
When we discuss Biblical apostleship, the emphasis is not on who the apostle is, but on who sent him.
Are Signs and Wonders a Mark of a True Apostle?
Paul said the “signs of an apostle” were demonstrated among the Corinthians with perseverance, accompanied by signs, wonders, and mighty works.
2 Corinthians 12:12 (WEB) Truly the signs of an apostle were worked among you in all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty works.
This is simply because, throughout the New Testament, the gospel message is meant to be accompanied by signs and wonders. God confirms his word with power.
Yet that does not mean everyone who carries supernatural signs is from God. Scripture teaches us to discern between true and lying signs and wonders. The deeper question is whether these signs are pointing to Christ or away from him.
This also does not imply that only apostles walk in signs and wonders. All disciples of Jesus are called to heal the sick, cast out demons, and proclaim God’s word, confirmed by signs.
Do You Need an Apostle’s Spiritual Covering to Walk in God’s Power?
Rather than merely presenting themselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake, false apostles preach themselves. They demand that you serve them.
They often suggest that obedience to them is a means of receiving God’s blessing, presenting themselves as mediators between you and God.
Those who are truly sent by Jesus would never do that.
1 Timothy 2:5 (WEB) For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus
Some have taught that the church lacks signs and wonders because Christians are not properly aligned, hierarchically, under apostles and prophets. They teach that you need an apostle to be your “spiritual covering.”
Yet every Scriptural use of the word “covering” I’ve found is a role only God can fill.
I do believe in submitting to one another and to leaders, and walking in healthy relationship in the body of Christ. But Biblical submission is mutual, not hierarchical or intermediary. Don’t fall for the lie that the way you “get God’s power” is by submitting to an apostle!
My Experience With God’s Power Outside an “Apostolic Covering”
I don’t care much whether you call me an “apostle” or not, because I don’t see “apostleship” as a high-status title. I may not fit all the qualifications of a Biblical “apostle,” such as preaching Christ where he was not known. I’ve seen Jesus restore sight and hearing and heal supposedly “incurable” diseases; occult spirits giving up their witchcraft items because they couldn’t stand God’s fire.
In fact, I just got back from a trip where I may have spent 10 hours in the car sharing wild supernatural testimonies, and it was very little compared to all I’ve experienced.
I know what it is to share the message of Jesus and watch the Holy Spirit back it up supernaturally. In fact, I’ve often seen more of God’s supernatural work among people in my daily life than I’ve seen from many people on a stage who claim apostleship and claim to be above others.
False apostles intimidated me when I was younger, but today, I’m no longer impressed. Here are some of the contrasts I’ve seen between false apostleship and truly being sent by God.
True Apostles Walk Humbly Among Others; False Apostles Are Elitist
I’ve experienced many miracles and supernatural signs, and I know this is God’s grace to glorify Jesus. It’s not about who I am, and I don’t deserve it. I relate deeply to Paul’s words, “We proclaim Jesus as Lord and ourselves as your servants for his sake.”
In fact, most of these miracles have happened as I was among other people. I have never demanded that others serve me because of these signs. I’ve never demanded a right to boss them around.
I’ve never asked for tithes or told people they owed me an offering or any sort of honor related to God healing or delivering them. And I never would. So when people claim to be apostles and engage in such practices, I’m not impressed.
Paul, an apostle, repeatedly called the other Christians his “brothers,” overwhelmingly using language that put him on the same level as them. He exhorted Christians not to be haughty, but to associate with the humble. (Romans 12:16)
I have seen some of the greatest signs, wonders, and miracles in poor neighborhoods and drug rehabs where I associated with the humble, on the same level as them. I’ve experienced the greatest glory and supernatural power when I realized, “I need Jesus just as much, right now, as every person in this rehab.”
So I’m totally unimpressed when someone who calls themself an apostle relates to others as if they are below them. Such a person is obsessed with self, not a true apostle sent to represent the Master.
I ministered to a man on the street who received sight in an eye that was blind because he was stabbed. He didn’t “sow a seed” into my ministry, and I never imagined I was better than him. I’m just a servant. I’m glad he received God’s mercy just as I have.
So when I hear someone call themself an apostle and demand to be served or say, “Sow a seed for your healing,” I don’t even wonder what to think. He’s not representing Christ. He has his own agenda.
I’ve often seen those I consider true apostles regularly associate and mix with low-status people. One example is Heidi Baker, who speaks of sitting in the dirt with children and learning from them.
Look at what the Apostle Paul said right after his statement about being a servant to all:
1 Corinthians 9:22 (WEB) To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
Paul’s disposition was the very opposite of the elite attitude that false apostles carry.
This reminds me of a recent weekend in which an impoverished, dirty old man wanted to share his cup of ramen noodle soup with me. I wasn’t particularly interested in the soup. But to reach him, it was important that I share food on the same level as him.
Many missionaries understand this concept. It’s part of making ourselves the servants of all for Jesus’ sake.
True Apostles Equip and Release the Body of Christ; False Apostles Restrict It
The people I’ve known to be genuine servants of Christ, truly walking in God’s power, empowered the body of Christ rather than restricting or controlling other Christians.
Many call themselves apostles and expect people to seek their approval to obey Jesus. They say things like this:
“You need to submit before you can be released.”
“Know your rank.”
“Stay in your lane.”
“Your gift needs to come under governmental order.”
“You need your apostle’s blessing before you step out.”
“Honor unlocks access to the anointing.”
“The anointing flows from the head down.”
“You need apostolic alignment.”
“You have to prove your loyalty.”
“You can’t just go out and minister on your own.”
“You aren’t ready to be released yet.”
“You may be gifted, but you’re not authorized.”
“You need to come into divine order.”
“God works through delegated authority.”
“Don’t move until you’re released.”
More recently, I’ve seen this kind of restrictive teaching in statements from Kathryn Krick, implying that the anointing is received through honoring “apostles” and relegating the supernatural commission Jesus gave his disciples to only certain people.
I’ve taught young people who’ve prayed for the sick and seen tremendous miracles, and I never once asked them to serve, honor, or give me anything. One was three months into his Christian faith. I spoke to him as a brother and friend, on the same level, and soon after, he was seeing miracles like healing of blindness and HIV.
More recently, I hung out with a young missionary, encouraged him, and he prayed for several people who were supernaturally healed. I didn’t ask him for anything. I don’t expect him to start calling me his “spiritual father.” No strings attached.
I do believe in godly honour, but not in the perversion of honor in which leaders are demanding to be honored by others rather than seeking for Christ to be honored. In fact, once, as I was teaching, the Lord told me, “I want you to honor Jesus by honoring every member of the body of Christ.”
That meant having people minister healing to each other rather than just having them stand in a line for me to minister to them. Many times when ministering in that way, we have seen the vast majority or all of the people in a group who requested minister receive healing.
In fact, when Jesus’ disciples saw someone they didn’t know driving out demons in Christ’s name and wanted to stop him, Jesus rebuked them. (Luke 9:49–50)
False Apostles May Lack God’s Power—or Display Counterfeit Power
I’ve seen many who called themselves apostles have lots of hype but actually lack real power. Not only do they restrict others from walking in God’s power, but they themselves fail to do what Jesus said.
Others operate in occultic power, sometimes even calling down curses on those who oppose them. For example, I’ve heard several accounts of “Apostle David Taylor” cursing people with cancer and them later dying. (He is currently under investigation for sexual misconduct, money laundering, and human trafficking.)
I heard one false apostle scream, “God hates you if you aren’t tithing.” He seemed to operate in occult power, but what I saw lacking was the power to make true disciples of Jesus. Like many, he was hindering people from becoming disciples of Jesus rather than empowering them.
True Apostles Serve Others; False Apostles Demand to be Served
False apostles demand honor and service for themselves. Here are some common sayings in a false apostolic paradigm:
“You must serve the anointing you want to receive.”
“You have to serve another man’s vision before God gives you your own.”
“Sons serve the house.”
“If you can’t serve, you can’t lead.” (True, but the context is demanding service rather than modeling it.)
Rather than demanding service from others, true apostles should be the greatest examples of servants. They serve the church and serve the vision and calling God gives to younger Christians, rather than demanding that the others serve their vision.
In 2 Corinthians chapters 11 and 12, Paul compares himself with false apostles. In contrast to the false apostles who demanded to be served and put burdens on God’s people, he says:
2 Corinthians 12:14-15 (WEB) “ Behold, this is the third time I am ready to come to you, and I will not be a burden to you; for I seek not your possessions, but you. For the children ought not to save up for the parents, but the parents for the children. I will most gladly spend and be spent for your souls. If I love you more abundantly, am I loved the less?
True Apostles Proclaim Christ; False Apostles Proclaim Themselves
False apostles and false apostolic movements center heavily on the “apostle.” The “vision of the house” or the “apostle’s vision” replaces Christ’s vision in Scripture for the church. They may also discourage people “under” them from receiving from other leaders in the body of Christ.
A common mark of this error is speaking as if apostles held a position of “headship,” when only Christ is head of the church. Here are some more quotes:
“You can only receive from someone you honor.”
“Stay connected to the source of your anointing.” (As if the leader and not Christ were the source)
“You need impartation from an apostle or prophet.” (I believe in impartation but not in a way that makes an apostle or prophet the intermediary)
“You need a spiritual father.”
“You can’t receive the grace in this house if you’re not submitted to it.”
“There can’t be two heads.”
“The leader hears from God for the house.”
“Don’t bring your own vision into another man’s house.”
“Your calling must serve the vision of the house.”
In my city, one leader went as far as teaching, “If you want to be a part of this ministry and receive my anointing, you must eat my flesh and drink my blood.” A young leader was removed for saying, “I don’t want his anointing. I just want the anointing of Jesus.”
False apostles are obsessed with “my ministry” or “my anointing.” To the contrary, I’ve known true servants of Christ to say things like, “I don’t have a ministry. I just get to participate in Jesus’ ministry.”\
True Apostles Receive Other Believers; False Apostles Demand One-Way Submission
I recently met someone from an abusive “apostolic” church who said, “You need to meet my apostle. You could learn so much from him.”
I thought, “Would he be willing to learn from me?”
Later, as I shared how the Bible in Greek uses the term “deacon” (servant) to describe Jesus and the apostles, she protested vociferously. “What you’re saying is dangerous!”
She only thought Biblical doctrine was “dangerous” because of the false doctrine she’d learned about the role of apostles. It offended her terribly to think of Jesus and the apostles as servants.
I’ve learned that mutuality is impossible with false apostles, and if you are truly sent by Jesus, they will see you as a threat and want to subjugate you. The apostle John noted this in 3 John, where he rebukes Diotrephes, who loves to be first and refuses to welcome John and the other brothers. John also gives this broader principle for discerning who receives those truly sent by God:
1 John 4: 6 (WEB) We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn’t listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
False apostles often reject true servants of God. Sometimes this manifests as insisting that you don’t listen to other Christian leaders, only to them.
False Apostles Divert On-Fire Christians From Serving Jesus
Many on-fire Christians who sincerely want to give their all for Jesus have been diverted from their call when a false apostle deceives them into believing his ministry is the key to “more.” Some have moved to another state, gone broke, or wrecked their lives because they believed they were honoring Jesus by serving or honoring the “man/woman of God.”
By God’s grace, I’ve participated in Jesus’ work and seen amazing signs and wonders for 20 years. I’ve shared many of the stories on this blog. The key is not a special anointing or being “under” the right minister. It is believing what Jesus has already accomplished.
Don’t be duped by endless future promises of what is “about to happen” that keep you in unbelief regarding what Jesus has already done. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand now. You can live in God’s power now, healing the sick, casting out demons, and preaching the gospel with signs and wonders.
Never let serving the demands of a religious leader hinder you from serving Jesus with all your heart, soul, and strength!
False Apostles Preach Another Jesus and Another Gospel
2 Corinthians 11:4, 20 For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we didn’t preach, or if you receive a different spirit which you didn’t receive, or a different “good news” which you didn’t accept, you put up with that well enough…
For you bear with a man if he brings you into bondage, if he devours you, if he takes you captive, if he exalts himself, or if he strikes you on the face.
False apostles preach another gospel, in which they are the mediators rather than Christ, or in which you gain God’s blessing by serving and sacrificing or tithing to them as opposed to being blessed through Jesus’ sacrifice for us.
False apostles come in a different spirit than the spirit of Christ. They are arrogant and accusatory. They demand to be served, threaten, manipulate, and bring the church into bondage.
Greed and Exploitation Are Major Marks of False Apostles
One of the greatest marks of a false apostle is greed, which Scripture calls a work of the flesh on par with adultery. False apostles love to quote, “They laid the money at the apostles’ feet,” and leave out the rest of the verse, which says, “they distributed it to everyone who had need.” (Acts 4:34–35)
In many real cases, I’ve seen that false apostles who are willing to exploit others with manipulative financial practices are often also willing to exploit other people sexually.
Scripture does not tell us to overlook greed because someone is gifted, influential, or “being used by God.” Paul says not to even eat with a professing believer who is characterized by greed or exploitation.
1 Corinthians 5:11 (WEB) But as it is, I wrote to you not to associate with anyone who is called a brother who is a sexual sinner, or covetous, or an idolater, or a slanderer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner. Don’t even eat with such a person.
The Bible also tells believers to recognize and avoid those who persist in destructive behavior. It does not teach, “Don’t judge; just overlook it because God is using them.”
Romans 16:17–18 (KJV) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
How to Recognize a False Apostle: Biblical Signs and Checklist
No single characteristic should be isolated from the rest of Scripture, but the Bible gives us clear patterns for testing those who claim to be apostles. Here are some of the contrasts we have seen:
Biblical Test
True Apostles: Proclaim Jesus as Lord and themselves as servants (2 Corinthians 4:5).
False Apostles: Proclaim themselves, their ministry, their mantle, or their anointing.
Who do they exalt?
Are they humble or status-conscious?
True Apostles: Walk in humility, recognise their dependence on God’s grace, and identify themselves as servants rather than spiritual elites (Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 4:9–13).
False Apostles: Exalt themselves, emphasize rank or status, and relate to other believers as though they are spiritually superior.
How do they relate to ordinary and lowly people?
True Apostles: Associate with the humble, become all things to all people, and willingly live and minister among those of low position (Romans 12:16; 1 Corinthians 9:19–22).
False Apostles: Create distance between themselves and ordinary believers, cultivate elitism, and expect others to approach them according to rank, protocol, or status.
What do they do with believers?
Equip and release the saints to do the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11–13).
Restrict believers and make ministry dependent on their permission, covering, approval, or “release.”
Do they serve or demand service?
Make themselves servants of all and gladly spend themselves for others (1 Corinthians 9:19; 2 Corinthians 12:14–15).
Demand honor and service, exalt themselves, and bring others into bondage (2 Corinthians 11:20).
What do they do with money?
True Apostles: Freely give what God has given and care more about people than their possessions (Matthew 10:8; 2 Corinthians 12:14).
False Apostles: Exploit people, manipulate offerings, or make giving a means of accessing blessing, healing, or anointing.
Do they point directly to Christ?
Recognize Jesus as the one mediator between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5).
Function as if believers need them as an intermediary to receive God’s protection, blessing, power, anointing, or direction.
What kind of authority do they exercise?
True Apostles: Use authority to build others up, serve them, and help them mature in Christ.
False Apostles: Emphasize hierarchy, rank, control, exclusive loyalty, and one-way submission.
Do they receive other believers?
True Apostles: Recognize, receive, and learn from other members of Christ’s body rather than demanding one-way relationships.
False Apostles: Demand that others receive from them while resisting correction, mutuality, or ministry from those they consider beneath them.
What fruit follows their ministry?
True Apostles: Produce mature disciples who increasingly hear God, obey Jesus, and minister Christ to others.
False Apostles: Produce dependence on the leader, fear of leaving, and believers who feel unable to function without the leader’s approval or covering.
What accompanies their message?
True Apostles: God confirms the gospel through signs, wonders, and mighty works, while the apostle directs attention back to Christ (2 Corinthians 12:12).
False Apostles: May lack genuine spiritual power or use supernatural claims, manifestations, or counterfeit signs to authenticate themselves.
What gospel do they preach?
True Apostles: Proclaim the Jesus and gospel revealed in Scripture and lead people into freedom in Christ.
False Apostles: Bring another Jesus, another spirit, or another gospel that leads people into bondage (2 Corinthians 11:4, 20). They act as mediators between you and God. Their ministry, rather than what Jesus has done, becomes the “key” to revival.
The question is not whether someone uses the title apostle, has a large ministry, draws crowds, performs signs, or claims an unusual anointing.
The question is whether that person’s message, character, fruit, use of authority, and treatment of God’s people resemble Jesus and the apostles we see in Scripture.
True apostolic ministry makes Jesus more central, walks humbly among His people, and equips them to function. False apostolic ministry makes the apostle more central, elevates the leader above the people, and makes believers increasingly dependent on him or her.
Conclusion: True Apostles Equip and Release the Body of Christ
I believe God still calls and sends true apostles today. Yet much of what I have seen called the “apostolic movement” goes contrary to the marks of true apostleship.
I would not be walking in God’s power as I do today if I had not rejected false “apostolic” paradigms. I stopped waiting for someone to “release” me to obey Jesus, and stopped being intimidated by those who sought to control me and demand that I serve them.
True apostles do not make themselves intermediaries between you and Jesus. They walk humbly among God’s people, proclaim Christ rather than themselves, and equip and release the body of Christ to obey Him.