Traditionally theologians
have referred to the Epistles of First and Second Timothy, as well as Titus as
Pastoral Epistles. Nothing could be further from the Truth. Timothy and Titus
were both Spiritual Sons to Apostle Paul and as such were being fathered,
mentored and trained as young up and coming emerging Apostles in their own
right.
If you read the New Testament
through the Paradigm of an Apostolic Mindset, this will be quite clear. Paul
clearly referred to Timothy as his son. (see 1 Corinthians 4: 17, 1 Timothy 1:
2 & 18 and 2 Timothy 1:2) Titus was also referred to as his son. (see Titus
1:4) With that in mind we are better off referring to these Epistles as
Apostolic Epistles, not Pastoral Epistles.
I want to draw your
attention to one passage from Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy:
“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation,
to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which
was given to you by prophecy with the
laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give
yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.
Take heed to yourself and to
the doctrine. Continue in them,
for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” 1 Timothy 4:
13-16 NKJV (Emphasis Mine)
I have highlighted some
words in this passage that we should pay attention to as an Apostolic Father
was writing to an Emerging Apostolic Son:
Ø Reading
Ø Exhortation
Ø Doctrine
Ø The Gift
Ø Prophecy
Ø Laying On Of Hands
Ø Meditate
Ø Doctrine (second
time…just maybe it is important)
Ø Continue
It is quite often that we
get asked what Apostolic Ministry is all about and how does it differ from
other types of ministry. This should be a PROOF TEXT for every Apostle and
Emerging Apostle in the Body of Christ!
We could go into great
detail on each one of these bullet points, but suffice it to say, each and
every one of them are an integral part of Apostolic Ministry. These were things
that Paul stressed to his Son Timothy. If we are going to be truly New
Testament Apostolic all of these things will be part of what we do; and if we
are going to raise up Apostolic Sons, we will stress these things to them just
as Paul stressed them to Timothy.
