APOSTOLIC TEAMS

(Biblical Basis)

Greek Definitions

apostle – apostolos meaning one sent forth, one sent, a delegate, ambassador,  (II Corinthians 8:23; Philippians 2:25)

messenger – apostolos meaning one sent forth (Same as above)

apostleship – apostole meaning a sending forth, commission, apostleship (postolate) (Acts 1:25; Romans 1:5; I Corinthians 9:2; Galatians 2:8)

companion – sunekdemos meaning fellow worker, fellow traveler, companion in travel, travel with (Acts 19:29; Philippians 2:25)

worker – sunergos meaning joint worker, co-laborer, fellow helper, laborer together with, workfellow (Romans 16:21;
II Corinthians 6:1)

work – ergon meaning ministry, work, to work, toil, an effort, occupation, an act, deed, doing, labor (Acts 13:2, 14:26)

Apostolic Views

Dispensation View – Limited to New Testament and to the original 12 apostles and Paul (I Corinthians 13:8-10)

Succession View – Papal System (Matthew 16:16-19)

Continuing View – Twelve and other Apostles

Original Twelve Distinctive:

Called directly by Jesus (Luke 6:13-16) and Present at Jesus’ baptism, ascension & witness of His resurrection (Acts 12:21-22)

Other Apostles:

Continuing Gift of Equipping (Ephesians 4:11-16;

I Corinthians 12:28-29)

Paul (I Corinthians 15:8)

Barnabas (Acts 13:50; 14:3-4)

Andronicus & Junias (Romans 16:7; I Thessalonians 1:1, 2:6)

Silas  & unnamed apostle (Acts 16:40)

Epaphroditus (Philippians 2:25)

Paul, Silas & Timothy (I Thessalonians 1:1; 2:6)

James, brother of Jesus (Galatians 1:19)

Titus (II Corinthians 8:23; Titus 1:5)

Apollos (I Corinthians 4:6, 9)

Others inferred as traveling companions:

Luke, Epaprus, Marcus, Aristarchus, Demas, Sopater, Secundus, Gaius, Tychicus, Trophomus (Acts 20:4; Colossians 4:14; II Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24)

Apostolic Equipping Team – Key Passage: (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Apostolic Team as Servants –

Paul (Romans1:1; Titus 1:1)

Peter (II Peter1:1)

John (II John 1; III John 1)

Apostolic Team Combination of Gifts –

Paul a teacher (I Timothy 2:7; II Timothy 1:11)

Barnabas an encourager and giver (Acts 4:34-37; 11:25)

Silas a prophet (Acts 15:32)

Timothy an evangelist (II Timothy 4:5)

Apostolic Team Plurality –

Peter & the eleven (Acts 2:14)

Peter & John (Acts 3:1)

Barnabas & Saul (Acts 14:14, 23)

Peter & James (Acts 15:7, 13)

Paul, Barnabas and certain other of them (Acts 15:2)

Paul, Barnabas, Judas and Silas (Acts 15:22, 25)

Judas and Silas (Acts 15:32)

Barnabas, Saul and John Mark (Acts 12:12, 25; 13:5, 13)

Barnabas and John Mark (Acts 15:36-41)

Paul & Silas (Acts 15:36-41)

Luke, Timothy and Paul (Acts 18:1-18, 26)

Apollos (Acts 18:24)

Timothy, Erastus and Paul (Acts 19:22)

Luke and Paul (Acts 27:1)

Paul and Timothy (Acts 16:1; I Thessalonians 1:1, 2:6;

II Timothy 1:6)

Andronicus and Junius (Romans16:7)

Titus and messengers (II Corinthians 8:23)

Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus (I Thessalonians 2:6)

Epaphras, Marchus, Aristarchus, Demas, Lucas (Philemon 23-25)

Peter and Marcus (I Peter 5:13)

When & Where Apostolic Teams Traveled –

Example of Paul’s decision making (Acts 16:6-11)

How Long Apostolic Teams Stayed in One Location –

Paul’s Example:

Three months in Ephesus (Acts 19:8)

Three months in Greece (Acts 20:3)

Three months in Melita (Acts 28:11)

One year in Antioch (Acts 11:26)

One year and six months in Corinth (Acts 18:11)

Two years in Ephesus (Acts 19:10)

Two years in Rome (Acts 28:30)

Three years in Asia (Acts 20:31)

Apostolic Team Teaching –

Apostles’ doctrine: “Jesus” (Acts 2:42, 5:42)

Apostolic Team Equipping and Training –

Equipping (Ephesians 4:11-16)

Training of spiritual father apprenticeship, i.e., Paul and Timothy (Acts 16:1-4)

Apostolic Teams’ Geographical Roots –

Andronicus - Rome (Romans 16:7)

Apollos - Alexandria (Acts 18:24)

Aquila - Pontus (Acts 18:2)

Aristarchus- Thessalonica (Acts 19:29; 20:4; 27:2)

Barnabas - Cyprus (Acts 4:36)

Demas - Thessalonica (II Timothy 4:10)

Crescens - Galatia (I Timothy 4:10)

Gaius - Macedonia (Acts19:19)

John Mark - Jerusalem (Acts 12:12)

Judas Barsabas - Jerusalem (Acts 15:22)

Lucius - Cyrene (Acts 13:1)

Manaen - Antioch (Acts 13:1)

Paul - Tarsus (Acts 9:11, 30)

Secundus - Thessalonica (Acts 20:4)

Sopater - Berea (Acts 20:4)

Timothy - Derbe (Acts 16:1)

Trophimas - Ephesus (Acts 20:4)

Tychicus - Asia (Acts 20:4)

Titus - Dalmatia (Galatians 2:3)

Apostolic Team Sphere of Influence –

Peter - Jews (Galatians 2:7-8, 11, 14)

Paul - Gentiles (Galatians 2:7-8, 11, 14)

Peter & John - Judea and Samaria (Acts 8:14-25)

Peter (Acts 10:1-11:18)

John -Asia (I, II, III John; Revelation 1:1-22:21)

James – Jerusalem (Acts 15:13-29)

Paul – Not where Christ was named (Romans 15:20)

Paul and Apollos- Laborers together (I Corinthians 3:6-9)

Apostolic Team Relationship to Elders –

“Apostles and elders in Jerusalem.” (Acts 15:2, 6)

 “I who am also an elder…servant and apostle.” (I Peter 5:1; II Peter 1:1)

 “Ordain elders in every church…every city.” (Acts 14:23; Titus 1:5)

“Paul sent to Ephesus and called for the elders of the church.” (Acts 20:17)

 “John, the elder…” (II John 1:1; III John 1:1)

Apostolic Team Relationship to Churches –

Barnabas and Saul took money to churches (Acts 11:29-30)

Barnabas and Saul taught the whole church (Acts 11:26; I Corinthians 14:17)

Saul and Barnabas returned to the churches confirming and exhorting. (Acts 14:23)

Paul and Barnabas gathered the church and rehearsed. (Acts 14:27)

Paul had daily care of the churches. (II Corinthians 11:28)

Paul & Timothy set in order. (I Corinthians 14:40; Titus 1:5)

Apostolic Team Financial Support –

Walk of faith, trusting God for resources “70” and “12” take nothing and look for “man of peace”: (Lk.10:1-17; Matt.10:5-14)

Churches supported Jerusalem: (Acts 2:44-45); Philippi (Philippians 4:15)

Individuals supported: Barnabas (Acts 4:34-37), Lydia (Acts 16:12-40) and Dorcas (Acts 9:36-43)

Tent making: Paul and Aquila. (Acts 18:13)

JESUS OUR EXAMPLE –

Apostle (Hebrews 3:1)

Prophet (Luke 24:19)

Evangelist (Luke 4:18)

Pastor (I Peter 2:25, 5:4)

Teacher (John 3:2)