The views on the office of the apostle in the present-day church have polarized into two opposing camps—cessationism and continuationism. In general, cessationists believe the office of the apostle ceased after the original twelve and Paul (Berg 2023), and continuationists believe the office of the apostle and miraculous spiritual gifts continue today. Although each camp has subcamps that vary in the strictness of its beliefs.
Apostles Other than Paul and the Original Twelve?
The purpose of this article is not to debate which view is correct. However, the Scriptures provide evidence of apostles other than Paul and the original twelve. Namely:
- James, the Lord’s brother:
- Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days. 19 I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord’s brother. (Galatians 1:18-19 NIV)
- Barnabas:
- So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to perform signs and wonders. 4 The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. (Acts 14:3-4 NIV)
- Timothy and Silas
- Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. (1 Thess. 1:1, 2:5-6)
- Apollos:
- Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. 7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? 8 Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! 9 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. 10 We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11 To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 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. (1 Cor. 4:6-13 NIV)
- Andronicus and Junia:
- Greet Andronicus and Junia, my fellow Jews who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. (Romans 16:7 NIV)
- Yes, I know these two, especially Junia, are highly debated. But there is much evidence that Junia was indeed an apostle. Again, that is not the focus of this article.
Also note that Phillip, the Evangelist, performed great signs and wonders and was obviously not an apostle. However, that means he was also not part of the original twelve or Paul, but God still used him in miraculous spiritual gifts. “When the crowds heard Philip and saw the signs he performed, they all paid close attention to what he said. 7 For with shrieks, impure spirits came out of many, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was great joy in that city” (Acts 8:6-8 NIV).
All Five Fingers?
But again, defending continuationism is not the purpose of this article. The Bible already does that. I am more interested in drawing attention to what Jesus told the original twelve when first sending them out. I believe it is very important not to take the title of apostle and not understand the responsibility of the office. Jesus’ words give insight into both the responsibility of the office and the responsibility of just being His disciple. So, everyone should pay attention to what He said.
Moreover, the office of an apostle is not a title to be taken simply because it appeals to the flesh as the “highest of the fivefold offices,” an erroneous belief. Each office is needed to fully equip the body (Ephesians 4:11-13). While you may be able to survive without your pinky finger, you operate at maximum dexterity with all five of your fingers. The same is spiritually true for the body of Christ. The belief that you are more spiritual than everyone else because you are an apostle leads many to walk in pride, and God resists the proud (James 4:6).
Sober Disciples?
The main point is that Jesus’s words to the original twelve should sober us—all of us. He told them to be ready to die for the faith. John was the only one of the original twelve who was not martyred. (Voice of the Martyrs 2021) He told them to be ready to be thrown into prison. Note that Junia was imprisoned, and Paul commends her for that (Romans 16:7). He told them to be ready to be forsaken by their family and isolated in the times of their greatest need. Paul said he was in fastings often, shipwrecked, beaten, and more—all for the sake of his calling (2 Corinthians 11:27). He told them they must be unwilling to waver in their confession of Jesus Christ, unwilling to deny him upon threat of death. These are some of the things Jesus told the original twelve as he sent them out.
So, the office is more than just planting churches. If people seriously considered these things, perhaps they would not so quickly take the title, “apostle.” Perhaps we would all grapple with the severity and cost of discipleship.
Jesus’ Words to Disciples
There’s much to learn from Jesus’ words. So, let’s consider Matthew 10, which details what Jesus told the original twelve disciples, whom he called as his original apostles, when first sending them out. Let’s consider the passage in sections. We’ll explore verses 1-10 in this post and the next ten verses in a subsequent blog post. Think about what these verses mean for your discipleship and/or apostleship:
Verses 1-4:
Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. 2 These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. (Matthew 10:1-4 NIV)
The same authority they were given to drive demons and heal has been given to every believer. “And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well” (Mark 16:17-18 NIV).
- So here is a question we all must ask and answer: As a disciple, are you walking in this authority, or do you carry people to your pastor when they have a demon? What do you need to go to the next level in this area?
They were men from all walks of life. Matthew was an outcast tax collector. Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen and unlearned (Acts 4:13). Simon was a radical with military training. They were as diverse as the body of Christ is today. God can use people from all backgrounds and still does.
Whoever they were and wherever they came from, they had to pay the price of discipleship, and an even greater cost of apostleship. None was exempt.
- Another question for thought: As a disciple, are you convinced God wants to use you? Are you ready to pay the price?
Verses 5-6
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6 Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. (Matthew 10:5-6 NIV)
They were given an initial jurisdiction. Unlike Paul, who was sent to the Gentiles from the beginning of his ministry, their initial jurisdiction was the Jews and, of course, grew over time (Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost parts of the earth). The point is every believer has a jurisdiction, meaning, a sphere of influence in which God wants them to make disciples and influence others for the Kingdom. No one is exempt.
- Who (or what people group) is God calling you to influence?
Verses 7-8
As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (Matthew 10:7-8 NIV)
They were all told to preach a specific gospel—the Gospel of the Kingdom. It’s what Jesus preached. It’s what He told them to preach. It’s what we should preach. And it goes beyond Jesus having died, been buried, and risen on the third day.
The gospel of the Kingdom gives people a reason to repent, specifically because the Kingdom of God is at hand. You must be born again to enter that Kingdom and experience its righteousness, peace, and joy until its ultimate culmination at Jesus’ return. Jesus made it clear that if you don’t keep His word, you will not enter the gates of His kingdom (Revelation 22:14 NKJV).
So, it takes more than saying the sinner’s prayer once. We must be disciples of the Kingdom, living for Him daily, so we can enter His Kingdom. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. 15 But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie. 16 “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star” (Revelation 22:14-16 NKJV).
Jesus said these things should be testified in His churches. But this is a version of the gospel many people don’t hear—it’s the Gospel of the Kingdom. We need to tell people what it takes to be on the right side of the gates. It’s what Jesus preached. It’s what we should preach.
- Are you familiar with the Gospel of the Kingdom? Could you present to an unbeliever with clarity?
It’s not just that Jesus died, was buried, and rose on the third day for our sins. If you want to know more about what Jesus preached and taught about His Kingdom, study His words in the Gospel of Matthew, particularly the Sermon on the Mount and the seven parables in Matthew 13. Jesus taught the Kingdom; unfortunately, not many teach it today.
Verses 9-10
“Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. (Matthew 10:9-10 NIV)
Jesus told them not to take any extra luggage or money. As they went, they were to trust God for divine supply. In our day and age, with jobs, remote work, CashApp, and all kinds of digital payment platforms we can access wherever we go, that might not seem like a big deal. But these men had left everything to follow Jesus, and He wasn’t blowing up numbers on social media. He was enemy number one to the Pharisees.
There was no false sense of security in His popularity. They were aware they had nothing, and He was telling them to go out into an uncertain world with nothing—and trust Him every step of the way. We too must trust Him, and remember we are more valuable to Him than the birds of the air and the grass of the field.
They were to know they were worth being kept, and the people they went to were to know it as well. Any house they entered that was worthy of them would receive a blessing. We also need to remember the value that Servants of God carry. We need to remember that, despite the sacrifice, being His disciple is honorable and to be more respected than all vocations, for there is no higher calling than to serve the Master and King of all Kings who will reign forever. His Kingdom will know no end.
So let’s remember what Jesus told his disciples before sending them out. Let’s remember the cost that is necessary and be sober, trusting Him for great rewards when we enter His eternal Kingdom.
We will continue to look at verses 11-42 in subsequent posts. Shalom
References
Sam Storms, “why I Am a Continuationist,” The Gospel Coalition, Jaunary 22, 2014, accessed April 16, 2026, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/continuationist/.
Timothy Berg, “Cessationist or Continuationist: Have Some Gifts Ceased?”, Logos.com, June 1, 2023, accessed April 16, 2026, https://www.logos.com/grow/hall-cessationist-or-continuationist/#:~:text=Two%20views%20on%20miraculous%20gifts%20exists:%20continuationists,gifts%20in%20the%20miraculous%20category%20have%20ceased.
Voice of the Martyrs, “Stories of Christian Martyrs: The Apostle John: Ephesus,” persecution.com, August 20, 2021, accessed April 16, 2026, https://www.persecution.com/stories/stories-of-christian-martyrs-the-apostle-john/.
Dr. Lenita is the senior pastor of Action Chapel Baltimore and Action Chapel North Carolina churches and the founder of the APT Apostolic and Prophetic Network. She is a podcaster, published writer, and the author of ten books and fourteen devotional journals. She is an international speaker on a mission to communicate with passion, propel people into their purpose, and teach transformative truth across the globe. Lenita is the founder of PurposeHouse Publishing, PrayerWatch with Pastor Lenita, and creator of the Purpose/full Institute, which helps people discover and hone their divine purpose. She is a former Accenture consultant with college teaching experience, professional instructional design experience, a member of the RAINN speaker’s bureau, and a trained counselor. Lenita is also a Christian International/Bishop Hamon authorized prophetic instructor. She has traveled the globe as a keynote conference speaker in the United States, London, Jamaica, Ghana, Uganda, Haiti, and Kenya. She has a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, a Master of Arts in Dance Education, a MBA and a doctorate in Christian Counseling.