I offer the following portions of an article distributed by Bill Britton, written by John Noble for your edification and discernment. Doug Fortune

The Ministry of the Apostle
by John Noble

PREFACE
 We have come to the page in Church history when the message on the following pages should be received by all of God's people, as it has great import for our times. This message was written by our Brother John Noble, from Romford in Essex, England, and was reprinted from a paper published by Fellowship of Believers, Grand Rapids, Minn.

This message of the restoration of Apostolic ministry in the End-time Church of Jesus Christ on earth, swept across the land in a new way in 1948-49. It caused great spiritual upheavals, and set up shock waves throughout the Pentecostal movement. No Pentecostal denomination at that time would receive the idea of Apostles and Prophets set in the Church by divine appointment, for it struck at the very heart of their religious political system. Popularity contests, with leaders and officers of denominations set in by democratic ballot, had always been the method of choosing divine government. No one was about to change to the helter-skelter method of letting God choose His own men, and set them in by the laying on of hands with prophecy. No one, that is, except those who were hearing from God at that time. Fortunately, God aimed His trumpet at me, and I heard the message. It called me out of the denominational system, with its politics and static theology. I was a young man, just 30 years of age, an ordained pastor, a writer for Headquarters publications, and my future secured in the organization. I had no where else to go. But the truth of God could not be ignored. I had to make a choice, and I chose to follow.the Spirit into the deeper recesses of the Word of God, into the treasure house of God's divine purposes. It was not easy for my wife and I to make this choice and walk this lonely path, but we have never been sorry. It has been a glorious way, filled with Holy Ghost surprises. It has been an upward calling, from glory to glory, bringing us to mountain tops of divine revelations, and beautiful spiritual experiences. Yes, God's divine government is being set in, by God's methods. His Body is being built up, coming to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Apostles are needed today, and God has them. Now open your heart, and read this much needed message of truth. In Christ Bill Britton

WHAT SAITH THE WORD OF GOD?
 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (Eph 4:11-13) And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (I Cor 12:28)

For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. (I Cor 4:9)

INTRODUCTION
 My concern is to arouse my fellow Christians to look for apostles to shape church life in our day. I am convinced that the rediscovery of the truth concerning the apostolic and prophetic ministries, will play a vital role in establishing and bringing to fullness the body of Christ in preparation for the return of Jesus. It will also be an essential step leading up to the final great evangelistic thrust before this glorious climax of history. Every trace of unbelief concerning the appearance of apostles must be dealt with, so that we may watch and pray with faith for the men of God's appointment to come forth in power. These men will move through the church subduing the evil forces which divide- and strip the saints of their true glory. They will unite and release an army under God which will accomplish His purpose in these end-times.

If the apostles are to function in this way they will have understood one simple, fundamental lesson from the example of Jesus. They will know that a man can only exercise authority when he has first put himself under authority. (Luke 7:6-8). Jesus learned this submission to authority as a boy, when His evident gift first appeared during His talks in the temple (Luke 2:46-47). He immediately went about His Heavenly Father's business by subjecting Himself to His earthly parents who had just made the mistake of leaving Him behind in Jerusalem. With such obedience He rapidly grew in stature and in wisdom (Luce 2:51-52; Phil 2:5-9). Leaders in the church will also have learned to be subject to the Father by submitting to one another even in weakness, growing in favor with God and men. In this way they will earn the right to raise up other men of authority from amongst those who have come to recognize and to trust the ministry. So the body will become healthy once again, being renewed internally by "that which every joint supplies" (Eph. 4:16).

FIRST AND LAST APOSTLES
 The tide of recovery in the church continues to rise, despite the seemingly long pauses between rollers. Almost unnoticed, year by year, day by day, God moves forward with relentless precision in His program to draw all things together to Himself, engulfing creation in His love.

The ebbing tide took about three or four hundred years to withdraw into the obscurity of the dark ages of church history. Then it settled back into the doubtful comfort of formal religion. But during the last four centuries, at the close of this age, the winds of light and revelation are blowing again as strongly as ever. The mighty floods of His love are sweeping into empty lives once more.

These surges of blessing began their inward trek when the great Bible translators set to work, risking their lives to bring the word of God to the masses in a language they would understand. This quickly led to the opening up of a succession of glorious truths, such as justification by faith, holiness, social responsibility, the priesthood of all believers, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and lately the truth concerning the body of Christ and the structure of the church. It does not require a great deal of study to see that the progress of this renewal is similar to that of the decline in reverse. In the past three or four centuries we have recovered much of the ground that was lost.

In the early church the loss of authority, or authority getting into the wrong hands, brought divisions which caused a leakage of power. As a result of this the needs of body and soul could not be met and miracles ceased. The brightness of the gospel sun was overshadowed by clouds of apathy and worldliness which crept into the lives of the saints. Even the Scriptures became buried under the words of dying language which, like falling autumn leaves, obscured the path of truth. Only a thin cord of grace, wound lovingly around a few warm hearts, traced the way forward through the long winter of apostasy.

To ignore these facts and to sit quietly by, waiting to see what God will do next, like some armchair prophet, would be denying our Christian responsibility. We must respond to the forgiveness of God extended to us for our part in all this, so it will be our joy to seek Him afresh until He pours out the Spirit in latter rains (Hos. 10: 12). The Lord Jesus always reaches out meeting hungry, thirsty souls with His spring-time renewing grace (Matt. 5:6). So let us set our hearts on recovery. Let us determine by grace to go through with God whatever the cost. Then we shall begin to hear what the Spirit is saying to our generation. With His help we shall find practical ways to put the truth to work in our families and fellowships.

When the church was born at Pentecost, the Lord had created a delicate structure to support the body and allow growth. He wanted a mature man with whom He could complete the work of building the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. He wanted a united people who, like His Son, would obey and serve Him faithfully in showing His love to a dying world. The structure has not been altered. The Lord is working right now to bring us into the same life and style that the first Christians enjoyed. He desires that we should press beyond even this to a fullness which the majority never knew.

Now in terms of recovery, what was first to disappear will be last to reappear in order that the heavenly program may be completed. Jesus Himself is, of course, both First and Last; the Alpha and Omega (Rev 1-11); the Author and Finisher (Heb. 12:2); the Foundation and the Topstone (I Cor. 3..ll; Matt. 21:42). The One who left the scene first will be the last to return, it is His privilege and our joy, and we look forward hopefully to this great event. Next to Himself He set "first" apostles a Cor. 12:28); when these men died they left a vacuum of authority into which the wrong men stepped. The leading elders o rbishops in the larger congregations waxed stronger and stronger, filling the place which until then had belonged to the apostles. A central organization emerged making way for an over all leader or pope. These bishops were neither given (Eph. 4:11) nor gifted for the work, so the decline began and hundreds of years of darkness followed. In spite of all this we can praise the Lord that at last His people are being prepared again to receive apostolic ministry which will lay the foundations of the latter house, the glory of which will exceed that of the first (Hag. 2:9). The Spirit of truth has been welcomed in and we can be certain that He will lead us into all truth (John 16:13).

So it's first apostles and last apostles, the master builders who have seen the plans and are gifted by God to put His work on a right basis with the help of the other ministries.

VANISHING APOSTLES
 One major problem standing between many sincere Christians and the truth concerning the apostolic ministries is an ingenious teaching known to some as "the theory of the vanishing apostles." This teaching is responsible for a great deal of misunderstanding. The idea that Paul was the last apostle is quite unfounded as there are a number of others mentioned in Scripture and still others implied. We can find a few without too much trouble. For example in Acts 14:4 Barnabas is called an apostle, together with Paul; in Galatians 1:19 James the Lord's brother is named an apostle; Thessalonians 2:6 refers to Paul, Silas (or Silvanus) and Timothy as apostles. Other references will need a little research but they are there to be found by the inquiring mind. Ephesians 4 points out that all ministries, apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers will function until the body of Christ is come to the unity of faith and the full stature of Jesus Christ. I do not think we can claim to have quite reached that position yet in Christendom. You will also note that the evangelist (the ministry which, together with the pastor, is more in evidence today in the church than any other) is only ascribed to one man in the whole of the New Testament! We will certainly not use this as an argument to suggest that the evangelist was only around at the start to get the church off the ground, as some say concerning the apostles. J. B. Lightfoot in his commentary on Galatians says that the word apostle "is not so used as to lend any countenance to the idea that it is in any way restricted to the twelve."

ORDINARY MEN TODAY
 By placing the apostles in an elevated position we have made it impossible to recognize the calling in ordinary men today. Jesus really did call simple fishermen and made them founders of the church. He wants to do similar things again, but we have robbed ourselves of this vital ministry through false humility and unbelief. Because we expect all apostles to be like Paul we have lost the benefit of the Timothys and the Barnabases. The Lord will change this as we encourage one another and recognize all the gifts and callings in the body of Christ. The two extremes of Catholicism and Protestantism have both equally failed to produce the right kind of authority in the church. The one by investing absolute authority in one man, the other by giving every individual the right to rule in the church. This was never God's way. He intended that, through prayer and recognition, we should see a plurality of leadership emerge at every level, which will become evident as folk wait upon God and will be based on true acknowledgment of gifts coupled with submission to those gifts. It will begin amongst groups of Christians who, through fellowship, have come to love and trust one another. The "one-man ministry" will be banished for good and there will be a real security in the church. Ministries will respect and submit to each other, working together within the limits of their commissionings. Local elders will be covered by the ministries and will themselves be a true covering to the sheep because of their mutual trust.

VANISHING EFFECTIVENESS
 With the disappearance of the apostles and prophets from the early church she soon lost her power and forward thrust. Divisions arose, and as we have seen, she was plunged into the darkest night of her history. Except during fleeting revivals, miracles were almost unheard of, but the fire of truth was never completely extinguished, praise God! Nevertheless, however much we may thank God for past revivals, they were more often than not a salvage operation to save extinction, rather than a crisis experience to lift the church to a higher plane. A generation must be born and grow up steadily under the authority and discipline of the ministries and offices, taking all of God's interventions as means of reaching maturity or the full measure of life in Jesus (Eph. 4:11-13). Truly this people will mount up with wings as eagles...

Today we have a situation parallel to that which existed during the days of the Judges. From time to time men were specially raised up to rescue Israel from extermination. In between times, it seems, every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Judg. 21:25). There was no king, no consistent authority in Israel, and so the people went frorn one trauma to another. Likewise, the church has been staggering between one revival and another. Certainly these revivals were led by men who knew God, and His truth has been recovered, but it was His desire that His people should be changed from one degree of glory to another. He still longs that we should know consistent refining, encouraged by His stirrings, until at last He sees His own image perfectly mirrored in the church.

The Scripture says "first apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles etc. etc.".. (I Cor. 12:28). The Lord has a reason for giving Paul this sequence. You see, these ministries will lay the foundations of character on to which can be built the house of power. It has been observed in many places where there have been manifestations of power without the foundation of character, that a work has grown up overnight like Jonah's gourd. But because there is no ability to resist the subtlety of Satan's attack it withers just as quickly as it sprouts. No wonder we have seen so little continued blessing in the church. No wonder we have failed to consolidate the blessings and move on to the greater heights of experience and depths of love God has in store for us.

In the Corinthian passage quoted above and more clearly in Romans 12 the ministries, supernatural gifts and natural gifts are mixed up together and called "charismata" or grace gifts. Romans 12:6 says, "having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. . . " The word gift here is charisma as in I Corinthians 12:4, and is applied in various ways, for example - prophecy (v. 6) is a gift of the Spirit, teaching (v. 7) is a ministry gift, showing mercy (v. 8) is a character gift. So then the gifts are all grace gifts. The first are created in us by Jesus, the second are formed in us through experience and by the discipline of the ministries, the third are given by the Holy Spirit as He decides for the blessing, development and expansion of the church. All are gifts from God which we do not deserve. All are for the body that each joint may effectively supply others; the whole is then built up and edified from within itself. Without this the evangelistic program of Matthew 24:14 during the last times will not be possible. The gospel of the Kingdom is not just the message that Jesus died on the cross for sinners; nor is it even simply a message accompanied by signs; but it is a message accompanied by signs and changed lives. The powers of darkness will then be driven back and held back. Every corner of the earth will see and hear that Jesus really is alive. Christ being alive in the church, will be seen by the world; the church being alive in Christ will be preserved from the final out-pouring of judgment. As darkness covers the earth her light will shine brighter and brighter and persecution will only add fuel to her fire. She will know overwhelming joy in the midst of suffering, and tremendous victory when her defeat seems inevitable. Let us work together according to God's order and together we shall know a consistent walk with ever-increasing effectiveness.

FIRM FOUNDATIONS
 The special work of the apostle and prophet is one of foundation laying, but notice they are the foundation and they lay the foundation (Eph 2:20-22). Jesus makes them the foundation of His city (Rev 21:14) and they make Him the foundation of all that they build (I Cor 3:11). So it is with the local church; the elders in this case are the pillars on which it is raised up and they put Christ into the lives of the sheep. Shepherds must be like Jesus, rock-like in their commitment, unmoveable, not continually changing direction or running from one thing to another.

When Jesus spoke to Peter (Matt. 16-15-18), He first made Himself the rock on which Peter' s life was to be built, and then He made Peter a foundation stone in the church. Once again both Catholics and Protestants have missed the full implication of these verses. The former having built everything on Peter and the latter not using him at all in the foundations. The church is built through men and on men who have a revelation of who Jesus is. We can see the infinite wisdom and mercy of God in making it so.

Today the work of the apostle and prophet is not quite so easy to understand, as there is already a church in existence. Or perhaps we should rather say the materials for building the church have been gathered together. It's the difference between Hai and Bethel in the story of Abraham, the one was "a heap of stone" the other "the house of God" (Gen 13:3). Men have piled up converts on the wrong foundation; they have built on doctrines and creeds instead of friendship and revelation. We are not called to associate with one another simply because we accept the same teachings; our gathering together is to Jesus. We are to look for Him in each other, not just a mental appreciation of truth. We are to relate to people because we are born into the same family, sharing the same life and spirit, with the same Father who makes us joint heirs with Jesus, the first of many sons. There is nothing to join, no ultimate denomination, nor final statement of faith. We are joined together by the Spirit in true and lasting relationships.

No one can join my group, but someone may be joined to me or my family. Whole families may be joined to others by God. Even whole congregations can be joined together when we are willing for the Spirit to do it in His way and time.

Today, the church is torn with division because men have built on the wrong foundations. They have built on theology and not on God Himself. They have taught men's minds without changing their hearts. We have converts or proselytes, not disciples. The Lord Jesus and the new birth are the starting point of fellowship and building, not doctrine. So the work of an apostle here is to untangle the knots, to clear the site and bring things back, beginning again right at grass-roots level. In order to achieve this a vision is necessary, coupled with a clear knowledge of the pattern and purpose of God. Because of the nature of this work apostles will always be misunderstood. They will be accused of meddling and constantly under reproach, but the thrill of seeing the body built up will be more than an adequate reward. When proper foundations are laid (Heb 6:1,2), as the Lord permits, there can be a moving on to other truth for the final stages of equipping in preparation for the last great battle. During this onslaught the church will stand in all her glory, more than conquerors through His great love.

APPOINTED TO APPOINT
 In many ways the apostle is like a father (I Thes. 2:11; 1 Cor. 4:15). It is his desire to bring those entrusted to his care to the point where they are able to stand as mature people in their own right. A good father is not possessive; he wants to work himself out of a job. Just as the gifts of the Spirit become superfluous when that which is perfect is come (Cor. 13:10), so the apostles work in the church is finished when maturity is reached. In God's family, authority is a means to an end, not an end in itself. God exercises His authority over us to bring us into the full expression of His kingdom, but if He had to exercise authority to keep us there He would have failed in His job. Once we have come of "spiritual age," authority becomes redundant. The Lord will not need to close the gates of heaven to make sure we don't all run away. So leaders in the church must be prepared to lay down their authority at the right time, remembering that underneath it all we are just brothers together. Unlike so many present-day missionaries, the apostle does not seek to bring new converts under the authority of an outside organization or mother church. He encourages them to care for themselves and to find their structure within the new company. He is, therefore, authorized by the Lord to appoint elders by the laying on of hands (Titus 1:5; Acts 14:23; 6:6). He will only do this in fellowships where the saints recognize that the line of His apostolic authority extends to them. For whilst the apostle may take authority over evil forces or powers without their consent, he may not do this in the church. He will only build with those who give him the right to do so! The apostle does not lay his hands on just anyone who might happen to seem suitable. Nor does he get names from the air, but he will know the people in his care. When he appoints there will be the confirmation of the Spirit in his heart and an "amen" from the believers, who will have already seen their brethren functioning by serving in one way or another.

These elders must be prepared to stand alongside the qualifications in Scripture (I Tim. 3:1-7; Titus 1:6-9), and will continue their office so long as they wish and so long as it can be seen that they are serving the congregation and are free from habitual sin. They will not be men who move around a great deal, but in every sense will be pillars of the local church. They will always be a plurality, except where the church is very small, and they will be submissive and deeply committed to one another in life. Like the ministry who appoints them they will deal with those under them with both grace and truth, fervent in love and discipline. The whole success of the structuring of leadership in the church will depend on a true spirit of recognition and submission. Indeed, every Christian must seek to recognize and acknowledge what is of God in his brethren, and when it is seen he must learn to submit. In this way the whole church will be structured. Submission does not really begin, either, until there is a willingness to yield over issues which, in the natural, we would rebel against. The word is quite clear, "obey them that have the rule over you" (Heb. 13:17). This is not a dictatorship (I Pet. 5:3), but free and willing submission to the men who serve us and whom we have learned to love. As we keep rank in this way and accept one another for what we are in God, then the kingdom will begin to be seen in a wonderful way here on earth.
 

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