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New Apostolic/Prophetic Ministry Mike Thompson Here are some questions that have been asked of me lately: What is New Apostolic Ministry? What about New Prophetic Ministry? How is anything that is happening today different than what we’ve seen before? What does this have to do with our individual lives, and how does it affect our church? I will attempt to simply relate my understanding of what I see the Holy Spirit doing in the Body of Christ today that directly affects our church. First let me say God hasn’t changed, and neither has the intended method the Holy Spirit uses to build and run Jesus’ church on the earth. It’s mankind that changes. As covered in my writing, “Walking Into Our Destiny”, dated 9-15-06, I believe that for the first time in almost 1700 years we are living in a day the Five-fold ministry is in full restoration and operating globally. Here is a glimpse of what that will look like through the eyes of revelation and faith. Our new prophetic/apostolic headquarters sits on two and a half acres in West Klamath. It accommodates Word of Life World Outreach Church, Mike Thompson Ministries’ apostolic headquarters, the School of the Prophets, food pantry and clothing closet for the poor working families, and a host of other ministries. Many older homes and businesses, as well as over one thousand new houses surround it. Thousands of Keno residents drive by the facility daily on their way into Klamath. As you drive into the parking lot one of the first structures you come to is the intercessory prayer room. It is open twenty-four hours a day, allowing believers to find connection with God any time they need it. Special prayer groups meet regularly to provide prayer covering for ministries, outreaches, nations, families, etc. Upon entering the main building you notice that every aspect of both the physical structure and the spiritual ministries are geared for the purpose of equipping the saints to be successful in their own lives and ministries. The pastoral team has deliberately navigated the congregation away from the traditional reformation model of doing church. This is a new apostolic approach in which the pastor and leaders are “equippers”, not professional ministers. The congregation is filled with believers who are the every day ministers in the community. The saints have real purpose here. They are the hands, feet and mouths of the Lord Jesus in the city. They show godly love to their friends, neighbors and co-workers. Filled with the Holy Spirit, these saints are winning their community to the Lord. Miracles happen when they pray. People get healed and delivered from all kinds of bondages, especially religious ones. These believers have Bible studies on their lunch hour at work. Every home they live in is a place of ministry, where others meet a powerful savior who cares about them personally. Business owners, teachers, politicians and other professionals are introducing their peers to a supernatural God. Teaching here doesn’t claim any apostolic authority by connection with Jesus’ original Apostles. Those Apostles alone had a special place of birthing the church and establishing the New Testament scriptures. Present spiritual authority is believed to be from relationship with none other than Jesus Christ Himself. This new apostolic approach continues the ministry of other apostles that Jesus set in the church, with prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:11,12). Besides Matthias, who replaced Judas Iscariot, Pastor Mike says there are no less than eleven of these apostles mentioned in the New Testament also. Another spiritual element here is what is called new prophetic ministry. The pastors themselves are highly prophetic, and have been able to lead the congregation into understanding how to pick up on the many ways the Holy Spirit communicates with believers in their daily lives. They have been taught how to speak anointed words that impact people’s hearts and have the power to alter circumstances. They speak scripture, pray and give prophetic proclamations with great spiritual authority and power – and things happen! Prophecy is practiced as much more than a spiritual gift that only operates in a public service by a few select people. Word of Life Church is attended by hundreds of people who love the demonstrative, contemporary worship. Worship that draws them into the very throne room of God, producing an intimacy with Jesus that many say they have never known before. They also say the sermons are life changing, because they are filled with practical instruction on how to walk in the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit at the same time. The School of the Prophets has been instrumental in training hundreds of saints in supernatural ministry. Many Five-fold ministers have also been equipped and sent out from this school. The prophetic model is Samuel, the originator of the school of the prophets in the Old Testament. Samuel taught the Word and the Spirit – prophetic clarity and responsibility through a firm foundation of God’s Word. Following Jesus’ exchange with the Centurion, believers are taught how to exercise miraculous faith by the principle, “to be in authority, one must be under authority.” Hosts of believers are active in outreaches that impact their community with Christ’s love. Struggling families receive a helping hand through marriage and parenting classes, and food and clothing distributions. Prayer teams respond to any request for prayer and ministry within the community. Anyone can call and ask for prayer, whether they are church partners or not. Conclusion Some things are caught and not taught. My prayer is that you catch the heart of the vision, whether you understand specific definitions and terms. The important thing is for us to: 1. Be obedient to what God has commissioned us to do. 2. Recognize how the Holy Spirit is moving in the earth today to reach this current generation. |
