NOVEMBER 1

Theme: The A Team

God’s A Team is His Apostolic Team, the Church
The Church that Jesus true to His word and character is doing a brilliant job building all around the world.
The Church that is made up of the born again Bible believers from every; kindred, tribe and tongue.
Thus, in building His Church Jesus is doing a brilliant job building us.
Making us supernatural just like He is

One of the factors that determines the greatness of a team, is the nature of its winning record.
With God’s A-Team, it has a winning record that surpasses all other teams.
This all-time great winning record includes;

- the death, burial, and resurrection of Team leader Jesus Christ at Calvary in which sin and death were conquered (1 Corinthians 15:1-5)
- the countless victories throughout history prior to and post the cross (the Bible)
- the victorious and glorious life Jesus and His bride will experience as they rule and reign together throughout eternity. (Revelation 19-22)
- The Colossians 2:13-15 Victory "And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it."
- The victory over satan, all the powers of darkness and all the works of the evil one (1 John 3:8)

These broad victory categories not only feature the unsurpassed leadership of Jesus Himself, but also the innumerable victories of individual team members, along with victories by parts of the team and the team as a whole. This winning record should be no surprise because the battle is the Lord’s and of course the Lord is God.

So, while some are ridiculously foolish enough to take God on, God being God will and does defeat all who do: and he will whether such fools take on God personally or His team members because like any great leader God lays down His life for His team members. Indeed, even for His enemies who in God’s providence will ultimately also become team members. So let's not join the revilers, doubters, critics, cynics, know-alls, those seeking their own preeminence, and those who seem to find some kind of pleasure in hyper-critically publicly lambasting every little fault they can find in the Church

Team Vibe:
Unity with purpose. It is Biblical to keep those matters that require correction in house and to major on being the answer to Jesus prayer for unity with purpose
John 17:20-21 “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Psalm 133:1 How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!

Team Make-Up

Three key factors in God’s Apostolic A-Team
- Jesus Himself our Chief Apostle
- Apostles: God’s delegated Apostolic Team leaders
- Apostolic A Team members

Magnitude of Team suits magnitude of the task

God’s A team comprises 30,000 plus denominations, millions of Churches, billions of believers. Our task involves discipling all nations. That’s verging on 8 billion people!!!!! What’s more among the 200 plus nations there are literally approx. 7100 languages which each represent a people group. Yes as A-Team members we all have a destiny in the nations and there is plenty for all of us to do to bring this great challenge to pass.

Team Selection
John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit--fruit that will last--and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

2 Peter 1:10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble

Team Benefits
Being in the team provides a whole range of dynamics to our lives. Camaraderie, purpose, acceptance.

Being in the A-Team adds an extra sense of being part of something particularly special.

In 1 Peter 2:9 we see that as born again Bible believers we are a chosen generation, royal priesthood, Holy nation, a special people. We have been brought out of darkness into God’s marvellous light for the purpose of communicating God’s praise

Ephesians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ

Topic: Apostleship

Romans 1:5 Through Him and His namesake we received grace and apostleship

For more on Apostleship check out Caleb’s previous briefing here

Multi Millennial Mandate

Matthew 28:18 to 20 outlines what is commonly known as the Great Commission

This is God’s Apostolic mission It is also the historically first documented plan for the equality of all people. To this day this plan remains unmatched particularly because it includes the only valid plan for an eternal destiny which includes an inheritance in the glory of the nations.

This Apostolic mission is a top priority for the Church and we as the Church are in essence God’s A Team for carrying out this priority mission. God has chosen us and when we choose to take up God’s call to get involved in carrying out this apostolic mission we are in essence part of the starting line up for God’s apostolic A Team

Apostle: sent one (handy link)

In order for apostles to be sent, there also needs to be those who send as part of the overall apostolic team

John 3:16 For God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son – love the motivation

Romans 10:14-16 "How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

Some say Apostles are not for today, yet they call themselves pastors. Why of the five-fold leadership roles in Ephesians 4 do they run with some and not with others? All roles are very much ripe, a legal concept for something that is able to be taken to court Eg cant determine whether something legally meets a paw if the law hasn’t been passed yet. Thus Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists Pastors, and Teachers are all ripe. Just as in sports teams, especially professional ones there is a head coach and associate coaches, Jesus is the A-Team Head Coach and these five-fold human roles are associate coaching roles. They work together to equip and be fully A.P.E.P.T

- Apostolically
- Prophetically
- Evangelistically
- Pastorialy
Taught and trained

Coaches exhort, with pep talks so when we as the Church, God’s A Team have in put and leadership from all these roles we are fully functional, fully Apept!!!

GO – Gather and Outreach

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Signs of Apostles

Matt 16:17-18 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.”

2 Corinthians 12:12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.

Acts 3:1–10 One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer—at three in the afternoon. 2 Now a man who was lame from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. 4 Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, “Look at us!” 5 So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. 6 Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Acts 28:1–6 Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. 2 The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold. 3 Paul gathered a pile of brushwood and, as he put it on the fire, a viper, driven out by the heat, fastened itself on his hand. 4 When the islanders saw the snake hanging from his hand, they said to each other, “This man must be a murderer; for though he escaped from the sea, the goddess Justice has not allowed him to live.” 5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects. 6 The people expected him to swell up or suddenly fall dead; but after waiting a long time and seeing nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and said he was a god.

B.I.D. Biblically Informed Decision

Are you in God’s A – Apostolic Team?
Are you connected to Apostolic leadership - what is Jesus doing in your life?
In what ways are you contributing to, through, and as God’s A – Apostolic Team
Are you being a joyful house of prayer for the nations
What prayer needs do you have?