The Ministry Of The New Testament And The Teaching And Fellowship Of The Apostles

This book covers two crucial matters in the New Testament: the apostles' teaching and the proper leadership. The apostles' teaching is the entire contents of the New Testament and the unique revelation of God's New Testament economy concerning Christ and the church. It is also the contents of the full gospel of God and the constitution of the Christian faith that we hold as believers in Christ. "The New Testament leadership comprises the elders in the church and those who take the lead in the ministry."

It is impossible to understand the vitality of the Christian Church in the days of the apostles apart from an awareness of the power of the Holy Spirit in the lives of the apostles. From a fearful beginning before Pentecost, the Church suddenly came alive as the Spirit was poured out on all the believers who had gathered to pray. Professor Guthrie traces the dramatic history of the Church as narrated in the book of Acts, showing how the Holy Spirit gave boldness to witness, wisdom to make decisions, and insight into the truly universal character of the Church as both Jews and Gentiles were given the grace of repentance. The Church was not free of difficulties and crises. But these, too, were necessary for the growth of Christians in that fellowship known as the Body of Christ. Many of the apostles woke in response to weakness and opposition and suffering, and these writings remain as inspired Scripture for the strengthening of the saints of God.Through the centuries the inspired letters to the churches have given both incentive for ethical living on earth and hope for a glorious future when all things will be made new. This book will help one to see the living Church of Jesus Christ as the apostles saw it and wrote about it. The record of their love and labor for the Lord makes this an excellent companion volume to the author's earlier work, "Jesus, the Messiah." Says Prof. Guthrie of his new work: "It is hoped that this book, like its companion volume, will inspire many to a more diligent study of the New Testament itself. For this reason it is arranged...in convenient sections to provide a basis, if desired, for daily studies over a period of six months. The relevant New Testament passages are noted in each section." Thoroughly indexed and cross-referenced, "The Apostles" provides insight into and application of the New Testament writing.

This book represents an almost fifty-year period of both study and practical training in Christian ministry. For the author, Dr. Howard W. Durfee, it has been his life’s work. Howard’s quest for Christian truth began shortly after he was saved by the ministry of Campus Crusade for Christ. During his study at three of the leading seminaries of the world—Harvard Divinity School, The University of Edinburgh, and Fuller Theological Seminary—Howard was taught that the gifts and ministries of the New Testament had for the most part passed away after the New Testament era. There seemed to be a general confusion about why they had passed away. Regardless of all the theories, the important thing to Howard was that he could find no one in theological schools able to operate in the apostolic or prophetic ministries as described in the New Testament. The biggest shock to Howard was when he found less educated, nonseminary-trained ministers who claimed to be apostles and prophets. The problem was that these less scholarly ministers appeared to have both the gifts and ministries operating with the power of the Holy Spirit. In a search for truth, Howard determined to prove beyond any shadow of a doubt that there could be no modern apostles or prophets. The only problem was that Howard could not disprove the existence of modern apostles or prophets based on the New Testament or on church history. What follows in this book is the result of a lifetime of study on the apostolic ministry. After an introduction by Dr. Chuck Flynn, Howard defends the necessity of modern apostles. He then defines and describes what a New Testament apostle is. Next, Howard describes apostles as leaders to the church. Finally, Howard describes the three major historical functions of the apostolic ministry—to found churches, to govern churches, and to train the other New Testament ministries.

About the Contributor(s): G. Campbell Morgan (1863-1945) was a leading Bible expositor in England and the United States. Despite a lack of substantial formal training, Morgan was a prolific writer and teacher. Ordained into the Congregational ministry, he was the pastor of Westminster Chapel, London (1904-17 and 1933-45). Morgan also conducted two very successful teaching tours in the United States, including work with D. L. Moody's ministry.

God doesn't demand hectic church programs and frenetic schedules; he only wants his people to know him more intimately, says top-selling author D. A. Carson. The apostle Paul found that spiritual closeness in his own fellowship with the Father. By following Paul's example, we can do the same. This book calls believers to reject superficiality and revolutionize their lives by embracing a God-guided approach to prayer. Previously published as A Call to Spiritual Reformation, this book has now been updated to connect more effectively with contemporary readers. A study guide, DVD, and leader's kit for the book are available through Lifeway and The Gospel Coalition.