This FAQ provides an overview of itinerants (evangelists, prophets and apostles) as a continuing and normal provision in the design of the church. Please This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it your questions or comments, and you will receive a personal response.

1. Isn’t it impossible for someone today to meet the qualifications for an apostle today?
2. How many apostles were there in the NT?
3. Are there other “itinerants” besides apostles?
4. What do itinerants do?
5. Are there false apostles/itinerants?
6. How do we distinguish between true itinerants and false ones?
7. How does hospitality have to do with itinerants?
8. Leadership development: the traveling OJT (on the job) seminary
9. Organizational development needs: itinerant "consultants"

1. Isn’t it impossible for someone today to meet the qualifications for an apostle today?

We need to take a careful look at the qualifications required in the account of Matthias’s selection. Faced with the loss of Judas , Peter and the early apostles searched the scriptures and found this insight, "For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take." They understood from this that a replacement was needed for Judas. Now the question becomes, how would they select this replacement? The qualifications they subsequently agree upon are based on this case, on finding a replacement for Judas. "Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection."

Are we then to conclude that these the qualifications for every apostle? Several other folks the scriptures call apostles (Paul, Barnabas, Silas, Apollos, and James) do not meet the qualification of having "companied with us from our Lord's baptism until His ascension." To use the Judas’ replacement criteria as a set of qualifications for all apostles is clearly contradictory to the scriptures which themselves identify other men as apostles who did not meet these criteria.
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2. How many apostles were there in the NT?

The number of apostles is often thought by many to be limited to the twelve. Actually, there are 17 apostles named in scripture (not counting Judas, of course). Matthias is included in the twelve, but in addition we have the apostle Paul, and besides Paul, we have the apostles James (Gal 1:19; 2:9), Silvanus (Silas) (I Thess 1:1; 2:6; 2:2 cp Acts 16:22,25), Barnabas (Acts 13:2-4; 14:14; I Cor 9:6), and Apollos (I Cor 4:6,9; cp I Cor 3:1-8, 22).  

These callings might not be singular—Paul, Barnabas and Silas are first known as prophets and teachers, Acts 13:1,2; 15:32. I find it more helpful to speak of itinerants (which includes apostles, prophets, evangelists) and stationary servants (prophets, elder-pastor-teachers), rather than get too specific about dissecting the labels/roles of evangelist, prophet, apostle, pastor-teacher "four-fold model"--or--evangelist, prophet, apostle, pastors, teachers "five fold model."
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3. Are There Other “Itinerants” Besides Apostles?

Paul is directly associated with 19 other workers, some of whom seemed to be his associates—like Erasutus, Mark, Timothy, Titus, Tychicus--and others who seemed to work mostly or partly independent of him—like Apollos, Priscilla and Aquilla, Barnabas, Silas. (Note: Timothy may have been an apostle (I Thess 1:1, 2:6), but Col 1:1; II Tim 4:5 seem more to indicate Timothy was an evangelist.

There seems to be a team atmosphere among the itinerants.  See Acts 16:6; 19:29; 20:34; II Cor 8:16-19, 23; I Thess 1:1, etc. They are recognized and sent out by the churches at the urging of the Holy Spirit, or picked up by those itinerating under His leading (like Timothy was, but no doubt with the blessing of the Body). (Acts 16:1-3)  We also see Timothy already in active ministry when called out, just as were Paul, Barnabas and Silas.
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4. What Do Itinerants Do?

The purpose of the itinerants and the duration of their work has been distorted by the misconception that itinerants are rare and that they must cease “because the pool of those who personally knew Jesus from His baptism to His ascension would die out.” In Ephesians 4, scripture offers us four (or five) gifts of people to the church for a stated purpose AND for a stated time.

The stated purpose for both itinerants and for stationary servants is: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:" The stated duration is: "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:" I think it reasonable to hold that this is not yet our estate. Certainly these gifts are for a time, but it seems to me, that when these gifts are no longer needed (till “till” has arrived), then none of them are needed. Presently, they are all desperately needed by the church.

I’ll assume some familiarity with the itinerant work of Paul (of which a close study with fresh perspective can be profitable to understanding the role and work of itinerants). What is generally less well known is the work of other itinerants than Paul.

Note the itinerant work of Timothy:

•    Acts 16:1-4 Paul finds Timothy in Lystra, and Timothy begins teaching believers with Paul there. (52AD?)
•    Acts 17:14 Timothy in Berea (53AD?)
•    Acts 17:15 (see I THess 3:1,2) Timothy in Athens, establishing believers (54AD?)
•    I Cor 16:10 Timothy in Corinth teaching (59AD?)
•    Phil 2:19 Timothy in Philippi serving believers (64AD?)
•    I Thess 3:2 Timothy in Thessalonica, establishing believers
•    I Tim 1:3 Ephesus (65AD?) teaching elders

Apparently Paul calls Timothy before his work is done, and so sends Tychicus there II Tim 4:12  Tychicus is not the new permanent Pastor (Titus 3:12) but another itinerant.

Titus itinerancy is similar:

•    II Cor 7:6,7 In Macedonia, comforting Paul
•    II Cor 7:13,14 in Corinth, Comforting and carrying a message from Paul
•    Gal 2:1 in Jerusalem
•    II Tim 4:10 in Dalmatia
•    Titus 1:4,5 in Crete ordaining elders
•    Titus job in Titus 1:5 is temporary—see Titus 3:12

These are New Testament Evangelists, if we take II Tim 4:5 in it's plainest sense, assuming we don't hold the preconceived notions that evangelists are soul winners and Timothy and Titus were Senior Pastors.  Why do we need to call Timothy a Pastor or an Apostle, when the only term ever used towards him is Evangelist?  

Timothy is supposed to teach the "teachers"- the elders (II Tim 2:2 commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also), similar to modern seminary teachers, with notable exception as to delivery and training provided on-the-job (OJT) in the field, person to person.  In Titus 1:5, they set in order the things that are wanting (as in I Tim 3:15), somewhat similar to modern church consultants and interims, minus the fees and brief engagement schedules.

Our mistaken view of evangelists may come from an episode recorded about Philip.  First, this is taking a small incident where Philip was called away for this one visit from Acts 8:5-8, where he was ministering to the scattered believers Acts 8:4, and to which ministry he continued throughout the northern region of Israel subsequent to the eunuch's conversion in Acts 8:39,40.  A closer look at the scriptures also shows that Philip was involved in an itinerant ministry to the saved as well as the dramatic conversion of the eunuch.
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5. Are there False Apostles/Itinerants?

In II Corinthians, written around the mid '50's, we find there were still false apostles:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. –II Cor11:13

The book of revelation, written probably last, in the mid '90's, contains this important insight:

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:
-Re.2:2

Now as late the mid 90’s AD they had to try them to determine if they were true or false apostles, and they then found them liars, not because they “knew” the apostles had ceased to exist. Our view of these gifts (persons) to the church ought to take this comment into consideration, as it is coming from our Lord at this late date.
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6. How do we distinguish between true itinerants and false ones?

II Jn 7-11, “For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.  Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.  If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:  For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

Sometimes there are indications that someone has one of these gifts. One is that they are itinerant-bent, wanting to move on when things are stable.  Today, they may not understand why, and sadly, the church won’t either.  By calling, they are not designed to be a permanent part of the local expression, they are outsiders, even those like Paul who have founded the churches they return to help acted from outside, akin to what we call consulting, and not as local leadership.  

They often are at one end or the other in service to the community: they are pastors of growing churches, or troublemakers with a history of “not fitting in.” Even those who become pastors, not knowing how else to respond to their heart’s stirrings, find themselves restless and unhappy. They will continually tweak and push the local assembly until the saints are exhausted. They were designed to move on and plant anew, to develop emerging leaders, or to come alongside troubled churches and help restore them.

When healthy, like all saints, they have a deep love for the body, and a complete taken-ness with Jesus Christ. It is He of whom their speech is filled, not boasting about and promoting themselves. They would never dare abuse their authority, because they are given to the humility of service to others.  Paul could have taken money for his services, but would not.  He did live with a family it would seem (see hospitality), but any money needed, he either earned or received from other churches he had helped in the past, not those he presently was serving.

These others—the boasters and braggards seeking their own glory—are false apostles, liars of the sort Paul warned about in Acts 20, "grievous wolves" and in Gal 1:7, 2:4, "perverting the gospel of Christ” for their own aggrandizement.
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7. What does hospitality have to do with itienerants?

Among the wonderful purposes of hospitality, one is that it enables the function of itinerants within the body. This particular capacity is sorely misunderstood unless you approach it with an understanding of itinerancy as a function of normal church life.

Notice our Lord’s use of hospitality for this purpose:

Mk 6:7-12: “And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for that city.”

Luke 10:38-40, ” Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus feet, and heard his word.  But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.”

Notice the church:

I Tim 3:2 (elders) “addicted to” hospitality
I Tim 5:10  (widows) “lodged strangers”    
Titus 1:8 (elders) “lover of” strangers
Heb 13:2 (all) “don’t forget” to entertain strangers        
II John v. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine (of Christ), receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed…” conversely, if they do, receive them!

Paul’s practice of utilizing and recommending hospitality to further itinerant movement:

Acts 15:40,41; 16:4,5,14,15 Paul touring churches Thyatira, Lydia
Acts 21:8, 16,17 Paul traveling Caesarea to Jerusalem, Philip and Mnason
Phil 2:19-30 Sending men to the Philippians: receive them…
Col 4:7-10 sending men: receive them…
Philemon 1:22 I may come: prepare a lodging…

II Cor 8:23,24 “Whether any do enquire of Titus, he is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you: or our brethren be enquired of, they are the messengers of the churches, and the glory of Christ. Wherefore shew ye to them, and before the churches, the proof of your love, and of our boasting on your behalf.”

The apostle John’s reaction to the refusal of entry of the itinerants he sent:

III Jn 5-11, “Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have born witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well: Because that for his names sake they went  forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth. I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, …”

Hospitality is vital to the life of the church, partly because it is an enabler of the vital ministry of itinerants among the churches.
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8. Leadership development: the traveling OJT (on the job) seminary

II Tim 2:2 “And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.”

Titus 1:5 “ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee”

This is partly why elders had to be “addicted” to hospitality- the itinerants would remain with them in their everyday lives while in the locality (see leadership development). (As would the church most frequently gather in their homes.) They would teach leadership (I prefer thinking of this as leading in servanthood among a people given to servanthood, the church) in large measure as Timothy learned from Paul, “But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me.” II Tim 3:10,11

In our day, the church is badly in need of a restoration of biblical leadership—a plurality of elders.

If we follow the travels of Paul, Timothy, Titus, Barnabas, Epaphras, Apollos, and others, we will see that these itinerant servants might spend anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 years with a body of believers.  In time, it looks based on external (to the body) and internal (no need anymore or just can't stay put anymore) circumstances, these men moved on.  

They often had instructions to appoint "elders."   Most of the men appointed as elders (stationary servants, trained by these itinerant men within all areas of daily life as the present or emerging elders served the body) were only saved for 6 to 18 months, in the patterns of Acts, as opposed to 7 years obtaining an undergraduate degree, and seminary. Often this education takes these men and their families away from their church, isolates them, and then sends them to a church where no one knows them, to become the lone/senior pastor.

Biblically, we see leadership developed within the setting of a local body. One to few discipleship, spending lives together while undertaking actual responsibility and work within a body, appears to be more effective and efficient, and a biblical pattern worth reconsidering. Note that biblically, you cannot fulfill the qualifications of an elder (pastor, bishop, overseer) without being well known by the local faith community and the local secular community (read I Tim 3 carefully). It is ludicrous to uproot a young family, send them to 7 years of professional schooling, and then cast them into a new community as leaders. Incredible!
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9. Organizational development needs: itinerant "consultants"

Titus 1:5 still needs done, does it not? By whom?

“For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee”

Christian Schwarz, a church consultant in Germany (Natural Church Development), surveyed 30 people in each of 1,000 churches in 32 countries. Among the key variables related to leadership, the factor with the highest correlation to the overall quality and growth of a church, is leadership’s regular use of an outside consultant. Consultants were used by 58% of Pastors with growing, high quality churches, but only by 12% of low quality, declining churches.

Itinerants work on the foundations of the church, helping her to build on the solid foundation of Jesus Christ. The church is so easily distracted from Jesus as the Head, just as Israel refused God as King. Note Paul’s heart:

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.” -Eph 2:19-22

“Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:..." I Tim1:4,5
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