Like any denomination or religious organization, we in the Apostolic church have many areas we can improve upon. Our churches aren’t perfect but that’s to be expected because they are filled with imperfect people following the only perfect person to ever live. That being said the Apostolic church excels in one very important area that other groups tend to miss, balance. The Apostolic church has found the balance that is so crucial to serving the Lord as instructed in His word.
While we may not agree with the teaching of other Christian denominations we can admit they often do one thing well. Each group seems to put emphasis on one aspect of the Christian life. Baptist and Reformed Christians for instance are known for putting the majority of their focus into study and teaching. While more charismatic churches often place the majority of their focus on the spiritual. Placing more emphasis on prayer and worship than on studying God’s word.
The Apostolic church doesn’t do this. We don’t only place emphasis on any one of these things. Instead, we have found a wonderful balance in serving God. Our organizations are filled with brilliant theologians. Our sermons contain real depth and biblical exegesis. Time is spent in the word as scripture instructs. That’s true in the life of almost every member of the church all the way from the pews to the pulpit.
2 Timothy 3:15–17 (ESV)
15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
Joshua 1:8 (ESV)
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Psalm 119:105 (ESV)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light to my path.
Services are opened with powerful worship and people pouring their hearts out to God. In many cases, just as much time is spent on Sunday in worship as is spent studying the word. Because both are equally important parts of living for God. We meet God with the very worship He calls for in His word from the heart in action.
John 4:24 (ESV)
24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”
Isaiah 12:5 (ESV)
5 “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously;
let this be made known in all the earth.
Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)
15 Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
Psalm 95:1–3 (ESV)
1 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
3 For the Lord is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
Along with study and worship, a balance is also found with prayer. As we teach that prayer is essential both in and outside of the church. Many of our church’s even hold times of prayer before each and every service. Many Apostolic churches also take time out of the service to fulfill the scriptures call to pray for one another.
1 Thessalonians 5:16–19 (ESV)
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit.
Philippians 4:6 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Mark 11:24 (ESV)
24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
James 5:14–16 (ESV)
14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
All the while continuing to hold onto and act in all the spiritual gifts which scripture promises. Which are sadly overlooked or even discounted but many churches. Unlike many of the church’s that surround us the Apostolic church been able to find balance in serving God. Holding to all the word calls us to do and not over empathizing any single area.
Romans 12:6–8 (ESV)
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
Mark 16:17 (ESV)
17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Acts 2:16–17 (ESV)
16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:
17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares,
that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams;
Every one of those verses contains something that God has called His people to do. It is not a list that where we pick what things we like best or enjoy the most. God expects the church to find a balance and divide time between them all. Because they are each important to our lives. Which is exactly what the Apostolic church has been able to do.
When time is taken away from any one of those areas it only hurts the church. Spending all your time in study causes your prayer and worship life to suffer. Which causes you to lose your important personal relationship with God. But on the other hand, spending all your time in prayer and worship will cause you to lose your practical knowledge of God. It can even cause you to lose faith as we know faith comes from hearing the word of God.
Romans 10:17 (ESV)
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
In the Old Testament, the Lord talks a lot about the people of Israel using unjust scales to cheat people. An act that God calls an abomination. While other denominations are most likely not trying to cheat people they are using unjust scales. They have got the balance off and have given priority to some things while neglecting others. That isn’t what we are called to do in God’s word. No one thing is more important than another. To be in the best alignment with God we need to find a balance between study, teaching, worship, and prayer.
Proverbs 11:1 (ESV)
1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord,
but a just weight is his delight.
Proverbs 21:10 (ESV)
10 The soul of the wicked desires evil;
his neighbor finds no mercy in his eyes.
Micah 6:10–11 (ESV)
10 Can I forget any longer the treasures of wickedness in the house of the wicked,
and the scant measure that is accursed?
11 Shall I acquit the man with wicked scales
and with a bag of deceitful weights?
Jesus even accused the Pharisees of neglecting the weighted matters of the law. Telling them that should have done everything and neglected nothing. The very same applies to the church today. We must hold to the whole of scripture and find a balance between our acts of service to the Lord neglecting nothing. The very thing the Apostolic church has been doing for generations.
Matthew 23:23 (ESV)
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others.
Find the balance you need as a Christian in the Apostolic Church. I have both attended the services of various denominations. As well as have studied the different beliefs of many Christian organizations. I didn’t come to an Apostolic church until my early twenties. What I quickly discovered is that no other group is able to match the balance we have been able to find within the Apostolic church. In which the word of God in its fullness is put into action every service. With the same level of study, worship, and prayer called for in the daily lives of every believer.
Interested in seeing if all the claims in this article are true? Then let us help match you with an Apostolic church in your local area. You can email us at [email protected] letting us know where you live and we will do our best to find a church in your area. If you attend an Apostolic church then let us know what your experience has been in the comment section bellow. Have a great rest of your day and God Bless.
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