“Back in the 1990s we began hearing the Holy Spirit speaking about restoring apostles and prophets as the foundation of the church as God originally designed (see Eph. 2:20). As I have explained in my book, Apostles and Prophets: The Foundation of the Church (Regal Books), I gradually came to the realization that God had given me the gift of apostle, and that certain spheres of the body of Christ were recognizing that I had the office of apostle as well. Consequently, developing apostolic leadership in today’s church has now become an important function of GHM.”

The Purpose Of The Doma Ascension Gifts
        Ephesians 2:20: “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” (Ephesians 2:20).
        Paul then completes the building analogy: “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” (Ephesians 2:21,22).
        ... it’s clear that the apostles and prophets he is speaking of in verse 20 are the New Testament apostles and Old Testament prophets—not those coming after he made the statement (but see the Jamieson, Fausett and Brown Commentary, below). It is they who laid the foundation. That was their purpose, their calling, their anointing. They laid the foundation for the building of which Paul speaks in verses 21 and 22.
        Excerpts from the Jamieson, Fausett and Brown Commentary on Ephesians 2:20:
        “20. Translate as Greek, “Built up upon,” &c. (participle; having been built up upon; omit, therefore, “and are”).” ...
        “foundation of the apostles, &c.—that is, upon their ministry and living example (compare Mt 16:18). Christ Himself, the only true Foundation, was the grand subject of their ministry, and spring of their life. As one with Him and His fellow workers, they, too, in a secondary sense, are called “foundations” (Re 21:14). The “prophets” are joined with them closely; for the expression is here not “foundations of the apostles and the prophets,” but “foundations of the apostles and prophets.” For the doctrine of both was essentially one (1Pe 1:10, 11; Re 19:10). The apostles take the precedency (Lu 10:24). Thus he appropriately shows regard to the claims of the Jews and Gentiles: “the prophets” representing the old Jewish dispensation, “the apostles” the new. The “prophets” of the new also are included. BENGEL and ALFORD refer the meaning solely to these (Eph 3:5; 4:11). These passages imply, I think, that the New Testament prophets are not excluded; but the apostle’s plain reference to Ps 118:22, “the head stone of the corner,” proves that the Old Testament prophets are a prominent thought. David is called a “prophet” in Ac 2:30. Compare also Isa 28:16; another prophet present to the mind of Paul, which prophecy leans on the earlier one of Jacob (Ge 49:24). The sense of the context, too, suits this: Ye were once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel (in the time of her Old Testament prophets), but now ye are members of the true Israel, built upon the foundation of her New Testament apostles and Old Testament prophets. Paul continually identifies his teaching with that of Israel’s old prophets (Ac 26:22; 28:23). ...”
        Excerpted from Vine’s Expository Dictionary: “Foundation (to lay), Founded 1. themelios, or themelion is properly an adjective denoting “belonging to a foundation” (connected with tithemi, “to place”). It is used” ... “ metaphorically, (a) of “the ministry of the gospel and the doctrines of the faith,” (Rom. 15:20; 1 Cor. 3:10,11,12; Eph. 2:20), where the “of” is not subjective (i. e., consisting of the apostles and prophets), but objective, (i. e., laid by the apostles, etc.); so in (2 Tim. 2:19), where “the foundation of God” is “the foundation laid by God,”—not the Church (which is not a “foundation”), but Christ Himself, upon whom the saints are built; (Heb. 6:1); (b) “of good works, (1 Tim. 6:19).”
        Paul states that Jesus Christ is the only foundation to be laid: 1 Corinthians 3:11: “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
        We find the same thought expressed by Paul in Romans 15:20-21: “Yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man’s foundation: But as it is written, To whom he was not spoken of, they shall see: and they that have not heard shall understand.”
        Paul’s thought is consistent: where someone has laid the foundation of Christ, be it apostle or prophet or another servant of God, then that is all sufficient. No other foundation can be or should be laid.
        The sense of the meaning of Ephesians 2:20 then is: You were once aliens from the commonwealth of Israel (in the time of her Old Testament prophets), but now you are members of the household of faith of the true Israel having been built up upon the foundation, which is Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone, laid by the New Testament apostles and Old Testament prophets.

Misconception #1—Apostles, along with Prophets, Are the Foundation of the Church.
        This is probably the most serious misconception and is based on a faulty reading of Eph. 2:20 where Paul tells the Ephesian believers that they are being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets . . .. In the Greek, “apostles and prophets” is in the genitive case, the case which shows possession. It is like saying “the car of John Doe.” Although the car and John Doe are related, it does not follow that the car is John Doe or that John Doe is the car.
        In the same way, it does not follow that the foundation is identical with the apostles and prophets or that the apostles and prophets are identical with the foundation. Paul is actually referring to the foundation which is laid by the apostles and prophets as is borne out in his 1st letter to the Corinthian Church; a church he, as an apostle, had founded.
        In 1 Cor. 3:10-11, Paul refers to his founding of the church at Corinth and says, I have laid the foundation and another builds on it. What foundation did Paul lay for the church in Corinth? He says in vs. 11, For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ. The foundation of the apostle Paul in Corinth was Jesus Christ.
        This coincides with Jesus’ response to Peter’s revelation of Him as the Christ, the Son of the Living God in Matt. 16:13-18. The Greek word for Peter is petros and, with a play on words, Jesus says to him, You are petros (a small rock or pebble), and on this petra (a large massive stone) I will build my Church. The foundation on which Jesus said he would build His Church was not a little rock like Peter, but the massive foundation stone which is the revelation of who He is, i.e., Himself.
        There is an old hymn entitled “The Church’s One Foundation.” The first stanza begins, “The Church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord . . ..” Those who would claim a foundation for the Church other than Jesus Christ are in serious error.

“... we began hearing the Holy Spirit speaking about restoring apostles and prophets as the foundation of the church as God originally designed (see Eph. 2:20)”

        Peter’s statement in Acts is used as a proof text that God is “restoring all things.”
        Acts 3:20-21:
        20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:
        21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
        As brought out from the biblical texts quoted earlier, the Old Testament prophets had no knowledge of the fact that God planned to include the Gentiles into the house of faith of the true Israel. Therefore when Peter quotes scripture from the Old Testament in Acts 3:20,21 about the restitution of all things, the prophets were referring to the past events occurring in the Old Testament, not historical events that would occur after Peter quoted the Old Testament prophets.
        When Peter spoke those words there were then in existence apostles and prophets (and evangelists and shepherds as teachers). What needed to be restored?
        The phrase “the world began.” in Acts 3:21 in the Greek is the word aeon about which this excerpt from Unger’s Bible Dictionary says: “ae’on (e’on; Gk. aion, “age”). ... in the NT aeon is used in the following ways:” ... “From the age is used in the sense of from the most ancient time, from of old (Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21; 15:18).”
        The word “restitution” is in the Greek apokatastasis. Quoting excerpts from Vine’s Expository Dictionary: “from apo, “back, again,” kathistemi, “to set in order,” is used in (Acts 3:21), RV, “restoration” (KJV, “restitution”). See under REGENERATION, concerning Israel in its regenerated state hereafter.” “REGENERATION palingenesia “new birth” (palin, “again,” genesis, “birth”), is used of “spiritual regeneration,” (Titus 3:5), involving the communication of a new life, the two operating powers to produce which are “the word of truth,” (Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23), and the Holy Spirit, (John 3:5,6); the loutron, “the laver, the washing,” is explained in (Eph. 5:26), “having cleansed it by the washing (loutron) of water with the word.”
        “The new birth and “regeneration” do not represent successive stages in spiritual experience, they refer to the same event but view it in different aspects. The new birth stresses the communication of spiritual life in contrast to antecedent spiritual death; “regeneration” stresses the inception of a new state of things in contrast with the old; hence the connection of the use of the word with its application to Israel, in (Matt. 19:28).” (Matthew 19:28: “And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”)
        Resuming the commentary of Vine’s Expository Dictionary: ... “In (Matt. 19:28) the word is used, in the Lord’s discourse, in the wider sense, of the “restoration of all things” (Acts 3:21), RV, when, as a result of the second advent of Christ, Jehovah “sets His King upon His holy hill of Zion” (Ps. 2:6), and Israel, now in apostasy, is restored to its destined status, in the recognition and under the benign sovereignty of its Messiah. Thereby will be accomplished the deliverance of the world from the power and deception of Satan and from the despotic and antichristian rulers of the nations. This restitution will not in the coming millennial age be universally a return to the pristine condition of Edenic innocence previous to the Fall, but it will fulfill the establishment of God’s covenant with Abraham concerning his descendants, a veritable rebirth of the nation, involving the peace and prosperity of the Gentiles. That the worldwide subjection to the authority of Christ will not mean the entire banishment of evil, is clear from (Rev. 20:7,8). Only in the new heavens and earth, “wherein dwelleth righteousness,” will sin and evil be entirely absent.”
        From the text it’s clear that Peter was speaking to the Jews and of the “times of restitution” (restoration) “of all things” which God had previously spoken about by his prophets from the Old Testament era.
        The text speaks of the restoration of Israel. It’s that simple.
        If you want to fight that truth then read the rest of Acts chapter 3 to set it in its proper frame of reference.
        Peter mentions Moses, who speaks of the promise of Jesus. Peter also mentions Samuel and “those” (prophets) “that follow after,” all foretelling of “these days,” i.e., of the days of the time of Peter. He then tells the Jews present and listening to him that they are the children of those prophets and that God sent Jesus to bless them, “in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”
        This is the rest of the text in Acts chapter 3:
        Acts 3:22-26:
        22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.
        23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
        24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.
        25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.
        26 Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
        If you are a disciple of Jesus, i.e., a learner, supporter, follower and imitator of your Saviour, hear the words Peter spoke: “... it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”
        “That prophet” is a reference to Jesus. Beloved, hear Jesus, the Author and Finisher of your faith.
        W. E. Vine has stated the scriptural necessity of “spiritual regeneration,” which involves “the communication of a new life, the two operating powers to produce which are “the word of truth,” (Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23), and the Holy Spirit, (John 3:5,6); the loutron, “the laver, the washing,” is explained in (Eph. 5:26), “having cleansed it by the washing (loutron) of water with the word.”
        If you don’t have the Bible, God’s word of truth in you from continued study, then you are lacking the essential ingredient necessary for the Holy Spirit of God to “teach you all things” about God’s word.
        John 14:26: “but the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and shall remind you of all things that I said to you.” (Literal Translation of the Bible translated by Jay P. Green Sr.)
        In my opinion the last part of that verse should read: “... teach you all things, namely, cause you to remember all things that I said to you.” Since Jesus is the word made flesh (John 1:14), “all things” that He said to us are included from Genesis to Revelation.
        How many times have you read through the Bible, each and every page, from Genesis to Revelation, inclusive? And then read it again and again and again and each time you gained more and more understanding? If you don’t understand the version you are reading, then use your intelligence and get a Bible version that you do understand. Get several different versions for cross reference.
        As I said, the text speaks of the restoration of Israel. It’s that simple.
        In addition, the “little gods” proponents allege that John 10:34,35—in which Jesus argues from the position of the greater to the lesser—substantiates their claim to be “little gods” because Jesus said “the scripture cannot be broken.” However, they then turn around and say that those to whom the word of God came, i.e., the lesser, speaking of the “new breed” of today’s apostles and prophets, are greater than the greater, i.e., Jesus Christ Himself, Who is the Word made flesh, and the written word, the Bible, as given to mankind, both of which emphasize servanthood of those who are to teach the people of God. In their attempts to justify their “little gods” status, they acknowledge the greater is greater than the lesser. But in stating their “prophetic revelations” of them now being “super” apostles and prophets being superior to those of the New Testament apostles and prophets they are saying that the lesser is greater than the greater. Is this line of thought contradictory, illogical or simply insane?

        Instead of recognizing Jesus Christ as the consummate servant, and apostles and prophets (and evangelists and shepherds—all teachers to the body of Christ) as functional teaching servants to the body of Christ, they want to claim the Greek derived words of “apostles” and “prophets” are positions, or “offices” of greater authority than the Bible, Jesus Himself (and their very own selves!) says they are. They are attempting to will themselves into a position of illegal authority for the purpose of being recognized as “greater” than that which the Bible says is lesser and to exercise unbiblical power over the “other” saints and to demand their time, money and abilities from them in order to keep them in this cast-iron “super” clergy/laity system.

        With this understanding of the scriptures you will be able to recognize the false prophets and false apostles. These false apostles and prophets will attempt to keep the body of Christ in a perpetual state of babyhood, tossed around like ships in a storm and blown around with self-serving and erroneous doctrines. They are clever, crafty and cunning persons with lying schemes and tricks and deceptions. They will also attempt to tear up the old foundation and lay a new one (and attempt to replace Christ as the chief corner stone), and will lay claim to revelations that are superior to that of the New Testament holy apostles and prophets.
        True unity of the faith is based upon the knowledge of the Son of God, which, of course, includes the truth of the word of God which teaches us of Christ. Unity in the body of Christ must be based upon the truth of scripture, not ecumenical councils or other humanly concocted fads and devices which overlook the truth of the Bible.
        Understanding the scriptural role of today’s apostles and prophets will help you recognize today’s false apostles and prophets that the word says are among us in these latter days. When we stop following them and trying to be like them then, and only then, we can “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:”
        How many know we will never come unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ by following anyone other than Jesus?

        To those who would say that the five-fold ministry is the government of God I would say that you are both right and wrong. Jesus is the fulfillment of the law (Matthew 5:17). We look to Him, not the law, as God’s government. The doma ascension gifts are gifts given by Jesus Himself. Any study of the scripture will reveal that Jesus is the consummate special messenger sent by God, the consummate speaker of the mind and counsel of God, the consummate itinerant preacher, the consummate shepherd and the consummate teacher. Yes, we use these as titles for apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher. But I’m describing them by the functions that they are, which is scripturally correct.
        Since Jesus is the government of God, and is so gifted, and He has given His gifts unto mankind, then the assembly of those so gifted may be referred to collectively as the government of God. The problem is that we have not recognized our limitation to the executive branch of God’s government and administer the laws and affairs of the kingdom of God as we go about the Father’s business. Needless to say, we include our own laws and our own affairs and our own personal business.
        It should be crystal clear and totally comprehensible to every saint of God who understands what is written in the Bible that our purpose, as His people, is to learn what He has taught us and to obey the laws, ordinances, statutes, commands and precepts that are recorded in the Bible.
        God has made sure that His will, purpose and intent is available to His people so that we may obey Him. We have been empowered, and are obliged, to administer the laws and affairs of God’s kingdom as stated in scripture.
        However, the modern day trend is to instead attempt to re-invent the wheel all over again. False apostles, false prophets, and false teachers are constantly bombarding us with their brand new “revelations” of God’s latest alleged change in plans. If they were true apostles, prophets and teachers they would recognize from scripture the fact that God has completed the foundations and building of His legislative and judicial branches of His government and made certain that fact is recorded for us to know.
        The trickle-down effect of this apostasy is that the saints are now imitating the false statements uttered by those who have sovereignly declared themselves to be the latest and greatest apostle or prophet or teacher uniquely called, chosen, prepared and sent by God Himself. With, of course, a display of signs, wonders and miracles that would make a fourth of July pyrotechnics display pale by comparison. Unfortunately, this is always a private thing and there are no witnesses to corroborate this phony testimony. Every day, the prophet wannabees post their incredulous, preposterous and ridiculous “prophecies” on the internet, or holler them out in some congregational gathering somewhere, or write and self-publish a book. The gullible many love it so. The discerning are attacked and ridiculed for failing to recognize the “powerful anointing” of their new-found phony prophetic heroes.
        Scripture is twisted, modified, reinterpreted and misapplied in attempts to convince the gullible many. Appeals for money and status fly around like irritating mosquitoes on a hot summer day. But the gullible many continue to love it so.
        Whatever happened to “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth” (Luke 11:2)?

“I gradually came to the realization that God had given me the gift of apostle, and that certain spheres of the body of Christ were recognizing that I had the office of apostle as well,”

Misconception #2—God Is Restoring the Ministry of the Apostle to the Church.
        This misconception wrongly assumes that apostolic ministry has been absent from the Church. I call this belief “charismatic cessationism.” Like traditional cessationists, these charismatic cessationists wrongly assume that the gifts of the Holy Spirit and apostolic ministry ceased at some point in the Church’s history. But unlike the traditional cessationists, these cessationists claim that these gifts are now being restored.
        The truth is that Spiritual gifts and apostolic ministry have been in the Church since the time of Christ. Their prominence and influence have ebbed and flowed, but they have never been absent. This is borne out by the fact that, throughout history, various revival groups have sought to identify and recognize the apostles in their midst. This was true of the 16th century Anabaptists, the 19th century Catholic Apostolic Church (founded by Edward Irving), early Pentecostals (who called their movement “The Apostolic Faith”) and the Latter Rain movement of the 1940s-50s.
        Most of the true apostles of church history did not claim the title. I recall my first reading of Martin Luther’s treatise, “The Babylonian Captivity of the Church,” and being amazed at the boldness and succinctness of his message. I remember thinking, “Luther is speaking with apostolic clarity and authority.” The same is true of others in church history; the John Wesleys, The Charles Finneys, the Maria Woodworth-Etters and countless others. The claim that apostolic ministry is only now being restored to the Church smacks of pride and arrogance and does not line up with either Scripture or church history.

        There are no five-fold gifts of God’s government that have been lost and need to be restored. This is simply a clever device by which unscrupulous persons are attempting to gain control over you, because of the widespread biblical illiteracy. God has always gifted His saints in order to achieve His eternal purpose. Lack of understanding of what the true ekklesia of God is has allowed a corrupt system, called the institutional church, to become a means whereby men and women can establish grand sounding titles for themselves and use the scriptures as a weapon against personal and corporate love, life and liberty. That we have come as far as actually giving credence to these foolish fads that continue to pop up in the affairs of men is testimony of the corruption of the human heart and the need for those very scriptures that are wrongly used. Instead of rightly dividing the word of truth, these people add to the word, subtract from the word and now, with declarations of stunning new “prophetic revelations” even multiply words to add to the word, the Bible.
        As regards this group who consider themselves to be the “elite” of a “new movement” by God the question has to be asked:
        How many more failed prophecies do you have to hear before you conclude that these people are either propagators of false prophecy or out and out false prophets?
        How many more times will they and you continue to bind the devil? The book of Revelation says he will bound by an unnamed angel, who will also later loose him. Everybody keeps binding the devil, but he’s still as active, or more so, as he’s ever been.
        How many more empty hands will be laid on empty heads to “impart” that which scripture fails to say can be imparted? This is simply a variation of the “little gods” theme. Nothing’s been imparted except a bunch a hot air from your mouth. And sometimes something a lot more foul.
        How many more times will you claim healing for yourself and/or others and they and you continue to walk in sickness all the while claiming you are healed?
        How much more money will you continue to give away to these unscrupulous people in hopes of a “100 fold” return? God’s not in the lottery business folks. You’ll just go deeper and deeper into debt.
        How many more times are you or one of these hotshot leaders going to tell God how to run the universe and watch absolutely nothing happen? Then claim that something happened in the spiritual realm or on the other side of the world that you don’t know about, or some such other lame excuse for nothing happening?

Misconception #3—“Apostle” Is a Title to Be Worn in Front of the Name like Mr., Mrs., or Dr.
        At no place in the New Testament is “apostle” placed in front of someone’s name as a title. Although Paul normally identified himself as an apostle in the introductory part of his letters, in normal conversation he was never known as “Apostle Paul.” Paul refers to himself numerous times in his letters and always by his name, “Paul.” When he refers to other apostles, such as Peter, James or John, he does so by merely mentioning their name, and never with any title in front.
        In Acts, Luke mentions Paul by name more than 120 times and not once does he say “apostle Paul,” but merely “Paul.” In 2 Peter 3:14, Peter refers to our beloved brother Paul. In Rev. 1:9, John the apostle, in his letter to the churches, refers to himself as your brother and companion in tribulation.
        This obvious avoidance of titles is understandable in light of the words of Jesus in Matt. 23:6-12 where He warned his disciples about adopting titles that would set themselves apart from other believers. For some, feeling important is obviously more important than following the New Testament pattern.

        The word “office” in scripture always means individual performance of servanthood. It is not institutionalized position of sovereignty. It is action, not attitude, and function, not form. Pharaoh’s chief butler (cupbearer) was ... “restored unto mine office ...” the office of serving Pharaoh as cupbearer, (Genesis 41:13). The office of a midwife (Exodus 1:16) and the office of Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest (Numbers 4:16) speak of servanthood. The office of the musicians for the house of the Lord (1 Chronicles 6:32) and the Levite’s office of waiting on the sons of Aaron (1 Chronicles 23:28) also refer to servanthood. “...their offices in their service” (1 Chronicles 24:3), “And the priests waited on their offices (posts) ...” (2 Chronicles 7:6), “...the offices of the house of the Lord ...” (2 Chronicles 23:18) continue to speak of service. The office spoken of in Nehemiah 13:14 means a guard, the man, the post or the prison. In Psalms 109:8, reference is to servanthood. Peter, in Acts 1:20 refers to this “office” as “bishoprick” episkope, literally “an overseer.” In 2 Chronicles 24:11 “...the king’s office ...” refers to a place (where the king visits).
        Many other uses of the word “office” in the Old Testament are not in the original. The King James translators inserted them. The priest’s office (Luke 1:8,9; Hebrews 7:5), refers to priestly service. In 1 Timothy 3:1 the word “office” is not in the original, and literally reads “if anyone seeks overseership.” There is no such thing as the “office” of a bishop. The word shows the character of the work undertaken. 1 Timothy 3:10 and 13, refers to the “office of a deacon.” It would be better translated “let them serve as deacons” and “have served as deacons.” “Deacon” is diakoneo, meaning “to serve.” Deacons are to be “likewise” as the overseers (bishops) in qualifications (verse 8). They are subordinates, or helpers of the overseers (Philippians 1:1).
        The seven “deacons” of Acts, chapter 6, were not called specifically by that name. However, they displayed the characteristics of their functions. These encompass a variety of ministries, as discussed later. In Romans 11:13 “office” is diakonia, “a ministry.” In Romans 12:4 “office” is praxis, meaning practice, an act, and denotes a function.
        Wherever “office” and “bishop” appear, we must interpret them in the light of their true biblical meaning. We must discard the traditions of men.
        Propriety of servanthood is established in scripture. We become great by our servanthood, not by exalting ourselves in some alleged “office.” “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant” (Matthew 23:11; see also Matthew 18:1-4; Luke 9:46-48).

        Jesus said:
        Mark 7:21-23:
        21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
        22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
        23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.

        Verse 22 exposes the evil pride that comes from within the heart of man and defiles him.
        John, the apostle compares pride with lust of the flesh and lust of the eyes: “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16).
        Humans, in their lusts, pride and worldliness, continue to exalt themselves over others, which is exactly the opposite of what Jesus taught. You don’t have to be a theologian to read the words of Jesus and understand that Jesus said what He meant and meant what He said.
        Why don’t we understand that?
        If you want insight as to who is easy prey to this authoritarian division and what it really involves, how it develops, when it occurs, where it happens and why it happens, read the article “Evil abuse by good people in authority in prison and church.” You may also benefit from reading “Church people feel afraid, control, manipulation and abuse.”

        Dr. Wagner also states:

“Consequently, developing apostolic leadership in today’s church has now become an important function of GHM.”

        Matthew 7:21-27:
        21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
        22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
        23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
        24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
        25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
        26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
        27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.