Being a Spiritual Father for the Generations to Come

A father´s love (Photo Credits: iStock)

Being an apostle is really about being a spiritual father for the generations to come.

It is not to simply dream and talk about spiritual fatherhood. You have to actually be a father, with all that true fatherhood entails.

Around 10 years ago I ministered in a great European nation, and the intent was to identify and gather the apostles in the nation. 

But soon I realized that I was being trapped by a handful of immature «Wannabees». Men and women who craved my emotional acceptance. They praised me for «making us feel loved, unlike other leaders in this nation»....

I can handle people with such cravings. As a father in the natural, both of a toddler and grown-ups, I know that our kids need that their father gives them that. As a local church pastor, I wholeheartedly convey inner healing and acceptance to the broken and immature.

However, the problem arises in the Body of Christ when men and women who aspire to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (Ephesians 4:11-16) have that unfulfilled craving.

As apostles, we must ensure that before someone enters the ministry in a leadership capacity, we need to oversee that the Holy Spirit and the Church brings healing to their soul. First things first. Otherwise their brokenness and immaturity will spread in a church or movement, and there will be a cycle of never-ending problems.

Even when you establish a local congregation, you must beware of surrounding yourself with people with leadership aspirations who are craving for your continuous emotional affirmation.

Let me make abundantly clear that EAL is not about the maturation of spiritual toddlers. That is something we gladly do, but that needs to be an ongoing process in the local congregations, before we promote someone into a leadership position.