Apostles provide leadership and oversight for the Body of Christ. They provide leadership to all other ministries, including prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. Apostles govern the church generally and provide oversight to elders and local congregations. They keep the body of Christ focussed on Jesus, and keep the church faithful to the doctrines of the Christian faith and to the Holy Scriptures. Whilst this leadership carries the authority of Christ, it is neither authoritarian nor legalistic. Apostles do not actually own the churches, nor do they own the property and structures of the church. Rather, they function on the basis of relationship. An anointed relationship in Christ is built between an apostle and those under him in the Lord, and on the basis of covenant relationship in the heart does the apostle effectively provide leadership and government to the body of Christ. Essentially, every ministry - local churches, evangelists, and the apostles themselves should be autonomous, but linked in relationship.
