By Darren Stott

The twenty-eighth chapter of Matthew ends the book with the eleven Reservoir Dog disciples rendezvousing in Galilee at the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  The post-resurrection Jesus Christ appears to them, flossing his new glorified body, seconds before assenting into the skies. The purpose of this huddle was to apostolically commission this band of brothers for a world changing mission that would cost them everything, including their very lives.  In Matthew 28:19 Jesus says: “…go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  At that moment, these very ordinary men received a verbal warrant granting them the power to perform the duty of discipling the nations into a relationship with Father God. Accompanying the apostolic commission given by Jesus, was a new militant ranking or authority in the spirit to operate and perform the task needed in order to accomplish the mission.  This Kingly mission continues today in what we call The Church Age.  God is restoring the gifts and the offices of the Apostle, Prophet, Evangelist, Pastor, and Teacher to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4).  For the rest of 2010 we will be equipping and empowering.  We will be studying the offices of five fold ministry, spiritual gifts, their roles, and our roles in God’s kingdom mission to disciple nations into relationship with the King of Kings.