The Apostolic Reformation by Phil Spence

The Apostolic Reformation: A Snapshot - Five Key Elements of the Move of the Spirit in our Time by Phil Spence

There has been a quiet but relentless reformation happening in the body of Christ for a few decades now. No one person or organisation spearheads this reformation. It is Holy Spirit led. He is the Governor of the Kingdom, and He is reforming Christ’s Church in our time.

Reformation is a generational process, so we can expect our children and grandchildren to observe and participate in the outworking of this apostolic reformation. Therefore, we must work from a generational perspective.

 So then, what is this apostolic reformation? What does it look like? What is it founded upon? Here are some thoughts which are by no means exhaustive.

 [1] The Kingdom

 The beginning point is the Kingdom of Heaven on Planet Earth. Jesus’ mission, mandate and message was all about His Kingdom. Everything He did and taught was for the purpose of establishing His Kingdom and mobilising an army to advance its cause across the world.

 The King began by raising up a group of twelve apostles, followed by a group of seventy apostolic leaders. They preached the gospel of the Kingdom and taught the explained truth about the Kingdom. Their mandate was to represent the King to their world. Their mission was to establish the Kingdom of God in the hearts of people everywhere, and by so doing, advance the Kingdom as God’s alternative to a broken world.

 The body of Christ became known as the Ekklesia. This was the body of people who learned how to govern Kingdom affairs as led by the Holy Spirit. The Ekklesia exists to be the authentic representation of the King and His Kingdom in the earth. Therefore, the Kingdom of God is the context for the Ekklesia. Everyone and everything finds its place in the context of the Kingdom.

 The apostolic reformation brings revelation about the Kingdom, the authority of the Kingdom, the order of the Kingdom, and the supernatural ways of the Kingdom, into being. The reformation is from man’s ways to God’s Kingdom ways.

 [2] The Ekklesia

 Jesus declared that He would build His Ekklesia, and that even the gates of hell would not be strong enough to withstand its advancement. Ekklesia was a Greek word which described the government of cities and nations. The Roman Empire adopted the word and applied it to Caesar’s Senate. Then Jesus shocked His followers by using this foreign concept.

The Ekklesia is a body of people who are called out of society into the Kingdom of God, where they are to learn how to govern in Christ’s Kingdom. Members of the Ekklesia first learn how to govern themselves, then their environments. Faithfulness in these areas will result in greater spheres of influence on behalf of our King.

 The Ekklesia is the Christ’s original pattern for the Church. We were never intended to just be church attenders, servants, or leaders. Our destiny is to govern God’s purposes in our communities and nations. The apostolic reformation will produce overcomers who know how to conquer and rule. This will produce a very different kind of church.

 [3] Apostolic Governance

 The question now is: Who will lead this and how is it to be structured?

 The Ekklesia is built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, all of whom only do the King’s bidding. Apostles come first in time, place and order in the Kingdom. This does not make others lesser. This is God’s order of things.

 Apostles lead the governance of the Kingdom, but they need prophets to complement them. Prophets tend to see what apostles miss, and apostles usually have the big picture context for what the prophets are seeing. Together, there is a balance and strength of leadership and ministry to the Ekklesia. Together, apostles and prophets impart what is needed for the teachers, pastors and evangelists to be more effective. Together, apostles and prophets maintain the Kingdom context and focus for the body of Christ.

 Apostolic governance is not just over a local congregation. Apostles are graced by Christ to govern cities and regions. They oversee multiple groups, ministries, and Kingdom advancements. They do this on the strength of relationships built, the grace and authority bestowed by Christ, and with the synergy of five-fold graces at work.

 [4] Five-Fold Team Ministry

 Five-fold team ministry is not a church leadership concept, or a church ministry team. It is not gift based or performance oriented. It is certainly not about anyone’s time to shine.

 Five-fold team ministry is built on humility. It also requires the synergy of the five graces. This can only develop where trust relationships have been built, and each one is hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit. Five-fold team ministry will manifest the Kingdom, edify the Ekklesia, and honour the lead of the apostles and prophets.

 Five-fold team ministry is about coalition. It is about complementing one another to create a synergy of graces which will produce greater outcomes for the glory of God. It is about each member of the five-fold knowing who they are and understanding the ebb and flow of the Holy Spirit at work through a group of people. Five-fold team ministry means corporately coming to know the mind of Christ.

 [5] Spiritual Fathering & Sonship

 Everything that we have discussed so far can only produces God’s best outcomes if it is founded on God’s relational pattern, which is fathers and sons. God was a father before creation. We know this because He created a son called Adam who represents all of humanity.

 Throughout scripture we see fathers and sons: Elijah and Elisha, Paul and Timothy, and so many more. The apostolic reformation will not achieve its fulfillment without the spirit of sonship. God is not looking for servants; He is seeking sons who will become spiritual fathers who will birth and raise spiritual sons.

 Kingdom leadership and ministry must be built on this principle. Fathering is Kingdom leadership, and the training ground for leadership is sonship. The apostolic reformation will lose its way of we do not stay true to this Kingdom leadership pattern.

 We must understand and advance the Kingdom of Heaven in the earth. We must understand and function as the Ekklesia. We must embrace apostolic governance of the Ekklesia. We must build five-fold relationships and function. And we must do all of this based on spiritual fathering and sonship. Then we will see a greater potency in the apostolic reformation.

© 2025 Philip M Spence

Phil Spence is an author, speaker, mentor and musician. He leads Enlarj, a relational apostolic network influencing more than 20 nations. He oversees School of the Kingdom Global in many of these nations. Phil is internationally recognised as an apostle. Phil may be contacted via phil@enlarj.com