“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 9:1–2, ESV)
“I have been a fool! You forced me to it, for I ought to have been commended by you. For I was not at all inferior to these super-apostles, even though I am nothing. The signs of a true apostle were performed among you with utmost patience, with signs and wonders and mighty works. For in what were you less favored than the rest of the churches, except that I myself did not burden you? Forgive me this wrong!” (2 Corinthians 12:11–13, ESV)

In Greek, apostle merely means someone who is a messenger, “he who is sent. ” In that sense, missionaries can be apostles if they plant churches, disciple people, and oversee plantings. Few of the current day “apostles” do signs and wonders, and many who claim that title are not church planters. Instead, they seem to be more like CEO’s of large coporations. I have met some true apostles who, by their humility, seek no title, but who have given their lives away for Jesus, planting churches in hostile lands; or who have done the same in our country. I cringe at the title of apostle, but I honor the function of an apostle, which is to build upon the foundation of Christ and correct the church if it is off kilter.

I also think we need to disttinguish between an Apostle and an apostle with a little a. The founding Apostles carried a weight of transmitting the Word of God and have it written down for us. They had all seen the Lord.

I also believe that there are and will be apostles who will do signs and wonders, correct and direct the church, whose hallmarks will be humility and love, and who will be recognized by the Body for their character and effectiveness, and be honored as such in this coming Great Harvest of Souls. They will not seek to a place of honor, but will want to be the servant of all.