Structure

Life Church International — Our Family Structure

Life Church International is a family of churches led by fathers with an apostolic focus. Those with recognised or developing apostolic and prophetic ministries are released to function within the family, oversee the churches and extend the influence of the church. The overall focus of the apostolic ministry is to assist the church to fulfil the great commission.

We understand that relationships are the key ingredients of any family. Therefore, structure and ministries serve to facilitate relationships, not replace them.

Life Church International does not see the identity of a National Church as a biblical concept. We do, however, acknowledge that nations have different governmental and statutory requirements, and these issues need to be addressed.

The Local Church

The Local Church is God’s expression of His kingdom in a given location. The church is a community of believers who are in relationships and are expressing these relationships as the family of God. The church is evident through its gatherings and activities, but the church is the people, not the institution.

Each local church is self-supporting and self-governing. All church ministry is to build the church family so it is healthy, maturing and empowered to extend God’s kingdom, both within and out of the local church.

We are not a centrally governed family, but apostolic and prophetic ministries are free and encouraged to speak into the local church. Each church has the right to develop its own vision and direction under the Lordship of Christ. The local church may also vary in its form of government, teaching emphasis, vision, etc. However, all churches are to express the values of the family, i.e. they must have similar DNA.

Regional Structure

Life Church International has established a flexible and fluid regional structure, which allows for those in the same geographical location to work together. These regions are developed to serve the churches and, as such, can change as the needs of the churches change. Regions may divide or amalgamate as best serves the needs of the churches they represent. These regions are not limited by national borders.

The regional structures are to facilitate relationship development, inter-church initiatives such as leadership training programs, and can release those with recognised or developing apostolic and prophetic gifts.

Each region is overseen by a leadership team of fathers with an apostolic and prophetic focus. The leadership team may at any time co-opt other ministries into the team as necessary. And, the duration of their involvement is decided by the team.

Regional Leadership

A: Responsibilities of Apostolic and Prophetic Fathers:

Provide direction and vision for the region so that great commission initiatives can be accomplished.
Practise and promote the core values of Life Church International.
Support, encourage and bring counsel as required to ministers who are part of Life Church International in their region of influence.
Meet with the regional leadership, and in consultation with the church leaders they are serving, develop initiatives that benefit the churches they serve, and provide a platform that releases the ministries in these churches for kingdom work.
The leadership team will provide oversight for the general business of the Life Churches as determined by the national requirements of the nations within their region.
Maintain unity and vision. Each member of the leadership team will make it a priority to attend their regional team gatherings.
Mentor and train potential apostolic and prophetic ministry.

B: Guidelines for Appointment of Apostolic and Prophetic Fathers:

Fathers are not necessarily old or confined to the male gender but people who have the heart of a father and are expressing this in their relationships with others.
Apostolic and prophetic gifts are God-given ministries and, as such, are not appointed but recognised. The leadership team is responsible, in consultation with the leadership of the churches in the region, for the recognition and release of these ministries.
Apostolic and prophetic ministries serving in Life Church International must come from those ministers in that region who are committed to Life Church International, having a servant heart and being involved in churches that are financially supporting the vision of the broader family.
All apostolic and prophetic ministries appointed to the regional leadership team are to be confirmed at a regional gathering.
We acknowledge that those who are placed in these positions are there because of giftedness and maturity. As such, no specified term of appointment is set. However, the leadership team, in consultation with the leaders in the region, can replace or remove a member of the leadership team if circumstances deem it necessary.
We recognise the principle of first amongst equals. Therefore, where a leadership team is functioning, there will be a leading person who assumes overall responsibility.

International Leadership

We understand that apostolic and prophetic fathers have different levels of influence. The international leadership team is comprised of gifted people who are recognised by the regions as having a ministry that is greater than just within the region they serve. The international leadership team is responsible, in consultation with the regional leadership team, to recognise and release these ministries.

Role of the International Apostolic and Prophetic Fathers:

Work in conjunction with regional leadership teams in the development of international initiatives and strategies that accomplish the great commission and reflect the core values of Life Church International.
Develop initiatives in locations, which have no Life Churches or emerging Life Churches.
Represent Life Church International to other groups, or at their discretion to delegate this.
The international leadership team is responsible to maintain credentials and to manage international funds.

Get In Touch

If you would like to know more about Life Church International, please reach out.