The ecclesiology of the Nicene Creed represents nearly three centuries of Christian development and confesses belief in an “apostolic Church.’” The definition and implications of the Church being ‘apostolic’ have been the subject of extensive debate throughout Christian history. For many today, the abiding and quintessential ‘apostolic’ nature of the Church is construed primarily, if not exclusively, in terms of apostolic authority and the apostolic teaching this authority produced in the early Church. In this view, to be an apostolic Church today is to be a Church that holds to apostolic teaching, specifically, that deposit of faith found in the New Testament writings. But is this the extent of the apostolic nature of the Church?
I propose that this understanding of the apostolic characteristic of the Church is severely lacking. Rather, Luke-Acts indicates that the Spirit-empowered activity of the apostles was as significant as their verbal proclamation in defining the ‘apostolic’ nature of the Church. I develop this argument beginning with the commissioning of the Twelve as apostles (Luke 6) throughout the ministry of Jesus and primarily in the growth of the Church through the ministry of the apostles following Pentecost. I will demonstrate that teaching and preaching were but one side of an apostolic ministry coin, whose other side was miracles, signs, and wonders. These Spirit-empowered activities of the apostles were just as vital to the identity and mission of the Church as the apostolic teaching, and they contributed directly toward its rapid expansion throughout the world.
In light of this survey, I argue that belief in an ‘apostolic Church’ requires belief in the ongoing apostolic nature of the Church, not only in holding to apostolic teaching, but also in practicing apostolic power through signs, wonders, and miracles. Contrary to those who would relegate such things to a supposed ‘apostolic age’ or otherwise deny the continuation of apostolic gifting and activity, I argue that the Church can only truly maintain its apostolic identity through the ongoing apostolic ministry of proclaiming the gospel in concert with Spirit-empowered signs, wonders, and miracles, which consistently attended the gospel proclamation in Luke-Acts.