Today I spent some more time reading The Church: One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic by Richard Phillips, Philip Ryken and Mark Dever. The chapter I read today was An Apostolic Church by Philip Ryken. The author based his comments on Ephesians 2:19-22:
So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
In the course of his discourse, the author substantiates the point that there are five marks of apostolicity in the church:
An apostolic church is Christ-centered in its preaching,
Bible-based in its teaching,
Grace-dependent in its ministry,
Faith-seeking in its evangelism, and
God-glorifying in its vision.
As we review this list, something about it ought to seem familiar: Christ, Scripture, grace, faith, glory. These are the Protestant Reformation doctrines: Christ alone, Scripture alone, grace alone, faith alone, and to God alone be the glory! – page 109
Additionally, the author does a great job of explaining what “apostolic” does NOT mean. These are some common misconceptions, making this chapter well-worth reading.