This past month our focus as a Live Dead community was Apostolic Function.

Not simply going somewhere new.

Not building a platform or pursuing adventure.

But joining Jesus in His mission to make himself known where He is not yet known.

Throughout Scripture, we see God’s heart for the nations. From the call of Abraham to the Great Commission, His desire has always been that every people group would have the opportunity to know and worship Him. Apostolic function is living with that same priority. It is the willingness to go, send, pioneer, and serve so that new communities of believers can be established among those who have little or no access to the gospel.

This past month, one of our Live Dead teams shared a story that beautifully illustrates this value:

After Ramadan, Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al Fitr. This 3-day holiday breaks the month of fasting. On the first morning of Eid, everyone stays up all night. They wash and dress in new outfits and then go to the mosque at dawn. All through the neighborhood, we hear the call to prayer ringing out over and over.

Courtney (name changed) was invited by a friend to visit the mosque this year. The friend knows that Courtney is a Christian and that she prays in Jesus’ name and would not be participating in the Islamic prayers. At the mosque, the men met outside where lights were strung across the park and rugs were laid out on the grass. The women met inside. Everyone was dressed in lovely dresses, and many ladies were handing out candy to the children and desserts and coffee to the adults. Courtney’s friend was so excited.

By the time the prayer began, the room was full, with a few hundred women and children. Everyone began by kneeling, and then stood and knelt as the prayer required, repeating the Quranic verses together. Courtney sat on the floor in the back and prayed for her neighbors, prayed that they would become disillusioned with their religion and have dreams and visions of Jesus. She prayed that everywhere her feet touched in that room would be a place that people would encounter the one true God.

The prayers ended. Courtney’s heart was heavy. The mosque is a dark place; it’s not some place we visit lightly. At the same time she was grateful for the opportunity to pray for her neighbors in a way she never had the chance to do before—inside the mosque around the corner from her home. 

Stories like this remind us that apostolic ministry is often much less dramatic than we imagine. It is rarely about crowds, recognition, or quick results. More often, it looks like faithful presence, intentional relationships, and a willingness to invest in places where the gospel has not yet taken root.

Apostolic function begins with God’s heart.

It asks:

• Who still has little opportunity to hear about Jesus?
• Where is the church not yet established?
• How can I participate in God’s mission to reach those places?

For some, that participation means going. For others, it means praying, giving, mobilizing, or helping send workers. But for all followers of Jesus, apostolic function invites us to lift our eyes beyond ourselves and align our lives with His global purpose.

The early church understood this well. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they carried the gospel beyond familiar places, crossing cultural, linguistic, and geographic barriers so that others could encounter Jesus. Their obedience created pathways for the church to take root among new peoples and communities.

The same mission continues today.

As a Live Dead community, we believe every people group deserves access to the gospel. Church planting among the unreached remains unfinished work, and God continues to invite ordinary believers into that story.

This month challenged us to consider where our lives intersect with God’s mission. It reminded us that the gospel is not something we merely receive—it is something we carry. Whether across the street or across the world, we are called to participate in seeing Jesus known among all peoples.

Looking Ahead

As we move into this new month, we turn our focus to the next core value: Team.

Because no one fulfills the mission alone. The work of reaching the unreached has always been carried forward through healthy, Spirit-led communities who serve, sacrifice, and labor together for the sake of the gospel.