In his book Forgotten Ways, Alan Hirsch advocates the setting up of an Apostolic Environment.  To create this environment requires leaders with vision.  They must be led by the Holy Spirit to want to break new ground in the local community.  This means that they will influence others to see it as their mission to reach others and encourage them to live a life transformed by the spiritual disciplines.  This looks a lot like the apostles in the Book of Acts.  Secondly, these inspirational leaders should keep the church forward looking and also make sure that the theology in the church is sound.  Lastly, the leaders must create the kind of fertile environment that births new ministries.

The ministers in the movement that Alan Hirsch envisions will have five primary teaching roles.  Those roles are apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.  In the modern church, says, Hirsch, the function of ministers is mostly in the pastor or teacher role.  These two roles maintain, but they do not cast vision and adapt ministry to the postmodern world.  The church needs leaders who are not respected because of their position, but gain position because of respect.  The respect is generated as they express clearly the fresh, god-given vision that God has given their church.