What Does the Didache Say About Itinerant Ministers?
1. The Place of Itinerant Ministers in the Didache
The Didache offers one of the earliest windows into how the church understood traveling ministers, especially apostles, prophets, and teachers. Didache 11–13 provides detailed instructions on how Christians were to receive and evaluate itinerant ministers. While the Bible itself frequently speaks about traveling preachers—such as Paul, Barnabas, and other missionaries—the Didache shows the challenges that emerged when such figures visited local communities.
The instructions are both welcoming and cautious. On one hand, communities are told to receive an apostle “as the Lord,” echoing Jesus’ words that “whoever receives you receives me” (Matthew 10:40). On the other hand, the Didache warns believers to be discerning, since not every traveling teacher comes with pure motives. This reflects the tension the early church faced: the Gospel was spreading, but not every voice could be trusted.
2. Apostles as Traveling Missionaries
The Bible describes apostles as foundational witnesses to Christ (Ephesians 2:20), and in the New Testament they often traveled from city to city. The Didache assumes this continued, but it also sets boundaries. Didache 11:4 states, “Let every apostle who comes to you be received as the Lord. But he shall not remain except one day; if there be need, also the next; but if he remain three days, he is a false prophet.”
This guidance shows two things. First, the church was eager to welcome those who came in Christ’s name. Second, the church had to guard against those who exploited hospitality. A true apostle traveled light, depending on the generosity of the community for only a short time. This mirrors Jesus’ instructions to the disciples in Matthew 10:9–10, where he commanded them to take no gold, silver, or bag for their journey. The Didache preserves this biblical pattern of simplicity and trust in God’s provision.
3. Prophets and the Test of Character
The Didache also speaks extensively about prophets, recognizing their important role but warning against abuse. Didache 11:7 says, “Not everyone who speaks in a spirit is a prophet, but only if he has the ways of the Lord.” In other words, the authenticity of a prophet was judged not by eloquence or dramatic claims but by the character of their life.
The Bible consistently applies this standard. Jesus warned, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” (Matthew 7:15). Paul urged the Thessalonians to “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21). The Didache echoes these warnings, urging communities to discern true prophets by their humility, integrity, and adherence to Christ’s teaching.
Prophets were allowed certain freedoms, such as offering prayers of thanksgiving at the Eucharist in their own words (Didache 10:7). Yet even here, discernment was vital. If a prophet ordered a table feast “in the Spirit” but ate from it himself, he was considered false. The Didache preserved the balance between honoring spiritual gifts and protecting the church from deception.
4. Teachers and Their Authority
The Didache also mentions teachers alongside apostles and prophets, recognizing their role in shaping Christian understanding. Teachers were those who instructed believers in “the way of life” described in the opening chapters of the Didache. They were measured not only by their words but by their example.
This reflects the New Testament emphasis on faithful teaching. Paul charged Timothy, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (2 Timothy 2:2). Likewise, the Great Commission commanded disciples to teach all nations to observe what Christ had commanded (Matthew 28:20).
In the Didache, teachers stood in continuity with the ministry of the apostles, yet they were also accountable to the local community. This balance preserved the authority of teaching while ensuring it remained rooted in the Gospel and the character of Christ.
5. Discernment, Hospitality, and the Gospel
One of the strongest themes in the Didache’s teaching about itinerant ministers is discernment. Hospitality was a central Christian virtue, reflecting the welcome of God in Christ. Hebrews 13:2 exhorts believers, “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” Yet the Didache recognized that generosity could be exploited.
Therefore, clear guidelines were established. An apostle should not demand money. A prophet who did not live according to the teaching of Christ was to be rejected. A teacher who spoke truthfully but did not practice what he taught was false. This practical wisdom ensured that the Gospel, not personal gain, remained central.
This also reflects the larger biblical theme that God’s people are strangers and pilgrims in the world (1 Peter 2:11). Itinerant ministers embodied this pilgrim identity, traveling lightly, preaching the kingdom of God, and depending on God’s provision. But they were called to walk in holiness, so that their lives matched their message.
6. Transition to Local Leadership
The Didache’s teaching about itinerant ministers also prepares the way for its instructions about local leadership in bishops and deacons (Didache 15). As the church grew, reliance on traveling apostles and prophets gradually gave way to stable, permanent leadership within communities. This does not mean itinerant ministers disappeared, but their role became more carefully defined.
The New Testament shows the same transition. Paul appointed elders in every church (Acts 14:23) and charged them to shepherd the flock. Letters like 1 Timothy and Titus give qualifications for overseers and deacons, signaling that long-term leaders were now responsible for the ongoing health of the church.
The Didache sits at this turning point. It shows respect for itinerant ministers, but it also sets limits and emphasizes discernment. This reflects a maturing church, one that valued both the charismatic movement of the Spirit and the stability of established leadership.
7. The Gospel Pattern in Itinerant Ministry
At the heart of the Didache’s instructions about itinerant ministers is the Gospel itself. Jesus came as the ultimate “sent one” from the Father, traveling among villages, proclaiming the kingdom, and laying down his life for his people. Apostles, prophets, and teachers followed his pattern, bringing the message of salvation wherever they went.
But just as Jesus was tested and rejected by false accusers, so the church was warned to test those who claimed to speak in his name. True itinerant ministers reflected Christ in humility, simplicity, and sacrificial service. False ones sought gain, power, or comfort. The Didache calls the church to remain faithful to Christ’s example, holding fast to the true Gospel and awaiting the kingdom of God.
Conclusion
The Didache’s teaching on itinerant ministers offers timeless wisdom for the church. It highlights the importance of welcoming those who come in the name of Christ while also exercising discernment to guard against deception. Apostles, prophets, and teachers were vital in spreading the Gospel, but their authority was measured by their faithfulness to Christ’s teaching and example.
As the church grew, itinerant ministry gave way to more settled forms of leadership, but the principle remained the same: leaders, whether traveling or local, must reflect the character of Jesus and serve his people in truth. For the modern church, the Didache reminds us that ministry is never about self-promotion but about embodying the Gospel of Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.
Bible Verses About Itinerant Ministers
Matthew 10:9–10, “Don’t acquire gold, silver, or copper for your money-belts. Don’t take a traveling bag for the road, or an extra shirt, sandals, or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his food.”
Matthew 10:40, “The one who welcomes you welcomes me, and the one who welcomes me welcomes him who sent me.”
Luke 10:4–5, “Don’t carry a money-bag, traveling bag, or sandals; don’t greet anyone along the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’”
Acts 14:21–23, “After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to continue in the faith... When they had appointed elders for them in every church, and prayed with fasting, they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.”
Acts 20:29–30, “I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Men will rise up even from your own number and distort the truth to lure the disciples into following them.”
Romans 10:15, “And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
1 Thessalonians 5:21, “But test everything; hold on to what is good.”
2 Thessalonians 3:6, “Now we command you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to keep away from every brother or sister who is idle and does not live according to the tradition received from us.”
2 John 10, “If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your home, and don’t greet him.”
3 John 7–8, “For they went out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. Therefore, we ought to support such people, so that we can be co-workers with the truth.”
