1) First and formost it is a season of REST. Its funny to think that rest is work but the work comes in the surrender and stripping away …..creating around and within us the time and space to rest.
2) Second is related to the first - God's work of purging and pruning – yes, it's winter time.
In this 'work of surrender', the Lord has caused us to retrieve a prophetic musing from 2007. (which we have included below)
It is our hope and prayer that by reading this, you would be affirmed and inspired to live in a holy passion for the King and His Kingdom like never before. Right now we are in the “inbetween” time – the time between the prophecy and its fulfillment. It has been 7 years now since the “Return to the King” was written and still we wait with great anticipation for it's fulfillment… may we each take heart knowing that the zeal of the Lord will accomplish all things........
RETURN TO THE KING
(edited - first written and published in 2007)
We, as followers of Christ, are a people on a journey
together – a people on pilgrimage. The word pilgrimage for a christian denotes
a journeying movement of devotion. Thus a pilgrim would be one whom out of
their devotion follows the one they are devoted to. In this way our very faith
becomes a pilgrimage, a journey of love towards Him whom we love, the narrow
path where all must be surrendered and everything must die. This is the way of
the cross, the way of Kingdom principles where death gives way to life and
Kingdom authority comes through the position of servant. It’s on this path,
where nothing is as we thought it would be but where transformation and revival
is birthed, individually and corporately.
So in His love, and grace towards one another may we with a
unity unknown, cry out, “Lift up your heads, O you gates be lifted up, you
ancient doors that the King of glory may come in.” Come into our hearts, our
families, our church, and our nation.
In the fall of 2006 amidst profound change and confusion the
Lord led us to Joel 2:12-13 We remember meeting with those closest to us for prayer and
pronouncing it to be a time of mourning.
“Even now,” declares the Lord,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and
mourning. Rend your heart and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God.”
Initially God used these words to call us to intercede for
the younger generation, our children, your children. He taught us through our
prodigals, His Father’s heart for us and also for them. But the Father disciplines
those he loves and it has been through this time of loving discipline that we
have had to acknowledge failure as parents, as ministers, and as the church.
This uncovering has been the very catalyst and force which calls those who will
into the ongoing position of repentance and discovery.
In his book, “The Irresistible Kingdom” Chip Brogden helps
broaden our perspective on repentance.
“Repentance is not only the means through which we enter the Kingdom of God, it is also the means through which we progress in the Kingdom of God. The path of progress, of spiritual maturity, hinges upon our willingness to let go of the old ways and embrace the new ways; to rise above the lower order of things and walk in a higher order—a heavenly way, a spiritual way, as opposed to the earthly, natural, carnal way that we are so used to walking.
Repentance is a continual process of agreeing with what God shows us about ourselves and then making the necessary adjustments—to create in us a willingness to look at things differently; an eagerness to begin seeing things as God sees them, regardless of how uncomfortable that may be; to value the things that He values and let go of lesser things; to align ourselves with His Mind and Will for all things; to leave our ground altogether and come onto His ground—regardless of the consequences.
Jesus said that to see His Kingdom “you must be born-again.” To enter His Kingdom, He requires us to “become as little children.” That is another way of saying, “You have to start all over again. You cannot make any progress with Me so long as you cling to the old way of thinking, perceiving, understanding, and interacting. I cannot pour new wine into old wineskins because it would ruin both. You need a new wineskin—a new heart—a new mind, a new understanding of things in order to receive what I wish to give you.”
This past year the Lord has connected us with intercessors
across the nation. This connecting and networking has had a profound effect and
has broadened perspective from, “What is God doing in the local church?” to
“What is God doing in the church of Canada?” Connecting with others banishes
isolation and simultaneously teaches and reveals what the Spirit is saying to the
Church. The scriptures that we will be sharing with you are scriptures that the
Lord has spoken to many across the nation affirming it to be a clear sound, a
word for now.
In 2006 one of the words strongly spoken over the Church in
Canada was Rev. 3:15-20
In 2007 one of the words strongly spoken over the Church in Canada was Ezekiel 16:49-50, 36:16-28
“Now this was the sin of your sister Sodom; She and her
daughters were arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor
and needy.”
“Son of man, when the people of Israel were living in
their own land, they defiled it by their conduct and their actions. ..And
wherever they went among the nations they profaned my holy name…Therefore say
to the house of Israel, “This is what the Sovereign Lord says: It is not for
your sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the
sake of my holy name… Then the nations will know that I am the Lord…when I show
myself holy through you before their eyes. ...I will sprinkle clean water on
you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and
from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I
will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I
will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees…you will be my
people and I will be your God.”
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, hating what
He hates and loving what He loves. It is aligning with and agreeing with His
word. In James 2:5 we are told that “Has not God chosen those who are poor in
the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the Kingdom he
promised those who love him.” This being true, one could say the opposite is
also true. Our nation not just the church has become fat in its prosperity and
poor in its spirituality. Our culture dictates to us what to think, how to
think, and ways to make others think. It screams to us, ‘you just have to
accept the culture!”
We are reminded of Expo 67 that was named “Man and his
World” On that day, (if not before) an altar was laid on top of the founding
foundation of Canada -the altar of humanism. Just as Jesus overturned the
tables of the money changers in the temple so now the altar of man needs to be
overturned along with the spirit of mammon which hangs heavily over our
churches and nation. I am wondering who else is ready to say no to culture and
to make a stand that there is no room for it in the Father’s house.
“No longer conform any longer to the patterns of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—
His good, pleasing and perfect will.” Rom 12:2
Lately in many conversations and prayers the question has
been posed. “How has the church come so far from the Word and the ways of the
Lord?” George Barna, a christian researcher makes a sobering statement, “Believers are largely indistinguishable from
non-believers in how they think and live. In a foreword for a book called,
“Reclaiming God’s Original Intent for the Church”, Larry Crabs states, “It is time for all of us to think about the church, in ways as old as
the bible, by giving up what culture has produced.
The early church was a dynamic movement by the very impetus
and power of the Holy Spirit in the context of relationship with a living God
and relationship with one another. It was organic in nature and because it was
so easily reproducible it grew at an exponential rate. The early church took on
a household structure where family, friends, slaves, and even business
associates would meet and worship. They were multigenerational, (children took
part in the worship) with a serious commitment to discipleship and a strong
sense of mission.
The most popular starting place in considering leadership in
the early church is Paul’s’ letter to the church in Ephesus. Ephesians 4:4-13
“Therefore there is one body and one Spirit, just as you
were called to one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one
God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. But each of
us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift…the gifts he gave
were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors
and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the
body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of faith and of the knowledge
of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ”.
We attended a teaching by Eddie Gibbs (professor of church
growth at Fuller Theological Seminary) called “Leadership in Turbulent Times”.
As he explained this passage he emphasized “it was not primarily about
leadership but rather concerned with the ministry of each and every person
according to the measure of Christ’s gift. These general categories of ministry
provide a means by which individual members can discern their gift and calling.
For each of the five areas of ministry specified here to blossom leadership
needs to be in place to identify the individuals with the gift and calling and
to provide mentorship and direction.”
Eddie Gibbs also noted that in the original text there are
two words given for apostle. One word relates to the unique group of the Twelve
who had been chosen and taught by Christ. And the other as used in Ephesians
relates to a different and wider group.
The early church under went dramatic change when Constantine
converted to Christianity in 313 AD .Two things happened as a direct result: 1)
it gained the official endorsement of the empire and actually became the
official religion of the empire and 2) it became an institution.
This means that for 1700 years the church has operated as an
institution and its ways have become deeply ingrained in us. Changes brought
about by the shifting of thinking and the progression of time find us, the
church patterned after the ways of the world.
-hierarchy and control
-organizational structures and government that match the business worlds
-predictable and rational, no place for the transcendent, ambiguity or mystery
-reasoning and intellectual climate rather than dependence on God
-professionalism accreditation acknowledged rather than character and gifting
-individualism, rather than “family”
-rejects authority rather than submit to authority and one to another
-generational divisions rather than multigenerational
-program orientated rather than relational
-success is measured numerically, rather than making disciples
-encourages a consumer mentality
In addition to this add our over reliance on the
pastor/teacher. Some how we (the church) have elevated this ministry gift so
high that it has became a myth (as Eddie Gibbs called it) of the omni-competent
lone ranger/senior pastor, believing and even expecting this person to have all the
answers, all the giftings, all the time and energy to meet all our needs. In
the book, “Transformational Discipleship”
it says, “We have diverted our Pastors from their primary calling to prayer, to
the ministry of the word and to equip the saints for ministry.” (Acts 6:4; Eph
4:11-13) Forgive us Lord.
Graham Cooke, in his book, “Divine confrontation” addresses
this front on.
“A cursory look at the scriptures tells us that the term
pastor is not a descriptive word for a local church leader. It is used only
once in connection with the fivefold ministries (eph 4:11) The correct term for
local leadership is the plural of elder to denote a team ministry. (acts 11:30;
14:23; 15:2,4,6,22; 16:4; 20:17,28; 1 Tim 3:1-7; 5:17; ect.) We need a paradigm
shift in our thinking. A revolution in leadership is required to bring us back
into alignment with the early church. With all of our post-modern style of
leadership we have created a church that consumes rather than a
church that produces. We have generated an audience, not an army…people who
hear but who do not live out the word.”
Eddie Gibbs defined this as “psuedo church”
everyone showing up for their expectations to be met/ a therapeutic gospel.
Over time what has
happened even in our mindsets is that we have lost our sense of biblical
individual and corporate identity. Example, we do not walk as sons or daughters
of Father God, we do not live like our body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who
is in us, nor do we acknowledge we were bought at a price and that our lives
are not our own.
And when we think of
church we think of it as a place to go to, a building, an institution where
together we do church by having a church service. But church in the biblical
sense in not a building made by hands and physical materials, but a building of
living stones, each uniquely placed—different and separate yet divinely fitted
together for the King’s purposes and for the furtherance of His Kingdom. It is
something that we are, that we get to be. It is a dwelling place for the
presence and glory of God. It is a city, an army, a pure and spotless bride. We
are the very body of Christ, a fellowship of believers, called to works of
service, to reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and
to become mature. (Eph 4:12-13) We are not our own, we’ve been bought at a
price.
This does not describe us
today. The general condition of today’s church is marked by growth only, not maturity
or depth and we have given way to the post Christendom way of thinking where
the position of tolerance becomes a controlling voice. We have entered into a
time where we have lost our way and our mission.
In a book called
“Transformational Discipleship” the author, Greg Ogden notes the current
reality of where the church is today and compares it to the biblical standard
of being a disciple. He states that the church is in a severe “Discipleship
Gap”. and outlines the signs.
-80% or more come to consume
-undisciplined way of life/do not take responsibility for our personal spiritual growth
-faith is compartmentalized, not transferred into living a holy life
-very little/no difference between churched and unchurched
-no concept of suffering, surrender, and denying to self
-church has become an institution, not a community of believers
-church has become biblically ignorant/does not acknowledge the word of God as
inerrant and a source of absolute truth
-shrinks from personal and corporate witness, focuses inward
Barna Research has found
there to be two main reasons for this discipleship gap.
1) We use programs to disciple rather than
committed/accountable/God fearing friendships.
2) There is no
sense of urgency to change anything.
Not long ago, we watched a
short video called, Tears of the Saints”. Images of the homeless, of the lame,
of poverty, of addiction, of a lost generation, (our sons and daughters) all
were projected in front of us with words like “It’s an emergency” and “ Come
back home” running through the song. Most of us have only to look at our own
families to realize the truth conveyed in this video. It is an emergency and
the alarm has been sounded! (Joel 2:1)
“Blow the trumpet
in Zion;
sound the alarm on
the holy hill.
Let all who live in
the land tremble,
For the day of the
Lord is coming.
Change comes through
crises or a perceived urgency to do things different. It has been stated that
deep change takes five to seven years. We have had to come to the painful
conclusion that the structure and model of ministry that the church at large
has adopted no longer works - so it comes as no surprise that God is doing a work
of shaking and sifting in His church. He
is calling us to change, to no longer conform to the patterns of the world and
to recognize just how far we have drifted off the ancient path and just how
needy we are for Him.
Isaiah 43:18-19
“Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past.
See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up;
Do you not perceive it?”
For a number of years we
have read, spoken and even prayed these words. Now it is time to believe them.
It’s already happening! We have proof that our ways are no longer working and
now even the old ways of government and structure are obsolete!
We are in a post modern time and the younger
generation will not accept the culture of commander and control nor do they
want to lead in that way. We are not talking about rebellion but rather
discernment and perhaps divine restraint.
Eddie Gibbs stated that “Even
in this “leadership crises” where the young are not being prepared to lead, he
sees the Lord’s hand, because we are in a time where a different kind of
leadership is needed, trained in a different way for a different kind of
church. The under 35s (post moderns) are relational and fit in an
environment that networks and empowers. Even the military is having to make
changes within their ranks and models of leadership. There is a shift from the top-down style, to relational horizontal, consensual, collaborative modes of getting people
together to make something different happen. There is increased stress and
pressure to come to the death of rank and establish a level ground.
The tables are being
turned upside down.
Matthew 23:10-12 (Jesus said to the crowds and to his
disciples)
“But you are not to be called Rabbi, for you have only one
Master and you are all brothers…Nor are you to be called teacher, for you have
one teacher, the Christ. The greatest among you will be your servant. For
whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be
exalted.”
We are in a time of Divine Confrontation where
the old is coming into collision with the new, where the ways and reasoning of
man must surrender to the revelation of God and where the flesh must submit to
the spirit. It’s a Beautiful Collision where Gods presence and rule breaks
through, and establishes His Kingdom and calls forth His order and will. We are in a pivotal time
of history, a crossroads actually where we will choose either the status quo of
where we are right now or we will go back to the ancient path Jesus’ disciples
took 2000 years ago.
We are in shifting times,
changing seasons. The Lord is trying to do a new thing within Canada and many
of the older structures are coming against the new ones….there is going to be a
major collision...there will be a new and fresh wave of the Spirit that would
bring many people closer to the Lord. We need to mobilize for prayer so that
division is minimized and so the new expressions of the church in Canada are
established with the fruits of the Spirit in tact. The Lord is speaking
restoration of order, of dignity, of purpose, and of vision. Canada has come of
age, the foundation which has already been laid and the corner stone of Jesus
Christ is in place aligned with the plumbline of the word to the call of
holiness and consecration. There is a movement of awakening passion for Jesus,
and simultaneously an abandoning from the spirit of the world.
There are no maps. This is
the way of the heart. The heart that will not be satisfied with anything but being
in the presence of the King, seeing His Kingdom come and experiencing the
fulfillment of all He has promised for ourselves, our children, for the church
and for our nation. Pioneers for the Lord, foot soldiers detailed to make roads
in advance of the main body. No charts, no maps, no how to’s, just the leading
of the Spirit revealing the way as we go.
“Lord, would you make us
pioneers, a prototype of a new kind of church? The kind that You Yourself would
build as we covenant with You and with one another in ways and in measures than
we have not done before.” We must
remember our God is a covenant making God and He calls us into covenant.
Together would we dare to
say yes to the Lord? Would we be a people who would believe that there is so
much more? Would we ask for the same anointing and grace given to Bob Birch (a pioneer and founding father of intercession for the nation) that we too could get off the beaten path and be used of the Lord to blaze a
new trail? --A trail not just for ourselves but also for our children, and our
children’s children….
“I will not follow
the beaten path;
I will go where
there is no path
And I will leave
a trail” Bob Birch
Imagine a church the Lord
would build….glorious for His glory…We can already see His hands at work,
masterfully chiselling and shaping us, placing each one, fitting us together
side by side, securing us in place and building a temple where he could dwell.
We see the hearts of the fathers turning back to the children and the hearts of
the children turning back to the fathers. We see family everywhere, generations
blending, the older coming along side the younger and the younger walking
alongside the older. We see us sharing lives together loving, listening,
crying, laughing, protecting.
As for the dream the Lord gave
us so many years ago…we can still see it. Only it has been refined with the
fire of failure, enlarged by the heart of the Father and made more passionate
by the presence of the Groom. The dream is about a people who returned to the
King…a Bride completely given over to her Groom.
The Dream
We see hundreds of people gathered to worship and
experience God.
There is an expectancy in the air,
an unquenchable hunger for God’s presence.
As we worship Jesus, our lives are transformed.
We are
becoming a people belonging to God.
Together as we grow in Him we are given a new heart,
a new spirit, a new name.
We are being healed by His love, and equipped as His
witnesses.
We are being made ready to be His people, to be a
light in the darkness,
A city on a hill.
In His authority we will take back what the enemy has
stolen,
Our children, our cities, the nations.
We will be a people who worship God only, who will
serve God only,
And whose lives are for our God only.
There is great expectation to see the Lord do something new in 2008. But perhaps the Lord is also waiting for us to do something new and perhaps as we enquire a little longer we will hear him chuckle and say, “Permission granted!”
To close we will simply say, “We love Jesus and we love his
Bride!”
1 comment:
Thanks for these words... There is really a need for revolution in the church
Post a Comment