It is an honor again to share some rich edifying words from Steve Crosby. I'm also excited about the fact that Steve and his family are in the process of relocating to the Charlotte area in the near future.
I trust that your life will be enriched by "New Creation Praying"
New Creation Praying
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Sunday, April 4, 2010
Monday, March 29, 2010
So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore... an unexpected journey
If you read my previous blog, the fact that I'm reading this book should come as no surprise.
I'm in the middle of reading Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman's controversial yet refreshing work. It is the story of Jake Colsen, an Associate Pastor who meets a man named "John", and his encounters literally turn his religious world upside down! The story is one I can relate to. The excerpt I've chosen is from an early encounter where Jake tells John about the time when "the love of Jesus first captured his heart.". Jake describes the vibrant Kingdom life he and his parents experienced... in contrast to the dreary religious ritual his parents were once steeped in. The earlier experience was so lifeless, Jake and his siblings could easily talk them out of "going to church.".
"But this was different. We couldn't drag them away with a tow truck. They had moved from being mere church attendees, to people passionate about their walk with God. In the process, God was changing their lives. Old habits fell away. God's presence was stronger than their needs, and they were reading the Bible at every opportunity. I remember them praying about everything. They were joyful, free, and alive in their faith for the first time. It made us kids hungry for it as well. They prayed for us and that's the first time I remember knowing the life of God. I even remember hearing God's voice for the first time."
"What happened to that?"
"For a few years it grew, and they wanted their church to embrace it as well. But suspicions abounded and accusations flew. When the dust settled some months later it was clear that they were no longer welcome at the church. Many of them resigned their membership, but it didn't dampen their zeal. They just saw it as persecution.
"Since they were no longer welcome at their church, they decided to start a new one together. The first gathering brought more than eighty people, crammed into a small house. They atmosphere was electric. They decided to get organized, rent a building and hire a pastor."
Then for the first time I saw it so clearly. "And it slowly died," I muttered, astonished at the realization. "They were so distracted by all the work that they soon lost that joy of simply loving Jesus."
"Strange isn't it, that forming something into what they thought was a church could do what persecution couldn't? There is nothing the Father desires for you more than you fall squarely in the lap of his love and never move from that place for the rest of your life. God's plan from the days of creation to the day of the Second Coming was designed to bring people into the relationship of love tha the Father, Son and Spirit have shared for eternity. He wants nothing less - and nothing else!
"This is no distant God who sent his Son with a list of rules to follow or rituals to practice. His mission was to invite us into his love - into a relationship with His Father that he described as friendship. But what do we do? We are so quickly captured by a work-driven religious culture that thrives on guilt, conformity, and manipulation that it devours the very love it seeks to sustain.
"In Ephesus it was ferreting out false teachers. In Galatia it was getting everyone to observe the Old Testament rituals. Today it's convincing people to cooperate with the church program. It doesn't matter what leads people away from God's life. Anything will do, as long as it preoccupies them enough to serve as an adequate substitute for the real thing. It's easier to see the problem when the standard is circumcision in Ephesus than when it is Sunday morning attendance in Kingston. But both can lead to the same place - bored and disillusioned believers, no longer embracing Father's life."
Hopefully this whets your appetite to read more. You can find free downloads of "So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore" at the links below. As usual, I also welcome your comments... on this excerpt, and on the book when you read it.
You can download an 8 1/2 by 11 version to read offline:
http://www.jakecolsen.com/JakeStory.pdf
...or you can download the final printed page spreads of the book here:
http://www.jakecolsen.com/Jakespreads.pdf
I'm in the middle of reading Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman's controversial yet refreshing work. It is the story of Jake Colsen, an Associate Pastor who meets a man named "John", and his encounters literally turn his religious world upside down! The story is one I can relate to. The excerpt I've chosen is from an early encounter where Jake tells John about the time when "the love of Jesus first captured his heart.". Jake describes the vibrant Kingdom life he and his parents experienced... in contrast to the dreary religious ritual his parents were once steeped in. The earlier experience was so lifeless, Jake and his siblings could easily talk them out of "going to church.".
"But this was different. We couldn't drag them away with a tow truck. They had moved from being mere church attendees, to people passionate about their walk with God. In the process, God was changing their lives. Old habits fell away. God's presence was stronger than their needs, and they were reading the Bible at every opportunity. I remember them praying about everything. They were joyful, free, and alive in their faith for the first time. It made us kids hungry for it as well. They prayed for us and that's the first time I remember knowing the life of God. I even remember hearing God's voice for the first time."
"What happened to that?"
"For a few years it grew, and they wanted their church to embrace it as well. But suspicions abounded and accusations flew. When the dust settled some months later it was clear that they were no longer welcome at the church. Many of them resigned their membership, but it didn't dampen their zeal. They just saw it as persecution.
"Since they were no longer welcome at their church, they decided to start a new one together. The first gathering brought more than eighty people, crammed into a small house. They atmosphere was electric. They decided to get organized, rent a building and hire a pastor."
Then for the first time I saw it so clearly. "And it slowly died," I muttered, astonished at the realization. "They were so distracted by all the work that they soon lost that joy of simply loving Jesus."
"Strange isn't it, that forming something into what they thought was a church could do what persecution couldn't? There is nothing the Father desires for you more than you fall squarely in the lap of his love and never move from that place for the rest of your life. God's plan from the days of creation to the day of the Second Coming was designed to bring people into the relationship of love tha the Father, Son and Spirit have shared for eternity. He wants nothing less - and nothing else!
"This is no distant God who sent his Son with a list of rules to follow or rituals to practice. His mission was to invite us into his love - into a relationship with His Father that he described as friendship. But what do we do? We are so quickly captured by a work-driven religious culture that thrives on guilt, conformity, and manipulation that it devours the very love it seeks to sustain.
"In Ephesus it was ferreting out false teachers. In Galatia it was getting everyone to observe the Old Testament rituals. Today it's convincing people to cooperate with the church program. It doesn't matter what leads people away from God's life. Anything will do, as long as it preoccupies them enough to serve as an adequate substitute for the real thing. It's easier to see the problem when the standard is circumcision in Ephesus than when it is Sunday morning attendance in Kingston. But both can lead to the same place - bored and disillusioned believers, no longer embracing Father's life."
Hopefully this whets your appetite to read more. You can find free downloads of "So You Don't Want To Go To Church Anymore" at the links below. As usual, I also welcome your comments... on this excerpt, and on the book when you read it.
You can download an 8 1/2 by 11 version to read offline:
http://www.jakecolsen.com/JakeStory.pdf
...or you can download the final printed page spreads of the book here:
http://www.jakecolsen.com/Jakespreads.pdf
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Recapturing Kingdom Language
Nehemiah 13: 23 In those days also I saw the Jews who had married women of Ashdod, Ammon, and Moab. 24 And half of their children spoke the language of Ashdod, and they could not speak the language of Judah, but only the language of each people. 25 And I confronted them and cursed them and beat some of them and pulled out their hair. And I made them take oath in the name of God, saying, “You shall not give your daughters to their sons, or take their daughters for your sons or for yourselves. 26 Did not Solomon king of Israel sin on account of such women? Among the many nations there was no king like him, and he was beloved by his God, and God made him king over all Israel. Nevertheless, foreign women made even him to sin. 27 Shall we then listen to you and do all this great evil and act treacherously against our God by marrying foreign women?”
\
As we vacation in a British territory, we see a couple of identities. There is that identity that is native to the people on the island. And then there are cultural elements that are clearly foreign. They emanate from the “motherland”. Since there’s a harmonious relationship here there is no issue or conflict. There’s a healthy blending of cultures that complements both people groups and makes this a popular tourist attraction. But as we think in spiritual terms, some differences are simply non-negotiable.
Israel was a theocracy. And as such, there was a necessary separation required to preserve their spiritual identity. Otherwise, all that the Lord called them out to be would be lost as His chosen people faded into the cultures of the people who surrounded them. At the place of restoration referenced in the scripture above, Nehemiah recognized the corruption that took place when people ignored God’s word and made covenant relationships with people outside the Jewish “kingdom”. One of the casualties was language: By intermarriage, the exiles reproduced and raised children who had no idea who they were. They spoke the language of the cultures married into. I would suggest God’s people have done the same. It is the product of “Roman” captivity of the Church. (For those of you who don’t know what this means, I would suggest reading “Pagan Christianity” by Frank Viola, or “Houses that Change the World” by Wolfgang Simson) I also believe it’s time to zealously call for restoration in this area. I don’t advocate cursing, beating, and pulling out the hair of people who misspeak in this way and forcing them to take oaths to change their ways. I do believe it’s time for those of us who are serious about Kingdom living to “take captive” our own thoughts and words so they may properly reflect who we are.
Since our “paradigm shift” last summer, I’ve increasingly become sensitive to the use of language in Christian circles. Probably topping the list of words in question is “Church”. Sometimes people use it to refer to a building, other times to a meeting. Some examples:
Going to church
Having church
Either use is not biblically correct. This is not some petty nitpicking over some insignificant matter. It is really fundamental to our understanding of who we are as a people. First we have to reject the way “church” is wrongly used. Then, as we embrace what the word really means, I’m betting the Father will begin illuminating us, revealing the key issue: who we are to be!
After Peter’s bold proclamation of understanding as to who Jesus is, the Savior promises that “upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it”. We must ask, did He come through a virgin, live a perfect life, die on a cross, and rise from the grave on the 3rd day so we could go to a building or a meeting?
It is clear that He called us out to experience something much more extraordinary than the standard religious fare available in most “church” circles in our communities. I would suggest that based on His 2 Great Commandments, He purposed two things relating to the Church: dynamic fellowship with the Father, and a supernatural walk with a spiritual family… in this life.
John 17:3 says this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. . The very essence of life is: knowing God, not simply knowing about Him. I’m reminded of the wonderful Hymn “He Lives”. Remember the words of the chorus, “He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way”. Is this a reality in your life? If not, it can be. Maybe you’ve known this walk and you’ve simply settled into a life of religious routine. You can repent and experience restoration of this intimate daily walk with the Father.
But there’s more. God did not simply call individuals to this life. He called “a people”. The challenge now is to “be” a people. I find it amazing that at the beginning of the church in Acts 2, we see that they “devoted themselves” to: the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. We learn that “all who believed were together and had all things in common”. They sold possessions and belongings and distributed proceeds to those in need. Day by day they met in the temple and broke bread in their homes. Think of this folks. This is before years and years of “expository preaching”. They heard Peter’s sermon at Pentecost where he exhorted them to “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who gladly received his word were baptized and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”(Acts 2:40-41) People, this isn’t rocket science. And the more years that pass the more I realize many of us are simply walking a walk that is foreign to this and yet professing to be believers. In other words, we’ve invented ways to profess that we “believe”, without really believing.
In I Peter we’re referred to as a “living stone”. But notice the next verse, “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”. I find it interesting that He starts by referring to us individually, but goes on to speak of “stones”… plural! We cannot be who God calls us to be, alone! Western rugged individualism has no place in the Kingdom of God.
Peter continues down in verses 9-10: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people’; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” This is what the world needs to see, that “city on a hill” that cannot be hidden! But they will not see that city as long as we practice “lone ranger religion” and attempt to pass it off as Christian.
I believe the enemy loves our talk about going to church and having church because it obscures the glorious truth that we ARE the church. And the longer we fail to embrace and walk in that identity, the longer we perpetuate backsliding and lukewarm religion. I believe it’s the single reason so many professing Christians feel so “lost”, miserable, and bored! How many of us have “gone to all the required “church” services and events, only to find emptiness and powerlessness? We were made to know Him and walk with Him. We were made to love and walk with each other. Anything less is not Christianity. It’s merely empty religious expression.
If we wrongly define “church”, we make it all too easy to settle for something much less than our Father intended. I appeal to you to seize the true meaning of this word in your life, and cry out to Him with others that we may be the church that will give Him honor, glory, and praise… not simply in a meeting, but that our very lives would be the message… that Jesus Christ is alive and that He rules and reigns today. Otherwise all the world around us will experience are empty religious words they can, and frankly should, ignore.
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\As we vacation in a British territory, we see a couple of identities. There is that identity that is native to the people on the island. And then there are cultural elements that are clearly foreign. They emanate from the “motherland”. Since there’s a harmonious relationship here there is no issue or conflict. There’s a healthy blending of cultures that complements both people groups and makes this a popular tourist attraction. But as we think in spiritual terms, some differences are simply non-negotiable.
Israel was a theocracy. And as such, there was a necessary separation required to preserve their spiritual identity. Otherwise, all that the Lord called them out to be would be lost as His chosen people faded into the cultures of the people who surrounded them. At the place of restoration referenced in the scripture above, Nehemiah recognized the corruption that took place when people ignored God’s word and made covenant relationships with people outside the Jewish “kingdom”. One of the casualties was language: By intermarriage, the exiles reproduced and raised children who had no idea who they were. They spoke the language of the cultures married into. I would suggest God’s people have done the same. It is the product of “Roman” captivity of the Church. (For those of you who don’t know what this means, I would suggest reading “Pagan Christianity” by Frank Viola, or “Houses that Change the World” by Wolfgang Simson) I also believe it’s time to zealously call for restoration in this area. I don’t advocate cursing, beating, and pulling out the hair of people who misspeak in this way and forcing them to take oaths to change their ways. I do believe it’s time for those of us who are serious about Kingdom living to “take captive” our own thoughts and words so they may properly reflect who we are.
Since our “paradigm shift” last summer, I’ve increasingly become sensitive to the use of language in Christian circles. Probably topping the list of words in question is “Church”. Sometimes people use it to refer to a building, other times to a meeting. Some examples:
Going to church
Having church
Either use is not biblically correct. This is not some petty nitpicking over some insignificant matter. It is really fundamental to our understanding of who we are as a people. First we have to reject the way “church” is wrongly used. Then, as we embrace what the word really means, I’m betting the Father will begin illuminating us, revealing the key issue: who we are to be!
After Peter’s bold proclamation of understanding as to who Jesus is, the Savior promises that “upon this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it”. We must ask, did He come through a virgin, live a perfect life, die on a cross, and rise from the grave on the 3rd day so we could go to a building or a meeting?
It is clear that He called us out to experience something much more extraordinary than the standard religious fare available in most “church” circles in our communities. I would suggest that based on His 2 Great Commandments, He purposed two things relating to the Church: dynamic fellowship with the Father, and a supernatural walk with a spiritual family… in this life.
John 17:3 says this is life eternal, that they might know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. . The very essence of life is: knowing God, not simply knowing about Him. I’m reminded of the wonderful Hymn “He Lives”. Remember the words of the chorus, “He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way”. Is this a reality in your life? If not, it can be. Maybe you’ve known this walk and you’ve simply settled into a life of religious routine. You can repent and experience restoration of this intimate daily walk with the Father.
But there’s more. God did not simply call individuals to this life. He called “a people”. The challenge now is to “be” a people. I find it amazing that at the beginning of the church in Acts 2, we see that they “devoted themselves” to: the apostles teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. We learn that “all who believed were together and had all things in common”. They sold possessions and belongings and distributed proceeds to those in need. Day by day they met in the temple and broke bread in their homes. Think of this folks. This is before years and years of “expository preaching”. They heard Peter’s sermon at Pentecost where he exhorted them to “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who gladly received his word were baptized and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”(Acts 2:40-41) People, this isn’t rocket science. And the more years that pass the more I realize many of us are simply walking a walk that is foreign to this and yet professing to be believers. In other words, we’ve invented ways to profess that we “believe”, without really believing.
In I Peter we’re referred to as a “living stone”. But notice the next verse, “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”. I find it interesting that He starts by referring to us individually, but goes on to speak of “stones”… plural! We cannot be who God calls us to be, alone! Western rugged individualism has no place in the Kingdom of God.
Peter continues down in verses 9-10: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people’; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” This is what the world needs to see, that “city on a hill” that cannot be hidden! But they will not see that city as long as we practice “lone ranger religion” and attempt to pass it off as Christian.
I believe the enemy loves our talk about going to church and having church because it obscures the glorious truth that we ARE the church. And the longer we fail to embrace and walk in that identity, the longer we perpetuate backsliding and lukewarm religion. I believe it’s the single reason so many professing Christians feel so “lost”, miserable, and bored! How many of us have “gone to all the required “church” services and events, only to find emptiness and powerlessness? We were made to know Him and walk with Him. We were made to love and walk with each other. Anything less is not Christianity. It’s merely empty religious expression.
If we wrongly define “church”, we make it all too easy to settle for something much less than our Father intended. I appeal to you to seize the true meaning of this word in your life, and cry out to Him with others that we may be the church that will give Him honor, glory, and praise… not simply in a meeting, but that our very lives would be the message… that Jesus Christ is alive and that He rules and reigns today. Otherwise all the world around us will experience are empty religious words they can, and frankly should, ignore.
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Sunday, March 7, 2010
SYSTEM FAILURE Did You Get The Church Recall Notice????
I'm honored to share again another contribution from Jose Bosque.
Its clever and timely, but more importantly, prophetic. I love how Jose points out: "The Church is in need of Prophets who will proclaim the Recall and Apostles who will know how to replace the faulty with the original parts." What do you think?
12 POINTS of the RECALL
With this in mind the Lord showed me in a dream last night where I was preaching about System Failure in the Church. In the dream the Lord had given a Recall Notice to the Church like Toyota just did. The Lord said the problem is never the Design as the Designer is Divine and makes no mistakes. The problem is in the materials used and/or worker error.
The recall requires a "tear down" before a "replacement" part can be installed. I know I am preaching to the Choir but in reference to the church but here are a few parts that must be removed and replaced. 12 is a nice governmental number so I will limit myself to that for this short article. I will not provide explanations since most of you know where I am going.
1. I believe we must start with a revamp of our definitions and a return to the biblical vocabulary.
2. The problem begins at the top so we will start there. Pastor must be replaced by 5 fold Elders (plural).
3. The demonic clergy-laity distinction must be dealt with next. Every Christian is a Minister/Priest versus the word "Member"
4. That will release the full Body of Christ to see themselves as participants instead of spectators. Since there are no laity we don't have to concern ourselves with cute stories to amuse the crowds and can return to Bible exposition.
5. Now our gatherings can be Jesus centered not clergy centered. God would get the Glory and not men. What a novel idea?
6. Next, we must remove Constantine' s heresy of calling a building "the Church". This will make room to install the correct teaching that we are the Temple of the Lord made with Living stones. So if we are not attached to buildings maybe we would have more finances to give to His servants, the poor and the needy.
7. Now that we are "the Church" wherever we are, whenever it is, However we are gathered" the Church" is in session so we will not need to continue to worship at the feet of the idol we call Sunday Services.
8. If we have no "services" then we need no bulletins. Everyone is aware that we flow with the Holy Spirit and Jesus is Head of His Church. God is not in "time" so if we are in God, "time" as we know it is insignificant.
9. Since we are not in a hurry, we can concentrate on His Presence in His Body instead of using paid professionals (hirelings) that help us compete/ stand out in the church marketplace, better known as" the business of church".
10. Since the other congregations- ekklesia "called out ones" are my brothers and we are all members of the same Body of Jesus Christ there is no more competition/divisions. We are ready to learn what it means to love your brothers as yourself.
11. Wow, imagine that, a world affected by born again, spirit filled, radical Christians who are not waiting for the next "service" to turn on their gifts. This would allow Christians to be released to use their gifts in the marketplace so Christianity would be seen as a lifestyle not a Bless Me Club.
12. Now that the "Church" works we can concentrate together on establishing the Kingdom of God on earth, instead of trying to get out on the next rapture flight in defeat or concentrating on how bad things are and when the End will come. Maybe then we could "finish" the great commission.
Oh, FATHER have mercy on us!
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Its clever and timely, but more importantly, prophetic. I love how Jose points out: "The Church is in need of Prophets who will proclaim the Recall and Apostles who will know how to replace the faulty with the original parts." What do you think?
12 POINTS of the RECALL
With this in mind the Lord showed me in a dream last night where I was preaching about System Failure in the Church. In the dream the Lord had given a Recall Notice to the Church like Toyota just did. The Lord said the problem is never the Design as the Designer is Divine and makes no mistakes. The problem is in the materials used and/or worker error.
The recall requires a "tear down" before a "replacement" part can be installed. I know I am preaching to the Choir but in reference to the church but here are a few parts that must be removed and replaced. 12 is a nice governmental number so I will limit myself to that for this short article. I will not provide explanations since most of you know where I am going.
1. I believe we must start with a revamp of our definitions and a return to the biblical vocabulary.
2. The problem begins at the top so we will start there. Pastor must be replaced by 5 fold Elders (plural).
3. The demonic clergy-laity distinction must be dealt with next. Every Christian is a Minister/Priest versus the word "Member"
4. That will release the full Body of Christ to see themselves as participants instead of spectators. Since there are no laity we don't have to concern ourselves with cute stories to amuse the crowds and can return to Bible exposition.
5. Now our gatherings can be Jesus centered not clergy centered. God would get the Glory and not men. What a novel idea?
6. Next, we must remove Constantine' s heresy of calling a building "the Church". This will make room to install the correct teaching that we are the Temple of the Lord made with Living stones. So if we are not attached to buildings maybe we would have more finances to give to His servants, the poor and the needy.
7. Now that we are "the Church" wherever we are, whenever it is, However we are gathered" the Church" is in session so we will not need to continue to worship at the feet of the idol we call Sunday Services.
8. If we have no "services" then we need no bulletins. Everyone is aware that we flow with the Holy Spirit and Jesus is Head of His Church. God is not in "time" so if we are in God, "time" as we know it is insignificant.
9. Since we are not in a hurry, we can concentrate on His Presence in His Body instead of using paid professionals (hirelings) that help us compete/ stand out in the church marketplace, better known as" the business of church".
10. Since the other congregations- ekklesia "called out ones" are my brothers and we are all members of the same Body of Jesus Christ there is no more competition/divisions. We are ready to learn what it means to love your brothers as yourself.
11. Wow, imagine that, a world affected by born again, spirit filled, radical Christians who are not waiting for the next "service" to turn on their gifts. This would allow Christians to be released to use their gifts in the marketplace so Christianity would be seen as a lifestyle not a Bless Me Club.
12. Now that the "Church" works we can concentrate together on establishing the Kingdom of God on earth, instead of trying to get out on the next rapture flight in defeat or concentrating on how bad things are and when the End will come. Maybe then we could "finish" the great commission.
Oh, FATHER have mercy on us!
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Sunday, February 21, 2010
Lexington Revisited and Houses that Change the World
I’m writing this well before dawn on a sleepless morning here in Kentucky. To redeem that time the Spirit prompted me first to pray… for the wonderful couples I had great fellowship with just hours ago, but then to read. It’s interesting how the Lord has impacted me significantly by these reading times during these short but sweet trips back to Kentucky. If you’ve been following this blog for some time you know that significant changes took place in my life after picking up another book the Lord used to powerfully speak to me late last summer. This morning I find myself sliced and diced by the apostolic and prophetic vision advanced by Wolfgang Simson in his high impact book, “Houses that Change the World”
First: those wonderful couples. Months ago I reconnected with one couple outside Lexington at the Spirit’s prompting. It had been nearly 20 years since we visited face to face. I was not surprised to find 2 hearts craving for authenticity, yet isolated and feeling trapped in a web of lifeless religion. On this weekend I was encouraged to see even more signs of life and awakening. They’re not sure how to get where the Lord wants them, but their readiness to walk in that is building, along with their hope… hope that Jesus is still building His church, and they are vital “living stones” He will use to do so. Even as I write this I’m praying that in their home, as they renovate the structure of their house to more comfortably welcome visitors and practice hospitality, that the Lord will prepare their hearts for a home that will change their town and region. I’m believing even now that the life of Christ will overflow from their home and touch many lives for the kingdom: awakening “sleeping saints” to a lively and vibrant fellowship with the Father and ending their isolation and boredom with “religious systems”, and as living stones come together, the world will see the hope that is in Christ and new births will come about as their community finally sees an expression of Jesus, the Living Lord in His people, sharply contrasted from the surrounding landscape of religiosity that repulses them, or in the very least now compels them to ignore “the church”.
The second couple is in a similar yet different place. They’re immersed in “church”, but there’s a growing, nagging sense that something is terribly missing. I’m thankful that my friend, once not too excited to engage me on these things, welcomed me into his home this time around, and blessed me with the joy of hearing his heart come alive with hope. Last night he and his wife shared how they recently said to the Lord that they’re so sick of the status quo, they’re ready for “whatever” He wants to do. Let me encourage you two that He will be faithful to meet you in this. In fact I pray now that this will be a season of deeper fellowship with the Father and a progressive release from “dead works”. And as your freedom in Him increases, the Lord will connect you with like-minded people who are ready to walk in this journey with you. Bring them into their paths Lord… at work… in their neighborhood… even at their church, connect their hearts with others who want to see You glorified and every “foreign” contaminant removed that interrupts that pure connection with You and hinders a joint by joint connection with the Body. We pray, believing You are doing this even now. You are building your church and the gates of hell will not prevail! Amen!
Now: Wolfgang Simson.
I had the privilege of meeting him at the organic church conference in September. And now I’ve finally gotten to dig into his groundbreaking book “Houses that Change the World”.
Better than many others, Wolfgang makes the case for return to house churches. And what has shaken me up is the chapter, “Developing a Persecution-Proof Structure.” Those who know me may be shocked that the implications of walking out life in this paradigm that is “new to us” did not register with me as something that may “invite” persecution. But that reality has set in as I read this morning. Here’s just a small sample of that chapter:
Since every person has been born a sinner (Psalm 51; Romans 3:23), everyone has a wounded consciousness, knowing they are guilty before God. The easy answer to calm this trouble is religion, which is like a built-in feature of every person on earth. The world steams with religion, even if it comes in the form of agnosticism and liberalism, to which teaching its adherents cling with passionate religious fervor. We do not have to do anything to become religious; it is creational, natural, and it creeps in without our being aware, like an ugly spirit raising its head while everyone sleeps. Religion builds up like static energy when we walk with plastic shoes on a carpet. It needs the power of the Holy Spirit, constant prophetic and apostolic ministry, and the ongoing equipping of the saints, to maintain a non-religious, alert and sober spirit, to be free from religion and liberated by Christ to worship Him in truth and spirit. If I were the devil and wanted to stop Christians from being effective witnesses to Jesus, I would certainly let loose on the followers of Jesus the most deadly plague there is on the planet: religion. I would look for the weakest members of the church – who sometimes look to be the strongest! –whisper into their minds the age-old tried and tested words “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1), instill in them the hunger for more security, power, glory and fame – and then feed them the ready-made poison of religion. What a triumph for the devil if he can arrange the ultimate demonic scheme: to persecute the church in the name of the church, to persecute the people of God in the name of God and get the functionaries of organized religion to hold the head of the organic body of Christ under the water as long as possible.”
In establishing house-church movements, therefore we need to soberly beware of religious cults emerging around special names, allegedly effective rituals, traditions, moral laws, spiritual practices and methods, pseudo-holy worship patterns and religious experiences that are supposed to be the norm. We need to literally “earth” any religious energy which build up regularly, like static electricity, by coming to the cross of Christ and asking Him to set us free individually and corporately from the religious spirit, and to fill us with His Spirit again and again, until the earth is filled with the fragrance of God, “believers are a letter read by all men” and “the manifold wisdom of God is made known through the church” (Ephesians 3:10), through simple and supernatural house churches in which the people of God share their lives with God and each other. Those houses will literally change the earth.
We also need to understand that, in the days when Stephen spoke against the temple, not only were Saul and his men stirred up to bloodthirsty fanaticism, but literally all hell broke loose. The core of the religious and demonic system to keep people in blindness and ignorance – and therefore lost for eternity – was under attack.
And I can relate to another paragraph that Simson shares about the path “from the old to the new”.
In almost every meeting, seminar or conference on the subject of a relational, organic, house-based church movement the same question inevitably rises: “I understand what you’re saying, and I’m totally with you. But I have this church at home. It runs on the traditional pattern. How do I change the system without destroying the church?! I call this the “How to cross the river without getting my feet wet” question. Can we really have progress without change? I do not think so. But the painful part is all change is personal. It upsets routines and traditions. But if we want to see new things happening in and through the church, we need to be prepared to make personal changes first, changes in the family second, and changes in our ministry third.
Which is a lead-in to something I sense the Lord prompting me to say now: I believe this last paragraph speaks directly to some of you reading this blog. You are fascinated, even excited about what you read here, but you haven’t moved any closer than the water’s edge into the life you know you want with Him and other believers. Let me appeal to you now: ask the Lord for grace to begin taking steps of faith, maybe even small ones, but then take them! After all, this is a walk of faith. There are no spectators in the kingdom of God.
So order your own copy of "Houses that Change the World". You can buy it online by following this link:
http://www.amazon.com/Houses-Change-World-Wolfgang-Simson/dp/185078356X
Order it. Read it. And then, join the revolution!
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Sunday, February 14, 2010
Word of Caution, Written in Love
After reading the latest newsletter from Don Atkin, it was a no-brainer as to whether to post it here. I hope the Lord uses it to speak to you, just as He has with me.
Words of Caution, Written in Love
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Words of Caution, Written in Love
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Saturday, February 6, 2010
In the Spotlight: Haiti
There will be much more on this subject in the coming days. In fact, my visit there is the major reason this site has not been updated for a couple of weeks. In the meantime you can read an article on the visit posted in the Charlotte Observer today, Saturday February 6.
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/413/story/1227889.html
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http://www.charlotteobserver.com/413/story/1227889.html
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