The State of the Church: Why the Old Wineskin Can No Longer Hold the Fire

We are stepping into a profound and challenging hour. Many are crying out for a regional outpouring of the Holy Spirit, yet they remain tethered to outdated systems that were never designed to host such a massive weight of glory. In my book, Fire Will Fall, I pull back the veil on why our cities remain dry despite the passionate prayers of the remnant. It is time to aggressively analyze the structural state of our churches and identify the systemic limitations that are keeping the fire contained. Below is the exact, verbatim text from the chapter titled The State of the Church. Let this word shatter your comfort zones and reorient your vision for the regional ekklesia.

Revival is rare. That, my friend, is the state of the church. Currently, there are no reported city-wide revivals in the United States. This is stunning, as thousands of cities in our nation are living far below the bar. While a handful of churches are breaking out in divine moves of the Spirit of God, there is an unfortunate ceiling that has yet to be broken through. Revival is not overtaking the region the church exists in. As believers, we are to live in the fires of revival at all times. It's biblical normalcy. It's the baseline of what Jesus accomplished on the cross and what the Holy Spirit initiated in the Upper Room. Living in freedom while experiencing supernatural joy, immeasurable peace, and miraculous power is the norm. Anything less than what Scripture refers to as abundant life is an indictment on us, and certainly on the church. “…I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10, ESV) When we read through the Bible, we can't deny the normality of the elements that make up an abundant life. Physical healing was normal. Dreams and visions, deliverance from demons, and divine grace to advance the Kingdom of God were all constant. A baptism of fire raged through the church.

LOCAL CHURCH LIMITS I'll reveal the critical importance of the local church in an upcoming chapter. For now, suffice it to say radical, disciplined devotion to the local church is non-negotiable if we have any hope of encountering God at a level that could be defined as revival. The premise of this book centers around the undeniable truth that a solitary local church cannot support the weight of revival for long. If we are authentically interested in experiencing a shocking outpouring of the Holy Spirit that occurred in the Upper Room (or greater), we have to immediately shift our church paradigm. The old wineskin cannot hold what is coming. Reformation of systems and structures must come if we hope to host revival. While pastor-led local churches are graced by God to minister powerfully to people in a variety of ways, the reality is that they are not designed to host or support regional revival. With few exceptions, they can't do it. I'd like to suggest five ways the local church can hinder revival. From that perspective, it will become easier to understand just what is lacking and what is needed to prepare our cities for a move of God. Abandoning the local church isn't an option. Reforming the local church, however, is mandatory. I've spent years traveling to churches all over the nation and have been blessed to get to know some incredible pastors. They are hungry for revival and are willing to allow God to move any way necessary. It's also true that many who hold the office of Pastor either unwittingly or intentionally disrupt the pursuit of revival in their city. They simply aren't gifted or wired to understand the demands of revival, much less the strategy to launch and sustain it. I strongly believe we must embrace a shift away from pastor-led churches as apostolic and prophetic leaders advance the city church toward an outpouring. The systems and structures must change dramatically, allowing those with the gift of shepherding to eliminate the burdens of senior leadership. What follows is a general analysis of the status of the church. By no means do I presume every pastor fits into this mold, but the definition and design of this spiritual office has its limits. Every biblical office and gift does. This is why reorganization is necessary as the entirety of the fivefold ministry begins to function together.

5 WAYS PASTOR-LED CHURCHES HINDER REVIVAL ONE: They promote comfort over crucifixion Those with a strong, dominant pastoral gifting with a mercy gift to match are keenly focused on protecting the flock. They easily tap into the hearts of the people they care for and typically desire to remove any sense of danger or discomfort. Pastors are absolutely brilliant when functioning as nurturing shepherds. They are at their best when imparting into people one-on-one or in small groups. However, as apostolic catalysts for revival, their weaknesses become clear. Instead of unapologetically calling people to “come and die,” their rallying cry is often to “come and find life.” Of course, as I've already addressed, abundant life is a clear benefit for every believer, and there are countless other truths that reveal the joy, peace, freedom, and wonder of a life in Jesus. These truths must be preached. The problem is that the advance toward revival is one that requires all who sign up to surrender as martyrs. The cost is ex- treme, and the discomfort intense. A “happy family”-style church gathering just won't cut it.

TWO: They are resistant to change Pastors know that most people find comfort in consistency. A volatile, ever-changing church culture disrupts the peace and predictability that attracts increasingly stressed-out people. The counsel many offer is to steer a church like a cruise ship, not a speedboat. No quick turns or abrupt jolts. Many pastors will take several years to work into significant changes. Unfortunately, revival can't wait that long. True apostle- and prophet-led churches may introduce major transitions several times a year. From week to week, the focus can dramatically change. It's common to move from unplanned seasons of deliverance to strategic intercession to mass repentance all in the same month. The activity of the Holy Spirit, prophetic revelation, attacks of the enemy, and other happenings demand quick reflexes.

THREE: They lack an apostolic viewpoint There are many leaders who are hybrids. Pastor/apostle, pastor/teacher, etc. However, those who are solely pastoral often have a difficult time grasping the ministry of apostles and prophets. As a result, their church is usually devoid of these influences. Further, their daily focus is not the city. It's their own local church. This may be one of the greatest hindrances to revival due to the regional nature of outpourings. People who are pursuing revival in their own local context don't understand that God's eyes are on the city. In Scripture, the church is not defined by street corner. It's defined by the city or region. Advancing toward revival absolutely demands that we mostly focus on the area outside the walls of our church. This tends to be difficult for pastors as their hearts are more connected to the people close to them than the multitudes beyond their reach. Apostles tend to come at it from the opposite direction. They see over the horizon and have a passion to equip a few carefully selected firebrands for the mission. The multitudes are waiting.

FOUR: They avoid alienating people Apostles and prophets are eager to take the Gideon approach, eliminating 99% of those who are unready or unwilling, and advance with the remnant, the 1 percent who are willing to respond with precision. Such an approach terrifies many pastors. The thought of losing people causes them to lie awake at night. When people leave their church, depression can set in. The fear of loss consumes them. Promoting a purging of the sheep makes no sense to most pastors. Even if it does, they fight it at all costs. The truth is that millions of people are waiting for a refined, holy, surrendered church army to get into position. Apostles know the mission can't be fulfilled with the wrong people. Of course, Apostles who have the heart of God are not cruel during the purging, but they allow the people to choose if they are willing to pay the price or not. Pastors usually don't even give people the option. They want everyone happy, relaxed, and safe from pressure.

FIVE: They lack regional authority By design, a pastor's focus and authority is on the micro level. They are not often equipped or authorized to administer the church of the city. As I said before, some are hybrids, but for those who are not, frustration will come fast when they try to lead a region. Pastors should certainly be connecting with apostolic city leaders, strategically planning how to advance toward revival. Pastors play a significant role in the process as they train and nurture people and make them ready for battle. It's critical for all pastors, all local churches, and all home churches to be deeply invested in the revival strategy in the city. There must be clarity on their specific role, on what other city leaders to connect with, and on the overall vision as communicated through key city prophets and apostles. In some cases, it can work very well for an apostle to serve as an advisor and friend of the senior pastor who functions in the pastoral office. Spiritually healthy and mature apostles will enjoy submitting to the pastor while bringing great strength to the foundation and ministry of the church. In turn, a healthy pastor will appreciate and honor the giftings of the apostle. The collaboration can be impressive if humility drives the relationship. When governmental order is restored in the church of the city, local churches will have burdens lifted and new strength will come. Regional revival is the goal of every church, and the only way to experience it is if we are rightly positioned. So, the current state of the church, again, is that revival is not here. We need the local church to assume a new role and pastors to assume a new assignment so the church of the city can become appropriately predominant. Only then can we hope to initiate and sustain the fires of revival.

Conclusion

The mandate before us is not to attack the local church, but to completely reform it. The shift from a pastor-led, inward-focused community to an apostolic, regionally-minded military outpost is non-negotiable if we desire to see actual revival. We must honor the gift of shepherding while demanding the ascension of apostolic and prophetic governance. Drop your independent branding, lock shields with the remnant, and prepare for the new wineskin. The harvest demands nothing less.

Go Deeper & Partner With Us:

Are you ready to break free from comfortable, powerless systems and step onto the front lines of regional awakening? Equip your spirit by downloading the complete digital versions of these critical resources right now:

• Fire Will Fall: Discover the full prophetic blueprint for dismantling old church structures and hosting a massive outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Download free: www.burton.tv/books
• The Coming Church: Learn the absolute necessity of shifting into an apostolic city-church framework. Download free: www.burton.tv/books

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