Posts Tagged ‘church’
The spirit of revival is all over me- find everybody you can and get them to Revival Church Sunday
I have been trembling all day as a burning spirit of revival has landed on me—Get everybody you can to Revival Church Sunday at 6pm.
It’s just after midnight as I’m writing this and I am burning—yearning for 6pm to arrive at Revival Church. Something has landed. God is visiting us.
theLab is usually where it all begins. It’s the engine that drives our ministry, and both last night as we were praying at 10pm in a church in Detroit and today during class God interrupted us. A shift has come.
We are undone, trembling, shaken and bracing ourselves for the shock that is about to hit.
Let the religious resistors to revival know that what they fear the most is about to happen. A move of fire and glory, signs and wonders is nearing Detroit.
Unbelief in the church is coming to an end. The Bible is true. God is here.
What God is about to do will look absolutely foolish to our natural minds. Don't resist when God violates our human order.
QUENCHING THE WRONG FIRE
Tomorrow night I will be bringing a message, Quenching the Wrong Fire.
I’ll just say this for now: The Holy Spirit is welcome at Revival Church.
He has no restrictions, no boundaries, no limits. His tangible, raging fire must engulf us!
We are going to gain to understand what a MOVE OF GOD is. When God arrives we won’t be able to stop weeping and trembling under his weight!
People will flood the altars! Repentance will spread through the city! Tears will pour through the streets! People will run in mass from the bars and strip clubs and businesses and schools to the churches.
The God of the Bible is tragically foreign to the most of the modern church and there is a necessary fire that must consume it.
It’s coming. And quick.
See you in 17 hours.
XPmedia video: Prophetic City Taking
Prophetic City Taking: It’s time to sound the alarm and gather the city church.
Bold prophetic messages will bring shock to the current landscape of the church. Learn about how to serve in this great movement of revival.
Watch this video on our XPmedia channel here: http://www.xpmedia.com/Xc5P7Ns6hrbQ
UPCOMING EVENTS
Amy and I are THRILLED to be helping preparing the way for a historic outpouring in Detroit! Running the race with people like you is an honor I can't describe.
God is establishing a humble yet aggressive and bold church in this region that serves by leading people with passion into encounter. What a day this is!
I wanted to make you aware of some regional opportunities and would like to invite you and those in your vicinity to join with us at Revival Church. We have been experiencing waves of healings and glory that have rocked and shocked us to our core!
· Aaron Crider will be leading in worship this Sunday at 6pm. Aaron is a powerful worship leader who has roots in the Brownsville Revival.
· Brian Simmons and Catherine Mullins will be both at The Crossing and Revival Church the weekend of February 3rd-5th. Brian and Cathrine are amazing friends of revival and they both carry an extremely heavy prophetic and apostolic mantle of fire!
· Matt Sorger, Catherine Mullins and I will be ministering at "The Wonders Conference" at Revival Church the last weekend of June. Stay tuned for details.
theLab School of Fire
A culture of extreme breakthrough and fire has developed at theLab School of Fire and I'd like to personally invite you to one of two audit classes that are open to the public:
· Becoming Unoffendable
· Six Enemies of Fulfilled Destiny
Get more info at www.revivallab.com! Oh, and by all means spread the word about our next three-month school session which starts in April! This school is marking people with fire and launching them into world altering ministry!
theLab Youth School of Fire
Alert every teen you know about this ten day intense adventure into the fire! Coming this summer!
theLab Prayer Events
Every Friday night from 10pm-midnight we are in a different Detroit region church praying in extreme fire and freedom. It's an experience that you simply cannot miss! Since last year we've been in nearly 50 churches and plan on doubling that number by the end of this year! We would LOVE to bring our team to your church! Contact us and we can get it scheduled! Visit www.revivallab.com for a map and directions to the next event!
theLab Weekends
I’m packed and ready to hit the road myself or with a team from theLab to release the fire of revival in your church! We can help establish a city transformation strategy like theLab in your region. I'll teach on my books which are the heart beat of this ministry. Go to www.johnburton.net/booking for more info!
7 Key Points: Unbelief and skepticism regarding signs and wonders, gold dust, angels, etc.
The church is crying out for a new thing, yet when something new manifests a common reaction is suspicion and unbelief.
What’s your first reaction when you hear about gold dust, gold teeth, oil manifesting on people, healings, angelic visitations, trances, Third Heaven encounters, etc.? Joyous belief or skeptical reservation?
Let’s have an open discussion about signs, wonders, miracles and manifestations. It’s a burning hot can of worms that is only going to get hotter and messier. God is going to offend our expectation and our intellects as he invades our comfort zones and destructs human controlled systems.
EXPECTATION VS. EXPECTANCY
God is moving the church from a place of expectation to an culture of expectancy. What’s the difference? It’s simple yet profound. An expectation has a pre-determined outcome attached to it. For example, I have an expectation that the sun is going to set tonight. There’s a clear and definable reality that should certainly come to pass.
Expectancy is quite different. It’s open ended yet very powerful and all consuming. It’s often ambiguous, nebulous. What we sense is coming goes beyond our ability to define and contain it in our narrow constructs.
So, to have an expectation means that we impose limits and boundaries on what we want to see done. But, expectancy opens us up to anything and everything that God might want to do. We have a resounding “yes” in our spirits even though what’s coming is well beyond our realm of understanding or imagination.
Ephesians 3:20-21 (ESV) 20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
At Revival Church and theLab School of Fire we’ve been experiencing undeniable wonders such as gold dust appearing on people, anointing oil coming out of people’s hands, a visible mist of God’s presence, angelic activity and more. I’m sure there has been a gut reaction of doubt and skepticism by many who read about it.
I believe God is lovingly testing and preparing us for the greater glory that’s coming. He wants to see how we will react when he does something new and unusual. Will the first reaction be skepticism and suspicion? Will we attribute what’s happening to him or his arch enemy, Satan? Or, will we be fueled by such expectancy that faith and belief is our immediate reaction?
Check out this email I received this morning from a close friend who’s a student at ministry school:
John, I must admit I've been extremely skeptical about your Facebook reports of gold dust. People so desire the Lord move in their midst they will imagine many things. I mean, what's the purpose of gold dust anyway. Apparently, you can't collect it and take it to the bank. It just disappears after a while.
People can react to a song or phrase in a fleshly manifestation when nothing is actually happening. Although I think we must stay on guard against such things, something happened this morning that has radically shifted my thinking.
During admin time before moving into the prayer room this morning, a woman in the back of the room started laughing uncontrollably. After a short time of ministry to her, they took her out in the hall and continued with announcements.
A minute later, a young woman across the aisle from me started trembling and weeping. The girl next to her said, “There's oil dripping from her hands.” I looked and could see it with my own eyes. See laid hands on a sick woman and received healing. I must repent of my unbelief and skepticism. This girl seemed like one of the most introverted and timid I've ever met. Here with my own eyes I see the Lord manifesting something I don't understand through her.
O Lord help my unbelief.
7 Key Points to Consider
ONE. What’s the purpose?
Often people will doubt that a manifestation is a result of God moving because they can’t connect the dots. They can’t answer the “why?” What benefit does the gold dust have?
I personally think we’re overcomplicating this issue. Most realities that we experience in life don’t have a purpose, they just are.
What is the purpose of smoke at a campfire?
What’s the purpose of the smell of spring rain?
What’s the purpose of the sound of thunder?
There is no real purpose. They are simply evidences of fire, of rain and of lightning.
Gold dust, for example, is an evidence of God manifesting in glory in a certain location. That’s all.
But, that’s really not all. We know that evidences result in some pretty remarkable things—people get radically saved as they see God move!
Acts 2:43 (NIV) 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Acts 2:47 (NIV) 47 ..And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
TWO. Should we ignore or deny what is clearly happening?
I’ll admit, when I hear from people who doubt that what we are reporting is true, my first reaction is, “I’m not sure what to do with your skepticism. I saw it happen.”
I mean, if it’s happening right there in front of us, with many witnesses, should we ignore it? Deny it?
If we allow unbelief or skepticism violate the clear evidence of God’s glory we are in a lot of trouble. God’s manifest presence will be gone that fast.
We also have to be careful not to jump to conclusions that are fueled by unbelief when we hear of God moving unusually somewhere.
Mark 16:14 (ESV) 14 Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.
Matthew 13:57-58 (ESV) 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
Someone sent me this message today on Facebook. He couldn’t deny God’s presence or his manifestation:
Back in 2009, I had oil appearing to flow from my hands and gold dust appearing all over me. Most of the time this happened in my home. People were amazed when they visited my home…mostly because of the presence, NOT the manifestations. Well, I haven't had those happen in years, but I got so excited when I read your recent posts… not because of the manifestations, but because of the presence…and because of what's coming to you NEXT!”
THREE. Why do we immediately presume unusual signs and wonders are the work of Satan?
This point is more serious than we might realize. Yes, its absolutely true that Satan will deceive people through deceptive signs and wonders.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (ESV) 9 The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
Note that this passage emphasizes that it’s specifically those who are perishing, those who don’t love truth, who will be deceived. Those of us in love with Jesus should not be fearful or nervous when signs and wonders start happening!
If we are deeply in love with Jesus, we will easily identify the lover of our souls when he’s in the room. The anointing will overwhelming, and when the signs and wonders follow, there can be no denying that it’s God himself who’s manifesting.
The reason this point is very serious is because of the one sin that is unforgivable—blasphemy of the Holy Spirit.
Those in the suspicion driven heresy hunter movement often creep very close to the edge of this sin—and certainly some have gone over that edge.
Mark 3:28-30 (ESV) 28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.”
Wow. That is sobering. The fear of God should rock us. They were saying Jesus was manifesting demonic power when in fact, of course, he was demonstrating the power of God.
FOUR. Should we not be more concerned when miracles aren’t happening?
Mark 16:17-18 (NIV) 17 And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
Is it possible that we have churches full of unbelievers? I’m not talking about those who haven’t repeated a sinner’s prayer. I’m talking about church goers who confess Jesus Christ as Lord. Yet, their unbelief results in no supernatural power in their lives. No demons driven out. No healings.
The expected atmosphere for a Christian church is one of signs, wonders and miracles. They are the result of belief. It’s that simple. Check it out:
John 14:11-12 (NIV) 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.
It seems to me that a more accurate conclusion would be that the enemy is the key influencer when we don’t see signs, wonders and miracles. Demonic and humanistic conditioning results in unbelief. Unbelief ensures nothing miraculous will happen at all.
FIVE. The Bible doesn’t contain a record of every manifestation or Kingdom activity.
A lot of people get tripped up here.
Scrutiny causes them to shun anything unless they can validate it through a duplicate situation recorded in scripture.
The question shouldn’t be limited to, “Is this exact manifestation recorded in the Bible?” The question should actually be, “Does this manifestation line up with the truth of scripture, and is there anything in the Bible that would forbid or shoot down what we are experiencing?”
John 21:25 (NIV) 25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.
Have you considered that some of what is happening might be a part of what Jesus did that wasn’t contained in scripture? Have you also considered, based on John 14:12 that we are to do MORE than what Jesus did?
Take ten minutes and consider everything in our Christian culture that isn’t found in scripture. Do you really want to throw it all out?
You’ll have to stop using the word Trinity. There will be no celebration of birthdays, Christmas or Easter. We would be forbidden from tapping our toes during worship. There would be no electric guitars or saxophones in worship. The only valid spiritual dreams and visions would be those that are exact duplicates of dreams and visions in scripture.
God giving specific, personal answers to prayer would not be allowed, unless God also revealed that in scripture (He’d have to mention the exact city he wants you to live in and the exact place he wants you to work in the Bible, for example.)
What about paid children’s pastors? Media ministry pastors? Television ministry? Wearing crosses around our necks? Nope.
SIX. What about all that the Bible does contain that we aren’t experiencing?
An even easier way to address the issue raised in the previous point is this: Why aren’t we experiencing all of the dramatic signs and wonders that are in the Bible?
Cover to cover we see wild and bizarre manifestations and miracles of God.
A pillar of fire, a cloud, parting of waters, blind eyes opened, the creator, walking on water, manna, a burning bush, angelic encounters, trances, Third Heaven encounters, and on and on and on.
I believe we must repent for living below the bar of supernatural manifestation in our churches and have an increased expectancy for the unusual, strange and overwhelming manifestation of God today.
SEVEN. The Bereans weren’t skeptics.
There’s a Pharisaical spirit in a growing group of people that are masking themselves as Bereans.
The Bereans weren’t skeptical. They weren’t suspicious. They weren’t nervous. They weren’t divisive.
People often say that the Bereans were marked by their study of scripture—and that study was to police any activity that would violate the Word of God. People presume they were self-appointed protectors and “officers of the law.”
Most common day, self-described Bereans are filled with unbelief, suspicion, doubt and a spirit of division that’s used against anybody that threatens their personal, narrow interpretation of Scripture.
Those people are not Bereans, not by a long shot. Many of them venture very close to the Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Others are simply arrogant and mean spirited. Others are simply deceived. In fact, they could better be defined as Thessalonians.
Let’s look:
Acts 17:1-9 (NIV) 1 When they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a Jewish synagogue. 2 As his custom was, Paul went into the synagogue, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. “This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ,” he said. 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women. 5 But the Jews were jealous; so they rounded up some bad characters from the marketplace, formed a mob and started a riot in the city. They rushed to Jason's house in search of Paul and Silas in order to bring them out to the crowd. 6 But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some other brothers before the city officials, shouting: “These men who have caused trouble all over the world have now come here, 7 and Jason has welcomed them into his house. They are all defying Caesar's decrees, saying that there is another king, one called Jesus.” 8 When they heard this, the crowd and the city officials were thrown into turmoil. 9 Then they made Jason and the others post bond and let them go.
The Thessalonians heard Paul talking about Jesus and about the supernatural miracle of resurrection from the dead. This was a problem for the Jews. It bothered their theology. They then adopted a spirit of accusation (a demonic spiritual gift) and declared that the message was not of God and that they were causing trouble.
So, the moved on to Berea. Here we find true friends of God and people who were expectant, open to a fresh move:
Acts 17:10-13 (NIV) 10 As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. 11 Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. 12 Many of the Jews believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. 13 When the Jews in Thessalonica learned that Paul was preaching the word of God at Berea, they went there too, agitating the crowds and stirring them up.
Why were the Bereans counted as more noble? Because they received the message with great eagerness! They excitedly, expectantly searched the scriptures for confirmation. They were joyous, not suspicious. Not guarded. Not nervous.
So, a great question is this: When we hear of God moving in a new way, will we be like the Thessalonians who were threatened and full of doubt or like the child-like Bereans who excitedly received the Good News?
Church Leadership: Doctrine and theological differences: How to stay unified and true to the vision of the church
Church Leadership: Can we stay unified when there are core doctrinal differences in the church?
I originally shared this with my Revival Church senior staff. I’ve communicated what I’m about to share with my various ministries throughout the years, and it’s been incredibly helpful to keep us on track toward revival.
I then realized that this would benefit not only my senior staff, but the greater body of Believers. This will help senior leaders and also those in the body who might may struggle with differing doctrines and focuses.
For example, IHOP and Bethel have some foundational theological differences, mostly surrounding eschatology, yet they remain great and close friends in the mission of Kingdom advance. We should all have the same heart and spirit within us.
Bill Johnson mentioned a key difference between prior church generations and what God’s doing now. We used to gather around doctrines. Movements launched around people adhering to same Christian theologies. Now, movements are launching as people gather around fathers and apostolic leaders who have a bold Kingdom vision and a mission. That is right on. Brilliant.
Here’s what I sent to my second tier of leaders at Revival Church last week:
Hi Team!
I shared this with the senior leadership team recently and wanted to also get it in front of the rest of our amazing team! This will help you navigate through challenges with differences of vision and doctrine that arise as you meet and lead people in the church.
I've always shared this at various times in my ministries, but this is the first time I've done so at Revival Church:
- As our church grows, we will see MANY differing doctrines in our camp. I've been around this mountain more times that I can count.
- I've had Calvinists demand I study with them and change the official position of the church in favor of their doctrine.
- I've had strong grace doctrine folks want us to change our position.
- I had a guy hand me a huge manuscript he wrote that details why apostolic ministry is no longer for today and didn't approve of my focus on it in the church.
- I've had anti-spiritual warfare people share their positions. Anti-manifestation people shared theirs. Others don't believe Christians can be demonized. Others are pre-trib, others post-trib, others KJV only, etc.
- Others have shared their critiques regarding our vision, ministry emphasis, over-emphasis on one thing, under-emphasis on another, and on and on and on.
The emails I've received over the last 21 years could fill a book!
In every one of the above situations I listened openly and honored them in their personal pursuits, but I did not allow them to distract my primary focus. I did not allow them to compromise the mission we were on. They may not have realized it, but I had already processed through the positions they hold to and had made my doctrinal and ministry decision long ago.
I love this principle:
Someone once said, “I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.”
We as leaders have to use great caution and wisdom in the way we handle such matters. Confusion, distraction, division and disunity can creep in overnight if we aren't careful.
“In Essentials, unity. In non-essentials, liberty. In all things, love.”
This is a key principle for us. The essentials, or the absolutes of scripture, are the classic, foundational Christian doctrines that cannot be violated. If one were to not adhere to an essential, an absolute, then that person would not be a Christian. For example, it’s mandatory for salvation that we agree that Jesus is God. However it’s not mandatory for salvation that we agree in the pre-tribulation rapture of the church. One is an absolute, or an essential, and one is not.
With that in mind, here are the protocols that we must adhere to at Revival Church and theLab. This has been our standard everywhere we've been in ministry and it will help us here as well:
- Have clarity on what the doctrinal positions of Revival Church are and always commit to unity regarding them.
- While it's expected that leaders will hold to differing positions at times (non-absolutes), those positions must not be communicated to others in the church. A good way to handle this situation is: If someone asks you what your opinion on the end times is, for example, you could respond, “The church's position on this is Apostolic Premillennialism and I support them fully.” Now, I also value your personal processing through such situations. It's healthy to do so. If you want to discuss your position with me one-on-one, I'd love to do that at any time.
- Don't ever teach on a topic that is contrary to the position of the church.
- Always have the heart of a protector over senior leadership and the doctrines and vision of the church by voicing support and unity even if your personal doctrines/vision differ.
- If you want to discuss differing viewpoints, always approach me first, and then leave it to me to invite other leaders/people into the discussion if I feel led.
You'll notice that I rarely request feedback among leaders on doctrinal opinions, especially in a group or public setting. That's intentional for the sake of unity. I already know that we'll differ doctrinally. I often tell people, “The debate between Calvinism and Arminanism (for example) is not a new one. I don't have time to recreate that wheel of debate. Research the debated positions online yourself. I adhere to the Arminian position.” I don't let that distraction derail me.
Titus 3:9- But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.
Let's commit to this so we don't have splinter movements within the body.
It’s better to be unified yet disagreed on non-absolutes of scripture than it is to be divided in our search of affirmation of our biblical positions.
John 17:20-21 (ESV) 20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.
Philippians 2:1-3 (ESV) 1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Ephesians 2:19 (ESV) 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
UNITY OF VISION
While we can all hold to differing non-absolutes of scripture, this doesn’t mean that we won’t be running in a specific direction on a specific track here at Revival Church. We honor those who have differing positions, but we also honor the clear vision and mandate that God has given us as a body. That vision and mandate does include a specific doctrinal focus and position.
For example, we are a church that openly encourages the practice of praying in tongues. We love and honor those who don’t pray in tongues, yet we aren’t going to eliminate our focus on the gifts for their sake. We know we will run with a certain tribe of people, and that’s OK. That vision is worth protecting.
Please always approach me with any teaching topics that you'd like to present in the church before you teach them. With new people coming in it can be easy for new leaders to presume I'm in agreement with something when I actually am not. A simple bulleted outline is all I need, and I trust you have clarity on the vision of the church and won’t teach in opposition to that.
There's no single stream that I'm 100% in agreement with (that would be weird!)… some of IHOP I agree with, some I don't. Some of Bethel I agree with, some I don't. Some of the Word of Faith I agree with, some I don't. Some Baptist doctrine I agree with, some I don't. And on and on!
Here's a great article on how to differentiate between absolutes and non-absolutes of scripture. I gleaned it from Ted Haggard in his book Primary Purpose:
When discussing ministry doctrines, styles and focuses, it’s important that we identify exactly where the particular topic rests within the whole spectrum. Let me explain. I believe there are several different levels in which we can examine structure or style of ministry. Most church bickering and splits would be eliminated if we understood this. Unity would thrive and the Great Commission would be more quickly achievable. Watch the progression from Absolutes of scripture to Interpretations and beyond:
- ‘Absolutes’– Every Christian church must agree on the absolutes. If a church doesn’t accept an absolute, it would certainly not be considered Christian. Absolutes include the fact that Jesus is God, he rose from the dead, salvation only comes through him, there is one true God, Jesus is coming again, sin separates us from eternal life, etc. We can never sacrifice an absolute. We must never waiver from our position here. Churches that accept the absolutes can get together for prayer, fellowship, etc. In Colorado Springs we had the nations largest National Day of Prayer event. Thousands got together to pray for our city in a downtown park. We all agreed on the absolutes.Example of a violation of an absolute: An Arlington, Virginia, minister said, “We have closed our minds to such trivial considerations as the question of the resurrection of Christ. If you fundamentalists wish to believe that nonsense, we have no objections, but we have more important things to preach than the presence or absence of an empty tomb 20 centuries old.”
- ‘Interpretations’– Next on the list, resting on the foundation of absolutes, are interpretations. These are scriptures, that we form opinions or sometimes even doctrines on. They are always taken within the context of the passage. They are fairly focused ideas, but since they are interpretations, there can sometimes be disagreement. The problem is when we allow this disagreement divide the church. Examples of interpretations can be- everybody is meant to speak in tongues, pre-trib rapture, etc. Since these aren’t absolutes, it’s ok to disagree. It’s tragic when people deem certain movements and people as ‘false’ because they disagree with them over interpretation.
- ‘Deductions’– Deductions are broader and more general than interpretations. You can arrive at a deduction when you read a larger portion of several passages of scripture. Doctrines should never be made on deduction alone, but there is much liberty to allow your ministry to include deductions as long as they agree with and enhance the absolutes. As with interpretations, it’s certainly negative to identify deductions as un-biblical when they in fact don’t contradict an absolute.
- ‘Subjective Opinions’– Broader still, subjective opinions are arrived at by individuals that experience certain insight when searching the scriptures coupled with living out what they find. Of course, subjective opinions must always agree with absolutes and must not contradict scripture or they must be thrown out. Subjective opinions my include teaching that hymns are more effective than contemporary worship or that we should dress like the culture that we are trying to minister and relate to them on their level. This is where ministry style can have a lot of freedom to experiment by trial and error. Discovering what works best in your situation at this level should never be accepted as absolute truth, or even as a deduction.
- ‘Personal Preferences’– Personal preferences may have less to do with controversial scriptural matters and more to do with personality, likes and dislikes. For example, a minister may prefer to have a robed choir every Sunday while another may prefer a single barefoot guitar playing worship leader straight out of the 70’s. Another example would be to take tithes and offerings by passing a plate rather than having the congregation bring the tithe to the front of the sanctuary and lay it on the altar. The Bible is usually silent on such preferences.
- ‘Feelings’– Feelings would include simply what we like and don’t like. Can you believe there have been church splits on this level??! What color the carpet, or whether to use hymnals or a video projector has more to do with atmosphere than with anything else.
- ‘Cultural Norms’– This simply has to do with the style and system of a particular culture. For example, you may find loud ‘Amen’s!’ in an Afro-American church while it may be more subdued in another style of church. You will also find a lot of cultural difference between different denominations and different socio-economic classes. If every church were a hooting and hollering roller coaster ride, then there would be a large segment of society that would not be reached, and vice versa.
Sometimes scripture doesn’t demand something be done a certain way. If we all focus on the absolutes and resist creating divisions based on lower levels, we will certainly have a powerful army ready and equipped to accomplish the Great Commission. Someone once said, “I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.”
Understand, I am all for discussion. Iron sharpens iron. But sometimes, the scripture remains silent or vague. As long as we do everything we can to create healthy churches, we have a lot of freedom to work it many different ways.
Revival: Seven excuses that legitimately threaten revival
Revival is not a guarantee. In fact, the chances of revival breaking out are extremely low.
Detroit is marked for revival, yet revival is not here. It’s delayed. We have a problem. This is an issue not only for Detroit, but for the nations of the Earth. God has planned revival, but we have not.
First, I have to qualify the comments you are reading in this article. The driving force of my mandate is revival and reformation in the church. As a prophetic messenger, a primary focus of my ministry is calling the church into the fire of revival. That fire will only ignite as the church becomes flexible and ready for momentous change. The church must agree with an inconvenient revolution.
Revival Is A Corporate Mission
Church is corporate. Revival is corporate. Ministry is corporate.
The first point we have to understand is that the pursuit of revival requires a corporate strategy. The mission of the entire church requires the participation of the church. Church is defined by the corporate gathering. It's the ministry of many. Personal desire, personal prayer and personal pursuit does not result in revival—unless it first spreads to a larger unified group of people.
Acts 2:1 (NIV) 1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
This is why being together corporately and continually in the church is so important. Satan used God’s principle of unity to start building his church, the Tower of Babel, and God surprisingly revealed that they would accomplish their task—unless he attacked their unity and scattered them. Now, Satan is trying to pay God back by attacking the unity of the church and causing people to scatter. He has also been successful. What is maddening is that God’s strategy of Kingdom advance and revival would also be unstoppable if Christians simply gathered in unity. That’s all it takes! Go to church, minister with passion, embrace corporate mission and go after revival!
Now, many Christians who are unwilling to battle through personal struggles are now convinced that revival can come without devotion to corporate gathering and unity.
Revival is threatened by:
- Inflexible focuses: We live in a society that is extremely independent, and this results in people locking into their own plans with little regard for the dynamic and demanding development of the church. Revival demands our attention.
Acts 1:4 (NIV) 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about.
Their leader, Jesus, invaded their personal space and their personal plans. He demanded flexibility and that they cancel their plans. Their ideas of ministry were challenged by Jesus and the call was to drop them. Jesus needed all of them to go in another direction, to cancel their plans, to respond even though the reason was not at all clear.
Today, when leadership calls on the church to turn on a dime, to respond corporately, they are usually faced with unresponsiveness due to other personal life focuses. This is a threat to revival.
- Family:When confronted with the call to gather as the church, a very easy excuse is, “I have a family activity to attend.” Little League games, family fun, movies and other family activities are pulling people out of the corporate mission of revival. It’s often said that we are to put God first, family second and ministry third. I strongly disagree. That model leads to a separation, to division, when God is calling for unity. We don’t compartmentalize God, family and ministry. We involve ourselves with all three at the same time.
There used to be a time when families would be in the church every time the doors were open. That was the model. God, family and ministry all happening together, all the time. The revival fueled 24/7 church is coming, and we have to discover now how to implement this model in our families. We’ll be together most every day of the week. This is how it started, this is how it must be again. In fact, if you are intent on prioritizing these three focuses, check out Jesus’ viewpoint in the second passage below! If anything, God and ministry come before family.
Acts 2:42-47 (NIV) 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Luke 14:25-33 (ESV) 25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
- Time & energy: American culture has won. Or, at least it is winning by a huge margin. Revival and the church has lost. Cares of life have nearly destroyed any hope of people having the time and energy to fulfill their call as revival soldiers in the church. The culture of society is driving the church schedule. Churches have waived the white flag of surrender by cancelling and shortening services. This is absolutely tragic. The church’s warriors have willingly gone AWOL due to wrongly prioritized daily focuses. A worn out church body now uses the church for something it was not designed to do—be their servant. They are tired and they use the church to recharge. Only when we take dominion over our schedules, turn off the TV, shut down time and energy thieves and refocus on the main thing will we have the capacity to personally charge up so we can serve the church mission. Check out this powerful warning:
Luke 21:34-36 (ESV) 34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”
- Church conflicts: It’s better to unify around an imperfect church vision than it is to divide & argue about what is the perfect vision. It’s common to pull back from our devotion to the mission of the church when we don’t fully embrace their strategies. We want it to be done our way, and if it’s not, then we presume we have the option to lessen our commitment. That results in a weakened and threatened mission. In order for revival to come, we must understand this is an ‘all hands on deck’ level mission. Revival needs us. The church needs us. Revival is waiting. We can’t use the church for personal gain, we must serve the church to ensure there is corporate gain and full blown revival. The church struggles because those who are called to serve it are making demands on it to serve them.
- I’ll wait and see: People who adopt this strategy are deeply loved by God, but will most likely miss the full thrust of the impact of the revival and outpouring. The issue is not one of love and acceptance, but rather of function. If we presume that God is going to do the work of revival, our perspective is flawed from the beginning. Our follow through will then also be compromised. Revival is dependent on our determination to initiate it. We aren’t waiting for God, he’s waiting on us. We aren't waiting for revival, revival is waiting for us. We are called to minister, to serve. Revival is calibration to Kingdom life, and that life is marked by Believers doing the work. We heal the sick. We preach the Gospel. Not only do we initiate revival but we also facilitate it. We work and serve God as opposed to expecting ourselves to be served.
Deuteronomy 23:21 (NKJV) 21 “When you make a vow to the LORD your God, you shall not delay to pay it; for the LORD your God will surely require it of you, and it would be sin to you.
Psalm 119:60 (NKJV) 60 I made haste, and did not delay To keep Your commandments.
- I don’t fit in: If we understand the definition of ministry, we’ll find there is always a place for us. To minister is to serve. Simply serve and you will find acceptance! The church needs you! Revival needs you! You fit in revival and you fit in the church!
When I was 15 I got my first real job. I was a busboy in a tiny country restaurant. I’ll never forget my first day. It was awful! For those of you who know me you’ll be shocked to know that I was tragically shy and not outgoing whatsoever. There were a few other workers there the day I started my job and I found myself just standing all alone presuming rejection from my new coworkers. One of them looked at me and said, “Hey, you don’t have to stand over there by yourself. Come on over here.”
There are two takeaways from this story. First, I was disqualified relationally by myself, not by the restaurant. In fact, the restaurant welcomed me! Not only was I welcomed, I was hired! I wasn’t rejected, I was accepted! Second, and more importantly, I wasn’t there to develop relationships! I was there to clean dirty dishes off of tables so others could enjoy their stay. I was there to serve. So, the excuse that I didn’t fit in simply didn’t have any bearing on my responsibility. There was a job to do, people to serve and a mission to fulfill. The same is true in the church. Never let this excuse cause you to stop serving. The cause of revival needs us to serve with passion.
If Jesus’ goal was to avoid rejection in the midst of his mission then he would have never made it to the cross, and you and I would be destined for Hell.
Psalm 118:22 (ESV) 22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Matthew 8:34 (ESV) 34 And behold, all the city came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him, they begged him to leave their region.
John 1:11 (ESV) 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.
- I don’t want to: This is the most honest excuse. However it’s rooted in unbelief and a misunderstanding of the importance of the mission. If we truly believed that revival was the biblical norm for all of us, we’d give everything, every moment in the pursuit of it. An apathetic church is putting the mission of revival at great risk. It’s time to awaken to the call of God for the fire of revival to ignite in our nation.
Ezekiel 22:30 (ESV) 30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none.
Haggai 1:4-11 (ESV) 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, while this house lies in ruins? 5 Now, therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 6 You have sown much, and harvested little. You eat, but you never have enough; you drink, but you never have your fill. You clothe yourselves, but no one is warm. And he who earns wages does so to put them into a bag with holes. 7 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Consider your ways. 8 Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the LORD. 9 You looked for much, and behold, it came to little. And when you brought it home, I blew it away. Why? declares the LORD of hosts. Because of my house that lies in ruins, while each of you busies himself with his own house. 10 Therefore the heavens above you have withheld the dew, and the earth has withheld its produce. 11 And I have called for a drought on the land and the hills, on the grain, the new wine, the oil, on what the ground brings forth, on man and beast, and on all their labors.”
Special event TONIGHT at theLab : School of Fire begins tomorrow
The fastest way to discover what this revival movement in Detroit is all about is to attend theLab Prayer Event Friday nights!
TONIGHT we will be in our brand new host church praying in fire from 10pm-midnight!
In 2011 we were in at least 40 different churches in the Detroit region. What a movement of unity and revival it has become!
I consider Friday nights to be the key to this movement…you could consider it our primary weekly service… and TONIGHT we’re at our home base in Madison Heights.
I’d like to invite THE ENTIRE REVIVAL CHURCH COMMUNITY to join us TONIGHT at 10pm!
LOCATION: Central Church 1529 E. 12 Mile Rd, Madison Heights, MI 48071
theLab School of Fire
I can’t wait! The engine that drives the Detroit revival movement is theLab School of Fire. We are back in session starting TOMORROW morning!
*Today is your last chance to apply. NEXT SESSION there will be no student or minister discounts, so you might want to pray fast and see if the Lord might have you jump on board with us now.
The cost is $500, and students (between the ages of 18-25) and ministers receive a 50% discount! This school is valued at between $1500-2500 based on comparisons to other similar ministries, and we will soon increase our tuition to match that. So, for $250, you can’t go wrong!
Head on over to www.revivallab.com/apply RIGHT NOW!
The church isn’t a building, “I am the church.” : Is this correct? : The Scattering Movement
This is an important point of discussion as God’s military is weakening as people leave churches in record number.
THE SCATTERING MOVEMENT
To say that I’m concerned would be a gross understatement. There is a scattering movement in the nation that’s causing deep harm to the mission of the church. This scattering of believers is so widespread that we are seeing theologies and philosophies emerging that support the idea that it’s actually healthy to disband and withdraw. It becoming common to hear people say things like, “The church isn’t a building,” or, “I am the church, so I don’t have to go ‘to church’.” The idea is that people have become so wounded or dissatisfied with their experience in the church that they have decided that it’s not only better but actually biblically acceptable to minimize participation in an organized church setting. This mindset is threatening the corporate mission to a terrifying degree.
YOU ARE NOT THE CHURCH
If we understand the meaning of the word ‘church’ we could never presume that we alone are the church. That idea is contrary to the origin of the word (ekklesia, meaning “assembly”). In fact, that word has secular origins. It literally means an assembly of people who have been called together by an authority in the city or region. Wow! That sheds a lot of light on what the church is. The church is an assembly of people organized under defined governmental leadership. It’s a regular gathering of people who are deeply agreed and in pursuit of mission advance under God’s apostles, prophets and other governmental leaders. Further, the pure definition of the word reveals that it isn’t used as easily in the context of the global company of believers as it is in the regional and local gathering of believers. The definition reveals that it’s a well defined local group vs. a loosely defined larger group of people (who mostly don’t know each other at all). We can’t be a part of the church if we aren’t gathered together with other parts of the church. Church is corporate. Additionally, the church is a group of people who assemble, fellowship, pray and respond together to apostolic teaching. That can’t happen in a more nebulous global context. The church has inherent in it’s core call the expectation of assembly and a corporate response so as to ensure the local mission is fulfilled. Again, a fulfilled mission can’t be realized without this type of intentional and faithful participation at a local level where communication and commonality are clearly defined.
WHAT ABOUT HAVING CHURCH ONLINE?
I agree that there is much to enjoy and gain from this amazing technological world. We can watch church services online (I was watching one myself just tonight), listen to worship, meet Christians in forums and on Facebook, pray for one another and involve ourselves in Kingdom business in very unique ways. In fact, there are those who consider www.thefurnace.tv their home church as they prayerfully search for a local expression. Others do in fact gather together locally in homes on a more permanent basis and use the teaching at theFurnace each week in their meetings. That can be a great example of how church is transitioning today. It's a new wineskin. But, if there is no true local gathering with clear leadership, some key issues come into play:
- DEVOID OF APOSTOLIC LEADERSHIP—There is most probably (there are exceptions) no clearly defined apostolic leadership involved. We have to know who we’re called to serve with. We have to all hear, together, in our local congregation, how we are to respond in mission advance. What’s God calling our leaders to focus on? How are we to participate? What are the goals? What steps must we take to prepare ourselves to see this come to pass?
- LACK OF STRATEGIC CORPORATE INTERCESSION—While not impossible, it’s very hard to involve ourselves in the number one purpose of the church this way—corporate intercession. We just have to be together to pray with unity and consistency if we are to have the sufficient strength to see significant impact.
- NO ACCOUNTABILITY—Accountability and discipline are nearly non-existent outside of the context of the local church. Most who flock from the church and into alternative spiritual activities do so to avoid conflict, accountability and correction from leadership. We have to understand that this is a critical part of the refining process. We must be receptive and humble and ready to be challenged—even if the leaders God established for us are exceptionally flawed and out of touch with our needs.
- PROMOTES MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH—It can quite easily reinforce a wrong understanding of the purpose of the church. I would say this is the most serious issue. The prevailing thought these days is that the church is there for us. Whatever needs we have, we can get many of them met in the church. So, we attend if we are ministered to. Or, we may determine that we can get what we’re looking for without regular church attendance. So, the church becomes unnecessary to us. Friend, this concept is a defilement of the church. I can’t say it any less striking than that. We are called to gather together with other believers primarily to intercede for the nations. We are there to give, to leave offerings, to serve, to minister, to pray, to grow. The church isn’t primarily there for us, we are to be there for the mission of the church. We may say that we don’t need the church but have we considered that the church needs us?
I believe the scattering movement is one of the enemy’s most urgent assaults in these end-times. He knows the power of unified togetherness. He used that very strategy when attempting to build a tower to Heaven. God himself said that Satan’s successful plan of unity would actually succeed if scattering didn’t happen! Now, when the church must be together continually as we advance against the kingdom of darkness, Satan has every intention of pulling people out of that mission. The scattering and loose commitment to God’s method of prayer-driven Kingdom advance is resulting in an weak and impotent army. In a day when less than two services a month equates to ‘normal’ church attendance, I believe we must see the 24/7 church advance in strength, unity, commitment and power. Instead of two services a month, I believe we’ll see it become normal to be in church 20+ times a month as we pray together, receive apostolic instruction, move out in ministry and take the fire of the Holy Spirit to the world—together.
John Burton
A Warning Dream : IHOP : International House of Prayer
I had a prophetic warning dream targeted at those who are spiritually fervent.
I have to make it abundantly clear to everyone who reads this that I am a huge supporter of the prayer movement that is being facilitated through the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. I believe God is too!
The reason I have to make that clear is because IHOP was the focus of the dream. Amy and I had the honor of serving as the Directors of Intro to IHOP for a year and I also served on the graphic design team. IHOP is a wonder in the Earth!
First I’ll share the dream and then reveal what I feel are the key takeaways:
I was at IHOP and there was the usual God-centered activity all around. People were worshiping God, praying to God, talking about God in small and large groups all over the campus. These were extremely fervent and devoted people who spent their lives going after the deep things of God.
I was there among some of the groups of people who were on the campus and was increasingly burdened with a message of holiness and fiery pursuit of revival. I then saw Allan Hood and quickly shared the burden with him. He got everybody’s attention and with a serious look on his face he told them to stop what they were doing and listen closely to me.
The crowd was quite large where we were. I began to preach prophetically and call everybody to a serious and consecrated focus of holiness and revival. I felt fairly confident that as I preached that the crowd would quickly grow as the message was just what that type of community thrives on.
Not so. The unction on me was increasing but the crowd was quickly yet politely breaking up and moving on to their regular activities. It was then that I noticed that Allan Hood also left. I was shocked and saddened.
There was a hallway at the back of the room where I was and there were some offices and small prayer rooms connected to it. One room had maybe 5 or 6 people in it and they were listening to what I was saying. I could tell that the message was difficult for them to take in as well, and they were tempted to leave as the others did, but the fought the urge and stayed. They listened.
When I was done I was further heartbroken as I saw where the crowd dispersed to. Most of them were in another nearby large room where they were all singing “The First Noel.”
That was the end of the dream.
Here’s the takeaway:
IHOP: Like I said before, this is not an anti-IHOP warning. Not even close. IHOP is a ministry that I’m familiar with which gives me a grid to work from that’s understandable. I believe this prophetic message is targeted at those who presume themselves to be fervently devoted to the deep things of God. Streams of revival and prayer are filled with zealous people who are bright and shining lamps in these end times. Their caution is twofold:
- First, simply belonging to a highly focused ministry or stream doesn’t mean we are somehow exempt from the responsibility to respond to God’s broader Kingdom directives. In the dream there was a false sense of safety as the crowd emitted a corporate aura of exemption and elitism. Their ears were closed to messages that didn’t obviously affirm what they presumed was ‘the message of the house.’
- Second, be ready to receive messages and directives from outside your stream. A certain level of exclusivity and protecting the message of the house is important. I do affirm that. We have to run without apology with what God has specifically given us to steward. However, be careful not to entertain a deaf spirit in the process! He who has an ear let him hear! Don’t be surprised when very focused, exclusive movements receive revelation and direction from streams and prophetic messengers that are quite unlike their own.
Again, this isn't about IHOP specifically, but it's about movements, it's about fervent people advancing together with passion and fire. IHOP is a great representation of devoted, humble and focused people who love God deeply.
Allan Hood: For those of you who know Allan Hood know that he’s the perfect person for God to use in my dream. He is a sober and powerfully anointed messenger of Christ. In my dream he represents leadership that is clearly locked on to the cross, to the cause of Christ. His affirmation of the message I was delivering was key for the crowd who was gathering around. The warning? Allan represented a key leader who is both highly anointed and fully human. The sharpness of the message was apparently not timely or simply not what Allan wanted to continue listening to. He politely slipped out. Just as his affirmation of the message was key, so was, unfortunately, his slipping away.
I will qualify again, this is not about Allan, it's about leadership. Allan Hood is a hero of the faith and I believe God honored him by including him the dream. He's more devoted to the cross of Christ than anybody I know.
The people in the room in the hallway: The small number of people in that room were actually smiling and excited to hear what I was saying. Again, however, that’s not to say that they weren’t troubled or tempted to slip out themselves. But something was different about them. I believe they were in that room before I arrived studying and praying. The didn’t have an elite heart. They, in humility, knew they had much to receive from the Lord. They battled through the tension and struggle of the message they were hearing and even though Allan and the masses left, they remained. They represented the remnant within the remnant. It’s easy to presume IHOPpers and other people like that are the remnant. However, there is a greater remnant. Just as Gideon saw his army diminish in phases as he finally discovered the remnant that would take the city with him, I believe there’s a remnant that does have an ear to hear what the Lord is saying.
The First Noel: Keep in mind my dream came Christmas morning (2011). I sensed that the desire of the larger group was to focus on celebrating the first coming of Jesus (which is wonderful!). However, the message of the hour conflicted with that happy, joyful seasonal message.
We must have ears to hear. The times are increasingly severe and God is looking for an alert and ready Church. Get ready to divert from your current ministry plans as God announces new blueprints and mandates. Leaders, be doubly aware of what God is saying. Don’t trade the Rhema word of God for the expected, accepted message of the season or message of the house.
Thoughts?
(This will also be posted in the Dreams and Visions section of our brand new forum: www.thegodforum.net.)
The God Forum is open for business : Talk about God
The God Forum is LIVE and ready for new discussions!
Talk about God.
There is much to say, and I’d like to invite you to start and/or participate in discussions with a new community at www.thegodforum.net.
Available forums include:
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Brand new XPmedia video: Ambition, production and works in the church
There’s a false grace message that’s lulling people to sleep and renouncing the call to extreme Kingdom production.
Check out the brand new XPmedia.com video Ambition, Production and Works in the Church. Here’s the link: http://www.xpmedia.com/IQTFz2STVhCt
I’ll include my notes below (granted, they are quite simple).
I’d love to hear some feedback!
Email me at [email protected].
If you’d like me to teach on this or other messages in your church, head on over to www.johnburton.net/booking!
REVIVAL CHURCH CHRISTMAS PARTY TOMORROW!
Thursday at 6pm the festivities begin!
Bring your family and friends for a night of food, gifts and fellowship!
CHRISTMAS MORNING SERVICE
Ambition, Production and Works in the Church
I. Casual approach
a. We often see in the streams that I am most familiar with a tendency to take a casual approach, to take a wait and see approach.
i. Detroit—wait and see
ii. Some people pray for more than they are willing to work for.
1. We need an aggressive, pioneering, entrepreneur spirit in the church.
2. Wake up in the night burning, wake up on the morning producing!
3. I am looking for leaders who are self-starters, who are conquering the cares of life, who are building, developing, committed, on time, in position, producing! What is your goal, what are you doing?
4. Catherine Mullins—on the front row, alert, intent, engaged.
a. Titus 3:14 (ESV) 14 And let our people learn to devote themselves to good works, so as to help cases of urgent need, and not be unfruitful.
iii. We must discover the biblical message of works again! We must produce! Fruit comes through work!
b. Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV) 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
i. A misunderstood verse
ii. We were saved not by works, but for works! We work!
iii. This has eternal implications!
1. James 2:14 (ESV) 14 What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?
2. Wow! Can faith save? Not if it’s dead faith.
3. James 2:17 (ESV) 17 So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
iv. Matthew 25:29-30 (ESV) 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
c. Mom telling me to send out resumes
i. It takes just as much energy to wish as it does to plan.
ii. Dreaming has its values, but never should it become a substitute for work that needs to be done.
1. I’m a dreamer!
2. But without action I’ll be nothing more than a dreamer.
iii. Good intentions die unless they are executed.
iv. Our nation became big by starting things.
d. Steve Gray—always do two things at once… be productive.
i. We must live our lives producing, working!
ii. The cares of life must be annihilated!