Posts Tagged ‘church’
Revival in Detroit for Dummies : The clear plan and how you fit in
Here is a clear explanation of the vision for revival in Detroit—and how you fit in.
First of all, nobody out there is a dummy… but, you know, that’s how those books are titled!
For 2011, I felt it was important to explain as clearly as possible what is needed to see revival land in Detroit.
People have some honest questions:
- What exactly should I do?
- What are the expectations on a personal and corporate level?
- What are the key focuses for the new year?
Here’s my personal perspective. I didn’t move to Detroit for anything other than investing like mad into the process of full blown revival. That’s why I’m here, and if you live in this region, that’s why you are here too. The fervent advance of God’s Kingdom in Detroit is both demanding and urgent.
So, what’s the plan?
First, I’d encourage you to watch the most recent video on our NEW media site: http://media.johnburton.net. The 2011 Vision video will explain all of this in vivid Technicolor.
Second, determine to give yourself with wild abandon to the call.
THREE DISTINCT MESSAGES
REVIVAL CULTURE
At Revival Church, a prophetic center of revival for the region, the culture and lifestyle is all about the experiential fire of God. For everybody in Detroit, it’s time to transition our Christian and church experience into that of continual, night and day burning. Simply learning principles and trying to apply concepts that will enhance our lives week after week as the extent of our life focus won’t cut it anymore. We must BURN.
The call is to such a holy, fiery, passionate reality that atmospheres melt when we walk into the room. Be together, all the time, with others who cause you to tremble, people who are having perpetual encounters with God, who are continually undone in His presence.
What’s Expected?
- Become a person who is giving everything you have to ensure the fire of God is raging in you, around you and into others.
- Stay right on pace with the most fiery revivalists in the region.
- Understand the extreme cost every day that’s necessary to launch revival—and then pay it.
- Study on revivals of old.
REVOLUTION MANDATE
This is the tough one, yet it cannot be ignored. I’ll be honest, since I’ve been in Detroit a handful of people have truly impressed with the level of their commitment. However, the general body has been largely absent, distracted and hesitant.
This call to revolution is a call to EXTREME reformation in the structure and experience of the church. It’s RARE to find people who are willing to go to this place.
The 24/7 church is absolutely necessary if we are to see revival initiated and sustained. This means that we cannot just tweak our calendar. Everything must change. Everybody must be alert, in position, responsive, communicating, battling, praying and ready to move according to what God is revealing.
What’s Expected?
- Start to schedule every day around the prayer room. Participate in as many of the weekly prayer meetings as possible (Mon, Wed & Sat at noon, Friday at 10pm).
- Every Friday night from 10pm-midnight, theLab is an “all hands on deck” event for the city of Detroit. We pray in a different location each week, and we intentionally scheduled it during a time when most nobody would have any conflicts. Kids and everybody is invited and needed to pray together. www.revivallab.com
- Rarely miss any church service, prayer meeting or special event. Truly, this reformation will require radical changes to our daily focuses and agendas. The season is way too important to have a casual approach to the corporate mission.
- Communicate daily. Critical information, prophecies, instructions and other revelation is being sent out from this revival center, and other places as well. Thoroughly read, watch and listen…and then respond back to the sender. We must all be on the same page and in literally daily communication. Again, the mission of revival is job one for all of us, and staying on task continually is imperative.
- theLab Broadcast. Every Monday night, every revival minded person in Detroit is needed to join us online for prayer and key instructions for the coming week. Go to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/thelab to tune in every Monday night at 8:30pm.
- Understand the vision. Read my book 20 Elements of Revival for starters. It’s a very clear, step by step process toward revival on a city level. It’s rare to find someone who’s willing respond to the call of that book, but many have said how it is an absolute must read. Also, watch podcasts, read articles and follow the many men and women in the region who are sending out prophetic insights and instructions.
REVELATION DRIVEN
Everything we do, every day, in every church, at every turn must be birthed and fueled from the prayer room. In fact, the church IS the prayer room!
As we see the church return to its original and primary purpose, to be a house of prayer for all nations, everything else will be sufficiently powered and supported.
We need to see Revelation Driven churches and ministries all over the city who are calling every member and participant into a lifestyle of zealous, interactive and fervent prayer. The prayer rooms must be full all the time. Sunday services must be mostly prayer and intercession. This is how we will see revival launch and continue in great power.
What’s Expected?
- Be a person of continual prayer. Pray in the Spirit, allow the groans to erupt!
- Eliminate everything that hinders prayer, hinders encounter with God.
- Learn to hear God’s voice.
- Do everything you can to never miss a prayer meeting.
- Embrace holiness.
- Stir a prophetic atmosphere in your life.
Please understand. This is a regional call to action. However, historically it’s a remnant that responds. Can you really imagine yourself NOT being included in that remnant?
The choice is yours… but, I implore you… don’t miss this. You are needed more than you know.
New Years Day is not a magic day : Prophecy : A call to continual communication : Please respond
A key step in the pursuit of revival and reformation in the church is to steward the call for continual communication.
FIRST: Revival Church REALLY needs you. We are advancing, yet we are in a serious financial position. We must immediately raise an extra $2000 a month… to carry on with the mandate here in Detroit. DONATE before the day is done and you’ll receive a 2010 tax receipt. Thank you so much! www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate
New Years Day is not magical. Everything in life doesn’t just get better. It’s up to us to bring the change. We must work. It’s time. Check out a new video podcast (I do about one of these per day…and am seeking a company of people who will follow along and dialogue with me) at www.youtube.com/johnburtonministries.
Listen closely. The scattered, disjointed church is deeply vulnerable right now. I wish we could truly understand how serious this is. Families, individuals and entire regions are at risk due to the scattering and distraction that has impacted millions of Christians.
It has been accurately spoken over our ministry many times that there’s a unique anointing of communication—and that doesn’t mean that we just write books or preach or shoot out emails. There an anointing to advance the call for the church to break out of a private, unfocused way of living and into literal continual dialogue.
It’s a prophetic call to a prophetic life in a corporate environment.
We know from Amos 3 that God does nothing unless he reveals his secrets to his servants the prophets. However, those secrets, which are being revealed continually, have no real system to land in most churches and regions and to be watched over and responded to.
The technology is there. Except for the hours when I’m asleep or when I’m in certain meetings, there’s rarely a moment that I’m not available to receive urgent information that God has revealed through people. Via email, texts, Facebook, video podcasts, phone calls or whatever… it’s possible to receive instruction and information at any time… and we should be expecting it!
I’m ready to hear from people locally here in Detroit, or those who have insight in the mission in Detroit. I’m waiting to hear from you. To receive your emails. Your texts.
I have my phone with me. I’m ready to hear from my staff and other people who need to pass God infused revelation to me.
Are you alert? Are you available? Are you responding to what God’s doing every day?
Example: What if I, as a leader of Revival Church, received a mandate from God to call an all church prayer meeting tonight? Would people receive the message that I send? Would they respond in an instant? Would the church tonight be full or empty? How many would come on Sunday and admit that they didn’t check their email until it was too late? Who isn’t even on the email list? Who would check their email and decide the apostolic/prophetic call to action was too inconvenient? How many excuses would rise up? Would a Joel 1 call work today?
Joel 1:14 (ESV) 14 Consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly. Gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD.
Consider the call to gather in Acts 2. 120 responded, and isn’t it interesting that what resulted was tongues of fire?
Acts 2:3 (ESV) 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them.
- Tongues= communication
- Fire= the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of prophecy
We can’t presume to have the presence of God in our midst if we don’t also have communication, prophecy. God is prophecy! He is the Word! He is a tongue! He is communication! If your life is void of prophetic communication then you have to ask how much of God’s presence you are encountering. Are you in the midst of God’s action and mission?
Consider the story of the Tower of Babel. It was communication that was the power in that story! Communication would make it possible to accomplish the ridiculously improbable goal. So, God confused their communication. The devil is doing the same thing today as God is calling the church to be in constant communication.
Genesis 11:5-7 (ESV) 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.”
Here’s what’s necessary. Every day, sometimes several times a day, every person connected with the mission… people who are in the church, others who are connected online… must develop the discipline of being instant. We must all get used to shooting out emails in response to blog posts, podcasts, etc. We must be in a place of hearing God and being so deeply invested in the mission that we continually and strategically respond to prophetic insight.
I have people that email me several times a week regarding what God’s doing in Detroit. That tells me that they are alive and alert and on task! What a powerful blessing!
I wish I could share how critical this is! We can’t sit back and wait any longer! The calls to action are going to escalate RADICALLY and we must learn now how to be accountable and responsive on a low level—even if that low level seems extreme.
It’s time to gather night and day. It’s time to respond through active communication day after day. There is no guarantee of revival… the new year brings nothing in itself. Tomorrow is not a magic day where everything gets better. We must bring the change. It’s on us to respond. Today. Right now.
**Your next step? Respond to this message… share your heart… what’s God saying? What’s burning in you? Are you one of the pioneers that Revival Church is looking for? I can’t wait to hear from you! [email protected].
The Absentee Church : Time of extreme risk : George Barna
Leaders are increasingly alarmed about the body’s casual approach to the mission of the church
Even the most spiritual and mission-minded Christians seem to be pulling back from the corporate gathering, from the church in America.
I recently talked with a pastor who said he was disturbed that a couple of his key leaders were absent from a special church event. He was beside himself. Apparently they didn’t replace this mission critical event with something of more spiritual significance, but simply to relax and enjoy a night out on the town.
In this biblically historic season, the potential is great but the church is at extreme risk of becoming nearly powerless in most of American culture. The call must be to gather continually and to pray fervently.
Kay Sharpe, a friend of mine, sent me this email:
We had revival (I mean, full-tilt, make Brownsville Toronto and Lakeland look tame) … we were about to ramp it up… and suddenly most of the people who make it all “work” had “other things to do” —
I wept.
George Barna discovered in a recent poll:
Although there were a few subgroups that were more likely than average to experience church-based accountability, there was not a single segment for which even one out of every five people said their church does anything to hold them accountable.
The people are pulling back, often only attending a church service a couple times a month (statistically, twice a month is considered regular church attendance). There is little accountability and an increasing resistance to a raised bar of commitment to the mission of the church. There’s also an alarming trend to adopt personal spiritual missions (usually good and God given) but outside of the context of their local church. The calls and mandates that God lays on our hearts must be carried out within the structure and context of the broader corporate mission—the church.
Barna:
In a society in which choice is king, there are no absolutes, every individual is a free agent, we are taught to be self-reliant and independent.
There are other issues that keep people away from a diligent commitment to the local church. I taught recently on “The Spirit of Insignificance” and would recommend strongly that you take some time to listen to it (www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/teaching). I’ve discovered that most people believe that it matters little if they pull back and miss church services, prayer events and other ‘all church’ corporate meetings. If we understood that our absence has an exponential impact on the rest of the body and on the mission of the church there’s no way we’d miss an event (with very few, rare exceptions), regardless of how many times a week the church doors are open!
Another key issue for the departure from the church is that people tend to treat the church like an number of other places they visit throughout the week. People to go the grocery store to get stuff. They go to a restaurant to get some food that satisfies. They go to a baseball game to be entertained.
The church, however, must be treated with a much different approach. The church isn’t like a grocery store, but it is very much like a military. While there are personal benefits to enrolling in the Army (free food, insurance, etc.), the call is to serve. There is surrender of a lot of personal freedoms for the sake of the health of the nation. Time freedom, how we spend our money, comforts, the way we live all changes as we embrace our assignment in the church. Of course, the blessings that are attached to this kind of commitment, the spiritual impact, is phenomenal. However, with that in mind, consider this additional finding from Barna:
Growing numbers of people are less interested in spiritual principles and more desirous of learning pragmatic solutions for life.
Again, people want to go to church to learn life skills, to gain some nuggets of inspiration that will help take them through the next week. They want the church to make their life better instead of their life making the church better. To use the church in this manner is tragic. I have found that people are invigorated and inspired when deep, challenging and Holy Spirit communicated spiritual principles are taught, but it’s rare to actually respond by living up to that level of challenge.
Barna:
When asked what matters most, teenagers prioritize education, career development, friendships, and travel. Faith is significant to them, but it takes a back seat to life accomplishments.
Americans consider survival in the present to be much more significant than eternal security and spiritual possibilities.
Most will participate in church to a degree when they receive help, discover friendships, feel connected, etc., but it is truly a special and rare thing to find true soldiers who connect and commit because they have a plan and a call to pour out and serve regardless of disappointment, frustration, other life focuses, offense or rejection.
Allow me to state this clearly: The call to the church as it prepares for revival will not be easy, convenient or fulfilling much of the time. It will often be exhausting, disappointing and slow to develop. However, the cost is worth it as we trust that God will, in time, impact people for eternity.
Same feeling as Brownsville : Revival Church plans : Tonight at 6pm
We have dreams and plans to expand and spread the influence of the Holy Spirit
My son Skylar said something out of the blue the other day.
“Dad, I think Revival Church is going to really grow now.”
The power and the momentum around here is awesome!
An amazing guest worship leader that was with us last weekend told me,
“This is the first time since I was at the revival at Brownsville that I’ve felt this type of Holy Spirit activity. The same experience is in the room tonight that was there when revival hit.”
I’ve been in ministry for nearly 18 years, and last Sunday’s service has to be in the top five. The way God moved at Revival Church is awe inspiring.
The most amazing thing was the lingering, hovering mist of God’s glory that has been showing up visibly for the last few month or so. Last weekend, when I just looked at it, I was overcome!
At the end of last week’s service (the service that just wouldn’t end!), it felt like an angel, or God himself, took out my legs. I jerked and trembled the rest of the night as I laid on my face. I continued to experience this power of God for the next few days.
Our current strategic plans to initiate revival are very simple. Gather together often, pray and worship and have a resounding ‘yes’ in our spirits for the activity of the Holy Spirit.
We’ll be doing this again TONIGHT… in just four hours! Join us tonight at Revival Church!
ALSO—we’ll be taking a special offering in response to some very strong prophetic words. We need to start chronicling on video what God is doing at Revival Church. Our worship team is also growing, and we are in immediate need of three monitors. Approximately $1500 should cover this first step. If we go with a two camera setup, which does provide a lot of flexibility, we’ll need at least double.
This will enable us to record the amazing moves of God, and also to archive our teachings on video. A lot of people from around the world have requested this. As soon as we have a building with internet, we’ll stream the services live.
We are on the hunt for a new building so we can expand into a 7-day a week ministry of prayer and revival. Would you pray with us as we seek the right location? We need favor and a lot of participation in order to make this move.
Can you plan on participating in tonight’s special offering? You can also give online at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate.
Blessings!
Detroit strategy tonight with Miles Anderson
Miles Anderson TONIGHT at Revival Church!
First, have you registered for THE THINNING OF THE VEIL conference with Michele Perry? Head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/events and register TODAY!
Yesterday was easily one of the most powerful and most important days in Revival Church history. Miles Anderson from Revolution House of Prayer in Manitou Springs, Colorado met with our church staff all day and imparted strategies for intercession, deliverance and for dealing with the warfare in this region.
TONIGHT he will be ministering at Revival Church at 6pm. If you want to experience a highly prophetic atmosphere with some serious breakthrough anointing, don’t miss this special event.
Miles is a great friend and a General of the faith. For years he woke up every morning at 4am, seven days a week, and covered me, my family and the ministry in intercession. His strategies of breakthrough are powerful and effective and he is intent on seeing the church rally together in Detroit.
Prayer starts at 5pm and we would love to have you join us!
For a map and directions, click here.
Tired of church and religion? New Teaching : The Spirit of Gideon
Are you just tired of church? Has your hunger for God led to disappointment?
Do you ever find yourself getting frustrated because people aren’t moving ahead in the power of God, with fire in their eyes, to advance the Kingdom?
Stop! In a day where people are tired of church, where people are moving from church to church, conference to conference in hopes of finding a move of God, where they are nearly giving up in frustration… we have to reconsider our strategies.
Instead of waiting for others to change and systems to change, we can just take on the attitude of a mighty man of valor. We must, in humility and in boldness, move out in fervency and might!
You should not be frustrated, discouraged, casting blame and waiting around for things to change—YOU should be moving… as a weak person with little resource, little experience… moving out in the spirit of Gideon.
There are religious altars to be torn down and cities to be taken!
Sunday night at Revival Church I taught an impromptu message on this in a powerful, prophetic atmosphere. God was teaching us something important for our mission here in Detroit. We can’t wait and hope for God to pour out… we must move, we must initiate… NOW!
Open your bible to Judges 6 then head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/teaching and listen to “The Spirit of Gideon.”
Transition is coming but the church is breech
THE CHURCH IS BREECH
If you have been following the ministry recently you know that I’m zeroed in on a critical issue—an issue, in my opinion, that can result in the further fracture of the church, or in a powerful reformation that will shock the world.
Sunday at our Revival Church staff meeting, there was a strong prophetic word that must be given attention.
The message was that the church is in a time of massive transition, much like you’d find in a delivery room. When the mother is transitioning into the process of birth the room is filled with chaos and even confusion for the untrained, nervous or unprepared.
We are seeing this same chaos and confusion in the church today. People are scattering, searching for traction, for fresh new life that they sense is near.
Then, the person who gave the message declared, “The church is breech! The church is breech!”
Of course, a breech delivery is a cause for serious concern. The chance of death to the coming baby is much greater than in a normal, head first birth.
Immediately, God revealed to me what the word meant. What the meaning of a breech church was.
The confusion, frustration and wounding that’s impacting so many Christians is resulting in an intentional divorce from pastors and leaders. It’s a movement that either greatly minimizes or even renounces governmental church leadership.
It’s a feet first movement. The church is breech.
A common cause for a breech delivery is prematurity. Premature babies tend to deliver breech, and we need to consider this for the church. We can’t allow our dissatisfaction and impatience to cause us to move out ahead of leadership.
Many believe this chaotic transition, this reformation in the church is the answer to their frustrations and pains that they experienced in the organized church. They feel it’s a transition out of body life and away from human leaders.
That is a devastating and terribly incorrect analysis.
The coming reformation will in fact highlight God’s established apostolic leaders and will call the church to rally around them in radical unity and advance into the darkness of the world.
Further, there’s an incorrect mindset that every Believer is identical. That we all have equal giftings and equal authority in every situation. Usually this idea is embraced as a defense measure after feeling slighted by Christian leaders. I understand the pain that this can bring, but the answer isn’t to artificially level the playing field. God loves us all passionately, but he does flow through us differently. Our abilities and responsibilities vary.
Those with a gift of healing have a greater grace to heal people. People with the gift of helps can function in that role much more easily and efficiently than others. If someone has an ordination from God into a prophetic office, he or she will be receiving information that most others won’t. Apostles have breakthrough ability that’s unique to that office.
As we embrace true biblical order, and understand that we can’t cut off the heads (small ‘h’ vs. the capitol ‘H’ reserved for God alone—God is the Head and he establishes heads of ministries) of God’s ordained leaders simply because they have disappointed us.
Man will always disappoint, but it’s God’s wisdom that has resulted in the establishment of significant responsibilities, anointings and missions through them. It’s always been this way, cover to cover in Scripture. God raises up men and women to lead. We can’t avoid it.
So, it’s time to gather together in love, passion and mission as God readies a massive advance of God’s government that lies just on the other side of our current birthing room season of transition.
You are NOT the church : The scattering movement : What about church online?
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. However, if this is the limit of one’s involvement, there are some key issues to be considered:- 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?
Prophetic Mandate
First—I thought you’d enjoy notes from our Revival Church staff meeting. I charted Elements 1-10 from my book 20 Elements of Revival. You can see the PDF here: www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/files/20ElementsofRevivalChart1-10.pdf
Yesterday’s teaching on the Prophetic Mandate is ready to listen to at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/teaching.
If we are looking to lead a generation of fire-breathers, we simply have to go deeper, burn hotter and give more then the wild radicals that are multiplying on the face of the Earth.
Here’s the notes:
1. Introduction
a. We’ve been given a clear mandate at Revival Church to help introduce revival to Detroit.
i. This means the way things are now must morph into something very different.
ii. The most successful way to ensure the coming outpouring remains for decades is to introduce reformation before it arrives.
iii. It’s the upper room strategy—respond to an extreme lifestyle call and carry it out forever.
iv. Do you ever get frustrated when a new road is under construction forever?
1. This situation is just like a road under construction—hundreds of thousands will benefit from it. But, it’s still being built. We are not those who are frustrated, we are the ones with the hard hats and gloves on. We are the workers!
2. The fact that it’s a long term project doesn’t frustrate us because we understand the scope of the project. We know it takes a long time to pull together a work force, to survey the area, to bring in the bull dozers, to dig, to lay asphalt… for it to harden, and on and on.
3. We need the work force to simply show up for work every day.
4. Greek: technites- an architect, one who plans, calculates and constructs a building
5. Have you ever gotten frustrated watching construction workers just standing there by the side of the road doing nothing while you are backed up in traffic?
b. Hebrews 11:8-10 (ESV) 8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.
1. The process of building is critical
2. This passage is true for individuals, and it’s also true for mission driven churches.
3. Luke 6:46-49 (ESV) 46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47 Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”
4. Now, the enemy understands what a unified group of people who are determined to build can do.
5. In fact, he borrowed this Godly strategy himself and was on pace to do great things for his kingdom.
6. Just as the Holy Spirit is calling us together to build, an unholy spirit was orchestrating things behind the scenes here.
c. Genesis 11:1-8 (ESV) 1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.” 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the LORD said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. 7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the LORD dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.
1. We are seeing the enemy do to the church what God did to his mission—people are being scattered.
2. So, our goal, and God’s goal is for us to put on the hard hats, pick up the shovels and have one language.
- Rom 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
i. If we agree, if we align ourselves together in the purpose of God for Detroit- who can stop us? Who can be against us?
ii. Every noble work is at first impossible. Thomas Carlyle
1. On the contrary, if we are not aligned, we cannot win- we need each other, in a place of agreement, in a place of health and maturity and fully devoted to taking city for Jesus!
2. I challenge you—take inventory of your alliances. Who and what you are aligned with will determine your destiny.
3. Agreement is a powerful force.
ii. Matthew 18:18-20 (ESV) 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
1. This is usually used when talking about prayer—but this is really talking about mission.
2. Do you see the focus is on being together and warring against the enemy and moving ahead in agreement?
iii. You know the old saying, "United We Stand, Divided We Fall." This saying is applicable within the church too. In the battle for Stalingrad during World War II the Russian commanders ordered their soldiers not to give up any more ground. Any soldier who fled from the Germans was shot on the spot. The Russian commanders knew that if even a couple of soldiers fled their post the Germans would have an opening through which they could pour into the city. Likewise, when the church is divided, Satan finds it so much easier to attack and to conquer.
1. We have to know that we are aligned, agreed, together and committed as builders, workers and warriors.
iv. Tonto and the Lone Ranger were riding through a canyon together when all of a sudden both sides were filled with Native American warriors on horses, dressed for battle. The Lone Ranger turned to Tonto and asked, "What are we going to do?" Tonto replied, "What you mean ‘we,' Whiteman?"
v. 1 Cor 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought.
1. In a Peanuts cartoon Lucy demanded that Linus change TV channels, threatening him with her fist if he didn't. "What makes you think you can walk right in here and take over?" asks Linus. "These five fingers," says Lucy. "Individually they're nothing but when I curl them together like this into a single unit, they form a weapon that is terrible to behold." "Which channel do you want?" asks Linus. Turning away, he looks at his fingers and says, "Why can't you guys get organized like that?"
2. So, what must we be agreed on?
2. The Terror of Hell
a. Intimacy
b. Salvation
a. Many in the church will be surprised one day, just as you were surprised in the dream, to find themselves under the control of demons as they are taken to hell.
a. Proverbs 14:11-14 (ESV) 11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish. 12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. 13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief. 14 The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways.
b. Matthew 7:21-23 (ESV) 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
b. This message is probably the number one mandate from God for me.
a. It’s all about two things:
i. Intimacy- seeking, knocking and finding Jesus, hunger, desire
ii. Lawlessness- in control of ones own life, not surrendered, not responsive, following Jesus on one’s own terms like the Rich Young Ruler.
1. There’s an anti-authority, anti-submission, scattering spirit in the church today, and it’s exceedingly dangerous!
2. 2 Peter 2:9-10 (ESV) 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgment, 10 and especially those who indulge in the lust of defiling passion and despise authority.
iii.
c. House of prayer movement
a. The house of prayer is not a splinter movement, it is a call to calibration for the entire church.
b. Luann Zettle- "..a house of Prayer for all Nations..yep, totally agree with you John. Biblically this is so clear. And there are SO many I know that do see it that way. But, I think the biggest problem is that we don't know how to get there from here. The current church structure just seems to throw prayer in as an "add-on" or an additional ministry/program or that 10 minute exercise we do in the morning as opposed to the driving furnace of the Church, through which all other church Life flows. And i agree. IHOP,KC looks a lot more like Church than most anything else I've seen. "
3. Reformation in the Church
a. 20 Elements of Revival
b. Ancient and emerging
c. Dangerous scattering in the church
d. Cares of life
e. Misunderstanding of the purpose of the church
i. A wrong understanding of why we go to church will immediately result in a faulty understanding of how to participate.
ii. Many are saying that they don’t need the church anymore, or they only need the church a few times a month. This is an indicator of a wrong understanding of what the church is.
iii. Have we ever considered whether the church needs us?
iv. Can you imagine the USA military being strong if the soldiers only reported one day a week? No way! America would have been defeated and held captive long ago—and this is what has happened to the church.
v. Old paradigm- God first, family second, ministry third
vi. New paradign- all of it happening in the same places at the same time
1. We’ve come to believe that our families are healthier as we sit in front of the TV together instead of in the prayer room.
2. We might have a measure of personal health as we participate at a low level, but it comes at the expense of the church.
f. Some are saying that the Kingdom must advance out of the four walls of the church and into society. I agree! But, this can only happen if we are strategy minded and mission oriented in a place of burning prayer within the four walls of the upper room.
4. Encountering God
a. Making it easy for people to thoroughly enjoy God
b. We want people to know God, not just know about God.
c. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 (ESV) 1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the LORD filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD filled the LORD’s house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
5. Prophetic Atmosphere
a. A command center for the region.
b. Manitou Springs—a revival command center for the nations.
Crisis in the church : Misunderstanding of the purpose of the church
I just tweeted:
I don't buy into the ‘church isn't a building' mantra we hear so much. Church requires corporate gathering. Acts 2 model. Daily in the temple.~www.twitter.com/johneburton
I don’t know if most realize it, but we are very literally at what might be the greatest crisis point in the church in history—certainly in recent history.
Everywhere you look you see pastors promoting short, ‘schedule friendly’, casual commitment style church services. There’s validation of our ridiculously oversaturated American daily agendas via the diminished emphasis in the church of the corporate gathering.
Now, there’s are several reasons why average church attendance in the nation has dropped below two services a month. One of them is the reality that it’s becoming rare to find a place that full of the fire and passion of God.
While we must stay radically faithful and connected at a high level regardless of how vibrant the services are, we must also refuse to settle for anything less than tongues of fire resting on everybody!
THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH
It’s unreasonable to presume that there is only one purpose of the church, and there isn’t enough time to dive into all of them. However, we must start at the point where reformation and redefinition is necessary.
Most people, pastors and congregants alike, presume the church is primarily setup to meet needs. You see this play out through church marketing all the time. You hear words and terms like ‘relevance’, ‘come as you are’, ‘world class children’s ministry’, etc.
While we should have world class ministries, the problem is that many pastors and leaders have forsaken their prophetic mantle of challenge and advance for one of salesman. The call must not be to check out our church because of what it offers, but we must have fire coming out of our mouths as we declare the inconvenient word of the Lord!
Simply, the church is not primarily there to simply meet the needs of the people, but rather it is to gather and equip the people (meeting their needs in the process!) AND ensure the people are together, strong, alert and in position night and day so the church can accomplish it’s mission.
Another way to say it is this: The mission of the church isn’t to draw people in and meet their needs, but rather it is to gather people and develop the corporate strength necessary to fulfill the greater mission.
People must not use the church to meet their needs… and stop participating when they are ‘full’. I challenge everybody at Revival Church to arrive at the service full (through personal prayer, study, etc.) and overflowing so we can focus on our corporate mission together.
At most churches, summers, for example, see a huge drop in participation. They will cancel services and special events. This cannot be! We can’t allow our personal schedules to violate the holy call to the corporate gathering. For example, at IHOP in Kansas City, they pray and worship 24/7. They don’t take any breaks. They pray and worship on Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and every other day of the year. They pray and worship right through the Super Bowl while other churches actually cancel or shorten services in honor of that holy day (lower case ‘h’).
I believe when we start looking at the church as an supernaturally organized army of likeminded, alert, responsive and burning men and women of God, we’ll actually be able to see entire cities taken for the Kingdom!
Thoughts?