Posts Tagged ‘kansas city’
Ministry: Can I give you a call?
Hi!
My name is John Burton and I am praying for new Kingdom connections with pastors and leaders both in this nation and around the world.
I’d love to give you a call and hear more about your ministry. Is there a time that would work?
If you feel it would benefit your ministry, we can discuss scheduling a church event or conference in your region that would powerfully encourage you and your team!
In the meantime, my bio can be viewed at www.johnburton.net if you’d like to take a look.
The short version is:
- I’ve planted two churches, one in Colorado and one in Detroit.
- I’ve written eight books on the topics of prayer, reformation and revival.
- I directed one of the primary internships at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City.
- I crave being in God’s presence with other hungry people!
- I also believe strongly in the local church and would love to serve your mission.
Contact me any time via email at [email protected] or phone at 719.231.6000.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
Mike Bickle: 7 Characteristics of the End-time Praying Church
7 Characteristics of the End-time Praying Church
4:00PM EST 1/3/2013 Mike Bickle
Here’s another must read article… a repost of a message by Mike Bickle. You can read the story in its original location here: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/spiritual-growth/13386-not-just-a-movement
The end-time role of the praying and worshipping church
Right now, all across the earth, the Holy Spirit is raising up a worship-based prayer movement that will culminate in the second coming of our King, Jesus. This isn’t a new idea, but one rooted in history and, more importantly, in the Bible. This prayer and worship movement that we see exploding across the planet was prophesied many years ago, as recorded in the Scriptures. I believe that what we’re witnessing today, with the rapidly growing worldwide prayer and worship movement, is the beginning of the fulfillment of biblical prophecies about the end times.
This conviction that God is raising up a worldwide prayer movement that will precede Jesus’ return has strengthened my resolve to build a 24/7 worship community. We started on May 7, 1999, and for the last 12 years the International House of Prayer Missions Base of Kansas City (IHOP-KC), consisting of full-time missionaries who serve as worship leaders, singers, musicians and intercessors, has continued nonstop in worship and prayer. Our hearts are set on gathering corporately to worship Jesus 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year. Partnering with Him in intercession, we contend for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit and for the release of justice, both in our own city and in the cities of the earth. What started with 20 full-time missionaries has grown to more than 1,000 full-time staff and 1,000 students and interns in our Bible school.
Why do I mention this? Because if weak and broken people in Kansas City, Mo., can do this, anyone can! And that’s exactly the point God wants made. The Lord is determined to establish a culture of prayer in the entire body of Christ worldwide before He returns. Over the last 10 to 20 years, we’ve watched the prayer movement grow especially fast in Asia and Africa. Yet this rapid growth is only the first fruits of what Jesus is doing in His church in this generation.
I believe this is the hour in history when many of God’s people from a multitude of ministries, churches and denominations will align themselves with Jesus’ commitment to build His church. It will be in such a way that He Himself will call it “a house of prayer for all nations” (Is. 56:7).
The Scriptures describe several characteristics of the end-time worship and prayer movement that are involved in releasing God’s presence and power. When people pray, the spiritual atmosphere over cities and regions is changed. Demons are driven back from their place of influence, angels are more active, and the Spirit releases a greater measure of grace on our labors. Thus, the preaching of the gospel and the works of the kingdom become more effective. Jesus taught us to pray for God’s kingdom to be expressed on earth as it is in heaven (see Matt. 6:10). This includes worship—the Father desires to be worshipped on earth as He is in heaven.
The apostle John wrote more on the end-time worship and prayer movement than any other writers of Scripture. From two of their books—Isaiah and Revelation—we can define seven characteristics of this global movement.
1. It will be God-centered (Rev. 4:8; 5:11-14; Is. 24:14-16).
The worship order of heaven is decidedly God-centered. Night and day, day and night, those nearest God’s throne proclaim the truth about who God is and what He does. He desires that His creation would encounter His majesty, love and goodness and that, in turn, they would offer up their praise and adoration for all He is, all He has done and all He will do. Treasuring God and adoring Him endlessly is the priority of the prayer movement. It is the necessary and fitting response to His matchless beauty and immeasurable worth.
Worship is a witness on earth to the indescribable value of Jesus. The truth of His greatness must be declared in song and in proclamations because it is the ultimate truth on which the created universe exists. This truth of the greatness of God is powerful. God loves the truth, including the truth about Himself.
The power and supremacy of the grand truth about God demand expression on the earth. If the people do not worship our great God, Jesus said the rocks would cry out in our place (see Luke 19:37-40). The end-time worship and prayer movement will extol the majesty and worth of God as it joins the symphony in heaven, where the worshippers are forever crying out, “Worthy is the Lamb!” (Rev. 5:12).
Our prayer life is best energized when we experience intimacy with God’s heart. The Father relates to us with tender mercy. Jesus relates to us with fiery desire as our bridegroom God (see Is. 54:5, 62:5).In Revelation 22:17, John prophesied that the Spirit and the bride would say, “Come, Lord Jesus!” This is one of the most informative and significant prophecies describing the end-time church. In it, John describes an end-time church in unity with what the Spirit is saying and doing.
What is the Spirit saying? He is speaking to believers about their corporate identity as Jesus’ bride. What is the Spirit doing? He is interceding for Jesus to come in power and calling thirsty people to come to Jesus, the bridegroom God.
In the end times, for the first time in history, the Spirit will universally emphasize the church’s identity as Jesus’ bride. It is not the Spirit and the family who will say, “Come!” or the Spirit and the army, kingdom, body, temple or priesthood. Rather, it is the Spirit resting on the church as a bride. Forever, we will rejoice in our identity as God’s family, body, temple, priesthood and more.
As sons of God, we are to experience God’s throne as heirs of His power (see Rom. 8:17). As the bride of Christ, we are to experience God’s heart—His desire for us. The bridegroom message is focused on Jesus’ emotions for us, on His beauty, on His commitments to us (to share His heart, home, throne, secrets and beauty), and on our response of wholehearted love and obedience to Him.
Understanding this message begins with experiencing His affections for us. Jesus delights in us, enjoys us, partners with us in the work of the kingdom and is committed to our eternal success.
Isaiah described the end-time prayer movement as deeply relational, a quality that would stem from the revelation of God as our bridegroom (see Is. 54:5, 62:5). In no way should “the bridegroom God” term conjure up images of our Lord and King as some sort of sensual lover or “boyfriend God.” That is grossly inappropriate and dishonoring to Jesus.
One reason people burn out in intercession and ministry to others is because they lack intimacy with God through encountering Jesus as their bridegroom God. The revelation of the church as Jesus’ cherished bride is essential for keeping our hearts alive through the years as we diligently do the work of the kingdom.
2. It will be continual (Rev. 4:8; Is. 62:6-7; Luke 18:7-8).
In Revelation 4-5, the apostle John describes the heavenly worship order around the throne. In His vision of God’s throne room he witnessed celestial beings who “do not rest day or night, saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy ” (Rev 4:8). As already mentioned, God desires to be worshipped on this earth just as He is in heaven—continually and unceasingly.
Moreover, the prophet Isaiah saw a prayer movement on earth that would not rest night and day until God’s purposes were fully established (see Is. 62:6-7). In these last days God is raising up a prayer movement that will continually worship Him and cry out to Him for His plans to be executed and His justice to be released (see Luke 18:7-8).
The call to 24/7 worship and prayer is not an invitation to organize it all under one roof. Continual prayer usually is expressed by the body of Christ together as prayer is offered up from many different buildings across a city or region. The call of 24/7 prayer is to build a prayer culture among God’s people across cities and regions so that Jesus receives continual, corporate worship from many different ministries and locations. Each does its own small part, but together all offer night-and-day prayer and worship.
I do not believe the Lord is calling most churches to start a 24/7 prayer ministry in their building but instead to build a prayer culture in their church. Unless the Lord specifically calls you to start 24/7 prayer in your congregation, it is best to view it as what will result from the collective efforts of hundreds of prayer meetings held in homes, churches, universities and businesses across your city.
3. It will be global (Is. 24:6-7, 42:10-12; Mal. 1:11).
The Scriptures are clear that the end-time worship and prayer movement will extend all across the earth, even to the most remote and difficult-to-reach places. Isaiah prophesied that even in the remote islands of the earth God’s people would sing to the Lord in worship and intercession (see Is. 42:10). He witnessed worship going forth in the wilderness, or desert places—even in Islamic villages such as Kedar in Saudi Arabia and Sela in Jordan—and that God’s people would worship from one end of the earth to the other until Jesus returns (see Is. 42:11, 13-15).
Simply put, the end-time worship and prayer movement will be in every place, even the hardest and darkest places (see Mal. 1:11). That means it will be international. King David had a continual, musical worship movement in Jerusalem. About 300 years after him, Isaiah said, in effect: “The worship moment will go far beyond what David did. David was limited to one location. The end-time movement will be global.”
4. It will be musical (Is. 24:14-16; 26:1; 27:2; 30:29; 32; 35:2, 10; 42:10-12; 54:1).
Some who lead prayer ministries struggle with the idea of prayer meetings being led by music, but the idea is biblical. One aspect of the kingdom coming on earth as it is in heaven involves music in our prayer meetings. This is seen in Revelation 5:8-9.
When I first began having daily prayer meetings, we did not include music led by a worship team. We spent more time shouting at the devil than we did talking to God. It seemed like the mark of a good prayer meeting was exhausted and hoarse intercessors. Eventually I introduced music, and our prayer meetings became not just bearable but enjoyable!
The end-time prayer movement is musical. The human spirit is deeply musical because we were created in the image of God, who is very musical. Few things touch the human spirit in the way that anointed music does.
5. It will be missional (Rev. 7:9, 14).
The end-time worship and prayer movement will be instrumental in ushering in the greatest harvest of souls in history (see Matt. 24:14; Rev. 7:9, 14). Jesus said in Luke 10:2 that we must pray for the Lord to release laborers for the harvest. Throughout the Scriptures we see a pattern in which communities, such as the one in Jerusalem in Acts 2 and the Antioch community in Acts 13, gather together in worship and prayer. From those prayer meetings, missionaries are sent out and evangelism movements are unleashed that result in a significant harvest of souls.
Jesus connected night-and-day prayer to the release of justice on the earth (see Luke 18:7-8). He spoke of this in the context of the end times, with specific reference to His second coming (see Luke 17:24-37; 18:8). John spoke of the end-time prayer movement as being deeply connected to the release of God’s judgment to remove oppression from the earth (see Rev. 6:9-11; 8:3-6).
6. It will be youth-oriented (Mal. 4:5-6).
The end-time prayer movement will consist primarily of young people. We know historically that most people who turn to Jesus do so before they are 25 years old. Most great revivals of history were focused primarily on youth. This will be the pattern again because the majority of the world’s population is under age 25.
Malachi prophesied that the Holy Spirit would turn the hearts of the fathers to a focus on the youth during the generation in which the Lord would return (see Mal. 4:5-6). This means spiritual fathers and mothers will focus on God’s purpose for young people in the end times. Thus, the end-time prayer and worship movement will comprise youth who walk in a spirit of humility and honor.
David spoke of a time when young people would declare the excellence of God’s name throughout the earth. This will happen, in the fullest sense, only in the generation in which the Lord returns.
David went on to prophesy of the power of this worship movement that would flow from the mouths of babes. He said that even through the youth God would release His strength to silence the enemy and the avenger (see Ps. 8:1-2). Jesus referenced David’s prophecy during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It was at this time that He declared His house would function as a house of prayer.
Matthew tells us that immediately after this the scribes were indignant at seeing children cry out in worship to Jesus. Jesus answered them by quoting David’s prophecy that from the mouth of babes God would perfect praise (see Matt. 21:13-16). David’s prophecy of young people worshipping God was so important that Jesus emphasized it in the context of calling God’s house a house of prayer. On another occasion, David prophesied about young people volunteering for the Lord’s end-time army at a time when God’s power would be openly manifested in the nations (see Ps. 110:3, 5).
7. It will be unified (John 17:21-23; Eph. 3:18).
In His high-priestly prayer, Jesus prayed and prophesied that He would pour out His glory, enabling His people to walk in unity and greatly enhance the effectiveness of the gospel (see John 17:21-23). The end-time worship and prayer movement will function in gracious cooperation because God has entrusted different aspects of His purposes and plans to separate parts of His body. Out of necessity, but borne of love, the prayer movement will be profoundly unified as the church experiences the fullness of God’s purpose by honoring and serving one another in relationship. This will be achieved by a supernatural grace that God will pour upon His body, enabling it to walk in love and a spirit of unity. For unity is the place where God commands His blessing in the greatest measure (see Ps. 133:1-3).
The Holy Spirit is calling the church to rise up in unity as the end-time prayer movement to offer fervent, continual intercession and worship that flows from prophetic music and intimacy with God. From this position of strength we will work together to fulfill the Great Commission and bring in the greatest harvest of souls in history. And Jesus will respond to the voice of His bride calling out as one with His Spirit for Him to come in power, vanquish His enemies and fill the earth with the knowledge of the Lord.
Mike Bickle is the director of the International House of Prayer Missions Base of Kansas City (IHOP-KC) and author of several books. For more information, visit mikebickle.org or ihop.org.
What the Bible Says About the Prayer Movement
Revelation 22:17 speaks of the Spirit and the bride—the praying church—crying as one to the Lord Jesus, saying: “Come!”
No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus’ coming. But we do know that He will come in response to a worldwide worship and prayer movement beckoning Him to return. Check out all the indicators of this in Scripture:
- Psalm 68:32; 96:1, 9, 13; 98:1-9; 102:15-22; 149:6-9
- Isaiah 12:4-6; 19:20-22; 24:14-16, 23; 25:9; 26:1, 8-9; 27:2-5, 13; 30:18-19, 29, 32; 35:2, 10; 42:10-15; 43:26; 51:11; 52:8; 54:1; 62:6-7
- Jeremiah 31:7; 51:8
- Joel 2:12-17, 32
- Zephaniah 2:1-3
- Zechariah 8:20-23; 10:1; 12:10; 13:9
- Matthew 21:13
- Luke 18:7-8
- Revelation 5:8; 6:9-11; 8:3-5; 9:13; 14:18; 16:7; 18:6; 22:17
Smithton Outpouring Event Sunday at Revival Church with JD King
THIS SUNDAY JD King from World Revival Church of Smithton Outpouring fame will be fanning the flames at Revival Church!
I’m going to include an article in a moment that will cause you to come alive.
JD King is a great friend and a brilliant revival mind. He just got back from Bethel and is feeling something very real and powerful is going to land at Revival Church Sunday.
You will glean so much from him as he shares key revival principles. I just got off the phone with him and he casually shared a few things that are right on:
- Revival almost always starts with a small flicker. JD believes many small flames of revival have ignited in churches and cities all over the world, but there weren’t people interested in stewarding it. That resulted in fizzle after fizzle as the flames went out. Azusa, Smithton and other revivals started with small groups of people who wouldn’t take no for an answer. Evan Roberts was turned down by his pastor the opportunity to preach so he burned in front of 6 youth for three hours—and they finally caught the fire and the rest is history!
- Be prepared for the revival to ignite in a single hot spot in a city, as opposed to expecting it to uniformly and spontaneously launch in a wider area. Stewarding revival is a massive undertaking, and concentrated and organized local leadership will be a strength as the masses converge.
- Signs and wonders are extremely important, but developing a culture of revival oriented leadership is at least as important. Gathering and equipping a leadership team is needed to withstand the weight of a massive outpouring.
Come at 5pm for a critical and exciting time of prophetic intercession and then at 6pm we will start the night full of faith for healings and miracles!
Here’s the article on the Smithton Outpouring:
SMITHTON, Mo. (ABP)–It's Saturday night at Smithton Community Church, and the outpouring service is starting to sizzle. The floor shudders from the impact of worshipers leaping in unison as they sing along with a loudly electrified praise band.
At a signal to pray, hundreds of hands shoot up like football referees signaling a touchdown. During corporate prayer, the congregation pulses with an unintelligible drone of voices.
Through body-wracking spasms, breaking voices and tears, worshipers testify from the stage and the floor. They tell of deliverance from alcohol, from bitterness, from suicide, from skepticism.
Pastor Steve Gray shouts a scorching sermon on the need to bind the “strong man,” Satan. Too many churches are preaching a selfish, self-centered, self-esteem gospel, Gray says. “Satan loves a selfish place, because he's selfish!”
Suicides, drugs and divorces didn't used to happen among church people, Gray remarks. “What's out there has gotten in here.”
Gray wonders: Could the “Smithton Outpouring” be happening because the church of this day can't last much longer? He points out that in Bible times, the Jews were the people of God. Today, Christians are the people of God. Then and now, something happened; something went wrong.
“Jesus is back on the scene again, and he's going after Satan like he did before! God wants to bring the kingdom into our midst. He's gonna free some people!” Dozens of visitors stream forward near the end of the four-hour service. One member gets in a visitor's face to pray with fist-shaking fury; another stands behind to catch him when he collapses backward. Someone else drapes a blanket over the prostrate form.
One of those “slain” in the Holy Spirit rises after a short time and returns to her place near the wall. Asked to describe her experience, she simply smiles and replies, “I was with God.”
Three years ago, a revival broke out in Smithton. As a result, this Central Missouri community–population 532–has drawn tens of thousands of visitors from across the United States and from other nations. The “Smithton Outpouring” has been described in magazines and on television nationwide. People have used words like “Pentecostal,” “charismatic” and “full gospel” to describe the worship service, Gray said. “If anything sets Smithton Community Church apart, it's that we're believing that the kingdom of God is happening now.”
Kathy Gray admits the worship style at the non-denominational church can be shocking to those who aren't familiar with it. But she and her husband contend that practices such as speaking in tongues and being “slain in the Spirit” are innocent and harmless.
This is especially true, they say, when you compare them to other activities seen in many churches–gossip, manipulation, power struggles, love of money. No one's afraid of those, the Grays contend. Before people react negatively to charismatic practices, Steve Gray suggested, they should ask themselves why they're not reacting similarly to backbiting, pride and other things the Bible clearly says to avoid. People from nearly all denominations have come to Smithton, Gray noted. “There is a group within them whose hearts are crying out for more.”
A large part of this church's ministry is to Christian believers who haven't gotten the help they feel they need in their own churches.
Gail Collins, who was raised a Southern Baptist, started attending the Smithton church 10 years ago. She remembers well the day in 1996 when revival broke out.
“When the power of God came in, I got set free from a lot of those things I couldn't change,” Collins said. Her love for God deepened. “He enlarged my heart and gave me a strong desire to be a complete servant.” The power of the Holy Spirit isn't new, Gray said, but had been lost. “We're regaining what was lost through tradition, wrong ideas, wrong thinking. That's why it's available, because it was never supposed to go.” Worship services in churches often represent what happened to someone long ago, he noted. It was fresh then; it's stale now.
Just as the beaten man in the story of the Good Samaritan did not get help from the Levite or the priest, Gray said, people today are not getting help from churches. “They're being told they are found, but they can't find God. So they come here to this unlikely place that doesn't fit the story.”
What I see : A massive ministry center of revival in Detroit
Are you ready to be a part of what many believe will be a world impacting center of ministry in Detroit?
I had no idea what I was getting into when God moved us from Kansas City to Detroit. Sure, I knew it was about revival. I also understood that the coming outpouring would impact this region and even well beyond. But, I was nowhere near being able to comprehend what would actually come to pass.
1 Corinthians 2:9-10 (ESV) 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
The Spirit searches the deep things of God, and then reveals and imparts those things to those he loves. Man, that absolutely wrecks me!
I am convinced that the coming revival in Detroit will bring the shock and awe of the mysteries of God that mankind has never imagined.
IF YOU BUILD IT THEY WILL COME
I do my best to avoid cheesy movie quotes in prophecy. However, I just couldn’t deny that God was talking to me.
God had been highlighting a vision of a massive movement and center of prophetic and revival focused ministry. I saw a regional center of reformation, revival and equipping very much like The Ramp in Hamilton, Alabama being established in Detroit. Keep in mind that I didn’t know much about The Ramp, which is led by Karen Wheaton, as God was speaking that name into my spirit. I wasn’t out to copy another ministry that was enjoying success. There was something else to this. God was calling me to plant a large center of revival that would draw thousands of people into God’s holy fire.
During prayer before a service at Revival Church approximately a year ago the Lord spoke that famous movie quote to me, “John, if you build it, they will come.”
It was a very heavy and exciting word. Well, things got very interesting as the service got started that night. Someone wandered in late and stood up in the service to get my attention. He looked at me and said, “John, God wants you to know that if you build it, they will come.”
The trembling commenced. He had no idea what happened in the prayer room, and he had no clue that I had a mandate to launch a new ministry. God had my attention.
THE RAMP
I started connecting more with The Ramp online just to catch a glimpse of their flavor and focuses, as well as checking out the practical nuts and bolts of launching and running a ministry like that.
The vision we have here in Detroit is certainly unique as we focus on the groans of intercession, preparing for revival on a city and then international level and raising up carriers of fire who will take the burnings of God to the nations.
However, there are many overlapping circles of vision that are undeniable, and the driving force (the Holy Spirit) is the same. God is looking for reformers who will rock the nations.
At one of the events at The Ramp, Dutch Sheets said:
“You crave His presence, but you loathe the average church service. You are part of the reforming generation.”
That’s it! God is gathering similar people here in Detroit—loathers of mediocrity.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE
- The Culture: If you read my book 20 Elements of Revival, you will have a good idea of what we’re going after. The culture in this emerging ministry is one of extreme fire, burnings and groanings of intercession, going after manifestations of healing and deliverance and the development of leaders who will impart this to the nations of the Earth.
- The School: Of course, theLab is blowing everybody’s mind right now! This school of burning was dramatically prophesied over us by Jeff Jansen just before launch. He said I’d be writing books and we’d be launching schools (plural!) of the Spirit. We’d be taking people into the place of encounter and into heavenly experiences. It’s been prophesied that we’d take caravans of revival into the cities of the Earth. This is a huge part of this mission, and I envision a large campus with hundreds of students being equipped and released.
- The Events: An attention grabbing series of prophetic words has us focused on praying in a huge property. People that we meet keep prophesying that they see theLab and huge events in stadiums. One person said it will take a stadium to hold the events and the school at theLab. You’d be stunned if you knew how many times I’ve heard this. We desire to bring in people like Dutch Sheets, Bill Johnson, Rick Pino, Catherine Mullins, Brian Simmons, Cindy Jacobs, Heidi Baker and others who share our heart for revival. I’m praying for a 2000+ seat auditorium plus a campus with classrooms for schools of worship, prayer, etc. that will house our daily activities—and then favor with stadiums when we hold regular (monthly?) events.
- The Nations: theLab will be sending teams to cities to establish schools and hold revival focused events.
HOW YOU CAN JUMP IN
- Gather your family, friends and everybody you can on Sunday nights at Revival Church. As a regional center, we are thrilled when other pastors and people join with us when their church isn’t holding a service. At Revival Church you will gain the traction necessary to see the vision and see how you can lock in with this revival movement.
- Pray with us every Friday night from 10pm-midnight as we travel the Detroit region. This is the anchor of the ministry and you will immediately catch a powerful glimpse of our passion.
- Give financially. We are literally looking for extreme miracles of millions of dollars to get this ministry center developed. Additionally, there’s big plans to develop the school further, to launch into other cities and to continue writing materials. You can give online at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate, or if you want to discuss a broader financial partnership, just contact me at [email protected].
So, get ready! The harvest is coming. That means hundreds of thousands or more people are coming to Detroit! Are we ready to receive them?
We at Revival Church and theLab are doing our part!
Love you all!
Urgent message for the church : tonight at Revival Church
I am BURNING with the SHOCK and AWE of God’s plans for the church of Detroit.
DON’T miss the service TONIGHT at Revival Church! I’m burning, trembling.
Our worship leader just texted me: I know God is about to do something crazy tonight! You keep mentioning and army rising and I have been planning to do a new song tonight talking about an army rising up!
I’ll be releasing an URGENT message on the call for a CITY FIRE.
There is a massive transition from local church emphasis to a city church mandate that’s upon us now. We’re moving from an Egyptian model of ministry that keeps us secluded and contained into a dominion model of ministry that expects the wild fire of God to spread.
Steve Gray of World Revival Church in Kansas City said, “Too many people are waiting for a move of God that fits what already exists.”
In Egypt, Pharaoh was demanding that the people STAY while Moses was calling for God’s people to GO. Pharaoh’s kingdom was at risk if he lost people.
We as leaders have to be careful not operate in the spirit of Pharaoh by refusing to let God’s people go. If I find myself getting depressed or nervous when people leave my church, it’s an indicator that I’m influenced by this Egyptian strategy of kingdom building.
Brian Ming said in a song he wrote: God forgive us for building kingdoms of man on doctrines of demons in your name.
God forgive us!
An offensive shift is upon the church and an inappropriate response will result in continued bondage. While there is a lot of good happening within the context of the local church, it is by nature restrictive!
The call of Jesus was to GO while all too often the call of the local church is to STAY!
At Revival Church I have a policy that anybody from any church or ministry can freely recruit any person that’s connected to our ministry. We have open hands. We actually expect people to catch fire here and then impact other churches and cities!
Steve Gray- “Most churches are concerned with losing people and money. I wish they would be a little more concerned with losing the Holy Spirit.”
The fire we are going after cannot be contained at Revival Church. It will die out. It must spread! The carriers of that fire must GO!
For the corporate fire to spread, it must take on the nature of an out of control wild fire that follows the wind and seeks a never ending supply of fuel.
The new church will look nothing like we see now. We must learn how to live in the Spirit if we hope to embrace this uninvited yet deeply needed invasion from Heaven. Everything is at risk.
Come tonight. Get ready to get shocked. Get ready to come alive. Revival is drawing near. See you tonight. Prayer starts at 5pm and the fire starts spreading at 6pm!
We meet at THE TABERNACLE: 14205 12 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48088
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?
Press Release – Detroit Revival Church
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
John Burton Ministries starts Revival Church in St. Clair Shores, MI, welcomes Jeff Garvin
St. Clair Shores, MI – November 14, 2009
The world is watching Detroit, waiting on the report of its complete demise or of a miraculous restoration.
John Burton launched Revival Church with that in mind.
“After traveling to the Detroit area to minister several times over the past year, it became obvious that a permanent move was in order. Our house sold in the Kansas City area in under a week, and we have since moved in and are ready to see a dramatic reformation in Detroit. My heart is to see a legitimate outpouring of God here that will bring order to chaos, life to hurting people and vibrancy to a desperate society.”
John Burton has been in ministry since 1991 and has written five books including 20 Elements of Revival, Revelation Driven Prayer and Six Enemies of Fulfilled Destiny. He was recently featured on the Miracle Channel (www.miraclechannel.ca) as he discussed the thrill and importance of living a prophetic life.
John also planted Revolution Church in Manitou Springs, Colorado, directed an internship at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, Missouri and gave leadership to a city-wide prayer initiative in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
After several pre-launch meetings in their home, John and Amy Burton, along with their three boys, would like to invite you to advance toward revival in their new location. Revival Church meets every Sunday evening at 6pm at First United Methodist Church at 24036 Greater Mack, St. Clair Shores, MI 48080.
Prophetic prayer starts at 5pm and children can be checked in for their ministry at 5:45pm.
They also host a weekly prayer and strategic revival radio show online every Monday at 8pm. You can listen at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/radio.
Internationally known prophetic revivalist Jeff Garvin, who was a significant part of the recent Lakeland, Florida Outpouring, will be ministering at Revival Church in December. He will be at a sister ministry, International House of Prayer East Detroit, on Friday, December 4th at 7pm, and at Revival Church on Saturday, December 5th at 7pm and Sunday, December 6th at 6pm.
Contact:
John Burton
[email protected]
www.detroitrevivalchurch.com
Ph: 313-799-3473