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.

Do you want monthly outpouring meetings in Detroit? Response requested

If the response is HOT, pastors in Detroit are considering planning monthly outpouring meetings in Detroit.

image**Send me a quick email at [email protected] (by 2pm today if at all possible!) if you are interested in participating in monthly events—I have a meeting with some pastors today from 3-5pm, and we’ll be discussing the level of interest, the prophecy behind it and the timing.

Everything that happened at the Fire in February conference is leading us to believe that God is preparing his church for a very unique and heavy manifestation of his presence in Detroit.

Here’s what we’re looking for:

  1. Pastors and leaders who will rally their churches and invest their time and resources into this movement
  2. Hungry people who will spread the word and participate at a high level as we pursue revival together

SHOULD THE CHURCH BE ALIVE?

This movement absolutely depends on the response of the church to be together on a city level. People can’t be alone, and churches can’t be alone.

I was watching the TV show I Shouldn’t Be Alive the other day, and a warning for the church jumped out at me.

The show is a dramatization of life and death situations—people lost at sea, climbers injured on Mt. Everest, etc.

This show was about a man who decided to go rafting alone in a remote part of the Grand Canyon. His raft was lost and he was alone, wet and freezing in the night air. He had a small fire that he was working hard to keep burning.

Then, the narrator said, “If he falls asleep, and the fire goes out, he will die.”

There it is.

Here’s the breakdown of this clear message to the church:

  1. We can’t be alone. Our individual church pursuits are important, but only as they fit into the larger city church mission. Instead of wondering how we can reach our local church goals, we must start asking the question, “What must I do to help fulfill the greater city-church mission.” The local congregations must gather together regularly with the greater city church in prayer and mission advance.
  2. We can’t fall asleep. To be asleep means that we are not alert, focused and engaged in what is most demanding. We seek comfort and relaxation ahead of advancing toward the fulfillment of the mission. It’s possible to be wide awake to finding friends, climbing the corporate ladder, being entertained and also to anxiety and fear and stress…while being numb and disengaged to prayer, ministry and mission.
  3. We can’t let the fire go out. Simply, we must be burning continually. We have to be people that pray in the Spirit, who know God deeply, who are wrecked, undone and full of the never ending burning of the Holy Spirit.

If we are alone, asleep and without the fire, we are near spiritual death. If we gather together continually, stay on task and are alert corporately and burn as a single unit, Detroit will encounter God in power.

This vision of monthly outpouring meetings, along with weekly prayer gatherings will ensure we’re not alone, we’re wide awake and the fire is hot and getting hotter.

**Please let me know if you are ready for a movement like this in Detroit.

I’m accessible. Here’s how you can contact me:

Revival Church Family Dinner tomorrow : theLab : Don’t sign up. Show up.

A whole city weekly prayer event—theLab. Don’t sign up. Show up.

FIRST—Sunday evening (tomorrow!) immediately after the service at Revival Church, we’ll be enjoying a POT LUCK DINNER! Everybody bring TWO dishes: A main course AND either a side OR a dessert.

This is the perfect Sunday to bring your friends and family!


DON’T SIGN UP. SHOW UP.

People may wonder how to sign up to be one of the 1000 intercessors that being called to cover Detroit. There is no sign up. You simply show up. This whole city weekly prayer meeting takes place every Friday from 10pm-midnight.

Revival-Lab-Poster

What’s the plan?

It’s simple. EVERY pastor, ministry leader, intercessor, revivalist and burning man, woman and child in the region (should be thousands!) shows up every Friday to pray together from 10pm-midnight.

A key component is radical participation by the pastors. In a radically divided city, we are breaking down those walls by supporting other pastors and blessing them in fervent prayer.

Check out www.revivallab.com every week for a map and directions to the next event. It’s been POWERFUL to say the least!

My next book is almost done : Pharaoh in the Church

The follow-up to Covens in the Church is almost ready to send to print

Covens in the Church is a book that has set a lot of people free, and my prayer is that Pharaoh in the Church will have the same effect.pharaoh

The first book was targeted at the body as it presented the case for humility and submission to authority as it relates to mission advance.

Pharaoh in the Church is directed at pastors and leaders. It’s a call to relieve the body from making bricks and building the kingdoms of man and to take on the mantel of Moses. It’s time to lead the church into a time of reformation that very possibly may have greater impact than the reformation that launched under Martin Luther.

I’m also considering redesigning both book covers. I may, and I may not… what do you think? Take a look at both here: http://ow.ly/i/6eSI

Here’s a portion from the book:


CHAPTER ONE
A Shocking Shift in the Church

Its days are numbered.  I don’t know what that number is, but it isn’t large.  In fact, the beginnings of change are here.  You can feel the temperature fluctuating as the days are suddenly growing shorter.  We’re in a transitional season that will ultimately result in the rebirthing and reintroduction of a long forgotten biblical structure– the church.
    This change, as I stated in the introduction and thoroughly investigated in the sister book Covens in the Church, is not, as many believe, an exodus from the relationship with Christian leaders, but it is most certainly an exodus.  In fact, it’s an exodus that will either invigorate or irritate leaders across our nation. 
    You see, there is a God-ordained and God-initiated revolution taking form.  It is quite simple to understand that resistance to God’s process is always a tragic mistake and that embracing God’s process always guarantees success (God never fails).  Revolution, by definition, is drastic and momentous change.  It’s shocking and it’s shaking.  It will rock every one of us as the process unfolds before us, but those who will trust God’s wisdom will survive–and thrive as humble, faithful and tested men and women of almighty God.

New teachings now available

Hi!image

I wanted to let you know about several new teachings that have been uploaded to our site.

Two new series, Extravagant Favor and The Presence Centered Church, are available FREE to stream or download.

Also, there’s a teaching I delivered to a group of ministry leaders in Colorado Springs on Saturday via Skype titled The Prophetic Life.

Lastly, a recent prophetic message titled My Personal Book of Revelation is ready for you too!

Head on over to www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/teaching!

 

City strategy : Multiple church commitment

It's time to stop presuming people will only commit to one local church or ministry.

I regularly consider how we are going to see the massive reformation in the church come to pass.  The way we see church today will become a distant memory as the entire structure changes.

We’ll need to take intentional steps toward a city church structure, which means the face of the local church is going to morph considerably.

Some preliminary steps:

  • Multiple church commitment: We will begin to see people primarily commit to one church and also commit (truly commit, no hopping allowed!) at a lesser, yet still significant level at other churches.  When this happens, every church won’t have to be focused broadly on everything, but they will focus intently on the few areas they are called and gifted to facilitate.  When the body is expected to connect at only one church, they in turn have no other option but to expect that church to have a broad focusThe current system works against itself.  When the reformation comes, a family will connect in one church where they will serve and sit under apostolic leadership that’s running with strength in a streamlined ministry, and on other days and nights of the week they may serve at another church’s youth ministry, Bible study or small group. 

    An important element here is that instead of limiting themselves to senior leadership at the local level, the various leaders of the churches in the city take on the role of associate leaders of the city church.  So instead of thinking of it like people frequenting multiple local churches, they are actually strategically connecting in multiple departments of a single city church.  One night they are in the teaching department growing in discipleship and on another night in the prayer department serving in intercession. These departments are actual churches and ministries spread out all over the city.

    The five-fold ministry does not have to function in every single church or ministry. It's not realistic for that to happen. One church might be led by someone in a teaching office while another is led by a prophet. Pastors will give leadership to small groups and other ministries. Evangelists will train and lead out in strategic soul winning events. Apostles will govern and serve all of the city's leaders by casting vision, gathering the Ekklesia in the region and instructing at a high level.

    Local church pastors will have to surrender their solitary leadership position in people's lives and begin to emphasize the city church more than their own local church. Senior pastors will then lead the way multiple times a month into other events, conferences, prayer meetings, church services and small groups in the region. People under their leadership will truly experience refreshing and renewed passion as they are no longer limited to what a single local church can provide.

  • Prayer as a primary ministry: We must start where the first church started in Acts 2- in the prayer room.  It’s shocking how absent prayer is in the church, and it’s terrifying how few Christians are intimately connected with Jesus in the place of prayer.  I propose we cancel most everything we’re doing in the church and hit our face night and day and pray, and soak, and intercede and declare as a corporate body.

  • Connecting with apostolic and prophetic leaders: We need to pray in, invite in and partner with apostolic and prophetic leaders who God is preparing right now.  Who is God going to use regionally to help give leadership to a move of God? It probably won't be your local church pastor, but your pastor and everyone in your church should support whoever it is.