The State of Revival Church : What Next?

By John Burton | March 8, 2012

The vision is HOT and I am boldly calling you into position.

Revival Church Logo Dark 2x1p14I am gripped by a consuming mandate that is so much bigger than me it’s laughable.

Revival Church is a key gathering point for the entire regional church of Detroit—and the need for highly devoted people is skyrocketing.

We need you.

We are looking for people who really believe that revival can come to Detroit—but we aren’t looking for people who are waiting on the sidelines for something to happen. It’s time to work.

This need of fiery people includes 1000 people who won’t take no for an answer when presented with the possibility of revival. God gave me the job of gathering 1000 people to join together on Friday nights to pray for Detroit. See where we’ll be next Friday at www.revivallab.com.

**MY GUESS IS if you are in this region, and you are reading this, you are included in the 1000. We’re calling every leader, every pastor, every intercessors in the entire region to pray with us every week.

The importance of the region of revival minded Christians gathering together is so extreme.

capture-000000017WATCH THIS VIDEO!

Everybody MUST watch this video. It’s about the call to rock Detroit with fire! Go to www.revivallab.com and watch the video on the bottom left corner.

The State of the Church

I am humbled by what God has done in such a short amount of time. The culture that’s been developed at Revival Church is stunning!

>>One friend regularly comes from Chicago because she can’t find anything like Revival Church in her city of millions! Detroit is going to draw the masses just like this!

It’s rare to find a church that’s made up of so many people who have devoted themselves to revival. The cost is so high, and the reformation requires so much.

Our worship experience is rare and very special. TheLab School of Fire is growing fast and transforming a lot of people.

Our leadership team is unparalleled. We are blessed. It’s hard to believe we started in my living room just two and a half years ago.

WHAT’S NEXT?

  • I am actively dreaming and allowing God to radically expand the vision of Revival Church.
  • We must see another wave of people flood into position and refuse to allow anything to move them out. It’s time to lock in and refuse to let issues, unfulfilled expectations or frustrations shut you down.
  • I’m boldly asking for another 150 people from the region to discover their role at Revival Church—and simply come every time the doors are open.
  • I’m boldly asking for everybody to financially invest into this mission radically. Some can give hundreds and I’m convinced some can give tens of thousands of dollars.
  • I’m seeking ways to impact a much broader region…well beyond the Detroit Metro area.
  • I’m looking for 100 new students at theLab School of Fire. They must be trained in the DNA and vision that God has imparted into this regional ministry of revival. This will require thousands of dollars for marketing.
  • I’m looking for my leadership team to expand significantly with people who are burning with the vision and who will serve humbly and feverishly (just like our current leaders!).
  • It’s time to get our message on as many media channels as we can. Detroit must hear the sounding of the alarm to gather and advance the Kingdom in Detroit.

Powerful Insight

I received some rock solid insight regarding church development from Ed Young, and I wanted to pass this on. This is very much what we are applying at Revival Church. If you are a leader, this is for you:

  1. Draft impact players.
    One of the most important skills as a leader is to have discernment. Draft people who are influencers. Draft yes men and women (i.e., people who are yielded and encouragers). Look at the spouse of your impact players. You better go spouse hunting because they are one. How do these people spell relational relief. Check out Facebook. Check references.
  2. Develop double vision.
    If you have a church of 20 people, pastor like it is 40. If you have 200 people, pastor like it is 400.
  3. Change.
    Change > Conflict > Growth = the spin cycle of success. If you aren’t careful as a leader, you can get as a contemporary church become as predictable as a traditional church.
  4. Build a big shallow end in your church.
    You better have a place where you can rapidly plug in new attendees and new Christ-followers. The church grows from the outside-in. Start reaching people, and make a big place for them.
  5. Put on your shades.
    The vision should be so bright, so hot that people have to wear shades. Make people feel and know the vision of your church. Don’t assume that people know the vision. Talk about the vision. People don’t give to need; they give to vision.
  6. Las Vegas
    Las Vegas has nothing to say, but they know how to say it. We have everything to say but don’t know how to say it. Most of us do a horrible job in promoting. We should be the best promoters in the world.
  7. Consult other leaders before you consult the consultant.
    Talk to people who are in the game and not the consultants.
  8. Pay now or pay later.
    You have to pay your people well. If you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. What is well? I have no idea, but you’ll know if you ask questions. Put money in the hands of people that you know will be generous and bring the tithe. Where your treasure is, so your heart is. If you are going to err on the side of a poverty mentality or prosperity mentality, err on being generous.
  9. Have a good HATtitude.
    What kind of hat do you wear? If you can’t put on the hat of enforcing the rules, you are doing something wrong. Sometimes you need the vision hat. Sometimes you need the corporate hat.
  10. Deal regularly and rapidly with staff infection.
    When you see a shark on your staff – deal with it. If you have to sit down with a staff member and motivate them more than twice, you don’t need them around you.
  11. Watch the leaves.
    People will leave your church. Don’t tell me how many people are coming to your church; tell me how many people are leaving your church. If you are doing the right things, people will leave. Even a third of the angels left heaven.
  12. Become childish.
    One of the most important things in the church is your children’s ministry. Put your best energy, best time, best money, and best volunteers with the children.
  13. Pick up special deliveries.
    Pyramid your church with special days (big events). It must have a meaning behind it and not just gimmicks.
  14. Tweak out!
    Create a climate of critiques. Small tweaks take you to giant peaks.
  15. Investigate what you delegate.
    People don’t do what you expect; they do what you inspect.
  16. To go out, you have to get under.
    I have to get under the things that God has placed over me so that I can get over the things that God has placed under me. This is about authority issues. It is about honor.
  17. The message is the main thing.
    Worship elements, videos, and other things are important, but the message is the main thing.
  18. Become a rescuer.
    Church is about souls. We do all of this because people need the Lord Jesus Christ. We are rescuers.

See you tomorrow for burning prayer at 10pm and then Sunday at Revival Church!

John

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Church Leadership: Doctrine and theological differences: How to stay unified and true to the vision of the church

By John Burton | January 17, 2012

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.

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Smithton Outpouring Event Sunday at Revival Church with JD King

By John Burton | October 19, 2011

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.”

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Church competition and the sheep stealing/transfer growth myth

By John Burton | September 6, 2011 |

While potentially provocative, it’s important to discuss the issue of church competition as we progress toward revival.

imageIt hits me very deeply, and it saddens me so much when I encounter a spirit of competition within the landscape of the church.

This issue is rampant and it has resulted in a weakened, compromised city church structure, which is extremely problematic as we prepare for revival.

1 Timothy 3:14-15 (ESV) 14 I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, 15 if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of the truth.

This passage is written with leaders in mind. It’s important to know how to behave in the household of God… and how not to behave.

Keep in mind, scripturally the church is identified by the larger city, by geography. It’s the Church at Ephesus, not the First Church of Jesus Christ and the Second Church of Jesus Christ and such and such Baptist church in the city of Ephesus. We don’t see the local church in the Bible, though God has and will move powerfully through local, smaller groups within the larger city Church. However, we have to understand that local churches are simply departments of a single city Church. Senior pastors are departmental leaders under the apostolic leadership of the city.

The call of leaders is to raise up a company of burning ministers of God with the expectation of seeing them released into world shaking endeavors. Some will be released into ministry in other cities, some will be released into other expressions of the church in their own city, while others will remain directly involved where they were trained.

But, everybody must be trained and released. The message to Timothy continues:

1 Timothy 4:14-15 (ESV) 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. 15 Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress.

Everybody must be progressing.

prog·ress n. 1. Movement, as toward a goal; advance.

Everybody under my care at Revival Church must be moving! If someone is not able to progress, to move, to advance in their ministry due to nervous pastors, it is a serious violation of God’s instructions to the Church. As I said, movement may take people out of a local ministry and into the place they are called to advance into, and we as leaders must celebrate when that happens.

A spirit of Pharaoh within spiritual leaders will do everything possible to keep their people from leaving into their wilderness of encounter, into their destiny.

That unhealthy spirit of Pharaoh will use people to fulfill leader’s personal endeavors, and any thought of those people leaving will strike them with fear and anger. A divisive, controlling spirit is embraced while people who are meant to fulfill their destinies are required to continue making the bricks of a man-made Egypt.

imageSHEEP STEALING

I didn’t realize how much a simple statement would set someone free.

A new friend had been through a troubling situation at a church and her transition out was filled with unfortunate and unnecessary struggle and guilt.

She cautiously started to investigate Revival Church from her place of fear and pain. We were discussing our pursuit as a church of freedom in Detroit one day, and I told her, “I don’t own you. I don’t own people here. As a pastor, my role is to serve you, not use you.”

That simple statement changed her life dramatically and caused her to breathe more easily.

I often tell the people who are pressing ahead with great commitment and focus at Revival Church that I, as their leader, have wide open hands. They aren’t my possession, they are my joy. Anybody from any church or ministry can, at any time, openly recruit any person at Revival Church. I have open hands. Sheep stealing cannot happen at Revival Church because it’s impossible to steal what someone freely gives.

Additionally, I know that my church is simply a department of the city church. I am not an island to myself. I’m not the supreme leader (yeah, doesn’t that sound ridiculous?). It would be silly for a local church’s single’s pastor to refuse to allow someone in his ministry to also commit to a weekly small group in the same local church. The same is true within the context of the city church. It makes no sense to presume people running with us at Revival Church wouldn’t also have opportunities to serve in other local ministries. My job, as 1 Tim 4:14-15 declares, is to lay hands on them and allow them to immerse themselves in their ministry, to practice, to progress, and I realize that much of that practice will take place in places other than Revival Church.

If a pastor in Detroit encourages one of my key leaders to serve on his leadership team, then I should celebrate! And I do! They aren’t stealing one of my sheep. We are on the same team, in the same church!

A youth pastor once confronted a friend of mine, who was a youth pastor at a thriving youth ministry in Texas. He very boldly, full of agitation, accused my friend of stealing his sheep because many of the youth from his church were also attending my buddy’s youth ministry.

My friend boldly replied, “How is it that you are accusing me of stealing sheep that simply wandered away from you? It doesn’t sound like you are feeding them what they need.”

Now, there is some merit (harsh but true) to that reply. However, another scenario might very well be more accurate. Is it possible that the other youth pastor was so successful at cultivating hunger for God that his disciples were making determined decisions to go after God with abandon—beyond the walls of their local church? Is it possible that their ‘wandering’ could be looked at as a sign of success on his part? I think that might be the case!

I have to tell you, I absolutely come alive when people under my care are moving about the city involving themselves in other churches and ministries. I love it! I want them to carry the fire of God into every place they can every single week!

TRANSFER GROWTH

We often hear that churches should not focus on transfer growth, on growing as people from other churches start connecting in the new church. Of course, I agree that we must see the church globally grow through evangelism, through conversion growth. The lost must be found. However, a common reason we hear some pastors renouncing transfer growth is because of insecurity and nervousness. They don’t want to lose anybody because that loss would equate to lost money, lost reputations, lost control, etc.

Again, we must expect people to participate in a variety of churches and ministries in the city Church. Since we are all in a single city Church, people moving from one local expression to another does not mean they are leaving one church for another. They are still in the city Church. If someone moves from the single’s ministry to a small group, there’s no transfer growth for the small group. The city Church has remained exactly the same size.

We must also admit that any single local church simply doesn’t have everything necessary to equip everybody. In fact, we’d be a much stronger city Church if we understood that. I am able to focus on the vision God has given me at Revival Church, and I don’t have the pressure to be an expert in everything. I can encourage people to connect in another church that’s strong where I am weak. And, if they feel they must spend the majority of their time there, under the leadership of a person who’s more able to give them what they need, then that is great! They can transfer from my local church to theirs, but the city Church has not lost…it has actually won. That person will now be more able to grow and progress, and the city church will be the better for it.

COMPETITION

This is where the gloves have to come off. It’s a serious violation of God to foster a spirit of competition.

I was with a well known apostle who has a huge heart for revival in Detroit. He has a lot of influence and a very successful church in another state. He felt led to make several trips to serve Detroit, and on this particular trip he was with a group of pastors. He said, “Don’t worry, I’m not going to move here and start a church.” Everybody laughed.

While funny, I was disturbed by that exchange.

Why would the thought of this man opening another department in the growing city church cause other pastors to worry?

Of course, I know the answer. Because a successful man starting a new church would threaten their own kingdoms.

I don’t want to be overly dramatic, but I have to say that actually sickens me. People are going to Hell and pastors are worried about another ministry being successful? Sick.

Dr. James Emery White said: If you think a new church opening up in your area is a threat to your “mission field”, you need mission lessons.

Mark 3:24-25 (ESV) 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Is there any wonder why there is no revival at a city level anywhere in the nation? The city Church is divided tragically. There is gossip about pastors and churches. There is fear and nervousness when other churches succeed. Hands are closed tight, not opened wide. The sheep are being used not served. People are jealous and divisive. This must end. Jesus is the head of the church and we have to finally let him govern freely.

3 John 1:9-10 (ESV) 9 I have written something to the church, but Diotrephes, who likes to put himself first, does not acknowledge our authority. 10 So if I come, I will bring up what he is doing, talking wicked nonsense against us. And not content with that, he refuses to welcome the brothers, and also stops those who want to and puts them out of the church.

This is a powerful verse. This is descriptive of situations that repeat every day in cities all over the world. Diotrephes gossiped and slandered and aggressively divided threatening people out of the church. Anybody that was a threat to his own preeminence was dealt with swiftly.

Contrary to this worldly, demonic approach to church leadership, look at how Jesus led:

Mark 9:35 (ESV) 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

That is leadership, and that is how we must approach other churches and ministries.

Every Friday night from 10pm-midnight our team travels to different church somewhere in the Detroit region. We pray in the Spirit and release blessing over that church, that pastor and their mission. I tell them that my prayer is for their church to grow much bigger than my own. I want them to receive greater offerings than we do. If they want some of my team to join their team, they are free to approach them about it.

Additionally, the call is for every pastor that we visit to join us every Friday night in another church and to pray the same things there. Can you imagine what would happen if every pastor in Detroit did that with us every Friday night? Revival would land nearly immediately.

One last point is critical: We cannot hold onto people so tightly that they are unable to respond to the greater, regional call. If something in the city church requires people from my team to move out of position in my local ministry and into position into the city ministry, I have to release them. A spirit of Pharaoh will keep people away from the greater calling. It will be common, as revival lands, for people in local ministries and churches to move out to serve regionally.

This will be a challenge for many. What do I do if my worship leader is tapped to serve the department that’s over my own? I let her go and trust God that he’ll ensure everything locally is covered. In fact, if it’s a city Church event, it would make more sense to shut down my ministry for the day or week and head out with everybody, in the spirit of Moses, into the greater, regional mission.

So, how about it church? It’s time to celebrate the growth of the city church, to release the people under our care, to burn with love and to lock arms with other Believers in the region—even if it means our own ministry shrinks. People with that type of heart will be exalted and rewarded as those with a heart after God’s own.

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Nameless/Faceless : Is God done with human leadership?

By John Burton | June 15, 2011

There is a growing and unified cry in the church for a leaderless move of God.

Twenty-Elements-of-Revival-Box-ShotFirst: Audit theLab this Saturday, June 18! This week’s class is based on my book 20 Elements of Revival. Discover how you can step right into God’s plan for city-wide revival! The cost is $15 and the class goes from 10am-2pm. Just show up, no registration required. We meet at THE TABERNACLE: 14205 12 Mile Road, Warren, MI 48088.

A Nameless, Faceless Revival?

A common, unified cry is echoing throughout the landscape of the church—especially the revival ready church—the next move of God is going to be nameless and faceless.

This sounds right. It feels saturated with humility. In fact, I whole-heartedly agree with the base value that every Believer must embrace radical surrender, humility and must repel temptations for pride and accolade. We must go low and not desire our names or our faces to be known. It’s all about the fame of Jesus.

We decrease as God increases.

However, the assumption that God is done with acknowledging and burning through individual, human leaders is, in my analysis, a knee-jerk reaction to some epic failures in the lives of key leaders in recent movements.

Simply, people are offended. Many have allowed the spirit of offense to take root in their hearts, and it has led to radical distrust of Christian leaders and a violation of clear, theological principles. One of those principles is that God identifies, promotes and even publicizes humans for the sake of Kingdom advance.

Humility Breeds Boldness

True humility doesn’t result in permanent hiddenness. It results in a fiery boldness that rocks religious structures and an alarm that is heard far and wide.

In scripture we have men and women who have been tapped by God to be seen and heard as they gather people and deliver mandates and messages to the masses. They have a name and they have a face.

Consider Moses. He was the meekest man on the face of the Earth. He was also the human leader chosen and promoted by God to be seen and heard by all of Israel. True humility results in legitimate ministry that has visible impact. It’s actually false humility that would cause us to retreat. And, if we expect others to retreat as a visible sign of their humility, we are placing an unhealthy expectation on them. We are not to blend in, we are to stand out and call out.

In fact, God gives grace to the humble. Grace is God’s enabling power to accomplish what is humanly impossible. When mortal humans start walking in supernatural, miraculous grace, and divine messages are delivered, and lives are transformed and bodies are healed, you can’t expect that person to go unnoticed.

True Identity

One inherent weakness with the nameless/faceless campaign is that of identity. True humility results in an overpowering revelation of who we are in Christ. We are weak yet he is strong. We were created in his image. We are the head and not the tail. Above and not beneath. We are serious authorities in the Kingdom.

In fact, it is in God’s nature to promote. He does it out of love and honor of his people, but also because it’s strategically necessary. It’s a divine strategy of Kingdom advance that has been used time and again.

Joshua 3:7 (ESV) 7 The LORD said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you.

Joshua was the leader, and Joshua was exalted. He wasn’t nameless and faceless. Just like so many men and women of God who have been called today such as Lou Engle, Bill Johnson, John Kilpatrick and others—Joshua had a name and he had a face that everybody recognized.

Why is this important? So people knew who to follow! It really is as simple as that! The person called of God for that special role must be known so they could lead the masses into their own destiny of revelation of who they are in Christ. So they can move in clear unity under prophetic and apostolic direction.

Paul clearly said to follow HIM as he followed CHRIST. That was a bold statement that I’m sure many translated into pride and arrogance.

What are the issues?

  • Offense: People are so upset with and offended by the failures of people like Todd Bentley, Ted Haggard, Jimmy Swaggart an others that they have simply determined that God must be offended at them too. God must be done with them. However, we know scripturally that a spirit of offense will imprison people. In fact, it can lead people right down a path of extreme destruction. An offended heart that loses trust in people that God is moving through can do great damage to God’s plans for revival. This is why it would not surprise me at all if God chose to use fallen people to launch some of the great end-time revivals through. God still trusts, promotes and governmentally uses people. Apostles, prophets, evangelists and others are uniquely gifted to do what others cannot do.

    In fact, the idea that everybody is to be nameless and faceless is truly nonsensical if we really think about it. Even those who have been deeply offended by the Todd Bentley’s of the world still admit to acknowledging other leaders who have a name and a face. They read books that have the author’s name clearly marked on the front and their photo displayed on the back. They promote other, likeminded Christian leaders they enjoy listening to. They gravitate to certain Bible commentaries that are written by humans. I could go on and on. We aren’t in this alone, and even offense can’t stop us from following anointed men and women of God—though we might be doing it with a wounded, bitter heart.
  • Insecurity: The belief that we are all given equal assignments, equal levels of promotion and equal giftings is simply misguided. Only one person in the entire world was called, anointed and graced to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt. His name was Moses. Only one person in the world was called to facilitate the Brownsville revival. John Kilpatrick. Of course there were many other key players in the stories, but there was only one leader. The same will be true in Detroit where God is preparing a massive outpouring. We must keep our eyes open for who were are to respond to. Who will God be using here?

    An insecure leader, and especially an offended, insecure leader, is at risk of devaluing God’s chosen leaders and separating out and away from the greater city mission. A church planting coach once told me that the greatest threat in a new church plant is an insecure leader who refuses to acknowledge others who are more gifted and qualified than he is. They keep their people away from others who have more influence, anointing and authority than they do. They don’t bring on staff that would threaten their leadership abilities. So, in effect, the entire church is weakened and usually dies because of an insecure, threatened and prideful leader. This can happen in the greater city church as well.

    For example, I’m fully aware that the revival that’s coming to Detroit will probably not arrive at my church. The chances are slim. So, with that in mind, I understand that other people, with names, faces, influence, differing theological bents and abilities well beyond my own (or even much less than my own) are great candidates for God to choose as leaders for the Detroit outpouring. So, the right move would be to acknowledge these human individuals and support them just as Israel was called to support Moses and Joshua.
  • Entitlement: It’s extremely easy to presume, especially in this competitive nation of America where every boy and girl is told (improperly) that they can grow up to be the President of the United States if they want, that we are entitled to be equal in every way with other leaders.

    A common take away is this: if someone is flamboyant, aggressive and driven, and they are in front of a revival or Christian movement, they MUST be doing something unholy. There must be arrogance or self-exaltation in the mix. Why? Because we are all created equal, and I haven’t been afforded the the opportunity to be out in the front like they are. My humility is keeping me grounded and their pride is resulting in self-promotion.

    Sound familiar? We simply have to understand that everybody isn’t entitled to be in the forefront. But, just because someone is on the platform doesn’t mean they are there because of selfish desires. Even if they are bold and aggressive and persuasive, it isn’t a mark of an unholy attitude. Often their mandate is so heavy and urgent that they can’t take a casual, passive or slow approach. Study the prophets of the Bible. My oh my, it seemed like they built their own platform and demanded everybody’s attention. However, the reality is that they had a special calling that others didn’t have. They weren’t entitled to. That doesn’t make them better or more loved, but it does mean that they had a job to do that most others didn’t have to do.

Closing Thoughts

I’ll finish by reemphasizing a point that is at risk of being overlooked. God demands humility. It’s non-negotiable. He resists the proud. We should esteem others more than ourselves. We should never take the credit that belongs to God. We should always boast in the Lord.

That being said, the clear, biblical expectation of humility is extreme, anointed boldness that will draw the attention of people, demons, angels and God Himself. In fact, those with the greatest humility will often be those with the greatest call to extreme leadership. Many people will know their name. They will recognize their face. Get to know them well. You just may be called to minister with humility and passion under their leadership.

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My next book is almost done : Pharaoh in the Church

By John Burton | December 9, 2010

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.

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You are NOT the church : The scattering movement : What about church online?

By John Burton | August 20, 2010 |

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:
  1. 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?
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. PROMOTES MISUNDERSTANDING OF THE PURPOSE OF THE CHURCH—It can quite easily reinforce a wrong understanding of the purpose of the church. I would say this is the most serious issue. The prevailing thought these days is that the church is there for us. Whatever needs we have, we can get many of them met in the church. So, we attend if we are ministered to. Or, we may determine that we can get what we’re looking for without regular church attendance. So, the church becomes unnecessary to us. Friend, this concept is a defilement of the church. I can’t say it any less striking than that. We are called to gather together with other believers primarily to intercede for the nations. We are there to give, to leave offerings, to serve, to minister, to pray, to grow. The church isn’t primarily there for us, we are to be there for the mission of the church. We may say that we don’t need the church but have we considered that the church needs us?
I believe the scattering movement is one of the enemy’s most urgent assaults in these end-times. He knows the power of unified togetherness. He used that very strategy when attempting to build a tower to Heaven. God himself said that Satan’s successful plan of unity would actually succeed if scattering didn’t happen! Now, when the church must be together continually as we advance against the kingdom of darkness, Satan has every intention of pulling people out of that mission. The scattering and loose commitment to God’s method of prayer-driven Kingdom advance is resulting in an weak and impotent army. In a day when less than two services a month equates to ‘normal’ church attendance, I believe we must see the 24/7 church advance in strength, unity, commitment and power. Instead of two services a month, I believe we’ll see it become normal to be in church 20+ times a month as we pray together, receive apostolic instruction, move out in ministry and take the fire of the Holy Spirit to the world—together.  
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A new partner in revival : many resources available to you

By John Burton | October 28, 2009

FIRST- Be sure to listen to a clear message on revival strategy.  I believe the fire of God will erupt in you as you listen.  If you want to know what Revival Church is all about, you’ll find out as you listen to this message.  We’ll use it for leadership training in Revival Church as we call people into position for the coming move of God.  It’s titled “Intro to Revival Church- The Joshua 3 Mandate.”  Listen now at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/teaching.

SECOND- I want to take loads of people with me as I minister at Revival Nation Church in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada on Sunday morning, November 8th.  Let me know if you want to go!  (You’ll need your passport.)

Revival Church is deeply focused on impacting your life with the message of legitimate revival.  The Lord burned in my spirit recently a call: Hope & Hype- We must move beyond unfulfilled hope and man-made hype. 

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, and God will always out do hype if we let him.capture-00001-10-28-2009

We are seeking new ministry partners locally and around the nation and world to infuse Revival Church financially.  The Detroit mission is demanding, yet we know that success here will result in a domino affect through the nation and around the world. 

You can give your tithe or special offerings on our new giving system at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate. 

Additionally, you can set up RECURRING donations on the same page.  A monthly recurring donation would be a wonderful way to plant seed into this fertile soil all year long.

Here are some of the ways you can stay connected to our ministry:

  • NEW internet radio show at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/radio. You can pray with us, listen to prophetic insights and vision casting and, if you would like, call in to the show and participate.  Every Monday at 8pm sharp we'll start with focused prayer for an outpouring in Detroit and then we’ll move on to discussion.
  • FREE teachings. You can listen to the messages from Revival Church every week, and also enjoy a vast archive of past teachings at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/teaching.  Be sure to listen to The Joshua 3 Mandate and Six Enemies of Fulfilled Destiny from this past weekend.
  • Subscribe to our email updates.  I regularly share prophetic messages, insights and teachings on a variety of topics.  You can also be alerted to new sermons that are uploaded, special events and other news items.  www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/subscribe.
  • Podcasts on the go. I regularly call in from my cell phone and record quick, punchy podcasts.  If the Lord is burning in me on a certain topic, I just pick up the phone and share.  It’s instantly added to the site at www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/podcast.
  • Articles. You can read articles on revival, prayer, prophecy and other topics at www.johnburton.net/blog.  Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed!
  • Books.  I’ve written five books, and am convinced that the Holy Spirit will impact you powerfully as you read through them.  www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/resources.
  • Facebook.  Become a FAN and follow along with everything that’s going on in the church.  http://facebook.detroitrevivalchurch.com.  Also, send a friend request to my personal profile at www.facebook.com/johnburton.
  • Twitter.  I update to Twitter several times a day.  Follow me at www.twitter.com/johneburton.
  • Personal ministry site. Head over to www.praytherevolution.com and see booking info, my bio, video and other info not on the Revival Church site.

Thank you for your support of this ministry.  Your donations are very meaningful and will go a long way toward enabling ministry in Detroit and beyond!

www.detroitrevivalchurch.com/donate.

John

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