Are We in a Church Shift?
Johnathan Suber (see Suberministries). An apostolic preacher is starting a church in Texas. I like his passion. I took a look at his page on facebook where he posted a video where he shared a thought that grabbed my attention. He said, that the church had the purpose of, "being a 21st Century Expression of a 1st Century Experience." I like that, well let me say, that lights the flame in me. Maybe thats what we have to do, light the flame in a generation that is bored with cultural Christianity, the religion God did not invent.
Here are some thought I have on church Shift.
1. Church Shift where the Prophet is as active as the Pastor
The church has become man focused where pastors have dominated the pulpit, the result fewer evangelists able to make it fulltime, fewer still the prophets. The church suffers where there are no Holy Ghost revival preachers and the pastors that have no passsion gift or unction for revolution. In past centures it was the prophets that lit the fires of reformation from Luther to Knox. Today's culture will re-write prophets and most certainly the church will not survive without them. Excuse me for saying this you can fake the call of a pastor, but you cannot fake the gift of a prophet. I believe that God will set prophets as pastors and they will grow big churches in our day and time.
2. Church Shift where Missions become our reason for Existence
Thologian John Piper suggests that there is an higher honour attached to being a missionary than other callings (see Christian Post). The Missionary call has been laid aside, the other offices are seemingly more attractive (and safer) as a career choice, we are to an extent back in early church days again. If the church no longer adopts the apostles doctrine then we are back in early church days, where we have to bring folks back th the faith once delvered, not to Cultural Christainity as we know it. Again this will take preachers with a revelation of the one true God to hunder the rise of ecumenicalism and multifaithism. We, the church need more Peter's and Paul's to stir and shake some things in every town and city.
The world needs missionaries! not missionaries who will build homes only but preaching apostolic missionaires, leaders unashmed of the faith once deliverted, men who will put their life on the line. Many countries are closed to the gospel, (Statistics show that around 76 percent of nations are opposed to the gospel). To Quote Open Doors, "According to The Pew Research Center, over 75% of the world's population lives in areas with severe religious restrictions (and many of these people are Christians). Also, according to the United States Department of State, Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ." (Open Doors)
Russia and Korea recently passing laws to keep the gospel hidden but what these countries do not know is that no man can shut up God's voice. God will speak to mans conscience where there is no man to speak to man. God will open a door because he is the door. God will make a way in any city because the city is his. No man owns a nation no leader can stop our God and its with this mentality that men as missionaries will invade territory with the gospel. Anything less will be an abdication of our responsibility to God and man. We are called to Go!
Practically I believe every church should support a missions organisation or be one. Every church should have a missions representative that connects to those persecuted overseas and offers encouragement and support. This is a must the church can no longer hide in its own corner. We are global and so should be our concern and support.
3. Church Shift from Nice to Revolutionary.
Jesus did not come to make us "nice" Christians. He was a revolutionary and any man with his DNA will be like him. Its time to exit "nice" Christianity and the feministic version where we sing all love songs and start to live like the lion rather than the lamb. The lion goes to war and has a roar. The lion established its territory and defends his kingdom. Jesus was a lamb so that we could be like the lion. Nice church is not his church. Let the lion roar. Let the kingdom people state their case, defend their faith, stand up for righteousness and preach Jesus. God will raise up revolutionary. Years ago preachers would say, "God no longer has individual revolutionaries," I disagree when the church fails to be come revoltionary, God will rise up his Elijahs. God has never been without his hero or his cross bearer. If the church does not stand up and be one you stand up and be one.
4. Church shift from celebrity Pastor to everyone a Pastor
Everyone reaching everyone. Today everyone can have a tv ministry online. Years ago you had to be a mega ministry to be gloal now you can be global, if you have an internet connection. Today's preacher is sister and Brother unknown who now has more followers in their You Tube account than most preachers have in their building on a sunday morning. Friend if you have the call to Pastor the internet is your pulpit, the world and cyberspace your home town.
5. Church Shift From Dogma to Faith in Truth.
Folks have become wary of the fake and the phony, people want truth. Folks online are questioning the dogmas and lies that folks have been taught over the years, denominational dogmas that have bourne mans intepretation of scripture that has left the church weak, paralysed and out of touch with God and his world. People are discovering freedom from man made traditions that hold believes in bondage. The age of the superpreacher is over now an unknown Guy with a YouTube Video going viral can get more views in one weak than a mega preacher can have all month on the TV network,
Denominationalism is decaying, in my own experience denominationalism isolates folks. It breeds suspicion of anyone not in their fold. Denominationalism is decaying but dicipleship is increasing. People are fed up with the walls of religion.
We are living in an age where the church meners can know more than a Pastor with a degree. and so pastors are finding their beliefs challened. Pastors who do not examine their own heart as to why they believe what they believe will find themselves at odds with those in the pew. This is one reason why many leave their church and start their own. Pastor your education is not enough, you have to be ahead of the crowd or find yourself smothered by it.
Another trend, folks are rediscovering the true God in Christ. Trinitarian dogma has had its day, folks will once again hunger after righteousness and will forsake the dogmas of trintarianism and indeed religion for knowledge and the life of the one true God in Christ. They will know, Jesus as deity, God alone. How can I say this, because its God's purpose and will and truth always finds it home in a generation. I pray it will find its home in this generation. dont you!
Back to brother Subers quote. "being a 21st Century Expression of a 1st Century Experience." maybe this should be every churches goal.
Paul.
The Worlds larget Pulpit Your living Room
Available for download on to your PC and mobile device. In ebook format from Amazon for you.
Here are some thought I have on church Shift.
1. Church Shift where the Prophet is as active as the Pastor
The church has become man focused where pastors have dominated the pulpit, the result fewer evangelists able to make it fulltime, fewer still the prophets. The church suffers where there are no Holy Ghost revival preachers and the pastors that have no passsion gift or unction for revolution. In past centures it was the prophets that lit the fires of reformation from Luther to Knox. Today's culture will re-write prophets and most certainly the church will not survive without them. Excuse me for saying this you can fake the call of a pastor, but you cannot fake the gift of a prophet. I believe that God will set prophets as pastors and they will grow big churches in our day and time.
2. Church Shift where Missions become our reason for Existence
Thologian John Piper suggests that there is an higher honour attached to being a missionary than other callings (see Christian Post). The Missionary call has been laid aside, the other offices are seemingly more attractive (and safer) as a career choice, we are to an extent back in early church days again. If the church no longer adopts the apostles doctrine then we are back in early church days, where we have to bring folks back th the faith once delvered, not to Cultural Christainity as we know it. Again this will take preachers with a revelation of the one true God to hunder the rise of ecumenicalism and multifaithism. We, the church need more Peter's and Paul's to stir and shake some things in every town and city.
The world needs missionaries! not missionaries who will build homes only but preaching apostolic missionaires, leaders unashmed of the faith once deliverted, men who will put their life on the line. Many countries are closed to the gospel, (Statistics show that around 76 percent of nations are opposed to the gospel). To Quote Open Doors, "According to The Pew Research Center, over 75% of the world's population lives in areas with severe religious restrictions (and many of these people are Christians). Also, according to the United States Department of State, Christians in more than 60 countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ." (Open Doors)
Russia and Korea recently passing laws to keep the gospel hidden but what these countries do not know is that no man can shut up God's voice. God will speak to mans conscience where there is no man to speak to man. God will open a door because he is the door. God will make a way in any city because the city is his. No man owns a nation no leader can stop our God and its with this mentality that men as missionaries will invade territory with the gospel. Anything less will be an abdication of our responsibility to God and man. We are called to Go!
Practically I believe every church should support a missions organisation or be one. Every church should have a missions representative that connects to those persecuted overseas and offers encouragement and support. This is a must the church can no longer hide in its own corner. We are global and so should be our concern and support.
3. Church Shift from Nice to Revolutionary.
Jesus did not come to make us "nice" Christians. He was a revolutionary and any man with his DNA will be like him. Its time to exit "nice" Christianity and the feministic version where we sing all love songs and start to live like the lion rather than the lamb. The lion goes to war and has a roar. The lion established its territory and defends his kingdom. Jesus was a lamb so that we could be like the lion. Nice church is not his church. Let the lion roar. Let the kingdom people state their case, defend their faith, stand up for righteousness and preach Jesus. God will raise up revolutionary. Years ago preachers would say, "God no longer has individual revolutionaries," I disagree when the church fails to be come revoltionary, God will rise up his Elijahs. God has never been without his hero or his cross bearer. If the church does not stand up and be one you stand up and be one.
4. Church shift from celebrity Pastor to everyone a Pastor
Everyone reaching everyone. Today everyone can have a tv ministry online. Years ago you had to be a mega ministry to be gloal now you can be global, if you have an internet connection. Today's preacher is sister and Brother unknown who now has more followers in their You Tube account than most preachers have in their building on a sunday morning. Friend if you have the call to Pastor the internet is your pulpit, the world and cyberspace your home town.
5. Church Shift From Dogma to Faith in Truth.
Folks have become wary of the fake and the phony, people want truth. Folks online are questioning the dogmas and lies that folks have been taught over the years, denominational dogmas that have bourne mans intepretation of scripture that has left the church weak, paralysed and out of touch with God and his world. People are discovering freedom from man made traditions that hold believes in bondage. The age of the superpreacher is over now an unknown Guy with a YouTube Video going viral can get more views in one weak than a mega preacher can have all month on the TV network,
Denominationalism is decaying, in my own experience denominationalism isolates folks. It breeds suspicion of anyone not in their fold. Denominationalism is decaying but dicipleship is increasing. People are fed up with the walls of religion.
We are living in an age where the church meners can know more than a Pastor with a degree. and so pastors are finding their beliefs challened. Pastors who do not examine their own heart as to why they believe what they believe will find themselves at odds with those in the pew. This is one reason why many leave their church and start their own. Pastor your education is not enough, you have to be ahead of the crowd or find yourself smothered by it.
Another trend, folks are rediscovering the true God in Christ. Trinitarian dogma has had its day, folks will once again hunger after righteousness and will forsake the dogmas of trintarianism and indeed religion for knowledge and the life of the one true God in Christ. They will know, Jesus as deity, God alone. How can I say this, because its God's purpose and will and truth always finds it home in a generation. I pray it will find its home in this generation. dont you!
Back to brother Subers quote. "being a 21st Century Expression of a 1st Century Experience." maybe this should be every churches goal.
Paul.
The Worlds larget Pulpit Your living Room
Available for download on to your PC and mobile device. In ebook format from Amazon for you.
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