missional theology

Thoughts on the prophetic

The prophetic, things I think about:

FOUNDATION:

I believe the prophetic gift given to the body of Christ functions both locally/regionally with a unique and often overlooked focus, one that emphasizes the church's foundation.

When the Ephesian 4 equipping gift of prophet functions locally...it is in residence, it is not a pilgrim spirit wandering into a community with a "word" but it dwells among and brings words out of fellowship in the body...words maybe like Dwell received about the coming year and the "two essentials"...where "in 2012 we would move into a greater revelation and more faithful expression of Christ the Head and His body the church, with an emphasis on foundation". The prophetic and apostolic are, at least in part, "foundational" building gifts (I Cor.3:10, Eph.2:20-22). The sending or "going" aspects of the apostolic and the predictive element of the prophetic often diminish an essential function of both...which is BUILDING, of setting things in order. Agabus in Acts 11:27-30 and Acts 21:10-14 moved in prophetic prediction. By the Spirit he predicted a famine and saw that Paul would be imprisoned. But though important, just as you can tell the value of something by its cost, you can also recognize the value of a STRUCTURE by the quality of its foundation.

The church is built on a ROCK or foundation that Christ Himself lays through genuine apostles and prophets the purpose, of course, is that it produces stability and growth in maturity that the gates of hell CANNOT prevail against. For instance, an ongoing revelation of Christ is brought, anchoring the church on solid ground. With the equipping of His church, there is a certain way and ORDER that God builds; that is, from the bottom up, beginning (not surprsingly) with foundation. Paul says in I Cor.14:30, “But all things should be done decently and in order”, especially as it pertains to the building of His house (see also I Cor.12:27,28). You don't put up dry wall before foundation is laid. A lot of people might get together but they won't take on the characteristics of His church unless it is built on the right foundation. This is how foundational gifts serve the body and it's often a neglected function of the prophetic...

THE EYE:

The prophetic gift functions as an "eye" to the body, (some folks like to use the term "seer", ugh) locating cracks and fissures in the foundation that if overlooked (or seen as inconsequential) would eventually cause the house to weaken and eventually collapse (Mt. 7:24-26). The idea is to bring to maturity "living stones", men and women of stature, immovable...a witness to the world of confidence and stability in the face of adversity (Eph.4:12-16).

The prophetic is also about casting vision with the apostolic, casting or imparting vision to the body, making the vision "plain". Jesus said "The eye is the lamp of the body. So if the eye is single (sound), the entire body will be full of light" (Matthew 6:22). In addition, the prophetic will bring "the word of God in season" recognizing and in synch with shifts in emphasis; the times and "kairos's" of God. A crucial part of the churches' present task is to understand what the Spirit of God is saying to the body...as Ecc.3:1 says, "For everything there is a SEASON, and a time and a purpose for every matter under heaven". And the prophetic also equips individuals in the body with eyes to see changing seasons in their own lives. The goal is to gather around what the Lord is saying, united, joined together, tethered to His word, discerning and receiving from the body of Christ.

And lastly the eye, the prophetic, brings forth revelation from the heart of God, from the Scriptures (see Luke 24:32, the two on the Road to Emmaus). This includes revelation of Christ...of Christ the Head, His surpassing greatness, more of His "unsearchable riches" and the mystery of His church. Too many have not had a recent, fresh unveiling of Jesus: that is, what is unshakable, tangible, life-giving and real. No wonder Paul prayed, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of REVELATION IN THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM, the EYES of our understanding being flooded with light".

IDENTITY:

When this gift manifests, the Spirit also starts fanning into flame gifts in others, "The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward". There are gifts lying dormant needing to be activated, Paul said, "For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God which is in you...acknowledged by prophetic utterance" (I Ti.4:14, II Ti.1:6). Everyone can’t be everything, that’s not the way He set it up. But when gifts are activated it brings nourishment and health to the entire body. That’s why we reject independence and operate in mutual dependence in community ...we need each other’s supply of Christ. The equipping gifts are called to help the rest of the church become competent in their particular measure of grace, the prophetic also helping to confirm calling. Here you'll also see gift and calling in context with corporate vision and mission. We hear a lot about the general idea of "being a Christian" but not much about being discipled/equipped into our unique and specific calling, embodying the gift in maturity and humility. This gift helps form Christ in us (Gal.4:19), compelling us to forsake all that would hold us back and follow Him, serving Him by the Spirit in the context of community, with passion, love and renewed purpose.

ASCENSION ORDER/DESCENSION ORDER:

As you know, the Eph. 4:11 prophet should not be confused with the "motivational gift" of prophecy (Romans 12:6), which some believers have, or the gift of the "Spirit" of prophecy (I Cor. 12:10). Paul told us to DESIRE spiritual gifts, with the realization that without these spiritual endowments we are going to have to rely on our own abilities and strength to do the work of the ministry, meet the demands of everyday life, leaning on our own understanding, on mission, trying to help others. But the "ascension order" gifts (Eph.4:8,11) are the result of Christ ascending and delegating His spiritual authority to His appointed leadership to help equip and empower the church for its task. It is authority by gifting; a divine "measure of grace" given according to responsibility and function. He "captures" men and gives them to the church. Others may have the message (rhetoric) or method but God gives the measure; that certain "measure of grace" and rule in order to equip and empower the saints for the work of the ministry. (Eph.4:7,8,11, II Cor.10:13, I Cor.15:10). Though there isn't hierarchy, there are different gifts and where we find that authentic, recognizable ascension order grace of God...the fruit and life of Jesus, it is here that solid foundation is built and spiritual growth accelerated.

COMMITMENT:

The apostolic and prophetic inject commitment and faithfulness into a community's foundation. They are "prisoners of the Lord", walking in a manner worthy of their calling setting the tone for the rest of the body. Their role is to spearhead a wedge of commitment which inspires the saints to follow and use their own unique gifts to move forward. Prophetic gifting doesn't go with the flow, they create the flow. They "....transmit and entrust as a deposit to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also. (II Timothy 2:2). Paul set an example saying, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I WORKED HARDER than any of them, though it was not I, but the GRACE OF GOD that is in me." This helps to form a community into a "culture of commitment", one we see in Acts 11 in the church in Antioch. The prophetic imparts its commitment into foundation ala John the Baptist who, Jesus said, was a prophet of prophets, a true example, one not swayed by the wind or dressed in soft garments; no, here was heroic prophetic commitment, one who would forge a way for the Lord against impossible odds (Matthew 11:7-10). At any rate, there is an unmistakable legacy: a seal, or mark of commitment brought to the body by foundational gifts, Paul said, "Am I not an apostle? Are you yourselves not the product, proof and seal of my workmanship in the Lord?" We receive the Eph.4:11 deposit...the investment Christ has made in them, "considering the outcome of their way of life, and duplicating their faith.” Hebrews 13:7. They serve others "Christ in them", the treasure in the earthen vessel, what they themselves embody. People who are saved and never trained miss this foundational aspect of discipleship and there is often a negligible outcome, a never ending wobble in their walk...we can avoid this.

HEARING GOD:

There are so many voices. The prophetic gift is therefore given to help train the church to listen and recognize the voice of God, the voice of the Spirit. When the church is absent of the prophetic emphasis and without a prophetic voice, it is absent of the "ear" of the body; of hearing God. As a result there's little familiarity with the ability and reality of recognizing God's voice individually/corporately through Scripture; through teaching, in meetings, preaching, prayer, prophecy and the myriad other ways God speaks...hearing God working within you; in your spirit, in the inner man, hearing something. Jesus said in John 10 that "the sheep know my voice, a strangers voice they shall not hear". If that's not happening, if there is no community emphasis on it, you’ll be sitting there thinking, "I can’t say what I believe I heard. If I do, they’ll laugh. I’ll sound foolish. They won’t believe me. I’ll be ridiculous."

Meanwhile, this is FOUNDATIONAL to our faith...faith comes by hearing. If you had been exposed to the function of the prophet, what you would have noticed is somebody who confidently declares as normal that we can hear God, that they are hearing from God in some way every day of their life. And there is such assurance...the prophetic carries the weight of this without boastfulness or arrogance. And hearing God results in the body coming out of its silence, folks begin to speak, to see, to know...to report on what they are being impacted by out of relationship with God...there's excitement. Proverbs tells us that "where there is no ongoing prophetic revelation people perish", they get bored, they are distracted, they get lazy or become tainted by other voices and cast off restraint. But as a prophetic COMMUNITY...we get a corporate sense of the church functioning as “prophet” to the world in all sorts of different (creative) ways. I Sa.10:5,6, "After that you shall come to where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying. Then the Spirit of the LORD will rush upon you, and you will prophesy with them and be turned into another man".

There will be the distinguishing between the voice of God, the voice of the Spirit of God who speaks to the inner man and that voice that is NOT of God and tries to shout down the other. If a community is exposed to the prophetic it will never be at a point in its process where its members don't believe that they can hear from Him.

More to come....

 

"I see men as shadows, as trees walking"...from shadow to reality in increments

The "real" often comes in increments as we come out of the "shadow" or type: "And He (Jesus) took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when He had spit on his eyes, and put His hands upon him, He asked him if he could presently see. And he looked up, and said, I see men as shadows, as trees walking. After that He AGAIN put his hands upon his eyes and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly."

Before God brings things into reality, He often progresses us towards it in a prophetic sequence...speaking that which brings us out of the "shadow" or "echo" in increments, preparing us and moving us from the type or facsimile into the "authentic". The mystery that existed previously begins to unveil as God begins communicating the reality. For instance, in the Old Testament God set up some form but that form was not the fullness, it was meant to be a type. The prophets kept pointing to what was coming, alluding to the fact that it was still incomplete. And what it was all headed towards (and still is) was God bringing to the earth the fuller expression of Himself via a dwelling place among men...individually, domestically, vocationally....all of which emerges from His church corporately: the divine order. And, in its context, it's all designed to manifest His presence by the Spirit in increasing measure, "In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God by the Spirit"..."which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."

As the real comes out of the "shadows", we experience it before in type. But then we go through some things and move towards more of the genuine...the "seeming" truth (but actually veiled), now becomes the truth (unveiled). And as it comes, it takes on form, the invisible becomes visible taking on flesh, "Then He said to me, "Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath (life) in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord."

 

Not the "new", but the next...

2012, moving forward:
In my view the coming year will not be about another "new thing" or "great move of God" but an essential NEXT...a greater revelation and more faithful expression of Jesus Christ and His Church, ESPECIALLY the foundation. The body of Christ is at a crossroads, facing more marginalization. The alternatives include moving either to the left or to the right; to the left for new, innovative "initiatives" or to the right for new, powerful "coalitions"; new "movements"....but another direction exists, moving forward towards a more genuine expression of God's intention in the earth...through His Church.

I think it's impossible to say you love Jesus without loving His Church: His Church is His body...He obtained it with His own blood. And I believe as we approach the new year, God wants to touch us with His heart for the Church. To re-energize the builders with a passion to see that it’s built right, because there’s a way that God does it. And to awaken believers; to strengthen commitment towards a new ethic of authenticity, a more credible representation of and commitment to God's intent...through His Church.

The unsearchable riches of Christ, revealed to and through His Church:
It may be that there are simply two essential elements, Christ the Head and then His body, the Church...everything else is tributaries. The mystery of this is that first everything comes out of Christ; that is, the "riches of His glory" are all IN Christ and, second, those riches are administrated in and through His Church: In Eph.3:8-10 Paul wrote, "To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the UNSEARCHABLE RICHES OF CHRIST, and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the MYSTERY hidden for ages in God who created all things, so that THROUGH THE CHURCH the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places". His body is the means of His increase in the earth so in essence...everything comes out of His Church. And Paul went on to say that this is what he was laying his life down for...the Church, and if he was not declaring that the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ are revealed to and made known through His Church, he was not completing the purpose God gave him. See, it is upon this "rock of revelation" of Jesus Christ that HIS Church is to be built; upon the revealing of the unsearchable riches of Christ which will prevail against the opposition of the enemy, blessing the world (Mt.16:13-18).
He gave gifts to His Church for a more genuine expression of His intention:
God said to get this done, to bring forth this word and this reality, He gave gifts to His Church, gifts unto men. They are in HIS Church. In an Old Testament shadow, Samuel told Saul to go meet a company of prophets coming down from the "high place", the mountain, and that when he encountered these "ascended men", he'd be changed into another man (I Sa.10:5-7) Now where are those men today, those "ascension" gifts? He placed them in His Church. For what? To see His vision revealed, to see His vision fufilled; to see His Church EQUIPPED, bringing forth a more faithful expression of His intention in the earth; to prepare God's people for the work of ministry and mission....His way.
You won't find it at Wal-Mart:
And believe me, you are not gonna get this outside His Church (or in "A" church), nor will you find it at Wal-Mart. I have seen too many people sidelined and shipwrecked because they felt they didn't need that supply or were looking for the perfect place. Instead, we are to locate His Church which, in part, is where the called men are (Eph.4:11-16), those who are seasoned and humbled, those who are gifted and living it...so as to be strengthened by that "which every joint supplies" in the inner man. Christ revealing Himself to us, in us and through us in His Church.
So many are falling far short of God's purpose for their lives:
My heart’s passion is that as 2012 approaches we seriously take heed to what God is saying and awaken to His purpose. After 34 years you want to see more of Christ formed in His Church and outworked through His Church. So I’m just sending out this word, this call whether on Facebook, blogsite posts, Twitter or in church gatherings...to any person that will listen. Because there are folks that are dying with no concept of Christ the Head and the mystery and intention of His Church. They don't have a clue. So many are just wasting time or biding time. They may "go to heaven", but fall far short of God's purpose for their lives. See, it's way bigger then we've made it and allowed it; bigger than what we get stuck in. The treasure is now in the earthen vessel and He wants us to manifest that in His Church and through His Church, "For WE are the temple of the living God; even as God said, 'I will dwell in, with and among them and I will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people' ".

Foundation first: laying foundation in three areas: individually, domestically, corporately

Rapid growth or foundational depth?

Over the years I've seen it over and over again, the classic "cart before the horse" emphasis of church growth (in whatever form) taking priority over foundational depth. The poor donkey once on solid ground gets overloaded with the weight of new initiatives or a temporary spike in numbers that simply cannot be sustained. Meaningful growth (however you define it) cannot take place without laying solid foundation to support it...and is why they run concurrent. No wonder Paul said "be careful HOW you build." It's just a fact of life, you don't install plumbing or put up dry wall before laying foundation, there's an order (see ICor.3:10,11,16,17, I Cor.12:27,28, Eph.4:11-16, Eph.2:20-22). The principle of “more is better”, in whatever way, at the expense of genuine corporate equipping, undermines the health of the body. Isaiah wrote, "And those left of the house of Judah shall again take ROOT downward and bear fruit upward."

Just as you can tell the value of something by its cost, you can also recognize the value of a structure by the quality of its foundation. The nature and substance of the foundation will determine whether God’s people, the "house of God", can support growth, can withstand the shakings and pressures over time…especially in the coming year. Individually, domestically or corporately, if the foundation is not solid in all three areas, than the storms that come will collapse the house that may have looked so great from the outside. If you have a building with a faulty foundation, you will be forever trying to square up the corners…replastering the cracks, with little time for anything else. The more solid the foundation, the steadier, stable and more secure the structure built upon it. And this solid foundation is built as we are in relationship with Jesus Christ and foundational gifts set in His church.

Foundation first part 1: rapid growth or meaningful growth?

Rapid growth or foundational depth?

Over the years I've seen it over and over again, the classic "cart before the horse" emphasis of church growth (in whatever form) taking priority over foundational depth. The poor donkey once on solid ground gets overloaded with the weight of new initiatives or a temporary spike in numbers that simply cannot be sustained. Meaningful growth (however you define it) cannot take place without laying solid foundation to support it...and is why they run concurrent. No wonder Paul said "be careful HOW you build." It's just a fact of life, you don't install plumbing or put up dry wall before laying foundation, there's an order (see ICor.3:10,11,16,17, I Cor.12:27,28, Eph.4:11-16, Eph.2:20-22). The principle of “more is better”, in whatever way, at the expense of genuine corporate equipping, undermines the health of the body. Isaiah wrote, "And those left of the house of Judah shall again take ROOT downward and bear fruit upward."

Just as you can tell the value of something by its cost, you can also recognize the value of a structure by the quality of its foundation. The nature and substance of the foundation will determine whether God’s people, the "house of God", can support growth, can withstand the shakings and pressures over time…especially in the coming year. Individually, domestically or corporately, if the foundation is not solid in all three areas, than the storms that come will collapse the house that may have looked so great from the outside. If you have a building with a faulty foundation, you will be forever trying to square up the corners…replastering the cracks, with little time for anything else. The more solid the foundation, the steadier, stable and more secure the structure built upon it. And this solid foundation is built as we are in relationship with Jesus Christ and foundational gifts set in His church.

Spiritual authority, incarnated in giftedness

If "the fullness of Him who fills all in all" is in the body of Christ according to Eph.1:22,23 and yet all authority on earth belongs to Jesus (Mt 28:18)...think about it. Maybe a conclusion you draw is that His authority is in His body, the church...and it is incarnated in giftedness; that is, in spiritual authority given by grace, not inherent by position. Try to follow me here...

Christ gave gifts to His church, those which He Himself embodied. And since all authority in heaven and earth belongs to Jesus, evidently where we find that authentic, recognizable giftedness of Christ...the fruit and life of Jesus, it is here that spiritual authority arises.

For instance, where I recognize the gift of faith, I receive that...it is the giftedness of Jesus in that realm and I submit and partake of His provision. Jesus said "Whoever receives you receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives him who sent Me. The one who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person will receive a righteous person's reward." And though gifting/function may at some point be recognized corporately by title, (elders etc.) their authority and role in leadership is by His grace, "according to the measure of Christ's gift" (Eph.4:7). It is not about hierarchy, no, it's giftedness, anointing, order. The supernatural giftedness to equip, to serve, not natural ability or talent.

Jesus was without honor in His hometown and could therefore do no miracles. He was rejected by men 2000 years ago and He is still rejected today whenever the church refuses to recognize and receive His giftedness through those whom His endorsement, clearly, is on. Not only is God dishonored by this but the body of Christ is cheated out of its full inheritance. The point is that unless we discern the body of Christ, we will not submit to the giftedness of Christ in a person...we can never derive the benefits of that gift. The measure with which we will receive an authentic God-given gift in someone determines, to a large extent, the measure of Christ we will receive in return.

 

 

A higher regard for His church; loving the house of God

Lest we even think that the discussion of the house of God is of some secondary importance, an irrelevant issue...if you think "let's not get all wrapped up in this", keep in mind a couple of things. David, for example (as in King David, OT) loved God with all his heart. I mean who would compare themselves with David in terms of love for God? But what was on David's heart? What did he want to do before he died more than anything else and couldn't? BUILD THE HOUSE OF GOD. In Psalm 84 what does he talk about?..."the house, Your house oh Lord, the house"; "How beautiful is your DWELLING PLACE, oh Lord of hosts! Blessed are those who dwell in your HOUSE, ever singing your praise! For a day in your HOUSE is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the HOUSE of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Now, at the same time, David loved God with every fiber of his being, read the Psalms. And yet THE VERY OBVIOUS OVERFLOW OF A MAN THAT LOVED GOD WAS TOWARDS...HIS HOUSE! He said he'd rather be a door-keeper in God's house than anywhere else in the universe. There's a fascination, something so compelling about the HOUSE for everybody that loves God. Why? It's His dwelling place, "In Him you also are being BUILT together into a DWELLING PLACE (a house, a habitation) of God by the Spirit".

Folks will say "but I love GOD, you can worry about the church or focus on it if you want to but I am seeking to worship, to know God". I could say to that person that you may not know how to love God, or ever get to know Him fully, if like David (a man after God's own heart), you don't see the provision for all of that in God's house; if you do, you will just automatically love His house. The absence of regard for His dwelling place can't be a true love of God...how can you say you love a God you've not seen if you can't love His house; that is, His body, an expression (though flawed) of His Person that you CAN see? How can you say you love the Head who you've NOT seen if you can't love His body which you HAVE seen?

A higher regard for His church; loving the house of God

Lest we even think that the discussion of the house of God is of some secondary importance, an irrelevant issue...if you think "let's not get all wrapped up in this", keep in mind a couple of things. David, for example (as in King David, OT) loved God with all his heart. I mean who would compare themselves with David in terms of love for God? But what was on David's heart? What did he want to do before he died more than anything else and couldn't? BUILD THE HOUSE OF GOD. In Psalm 84 what does he talk about?..."the house, Your house oh Lord, the house"; "How beautiful is your DWELLING PLACE, oh Lord of hosts! Blessed are those who dwell in your HOUSE, ever singing your praise! For a day in your HOUSE is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the HOUSE of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness."

Now, at the same time, David loved God with every fiber of his being, read the Psalms. And yet THE VERY OBVIOUS OVERFLOW OF A MAN THAT LOVED GOD WAS TOWARDS...HIS HOUSE! He said he'd rather be a door-keeper in God's house than anywhere else in the universe. There's a fascination, something so compelling about the HOUSE for everybody that loves God. Why? It's His dwelling place, "In Him you also are being BUILT together into a DWELLING PLACE (a house, a habitation) of God by the Spirit".

Folks will say "but I love GOD, you can worry about the church or focus on it if you want to but I am seeking to worship, to know God". I could say to that person that you may not know how to love God, or ever get to know Him fully, if like David (a man after God's own heart), you don't see the provision for all of that in God's house; if you do, you will just automatically love His house. The absence of regard for His dwelling place can't be a true love of God...how can you say you love a God you've not seen if you can't love His house; that is, His body, an expression (though flawed) of His Person that you CAN see? How can you say you love the Head who you've NOT seen if you can't love His body which you HAVE seen?

Discerning the body of Christ

Acts 9:1-5, "But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?" And he said, "Who are you, Lord?" And he said, "I am JESUS, whom you are persecuting".

Jesus didn't say "Saul Saul why do you persecute MY CHURCH?" He said "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute ME?" Jesus saw himself as one with His people, His body and if He does, surely we should. From Jesus' standpoint, for Paul not to discern God's people, the church, is also not to discern Christ. For us to persecute or minimize His church, or not esteem this thing called the body of Christ, is to persecute, minimize and not esteem Christ. And here I'm not talking about "a" church, but HIS church where the standard and blueprint are found in the Word of God. I believe in the coming year a greater revelation of Christ and His church, a call to SEE the body of Christ...to see it as God sees it is at hand. That a reverence and awe for the church; the Head in heaven and His feet on earth has got to be restored. When Paul persecuted the church that was filled with mortals, people at various levels of maturity, Jesus took it personally.

In Genesis 28 Jacob spoke about a “dread", “How dreadful is this place, the house of God, the gateway of heaven” (Gen. 28:17). You could ask, "What is so dreadful about the House of God?” Well, there are other ways to translate the word “dread” such as, “How awesome is this place,” but the point is that there IS a right view of the body of Christ that includes a certain sort of wake-up call, a new awareness that alerts you to a reality you were oblivious to or chose to ignore...something solemn, weighty, even burdensome and Jacob responded to it. Paul said in Acts 20, "Pay careful attention...care for the church of God, which He obtained with his own blood."

There was some sort of transition that took place the moment those first believers in Acts 2 saw the church, "And all the believers were filled with awe”. Something so dramatic that they abandoned their previous separate lives. They had some sort of revelation about the resurrected Christ and His connection to His body. They became willing to risk everything in order to be a part of that community, that "culture of commitment", of experiencing the reality of God. Without that revelation, folks will call His church something other than what it is and make major tactical errors in both their discernment and the way they live their lives...and the consequences are usually very unfortunate. If we see the house of God as being the very gate of heaven (Genesis 28:16,17) there will be a passionate respect and love for it. Jesus Himself said "zeal for the Father's house consumes Me." There is something about the body of Christ...where the two are one, that consumes us.

Folks ought not to pompously think that they can somehow love God and derive all they need from Him directly without loving His body, the very means He has provided in the earth to meet those needs, to bring them their supply. Even instruction on relating to and hearing Him directly! Folks who think that “I can be a Christian, but I don’t need His church" have, unfortunately, missed what God Himself says about it...that "THROUGH THE CHURCH His manifold wisdom might NOW be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places". God "put all things under Christ's feet and gave Him as Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Evidently His church is not just opinions and individuals and methods that folks just simply and arbitrarily accept or reject. No, if it's His church, in judging they are judging the Head, the One who sees the church as His body, His means of disclosing His heart, His wisdom...the means of the invisible becoming visible.

His church is not this casual, frivolous get-together of those with common ground and desires, nor is it a bunch of friendly people with a common belief looking to do good things and meet twice a week. That is, those who hold to their own opinions on just about everything, saying of leadership and others that "they have their views and we have ours". No, it's more than just "a bunch of people", it's His body...it's people IN Christ and those with Christ IN them; people joined by Christ the Head as community, centered on His corporate purpose in the earth. And if we won't discern it and think only of it as folks with some common beliefs, if that's how we view it (which is not how GOD views it) then folks will find themselves without much of its supply....or worse.

See, God builds a dwelling place by His Spirit (Eph.2:20-22) and in it you find identity; calling and purpose in a corporate context. He lays foundation in people's lives individually, domestically and corporately by bringing called men and women alongside His people to equip and help them find out who they are in Him, and who He is in them. It is an awesome place. Things come alive as He makes Himself known through His church.

And if you see the reality of the body of Christ in your life-time and give your life to this heart God has for His house, you will be mocked and ridiculed...you will be called various names...it is very supernatural because Satan despises the only thing that can prevail against him. BUT, in this same revelation of the body of Christ, if you give your life to this heart God has for His house, you will also experience the reality of the life you were created for...the greatest life you can live, alongside those who have also given themselves completely to Jesus... and His Church. If we say we love God desperately, then we love the House of God; we love the work of God’s hands, we love the extension of His heart, we love the visible of the invisible God. We are "prisoners" of that calling (Eph.4:1), captured by the vision of loving His body, the overflow of loving Him.

So, there is a call this year to a greater revelation of Christ and His church, a call to SEE the body of Christ...to see it as God sees it. "Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it." Now you do. It is the house of God and it's a dreadful/awesome/weighty thing, the very gate of heaven and it's not just a bunch of people who might believe some of the same things...you can go to the V.F.W. for that.

2012, A Second Harvest

A second harvest; a culture of commitment:
Over the years it has become increasingly clear to me that there is a great need to gather and build with those who desire the real thing...that which is genuine and authentic; people who truly love Jesus or desire to do so with their whole hearts, even if they’re immature and impious. If there is an attempt to build on anything other then this, it will usually prove to be an investment in a house that will collapse. After a time of acknowledging this, I was encouraged by the fact that as we approached 2012 a “second harvest” was at hand; those truly seeking the reality and life of God. In my view this has never been more critical. It will begin as a community’s core (its "gold, silver and precious stones") commit, or re-commit to focusing on the two essentials, Christ the Head and His body the church. They do so, in part, to lay solid foundation in the lives of God’s people, both those who currently participate in community and those soon to come. The strength of that community’s foundation will be directly related to their revelation of Christ and His church. (Mt.16:13-18, Eph.1:17-19). These are those who will purpose “to live, move and have their being in Him” (Acts 17:28). The ripple effect of a dedicated nucleus will establish a culture or “community of commitment”, those who “count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege of knowing Christ Jesus the Lord and of progressively becoming more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him…” (Philippians 3:8 ).

Not the next new thing, but something He birthed 2000 years ago:
So not something NEW in 2012, but something NEXT; not a new movement, “lo, He’s moving over here or there’s a revival over there”, but a greater revelation of the surpassing greatness and unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ in and through His BODY the church…something He birthed and began 2000 years ago. God had a dream, a purpose from the very beginning for His people…that they become the intersection between heaven and earth for the extension of His Kingdom, to bless the nations (Genesis 12:2,3, 28:17). In 2012 I believe there is a call to move into greater understanding and a higher regard for the MEANS of that mission…to where His blessing truly IS and where his heart is really AT…His church.

The two essentials:
In many ways, church planting in North America has been taking what’s left of Christianity and creating “new” versions or innovative expressions over and against the perceived failures of less “relevant” or “effective” existing churches. They organize themselves as “the next new thing”, compensating for what some other churches lack. But this way the church is susceptible to contextualizing itself into an unrecognizable form. Which is why, at least in my view, there is a call to the builders to return to the Scriptural blueprint, to foundation…to focus on those two essentials, Christ the Head and His body the church. (see Col.1:18, Eph.1:22,23, Mt.16:17,18, ICor.3:10,11, Eph.2:20-22, Eph.4:11-16 etc.).