Valuing His Word in our Gatherings- A challenge and key to Supernatural Increase

I enjoy being around people who value me.  You can tell can't you?  How much value people around you place on who you are, what you have to offer?  I don't think I'm particularly proud or strange in this way. 

Have you ever been in a group conversation but no one seems to notice you are even there?  Or if you jump in with a comment, it goes ignored?  No one asks any follow up questions or expresses interest in what you said...they just go on with their own thoughts and agenda, ignoring your contribution? 

I don't know about you, but when I'm in that kind of a situation, I tend to withdraw and not try to speak too much, my mind drifts to other things and as soon as I can, I find a polite way to exit that group, going on to more important things or to involvement with those who recognize my value and want to hear what I have to say or dialogue with me.

My point here is not to make you feel sorry for me! :) We all face these situations.  My point is for us to ask ourselves what Value we put on the Word of the Lord; on God's contributions to our meetings, conversations, even church services.  How welcome does He feel to speak and share what He thinks, or add to the dialogue?  When God does speak, and some kind of prophetic word is given, do we pay attention?  Listen?  Ask Him follow up questions in prayer?  Ask Him to go further and deeper in what He has begun to say?  Or do we carry on with our own thinking and agenda, giving polite assent to His Word to us, but not really taking it very seriously or deeply? Do we treat it as if it could be the most important thing being said so far (which it probably is if it is from Him)?

As a leader I have the privilege (and sometimes burden) to sit in a lot of meetings and attend many corporate gatherings.  Some of these meetings don't make any space for God to speak.  Some allow for that kind of "interruption" during specific slots designated for prayer or worship.  Few make room for and invite His ongoing dialogue with us throughout and within all that we do.

Jesus said that if we wanted to bear much fruit, we must abide in Him, stay constantly connected to Him, continually aware of His Presence.  If He is Present, He definitely has important things to say to us, and His Word is worth stopping to reflect on, stopping to meditate on and dig deeper on.

In the meetings I have the privilege to provide leadership for, I want to develop a culture that places an extremely HIGH VALUE on the PRESENCE of God among us and on the WORD of God spoken to us- both the Word of God (the Bible) and his prophetic Word spoken to us through prophetic gifts.  I am firmly convinced that only as we develop a culture and habit that reflects these values will we see Supernatural Increase and Fruitfulness.

Next time He honors your gathering by being Present and Speaking to you, take time to think carefully about what He bothered to say. Ask some follow up questions to take it a little deeper and respond.  He may just share more.  And what He shares with you may just unlock the problems you couldn't ever solve without Him!

The Mystery and Industry of Kingdom growth

Mark 4:26-27 speaks of the mystery of growth in His Kingdom. "Jesus also said, 'The kingdom of God is like a farmer who scatters seed on the ground.  Night and day while he's asleep or awake, the seed sprouts and grows, but he does not understand how it happens."(vs 26) It's a MYSTERY.

This can be contrasted with another story Jesus told in Luke 13:6-9- the story of the barren fig tree.  There he tells of a man who planted a fig tree and came again and again to see if there was fruit or not.  When the master saw after several years that it was not fruitful he ordered it to be cut down.  The gardener however asks for another chance saying he will give it special attention and fertilizer.  Then if it doesn't bear fruit after that, it could be cut down. It is INDUSTRY.

Fruitfulness and growth- it is a mystery. Like the farmer in Mark, we don't know or understand how it happens- we just know all life comes from God.  Sometimes when we don't expect growth, it comes.  Sometimes when we feel we have done everything "right" we still see very little fruit for our labors.

I remember one time when I was planting tomatoes in my garden in India.  None of them were very fruitful.  Most of them died.  I guess I wasn't very skillful.  Or maybe it was God's fault? :)  But then one day I noticed a very healthy and producing tomato plant growing out of my compost pile!  What? With no effort, that seed had born fruit!  Mystery.  So should I give up on planting in gardens and working to get tomatoes?  Or was there something I could learn from this?

Holding these two truth's in tension is important in our lives as we partner with God in releasing supernatural increase. 

• First, we know that God is the only one who can make ANYTHING grow or become abundantly fruitful. 
• Second, we know that God has chosen to use farmers to plants seeds and chosen us, his children, to sow the gospel. 
• We also know that while we can not take credit for the growth of the kingdom in anyone's life, it is a work of the Spirit of God, at the same time we can contribute to that growth when we are wise and skillful in our partnering with God in his work in their lives, in that people group, or city or region.

It would be foolish to say to a farmer it doesn't matter at all how skilled you are, what equipment you have, or how diligent and hard working you are- the crop is all and only 100% up to God.  No, that wouldn't make sense.  The farmers efforts, skills and knowledge make a very big difference in his success in getting big and profitable crops!  Though he can not control everything about the weather and some other natural factors...he does have the ability to influence many things and must be responsible to farm in a wise way.  In many ways, his work (though all life from the seed is a miracle from God) is predictable.  The right soil, the right conditions, a good seed, and he can expect good fruit. Likewise, the farmer's lack of skill, laziness or poor equipment can cost him a crop even if all the other conditions are close to perfect.  True?

In the same way, as we work in the Kingdom, what we do DOES matter. Our knowledge and skills and strategies make a difference in how fruitful we are.  To acknowledge that doesn't mean we are taking away glory from God at all!  No, only he gives life.  Only he sends rain.  Only he brings about transformation in lives.  Only He can convict of sin and bring someone to a place of repentance.

But we play a part.  An important part.  We are partners with Him in seeing His Kingdom come and in the release of Supenatural Increase and Harvest.  Let's be wise, skilled and well equipped, and industrious. At the same time, we trust and stand in awe of the Mystery of God who gives life to every seed we plant or water. He is truly the one who makes it grow.

Work and Worship



Worship?

Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”  I wrestle with this verse as  with the one in John that tells us that if we abide in Him we will bear much fruit.  What does it mean to abide in Him continually?  What does it mean to do everything whether word or deeds in His name?

This past week I was in long meetings with many wonderful leaders, my fellow brothers and sisters.  Often in our meetings we felt the tension between work and worship, between our longing to DO things that would expand His Kingdom and our desire to BE in His Presence, just gazing into His eyes, where all our agenda falls away.  I heard a few people mention the balance of Work and Worship we need in our lives (and meetings). 


Work?


Something about that doesn’t sit right with me.  Is balance really what we need?  Or do we need to learn to integrate, to bring together into one action…work and worship.  Is it worship to lead someone to Christ?  Or dig a well? Is it work to sit at His feet, listening to His guidance and affirmations of love?

I’m convinced in my own life that the integration of this mysterious union is the pathway to fruitfulness.  As the Martha and Mary in me become unified and learn to flow together rather than pull against one another, there God’s anointing will be.

Let’s not try to balance work and worship, but let’s ask for God’s grace to welcome, unify and release both the Martha and the Mary in us.

The Heart of a Mentor

A mentor is focused on seeing others succeed, rather than using others to accomplish something that makes them successful.  This is the heart of a mentor and also of a servant leader.  A mentor develops the person they are mentoring by letting them discover truths for themselves, guiding them and assisting them on that journey of discovery.  Why bother asking questions when you can just tell them what to do?  After all, you are more experienced and you have good answers to give them!

To give them the answers keeps them dependent upon you to solve their problems.  If instead, through wisely asking questions, offering options, and helping them to think about what they can and want to do to solve their problem, you are developing powerful people who will powerfully make decisions to change their own lives and the community they are a part of. 

It can be challenging to keep this perspective and behavior in place, especially when your mentee expects you to give them answers!  But the heart of a mentor is not to help them in the short term and feel good about themselves, the mentor seeks to develop and empower the mentee for the long term.

Jesus had that heart.  It never ceases to amaze me that he said to his disciples that they would do greater works than He did.  He very often didn't give answers, but instead told stories and said "those who have ears to hear, let them hear."  He expected initiative on the part of his disciples and followers.  He wanted them to exercise their minds and spirits to discern truth for themselves. He was developing them for the future- believing in them, that they could be leaders of leaders for His Kingdom.   

Do you get greater joy when you see others you have invested in succeed, or when you succeed?  A mentor, like a Father, delights when their mentee goes beyond them in capacity, influence and success.  We rejoice when our children surpass us; when they get better jobs than we had, when they earn bigger salaries, or when they get promotions at a younger age than we ever did.  Why?  Because we love them and want the very best for them.  We want them to go further and climb up on top of our shoulders to reach greater heights. 

This is what we need in the Christian world.  Mentors who are fathers and mothers in heart. We don't need more bosses and supervisors, those who use people to achieve success and discard them when they fail or when their success threatens to outshine their own.  Pride gets in the way of effective mentoring.  Love makes a way for it.  Love them.  Encourage them.  Stand with them.  Speak truth with grace.  Cheer for their successes.  Affirm them.  Praise them.  Correct them with gentleness and patience.  You'll have the tremendous joy of watching many whom you have mentored go far in the Kingdom, building upon the foundations you've laid, and rising to places in God that you only dreamed of.   

A Major Hindrance to Revival - Living under Old Covenant instead of New

As Good Friday and Easter approach I've been meditating on that amazing afternoon when Jesus died. I've been asking Father for greater revelation as to its impact and implications for me personally, for all of us, and for how we do life and ministry under this radical New Covenant that was initiated on that incredible day.

I've also been asking myself and Father God: what is the foundational belief that needs to be changed in order for us to see a further release of His Kingdom on earth, to see God's will and ways sweep across communities changing and transforming lives?

I'm not content in my heart with what I see happening in the church today.  There is so much more available for us, for the church, for this broken planet!  What did Jesus die to release that we haven't yet taken hold of?

I'm drawn to consider again the description of the incredible events that took place when Jesus died.  Matthew 27:50-54 says that Jesus released his spirit and at that very moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.  An earthquake happened, rocks split in two, and tombs opened.  People rose from the dead and were seen in Jerusalem.  Pretty incredible stuff!  What did it mean?

In the Old Covenant, the ordinary person had no access to God's presence.  Only priests could go before a Holy God after many ceremonies of cleansing and animal sacrifices.  This most holy place where His Presence dwelt, that was only for one very special person (the High Priest), one time a year.

When Jesus died...God himself tore open the pathway to come to Him directly.  He tore open what no human hands could tear...and with that action He said "Come!  Come in and meet me, your sin is paid for, you can now enter my Presence."  Wow!

From that point onward priests were not needed.  Ordinary fishermen could become sons, priests and kings.  Every person had access to Father God, Holy Spirit and Jesus.  The price, the punishment, that kept us from God was paid, once and for all.

Oh that this truth would impact our thinking more fully!  We can come to Him freely now!  No matter what we have done, no matter how unworthy we feel or are. The way is open.

As we come, He then empowers us with His Presence, His authority, His anointing, to carry His Presence out into the world. We invite others to go with us into His Presence, to meet Holy God, loving Father.  Sins forgiven.  Identity changed.  As sons and daughters, not orphans.  As priests, not second class lay people.  As kings, given authority to rule on this earth.

Hebrews 10:14 says "by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy."  We are made perfect and we are being made holy.

The new covenant is such a radical shift from the old! In the Old covenant, only special people had access, authority and were commissioned to do God's work. The Levites. In the new covenant, everyone has access, authority and is commissioned by God for a joyful partnership with Him of "ministry" in this world.

One of the biggest hindrances to seeing church planting movements, or true revival, is when we don't understand the implications of the New covenant.  We still live, behave and think as if we are under the Old Covenant.  We still look to pastors, worship leaders or other more qualified people to help us come to God, to pray for the sick, to take the lead in sharing the gospel and discipling others.

We say we believe that everyday, ordinary believers are now sons, priests and kings on the earth.  But our behaviors, traditions and actions often look a lot more like the Old Covenant than New.

Why did the church spread like wildfire in the book of Acts?  Because ordinary believers acted as sons, priests and kings- ministering the gospel, full of His Presence and Spirit, going everywhere with the good news and making disciples.  There were apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers and evangelists.  But their job was NOT to do all the work of the ministry. Their job was to equip the saints for ministry, to train and send them (Ephesians 4:12).

Until we get our hearts and beliefs in line with the truth that the veil is torn, that we all are now priests of God, we ALL now have access to God, and are commissioned to go, make disciples, baptize and teach others to obey...we will be stuck with limited growth.  We will be stuck with leaders, pastors and full time workers serving as priests and ministers, while ordinary believers sit in seats on Sundays and remain...well...ordinary. 

Will we embrace the extraordinary identity Jesus paid such a price to give us? Will we take on the responsibility to make disciples who know who they are- sons, priests and kings in this world?  Will we see that our role is to train, equip and help those we disciple to fully take hold of their identity and commission? Our job is never to fill churches with believers.  Our job is to make disciples who make disciples who make disciples.  To multiply sons and daughters who are priests and kings.

This is the New Covenant, the radically different worldview and paradigm Jesus paid the ultimate price on the cross to bring to us. How He must ache for us to enter into what He already died to purchase!

Here I am- When God shows up

I often pray this prayer over the many staff that work in hard places across South Asia: May the Lord guide them continually, giving them water when they are dry and restoring their strength.  May they be like a well watered garden and like an ever-flowing spring.  Its taken from a verse in Isaiah 58:11.

In that same passage a few verses before there is an amazing statement made by God.  It says "when you call, the LORD will answer, 'Here I am.'"  In Nepalese the word would be translated I believe hazur.  It is a respectful term that means more than just yes.  It means, yes, I am here and I am ready to receive your instructions.  This word in Hebrew is Hineni. It is the word that is used by Abraham, Moses, Samuel and Isaiah when they responded to God calling them by name.  "Abraham!" God calls.  "Here I am" he replies (Genesis 22). 

So what is so significant here about God saying hazur, or Here I am, in Isaiah 58?  The God of the universe, the Creator of all things, says to us, his followers "Here I am."  The same response that was given by Isaiah to God's call, He now gives to us. Incredible! His Presence, His readiness to respond, His availability is ours to access.  Wow!  I don't know if that excites you, but I find it stunning and a bit incomprehensible actually.  Not only is He saying He is with us, that he is present, but He is saying "I am here, ready to do what you tell me you want done."

How is this kind of "God Presence" available?  When is it possible?

The verses prior tell us clearly.  God is ready to act, ready to move, fully present and available, when he sees us doing the following:
-freeing those who are wrongly imprisoned (hear that lawyers?)
-setting the oppressed free (deliverance)
-lightening the burdens of those who work for us (fair and good employers)
-sharing our food with the hungry (generosity to the poor)
-giving shelter to the homeless (hospitality)
-giving clothes to those who need them (sharing our possessions)
-when we don't hide from our relatives who need our help (ouch! staying willing to engage in other's issues and problems)
(Isaiah 58:6,7)

I long for more of His manifest Presence in my life, in the meetings I lead or attend, in my every day activities.  I know that apart from Him I can do nothing. Here God tells us where he likes to show up, and where he likes to make himself available.  Its where he sees these things are happening. 

How much of my energy am I devoting to these kinds of activities? Whose burden have I lifted?  When was I kind to a service person making their load a little easier? How am I doing at hospitality and generosity, even when I don't feel like it? Or when I've already given a lot?

A Prayer:  Jesus, we long for more of you.  We want to sit at your feet, hear your voice and encounter you.  We want to experience your Presence in increasing ways.  We know that the only way we can ever be fruitful in your kingdom work is as we partner with you in what you are doing.  Use us Lord.  Open our eyes to the ways, small and large, that we can love the poor and imprisoned and oppressed around us.  We know that as we do this, you will come and offer yourself to us, so that when we call, you will answer "Here I am."  Together, we will bring your Kingdom to earth in all its glory. Amen.

Evaluating our Trainings- what is a success?

If you are like me you have both run and participated in hundreds of training schools, seminars, formal and informal trainings, conferences, etc.  How do we measure whether or not the training (school, seminar, conference, etc.) was successful?

It is very, very important to evaluate our trainings if we want to grow in effectiveness and fruitfulness.

Most training, if evaluated, is evaluated immediately after the training is completed.  Very, very rarely do we evaluate trainings several months or even years afterwards.  I'd like to suggest that we MUST begin to do this if we want to be good stewards of the time, talent and treasure we invest in various trainings.

Often I hear people talk about a school, conference or seminar in this way- "It was good.  I liked it.  The speaker didn't cancel.  The food was good.  No one got sick.  The Holy Spirit really touched us.  There were some good worship times.  We didn't have to kick anyone out this school." On it goes.  Is this really our criterion for how we measure our training effectiveness?

Instead, we must look at (measure) things like;  increased fruitfulness, increased skill capacity, changes in thinking/beliefs that results in sustained changed behavior. Another key component of a successful training is whether or not those we trained were able to pass on the training to others or not. Lets ask ourselves: Did those we trained go on to train others in the same things? If yes, what percentage of our students became trainers?

It is important that we not only evaluate our trainings immediately afterwards, but that we also evaluate at the 3 month, 6 month and even 1 year mark as well.  This will teach us the most about how effective we have been and what we might need to change to become more effective. Many trainings themselves are excellent but lack adequate follow up coaching or resourcing of the students.

If we want to see supernatural increase, we must be good stewards.  Wise and faithful stewards evaluate and then adjust, making changes so they can maximize fruitfulness out of what they put in.

How many thousands (even millions) of dollars, ruppes, or other currencies, have we invested in various trainings without adequately evaluating them? 

Jesus didn't call us just to teach, but he asked us to make disciples.  That means training, not just teaching people or running programs.  Lets put our best effort forward, working together with the Holy Spirit and listening to His guidance, evaluating and adjusting, so we will maximize the benefits of what we do in His Kingdom.