Every now and then, when I mention to people that we've planted a house church in our community, they will respond by saying something like: "That's good because I believe God's Judgement and persecution is coming soon and the Church needs to be ready to go underground if it's going to survive." (Or something close to that).
Personally, I've never resonated with that response. Mainly because my reasons for starting a house church have nothing to do with fear of persecution or judgment. Actually, we started our house church because God called us to plant a church where all of the offering could go to help the poor in our community. So, I don't participate in house church out of fear, but out of love.
Over the weekend, I had a very interesting conversation over lunch with author Ross Rhode, and a few others who were attending the Momentum conference with me. Ross had been sharing with those at our table about how God's Spirit has fallen throughout history - and most recently in America - in the form of several revivals. Someone asked why they never seem to last very long, and he suggested that it was usually because men tried to control the strange manifestations that often accompanied an outpouring of the Spirit (such as tongues or shaking or laughing). The other cause? When people made it attractional. In other words, when the revival experience could only be appropriated by visiting a certain place and hearing a certain man preach, the revival eventually burned itself out.
That got me to thinking. Actually, what happened was that I saw a picture in my mind of a massive field of dirt. It had been plowed into rows, but nothing was growing there. Slowly, as Ross continued to talk about the ebb and flow of revival, I began to see a series of irrigation ditches being carved out around the field. Ross said, "If the Spirit of God ever does fall again, the house church movement is the perfect vehicle to keep it going." I nodded in agreement. "Yes, because in a house church whenever we get too many people at once we are quick to send them out to start another church. We don't want to get bigger, so we'll always keep sending them out as they get saved to keep spreading the revival."
I believe the house church movement in America is a genuine move of the Holy Spirit. Over the last five years I have spoken to countless people who have felt God's calling to step out of the Church, or down from the pulpit, to start a house church in their community. One by one, story after story, I've listened to people tell me how God compelled them - even as others warned them not to, or mocked them for leaving - they knew that to obey God they had to lay it all down and plant churches in their homes, and neighborhoods.
What if? What if God is inspiring so many people to leave the traditional model of institutional church so that He can build a nationwide network of house churches that will quickly spawn more house churches as the fire of revival spreads across this nation?
As I shared this with Ross and the people at our table, I mentioned that it was like what I was seeing in my mind's eye. That God was creating this network of house churches to operate like irrigation canals that would rapidly disperse the Spirit of God as it fell on this nation - allowing the empty, desolate field to burst into life as the rivers of living water began to fall from the sky and flood the earth with the presence of God.
Ross began to pray spontaneously. As he prayed, all of us around the table joined in. In my heart, as I prayed, I could see the sky growing dark. I heard the crack of thunder in the sky. I heard the steady patter of heavy rainfall drenching the dry and thirsty ground. The canals around the large field began to fill with sweet, living water. The field grew dark with moisture. New life began to spring up as the seeds that had been planted years before were nourished by this living water. Suddenly the field was overtaken by large, green, fruitful plants.
My eyes were filled with tears when we all finally stopped praying.
"Why can't it happen here?" someone asked. "Why can't we pray and ask God to rain down His Spirit on us again?"
I believe He wants to. I believe that what is coming is not a sword of judgment, but a flood of His Holy Spirit upon a barren land.
Rather than sit back and pray that God would hurry up and return so we can get out of this place, our prayers should be for God to revive this nation. Our prayers should be like those that Paul the Apostle uttered when he yearned for all Israel to be saved and his own soul cursed to hell out of desperate love for his people.
What do we want more? For Jesus to return and bring swift judgment upon this heathen nation? Or do we cry out for Jesus to show mercy and to reveal His love to all men, women and children on this earth?
Pray for God to heal this land. Pray for His Spirit to fall. Pray for the Gospel to go forth and for lives to be transformed by His Word.
This is our calling. This is our destiny. Pray for revival to come. Pray for souls to come to the saving knowledge of Christ. And then, work hard while it is still light enough to proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom to all who have yet to hear it.
"Repent! The Kingdom of God is upon you."
Let it rain.
-kg
In agreement with what you say, my brother! Love should be our motivation...
ReplyDeleteRevival & movements (often attributed to the Holy Spirit) have a steady history of not lasting long. Curiously, none of the New Testament heroes engaged or pined for them. There is a house church movement, and then there a ekklesia that meet in houses.
ReplyDeleteA movement reminds me of a woman who is heard to let out a loud belch, attracting curious attention in a moment or two. While the ekklesia (where underground or no) endures unrelenting to this day and forward. No institutional form can honestly make such a claim.
The cry of heaven & earth, "Come quickly, Lord". There's no injustice in such an appeal. We need remember that each year more children are born who will come to miss or reject the Christ. The call for His soon return is also a call for the end of sin & destruction on the earth.
God's heart is for mercy, not for judgment. He takes no pleasure in judgment. He rejoices when even one little one is saved.
ReplyDeleteLike Paul, our cry should be to see as many turn to Christ as possible, not to call down fire from heaven to destroy the wicked sinners.
The difference makes a difference. Our hearts are what reflect our attitude.
Yes, the Spirit and the Bride say "Come" but not because we can't wait for God to judge the sinners.
Let His Holy Spirit pour down on us. Amen!!
ReplyDeleteI think that Keith has correctly identified the truth that the motivation and intent of our hearts are an important component here.
ReplyDeleteGod is merciful and His desire always is to extend that mercy to us. However, He is also JUST, and He must carry out His justice or He ceases to be who He is. In His mercy, He delays judgment, but it must ultimately be satisfied. The blood of the babies we’ve aborted, the cry of the poor we’ve ignored, those persecuted and suffering that we’ve neglected…it all reaches heaven. The fact that, as a nation, we ignore these things and even fight for rights to perpetuate much of them, must be judged by a holy God. I’ve heard it said that if God doesn’t judge America for her sins that He will have to apologize to Sodom and Gomorrah. He is a holy God. Why do we, as Americans, think that we deserve special treatment? Are we better than any other nation? To think so is PRIDE and yet another reason for God to crush us… But WAIT; There is PURPOSE in the crushing!
So how does this relate to house churches and revival? I believe that judgment is inevitable. The stench of our sin is inescapable. God is holy. I believe (and pray to God) that the judgment will bring about repentance…which will lead to revival. I believe that is the purpose of the crushing. The ultimate goal is that we would see the error of our ways and turn to God. That seems to be the Biblical pattern. This is His mercy. The house churches will be there to receive those that recognize and repent of their sins and turn to God, I believe.
What of the motive of hearts? The cry of our hearts should always be for mercy for at least two reasons. The first is that our hearts should be filled with love for our fellow man. The deep cry of our hearts should be that God would stay His judgment that they might be saved. The second is that we should pray for mercy lest OUR sins be judged. God is HOLY.
So, in my opinion, yes…both. We should seek God for mercy but recognize that His justice must be satisfied. He is a holy God. If He were anything less, He would not be God. He’s HOLY.
Why is it that for anyone to suggest the possibility of persecution coming to America, you automatically equate that with fear?
ReplyDeleteAre we not supposed to take all of Christ's words (and the rest of scripture) both seriously and literally? Why is it that you expect followers of Christ to take Him at face value when it comes to His teachings on loving our neighbor, caring for the poor and needy, and dying to ourselves, but yet seem to turn around and dismiss those Christians who would take Him just as literally when He talks about things like facing persecution, His second coming and a final judgement of the entire earth, or even the world-wide kingdom of Anti-Christ that will reign for a short while?
Is it "fear" to simply take Jesus at His word, even if it might make us uncomfortable, or unpopular with the World...?
Not everyone who anticipates a coming era of unprecedented persecution is motivated by fear, nor is everyone who looks forward to His return motivated by some self-righteous desire to see Him come back and fry all the "heathens"...
For whatever reason, much of your current perspective seems like a reaction to some pretty sad and narrow stereotypes. (stereotypes which undoubtedly can be traced back to people who really are motivated by fear or self-righteousness, but stereotypes nonetheless)
I hope that at some point you might come to see that there is actually a very diverse spectrum of people who hold convictions about eschatology, prophecy, and the current state of spiritual/religious/political affairs.
Uh...I'm not equating coming persecution with "fear" my friend.
ReplyDeleteI do say in the beginning of my article: "my reasons for starting a house church have nothing to do with fear of persecution or judgment"....but that doesn't meant that I equate "fear" with the coming (?) persecution.
You ask, how I can "to turn around and dismiss those Christians who would take Him just as literally when He talks about things like facing persecution, His second coming and a final judgement of the entire earth, or even the world-wide kingdom of Anti-Christ that will reign for a short while?"
Where do ever "dismiss" anyone for these things? I think you have an agenda and you're hearing what I'm not saying, and therefore totally missing what I AM saying.
So, just to be clear...YES, I do believe that Jesus is returning in the flesh to judge the Earth. I do not fear this return because I know that He's coming for me, one of His beloved.
Where you and I disagree "Anonymous" is when it comes to the details of His return, the coming persecution, etc.
And that's ok. I don't expect you and I to agree on these details. But, in the same vein, don't assume that I, or everyone else who follows Christ, agrees with your views on these same issues.
You ask me, "Is it "fear" to simply take Jesus at His word, even if it might make us uncomfortable, or unpopular with the World...?"
Of course not. No one who reads my blog would ever accuse me of that.
You say, "Not everyone who anticipates a coming era of unprecedented persecution is motivated by fear, nor is everyone who looks forward to His return motivated by some self-righteous desire to see Him come back and fry all the "heathens"'
And you might notice that I don't say that "everyone" who believes these things is motivated by fear. But if they are then they are misguided, and you and I can agree on that. Right?
What we need to realize is that the Church IS under intense persecution as Jesus promised RIGHT NOW. In fact, the sword HAS NEVER LEFT THE BRIDE OF CHRIST since Jesus own crucifixion unto this very hour. Christians around the World are being beaten, tortured, etc. for their faith like never before. The line of persecution against the Body of Christ is unending.
So, you can understand how someone could hear what you're saying about "coming persecution" and shake their head in wonder, can't you? Because persecution doesn't begin when America starts to feel it. It's never stopped. Ever.
You say, "For whatever reason, much of your current perspective seems like a reaction to some pretty sad and narrow stereotypes..."
I would emphasize the word "seems" here.
You end with, "I hope that at some point you might come to see that there is actually a very diverse spectrum of people who hold convictions about eschatology, prophecy, and the current state of spiritual/religious/political affairs."
And I would ask the same of you, my anonymous friend.
If I write about a segment of people who hold a particular view or opinion it does not automatically mean that I assume that EVERYONE thinks in such a way. I am only addressing those who think in that particular way.
Also, please do not take my comments about those particular people to be about you. I don't know you. You're "anonymous" for goodness sake. :)
Okay then. I guess I'm just twisting your words around and making something out of nothing...
ReplyDeleteJust do me a small favor will you?
The next time one of these people comes up to you and says something like "That's good because I believe God's Judgement and persecution is coming soon and the Church needs to be ready to go underground if it's going to survive", you just smile, look them in the eye, and say "Personally, I've never resonated with your response. Mainly because my reasons for starting a house church have nothing to do with fear of persecution or judgment. Actually, we started our house church because God called us to plant a church where all of the offering could go to help the poor in our community. So, I don't participate in house church out of fear, but out of love...."
I would be most interested to know if that person might feel a tad "dismissed", or even feel like maybe you were inferring something about themselves by your statements..? :-)
(and btw, I don't see why it would be a problem to leave comments here anonymously, since the people you have chosen to broadly characterize as wanting to "participate our of fear" have been left equally anonymous. And yes, I DO take your comments about "those particular people" to also be about myself, since I actually do whole-heartedly "resonate" with the quote in question...)
Honestly, I've said exactly that to people before. As far as I know they've understood my position without feeling threatened or insulted.
ReplyDeleteI hope you can feel the same. If not, I apologize.