Get Ready for The Charismatic Reformation

The Church has been part of my life for the majority of my life.

As far back as I can remember, it began with going to a little country Presbyterian Church with my Mum or Gran until I went to High School.

My teenage rebel and wannabe rockstar years took me away, but only for a 6-7 year window.

Since 1991 I have been, attending, serving in and even for a long time, pastoring local Churches.

I guess that gives me some experience?

One of my most popular blogs I have ever written is an analogy about attending a wedding and comparing that with our attitudes towards the Church.

I still believe in it, warts and all.

And I am honestly a little nervous making comment about something Christ died for and that He appears to use to bring his individual people together, that He says He is coming back for.

And yet something else is also undeniable for me…

That sometimes as humans leading and being part of something divine/eternal, that mistakes can be made. To refuse to notice is naivety at best. Ignorance is not reality. That’s my opinion.

That next level to this to share is that most of my Church experience related to what people label the Pentecostal Church. When I was a kid they were referred to as “happy hand clappers”, to reference their worship expression being different from my more conservative and restrained expression growing up.

After giving my life to Christ in August 1991, the first Church I attended was this flavour.

While I wanted to be there, it was an initial shock and I wondered even if I had walked into a cult?

I changed my mind on that and got progressively more connected to the point I was serving as best I could in that faith family.

As of today I am nearly 6 years removed from leading a Pentecostal Church.

That has been a painful season and also cathartic.

It has given me time to have another perspective. 

To reflect on what it was like.

On what I think was good practice.

What I consider maybe not so good.

In all that I have never stopped seeking God, studying His Word, looking at the state of the world and how the Church operates within.

Which leads us to today…

And when I say today, I am talking about this time in history.

My current conviction is that we should be getting ready for The Charismatic Reformation.

Not because charismatic or pentecostal Church is evil, but because as humans we have made mistakes.

My belief is the Bride, the Church is always important to God!

It appears He gives us some wiggle room to make mistakes, but as we can see studying history, He never leaves it that way. When The Church is getting things wrong, a time appears on His calendar when God flicks the switch and change occurs. 

Think about what we regularly refer to as The Reformation.

Reflect on that moment when a famous Thesis was nailed to a Church Door.

Even reflect on the day of Pentecost.

God does something dramatic to arrest a trajectory, because you and His Church are important.

Don’t be shocked at what you may have noticed occurring around the western charismatic Church.

Honestly this has been brewing for years and I for one, while not liking the pain it has brought, am super grateful that the error is being exposed.

Some ministries that are being exposed have had questions around them, sometimes for decades.

Others I had contact with as a young leader and knew something wasn’t right, but had no avenue or authority to address it, are also having light shone on them.

That is why I believe we are entering The Charismatic Reformation.

I still believe in the full counsel of the Scripture.

I still believe in the gift of the Holy Spirit and “gifts” that come as part of that promise being fulfilled.

And I believe accountability and correction for where the humanness has encroached too far is being divinely addressed.

I believe we ultimately follow Christ, not man.

The tension is that Godly leaders as supposed to be in front of us, pointing us that way.

“I follow Paul and I follow Apollos” sentiment (1 Corinthians 3:4) has always arisen in the Church and it takes intention to weed that wrong thinking out.

I believe the Charismatic Industrial Complex is about to fall or at least shift.

Where fakery is exposed and true Holy Spirit ministry is promoted.

Where Kingdom Culture is not a means to financial gain for some, but blessing for all.

Where narcissistic weirdos are exposed for who they are and God’s people can experience freedom in Christ again.

Where the integrity of The Church is brought further back to where it should be.

Where the Church and not a brand or a “movement” takes precedence.

Where “Grass is Greener” promotion to draw a crowd from one Church to another is finally exposed and please excuse my crude analogy, has the green grass mowed.

Where kingdom building (man made ego projects) is replaced by the Kingdom advancing.

Can I encourage you not to be despondent?

God is still in control and He disciplines those He loves, that is you and His Church.

Pray. Watch. Don ’t over react to the news around you.

If you are being defensive, ask Him why?

Seek Him. 

Keep your heart open and soft along with a steadfast foundation in His Word.

It is still His Church, His Bride…

And He wants it back.

Something to think about…

5 Letter Greeks Words...That Could Change Your Life

I remember sitting in a lounge on a Sunday afternoon waiting on a special friend to get ready to go out. 

As strange as it might seem to some, I used to carry around a mini translation of the New Testament (back in the days before your phone could carry every Bible translation available).

As I occupied myself with a quick look through some passages, I came across something I can only describe as leaping out at me. Flying into my face and causing me to stop and think deeply.

It sounds dramatic doesn’t its it?

Like the words literally flying up in the air from the text in front of me.

It is quite common as I have seen, to refer to passages of scripture that garner your attention more than others and seem to generate a special connection in that moment.

These words in that moment felt somehow different, more impactful to me in that to the others before them or after them.

I didn’t at the time have an explanation for why this mattered or how it works beyond the strange idea that some words have wings. Words that can fly up from a page.

Later I came to learn that two different greek words are used in the New Testament when talking about the Bible.

Rhema & Logos.

The Bible says that all scripture is God breathed and useful for teaching, correcting.

The Logos Word of God, the whole counsel of scripture, is there for that express purpose.

Rhema is where the Logos becomes even more personal in a moment of reading it. It is where God speaks directly from the passage to your very soul. 

Sometimes it is like my experience that day, to encourage me in the way I needed in the moment.

Sometimes it is to correct.

This concept of Rhema seems to particularly freak out those who believe context only is king. Where they think that unless you read all of scripture in context alone, that you will get it wrong.

I believe context can be key, but it is not king.

The context as king philosophy robs you of something truly special, the ability for God to speak encouragement and even direction from his Divine Word.

Where God can give you personal encouragement, correction or direction.

It has been said that if you can study the Bible as the Logos, then God can then use that too speak the Rhema to you. And with a Logos foundation you can navigate the Rhema with a higher level of safety and security.

Can I encourage you have a healthy regular habit of reading the Bible (Logos) along with an equally healthy expectation that God might speak directly to you (Rhema)?

Those two little five letter greek words could indeed change your life.

Something to think about…

Behind the Curtain

In theory, what you would see behind a ministry curtain, should not be dramatically different from the platform. But is that the reality?

I have met and worked with probably hundreds of different ministries from New Zealand and around the world. And I can honestly say to the best of my knowledge, that the majority are who you would hope they would be. Similar on stage to behind the curtain.

But, and a big BUT, some are not who you think they are and who I hoped they were.

These comments are not to just expose for clicks and likes.

My agenda here is super simple. I want the Church to grow up.

And sometimes the growing process requires honest review and reflection.

In one of Church roles I had  I was asked to rescue a long planned conference. The leader who was supposed to be managing it became too ill to continue.

Within only a matter of a few months I somehow managed to arrange everything.

Still not sure how. 

Maybe my naivety helped me not realise the scope and complexity.

The conference happened. 

Hundreds attended and went away happy as far as I know.

The upshot was in every conceivable way, what the speakers showed from the platform, didn’t remotely match the behind the curtain experience.

We discovered after the conference when the hotel bill arrived, that it appeared that they hosted parties in their accommodation and spent thousands and thousands on every item available from room-service including bottles of wines and cocktails.

These same people refused to talk to attendee’s after their presentations and went off back to party. 

In fact each speaker didn’t want to engage with us at all.

It was a cold function only filled experience that I have never forgotten or spoken about in a public forum.

These people and ministries are considered to be well respected (well at least used to be) around the world and my statements would shock their supporters.

As a little guy in the Christian world, I have never felt comfortable talking about it. I didn’t want to talk about what I wrestled with knowing it could be seen as slanderous by them and those who blindly support their ministry.

Trust me, this is the short version of the story.

I am not perfect at all!

But what I strive to do is be me and person God has designed me to be. My hope is the person I am in front and behind the scenes matches.

We throw around the word transparency a lot these days.

Hypocrisy is always seen as a negative trait, no matter the circumstance.

Let's be people who behind the curtain match our presentation persona.

I think that should be every Christians personal goal.

Something to think about…

Otto - who is he and why does it matter?

Otto is the main character of another movie that I find I have a visceral reaction to. 

And it is tricky explaining fully why without ruining the movie for those who have yet to experience it, the weight of the story, background and what it reveals.

It does deal with matters of self harm so I would caution you from watching if this is something you should avoid in this season.

What it does reminds me of again in the world we live is the following:

1. So many have a back story with an equal dose of deep abiding pain that many don't know.

Otto comes across as angry, cold and as someone who doesn't need anyone or anything.

The reality was who he became through what life threw at him was not how he began.

The movie/story reminds me that those who show similar traits to Otto may have good reason for being who they currently are. 

There may have been things happen to them that has damaged their soul. The weight of which they feel powerless to overcome and eventually give into their damaging narrative.

2. We are not our best on our own reconciling lifes pain and disappointments, and yet that is the default direction of many of us.

Withdrawal seems to be the natural mode when the pain of life just pushes us too far.

I have felt its pull to be honest and sometimes it is hard not to succumb.

And when it is "others" who have contributed to your hurt, the natural thing our heart does is seek to avoid "others" going forward. The logic being you can't take anymore so protect yourself from the possibility of more pain.

Which leads to my last quick point...

3. Something beautiful and unexpected can come where we least expect it.

Otto has people around him just like many of us do.

Circumstances he didn't want created a watershed moment in the sad trajectory of his life through the "unwanted" relationships that came his way.

The impact of those "others" that appeared in his mind from nowhere, changed everything for him. 

Maybe the "others" around you right now are strategically there for right now?

A Man Called Otto.

Great movie.

Certainly impacted my heart.

Something to think about...

Hamburger Helper Prophetic

Honestly I was shocked by what someone said about the prophetic!

They used the phrase "Hamburger Helper" to explain their ideas around this ministry to other believers.

In New Zealand we don't have this but mu understanding it is a flavoured powder to help your dinner taste better. The irony for me is that it shown with macaroni so not sure where burger comes into it?

Essentially they were saying that it is ok to have lots of rubbish prophecy as long as some good stuff is in there are as well.

Their rationale seemed to use the distinction Jesus made about Wheat and Weeds as some sort of biblical justification. That they don't want to correct what was wrong so that the good ones remains. This is a bit out of context and naive at best.

Here is why I think it is problematic:

1. Either the prophetic is God speaking or it is not.

2. If the person receiving the prophetic word is not able to discern validity, all sort of catastrophic decisions can eventuate. I have so many stories!

3. The person ignorantly firing off incorrect prophetic messages gets confident in something that is wrong and this makes them more ignorant and potentially arrogant.

4. This leader has been found out to be a fake prophet and groomer of young women so their teaching should be ignored or taken with extreme caution.

It is past time for the prophetic ministry to mature in the Church.

We can do so much better.

Something to think about...