A New Season in the Church

I have just encountered a fascinating experience.  I was discussing with Father the question of whether He wants me to add to the Blog tonight.  He said He does.  So I asked, what would you like me to write?  He instructed me to go to the files in my computer.  When I got there He instructed me to open one that shows it was written in early 2008.  The file I opened is a document that I have only vague memories of having read before.  While I know that I could have typed what is in the file, I have no memory whatsoever that I did.  I simply do not know who wrote the document.  If someone knows who wrote it, please, let me know and I will gladly give attribution.  But, as I read the document it is clear to me that the concepts in it originated with the Holy Spirit.  It is clear to me that Father wants me to share this document here on the Blog. As you read, I encourage you to contemplate how the things shared are affecting you and your friends in the Body of Christ.  Here is the document.   sbm

A New Season in the Church

A new season is upon us. Since 1990 the leaders have been saying that a change in the season of God was coming and that we were in a period of transition. In 1990, the season was still the Charismatic Season. The emphasis of that season was on the gifts of the spirit. The most asked question of that season was “what is your gift?”

With the approaching of the year 2000 or Y2K, as it was famously called, a near panic ensued. The predictions of a global catastrophe caused by computer glitches, exposed the weakness and immaturity of the Church. These facts were dramatically highlighted by the reactions of the church community following the events of September 11, 2001. In the United States, a Christian influenced government retreated to the supposed safety of strict laws and wars on two fronts. And the Church continued to speak about change while yet pursuing a continuing agenda of numerical growth, financial prosperity, and political influence.

During that time, there were some, mainly cosmetic, changes. Post-modernism made its appearance, primarily in the form of the “emergent church” movement. This movement attempted to remedy what it considers the exclusionary and socially reprehensible practices of the modern institutional religious system. Other cosmetic changes were assertions of purpose, defined by the requirements of the local institution; or user-friendly, market sensitive churches. As an example, the 100th anniversary of the Pentecostal movement that began at Azusa Street in Los Angeles, came and went, confirming the ministries of motivational speakers as its current manifestation.

Meanwhile, on the world stage, change has been the order of the day. The Soviet Union collapsed, releasing many nations to find their destinies. National policies of Apartheid ended in South Africa. Dictators died or were overthrown. Japan collapsed as an economic power, and both India and China rose in economic prominence. Nations were suddenly adrift and struggling to find their way.

In this environment of global change, a new season in God was ushered in. God has stirred the hearts of leaders in the Body of Christ to move away from the current preoccupations of the institutional systems, to the more serious consideration of representing the nature and character of God himself. This is a shift from the narcissism of management to the maturity of responsible sons of God.

The restoration of community, based in divinely ordained relationships, as opposed to membership in an institution, is the new reality. These relationships have replaced membership.

Discipleship is no longer for the purpose of consolidating church membership. In this new season, those in leadership serve for the benefit of those under their care. The goal of discipleship is to release the disciple into his or her divine purpose and to assist him or her to find and follow a God ordained unique destiny. Loving older brothers are replacing titular pastors, and spiritual children are being released to come to maturity.

Recognition is dawning that our purpose for being on the earth is not to work to leave the earth a better place than when we entered it, but to be conformed to the very image of Christ in our time here. Seeing all things through spiritual lenses is replacing a rationalistic view of reality.  A life of hearing and trusting God is replacing an intellect based decision making process.  Divine wisdom is replacing secularism. The realities of heaven and earth meet in the Body of Christ, and define earthly existence as being to show the glory of Christ in the way the community of the Body of Christ governs itself and demonstrates the compassionate love of the Father.

God’s character, not merely choice of style, has become the substance of the current season. The Holy Spirit has moved our focus from the administration of gifts of ministry to our seeing ourselves as sent sons of God empowered to come to maturity.  The evidence of the changed season is that there is a new level of enablement by the Holy Spirit to match the hunger in the hearts of believers, many of whom are not content with being spectators, but want to engage the reality of being an expression of the character and reality of God himself. They want to walk as mature sons of God, sons who do only what Father is doing and say only what Father is saying.

God himself has prepared this answer for the times that have come upon the Earth. In this season of global uncertainty and growing distress among nations, the sons of God will govern themselves so righteously that the nations of mankind will seek the wisdom and counsel of the Body of Christ. 

 We are being privileged in this generation to experience new depths to the revelation written by the Apostle Peter nearly 2000 years ago: 

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. {1 Peter 2:9-10 NASB}