We have had some Zoom calls with an apostolic network and many honorable ministry gifts. They are interested in our (The Holy Ghost Forum) HG Forums. It’s very exciting what is happening in the body of Christ across our nation. I am seeing it everywhere.
I see the Lord adorning Ephesians 4:11 ministry gifts with a greater glory. I see them running through this nation and the earth together. I see them fulfilling different roles and functions in their various God-given assignments. They are men and women of spiritual understanding who know how to work as a team and prefer and defer to one another according to grace and calling. Their sole purpose is to advance the kingdom and not to have the preeminence.
THE ONE MAN SHOW IS OVER
Even in local churches this will be so. Carolyn and I ministered in Ohio recently in a local church governed by six elders with equal authority. There was no senior leader or pastor or head bishop. No, it wasn’t a Presbyterian church. No, it wasn’t a cult. No, it wasn’t an offshoot of the false shepherding movement. They’ve been governing the church this way for decades. I quickly became a student. I came back for more.
I returned three months later and spent three glorious days with them just discussing the scriptures. It was heaven for me. This is what we are doing on our Zoom calls. PM me if you are interested in joining this growing network. Actually, better yet, contact Christina Gonzales-Hugie. She is one of our spiritual daughters and has set up a network website of like-minded kingdom leaders, churches, and ministries from across America, and the world.
Better yet, Sign up Here!
MEETING WITH THE ELDERS
What I loved the most about these elders was their sincere humility and their flexibility to not try and make this the pattern government for every church. There was no dogmatism or pride, but only love and honor. It’s working for them, and I commend them. Our home church has a similar form of church government but there is a benevolent senior leader. It works just the same. Let’s not be so dogmatic.
My main point is that I am seeing a new kingdom culture spreading across our nation. We see it all throughout the New Testament and in the early Church in the book of Acts. The concept of team is seen everywhere.
TEAMS AND STREAMS: WHAT I LEARNED IN OHIO
A powerful team requires a strong culture of love, honor, respect, commitment, and humility. When you follow the example of Jesus Christ, lead by example and establish this culture, you will continually be able to draw in and develop individuals who have an attitude of love, honor, respect, commitment and humility— true Covenant People.
For the team to ‘gel’ and mature, each team member must respect the other and everyone must value what each contributes to the team. The team members must also learn to trust each other. Trust and humility make it possible for individuals on the team to rely on one another, and become vulnerable enough to sharpen one another.
This environment enables one team member to say to another, “You go ahead and do this task because you are more graced for it than I am,” without any shame or manipulation. This culture allows the people on the team to work as a single unit, accomplishing the things that individually, they could have never accomplished on their own.
WHAT THE LORD SAID TO ME IN OHIO
He told my wife and I that this church was the kind of church His early apostles would’ve frequented. That word stunned us and quickly got our attention. What a commendation! There was a great sense of peace and godly order there.
Once again, I am not saying this is the only way to run and govern a church, but it has been working for them for decades, and we can glean much from the example of its longevity and fruit.
The other thing the Lord spoke to me was this:
“Tell My people that heaven’s nets are being drawn for the final harvest. One net is not enough. Churches who will not change their structure will not be able to contain the harvest that is coming.”
Then He took me to my King James Bible and gave me this verse:
“When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your NETS for a catch.” But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the NET.”
“And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their NET was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.” (Luke 5:4-7)
ONE NET IS NOT ENOUGH TO CONTAIN THE COMING HARVEST
My long time dream is to see churches in every city work as one in reaping and gathering the great harvest before us. Let me tell you that as the world gets darker and people have nowhere to turn, the Church must be prepared to minister to multitudes. We are going to have to be prayerfully strategic and be open to new wineskins that can contain the new wine.
*** FIRE…GLORY…UNITY = GREAT HARVEST!
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