The first Christian leader who read this book changed what they had been doing in starting new churches. Following the Biblical model in Church Revolution Today, in 5 years they started over 6,000 house churches and saw over 60,000 new baptized believers. This book is indeed revolutionary.
The author, Jim McCotter, has personally started countless house churches and a worldwide movement of churches. He has trained thousands of believers in how to win others to Christ and how to work together to grow and multiply churches in cities throughout the world. Some that Jim has trained internationally and that have read this book are now starting, on average, more than one new house church a week. Jim has proclaimed the Gospel in person to tens of thousands in cities and universities all over the world. And through newspapers, radio networks and television stations, which Jim and his team have owned and operated, he has communicated to literally millions of people nationally and internationally advancing the Kingdom of God. Now Jim and his team are developing new media, interactive multimedia, to reach every nation in the world.
Think about it… without any modern-day transportation, communication, or technology the New Testament churches were literally fulfilling the Great Commission in their day. It was even the heathen that were saying, they are “turning the world upside down for Christ!” Yet today, Christians have not even turned one city upside down for Christ, much less the world! Something is wrong! The church and church leadership must dramatically change. We must humble ourselves and acknowledge that the churches, spiritual leaders and we are missing the mark. It is we that must be revolutionized. We need a spiritual revolution.
Charles Otieno Owino of the Kenya House Church Movement brought Jim McCotter to my attention and I am glad he did. Make sure you read it and bring it to the attention of all those who want to be obedient to God’s call to preach the Gospel, particularly to pastors in traditional denominational churches.
On the 9th of Av the following historic catastrophes occurred:
Ten Jewish spies returned from the Promised Land with a bad report (leading the people to lose heart and be consigned to wander in the wilderness for 40 years).
The First and the Second temples were destroyed.
The Battle of Betar was lost (the Jewish rebellion under Simon bar Kochba was crushed and the remaining rebels were annihilated).
The Romans plowed the Temple Mount — in fulfillment of the prophecy of Micah 3:11-12.
Jews were expelled from England (in 1290 AD).
Jews were expelled from Spain (in 1492 — the same year Columbus “sailed the ocean blue”).
Both World Wars in the 20th Century began — unleashing horrific tragedy upon the Jewish people.
The Final Jewish Solution was signed by Hitler.
The 9th of Av will fall on August 5th this year. Jewish people will spend the day reflecting and mourning. The Christian sacrament of Communion offers us a regular opportunity to reflect and mourn — but our mourning is surmounted by the joy we have in knowing that Jesus lives.
Death could not hold Him. The tomb could not keep Him. Satan could not lock Him away.
When Jesus stood in the synagogue in Nazareth, He read verse 1 of Isaiah 61. He also spoke “to proclaim the favourable year of our Lord from verse 2 as this is applicable to both His first and Second coming.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent ME to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the LORD…” Isaiah 61:1,2
Jesus stopped reading at that point, sat down, and said to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:16-21).
Isaiah 61:1 prophesied Jesus’First Coming
The rest of Isaiah 61 prophesies Jesus’ Second Coming which is now not too far in the future.
“To proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; to grant to those who mourn in Zion – to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified. They shall build up the ancient ruins;they shall raise up the former devastations; they shall repair the ruined cities, the devastations of many generations. Strangers shall stand and tend your flocks; foreigners shall be your plowmen and vinedressers; but you shall be called the priests of the Lord; they shall speak of you as the ministers of our God; you shall eat the wealth of the nations, and in their glory you shall boast. Instead of your shame there shall be a double portion; instead of dishonor they shall rejoice in their lot; therefore in their land they shall possess a double portion; they shall have everlasting joy. For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Their offspring shall be known among the nations, and their descendants in the midst of the peoples; all who see them shall acknowledge them, that they are an offspring the Lord has blessed. I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations.“and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn in Zion, giving them a garland instead of ashes; the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting. So they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61: 2-11
If you are close to a Jew on the 9th of Av, mourn with them on that day of sadness as a good friend should. And then take the opportunity to tell them about the Good News that their prophet Isaiah spoke of in Isaiah 61 “turns ashes into beauty, mourning into joy, and despair into praise“. That is the power of the Gospel.
Masa Mara County is next to Migori County where Pastor Charles is located. Both counties are on the border of Kenya and Tanzania. Narok Town where they ministered is shown on this map
Hi Ron. We are back home from the trip to Masaai Mara,in Narok county. The KHC trip to this region was successful with a positive outcome, thanks to our Lord.
MEETINGS:
Several indoor & outdoor meetings were held during our trip, all with a positive outcome.
We witnessed many souls coming to Christ, the sick healed, sinners repented and five people were baptized. Many bound with a spirit of religion were loosed and gave their testimonies.
The majority of those people living in the county considered themselves Roman Catholics. Most testified that they had never heard the Gospel message of repentance and surrender before. Hence they now had a new understanding of baptism and what it meant; dying to self and arising a new creation in Christ empowered by the Holy Spirit.
HOUSE MEETINGS
During house-to-house evangelism we met Mrs Paulina Anyango and we prayed for her 21-year-old daughter who had been sick and suffering from pain in her lower abdomen that had been diagnosed as a tumour. Immediately after the prayer, she testified the sharp pain in her lower abdomen had gone.
At a meeting in the home of Mr Kipkorir we ministered the gospel of salvation to his son, he repented and later was baptized in the river with four others.
In another meeting, we ministered salvation and repentance to a young boy who for many years had been involved in the act of thuggery, he repented of his sins and was baptized.
Many people including women, men and children surrendered their life to Jesus and acknowledged Him as their personal saviour. Many of these had professed previously to be Roman Catholics.
Gladly, God worked with us, and through us in a very special way. Many testimonies of salvation and healing were realized, and those released from demonic oppression gave powerful testimonies.
A NEW HOUSE CHURCH WAS ESTABLISHED:
It was encouraging to see many people surrender their life to Christ, and want to become part of the Kenya House Church Movement to make more disciples of Christ and be obedient to Jesus’ commands..
Mr Marwa Mwita, our host, was appointed leader of this newly founded house church. And now Mr Marwa his household, together with other believing members are now forming up this new house church group- Masaai Mara house church.
Pastor Saoke and Julius conducted water baptism for Mrs Tabitha Njoki. Roseline Kosgei (red and yellow striped dress),
Pastor Saoke & Julius conducting water Baptism. And the newly converted disciples are queuing to undergo baptism.
Pastor Charles with the children.
Pastor Julius teaches the children about the commandment of God with a promise- honour your Father & mother and you shall live long in the land.
Pastor Charles prays healing for a sick woman suffering from a tumour ( Mrs Rhoda- in a white & black dotted skirt- kneeling). For years she has had pain in her lower abdomen, after hearing the gospel message on salvation and healing found in Jesus Christ, she surrendered her life, and repented of her sins. she was prayed for and testified the pain instantly disappeared.
Pastor Charles standing with the believers of the newly founded Masaai Mara house church
KHC AUGUST MISSION TRIP
We are working on our preparation for KHC’s upcoming discipleship trip to MBITA MARKET PLACE on August 3rd – 7th.
Praying and trusting God to help provide for the trip. Many thanks for your support. Charles Otieno Owino.
I have been supporting the Kenya House Church Movement (KHC) for almost four years now. KHC serves the rural communities of Kenya and northern Tanzania. As my followers know, I have visited Kenya and spent three days with 21 KHC leaders during a three-day training meeting. As can be seen from the above pictures the living conditions are minimal and the need for funds particularly to fund the monthly mission trips is significant. I would like to do more for KHC and if you would like to join me with a monthly donation of even $10.00 it would be a blessing. You can do it by clicking on the Donations icon on my Home Page or you can send funds directly to Pastor Charles as I do by Western Union to Pastor Charles Otieno Owino Isbana Rd, Migori Kenya. If you decide to send funds directly I would appreciate you letting me know at ron@bakb.com.au so that I know what is else needed.
“And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:9-11
Christian growth is built upon the foundation of God’s love. This love is the sacrificial love that God showed when He gave His Son. It is the same love Jesus showed when He went to the cross. It is the same love that God tells husbands to show to their wives. It is not sexual love, it is not emotional love. It is sacrificial and giving love. Christians can only grow by demonstrating love. These marks of maturity are ways that a Christian exhibits the love that God called us to share with others.
This is a prayer for maturity, and Paul begins with love. After all, if our Christian love is what it ought to be, everything else will follow. He prays that they might experience abounding love and discerning love. Christian love is not blind! The heart and mind work together so that we have discerning love and loving discernment. Paul wants his friends to grow in discernment, in being able to “distinguish the things that are important.”
Christian love must be rooted in wisdom from God’s Word if we are to love both God and man in greater ways.
Paul is praying for the Philippians to have spiritual eyes to see with spiritual insight into the lives of people around them regarding how they were to apply God’s love. Knowledge and discernment must be kept in balance. Both are equally important. Grow in too much knowledge without discerning the Holy Spirits leading and a Christian’s love becomes too hard, unteachable, and legalistic. When a Christian learns from both the head and the heart, the Word and the Spirit, then the Christian has balanced growth.
I pray that in these last days as persecution of Christians increases we may be able to show the love of God to those that the Holy Spirit leads us. Jesus told us that the harvest is ripe but the workers few. I pray that you and I will be among the workers called. It will be a difficult but rewarding task as we will know the Holy Spirit’s leading. We will know we are in the centre of His will for us and nothing else will matter.
DEMONS ARE COMING OUT! – SICK ARE HEALED! – AND I’VE NOW BAPTIZED THE FIRST ONE HERE IN JAIL! – UPDATE – SEVENTEENTH DAY IN BAKERS DETENTION CENTER BY TORBEN SONDERGAARD OF THE LAST REFORMATION – JULY 18TH –
What a life! It is like living the book of Acts with everything that is happening! Eighteen days ago, I got detained by the FBI and Homeland Security because they had heard falsely that I had been smuggling weapons from Mexico to America. After being put in handcuffs and full chains, I spent one day in Orange Jail, and then I was transported to Bakers Detention Center, spending ten life-transforming days in isolation. Read more about that in my last post, or see the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cz_9JxEaUHU
UPDATE FROM BAKERS JAIL TORBEN SONDERGAARD, FOUNDER OF THE LAST REFORMATION JULY 14, 2022 – “YOU WILL BE HERE FOR MANY MONTHS AND THEN GET DEPORTED OUT OF AMERICA” – FIRST MEETING IN JAIL BEAUTIFUL UNFORGETTABLE EVENING!!
I was then moved to an open bay, and the first day was very, very hard. But now I’m seeing why I am here. God has sent me here to help “Apollos” with what was missing in his life like we read here in the book of Acts 18:24-26, “Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”
Here we read how Aquila and Priscilla met Apollos who was preaching but with what was lacking in his faith. He only knew about the baptism of John, but they stepped in and helped, and he got baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit, and he grew a lot and became a very strong disciple of Christ.
I was sent HERE for “Apollos”, which I will call him here. “Apollos” repented here in jail, and has been having meetings in a cell with 4-6 people. He loves Jesus, and he’s been sharing what he knows, but there were many things lacking in his life. He had not yet gotten baptized into Christ or received the Holy Spirit, so I’ve been spending a lot of time with him these last days, teaching the way more clearly, and what was lacking.
Two days ago, he got baptized in water and the Holy Spirit, and it was a really special, unforgettable moment! He confessed all his sins to me, things he had never said to anyone before, but he knew God had sent me here to him (which he often says to me, “God sent you for me! God sent you for me!”) therefore he trusted me enough to confess everything, even though he had just met me.
When I baptized him, it was with a cup of water over his face, as we don’t have any other opportunity to do anything in here, and he has been here for years, and he don’t know when he will come out. The Holy Spirit came over him and he spoke in tongues for the first time. It was really a beautiful moment! I will never forget this. We were praising God together in our cell, with water all over the floor. It was a big cup of water and it was full. “Baptism” is normally with full immersion, but when we don’t have any other things to do like this, I’m sure God can use what we have.
The day before, I prayed for his sister over the phone. She had, for many months, a very loud ringing in her ears 24/7, and it was very hard for her. The Holy Spirit came over her powerfully there over the telephone when I prayed, and she got set free and healed over the phone. She was crying, and when he spoke with her afterwards he was also crying, so God is really moving in him and his family.
“Apollos” is just CHANGED, and it’s so beautiful! Yesterday we had a gathering in my cell, and there were nine people there. I was preaching the Gospel, and “Apollos” was translating, since many here don’t understand English. I shared about my life and what God has done in my life, and then I shared the Gospel very radically with no compromise, using chess pieces. We train people in our school how to share the Gospel using cups, and we call it “Cups and Cookies,” and we also have something called the Gospel Cards. See the link here: https://youtu.be/sNme1cRSODI
But now I’ve found another good way, using pieces in a chess game, and it’s actually really, really powerful! So, I was sharing the Gospel, and then I prayed for several people who got healed. “Apollos” was one of them! For many years, he’d had a problem with his back. I also prayed for the young man I’ve been working with. The other night, he had a demon come into him in the night time when he was laying in bed. He woke up and was suddenly paralyzed. He couldn’t move anything in his body. He could not say anything in the beginning and he felt a demonic presence all over the room. In the end, he was able to say, “Jesus,” and it slowly disappeared. Yes, there are MANY demons in here. I prayed for him, and the Holy Spirit came, and he fell down between the toilet and the wall, and there on the jail floor, from up above the toilet seat, I cast out a demon from him, and everyone was in shock, not having seen anything like this before.
We ended up praying and prophesying over several of the people who were there, and it was just a beautiful moment! It was like being out in the freedom doing the work of our Father. I totally forgot at the moment where I was. I was truly FREE, and I was just serving my Lord Jesus Christ, and it was beautiful, and I was truly THANKFUL for God sending me here and allowing me to experience this!
In the next days, we will sit down with them, one by one, and I already know there are more now who are getting ready to follow Christ. God sent me here for “Apollos” and the men here, and when I’m gone, “Apollos” can continue the work that has started here. I’ve spent many hours with him the last few days, disciplining him and teaching him the way, and he has grown a lot! He is ready. He was already ready. He just needed someone to disciple him!
Yes, there are MANY beautiful things I can testify to that God has been doing here the last days, in my life, and in other people’s lives, over the last days and weeks. But I also feel that the time has come to an end, that I have done what I needed to do here; I HOPE so. I know I could be wrong, but I truly hope that the time has come that I can come out of this place. My lawyer is right now working on a bond so I can come out soon, and I cannot tell you how much I’m praying and hoping that this would work, that God would open a door so I’m able to come out soon! I truly miss my wife incredibly much, and my girls, and my family and friends.
So much has happened, and I would, in many ways, not have been the same without all that has happened in the last eighteen days, even though it has been one of the hardest times in my life. But God has truly been working in my life. He has truly pruned me as a branch in Him so that I can bear even more fruit (John 15). He has taken me aside for me to slow down and spend many hours with Him and in His Word. All these things I will take with me when I leave this place. Yes, I am not the same as I was eighteen days ago, and I have no intention to let it go or to let any of what I’ve experienced here be wasted! I pray that the pruning which has happened in my life will bear much fruit, as He says in His Word!
Make me proud, and serve our Lord Jesus Christ with EVERYTHING He has given you! REMEMBER, this earth and everything in it will one day soon disappear, but those who do the will of the Father will receive the reward and live forever and ever!
Please pray for the people in here and for “Apollos”. Pray that the work will keep growing to more and more people. Pray for my lawyer, judges, and all of those who are working on the bond and asylum. Please pray that I will soon be free to see my family again. Please pray for churches out there that in so many ways is lacking this life Jesus has for them, and the true Gospel!
God bless you all!
Torben Sondergaard, Prisoner for our Lord and Savior, but FREE in Christ!
I recently posted on July 15th Noah’s Flood Fact or Fiction? If you have not viewed it, can I suggest you do, as it complements and reinforces this post. It is wonderful to see the amount of evidence being produced by Ph.D. scientists to support the young earth’s history presented in the Bible. In this video, we follow geologist Dr. Steve Austin and Del Tackett to Arizona where we can see the Grand Staircase, a thick stack of rock layers that are visible as sets of parallel cliffs above the Grand Canyon.
Steve then explains how the history of the world is best viewed through a Flood geology model as a five-step process: Sedimentation, Tectonics, Erosion, Volcanoes, and Exponential decline.
He then talks briefly about his experience as a creationist geologist. Dr. Austin is a field research geologist who has done research on six of the seven continents of the world. His research has taken him by helicopter into the crater on Mount St. Helens, by bush plane onto glaciers in Alaska, by raft through the Grand Canyon, on horseback into the high Sierra, by elevator into the world’s deepest coal mines, by SCUBA onto the Great Barrier Reef, by rail into Korean backcountry, by foot onto barren plateaus of southern Argentina, and by a four-wheel drive into remote desert areas of Israel, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Dr. Austin received his PhD from Pennsylvania State University in sedimentary geology.
The Revolutionary Court of Tehran has sentenced an Iranian-Armenian Christian man to 10 years in prison for establishing a house church, which the judge called “propaganda contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam,” according to reports.
Saba Kord Afshari is just 22 years old. In August 2019, the Revolutionary Court of Tehran sentenced her to 24 years in prison for opposing the compulsory hijab.
Branch 26 of the Revolutionary Court of Tehran, headed by Judge Afshari, sentenced Anooshavan Avedian, 60, to 10 years of imprisonment, alongside two others who are members of his house church — Abbas Soori, 45, and Maryam Mohammadi, 46 — both of whom are converts to Christianity, Human Rights Activists News Agency reported.
Article 18, a U.K.-based organization that promotes religious freedom in Iran, reported that Soori and Mohammadi received a range of non-custodial punishments, including a fine of about $2,000 (500 million rials) and a 10-year ban from membership in social and political groups as well as a two-year exile outside Tehran. In addition, they must regularly report to the offices of the Ministry of Intelligence.
The three were convicted on the charge of “organizing and running an Evangelical ‘Zionist’ home church with the intention to act against national security” and “maintaining satellite dish and receivers.”
They were first arrested in August 2020 when about 30 intelligence agents raided a private gathering at Avedian’s home in Narmak are in northeastern Tehran, but their case came to light only recently.
The agents confiscated all the Bibles and communication devices with passwords.
In Tehran’s Evin Prison, the three were subjected to psychological torture during several intense interrogation sessions.
Judge Afshari pronounced Avedian guilty of “establishing and leading an illegal group with the aim of disrupting the security of the country through education and propaganda activities contrary to and disturbing to the holy religion of Islam, through the dissemination of false claims … as well as contact with foreign countries, or organisational guidance from abroad.”
The Christians’ defense was met with “disrespectful remarks toward their character, and insults to their faith,” according to Article 18, which also said that over the past decade, authorities in Iran have closed down nearly all churches that offered services in Persian, the national language, or insisted they teach only in the ethnic minority languages.
The Islamic Republic is ranked as the ninth-worst country in the world when it comes to Christian persecution, according to Open Doors USA’s World Watch List.
“Converts from Islam to Christianity are most at risk of persecution, especially by the government and to a lesser extent by society and their own families,” it says.
“The government sees the growth of the church in Iran as an attempt by Western countries to undermine Islam and the Islamic regime of Iran. House groups made up of converts from Muslim backgrounds are often raided, and both their leaders and members have been arrested, prosecuted, and given long prison sentences for “crimes against national security.”
The Muslim religion is an antichrist religion and Biblical prophecy reveals the Antichrist (Little Horn) arises out of one of four Muslim nations when the revived Ottoman Empire is broken up (perhaps by the U.N. or Russia) into four nations.
“Then the goat (revived Ottoman Empire) became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven. Out of one of them came a little horn (Antichrist), which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host” Daniel 8:8-11
Albert Wolters concisely and persuasively demonstrates that God’s plan for righteous humanity to live on and reign over an uncursed earth was not thwarted by Satan or by man’s sin. God never revoked or abandoned His original great commission for us to rule on a perfect earth to His glory. The last chapters of the Bible promise that His original design—as revealed in the first chapters and greatly enhanced and magnified through Christ’s work—will indeed be fulfilled on the New Earth. Having fallen on mankind’s coat-tails, Earth will rise on our coat-tails—resurrected humanity will occupy and rule a resurrected earth. This is the full gospel of the Kingdom, and it is vital to a biblical worldview, which alone explains the Bible’s description of Christians as those who are “looking forward to a new heaven and new earth.”
Al Wolters writes, “[God] hangs on to his fallen original creation and salvages it. He refuses to abandon the work of his hands—in fact, he sacrifices his own Son to save his original project. Humankind, which has botched its original mandate and the whole creation along with it, is given another chance in Christ; we are reinstated as God’s managers on earth. The original good creation is to be restored.”
Moreover, prior to the White Throne judgement and the new heaven and the new earth, the promises God made to Israel that their Messiah will rule and reign from Jerusalem over all the nations will also be fulfilled in Jesus during His Millennial reign after the battle of Armageddon and Satan is bound in the Abyss for 1000 years.
“And He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him so that he might not deceive the nations any longer until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be released for a little while.” Revelation 20: 2-3
“They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:4-5
To my knowledge, Albert Walters does not address Jesus’ Millennial reign prior to the White Throne judgement. Nevertheless, Albert’s other penetrating insights help us to stop redefining the gospel in narrow and shallow, and individualistic terminology and assumptions that discredit the breadth and depth of God’s redemptive plan.
Regardless of theological leanings, anyone reading this book will undoubtedly find it a treasure trove.
A new study from the Cultural Research Centre at Arizona Christian University (ACU), guided by popular pollster George Barna, has found that just 37% of Christian pastors in the United States have a Biblical worldview.” Seriously? Just 37%? It would be bad enough if less than 4 in 10 believers held to a biblical worldview. But less than 4 in 10 pastors? How can this be? In the words of Barna, “This is another strong piece of evidence that the culture is influencing the American church more than Christian churches are influencing the culture.” Or, viewed from another angle, rather than Christian leaders equipping their people to swim against the tide of the culture, they too are being carried by the current of the age. And that, in turn, means that the light is not shining and the salt is not being salty. It is a vicious cycle of moral and spiritual deterioration.
“The survey found that the category with the lowest percentage of pastors holding a Biblical worldview is the one related to beliefs and behaviour about the Bible, truth, and morality.” No surprise here! And what do we make of the finding that just 4% of executive pastors (this is not a typo) hold to a biblical worldview? Just 4%? And how much influence do executive pastors have in the staffing of churches and in many of the practical decisions the church makes?
These statistics should not take Christians by surprise our Bible tells us that in the last days before Jesus returns many false prophets and teachers would arise and lead many astray.
available on Amazon as an ebook and trade paperback edition
“See that no one leads you astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the Christ (led by Christ),’ and they will lead many astray.” Matthew 24:4
“And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.”Matthew 24:11
“For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect. See, I have told you beforehand.” Matthew 24:24
“The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” 2 Timothy 3:1-5
These Barna statistics reveal the need for God to purify His church, as well these Scripture verses should show any discerning person that God has given us sufficient warning of what is ahead for Christians and unbelievers alike before He returns to put things right. Hopefully, for Christians, it is a wake-up call to start Living Eternal Now – Ready for Jesus Return.
There are purposes for which God created us all. As well, God has given each of us talents and gifts which equip us for specific works or tasks.
We were created for a very specific purpose and these top 7 Bible verses about purpose will show that to be true. Gal. 1;1, Coloss. 1:1, Isaiah 43:7, Prov.16:4, Ephes. 2:11-12, Psalms %7:2, 1 Corinth. 10:31
“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10
When we surrender our lives to Jesus Christ, our Heavenly Father sends the Holy Spirit to guide us to accomplish those works as long as we obey His commands – “not my will, but yours, be done” Luke 22:42.
To Glorify God
Everything was created for a purpose…including us. The Bible is clear about one of our purposes, and that is that we are to glorify God. For example, if we get into trouble, we are told to:
“call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me”Psalm 50:15.
The psalmist knew that it was:
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.Psalm 115:1.
Answered prayer gives God glory, so the Lord our God is to be praised and we should seek to glorify His name. We certainly have nothing to boast or brag about. The Lord says,
“I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols.”Isaiah 42:8
If you look at the creation, you can see for yourself that
“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.”Psalm 19:1
So rightfully we should say:
“O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.”Psalm 8:1
The first purpose for which we were created was to give God glory and make His glory known to others.
To Make Disciples
When Jesus gave the Great Commission, which in essence is an imperative command, He didn’t give them a second option or Plan B. He said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18b), and since God has given Jesus all authority in heaven and on earth, He is passing this authority on to them, which is why He can say,
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”Matthew 28:19.
That doesn’t mean everyone that they share Christ with will become disciples of Christ. They are only told to go and make disciples, but it is generally understood that God will use them as a means to make disciples (Acts 2:47), and He did. He sent them into different parts of the world to bring the gospel since they had God’s authority, but the Commission is not quite finished yet. Jesus commands them.
“teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”Matthew 28:20
So how does making disciples glorify God? The more there are to worship and praise God in the kingdom, the more glory He will receive. In a prophetic Scripture, the psalmist writes, “All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name” (Psalm 86:9). In the kingdom, “they [will] sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb” (Rev. 15:3a), asking, “Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Rev. 15:4). That is one of our purposes. It is to bring as many to Christ as the Lord our God will save, knowing that He alone saves (Acts 4:12), but He is still pleased to use us as a means to save some.
Works for His Glory
God has prepared works for us to do after we are saved. The only question is, Will we walk in them? Jesus told His disciples,
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this, my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.”John 15:7-8
Fruit never glorifies us but it always glorifies God, because we can do nothing without Christ (John 15:5). We must remain in Him or abide or dwell in the Vine (Christ) or we will only bear wax fruit, and not genuine fruits of the Spirit, but we will also begin to bear good works as a by-product of our salvation, but even this is from the Spirit of God, therefore, all works we do give God glory. There is no good we can do in our own human strength (Isaiah 64:6).
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 