LEADERSHIP OF THE CHURCH IN THE LAST DAYS

Posted on by

Torben says that one of the reasons God put him in jail for over one year was to teach him about the leadership of God’s people. We need to lead in a way that says follow me as I follow Jesus Christ and as a good father of a household. It certainly is not as a leader of a business operates which is the way many large churches operate. The church is not a business. The church therefore needs to be small as it was in the Book of Acts when the church was first established. They were house churches. Church leaders lead as a father leads his family, eventually sending his children out to start their own church. A leader must be a good example, able to lead his own household.

God is raising up leaders for His last-days church, as we will soon enter the last seven years before Jesus returns to establish His Millennial Kingdom. Jesus’ Millennial Kingdom is God’s answer to the Lord’s Prayer, the prayer Jesus taught us to pray: “Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on Earth as it is in heaven“.

MESSAGE FROM TORBEN SONDERGAAD:

I hope you are doing well. We are currently in Mexico and witnessing amazing things that God is doing. God has truly led us here and confirmed it powerfully. If you haven’t seen the video where I shared about it, you can watch it here.

The narrow road leads to righteousness. God’s Call: Miraculous Healing and Strong Confirmation    • The narrow road leads to righteousness…  

One area where God worked in me during my time in prison is leadership. Now that I am out and speaking with others in The Last Reformation, I hear that God has been working in the same way in many others, and I am very excited about that. This is truly something that God desires. Many of us have been disappointed and hurt by leaders. Personally, as a new believer, I had many negative experiences. Because of that, I have always had a desire to see something beautiful and biblical. In my book, “The Last Reformation,” I also have different chapters about leadership and how we should not misuse it to control people but instead be like parents who lay down their lives for their children. When I look at TLR, I see that we are far from that ideal. In some countries, I see something beautiful and biblical, while in others, it is not as exciting and can be quite messy. I realize that I need to step in and take responsibility for that. I need to work towards laying a solid foundation together with others so that we can all witness something amazing. I am sorry and hurt for all the people in our network who have been hurt by immature leaders and a lack of accountability that we see in many places. I have just released this video, and in it, there is also an invitation for people in the States, as that is where we will begin. However, we hope that this will grow and eventually reach everyone. In this video, you can hear that our first step towards this is providing teaching and training for those who see themselves as elders and leaders, and those who desire this role. Watch the video and share it with others. It starts with us, but this is for the entire body of Christ. As I mentioned at the beginning of the video, it is truly something that God is doing. The reason we see a mess in the churches right now, with leaders falling into sin or being exposed, is not only an attack from our enemy. God is cleaning out and building something new. The Bible says that judgment begins in the house of God, and we need to have a firm foundation in the rock, otherwise, we will not withstand the waves. “However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:16-17 God bless you and thank you for your love and support. We will be sharing much more about this later. If you have questions or other things you are very welcome to reach out to us.

Blessings from Mexico, Torben Sondergaard

CHURCH AS GOD INTENDED

Posted on by

Church as Jesus intended as described in the Book of Acts.

1) All believers were baptized.
2) All believers were added to the church.
3) All believers did all four church functions.
4) All church meetings were held in homes.

5) All people in the city heard the gospel.

The four church functions as described in Acts 2.

1) God’s Word
2) Fellowship
3) Breaking of Bread
4) Prayer

In N.T. churches everyone participated in all four church functions.

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:4

Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding. Romans 14:19

“I (Paul) myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” Romans 15:14

The leadership of the church is a man just as leadership in the home is a man. Paul made that abundantly clear.

“But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God… For man was not made from woman, but woman from man. Neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.” 1 Corinthians 11:3, 8-9

“Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man nor man of woman; for as woman was made from man, so man is now born of woman. And all things are from God.” 1 Corinthians 11:11-12

“If anyone is inclined to be contentious, we have no such practice, nor do the churches of God.” 1 Corinthians 11:16

The house church meeting must be orderly:

“What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.” 1 Corinthians 14:26

“If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.” 1 Corinthians 14:27-28

“Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.” 1 Corinthians 14:28

“If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.” 1 Corinthians 14:30

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25

“See that you do all I command you; do not add to it or do not subtract from it.” Deuteronomy 12:32

“Do not go beyond what is written.” 1 Corinthians 4:6

What do traditional churches add that is not in the N.T.? What do traditional churches subtract that is not in the N.T.?

Do you need to have elders before you can or should function as a church? Remember Paul’s first missionary journey? For almost two years none of those churches had any elders (Acts 14:21-23). At the birth of the church, after “3,000” and then “5,000” were saved and new believers “added daily” to the church in Jerusalem, the vast majority of their house churches would not have had spiritual leaders meeting with them.

“When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. And when they had appointed elders for them in every church, with prayer and fasting they committed them to the Lord in whom they had believed.” Acts 14:21-23

There were two categories of leaders in the N.T. church and in fact in the O.T. there were only two categories of leaders: National Leaders = priests, and City Leaders = elders/judges.

Two categories in the N.T. church: National leaders = apostles, and City leaders = elders/overseers. The Apostles ruled over God’s people in cities, and their elders. And elders would rule over God’s people in one city.

Does God have apostles for today? Many traditional Christians do not believe God has apostles for today and were only for the beginning foundation of the church. However, we believe there are many N.T. Scriptures confirming that God has apostles for today. So why is this so important? If God has apostles for today and traditional Christians think and teach otherwise, they would again be “canceling out the Word of God”

The word “apostle” in Greek is “apostolos” – it simply means, “one sent forth”. The Latin word apostle is “missionary”.

1. Jesus the Apostle – “sent forth” by God the Father (John 17:3; Heb. 3:1).

2. The 12 apostles – “sent forth” by God the Son (Luke 6:13; Acts 1:22).

3. Today’s apostles – “sent forth” by God the Holy Spirit (Acts 13:4). Paul & Barnabas (Acts 14:14), Andronicus & Junias (Rom. 16:7), Two unnamed brothers (2Cor. 8:23), Epaphroditus (Phil. 2:25), Paul, Silas & Timothy (1Thes. 2:6), Multitude of apostles (Acts 15:6, 12).

“And he (Jesus) gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,” Ephesians 4:11-13

The N.T. says (Ephesians 4:11-13): “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God…”

All of this information and more is found in Jim McCottrell’s book Church Revolution Today. You can get it on http://www.jimsbookstore.com

VISIT TO KENYA FOR A MEETING WITH HOUSE CHURCH LEADERS

Posted on by

Most of my followers will know I have been supporting the Kenya House Church (KHC) Movement for close to three years now. It has grown from 6 House Churches to 21 maybe even 22 now, in rural areas both in Kenya and Tanzania. I connected with Charles Otieno Owino through LinkedIn. We both agree that the “end times” church will be like the church in the Book of Acts, with no paid pastors and no buildings. The function of the church is mainly about making disciples who make disciples of Christ.

I have decided it is time to visit the KHC leaders to determine how best I and hopefully some of my followers can best help KHC to move forward. In particular, I want to connect them with ministries that can help train the leaders.

We will hold a three-day meeting with all the KHC leaders – April, 17th to 19th

The above picture was taken early on in the history of KHC

KENYA HOUSE CHURCH MOVEMENT – Preparing for Jesus’ Return

THREE DAY CONFERENCE – April 17th to 19th 2022

SUNDAY APRIL 17th

9.00 am Welcome and introduction – Charles Otieno

9.15 am Purpose of my trip – Ron Edwards

10.00 am CMI Zoom Meeting – Pieter le Roux Creation Ministries International

11.00 am Rest time

11.15 am  Bible provides true history of the universe (19) – R.E

12.30 pm  Lunch

2.00 pm    GOD & ISRAEL – NATIONS ARE GOD’S IDEA (24) – R.E.

3.30 pm    Rest time

3.45 pm    ISRAEL – HISTORY & PURPOSE (35) – R.E.

4.45 pm    Rest time

5.00 pm    ISRAEL – FULLY RESTORED (65) – R.E.

6.00 pm    Close

MONDAY APRIL !8th

9.00 am    ISRAEL FEAST DAYS IN TYPE & PROPHECY (33) – R.E.

10.15 am  Rest Break

10.30 am  Presentation continued

12.45 pm  Lunch

2.00 pm    PROPHESIED RESTORATION OF THE LAND TO ISRAEL (100) – R.E.

3.30 pm    Rest time

3.45 pm    Presentation continued

4.45 pm    Rest time

5.00 pm    Presentation continued

6.00 pm    Close

TUESDAY APRIL 19th

9.00 am    ARE WE READY FOR JESUS? How to Prepare for His Return (58) – R.E.

10.15 am Rest Break

10.30 am Presentation Continued

12.45 pm Lunch

2.00 pm   Presentation Continued

3.30 pm   Rest time

3.45 pm Presentation continued

4.45 pm Rest time

5.00 pm Presentation continued

6.00 pm Close

Note, the emphasis is first on the inerrancy of God’s Word and then on Israel, and its role in Jesus’ first and second coming.

I am blessed to be involved with the International Christian Chamber of Commerce (ICCC). The President of ICCC Kenya is also on the International Board of ICCC. I have already connected him with Charles and had him involved in a Zoom with the KHC leaders. Rene has asked me to give my testimony to ICCC members at a meeting in Nairobi on April, 22nd. Each member will receive a copy of my book shown on the left. It has been used by ICCC to train up young entrepreneurs.

ICCC has some great training materials that are available free of charge for church leaders to use. The website http://www.transformedworkinglife.net

Resources for the people of God to come forth in their Calling ​and manifest the Kingdom of God in their working Life.

I would appreciate prayer support and if any of my followers who believe as I do that this is a move of God and would like to support us finacially there is a DONATION link on the Home Page.

GOD USES CATASTROPHES FOR HIS PURPOSES

Posted on by

Just as Covid has caused massive disruption to the world now we have Russia invading Ukraine which has caused an enormous refugee crisis. Just as we see in the Book of Acts, catastrophes are opportunities for the church to innovate and to step in and help.

In Acts 8, a massive disruption upset the Christian world. Led by Saul of Tarsus, massive persecution drove Christians from their home base of Jerusalem. Up to that time the new Christian movement was centered in Jerusalem and was confined to Jews. By the end of the book of Acts, the church was more Gentile than Jewish and the church at Jerusalem was a side note. What made the difference? During the disruption, one church used it as an opportunity to innovate, and innovation changes the world.

Churches in countries neighboring Ukraine have opened their doors to shelter and aid refugees as the United Nations refugee agency estimated Thursday that 1 million people have fled the Eastern European nation since the beginning of Russia’s invasion last week. 

“In just seven days, 1 million people have fled Ukraine, uprooted by this senseless war,” U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said in a statement. “I have worked in refugee emergencies for almost 40 years, and rarely have I seen an exodus as rapid as this one.”

Many of the displaced have fled to neighboring countries such as Poland, Moldova, Slovakia and Hungary, while many more remain in Ukraine. 

Churches in neighboring countries are among community centers and camps sheltering refugees who’ve fled from the violence, with some seeing hundreds of Ukrainians coming and going in recent days. 

Refugees from Ukraine are pictured after crossing the Ukrainian-Polish border in Korczowa on March 02, 2022. – The number of refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine has surged to nearly 875,000, UN figures showed on March 2, as fighting intensified on day seven of Russia’s invasion

As Poland has taken the brunt of the Ukrainian refugees, one church that has served as many as 400 refugees is a Baptist church in Chelm. According to the Baptist Federation of Europe, the church is “filled with life” as it has pushed its pews out of the way to make room for beds. 

“It is not tension that you feel as you enter the building but life, peace, and joy,” a statement from the federation reads. “Children laugh and play while mothers prepare for onward journeys. The church piano plays a variety of tunes, none of the hymns, as the children practice their piano lessons.”

“Pews are in the pulpit and beds fill the sanctuary, the balcony, and every available space,” the statement adds. “Ukrainian and Polish families work side by side, making food, receiving donations, and cleaning the toilets. The laundry vibrates as the three new washing machines continue their endless 24-hour cycle. The supply rooms are full of children excitedly selecting new clothes and discovering new toys that have been donated.”

The church’s kitchen has supplied soup, snacks, and hot meals for the refugees arriving while packing lunches for the refugees that depart. The church receives help from local hotels that provide clean linen for the beds. 

The Polish Baptist Union hopes to house as many as 1,000 refugees. Polish Baptists have established 40 shelter camps. The PBU provides the camps with bedding items, food, and hygiene items, while Send Relief, IMB’s relief arm, provides funds to assist in the relief efforts. 

First Baptist Church of Gdasnk, Poland, will host one of the refugee centers, according to IMB missionary Ken Brownd. “It’s just cool to see Polish Baptists stepping up and taking care of their neighbors. They’ve done that for a long time now, but this is a different level,” Brownd was quoted as saying in an IMB report “Our team is trying to organize the Send Relief help … but really, this is mostly driven by Polish Baptists, so we’re not the main players in this at all. We’re helpers, and so it’s amazing.”

If nothing else Christians all around the world need to be in prayer and look for ways to financially support our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and the surrounding nations that are reaching out to help the refugees.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson acknowledges the ‘selfless stoicism’ of Christians

Posted on by

The Prime Minister, who will be speaking briefly at the online Christian festival Spring Harvest Home said, “I want to say a great big thank you because over the past year or so I have seen over and over again the teachings of Jesus Christ brought to life by people like yourselves: men and women, young and old, right across the UK.” Johnson continues, “I’ve lost count of the number of Church leaders and congregations from all denominations, that have stepped up to support not only one another, but also to support the whole local community, people of all faiths and none.”

The Prime Minister also recognised the sacrifice many Christians have made over the past year: “For many months you have been unable to come together for worship and prayer as you would normally do. I know that has been a huge burden for many Christians, but it is a burden you have borne with selfless stoicism without complaint and by adapting to online worship and meetings.” The Prime Minister concluded, “While this past Easter has not been the event any of us would have liked, and Spring Harvest is obviously not happening in its usual bustling way, but we’re getting there, and we’re getting there because of people like you.” The Labor party leader Sir Keir Starmer and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey have also recorded a video message for those attending the online festival, with their own message to Christians in the UK.

CARRIE SYMONDS and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have married at Westminster Cathedral

Phil Loose, CEO of Essential Christian, the home of Spring Harvest, responded to the Prime Minister’s comments by saying, “This is an important moment for the Church, to have the recognition of the Prime Minister for the work and sacrifice Christians have made, shows how important the church has become in modern society. We are no longer a peripheral voice, but an essential service to those in our communities. Churches up and down the land have responded to the needs of the nation to see our society supported and transformed.” He goes on to say, “Now is the time for us as the church to support our nation’s leaders as we work together to restore, renew and rebuild our communities in the wake of a devastating pandemic. At Spring Harvest we’re stepping up into that need providing resources online to help equip the church to serve their communities.”

How good it is to read of Christians doing what our Lord has called us to do, to serve our communities and it being recognised by the UK Prime Minister as “the teachings of Jesus being brought to life”.

ARE CHURCHES BEHAVING LIKE MALLS IN THE AGE OF AMAZON?

Posted on by

This quote from church thought leader Carey Nieuwhof sums up the institutional church well. It is obvious that only a major disruption , indeed a catastrophe was needed to bring the church to its knees and consider it may not be serving the purposes of God.

History tells us that God uses disruption even major catastrophes for His purposes. History also tells us that disruption leads to innovation which in turn changes the world.

God forcefully moved Adam and Eve out of the garden of Eden. This pattern of forced displacement of people by God is in the whole narrative of Scripture. It is an essential part of His global plan for the redemption of mankind which brings glory and honour to Him.

Does God bring destruction and calamity? Does our loving and gracious God cause disasters to occur in the world?     Read these words God spoke to Noah:

“I have determined to make an end of all flesh for the earth is filled with violence through them. Behold I will destroy them with the earth” Genesis 6:13,

God destroyed that He might save. God saved Noah and His family that He might preserve the line of His coming Redeemer.

What about the TOWER OF BABEL: “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:3-4

Once again we see a massive disaster brought about by God, which caused massive migration and displacement of people: the foundation of the nations that exist today. A refugee crisis on a much larger scale than today.

“You will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives (eternal life).” Luke 21:17-19

Covid 19 is another of God’s major disrupters. The church needs to recognise that we are in a time when God is doing something new. Therefore, it is a time to get into prayer to seek His leading, just as the church at Antioch did in Paul’s day. Those that read my posts know I believe the church in the prophesied “last days” before Jesus returns to take His Saints to heaven and before He pours out His wrath upon a world which is fast becoming as it was in Noah’s day, will be much like the early church as described in the Book of Acts. It is one of the reasons I am supporting the Kenya House Church Movement (KHC) and I am hoping that some of my followers will join me in that endeavour. None have done so as yet, but that is OK, God’s timing is always perfect. My next post will be an update on KHC.

HOW GOD USES CATASTROPHES

Posted on by

The conflict in Armenia has taken the lives of many soldiers and displaced over 100,000 people. All the while, the world has kept silent and preferred not to know about it. In November a Russia-brokered peace deal was agreed between Armenia and Azerbaijan. It ended six weeks of war in which thousands of people were killed and displaced. In these conditions, the role of the Church has increased. People just have nowhere else to go. The church becomes the only place where people can be helped. The churches have become the beacons of hope for scared and suffering people. They don’t do services on Sundays because of the coronavirus but they continue serving refugees every day sharing their bread and their homes as well as words of comfort and hope. Even before the war, more than 32% of the population lived below the poverty line. Now with the conflict raging on, these alarming rates are growing every day. Asatur Nahapetyan, pastor and general secretary of the Baptist Union of Armenia, anticipates this conflict to linger and asks everyone to get ready for a hard winter. Over 100 families from Karabakh have been placed by Baptists in their homes and 42 people were accommodated in a conference hall in Razdan.

The church with a symbolic name Noah’s Ark (in Ararat) is providing shelter for 40 people. At first, the refugees were really afraid of Christians regarding them as sectarians but now they don’t want to leave. Pastor Araik says that people from Karabakh are not very religious and many of them still retain the Soviet spirit, but there are no atheists in trenches. The church in Ararat has 700 members. They all minister to refugees as one strong united team. “It’s the only place where we are welcomed,” say women refugees, who didn’t want to know anything about God just yesterday. They learned to pray in the church and when their husbands who are on the front lines call their wives many now say, “We didn’t believe in God but it was your prayers that kept us safe” women and children say to their pastor often, “When you pray we sleep well and we stop having nightmares.” Everyone lives on prayers here. It all started on the first day of war when the pastor called the mayor’s office and said that the church was ready to take in refugees. It’s been filled with people since then. It’s important to understand that the church prepared themselves for this ministry even before. The pastor says that successful work with young people changed the way the society viewed the church. “We fed 40 people every Saturday and took hot lunches to 20 families even before the war. Everyone knows us as the ark of hope and salvation. For people, we are not just a religious organization but a charitable organization. Although it’s interesting to see how the state church starts to imitate us. Priest David started doing what we do, preaching the Gospel, visiting people in their homes, meeting them and talking to them. Even the police say to people, ‘contact the church; they’ll help you there.’ Everyone respects us now.” Pastor Vazgen from the church in Abovyan says something similar: “Almost all the refugees that we received in our church have made a decision to follow Jesus.” The church in Artashat is also filled with refugees and it’s also filled with the spirit of hope.

 While evangelical churches of Armenia are serving their people we have an opportunity, even responsibility to pray for this ancient Christian nation.

DANGERS CONFRONTING THE WORLD

Posted on by

The chief dangers that confront the world today are politics without God, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without the justifying work of the Holy Spirit.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has revealed its Davos 2021 Agenda, confirming the annual gathering of political and business elites next month will be a digital event heralding the public unveiling of its Great Reset Initiative (essentially a one-world government). “This global pandemic has demonstrated again how interconnected we are. We have to restore a functioning system of smart global cooperation structured to address the challenges of the next 50 years. The Great Reset will require us to integrate all stakeholders of global society into a community of common interest, purpose, and action,” said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum.

What the world really needs is a “church reset”. Churches back to their New Testament roots as described in the Book of Acts. This includes upholding the inerrancy of God’s Word and its account of the history of the Cosmos including the miraculous. The miraculous events of creation, Noah’s worldwide flood, the confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel which created the nations, Jesus incarnation, and resurrection.

God does intervene in history to alter reality. He has done it in the past and will continue to do so in the future. His Word tells us that the catastrophic world events unfolding right now signal Jesus’ return to this earth is not too far distant.

It seems that for many liberal theologians those “mighty, saving acts of God and of judgement” are symbolic, images, rather than extra-mental realities. As a result, theology takes on a whole new nonsensical meaning. It no longer explains anything but only expresses the effects symbols might and perhaps should have in the spiritual lives of individuals and groups. Moreover, they are oblivious to the promise of Jesus second coming as are the scoffers described by Peter “knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” 2 Peter 3:3-4

Churches must undergo a reset that begins with getting back to the authority and truth of God’s Word and then obeying His commandment to complete the Great Commission to share the Gospel with others, to make disciples who will, in turn, make disciples. The church described in the Book of Acts and by Jesus in Matthew.

“I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Matthew 16:16

The “keys” signify the authority given to Christ’s church to stand against the powers of “Hades,” or Hell. The church needs to start walking in this authority

THE MAN OF LAWLESSNESS IS NOT A FRINGE BIBLICAL ISSUE

Posted on by

Dalton Thomas does a creditable job of unpacking Daniel 11. The exegesis is sound and will help us all understand the events that will lead up to the emergence of the Antichrist on the world stage. Sadly, the church which increasingly is departing from belief in the inerrancy of Scripture stays away from these important Scriptures. Unfortunately, we also have those people who are bound up in “end times” conspiracies and predictions that throws it all into confusion and disrepute. However, the Antichrist is part of God’s plan that will test the body of Christ in the “last days” so we need to know these important Scriptures.

“For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, and never will be. And if those days had not been cut short, no human being would be saved. But for the sake of the elect, those days will be cut short.” Matthew 24:21-22

CHURCH AFTER COVID19

Posted on by

Most of you know what I believe God has already revealed to us in His Word about church. He initially set it up as described in the Book of Acts. Church was held in homes and small groups which is ideal for making disciples who in turn will make disciples. This is how church will be, once again, in the coming tribulation prior to Jesus return.

Phil Miglioratti • The #ReimagineFORUM Pray Network has provided a useful guide for church leaders to use post Covid19.

This guide is all about what God calls the church to do: disciple its members and impact its community with the Gospel.

Resist the temptation to merely reopen your church. Instead, reimagine how a church lives out faith, hope, and love in the shadow of a pandemic. Invite the Holy Spirit to take you (pastors, lead teams, affinity groups, congregations) on a journey of rethinking by:

  1. Assessing how the new normal impacts the calling and gifting of your congregation
  2. Blessing your constituents but also the diverse peoples in your community
  3. Confessing your fear and declaring your faith to move into the future

Make a fearless assessment of the new normal.

  • Have we made meaningful connections with every member? Attender?
  • Have we developed systems to identify practical needs of our families? Our community?
  • Are we identifying the degree of difficulty each person/family has experienced?
  • Have we surveyed our membership to know how to serve their:
    • Practical needs?
    • Emotional pains?
    • Spiritual status?
  • Gather (virtual, if not safe to meet in person) leadership to prayerfully discern:
    • Strengths – what new capabilities have we discovered in our people?
    • Weaknesses – in what ways has our ministry capacity decreased?
    • Opportunities – which needs or new options are we facing?
    • Resources – what undiscovered, unexpected resources have surfaced?
    • Risks/Rewards – have we counted the cost of making changes? Doing nothing?

Begin to daily ask for the mind of Christ so that you (personally but also with congregational ministers) discern how to reimagine how to develop:

  • Experiential worship
  • Enthusiastic (“in; theos/God”) fellowship
  • Equipped leadership
  • Extreme discipleship
  • Extravagant stewardship
  • Engaging citizenship

Pursue a Spirit-led, Scripture-fed journey. God always wants to move you on to a new level of service. Therefore, it should lead you to begin a new chapter of ministry. Your congregation or team may be called upon to make a radical change or to re-calibrate systems or reorient programs. Focus on Jesus. Fear less. Fear wisely. Follow Jesus… to the places where Almighty God is already at work; He is inviting you to serve in the power of the Holy Spirit. As you step out miracles will follow.