08 April 2007

Boats, Revival, and Full Circle...





Boats
See previous post
For those who didn't catch it; what if each boat was a type of church...

Revival
Will not happen within the walls of church as we know it. It will happen 'out there' in the big scary world. So if you're the type to pray for such a thing, quit hiding and start living. Quit spending your time wondering when the next 'move of God' will take place. It's happening right before you, and like the ones that have happened for the past 2000 years, many will miss it; just like may were waiting for the Messiah to come as Jesus was walking among them.

And please, please, please, quit trying to argue against it, theologize about it, or attempt to prevent it, because you can't. So get on the boat or get out of the way.
If you still don't believe me, go read Acts 5: 17+...
If you still don't believe me, just get out of the way, I don't have time for you. And neither do the rest of us who are doing it.

*and for the record, I don't care if your modern, post-modern, evangelical, liturgical, structured, or organic... I plead with you to just hear the voice of God and respond. The world is waiting for you.


Full Circle
So, I grew up Lutheran. Started as a Jesus follower in a serious way as a evangelical charismatic, and have been a involved in many parts of the body of Christ since then (over 15 years now of truly following the Messiah), and I have recently become a deep appreciator of the 'high church'. It seems like all the ones I know love Jesus as much as I do, and I can learn from them as much as I can learn from anyone. So to all you 'high church' people out there. Thank you for teaching me over the past few years how wonderful you are!

I attended my 'ol Lutheran church this Easter with my family and my Mom, and I truly enjoyed it! I sometimes make it to an Episcopal Church here, and I truly enjoy that as well. You love each other, and love the world around you, and I see it and it challenges me to do the same in deeper ways.

Thank you.

No let us all get on the Fricken boat!

10 comments:

David said...

Hi Paul,
I certianly don't want to say that praying in an upper room doesn't do anything. Of course it does!
And we should always do that.

But when it was time, they didn't wait for people to beat down the door in which they were praying, they took it to the people in streets, houses, shops, syngagogues and heathen temples. They became fully incarnate in the world in which Jesus called them to reach.

Personally, I see too many Jesus followers ONLY praying and waiting for people to come beat down the prayer room door begging how they can be saved, when in fact, Jesus said to "Go!"

We must bring the good news to them, not wait for them to come to us begging to hear it.

What that looks like is different around the world...
But I can tell you that we must move beyond field trip evangelism and hiding in the church basement and start taking risks in the community where God has put us... engaging in relationship with the sought.

For revival is happening outside the churchianity of which we live in so safely.

:-)

David said...

So, yeah, I totally agree that "God plays golf wiht more than one club" (hehe), but we are called to play, not just sit in the clubhouse. ;-)

And your WW2 boat story is a good analogy. No matter the boat (although I have my opinions...) get in!

Makeesha said...

paul - I don't think David was telling people not to gather and pray but instead get out and do.

I think he was saying that if ALL you're doing is bitching and moaning about how everyone around you is wrong and you're holing yourself up in your basement praying for revival but not doing anything, then get of the way of people who ARE doing something.

Because there are people out there doing something AND praying. There are people out there seeking the Spirit of the living God and discovering what he's doing on earth AND joining him in it.

So if someone wants to make life difficult for those doing something, they're not helping God, they're just being self righteous.

David's not condemning intercessors.

Makeesha said...

oh and paul - you're a doer so no worries there ;)

David said...

We'll some English Gent I know thinks I'm dancing a jig on the poop-deck, so maybe he's not alone...

Come join the naked poop deck dance ya'all!

David said...

oh..hehe, that comment should go to the previous post. LOL

Makeesha said...

dry british humour often doesn't come through in print ;)

David said...

LOL
You rock Paul.
I'm devloping a relationship with the Priest of St. Paul's down the street. I thought it was for Paul the Apostle...
But maybe the church is named after you.
Do own a donkey?

And we love dry Brit Humor. I just need to read your posts with the accent. hehe

beyondimensions said...

Thanks for this. I like the analogy. Carry on! Please, carry on!

David said...

Which is why I like you!