New Site

Hey all my happy readers. I will no longer be maintaining this blog site, as we've finally finished the official Living Clear domain. Go to http://livingclear.net to check it out. The same blog that you've enjoyed so much is all there, along with all my new posts.

Thanks for reading, and we'll see you in the new location.

-M

Godly Leadership

Leadership that dominates is simply not godly leadership, nor GOD-delegated. Peter gave his leadership principles when he said to lead by example, not as overlords. Jesus demonstrated true godly leadership characteristics in His examples of servitude.

If you've been entrusted by GOD with the responsibility to lead a group of people, check your motives. Is your goal to bring those in your charge closer to GOD, or closer to your way of thinking? Do you inadvertently or otherwise dominate them? Do you ever find yourself manipulating individuals or situations to fit your own personal goals or plans? Do you resort to intimidation when your pulpiteering doesn't quite sway the congregation to the path you've chosen? Domination, manipulation, intimidation… all three are key components of witchcraft. If you are truly a GOD-delegated leader, there's never any reason to engage in any of these practices, as your example of godliness will go further and have much greater impact in the lives of others.

Godly leaders aren't seeking a hierarchal ministry that elevates them to a revered position, but rather a biblical ministry of servitude; leading from beneath. Jesus—the Almighty GOD made flesh—became the very least among His disciples by washing their feet, providing both them and us with the greatest example of who a true godly leader is: a servant.

Free those in your charge from the confines of subservience to you, your ideas and your credenda. Release them to live free and unencumbered with your philosophies about GOD, and introduce them to GOD Himself, Jesus Messiah. Your stress level will sharply decrease and you'll rediscover the godly joy of serving others.

A New Adventure

Several weeks ago I joined with a group of friends to launch Revertolution: A Revolution of Reverting Back to Biblical Truth. It's been a lot of work to get off the ground, but it's been a blast.

When you have a chance, check out revertolution.org.

I've reposted one article from this blog there as well as a fresh one. I hope you'll join with us in the discussion.

Be the Church

GOD's Mission to have a Bride predates Creation. We know this because Luke tells us that Jesus was slain before the foundation of the world, and we know that He gave His life to redeem mankind. As we study the entirety of the Text we see GOD's Mission displayed through typology from the Garden all the way to Apocalypse, but nowhere is it more pronounced that when first spoken to Abram in Genesis 12. GOD told Abram, I'm going to bless you, but that wasn't all that He said. GOD continued, this blessing I'm giving you is so that through you all the nations of the world will be blessed.


GOD gave Abram (the father of the faithful) a blessing wrapped in responsibility.


Jesus reiterated this responsibility when He gave His Commission: go… make disciples… teach them everything I've taught you. In other words, take what I've given you and give it to someone else. GOD's Mission to Abram in the Old Testament is the same as Jesus' Commission to the 1st Century Community, and—subsequently—to us.


When we received this Treasure that we house in our jars of clay, we did not with it receive an admonition to horde the Glory. The jars of clay were porous, thus they leaked their contents. Paul's reference to clay jars was to illuminate the typology of our own Spiritual clay jars leaking the Glorious Treasure onto the hurting world in which we live.


Jesus didn't redeem us for us to simply possess salvation. He redeemed us so that we would take salvation to the world. It's past time for those who claim to name the name of Messiah to stop simply having good church and to effectively start being the Church. It's time for the culture to shift, from the minority of the congregation being the Bible study teachers, to everyone who has been Spirit-baptized to actively be discipling people on a weekly basis. It past time for us to shine Jesus to our hurting world by demonstrating His love to them by feeding them, clothing them, visiting them. It's time for the most important thing that we do as the Redeemed to stop being about our gatherings (church services), and to finally be about what gives our GOD good pleasure, new births. It's past time for our preferences to cease determining our activity (or lack thereof). It's time for us to forget about our opinions about GOD and actually start doing what He Commissioned us to do: go. It's past time for us to stop making little pentecostal duplicates of ourselves and our tired, Text-less philosophies, and to start making disciples of Jesus Messiah. It's time for us to be rather than to have.


Church is not a verb, thus it is impossible to have church (either good or bad). The Church is a proper noun, thus must be performing the action of blessing the world around us with the blessing with which we've been entrusted. What would happen in our world if, collectively, GOD's Community would being to leave the confines of the church buildings and start actively being the Church? How many lives would be radically altered for GOD if we would shine His Love rather than our religion; go to where they are rather than forcing them to always come to us (as if we can do anything for them in the first place)?


Is this call to be the Church resonating with any of you?

"Having Church" — the Bane of GOD's Community

I'm not sure where the idea originated, nor when it became the accepted modus oporandi, but there exists a notion that the most important thing that GOD's Community does is have church. Think about it: we invite people to our weekly events so that they can find GOD (I say we because I've done it too); we pass out flyers (new-fangled jargon for tracts) and invitations to people all over our cities so that they will attend a worship experience… the list goes on and on. Please understand, I'm not suggesting that this action is wrong, or that we should cease these efforts. My point in bringing this up is that this cannot be all that Jesus had in mind when He built His Ekklesia on the rock.


There is one aspect of this particular brand of outreach that has always made me laugh. After we put in the efforts to invite all these people to our gatherings, when they arrive—more often than not—they are completely lost as to what is going on. The worship style is far too often more centered around our personal preference rather than Messiah-focused, thus making it very difficult for those unfamiliar with our particular brand of pentecostalism to participate. Our admonitions are filled with inside baseball phrases and one-liners designed to make our inner Pentecostal run around the room with arms flailing (I've always wondered where aisle running came from; I haven't been able to find it in the Text) or some other pentecostal expression, all the while those we've invited are looking around clueless as to what is going on. On a side note, we call our expressive worship pentecostal because we claim the birth of the Church to be Acts 2, at the Feast of Pentecost. We—however—apparently miss the verse in Acts 2 that tells us that they were all sitting in the upper room when GOD poured out His Spirit. Nowhere does it say that they began to run around the room, whooping like Hollywood Indians. Sure David danced before the Lord (maybe we should've called ourselves Davidians), but he wasn't at Pentecost; not to mention, he was in his underwear and I haven't heard anyone calling for that practice. 


Please don't take me wrong, I'm not here to criticize anyone's personal expression of worship and adoration to GOD. I wholeheartedly believe and encourage expressive worship. That being said, I do wonder how much of our gyrations are nothing more than attempts to conjure GOD's Spirit. Read the story of Elijah in 1 Kings 18. There's no misunderstanding who was GOD's prophet and who were the prophets of Baal. Now, look deeper; which ones were leaping and dancing, and which one simply prayed a prayer of faith? Which prophet's GOD rained down fire and consumed the sacrifice, altar, water and everything around the altar? Was it the god of those who were having funky-chicken church (if you'll allow me a bit of poetic license), or was it the GOD of the man who prayed a simple prayer?


True worship comes from the heart, not necessarily from the twitching of the body. The power of GOD's Spirit is often times much more present in the moments when our hands are collectively raised in surrender and adoration to His Majesty than in those times when it looks like a well-dressed roller derby has taken over the church building.


Continuing on through our gatherings… after a worship set consisting of songs and pentecostal catch-phrases, our sermonizing—far too often—is centered on maintaining the Body rather than pricking the heart of the lost soul. I've raised this question before, but where in the Text does it read that preaching is to maintain the saints? Isn't that the task of teaching, or better yet, shouldn't that be accomplished through daily study and personal intimacy with GOD Himself? I wonder how many times someone who was truly seeking GOD came and sat through one of our gatherings and left more confused and just as lost, all because we wanted to have good church? In case you're wondering, I am—in fact—in favor of seeker-friendly worship experiences (or church services if that's your preference). In my understanding GOD chose the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe (by context, those who have transitioned from the state of unbelief to a state of belief). A seeker is by definition someone seeking to believe. I believe that GOD's Community should be the most friendly people a seeker has ever encountered. I also believe in being hurting-friendly, abused-friendly, sick-friendly, lost-friendly, etc.


Then there's the notion, "Bo, if you get the fire hot enough, they'll come!" Now, let's first overlook the fact that this notion is a derivative of Field of Dreams, then let's face the reality that it has no semblance of GOD's Reality. The answer to our hurting world's emptiness is not good church, it's GOD Himself.


Another pentecostalism that makes me giggle is when the preacher is preaching and drops the phrase, "Can I get an amen?" or "I wish I had help" (normally followed by the phrase "up in here"). When did GOD say for us to preach or teach for a response? And, why are you wanting help from the congregation; shouldn't you want GOD's help? Wouldn't that help have come from Him while you were studying and seeking His direction? I'm sorry, I probably should've said GAWD so that the more preachy among us would understand what I'm talking about. 


Having church is a huge problem, primarily because nowhere in the Text will you find the implication nor instruction to have church. You will—however—find numerous admonitions for those who are Spirit-baptized to be the Church. It's also a problem because having church never truly changed anyone's life. Sure, you can get people gyrating, but GOD didn't say that the foolishness of our expressed worship ever saved anyone. Nor does the Text say that the louder we scream or holler, or the faster we run, or the higher we jump, or the more funky our chicken the more of GOD's Spirit will be poured out. Sure, you may enjoy all of the above, but that doesn't mean that GOD necessarily does.


Being a peculiar people doesn't mean being freaks of nature.


So, how can we be the Church? This answer is found in the Text. Jesus said that the world would know we are His disciples by our love one to another. He also said that when we show love to those who are the least in society that we've shown love unto Him. He also said that when we visit the sick, serve the needy, clothe the naked, visit those in prison that we are actually ministering (serving) Him. Notice that He never said to visit only the sick, serve the needy, clothe the naked or visit the imprisoned who are directly connected with our local congregation.


At the close of Acts 2 we read that GOD added to the Church daily. What brought this advent about? If you take the time to dig into this verse and the surrounding context you'll find that after the infilling, those Spirit-baptized began fulfilling the Commission that Jesus gave at the close of Matthew's Gospel.


We are only the Church when we fulfill His Mission.


We fulfill His Mission when we begin to actually go… make disciples. Far too much of our outreach consists of our bringing people to us, or asking them to come to our gatherings (church services for those more traditional among us). True outreach is reaching out beyond the safety of the walls of our church buildings into the hurting world that surrounds us. We need to realize that we're not going to reach our world through crusades and conferences. We will reach our world when we begin going to where they are.


We will only be the Church when we stop simply having church.

Faithlessness

I was reading through Numbers 12 and 13 and noticed something interesting: why did the Israelites spend 40 days exploring the land after GOD had already promised them the land? For those of you who are not familiar with this Text—or those who didn't immediately pull these chapters up on your favorite Bible program or website—this is the story of the twelve explorers that Moses sent into Caanan to search out the land prior to the Israelite invasion.


There are a several interesting aspects of this story. The first of these is, GOD's instruction to Moses. In Numbers 13:1, GOD gives the instruction to Moses for him to choose representatives from each tribe to go explore the land that He had already given them. Nowhere in GOD's instruction to we find Him asking them to offer their expert analysis on the viability of the endeavor. Nowhere in either of the two chapters do we find GOD ever asking their opinions about His promise. In fact, His instruction for them to go explore the land was probably more for them to see with their own eyes that His promises weren't empty, that there truly was a Promised Land.


I even read through Moses' reiteration of GOD's instructions, but still can't find where the twelve were given license or responsibility for commentary on GOD's promise. So, if GOD didn't give it, and Moses didn't give it, from what authority did the twelve explorers derive their mandate to offer opinions on GOD's promise?


In studying this Text we see that because of the doubt expressed by ten of the explorers an entire generation of people was killed off in the wilderness. If you do a bit of historical study you'll find that this generation was comprised of several million people. Think of this, doubt expressed by ten individuals killed millions, and—not to mention—delayed GOD's Purpose for forty years.


Are these ten guilty of mass murder as well as doubting GOD?


There is a great and grave danger in second guessing GOD's promises or instructions; whether these are Textual or via His voice in our lives (i.e. His watchman). Notice Moses' reiteration of GOD's instructions: he didn't add to it or take away from it, he simply repeated what he had been told by GOD Himself. When the ten took it on themselves to hijack GOD's Purpose, they not only were assuming greater responsibility than they have been given, they also were demonstrating their faithlessness. They obviously didn't believe GOD's promise nor His voice, Moses. They must have felt it was their responsibility to correct Moses' inexperience as a leader, or maybe his over-zealous-charismatic-blind-trusting of an unseen GOD… or maybe, just maybe, they never believed GOD in the first place?


Is this a characteristic that still expresses itself within the Community today?


I wonder how many times GOD's Purpose for either the Community at large or a specific congregation has been thwarted by the faithlessness of a few? How many souls have been lost because a vocal minority felt it their responsibility to either correct GOD or His voice?


Think of the sheer arrogance demonstrated by the ten negative nannies. GOD had expressed His Purpose, given His promises numerous times—literally defied the laws of nature to bring them to the cusp of His promise—only to have a few bring the juggernaut of His Divine Providence come to a screeching halt.


Human arrogance, doubt and faithlessness can and does stop GOD's Purpose.


Faithlessness is denying that there is a GOD; because if we truly believe in GOD then we know that He cannot lie. If we doubt, we believe that GOD is a liar, thus non-existant. Denying that there is a GOD is the elevating of ourselves to the level of Deity, or—as it is more commonly known—atheism. Atheism is the ultimate form of faithlessness. By denying the existence of GOD, the atheist elevates themselves to role of GOD. Is this any different than questioning GOD's Purpose? Now, don't misunderstand me, I'm not referencing honest questions that are truly seeking answers, I'm referring to expressing doubt and unbelief with a question mark at the end of the statement (not unlike the serpent's question in Genesis 3).


Expressing faithlessness is not always done by questioning GOD's Purpose; it is also done by attacking those to whom He has delegated His Authority. For example, when the under-shepherd (watchman, pastor, preacher… pick your moniker) begins to speak what GOD has spoken into his/her mouth and we choose to express doubt, we are elevating ourselves to the status of GOD, because we are truly saying that we know better than GOD Himself. Think about it: GOD gives His instruction for the congregation through His delegated Authority, then they reiterate His instruction without alteration. Who are we to assume that it is our responsibility to adjust GOD's spoken Word (Rhema)?


Often times this attack on GOD through His delegated Authority is attempted by skipping past the male pastor (the stronger, more intimidating vessel) and going right at the pastor's wife or female pastor (the weaker, less willing to confront vessel). While there are several fallacies in this method of attack, the primary is the false assumption that pastor's wife is not just as called and equipped with GOD's delegated Authority as her husband. Any attempt to thwart or to control GOD's Purpose by distracting the man and the other self who GOD has called and designated is nothing more than rebellion in practice. Let's not soon forget that the sin of rebellion is not unlike witchcraft. The directive to not touch GOD's anointed nor to do His prophet any harm, applies not only to the male anointed, it also applies to the female anointed.


This is not unlike the rebellion that we see playing out in Numbers 13. The explorers doubted GOD, thus they overstepped their responsibility by going beyond Moses' instruction. By expressing their concerns to the general population, they were speaking their inner thoughts (i.e. Moses isn't qualified to speak for GOD).


Regardless of the methodology, any attack on GOD's man or woman is an open attack on GOD Himself, and is faithlessness. Faithlessness is rebellion. Faithlessness is self-deification. Faithlessness kills. Faithlessness hinders GOD's Purpose both locally and collectively. Faithlessness is the ultimate form of arrogance. Faithlessness believes its own headlines and drinks its own Kool-aid.


Faithlessness is anti-GOD.

We Need a Watchman

The Role of the Preacher in Today’s World

For the sake of this discussion, we’ll call the man of GOD—or pastor—simply a preacher. I will also be referring to preachers in the general sense, he; this should in no way indicate that I believe that females are unable to be GOD-called pastors or otherwise. Far too often, the preacher is seen in today’s society as the spoiler of the party. TV shows, movies, radio personalities all portray men of the cloth as self-righteous and unnecessary. Understandably so, this portrayal is not always undeserved. Our humanistic society would like to eliminate the man of GOD in our lives. Postmodernism's christianity (purposely not capitalized) would also like to lessen the importance and position of the man of GOD; not only in our personal lives, but also as the voice of GOD to the local Church. This is accomplished by convincing preachers to sugar, or sweeten, the Text by teaching easy-believism. This not-so-subtle degradation of GOD’s delegated authority in our lives ultimately leads to the world despising social authorities and the Community despising the authority that GOD has placed on the shoulders of His messengers.

The Role of the Preacher in Our Lives

Is there a valid role for a preacher in each of our lives? When we examine the Text, find that we all need a preacher. One of the many monikers used throughout the Text for preacher is watchman (Isaiah 21:6 and 11-12 are two examples of this usage). The preacher’s role in our lives is to speak the words of GOD with authority, and to watch and warn us of things that will come against us. GOD’s people were commanded to place watchmen on the walls of their cities, but GOD also retained the right to place His own watchmen at other times. There are examples of both cases throughout the Text. Subsequently, we must place the preacher in our lives on the wall of our lives, and also be willing to follow the instruction of the preacher that GOD Himself ordains as watchman. This is because the preacher fills the role of the voice of GOD not only in our personal lives, but also in the world at large.

We Have To Accept the Role of the Preacher in Our Lives

David was the King of Israel—the highest position of authority to the people of GOD. He was anointed by GOD to rule GOD’s people, yet he still needed a preacher. David’s relationship with the preacher in his life is one of the characteristics that made him the man after GOD’s own heart. David not only welcomed the counsel of the man of GOD, he sought after it. Constantly, throughout every aspect of David’s life, you will find the GOD's man speaking GOD's words to the king who had been anointed by GOD. David never grew past his need for a watchman. If we are to truly be people called by the name—and people of the name—we must continually place ourselves under the authority that GOD has called to be the watchman on the wall. I know this flies in the face of much of Christiandom, but it doesn’t make it less true. Remember, that to be in authority, we must be under authority (study Jesus’ teaching). Submitting to GOD’s authority is never a bad life choice.

The Responsibilities of the Watchman to the Voice of GOD

In order to be a true watchman, there are GOD-breathed responsibilities on those who are called to this role. The preacher must listen for and obey the voice of GOD; he can’t add to it or take away from it, he can’t flavor what he hears with his own opinions and personal convictions, he can’t repeat what he hears from another preacher… he must simply repeat what GOD has spoken. 

When GOD has a word for His people, He will send a preacher. When GOD sends a preacher, He will tell him what to say. We have to believe and accept that the preacher is speaking the words that GOD has given him to say. This is the preached Word of GOD. We must then respond to the Word that has been preached to us. This, however, does not remove our own GOD-given responsibility to study to present ourselves as unashamed workmen (2 Timothy 2:14-16). Our responsibility is to hear the preached Word, then filter what we’re hearing through the written Word. If the two don’t match, there’s a problem.

Our Responsibilities to the Preached Word of GOD

When we have properly filtered the preached Word of GOD through the Text, we must not only respond, but we have to also accept the direction that GOD is giving us through His watchman; even if it is not something we want to hear. 2 Samuel 12:7-12 demonstrates to us that the Word of GOD will always reveal to us what is in our hearts, whether it is good or bad. Our response to what is revealed by the Word of GOD determines our position in GOD. In this Text, David not only heard the preached Word, but he responded honestly and accepted full responsibility for his own actions. Far too often we hear what GOD is speaking to us and we reject it because we aren’t happy with what we’re hearing. What we have to realize is that our rejection doesn’t change GOD’s Word at all. If the preached Word doesn’t contradict the written Word, we must accept that we are hearing from GOD.

The Benefit of a Watchman on the Wall

There is great benefit for us to have a watchman in our lives. We must never get to the place where we think that it is only important to build walls and standards around our lives to protect from the enemy. Walls and standards may have their import, but without the watchman on the wall they are nothing more than facades that provide little or no defense. Without a watchman we may never hear the voice of GOD, nor will we be able to see over the wall to find out from which direction the enemy is attacking.

In the heat of the Peloponnesian Wars there were several great battles that still impact our lives today. From the training of our modern-day infantry, to the battle plans that our generals use in attacking our enemies, the battles between the Greek city-states circa 400 BC, have shaped the very core of both our national defense and international offense.

Of all these battles perhaps the most intriguing story is the story of the Battle of Troy fought at the conclusion of the Trojan Wars. Having fought for months over the kidnapping of Helen—and still unable to breech the walls—the Spartans feigned defeat and retreated off the coast of Troy. As a parting gift they sent a large wooden horse to the Trojans as a sign of peace and good luck. Excited over their victory—and blinded by their pride—the Trojans opened the gates and wheeled the large wooden horse into the center of the city.

The King of Troy called for a time of celebration and called for the troops to be called off alert. He even ordered the men manning the towers to be given a time of rest so that they all could join in the celebration.

Under the cover of night—while the city slept behind their unguarded walls—Spartan soldiers who had been hidden inside the wood horse, sneaked out and opened the gates of the city to allow thousands of Spartan troops to flood the streets of Troy. Had there been watchmen in the towers they would have seen the Spartan fleet return during the celebration.

Troy fell from an attack from within, but they were destroyed by the absence of a watchman.