Monthly Archives: January 2015

Full Gospel or Apostolic Kingdom

Posted on by
4

I have been asked several times about the difference between an apostolic or kingdom church and a Full Gospel charismatic church. After all, they are the same, aren’t they? No, not at all. Here are some comparisons. (Full Gospel Charismatic church will be FGC. Apostolic Kingdom will be AK.)

Vision

Generally an FGC church will be focused like most other churches on outreach of winning the lost and discipling. The discipling is more into the tenets of their expression. The AK will be more focused on the development of people and their placement into effective function in the local assembly. FGC will focus on conversion of all souls and will focus on presenting the gospel of salvation. AK will be focused that all people will feel the weight of the Kingdom and its influences. AK knows the Kingdom automatically demands an answer and decisions will have to be made.

Structure

The structure of an FGC is more traditional and will be composed of a board and elders who make decisions. It may or may not have a voting system. Involvement in the ministry is generally attained after several months and is based more on attendance. AK will be composed of a team of leaders making decisions together. A board may exist but only to be a legal corporation. Involvement is generally very quick and is based on discernment and heart connection with the overall vision.

Alignments

FGC generally align to a network of churches connected by doctrine. Many times this is a denomination. Outside alignments are seldom seen and this is reflected in the ministries coming through. Most of the time they are from the same camp. AK will align apostolically and prophetically and not so much doctrinally. AK will be relationship driven and the ministries coming through will be in relationship more so than the same camp. AK does not fear the variety of ways of ministry as much as the FGC.

Leadership

This is probably one of the greatest differences. FGC has a senior pastor. Generally they are charismatic and probably have a certain degree of a teaching gift. As I stated earlier, it is an eldership driven leadership made up of those of the congregation and decisions are made based more from a business perspective than a faith position. AK will have an apostolic leader (not necessarily an apostle) who has a certain grace to lead others into Kingdom dynamics. A team is formed of fivefold type leaders who will speak by visionary perspectives and lead by faith.

Focus

The focus in an FGC will be more on life discipling and family focuses. Programs will be put in place to minister to the needs of the family and this will be reflected in special gatherings for men and women, youth and kids. The AK will be focused more on the Kingdom than the family and trust that if Kingdom dynamics are put in place, then the family will automatically be taken care of. The outworking of this is the family being together to experience spiritual life as a unit. Activation is put upon the family and development of gifts started at a young age.

Messages

FGC messages are culturally relevant and again family focused. Removing injustice is part of the message but ends up being more about ministering to injustice than removing it.  AK will have more revelatory messages and of course Kingdom dynamics. Messages will be on reforming culture to remove injustices instead of ministering within culture. While FGC will be “culturally relevant” (trying to relate to culture) AK will be “counter cultural” (knowing that Kingdom culture will change current culture).

Worship

FGC will have more of a standard approach to worship. Songs will have more of a focus about God instead of Who He is. Songs will also have a self focus and will be better known. Song services are more planned and have a set time. With AK, the songs are more focused on God Himself and His great works. Very few songs are about self. Songs are more from unknown artists because the message they carry is fresher. Spontaneous worship and creating of songs is what AK is known for. The worship has no real set time factor.

Prayer

FGC has a group set aside and recognized as the intercessors. AK looks at every person as called to intercede. Prayer for people at altar calls may have a team in a FGC, but generally it is the senior leader and their spouse. AK will have a team or see everyone as being able to pray and minister to others.

Activation

FGC will take people through classes associated with what they believe before they truly activate people. Time factors and certain things need to be attained before a person is released or put in place, to reduce possible mistakes. AK will activate people pretty quickly and will train them as they do ministry. They are not concerned about mistakes but are more concerned about a person trying than being perfect in how they do things.

Spiritual Community

FGC has spiritual community based on relationships around the belief system. Most spiritual communities are pretty healthy but can also be more surface type relationships. Smaller churches will have greater community. In larger churches, the community will be several communities within it based around the programs. AK will develop a community of honor and tightness in relationships that can be enlarged as it grows. They will have solid, deep meaningful relationships that build a sense of family. This family is more than those in the room but also extends to those outside of the local gathering and into all those they are in relationship with in other ministries.

Missions

The outward expression of FGC will be set missionaries they help support in part. Locally missions will be a helps type ministry of feeding the homeless, crisis pregnancy centers, and other outreach programs. This could also extend into foreign mission trips where the same types of ministry occur such as erecting/repairing church buildings, working in orphanages, etc. The AK approach in missions is not so much as supporting but sending. They too, might be involved in the same local outreaches but are looked at as more of being sent with an assignment. This is extended to the foreign missions as well. Being sent with a specific assignment, the helps ministry is not seen in other nations but leadership training, conferences and educational thrusts are primary.

As we can see, there is a difference to both types of ministries. There needs to be more of a balance. As I see it, the main thing to be added to the AK model is local outreach. I think many Apostolic Kingdom Churches are hesitant because of associating with an old model. The main thing that stands out in the apostolic / Kingdom churches that I did not cover is a more consistent life-giving flow. To me, this is the primary difference and is why so many churches need to transition to this model.

Pharisees, Sadducees or Kingdom?

Posted on by
1

As I look at the intentions of God to provide for the advancement of the kingdom I started a journey of reflection of the early church. As the early church was put in place in the earth they were positioned to be a voice of authority in the spiritual realm of cities and regions. The true church defined by kingdom definition is the one moving in authority, carrying Gods breath with a fresh life-giving flow, ones esteeming each other and ones who love the lost that are longing for hope to be free. All the churches related to Paul as an apostolic father and he allowed each to have their own expression of spiritual life. There was not a central form of government but a kingdom structure and relationship alignment that allowed freedom of expression to be formed.

I wonder how today Paul would view the current church structures we have built with over 600 denominations and so many expressions with the bulk not relating to any apostolic father and having such diverse believe systems. It seems to me Paul would probably be rebuking them openly, and then if not repentant would be dis-fellowshipping many churches that would reject Gods ordained means of oversight. Paul would probably look at these religious positions as equal to Sadducees and Pharisees and forms of religion but denying the power of God to work through them. Disconnected to the kingdom and thus really not fully Christian or Christ like. Perhaps they would be looked at as new young believers but not truly disciples.

During the time of Christ and the New Testament era, the Sadducees were aristocrats. They tended to be wealthy and held powerful positions, including that of chief priests and high priest, and they held the majority of the 70 seats of the ruling council called the Sanhedrin. They seemed to be more concerned with politics than religion and being seen. They did not relate to the common man. This seems to be somewhat how the church today is viewed with the Hollywood style preacher with all the glitz’s and glamour. The other group the Sadducees who were legalistic only considered the written word to be true. The common person would relate the Pharisees who looked at oral traditions as equal to the written word. Both of these group put demands of offerings and giving upon people to support both of their traditions and to increase their positions of influence. This group to is easily seen in the current religious structures we have as well. The striving for position, jealousy, and the ladder of succession has created a great division and a spirit of competition, much like the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Paul even saw many who tried to imitate the apostles and even spoke the same messages. For these he accepted them as long as truth was presented but when truth was twisted or screwed he then would call them out and rebuke them. The woman declaring who Paul was for three days until Paul turned and rebuked her is a great example. The woman’s intention was to draw people after her and not Paul. Her insights and words were right but her intentions and motive was wrong, a self promotion to make converts to follow her. She was stating I also have this believe system to add to my own so if you join me you also are joining into Christianity.

So am I saying that many places need to be rebuked? Am I saying we disassociate with many churches? I know this may not be very popular but have we allowed so many belief systems to be formed because of us not wanting to confront what we know to be false doctrine or partial doctrine? The question always comes… who has made you the spiritual police? What I am saying is we are trying so hard to fit into the overall belief systems and expressions current in our culture, instead of realizing the Kingdom stands separated from all of these. Perhaps we should be more focused on birthing new kingdom focused apostolically connected churches. What if there truly was a network of these types of churches across our nation. What if apostles and prophets were being funded by these networks? What if apostles and prophets were truly accepted and embraced by these churches and had the freedom to travel to these to encourage them? We have spent so much in America on buildings and furnishings and not on supporting leaders and those really doing the work of the kingdom. Culturally in the church we are pretty messed up in our priorities and what we deem important. Culturally we want spotless bathrooms, 4” foam chairs, light shows, bible apps instead of written word, a condensed gathering, and no real confrontation that would create change. We want a soft word to create huge returns and to do ministry when it is convenient so we can feel good about ourselves. The formula is pretty simple to have success as a ministry. Don’t confront, don’t rebuke, don’t speak on repentance, holiness, sin and above all don’t have an expectation of change. As those from China years ago said America is the only nation you can have a successful ministry and God is nowhere to be found involved in what you are doing. Dutch Sheets said a couple of years ago “We know what to say and when to say it. We know how to cheer people on and have become real good at scheming instead of strategically planning.”

As we look backward longing for “old time revival”, we look at the outcomes but seldom look at the messages. Messages that were uncompromising and demanded responses. Messages that went for 2 hours not 30 minutes. Messages that came from preachers who had been through the heart dealings like Peter did so when they delivered it came from experience and not just correct exegesis.

The apostles traveled and their needs were provided by the church as a whole. Offerings were collected before they came and presented by laying them at the apostle’s feet. The life-giving flow of their messages they brought was confronting and convicting. They were in your face and pulled no punches, yet the people appreciated the honesty they presented and also the grace they brought that enabled them to go from glory to glory. They did not withhold their offerings as we do today, if something is not to our liking, but they gave and gave abundantly.  By today’s standards Paul’s ministry endeavors and team traveling with him would cost over a million dollars a year! Nobody is moving to this degree of kingdom provision.

So some real questions arise. How much time will be spent on trying to convince those who really don’t what to change and come into more of a kingdom expression? I for one am so tired of going to so many pastoral driven leadership meetings and seeing so little revelation, truth, and life-giving flow being presented. I look for the breath of God that creates and seldom find the anointing to speak for a few minutes under the spirits unction. It’s time we decide to let go of any religious connection and begin to truly spend our time on what we know to be true kingdom.

What decision? Ouija Boards?

Posted on by
Reply

So new years is now here and everything is to change isn’t it. All the resolutions for self-improvement, decisions for things we have wanted to change, but never did, and now suddenly we have courage to publicly announce that we are going to finally do this thing. We look forward to a brighter tomorrow each year and yet each year it seems nothing truly changes. For some magical reason we believe within a 24 hour period everything in our life is about to change. We celebrate the New Year with all kinds of events, parades, football and gatherings. Don’t worry, I even went to someone’s house for a couple of hours but it was more for fellowship than celebration. But celebrating does not put anything in motion.

We should know the times and seasons like the sons of Issachar and that means knowing more than how to turn of the calendar. For me the new year started about 7-8 weeks ago. It was a new year in the spirit realm and we already are in it. Gods calendar is not the same as ours. Much of the shifting we feel actually started shifting a few weeks ago, we just now are feeling or sensing the shift. So many prophetic words are given about the New Year, and for the most part I dismiss almost all of them. So many are given based on performing for the calendar moment, than truly being led by the spirit.

A New Year starts with so many people having a hope for the next year. This tells me two things. First people are not happy with their lives as they are. They look backward to dismiss the hard times of the year, so they turn forward with expectation for the future. That is the second thing I see each year the expectation of something to change. The desire is sitting inside of people; they just don’t know exactly how to make that change. They hope their sheer will power will do it, when in reality it requires their will to come under the will of God. He wants to be their hope and also be the catalyst of lasting change.

This year the greatest selling game at Christmas was the Ouija board! Alarming yes and no. It shows me the desire for the supernatural is extremely strong in people. But what it really shows me is the desire to know the future is even more dominant. As the world seems in such disarray and evil is increasing, people are starting to come into fear.  It’s a time of many unknowns, and people want something to believe in and also something to put their hope in. I see it both in the world and even in the church as people are leaning at times into fantasy, and spiritual speculations of an ideal world, job, or environment to walk out their faith in.  God did not say he would change the circumstance to be perfect but he would perfect us in circumstances so they do not have a hold on us. It’s time the church become the voice of the supernatural and the future. We need to not be giving some flowery prophetic words but some real words of direction. People are hungry right now and we need to wake up to what’s going on around us. I don’t know how much more ripe things have to be before we actually know the time and season we are sitting in. Jesus is our hope and future. He is our expected end. He has a plan for each person. We are to help people find that plan and find the person of the Christ.