Greg Crawford

Category: Awakening

  • THE SPIRIT OF A PIONEER LEADER

    Poineers Are Heaven Sent

    A pioneer leader is not called to maintain what exists — they are called to birth what Heaven desires but earth has not yet seen. Maintenance is predictable. It preserves what has already been built. But pioneering disrupts limitation, advances purpose, and reaches into the unseen realm of God’s intention until something new begins to take shape.

    We have many managers, but it takes apostolic grace to build what has never been built. It takes a sent grace to establish new territory, new models, new wineskins, and new expressions of the Kingdom. Pioneers are not motivated by comfort. They are compelled by calling.

    Pioneers are Heaven’s answer to stagnation. They break cycles, ceilings, and ground. They do not simply adjust what already exists; they carry a divine assignment to build what obedience requires.

    The Apostolic DNA of a Pioneer

    Pioneering is inherently apostolic because apostolic grace is a sent grace. It is a mandate to establish, build, and advance what Heaven has authored. A pioneer does not simply carry inspiration; a pioneer carries assignment, structure, burden, and momentum.

    Apostolic characteristics in pioneers are seen in how they think and build. They think in terms of foundations, not events. They build systems, not moments. They carry long-term vision, not short-term excitement. They see the Church as a Kingdom movement, not merely a weekly gathering.

    Pioneers carry the architectural mind of Heaven. They are blueprint carriers, foundation layers, and culture shifters who understand that the work is bigger than a moment, a meeting, or a platform. They are sent to establish something strong enough to carry future generations.

    Scripture reminds us in Ephesians 2:20, “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” This means apostles do not just preach; they establish. In the same way, pioneers do not just dream; they build.

    Pioneers See First

    Before pioneers build, they see. Their sight comes before their structure, because revelation always precedes construction in the Kingdom. Pioneers see before others see, beyond current reality, and into what will be rather than what is. They see the invisible becoming visible and the future becoming present.

    This sight is not natural; it is revelatory. Hebrews 11:1 declares, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith gives pioneers permission to see what others call impossible. Revelation becomes their compass, and vision becomes their language.

    Revelation births movement, but religion preserves monuments. This is why pioneers must protect their sight from the dulling effect of tradition. If vision is not guarded, what began as movement can become memory, and what was once alive can become merely familiar.

    The Burden of Seeing What Others Don’t

    Seeing first is both a blessing and a burden. Pioneers often wrestle with frustration when others do not see it yet, impatience with slow movement, the weight of carrying a vision alone, and the tension between “now” and “not yet.” The burden of sight is that you may carry conviction before you carry confirmation.

    Habakkuk 2:3 says, “For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Just because God showed it to you first does not mean He will release it fast. Pioneers must learn to walk at Heaven’s pace, not their own.

    Pioneers Walk Alone First

    Before anyone follows a pioneer, the pioneer must walk alone. This solitude is not rejection; it is refinement. God often allows isolation to sharpen hearing, purify motives, strengthen conviction, detach the pioneer from approval, and build inner resilience.

    Jesus said in John 16:32, “…and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” Pioneers must learn to be comfortable being misunderstood, unseen, and uncelebrated. If you need a crowd to obey, you are not ready to pioneer.

    The Cost of Being First

    Being first means you face what others never had to face, fight battles others may never know, carry weight others may never feel, and endure criticism others may never hear. Pioneers are often celebrated after the work is done, rarely before, because people usually honor the fruit before they understand the process.

    The hidden cost of pioneering can include emotional weight, spiritual warfare, financial sacrifice, relational strain, and internal pressure. Luke 14:28 asks, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost…” Pioneers must count the cost and still say yes.

    Resistance Is Normal

    Every pioneer must settle this truth: resistance is not always a sign you are wrong; many times, it is a sign you are early. Pioneers face misunderstanding, opposition, criticism, spiritual warfare, and institutional pushback, but resistance cannot become the voice that replaces revelation.

    Joshua 1:9 says, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Courage is the currency of pioneers. They must confront what others avoid and continue forward when fear tries to negotiate with obedience.

    The War Against Revelation

    Religion always resists revelation because revelation disrupts what comfort wants to preserve. Mark 7:13 warns about “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” Tradition can silence revelation, systems can suffocate the Spirit, and information without encounter produces knowledge without transformation.

    The symptoms of lost revelation are seen in stagnant believers, powerless Christianity, shallow discipleship, the absence of hunger, and the absence of movement. Pioneers must guard what God has shown them fiercely because the enemy does not always attack revelation by contradiction; sometimes he attacks it through familiarity.

    Pioneers Create Pathways

    Pioneers do not follow paths; they establish them. They build what others will later walk on, create models others will later adopt, open spiritual territory others will later inherit, and break ceilings others will later stand beneath. Their obedience becomes a road for someone else’s breakthrough.

    Isaiah 43:19 declares, “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.” Apostles establish foundations, pioneers build frameworks, and together they create Kingdom movement. Pioneers are Heaven’s architects, designing what others will eventually occupy.

    Pioneers Carry Responsibility

    Before pioneers are recognized publicly, they carry weight privately. They carry responsibility before reward, burden before breakthrough, pressure before promotion, and warfare before witness. The private place forms the pioneer before the public place reveals the work.

    Matthew 5:6 says, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.” Hunger keeps revelation alive, revelation keeps movement alive, and movement keeps the Kingdom advancing. When hunger dies, pioneering becomes performance; but when hunger lives, obedience stays pure.

    The Fruit of a True Pioneer

    Pioneers produce new pathways, transformed people, fresh insight, Kingdom expansion, apostolic foundations, and generational impact. Their fruit is not measured only by what happens in the moment, but by what continues to multiply after them. Their legacy is not measured in applause, but in territory gained and people transformed.

    John 15:8 says, “Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.” The signs of a true pioneer are visible in what they leave behind. They build what outlives them, raise others to go further, create systems that multiply impact, and leave a blueprint for the next generation.

    Activation and Application

    This is where revelation becomes transformation. A pioneer does not read truth simply to agree with it; a pioneer receives truth until it becomes obedience, action, and construction. Ask yourself honestly if you are willing to go where there is no path, be misunderstood for obedience, carry weight before recognition, choose revelation over tradition, protect hunger above comfort, build what does not yet exist, and walk alone if necessary.

    Father, awaken the pioneer within me. Give me eyes to see what Heaven is revealing, courage to walk where others will not go, and grace to build what does not yet exist. Make me a carrier of Your blueprints, a breaker of old cycles, and a builder of new Kingdom territory. In Jesus’ name, amen.

    Next Step

    Identify the territory God is calling you to pioneer and take the first step. Do not wait for the crowd. Do not wait for comfort. Do not wait until every question is answered. If Heaven has spoken, move in obedience. Your first step may feel small, but obedience is the first brick in every foundation God builds.

  • Revival Or Awakening

    We seem to have 2 distinct focuses going on in the Body of Christ. Many are contending for revival while others are contending for awakening. We really are pursuing, praying and investing into two completely different things. Both have merits, both have a purpose and both have the same and different audiences. I want to do a comparison of both revival and awakening. Lets look at messages, audiences, gatherings, purpose, successes.

    Lets start by definitions. Revival is a word meaning the outcome of something that has been revived. Something revived means to bring something back to life that is currently  dead.

    Awakening is a word meaning to come from one state of spiritual being to a new state of being. It is focused on coming out of slumber and a stagnate state to an active state.

    Now at first we might say both are the same right? Not really. Lets look at messages.

    Messages

    The revival message is more on hope, love and repentance, It is more focused on salvation, renewing your faith and commitment to God and coming back to first love. It really is for the church and pulls upon a church audience to come alive in these areas. It is really foundational because sadly many never really had these foundations fixed in their lives. It can many times be outside influences affecting a person. It is event focused instead of entering a process of discipling. The process is only a response in the moment. Meetings are primarily led by evangelist and pastors.

    The awakenings message is more revelatory, kingdom, eternal and reforming. It is about  coming into identity, purpose, and destiny of the value of your life in Gods plan. It is more about an internal transformation then external factors. The audience is still the same the Body of Christ. It builds upon the foundations already laid and active. It is process focused instead of event driven. The process is discipleship into fullness. Meetings are primarily led by apostles, prophets and teachers.

    Audiences

    Both revival and awakening draw primary from the church. While revival shows the need for Christ in life as a foundation it holds meetings many times outside the walls of the church to reach the unbeliever. Revival mobilizes people to attend meetings.

    Awakening draws from the church to those desiring more in their lives. But it also goes into places of influence in culture. It shows the wisdom of God and brings creative insights causing the deposits in people to come into greater fullness. It causes what is dominant to suddenly come fully functioning because understanding has come. Awakening mobilizes people to go out and affect culture.

    Gathering

    Since revival is event driven the gathering tries to capture as many people as possible. Worship is the primary vehicle to rally around. Songs are what the masses know. Alter calls for salvation, repentance, rededication and even water baptism are given. Many times, these may not be fully explained and can be emotional responses more than life long decisions that come because of knowing what is required. Generally, the word of God is a basic message of our lack being met by seeing our need for God in our lives.  The gatherings are led by predetermined leadership.

    Awakening is different as it is not looking at masses as success but how many have been discipled into fullness over time. It is process driven over event, knowing this will create lasting long-term results. This can be a series of events building upon each previous one. Worship in meetings can have spiritual flow and create atmospheres of encountering God. Meetings give opportunity for others participation, activation and sharing.

    Purposes

    The real purpose of revival is to get the church refocused on winning souls. Revival meetings are very simplistic. They model the message of hope to bring to others. They also show the ease by which a simple message can be spoken.

    The real purpose of awakening is to bring people into spiritual fullness. Awakening meetings are more challenging and cause for evaluation of value systems. They bring a holistic message of the kingdom into everyday life. There is a greater expectation after meetings of ongoing growth from people.

    Successes

    Revival meetings are seen as successful if people respond to alter calls for repentance, salvation and water baptism. Many times, if large numbers are seen attending is looked at as success. It is Instantaneously rewarding. The moment is measured.

    Awakening sees success when people come alive in such a way they become influential in their faith. Success is measured not in numbers attending but the transformations occurring. Success is measured by how people influence later. The reward of seeing change is seen much later. The future is measured.

    Final Thoughts

    I see the need for both revival and awakening, but I see the need of them working hand in hand. I see a problem that revival deeming success of meetings because of response at alter calls or numbers attending, that it can create a false finish line. I also believe water baptism should be done when a person has good understanding of the action . To me it is sad we are “reviving” a church that should be on fire. I see awakening struggling to be received as it is progressive and requires commitment. Awakening needs reformation at the same time to be able to gain momentum. This means structure and patterns of church life may need to change. Opportunities also need formed for those awakened. Since awakening is primarily led by apostles, until this grace is valued again, awakening is slow in coming.

    In many ways revival and awakening are seeking the same thing, to minister to the body. But both have separate approaches, instead of seeing how they should be working together. It actually has caused an undercurrent. The body is divided, some praying for awakening others revival. Both groups generally don’t support or attend the others meetings.

    Historically some of what we call revival was really an awakening. Azusa street is the best example. There was indeed an awakening of being filled with the Holy Spirit bringing a new awareness than reviving a dead church. The Cane ridge revival (1800) was also an awakening and is looked at as the 2nd great awakening in America with George Whitfield (1730-40) being the first affecting the revolutionary war era. Cane Ridge went on to birth many famous Christian leaders and even some denominations. We see many famous revivals both past and even present tense. The sad thing I wish I didn’t know is historically revival sites 100 years later for the most part are worse than before. They are short lived in bringing sustainable change. But awakenings have brought longevity. This is not knocking revival but I bring this up to show the limitations.

    I feel the bulk of the church loves revival more than awakening. Revival has a certain ease with it. It is easy to come and participate but not be involved.  It is easy to do the basics. It is easy to live my life the way I want to. There is no discipleship and no long-term accountability.

    Awakening will cost. It will require many re-evaluations, changing of belief values and a reordering of a person’s life. The ongoing process will not end as awakening only ends once we receive a final awakening to know him as he is when we enter heaven. Awakening requires accountability and is focused on investing in relationships.

    Myself I have contended for awakening, especially in my current state of Iowa. Why? Because the prophetic words over our state don’t mention revival but awakening. Because it is a deeper longer lasting result. It is more work but it is more rewarding over time. Lets appreciate what each carries and realize that revival and awakening are both the working of the Holy Spirit in all of our lives.  

  • Where Does Time Go? The Mental Battle

    Today I found myself thinking about… well, everything I’m thinking about. My mind wandered through thoughts of family—children, grandchildren, close friends. And if you’re in ministry, you know how quickly the mind shifts toward other ministries and ministry leaders: how they function, how healthy they are, what’s working, what’s failing. You think about your own past, the future you hope to build, and all the space in between.

    In other words—you’re thinking about life.

    If we’re not careful, all these layers of thought begin pulling more and more time and energy out of us. I catch myself so loaded with thoughts that it becomes difficult to find space for the things I want to do, or even room to explore new ideas God is stirring. Our thoughts jump from one category to another, and often we never reach a conclusion. Every unresolved thought demands more time, more emotional investment, more processing.

    This morning, as I was contemplating what is actually consuming my time in ministry, I realized something surprising: it isn’t my actions that take the most energy—it’s my thinking. It’s how much time I spend mentally visiting all these different areas.

    When you oversee a ministry, you are constantly thinking about what needs to change, how to move people forward, how to rightly discern the season and the future. Your heart weighs past prophetic words, current understanding, and what God is revealing next. You’re navigating the daily needs that keep a ministry functioning smoothly. And woven through all of this is the continual examination of your own calling—making sure you are on track, while also ensuring the ministry is on track. These are separate, yet deeply intertwined.

    Then there’s the mental and spiritual load of ministering to people. When teaching or preaching, I often hear the thoughts of those I’m ministering to. Sometimes you hear their internal questions as you speak; sometimes you hear them later in counseling sessions. The bigger the person’s problem, the more mental space it occupies as you seek wisdom, clarity, and the right counsel.

    All of this began to reveal something to me: many of these thoughts are pushing out the space I need for meditation on the Word of God. The noise of a day begins to crowd out the eternal whisper.

    And then the question comes:

    How much time do we spend meditating on what is eternal compared to what is temporary?

    At the core, this is about the focus of our heart. We love people—so naturally we carry their burdens, their needs, their decisions. But we also love the eternal realm and the things of God. And it can feel like we are constantly living with a divided heart between the temporal needs of people and the eternal voice of God.

    So the real question becomes:

    How do we navigate the daily flood of thoughts and remain effective without burning out?

    Paul gives us the key: “Take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.”
    That means we have the ability—and the responsibility—to bring order to our thought life.

    Paul also instructs us to “think on things that are pure, holy, lovely, and of good report.” Part of taking control of our thoughts is learning to bring them to a conclusion. Many thoughts keep spinning because we haven’t yet heard God concerning them. We keep analyzing, hoping new information will come, when what we actually need is the wisdom of God.

    We need to pause. Step aside. Sit with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
    Let our spirit be renewed.
    Enter that place where the depths of His wisdom have no end.

    Some problems simply have no answer outside of that place.

    We think on past failures hoping not to repeat them. We try to help people make right decisions, but their answers can’t come from our intellect—they must come from the eternal realm and the wisdom of God.

    I’m also convinced that we must return to meditating on the Word and the mysteries God is revealing. Those mysteries carry answers that settle the noise, calm the racing mind, and anchor us in truth. They quiet the mental chaos because they draw us back to what is eternal.

    I have an analytical mind, and that can get me in great trouble if I’m not careful. But what I’ve learned is this:
    If I take that analytical nature and aim it toward the Word of God, it becomes a gift—not a burden.

    In the end, the question “Where does time go?” often brings us back to this simple truth:

    Time is often lost not in what we do, but in what we allow our mind to carry. And God invites us—daily—to lay those thoughts down, listen for His wisdom, and live from the eternal place where clarity replaces chaos

  • Church and Culture: The Great Divide

    Over the years in ministry, through seasons of change and decades of serving in the calling, I’ve watched the landscape of the Church shift—again and again. New strategies rise, new expressions emerge, and cultural waves crash at the gates of the Body of Christ. There is always this desire to be “relevant,” to meet the world where it is. And yet, deep within the soul of the Church is a cry to recover the DNA of the early apostolic company. What we have is not just a tension—it’s a tug-of-war.

    Relevance has become a buzzword. But relevance, when not anchored in truth, requires compromise. And compromise—though subtle—is deadly. To be relevant to culture often means we must absorb part of it. To speak to modern issues, we immerse ourselves in them. To communicate faith on the level of the hearer, we water it down. I’ve watched it happen slowly, incrementally. But over time, relevance begins to redefine our values.

    But here’s the truth: the Church was never called to mirror culture. It was called to confront it. The early Church did not try to “relate” to Roman rule, or blend with religious traditions, cultic practices, or distorted values of life. They were unapologetically counter-cultural. They understood the call to be in the world, but not of it—and they lived it.

    What’s disturbing is how far we’ve drifted. We’ve tried to attract the world by looking like it, thinking we can rescue people from worldliness while using worldly methods. We justify our compromises as “relatable.” Social drinking, carnal environments, and a diluted holiness have all found their way into our sanctuaries. But relevance without holiness produces confusion. We’ve normalized immaturity and called it maturity because someone knows both sides. Yet many of these are still babes—stuck at salvation, never maturing into discipleship, let alone Christ-likeness.

    Who let these false ideas in?

    Even well-intentioned efforts, if not grounded in truth, open the door to private interpretation. Jesus never spoke in vague language. He confronted error, exposed darkness, and raised a standard that was not only high but clearly understood. His invitation wasn’t to blend in—it was to follow Him. That meant dying to self, abandoning personal wisdom, living by faith, and ministering to souls, while not making friends with the world.

    Today, everything is labeled “Christian” or “church,” even when the foundational truths are absent. Maybe the issue isn’t culture invading the church—but the Church lowering her standards.

    I recently found myself reflecting on the early Church’s demands: the qualifications for elders, the weight of fivefold ministry, and the expectation that saints would do the work of ministry. There was an assumption that the life of Christ within the people would be so vibrant, it would require spiritual oversight by mature elders—those who carried God’s heart.

    And they weren’t living in a vacuum. Their world was far more corrupt than ours: idols at every turn, public temples to demons, open witchcraft, Baal worship, the cruelty of Rome, the celebration of depravity. And yet in the midst of it all—they stood. Separated for the work. The Church didn’t just survive—it multiplied.

    They had a clear vision: manifest the Kingdom of God.
    They had a clear mission: preach the gospel of the Kingdom to the ends of the earth.
    They had apostolic oversight: men who set doctrine and brought what was lacking into fullness.
    They had eldership in cities who preserved what the apostles had established.

    And still, through every age, with all the cultural pressures, false teachings, ego-driven ministries, and shifting models—the Church, the ekklesia, stands. Bruised, stretched, and reshaped at times—but never destroyed. She is still being refined. And yes, she will become the glorious Bride. She will be the one who delivers the Kingdom to the Father. She will rise in apostolic and prophetic order. She will become the ruling, reigning ones.

    This is my hope.
    This is my assignment.
    This is my call.

    To reveal the King and His Kingdom. To unveil the mystery: Christ in you, the hope of glory.

  • The Wineskins of Decisions: Building for God, Not Just for Us

    I wrote this blog a few weeks ago and felt I was not to not post it until later. Now I see some posting on wineskin and feel I should post.

    For decades now, there’s been a constant buzz in kingdom circles about the “wineskin” and what God desires to build in this season. There’s been talk of new dynamics, fresh structures, and groundbreaking concepts that are supposed to carry the “new wine” God is pouring out. Countless conversations, teachings, and strategies have centered on this theme for over 30 years.

    But here’s what I’ve noticed: most of these discussions focus more on the wineskin itself than on the new wine meant to be inside it.

    When Jesus spoke of wineskins, His audience understood the natural process. New wine required a new wineskin. The grape juice would ferment, releasing gases and creating pressure. An old, dry wineskin couldn’t stretch with this process—it would burst. The wineskin wasn’t just for fermentation; it was also for transportation. It was a portable container designed for movement and flexibility.

    Through the years, I’ve heard many interpretations:

    • The wineskin is the kingdom, the wine is the ecclesia.
    • The wineskin is sonship, the wine is identity.
    • The wineskin is Jesus, the wine is the Holy Spirit.
    • The wineskin is the apostolic, the wine is the ecclesia.

    At different times, I’ve embraced each of these views. Lately, I’ve been sensing the wineskin is sonship and the wine is holy community. Maybe the wineskin looks different depending on the season we’re in. There’s no shortage of speculation about Luke 5 and Jesus’ teaching on wineskins and how we would apply this for today.

    One widely accepted interpretation is that new revelations won’t fit into old structures, and therefore, we need new structures. While that’s true, we often overlook the primary message Jesus was sharing: the old wineskin is the Old Covenant, and the new is the New Covenant. That’s the essential framework He was establishing.

    Where we tend to get tripped up is in attempting to build a new wineskin inside an old environment—or alongside it—without recognizing that “new” means exactly that. New. Nothing of the old can really be repurposed. The conversations about new wineskins that have echoed for over 40 years haven’t materialized into visible change, perhaps because we’re still clinging to fragments of the old.

    The reality staring at us is who is willing to let go of what has been in order to grab what is indeed new. Who is willing to lay everything as an offering in being able to go into what we don’t understand. It really is the ultimate faith journey.

    The word “new” (in Greek) means unused, unworn, recently made, fresh, unprecedented. It describes something of a completely new nature—not just new in time, but new in kind. It hints at something miraculous and unexpected that salvation ushers in: a new heaven, a new earth, a new Jerusalem, a new name, a new song, a new creation, and yes, new wine. All of these point to God’s desires and plans, not man’s.

    Here’s what I also see: the wineskins people are trying to build today are heavily influenced by the times they live in and the revelation they currently carry. This has led to many people building many wineskins for many reasons, instead of us collectively building a singular wineskin focused on the kingdom Jesus spoke of. Often, the emphasis is on creating a new structure to make ministry easier and more effective—rather than building from a kingdom covenant framework that aligns with the heart of God.

    Add to that the tension of personal preference. It’s easier to default to the old wineskin because it feels familiar. It reflects past preferences, past experiences—even good ones—that we’re reluctant to let go of. But what was a productive truth in the past might not be the truth needed now.

    I believe much of our pursuit has been about creating a wineskin that works for us, instead of asking what would a wineskin built solely for God look like? Could we dare to build something not centered on our convenience or efficiency, but entirely for His pleasure? What if the wineskin we’re called to build is designed to connect deeply with the next age—the eternal age?
    What if it was a portal, a spiritual opening, transferring heaven to earth? A place where the frequencies of heaven resonate across all dimensions? A way of redefining and realigning. Could the wineskin be a kind of superposition—a quantum space operating simultaneously in two dimensions, waiting to be measured by the manifestation of His glory? At its simplest, the wineskin is a container—but for what? For God’s new. And if we built it for Him alone, would it even entertain men? Or would it instead draw God Himself?

    In 2015, God told me to build a throne for Him in our state. I didn’t know what that meant at the time. Now, the pathway is becoming clearer. The “new” rarely seems logical or realistic. It never fits the status quo. But in contemplating what a wineskin built for God might look like, I wrote down these thoughts:

    1. It would be a place that allows the expression of the next age to form.
      An understanding of the eternal would permeate everything.
    2. It would be a place where the sounds and frequencies of heaven are heard and felt.
      Not just earthly worship, but a heavenly discourse and sound.
    3. It would be a place of spiritual flow and expression.
      Flowing in sync with God, unrestricted by time or human agendas.
    4. It would be built for God’s presence more than for man’s entertainment.
      A place not of visitation but sustained dwelling.
    5. It would be a place filled with revelation of the mysteries of God.
      A continual unveiling of God, leaving man in awe.

    These would naturally result in the things we currently discuss about wineskins, but those would be the byproducts or fruit of, not the focus. The how-to’s of ministry would emerge from the wineskin itself as fruit—an effect of being inside the wineskin and becoming the wine.

    What strikes me is how little conversation actually focuses on building a wineskin for God.
    After all, it’s His wine, His container. We can’t build anything apart from Him. This requires us to move from ownership to stewardship—a shift that might explain why many cling to the old wineskin. The new demands we give up control.

    All the ministry functions we struggle to implement would naturally flow from His presence. Needs would be met simply by standing before Him. Ministry would shift to its rightful order: Melchizedek priests ministering first to the Lord, and then into the earth’s culture.

    I challenge you to reconsider your wineskin. What if you built it as a place where God would love to dwell? When He is with us, many of our issues would resolve in His presence. Let’s not confuse the wineskin with the wine. If we build for Him, the wine will come.

  • But I’m a “Christian”

    I want to address something that everyone encounters at some point: the person who claims to be a Christian yet lives with a mixture of worldly influences. As I write this, I can think of numerous examples, as I’m sure many of you can. But the real question is: do they truly know HIM?

    The worst deception is self-deception. When a person is self-deceived, they live in a constant cycle of justifying themselves, never truly changing. Self-deception is particularly dangerous because the individual has placed themselves into it. It is not a demonic force, nor a wrong doctrine they believe, but a doctrine they have created. Without a willingness to take a hard look at oneself, engage in deep humility, confess, and genuinely repent, it becomes almost impossible to break free.

    At its core, self-deception is rooted in an open-belief system that resists true transformation. This system contains just enough truth to convince the individual that all their beliefs are valid. An open belief system is built on personal decisions about what to accept or reject regarding God and faith. Consequently, actions are self-justified and explained away rather than measured against biblical truth.

    One of the most dangerous aspects of self-deception is that it creates a self-induced spiritual coma. A person can live in this state for years, believing a lie they are unwilling to acknowledge. When confronted, they debate from the perspective of their personal belief system and intellect rather than from biblical truth. As a result, they twist scripture to fit their mindset, allowing iniquity to settle into their hearts. Iniquity is both twisted thinking and lawlessness. The only way to purge it is through mercy and truth—God’s mercy that allows us to see the truth and be set free.

    This deception stems from being neither hot nor cold but lukewarm. Instead of being fully committed to Jesus, these individuals engage more with Christian concepts than with Christ Himself. Their approach is intellectual rather than spiritual, leading them to compartmentalize their faith, feeling good about certain aspects while refusing to surrender areas of their flesh that remain unredeemed.

    Perhaps the most sobering reality is found in Scripture: “God gave them over to a reprobate mind” (Romans 1:28, 2 Timothy 3:8). This is the tragic consequence of self-deception—becoming reprobate. A reprobate mind is one that is morally unprincipled, transgressing against God’s moral law, and ultimately rejected by Him. It is not that God actively does this to a person; rather, the person places themselves in a position where rejection of truth becomes their own undoing.

    A secondary form of self-deception is even more dangerous: presenting a compromised version of Christianity to others. Those who are self-deceived often act like chameleons, changing based on their surroundings and who they are with. They don’t live a set apart faith publicly. Their faith lacks value and conviction because they are unstable in its expression being double minded. Because their foundation is not built on solid spiritual truths but rather on personal interpretation, they convey a message that faith can be mixed with worldliness. They send a message that it is acceptable to believe whatever one wants, ultimately denying absolute truth. Over time, they become adept at justifying their actions, influencing others to follow their example into self-deception. A self-deceived person can only lead others into self-deception.

    Breaking Free from Self-Deception

    There is hope for breaking free from this bondage, and it is found in 2 Corinthians 13:5 — 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

     True self-examination requires humility and desperation. Often, it takes a crisis to shake someone out of their deception. If we struggle to see the truth ourselves, we may need spiritual leaders we trust to help us recognize where we truly stand. However, we must be willing to hear and accept their counsel objectively.

    God has given us a ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Reconciliation is more than resolving disputes; it means restoring harmony. Many divisions in the Body of Christ stem from self-deception and disunity. We fail to recognize and value what others bring because of personal feelings of inadequacy. Instead of embracing truth and revelation, we deny it to remain in our comfort zone of deception.

    A key aspect of self-deception is the false belief that relevance in ministry is determined by status, achievements, or followers. This misconception breeds jealousy and strife, all of which stem from self-deception. It causes the self-deceived to hold value in their perspectives to maintain self-esteem rather than see themselves and accept that God has something greater for them.  Every believer has a unique function and role in God’s plan, unfolding according to His timing.

    To truly reconcile, we must understand what harmony looks like in our spiritual lives. Harmony means being in right standing with God, with others, and with ourselves. Deception always leads to disharmony. Throughout the Bible, deception brings division, both between individuals and between people and God. True harmony is restored when we examine ourselves, embrace the truth, and allow it to set us free. This process often requires putting others before ourselves and eliminating selfishness.

    In all the counseling I do, I have found that if individuals are willing, they can break free from seld-deception and step into the ministry of reconciliation. It starts with self-examination, humility, and an openness to truth. May we all take the time to seek the Lord earnestly, allowing Him to reveal any areas where we have been self-deceived so that we can walk fully in His truth and freedom.

  • Transitioning into Kingdom Age – Theology

    I first wrote a blog in 2014 called the shift from church age to kingdom age which is still the highest read blog monthly since I posted it. I wanted to touch on this again and may write a series of blogs on it. We indeed are shifting and seeing this shift underway. So, I hope this gives us some insight into what is going on.

    The first and primary shift is a theological shift. This has to occur before any other shifts occur. We are seeing not a shift away from theology but more so an in-depth dive into true theology. We are seeing many searching out the deep things of God and the hidden mysteries. We are not looking through denomination eyes but through kingdom perspectives. We are re-evaluating what we felt was primary truth and concluding it was support truth. The primary at this time is the kingdom of God.

    One of the theological shifts is actually understanding this truth of the kingdom not just through intellectual understanding of principles and promise we operate or believe. But it is also spiritual understanding of those same principles and promise with one more added dimension, protocols. We are becoming more aware of our spiritual reality that it is more than an add-on to our humanity, but our humanity is only the container for our spirit man. This means we are seeing how the kingdom and spiritual spheres operate (protocols). We are seeing things through eternal eyes and also kingdom language more than Greek or Hebrew.

    As kingdom theology has come so has spiritual principles and protocols of how to function and function effectively. We have seen training and equipping not so much in proper exegesis and language understanding but in revelation and application. The Body of Christ has moved from being consumers to investors. Some have taken ownership of vision and mission. Others support it because of kingdom purposes. These are all parts of shifting from church age to kingdom age. We are more concerned about others than ourselves. We see services as times to equip more so than meet my need. Overall, this makes the Body healthy and to have a healthy perspective. We are actually bringing life back into daily areas once reserved for what revivals would do.

    A kingdom of God perspective or focus brings greater clarity to the interpretation of the scriptures and a wider scope of understanding. We are not taking scripture out of context which happens many times in a church setting by taking the pastoral part and leaving the apostolic or kingdom part as not important. We are maturing into wanting the full counsel of God and the full application of the context of scripture. This means every scripture is a gateway to a vast mystery of God that has been hide but now is being revealed. We are actually beginning to re-find what the ancient fathers knew.

    This theological shift is causing us to look again at eschatology and ecclesiology. These both have shifted in the last ten years to a kingdom theology redefining both. We are not looking at escaping but looking at overcoming. We also don’t see the church as a club or religious expression but as an army that is alive and trained to govern. These two things have shifted the function of the Body of Christ into activation and participation instead of being spectators. This is the second shift which has a function.

    This has also brought forth identity and purpose in many. Many are seeing how they are designed and what they are designed for. Finding their place, we see a lot of new ministries formed that are non-traditional. Creatives are finding their place of expression as well. People are becoming content with who and how God made them to be. Yes there is still striving and comparing, because of human nature and unredeemed areas, but I see a unique church arising that is creating a non- traditional expression.

    Kingdom theology has also opened up the area of creativity in books and publishing. We have moved from self-help guides to eternal perspectives bringing a seriousness of purpose upon the body of Christ. Since the kingdom is so vast the need to understand it so great, there is much being produced to bring clarity in the area of published writing, blogs, podcast and a host of other avenues to reach a larger audience.

    Kingdom theology also has begun to connect us as a singular Body of Christ verses a disjointed body. Kingdom principles have shifted our values and focuses. We are beginning to cross pollinate better, yet we still lack allowing the five-fold graces to cross pollinate, specifically apostles and prophets. We see there is more than a promise to stand on for what we need. We see kingdom principles of how to work those promises with faith to see outcome. This is not just affecting our personal lives but is starting to shift cities, states and even nations. 

    These are all some insights into things to shift into, if you haven’t already. If you have shifted into these things then you need to steward to see fullness come. There is an ever-expanding understanding of this kingdom without end. It is now coming upon us and will continue to expand around and within us. Now is the time to either embark on a new journey of the kingdom or to enlarge what you have already experienced.

  • The Pursuit of Gods Glory

    In our spiritual journey, we often find ourselves yearning for something more. We look at the body of Christ, seeing good works and sincere efforts, yet sensing that something crucial is missing. I recently attended a service and at the end saw believers’ earnest seeking prayer and earnestly praying for people. Yet in my spirit it seemed something was missing. I have discovered the thing that has plagued me for along time in why I’m discontented. It is I’m seeing partial glory and not a full glory. Even as I look at my own ministry I see times when the fullness of Glory was moving and times of partial glory. That missing element is a degree of glory missing. The full, tangible manifestation of God’s presence in our midst.

    Glory isn’t just a concept, or a manifestation.  It’s the essence of God’s nature. The Greek word “doxa” describes it as brilliance, splendor, and radiance. The Hebrew “kabod” speaks of honor, majesty, and weightiness. This glory isn’t meant to remain distant or theoretical. Scripture repeatedly emphasizes God’s desire for the earth to be filled with the knowledge of His glory, as the waters covering the sea.

    This glory isn’t waiting to invade from the outside. It already resides within every believer. Christ in us is the hope of glory. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us. We were created from Glory to return to glory. Glory should not be foreign to us since it is part of our makeup.

    So why aren’t we seeing more of this glory manifested? The key lies in revelation and faith. Revelation is the unveiling of spiritual truths, while faith is the trust and conviction that leads to action. We need both. Revelation without faith remains theoretical. Faith without revelation can be misguided. When we combine deep revelation with activated faith, we create the conditions for glory to flow.

    Consider the early church. Peter’s very shadow brought healing as he walked by. This wasn’t the shade created by the sun on an object. It was the radiance of glory emanating from within him, touching lives wherever he went. Charles Finney carried Gods presence onto a train and outbreak of glory occurred, leading to spontaneous repentance and salvations. These weren’t isolated incidents, but examples of believers who understood the glory they carried and learned to release it.

    We’re entering a new season where God is restoring the manifestation of His glory to those earnestly seeking it. This isn’t just about signs and wonders, and miracles, though those will certainly be present. It’s about a creative glory that will confound human wisdom and understanding. We’re moving from partial experiences to fullness, from individual pursuits to corporate destiny.

    This glory isn’t meant to be hoarded but released. It’s not about waiting for a special “cloud” to descend in a meeting. Or to see certain manifestations as a sign of God presence. These are only the fruit of Glory more than the Glory. The glory is in us, waiting to be activated and shared. When we grasp this truth, our approach to ministry and prayer shifts dramatically. Instead of merely asking God to heal someone, we can release the healing presence of God that resides within us. Where His presence is, sickness cannot remain. Where His glory dwells, the kingdom of God

    dwells. But where the glory is manifest the kingdom is manifest and vice versa.

    We’re called to glory and virtue – not just as distant ideals, but as a present reality to be lived out. This call comes with Gods divine enablement. God has given us everything pertaining to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us. We’re raised in incorruption, glory, power, and spiritual vitality – not just in some future state, but here and now as we learn to access and live from these realities.

    But maybe most important it’s glory that creates true oneness among believers. Our best human efforts at unity often fall short, but when we encounter and release God’s glory together, we find ourselves supernaturally aligned. We become one as Jesus and the Father are one. This was the prayer in John 17 and Jesus said he would give us the exact same glory so we could be one with him and the father.

    How do we step into this glory-filled life? It begins with recognizing that Jesus, the living Word, is our access point to realms of glory. He was the word made flesh. He was glory incarnate. Every scripture is a potential gateway into heavenly dimensions because it carries glory within it. As we meditate on scripture, allowing the Holy Spirit to illuminate truth, we position ourselves to both receive revelation and exercise faith. This combination becomes the catalyst for releasing glory in tangible ways.

    The journey into glory is the birthright and calling of every believer. We were created for glory, to be carriers and releasers of God’s tangible presence. As we pursue this high calling, we’ll find ourselves moving from hope to faith, from asking to declaring, from waiting to activating. This pursuit will challenge our comfort zones and stretch our understanding. It requires letting go of secondhand, intellectual faith and embracing firsthand encounters with the living God.

    Will we answer the urgent call to glory and virtue? Will we allow revelation and faith to work together, creating the conditions for God’s glory to flow freely through us? As we do, we’ll find ourselves part of a movement that’s bringing heaven to earth in unprecedented ways, touching lives and transforming communities with the tangible presence of God.

  • Christmas Story Through Revelatory Eyes

    The Christmas story has much more to it than shepherds, wise men and a manger. We all know the birth of Christ and the amazing moment of time not only for the earth but all creation. Emmanuel, God is with us. But what lead up to this moment most don’t know and the spiritual activity we assume was normal when it was far from it. During this time:

    Prior to Christ birth there was the 400 silent years The Jews returned from Babylonia captivity. Israel did give up their mixture but didn’t spend the time in preparation for the Messiah to come. Aaron’s priesthood was restored but the temple was neglected and so was the teachings of God to the people. Because of this the people stopped tithing, began to mistreat their wives and married pagans.

    The language shifted from Hebrew to Aramaic and Greek. Along with this some of the customs were adopted as well. Antiochus the Great captured Israel and sold the priesthood which Desecrated the Holy of Holies.

    Then the Maccabees Revolution BY Judas Maccabeus came in 165 BC. Called the “hammer” of Maccabee it was to break the walls of darkness and restore light back to temple practices. But 1oo years later in 63 BC Rome gained control of Israel.  Pompey entered the Holy of Holies and desecrated it.

    From here the new priesthood would become politically motivated and 2 groups were formed. The Sadducees who were liberal and practiced Greek ideas. They did hold to the Torah – first 5 books. The other group the Pharisees were conservative, and long with scribes made laws without regard to the effect upon the people. Multiple synagogues were erected for worship and social activity. Religious and civil matters governed by Sanhedrin who was the Chief priest with 70 lesser priests.

    The Daniel 8:14 prophecy of desecration of the temple was fulfilled over 2400 days. All of these events caused the bulk of the Jews to doubt a messiah was coming and felt abandoned by God. They never pursued what Malachi had instructed them.

    In this state Jesus is birthed.

    Jesus’ birth was one of great events the earth had seen. Born of a virgin, God incarnate. The supernatural was unleashed upon the earth in a new dimension. Suddenly the silence broke. God was speaking and speaking with great signs and wonders. Spiritual dreams, signs in the sky, prophecy, angelic visitation and supernatural conception all showed a new season had come to the earth. A supernatural season. A new birth of freedom was upon all.

    We have Joseph and Mary, but we also have Elizabeth with John the Baptist in her womb. Whose spirit communicated with Jesus before birth causing Elizabeth to feel the supernatural excitement. We have wise men who came to Jesus following a supernatural sign. They believed when a new star appeared a new king was born.

    Zacharias who was a priest in the temple who had been believing for the Messiah just happened to be in the temple and the angle of God spoke to him. Incense was offered one time a year as it symbolized the prayers of the nation. That’s why it said he was waiting for his moment. Who was given the privilege to offer the incense was by casting lots and you were only allowed one time in your life this privilege. So, this is his only time in his entire life to do this! ALL EYES ARE ON HIM. During this time a large number of people are praying at times of incense. He had an angelic visitation from Gabriel like Mary did and He lost his ability to speak because he doubted God but gained it back at the birth of John.

    There is also Simeon who the Holy Spirit was upon him as well and he was waiting for the Messiah. He had the highest title of honor being a Rabbi. He also was a great Sanhedrin and the president of a college. Along with Anna, a prophet who was an intercessor serving God in prayer and fasting, she was a widow of 44 years who spoke of the coming messiah. She was 84 years old, which was very special to live that long, but what she knew in her spirit of the coming Messiah was keeping her alive.

    Elizabeth who brought forth John went into hiding for 5 months, the number of grace. It was the hiding of God like the 400 silent years before the revealing of God. John was birthed before Jesus. The prophet before the Apostle. The prophet pointing to the next office. John’s name means Jehovah has graced. The word birth means genesis! Both john and Jesus were “genesised” coming from the origin point. John was in the lineage of priesthood so later in the wilderness he would be seen as a prophet priest.

    The Angel Gabriel comes to Mary in the 6th month, representing the month of humanity and mankind. Luke 1:26. She is told she is highly favored. It is not the angels opinion but Gods, which the angel is convey the message to her. Mary has to wrestle with this message. It is a new identity she has to receive. She has fear and the angel comes back and says fear not. She was fearing being an outcast and possibly stoning being pregnant out of marriage. But when she accepts the angels’ words she has found favor (past tense) she then conceives! She conceives after she has accepted her identity.

    Now Mary brings forth the savior.  But also brings forth the Chief Apostle and High priest of a new order of priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. Our savior is born. Our apostle is born. Our high Priest is born.

    So, what am I saying? There was so much symbolism, so much supernatural activity, so much God intervention, angelic activity, signs and wonders in this moment of time. Yes Jesus was born with all of heaven invading the earth. A new course was being set for us today. A new and living way had life surrounding it.             

  • Where do Doctrines Come From?

    Today we have lots of beliefs and much more even some open belief system. Where do doctrines we practice come from? Are they biblically based? What really makes a doctrine? Ill try to just give a quick overview and you can do some more digging.

    The word doctrine is actually a Latin word, doctrina, meaning “teaching, and instruction”. It is defined as a belief system that has a body of teachings or instructions, which has principles in how that belief system is operated. Again, all belief systems have a foundation that comes from a doctrinal statement of what they truly belief.

    Men have categorized biblical doctrine into class of study. You have heard of these as these are the main classifications.

    • Anthropology           Doctrine of Man
    • Angelology              Doctrine of Angels
    • Hamartiology           Doctrine of sin
    • Soteriology              Doctrine of salvation
    • Christology              Doctrine of Christ
    • Ecclesiology            Doctrine of the Church
    • Eschatology            Doctrine of future things
    • Pneumatology         Doctrine of the Holy Spirit

    Now all these help us see what we truly believe and to also see just how broad and all-encompassing certain topics are. Before we set these in place we looked at experiences that happened in belief systems. We looked for expressions of these experiences and these became sources of early doctrine. These are seen in orthodoxy:

    • Revelation.
    • Tradition.
    • Bible.
    • Liturgy.
    • The Councils.
    • The Fathers.
    • The Saints.
    • Canons.

    Now both of these sources can have lots of pitfalls and over emphasis. They also are coming from how men decided to categorize or what they felt was valuable. Many times, this is based on personal preference or even opinions.

    But the bible is noticeably clear only speaking of “Doctrines” through five distinct areas.

    • Doctrines of men    Man made rules to help maintain disciplined life. Generally, ends in control or intellectualism.
    • Doctrine of devils     False doctrines detrimental to all humankind
    • Doctrine of God       Foundational spiritual laws governing all existence, as we know it.
    • Doctrine of Apostles    Guidance of the church into understanding the above two doctrines
    • Doctrine of Christ     How the spiritual principles of God affect humankind.

    Doctrines of men is everything we listed out in the above two sections as truth is put into a man-made structure for interpretation. The belief statements in a ministry can include their own perspectives. Rules verses freedom or a heavy focus on certain actions. If there is manipulation you are seeing doctrines of men.

    Colossians 2:22 (KJV 1900) — 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

    Mark 7:7 (KJV 1900) — 7 Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

    Ephesians 4:14 (KJV 1900) — 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

    The doctrine of demons is the mixture of Biblical truth and occultism or practices. It is the worship of angels, or deities and even men. It is the enshrining of relics, altars and burning of incense. It is focusing upon departed saints as well. The doctrine of demons comes through men and many times is mixed with the doctrines of men. Much of the time it works with a religious spirit as well. It is where eastern meditations come from, astrology, yoga, new age, wicca, magick, Qabalah, Chaos magic, satanism, freemason, Daughters of Eastern Star, Astro project, ceremonial magic, Transcendental Meditation, and a host of others that are embrace and even promoted in church structures.

    1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

    2 Timothy 4:2-42 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. 43 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; 4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

    Next, we have doctrines that come from God. These would be sovereign actions or laws. They show forth his creative position as the creator and the covenant keeping God.

    Deuteronomy 32:2 — 2 My doctrine shall drop as the rain, My speech shall distil as the dew, As the small rain upon the tender herb, And as the showers upon the grass:

    God’s doctrines show forth his righteous position as a righteous judge. As the lord of his creation. As one who is providential and works in the hearts of men and humanity. That he is supreme in love, authority, and decision. Paul’s said it best in:

    2 Timothy 3:16–17 — 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

    Next, we see the doctrines of Christ in Heb 6:1. There is much to say about this as most people do not even realize these doctrines are something we should have a firm grip on.

    Hebrews 6:1–4 — 1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, 2 Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this will we do, if God permit. 4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,

    Notice it says plural dead works, baptism and laying on of hands. This section of scripture would take many blogs to understand, and I suggest you study this out on your own. I do have a video on it in the Pathway Discipleship Video series on YouTube.

    But Jesus came as one to model what the doctrines of God were and how they were to be placed in our lives. John 7:16  Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. His doctrine was only an extension of the fathers. But he made the fathers doctrines his very own. Mark 4:2 And he taught them many things by parables, and said unto them in his doctrine… 

    They were very adamant to maintain the right doctrine and did not take it lightly if the doctrine was getting off or was false. To have right doctrine was a sign that you truly belonged to God the Father and the Son. But if the doctrine someone had was off it was not to be allowed the privilege of entering your house nor was the person carrying it.

    2 John 9 -10 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. 10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

    So, the help maintain the Doctrine of God and Christ we have the Apostles Doctrine. It was a governing of both doctrines and a further explanation of how to walk it out between us.

    Acts 2:42 — 42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

    It was how the kingdom of God and the interaction of the king redeemed man. It was a doctrine of cause and effect, and a doctrine of actions. The expectation was believers would do what Jesus, and the father had already determined. There would be heart felt devotion and self-courage. So, it was a doctrine of:

    1. Doctrine of Governmental Oversight of the Kingdom and the Church
    2. Reinforcement of the Teaching of Jesus and the working of the Holy Spirit
    3. The advancement of the Kingdom
    4. Establishment of new doctrines based on the current moving and advancement of the church through the Holy Spirits activity.

    This can best be summed up in the following verse Paul spoke of to the Ephesian church.

    Ephesians 4:4-6 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; 5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

    • One Body               Kingdom thinking not denominationalism.
    • One spirit                The Spirit does not contradict Himself.
    • One hope                Only one way of eternal life
    • One calling               To be conformed into the image of Christ.          
    • One faith                 Only one belief system
    • One baptism           Repentance (metanoia)
    • One God                 The Most High God