Archive for April, 2012


Two Dangers: Danger Two

Filed Under: Viral Christianity by rossrohde — Leave a comment
April 30, 2012

Is this any more worldly...

In my last post, Two Dangers: Danger One I stated: In the early years of my faith I was warned to avoid two dangers to my spiritual life and ministry. Those two dangers were being fleshly and being worldly. I could not agree more and I completely disagree. Let me explain.

In that post I discussed how inadequate the traditional definition of “being fleshly” was. In this post I’d like to discuss the idea of being “worldly” that many of us have. I was raised that this was “being worldly”: having long hair, wearing the current youthful fashion (a suit and tie was OK), using the current slang and other such “worldly” behavior.

...than this?

I think that misses the point entirely. I don’t think our hair style, our clothing and speech habits (as long as they are gracious and modest) have anything to do with worldliness. But there is such a thing as worldliness and it is very dangerous to our spiritual lives. Actually there are four very pointed passages about worldliness in Galatians and Colossians.

So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world. (Gal. 4:3)

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! (Gal. 4:8-10)

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. (Col. 2:8)

Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”? (Col. 2:20-21)

In the context Paul is saying that going back to the structure and logic of Jewish religion was worldly and looking at reality through Greek philosophy was worldly. See the context here Gal. 4 and Col. 2. The Galatians were trying to become more godly through following Jewish religious rules. The Colossians were succumbing to some Greek philosophical thinking, probably a form of early Gnosticism.

So what do Greek philosophy and Hebrew religion have to do with each other? Why are these both examples of the hollow and deceptive, weak and miserable principles of the world which lead us to slavery? They are both attempts of humans to accomplish their goals by human effort. Greek philosophy whether Platonic, Aristotelian, Stoic or Epicurean was based on one simple idea: We can make our life better by figuring things out by our own human wisdom and effort, our own “philosophy.” Philosophy, after all, means love of wisdom.

But why did Paul single out Hebrew religion. Wasn’t Hebrew religion instituted by God? Wouldn’t it therefore be good? Not exactly. Hebrew religion was based on a covenant God made with Israel. That covenant was the Law. In essence it was humans trying to live for God by keeping the rules in their own effort. According to the writer of Hebrews there was something wrong with this covenant which required God to give a new one. And the new covenant was superior and made the old one obsolete (Heb. 8:6-13). The old covenant of the Law was based on men striving to please God with their own human effort. The new covenant was based on living in the power of the Spirit under the direction of the Spirit.

So what Greek philosophy and Hebrew religion have in common is men achieving their goals through human ability, wisdom and effort. In other words, “we can do it ourselves.” That’s the basic, foundational principle the world. It is a theme that started in Gen. 3 and weaves its way through every chapter of the Bible from then on. The theological name for this is sin. It expresses itself in ideas like this: Those with the most power should have more respect. The richer the better. Fame and attention are important. When dealing with leaders, salute the flag (i.e. do whatever they say).

With that in mind, think about how we try to accomplish ministry by utilizing current American business practice. Isn’t that succumbing to the foundational principles of the world? What about setting up leadership structures based on hierarchy just like the world does? What about viewing our faith through the current philosophical lens be it modernism or postmodernism (both based on Greek philosophy)? Are we really as free from the taint of the world as we imagine ourselves? I develop these themes in more detail in my book Viral Jesus.

  • Is the modern Church any better off than the Galatians with their human religious practices or the Colossians with their fascination with living the Christian life based on the current worldview?
  • Why do you think we tend to define worldliness on surface issues like clothing rather than foundational issues like human striving?
  • Do you think it is possible to be completely free of the world system?
  • What do you think Christianity would be like if it wasn’t worldly? Would it be more or less effective?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Two Dangers: Danger One

Filed Under: Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 2 Comments
April 27, 2012

Is this any more fleshly...

In the early years of my faith I was warned to avoid two dangers to my spiritual life and ministry. Those two dangers were being fleshly and being worldly. I could not agree more and I completely disagree. Let me explain.

In those formative years of my faith, when I was encouraged to avoid these dangers, they were defined something like this. Being fleshly: participating in sins like drinking alcohol, having sex outside of marriage and using drugs. Being worldly: having a wild hair style, wearing the current youthful fashion (a suit and tie was OK), using the current slang and other such “worldly” behavior. Some of these things are dangerous to our spiritual life. Others are totally superfluous to our relationship with God. My issue isn’t whether such things are dangerous to our spiritual life but rather if this is what the Bible is talking about at all.  To investigate that we need to actually go to what the Bible says about such things. In this post I’m going to investigate what being fleshly really is. In the next post I’m going to investigate what being worldly really is.

Being  Fleshly

...than idolizing Christian celebrities?

The definition of “being fleshly” I was raised with is partially right. There are deeds of the flesh, and we are told to avoid them by living in the Spirit. We can see this argument in Gal. 5:19-23. And, the deeds of the flesh mentioned Galatians 5 are in part about participating in sexual immorality and wild living among other things (although fashion isn’t mentioned). So the definition is partially right.

What isn’t mentioned in “being fleshly” is something else Paul mentioned in Philippians.

Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless.  But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ (Phil. 3:2-7).

In the context Paul is talking first about circumcision, then about being proud of religious position and finally about religious accomplishment done through human effort. These issues, religious position, religious accomplishment and human effort oddly weren’t mentioned all that much. In fact, at least in my context, that was encouraged. Titled leaders were held in high regard, actually almost worshiped. And, by example and verbal encouragement we were expected to go out and “do might deeds for Christ.” Here’s the problem. We can’t do mighty deeds for Christ. Without his power and direction we can do nothing (Jn. 15:5). And being proud of religious positions as well as being impressed or “idolizing” such leaders clearly is fleshly behavior.

Whether our pride is in being of the tribe of Benjamin, how much zeal we have, how good we are at keeping the rules, or whether it is in being the pastor or vice president, having ministry success or being enamored with some famous Christian leader, writer, or TV personality, they are all fleshly behavior.

What was Paul’s solution to fleshly living? But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus (Phil. 3:13-14). It was pretty simple. The answer to fleshly living is to keep focused on Jesus and what He has asked us to do. Forget the titles and positions. Forget our human accomplishments and the admiration that comes with it. Forget about what our favorite Christian celebrity is doing. In fact, quit idolizing other Christians. Focus on Jesus. Obey Jesus. Walk in His power and Spirit. To do so allows us to ignore the foolish distractions.

  • Why do we tend to focus on what we have accomplished?
  • Why do we tend to stress our positions and titles? Why do we tend to become awed by the positions and titles of others?
  • Why do we seek success? What is success anyway?
  • Why do we tend to focus on Christian celebrities and be enamored with them?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Why Do I Promote House Churches?

Filed Under: Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 4 Comments
April 18, 2012

Why house churches?

Some may be wondering why I am such an ardent promoter of house churches. The answer may not be what many suspect, so I thought I’d address it.

Is it because you are rebellious against authority?

Not at all. I’ve been accused of this many times, usually by those who felt they had authority over other Christians. While it is true such authority doesn’t actually exist in the New Testament, it belongs to Jesus the Lord; this is not why I was attracted to house churches. My feelings towards Christian clergy is actually loving concern. I believe most Christian clergy long to serve God and do serve God. I believe they often get wounded by the ecclesiastical system that we now have as much or more than “laity” do. And, it may come as a surprise to some; many of the proponents of modern house church were originally “Christian clergy.” I was. To be clear, my movement towards house church has never been motivated by anger, resentment, bitterness or rebellion at some leader or leaders. I was well into my movement towards house church before I ever even began to question such issues.

Is it because we only see house churches in the New Testament?

Not really. Again, that may be true, but it was not my motivation. I don’t believe God is that inflexible about ecclesiology nor do I believe God is asking me to be that inflexible. My commitment to house churches doesn’t come from wooden literalism. Nor do I believe that God has rejected or refuses to bless those who are not house church Christians.

Is it because house churches are more practical for the completion of the Great Commission?

Again this is true, and again it is not my motivation; or at least not my complete motivation. I love that house churches are frictionless. For what I mean by that read my post Sand in the Gears. But I don’t believe that if the modern church would just adopt house church structure that there would be some magical benefit to the Kingdom. Such an event would be passive. That is to say, it could be helpful but by itself it could not accomplish what God wants done. Further, I would not advocate such a thing because it would wound those who were not prepared and called by God to move into house church structures. For them the old wine is better (see Luke 5:39). To force such people into a structure they did not understand would not be a loving act.

Is it because house churches are a new covenant structure which doesn’t interfere with the Lordship of Jesus?

This is quite true and it is part of my motivation, but not my complete motivation. In the new covenant Jesus speaks directly into our hearts and minds (Heb. 8:10). He is Lord (see 1 Cor 12:3 and Phil 2:11) and there is no need to have human leaders with power, control and authority. And, I’ve experienced how wonderful it is when Jesus himself actually leads a meeting of Christians (see Authority: How Jesus Leads a Church) but this is not my entire motivation.

Then what is my motivation?

It is the symbiotic combination of a number of factors together. House church structure does not get in the way of the Jesus’ agenda of spreading his Kingdom. That can’t be said of more traditional structures and if I love Jesus I love what He wants. He wants His Kingdom to come and His will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. I am to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. I don’t want anything to get in the way of that.

I love that house church structure actually allows me to live fully and completely in the new covenant and the lordship of Jesus with no restrictions by human traditions or human control. So house church structure allows access to Jesus, both individually and in community, without any encumbrances. It also allows for the Gospel to spread without any structural impediments. I feel that is very important. But in and of itself this will not fulfill the Great Commission nor connect me/us more deeply with Jesus.

House churches are an empty shell without the power, presence and direction of Jesus himself. And, if we are not careful they can become just as much of a holy huddle as many traditionally structured churches have become. If we love Jesus we love his Kingdom and the spread of his Gospel. For that we need His power and we need to obey him explicitly as He gives specific instructions to our particular situations. House churches can be just as inept at ignoring Jesus as some traditional churches and some traditional churches and traditional Christians are following Jesus into the harvest under his command, for which they are to be commended.  So I promote house churches because their structures don’t get in the way of Jesus’ leadership and what He wants to accomplish. This is part of what I’m saying in my book Viral Jesus. But I don’t believe that Jesus has deserted more traditional structures and Christians.

  • I’ve repeated a number of questions which have been posed of me as to why I promote house churches. What question would you ask?
  • Does this sound to you like I have totally rejected more traditionally structured churches?
  • Agree or disagree: structure isn’t important?
  • Do you believe, as I do, that structure can unintentionally interfere with our relationship with God?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

How to Kill a Viral Jesus Movement

Filed Under: Christendom, Church History, Church Life, Jesus is Lord, Meeting Together, New Covenant, Spiritual Life, Supernaturalism, The Viral Jesus Book, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 3 Comments
April 13, 2012

It's great while it lasts. We need to learn to not take control from Jesus so they do last.

When viral Jesus movements (also called revivals) happen they are exciting, powerful and fruitful. They can also be surprisingly fragile. God begins many of these but they are killed because of inappropriate human activity. I want to discuss this activity so that none of us are ever a part of killing a movement of God.

The Wrong Wineskins

In my book Viral Jesus I note that what I call partial Jesus movements normally last twenty years or less. By partial Jesus movements I am referring to a movement of the Spirit (revival) that gets snuffed too early. I would include in this list the 1st Great Awakening, the 2nd Great Awakening, The Moravian movement, the Welsh revivals, the Azusa Street Revival…I could go on. Here’s the sad point, we have not seen a single viral Jesus movement go for more than about twenty years between the Edict of Milan in 313 AD and the current viral Jesus movement in China in 1949. That’s 1,636 years. Let me be clear, a number of these movements sparked significant lasting change. Both the 2nd Great Awakening and the Azusa Street Revival gave birth to current denominations. But the lasting power and presence of the Holy Spirit was gone, as was the rapid in gathering of souls. The Assemblies of God denomination was born out of Azusa Street. Is the average Assemblies church having a rapid in gathering of souls? Is there a pervasive holiness among members that is any different than say a Baptist church? The revival had long lasting effects but the revival itself has gone.

In contrast, the first viral Jesus movement, the early Church lasted about 280 years. Honestly it was losing its power before the Edict of Milan but that was the largest and last nail in the coffin. The viral Jesus movement which is currently happening in China has been going on since 1949 (63 years and counting). What’s the difference? Put simply the difference is wineskins. The way of doing church which we now think of as standard practice, (congregational meetings in dedicated buildings with a hierarchical leadership structure) is a hostile environment to the Spirit’s powerful work. For specific details of this read the chapters The Crumbling of a Viral Jesus Movement and The History of Partial Viral Jesus Movements in Viral Jesus. How could the early church sustain a viral movement for nearly 300 years? They didn’t have our current church practice. When it finally became formalized the viral movement stopped. How can our Chinese brethren sustain their movement of the Sprit for over 60 years? They don’t follow standard church practice. You can read about that in Thank You Chairman Mao. Following are some of the more specific reasons that our more traditional practices kill viral Jesus movements.

Human Control

The Church was specifically designed to function with Jesus as Lord and his servants to listen to His specific instructions because of the new covenant. In the new covenant Jesus the Lord gives us specific directions to our hearts and minds (Heb. 8:10). Have you ever seen footage of a SWAT team entering a house to make an arrest? It is confusing and chaotic. One guy is yelling POLICE! Another is commanding, “PUT UP YOUR HANDS!” The next is screaming, “GET ON THE GROUND!” Another is saying, “DON’T MOVE YOUR HANDS!” All the while there are flash bang grenades going off. Chaos! That’s what we have now in the Church, thousands of human leaders “leading.” There is so much human noise it becomes difficult to hear the still small voice of the Lord speaking into our hearts and minds. This human domination can also manifest itself in a leader, group or denomination trying to control what happens.

Focus on Manifestations or Avoid Them

In my last post Characteristics of a Jesus Movement I mentioned two current tendencies, to bask in the glow of supernatural manifestations or shun them. Both can kill viral Jesus movements. To encounter God’s supernatural power is wonderful. But God gives this for specific reasons, to change our lives towards holiness, to show his power to the world and spread his Gospel. It is not a spiritual drug for us to merely enjoy. When we focus on the manifestation and not the Master we risk losing both. In the opposite direction we have brethren who are so steeped in secular rationalism that they are offended by supernatural manifestations. They seem weird, inappropriate and distasteful. In fact, to many they seem satanic. I give a sound test to see what is from God and what is from the devil in my post Is This God or the Devil? However, both of these fleshly tendencies create a hostile environment for a viral Jesus movement.

Fail to Become Missional

There have been a number of truncated viral movement in the US in the last thirty years. They started out fine, despite the bad wineskins, but they fizzled. What happened? Two things happened in my opinion. First, people were curious about the supernatural manifestations but weren’t serious about God’s plans. In other words, it quickly became human focused instead of God focused (see above). But the second problem was that there was little focus on allowing God’s work to become missional. In my post Characteristics of a Jesus Movement I noted, “true Jesus movements start out attractional and very quickly become missional.” That happened in the 1st and 2nd Great Awakenings, the Moravian movement, and the Azusa Street revival. Currently the tendency is to come and observe, come and experience, come and enjoy; but there isn’t a lot of going unto all the world to preach the Gospel. These truncated movements have died or will shortly if they don’t take God’s purposes in mind and follow Him out into the harvest.

  • Do you see any common factors in these fatal behaviors?
  • Why do you think the form of the wineskins makes so much difference?
  • Why do you think Jesus movement die if they don’t become missional?
  • Why does human control (not the same as human participation) truncate viral Jesus movements?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Characteristics of a Jesus Movement

Filed Under: Church History, Evangelism, Meeting Together, Spiritual Life, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 3 Comments
April 11, 2012

Jesus movements don't just happen.

I’m not particularly fond of the word revival. Partly it is because it means different things to different people. To those of evangelical persuasion it is a reference to a rapid ingathering of souls. For others it speaks of a renewal of holiness and commitment to God among His people. And to many of Charismatic and Pentecostal backgrounds the emphasis is on supernatural manifestations of the Spirit. So which is it? My answer is yes. A real outpouring of God’s Spirit among His people normally has all three of these aspects; it renews and deepens the relationship between God and his people which leads to holy living. It is accompanied by supernatural manifestations; manifestations which can take those who are not accustomed to them by surprise, perhaps even offending them. And, it results in a great harvest of souls. But because the word revival is so abused, I’m going to talk about Jesus movements.

Picking and Choosing

So, is an apple the peal, the fruit or the seeds? The answer is yes. Our problem with Jesus movements is we only want the part that appeals to us and leave out the rest. This dividing the various aspects of Jesus movements, so we can focus on the parts we like, is destructive. That is to say it kills the Jesus movement, or it impedes it in the first place. Is it any wonder that Jesus movements are rare? I want to make a point here. Jesus movements aren’t about us. They involve us. They enrich us. They renew us. But God wants to redeem His world and involve us in the process.

A true Jesus movement has all three of the aspects I’ve mentioned above; God’s people are renewed, God draws people to himself through His people and there are powerful manifestations of spiritual power. These three are deeply interrelated. God can’t bring people to himself if his bride isn’t beautiful. That’s where renewal comes in. Further, like it or not, it is those strange and unusual manifestations of supernatural power that is part of the attraction. Go back and read Acts 2 again. Then read my last post about the 2nd Great Awakening. Yes, the weirdness turns some off (as it did in Act 2), but it attracts others, and it demonstrates God’s power. Frankly, some people come for the show and leave with the King. But true Jesus movements start out attractional and very quickly become missional. If they don’t, they die, which I’ll speak about in the next post.

Sparking a Jesus Movement

But how do Jesus movements start in the first place? They start when God’s people desperately and consistently ask for them. They ask for three things: 1.) to be revived within, 2.) to have an outpouring of the Spirit (which results in supernatural manifestations), and 3.) for an ingathering of souls. Does this sound familiar? As an example think about Acts 2 and its aftermath.

In my last post The 2nd Great Awakening I quoted part of a covenant that James McGready and his friends made with God thorough prayer. I’ll quote the whole thing here and note these three aspects working together.

When we consider the word and promises of a compassionate God to the poor lost family of Adam, we find the strongest encouragement for Christians to pray in faith–to ask in the name of Jesus for the conversion of their fellow-men (3). None ever went to Christ when on earth, with the case of their friends, that were denied, and, although the days of his humiliation are ended, yet, for the encouragement of his people, he has left it on record, that where two or three agree upon earth to ask in prayer, believing, it shall be done. Again, whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. With these promises before us, we feel encouraged to unite our supplications to a prayer-hearing God for the outpouring of his Spirit (2), that his people may be quickened and comforted (1), and that our children, and sinners generally, may be converted (3). Therefore, we bind ourselves to observe the third Saturday of each month, for one year, as a day of fasting and prayer for the conversion of sinners in Logan county, and throughout the world. We also engage to spend one half hour every Saturday evening, beginning at the setting of the sun, and one half hour every Sabbath morning, from the rising of the sun, pleading with God to revive his work (1).

Jesus movements happen when God’s people fervently and consistently pray together for renewal, the salvation of their fellow men and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. When God answers their prayer, what once was difficult becomes easy. And, God’s purposes for us and through us are fulfilled. I want that. Do you? If we really want it, we need to gather like minded people and begin to pray.

  • Many Christians long for revival. Many even pray for them. If you have, did you ask for all of the aspects of revival? Were you persistent?
  • Which of these three aspects, renewal of God’s people, an outpouring of God’s Spirit and a harvest of souls for God do you think is superfluous?
  • One person asking for revival doesn’t seem to bring a Jesus movement; it takes a gathering of his people; why do you think that is so?
  • Christianity was designed to be in constant revival mode. That’s what we are seeing in China and India today. Why do you think it is so easy to become contented with the status quo?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Is This God or the Devil?

Filed Under: Biblical Meditation, Church History, Evangelism, Supernaturalism, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 4 Comments
April 9, 2012

Viral Jesus movments are where the battle is the most intense.

This post is the third in a series which seeks to ask the question, what kind of spirituality do we need if we are going to see a viral Jesus movement in organic churches in the West? In the first blog Running on One Leg I described three different forms of spirituality we see in those seeking to see a viral Jesus movement. In the second The Second Great Awakening  I show what one of many viral Jesus movements looked like. I also note that these movements are often accompanied by strange manifestations. In this post I want to outline how we can determine if what is happening is coming from God or from his enemy.

Viral Jesus movements are attacked by the devil. This happens in two ways. First, the devil, who knows what manifestations of a Jesus Movement look like, can counterfeit them. After all, he does like to present himself as an angel of light. It should come as no surprise then that non-Christian religions like Mormonism, Buddhism and Islam sometimes manifest similar manifestations to those that accompany viral Jesus movements. But, keep in mind the devil isn’t going to counterfeit something that is already false or evil, there is no point from his perspective. He is only going to counterfeit what is wholesome and true.

However, what is even more confusing, the devil likes to lurk around the edges of viral Jesus movements then join in so he can discredit what Jesus is doing. The devil lurking around the edges usually expresses itself when he tempts spiritually weak or gullible people to fall into serious sin while participating in a movement of the Spirit. This give him a chance to have others say, “See, this is sinful, it is obviously from the devil.” It should come as no great surprise that at Cane Ridge, the powerful revival meeting that was a key flash point for The Second Great Awakening, people were getting drunk and committing adultery and fornication in the woods nearby. That’s the devil lurking around the edges and joining in to discredit.

The Test

Jesus told us:

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” (Matt. 7:15-20).

What can be said about testing false prophets can also be said for testing movements of the Spirit from the devil’s behavior. The test is do they produce good fruit or bad. The 2nd Great Awakening saw millions come to Christ, it changed the society from violent and dangerous to peaceful and holy. It also sparked such important social reforms as abolition, women’s rights, education reform, penal reform and temperance. That’s good fruit. Would the devil do that? The mini Pentecost experienced by the Moravians on August 13, 1727 sparked a missions movement (good fruit). The Azuza Street revivals sparked the Pentecostal movement which has seen hundreds of millions come to Christ and has sparked a missions movement which has covered the globe (good fruit). When a movement sparks such good fruit it is clearly from God, even when seems to us to have strange manifestations that we may find uncomfortable.

Three Mistakes

It is easy to throw the baby out with the bathwater. This can express itself in at least three ways. The first is to see what we consider to be strange and distasteful manifestations and proclaim them works of the devil. Before we do so, check the fruit. The second is to point out that the same or similar behavior is being manifest in ungodly movements. This is guilt by association. The test is the same, check the fruit. The fruit of Mormonism or Islam is not the same fruit as a viral Jesus movement, but it can look similar. Finally, even in a viral Jesus movement the devil can enter in along the edges to discredit. Just because there are inappropriate things happening to a few who are participating doesn’t mean the whole thing is of the devil. It means that some people have been duped by the devil. For example, some overzealous people in the Pentecostal movement split churches and wounded people in their zeal. However, the answer is not to be duped as well, it is to check the fruit. Let me ask you, despite some bad things that have happened in the Pentecostal movement, do you think the devil was behind hundreds of millions coming to Christ and a worldwide missions movement? We need to check the fruit of the whole movement as well as check the fruit of individual behavior, and discern the difference between the two. The movement may be of God, while individual acts may be a satanic distraction.

In the next post I’m going to talk about common characteristics of revival. Finally, in the last post in the series I’m going to talk about how to kill a viral Jesus movement; it’s easier than you may think.

  • Why do you think so many Christians are quick to dismiss movements of the Spirit?
  • Is weird or unexpected behavior an automatic sign that something is from the devil?
  • Does ungodly things happening among an otherwise healthy movement a sign that the whole thing is rotten fruit? Does everyone in your church or denomination act appropriately?
  • Can you think of another way to test if something is of the Spirit of God or from the devil?
  • Why do you think some Christians are willing to attribute supernatural power to the devil but not to God?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

The 2nd Great Awakening

Filed Under: Christendom, Church History, Evangelism, Recommended Books, Spiritual Life, Supernaturalism, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — 5 Comments
April 6, 2012

A Small Part of the Meeting at Cane Ridge

In my last post Running on One Leg  I described the spirituality required for a viral Jesus Movement. In this post I’m going to describe what just one of these movements looked like; although there have been many in Christian history. In my book Viral Jesus I devote four chapters to this issue: The Early Church: The First Viral Jesus Movement, The Crumbling of a Viral Jesus Movement, The History of Partial Viral Jesus Movements, and China: A Current Viral Jesus Movement.

It started with a covenant with God

In the wilds of Kentucky in 1799 the members of three churches in Muddy River, Red River and Gaspar River signed a covenant with their circuit riding Presbyterian preacher named James McGready. They promised to pray every Saturday evening, Sunday morning and fast the second Saturday of every month. The covenant read in part:

When we consider the Word and promises of a compassionate God, to the poor lost family of Adam, we find the strongest encouragement for Christians to pray in faith—to ask in the name of Jesus for the conversion of their fellow men…With these promises before us, we feel encouraged to unite our supplications to a prayer-hearing God, for the outpouring of His Spirit, that His people may be quickened and comforted, and that our children, and sinners generally, may be converted.

The Movement Spread from Red River

In June of 1800 while McGready’s Methodist friend John McGee preached passionately at a communion service at Red River the Spirit came in power. Here’s a portion of McGee own account of what happened as he preached:

Several spoke to me: “You know these people. Presbyterians are much for order, they will not bear this confusion, go back and be quiet.” I turned to go back—and was near falling, the power of God was strong upon me. I turned again and losing sight of fear of man, I went through the house exhorting with all possible ecstasy and energy.”[1]

Here’s how Peter Marshall and David Manuel in their book From Sea to Shining Sea described what happened next.

With that, the dam broke, and the floods of salvation swept through the assembly. In a moment, the floor was “covered with the slain: their screams for mercy pierced the heavens,” and according to McGready, one could see “profane swearers and Sabbath-breakers pricked to the heart and crying out “What shall we do to be saved?”[2]

This powerful revival swept through the other congregations in the area to the point that in 1801  McGready, McGee and their other Presbyterian, Methodist and Baptist preacher friends decided to make a clearing in the deep woods at Cane Ridge to hold a large revival meeting. The preachers were stunned when twenty-five thousand people showed up in the middle of the wilderness. This was about one eighth of the entire state’s population.

Demonstrations of the Power of God

Powerful but strange manifestations of a Viral Movement

Here’s the weird thing. This revival in the middle of the woods was accompanied by some very bizarre manifestations of the Spirit. Here’s how James B. Finley, who came to observe as a skeptic, described just one of those strange manifestations, people all shouting at once.

The noise was like the roar of Niagara. The vast sea of human beings seemed to be agitated as if by a storm. I counted seven ministers, all preaching at one time, some on stumps, others in wagons…. Some of the people were singing, others praying, some crying for mercy in the most piteous accents, while others were shouting most vociferously. While witnessing these scenes, a peculiarly-strange sensation, such as I had never felt before, came over me. My heart beat tumultuously, my knees trembled, my lips quivered, and I felt as though I must fall to the ground. A strange supernatural power seemed to pervade the entire mass of mind there collected…. Soon after, I left and went into the woods, and there I strove to rally and man up my courage.

After some time, I returned to the scene of the excitement, the waves of which, if possible, had risen still higher. The same awfulness of feeling came over me… I saw at least five hundred swept down in a moment, as if a battery of a thousand guns had been opened upon them, and then immediately followed shrieks and shouts that rent the very heavens. My hair rose up on my head…. I fled into the woods a second time, and wished I had stayed at home.[3]

What Finley, who became a frontier preacher himself, describes is actually quite mild compared to some of the other powerful manifestations that happened at Cane Ridge. But what was the result? Did this really result in the Kingdom moving forward? Let’s hear from a contemporary skeptic.

Personal holiness was not the only result from the 2nd Great Awakening

How this affected society

Dr. George Baxter, a minister was sent to Kentucky by Presbyterian officials in Princeton to put an end to such shameful nonsense. Keep in mind that Kentucky before the revival was an evil place, nicknamed Rogue’s Harbor for all the outlaws that congregated there to avoid more organized society (i.e. the law). Here’s part of Baxter’s report to his superiors.

The power with which this revival has spread, and its influence in moralizing the people are difficult for you to conceive, and more so for me to describe…. I found Kentucky, to appearance, the most moral place I had ever seen. A profane expression was hardly ever heard. A religious awe seemed to pervade the country…. Never in my life have I seen more genuine marks of that humility which…looks to the Lord Jesus Christ as the only way of acceptance with God. I was indeed highly pleased to find that Christ was all and in all in their religion…and it was truly affecting to hear with what agonizing anxiety awakened sinners inquired for Christ, as the only physician who could give them any help.

Those who call these things “enthusiasm,” ought to tell us what they understand by the Spirit of Christianity…. Upon the whole, sir, I think the revival in Kentucky among the most extraordinary that have ever visited the Church of Christ, and all things considered, peculiarly adapted to the circumstances of that country…. Something of an extraordinary nature seemed necessary to arrest the attention of a giddy people, who were ready to conclude that Christianity was a fable, and futurity a dream. This revival has done it; it has confounded infidelity, awed vice to silence, and brought numbers beyond calculation under serious impressions.[4]

In the next three posts I’m going to ask the question, how can we determine if strange behavior is from God or the devil? In the subsequent post I’m going to talk about common characteristics of viral Jesus movements. Finally, in the last post in the series I’m going to talk about how to kill a viral Jesus movement.

  • Have you ever been a part of a viral Jesus movement like this?
  • Would you want to be a part of this or is it just too weird?
  • Do you think this kind of thing can be counterfeited by the devil? If so, how do we distinguish what comes from the devil and what comes from God?
  • What do you think the common characteristics of a viral Jesus movement are? How do these things get started?
  • Why isn’t Christianity like this all the time? How does this get suppressed?

[1] Charles A. Johnson, The Frontier Camp Meeting (Dallas: Southern Methodist University Press, 1955), 35.

[2] Peter Marshall, Manuel, David, From Sea to Shining Sea (Old Tappan, New Jersey, Fleming H. Revell Company, 1986), 62.

[3] Marshall and Manuel, p. 68 quoting Johnson p. 64-65.

[4] Ibid., 69.

Did you like this? Share it:
Comment

Running on One Leg

Filed Under: Christendom, Evangelism, Spiritual Life, Supernaturalism, Viral Christianity by rossrohde — Leave a comment
April 4, 2012

It's hard to move forward.

I recently spoke at the Momentum West Coast 2012: Organic Church Conference. The title for my talk was “Practical Spirituality.” I wanted to answer the question, what kind of spirituality do we need if we are going to see a viral Jesus movement in organic churches in the West? I think that’s a pretty good question. Have you ever asked yourself that? Here’s what I said.

Hopping

Many of us have been trying to do organic ministry as if we were trying to run on one leg, and it’s our weak leg at that. Imagine standing on only your left leg and then trying to run. It’s clumsy isn’t it? Our left leg represents the human side of ministry: models, methods, techniques, paradigms, objectives…you get the picture. These aren’t bad things. After all God will need to give us some sort of model, technique, method, etc. if we are to accomplish ministry. However, focusing only on these things leaves us hopping when we need to be sprinting.

Limping

At least we are going someplace.

Ever notice that Jesus never said, “If you get the best techniques down just right you will bear much fruit?” What did he say? “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Techniques and the rest, in and of themselves, are totally worthless. They are worthless because real fruit comes from Jesus, not us. He bears fruit through us; we don’t bear fruit for Him. That’s exactly what He means when He said, “apart from Me you can do nothing.” Now we have put the other leg, the leg of abiding spirituality on the ground. This is our strong leg. Now we can move forward, better said; now we can limp. Limp? Yes limp. Individuals working alone in an abiding relationship with God can move forward but it is not with the power that accompanies viral Jesus movements. It is good, but it is not all that God has for us. Don’t get mad yet, hear me out.

Now we are doing what God designed us for.

Running

Viral Jesus movements  look different than merely godly people ministering in the Spirit. There is much more power. And I think God wants us to work in that power. After His resurrection Jesus spent forty days with his disciples then he ascended. But, before He left He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:7-8). In response to this 120 of his disciples went to an upper room and prayed for ten days…then all heaven broke loose. I don’t need to tell you the rest of the story, you already know it.

What you may not know is that throughout Christian history there have been a number of mini Pentecosts. When they happen, there is tons of power, rather strange manifestations, and the Gospel moves out quickly and in tremendous power. The same people who before preached the Gospel with meager results now preach the gospel with incredible results.

In my next post I’m going to give just one example of what this looks like, the Second Great Awakening. I’m going to quote original sources and give a glimpse of what God’s power looks like, and the results that it gives. Then in the following three posts I’m going to ask the question, how can we determine if strange behavior is from God or the devil? In the subsequent post I’m going to talk about common characteristics of revival. Finally, in the last post in the series I’m going to talk about how to kill a viral Jesus movement.

  • Do you think we can move the Kingdom forward just focusing on techniques, methods, and the rest?
  • Have you found yourself thinking, if I can just learn how to “do it right” everything will begin to work?
  • Why do you think Jesus offers fruit, more fruit, much fruit and fruit that remains (Jn. 15:1-17) only to those who abide in Him?
  • Do you think I have it wrong, that we can actually develop powerful ministry just by studying and implementing the best techniques?
Did you like this? Share it:
Comment
Powered by WordPress | Theme: Motion by 85ideas.