*Disclaimer: This paper is what I feel the Lord lead me to write as I prayerfully considered these issues. Please take them with a grain of salt and know that many statements made are on a majority level and do not represent every individual.*
Felt Needs
For years, the American church as been thought of as the heart of missions. We have new books that come out every week, new worship artists constantly emerging, and churches everywhere that turn your head with their well known speakers. Due to the freedom of religion and the foundation of Christian morals on which our country was built, the church has always been confident in where they stand. To some, mostly Americans in fact, the church in America is thought to be a powerhouse of Christian faith. However, it is due to this mentality that it seems that the American church has become stagnant in their faith. Our churches are full of believers- but not disciples. There are many who profess to know Jesus, go to church on sundays, and pray before their meals, but aside from this their lives look no different from that of a good hearted unbeliever. In fact, I would argue that there is a greater need for true revival in America than in almost any other country in the world today. The apathetic mentality that enthralls our churches can come down to three basic issues: A lack of knowledge and hunger for scripture, a lack of true gut-wrenching prayer and intercession, and failure to seek after and obey the voice of God no matter the cost.
The beginning of faith comes with an understanding and hunger for the Word of God. In the book of Mark, there is a story about a group of religious leaders that are trying to trap Jesus with a question about theology. Jesus responds in a way that does not succumb to choosing a side of the argument. Instead, his first response was “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures and you don’t know the power of God.” (Mark 12:24) What an incredible statement for our church today. Often times, we get so caught up in our own debates and theology that we miss the true point of the gospel. Our root issue is that we do not know or many times even read Scripture. How can we claim to serve a God that we do not even know? How can we claim to walk in his power and authority when we haven’t even read His living word? Jesus says in Luke 8:18 “ So pay attention to how you hear. To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given. But for those who are not listening, even what they think they understand will be taken away from them.” Our faith must be firmly planted in the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But without understanding of the scripture, how can we expect to know and model ourselves after Christ?
This lack of intimacy and knowledge of our Savior is evident in our lack of true, passionate, intimate prayer with God. Walking along the beach one day, my friend fell into a conversation with a Satanist who was out enjoying the sunshine. I’ll never forget what he told her. “If Christians actually knew the power that was in their prayer, they would never stop praying.” If a Satan worshiper who prays into the power of the enemy understands this extent of spiritual power more than we do, what dos that mean for us as believers in the one true God? If we truly dig into scripture like we are meant to, the response is true, heart felt, warrior minded prayer. We must learn to pray knowing the affect that it has on the Kingdom of God. God is moved by prayer. We see this all through the Bible with intercessors- Moses, Samuel, David. He listens to the pleas of his people. So what then would it look like to read the scripture, learn God’s heart through it, and then pray into it? In Why Revival Tarries, Leonard Ravenhill speaks of Elijah, perhaps our greatest Old Testament example of a prophet and intercessor, in saying “He knew the mind of God. Therefore he - one man- strangled a nation and altered the course of nature.” (40) We serve this same God that stopped the rain for years and that sent fire to a soaking alter from the Heavens. Paul spoke in his letter to the Ephesians saying “I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe in Him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.” (1:19-20) So what are we missing? - True, honest, world changing prayer and a knowledge of the powerful God who answers.
This is why we must know God. If we read scripture, we can see and learn who he is. If we pray, we can step into that power and watch the nations changed. But within all this, perhaps the hardest step to understand and learn is to listen to the voice of God in all that we do. As an institution in America, we have begun to run our churches as more of a business than a living breathing body. We have our set way of doing things, we’ve set our bank accounts accordingly, and once we get the ball rolling, it’s smooth sailing from week to week. However, God does not engage the smooth sailing with world changing power. In the book of Acts, new pockets of believers (or churches) were popping up all around the Roman empire. Yet when the apostles would visit, they did not ask if they believed in Jesus as the Messiah, they asked if they had been filled with the Holy Spirit. We have the Spirit of the living God within in us, yet we choose to walk daily in ignorance towards it. But what happens when each day we choose to listen for to the voice of God? God speaks directly to every person who has been filled with the Holy Spirit (and I specify this because merely believing in Jesus is not enough) and we can choose to listen to it or not. As Elijah stood on the mountain to be with the Lord, the voice of the great and mighty God did not come in the blast of wind that shook the rocks loose. It did not come in the earthquake that followed, nor in the fire that came after. Instead, God was in the gentle whisper and Elijah was overwhelmed. (1 Kings 19:11-13) We serve the same God today that Elijah heard on the mountain thousands of years ago. Yet we fail to listen to the voice of the almighty creator of the universe as we live our lives according to our own plans. “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives.” (Galatians 5:16)
The church in America seems as if it has strayed away from the basic truth and goodness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Tad Savoy, a pastor in Buford Georgia said of the church as a whole “I believe the church is very 'independent'. I believe we pray and ask God to bless our plans rather than find out His plans. We need to learn 'interdependence'.” We often fail to understand that we were not saved for ourselves. Our salvation is not for us alone. (Ephesians 2:8-10) We must not live in a world so blinded by “whats right for you and what’s right for me” and be willing to walk in a fear of the Lord instead of fear of man. What would it look like if we forgot our arguments over theology, we sought scripture for the heart of God, prayed without ceasing and with fervor, and then listened to the Lord’s direction as we proclaimed the Good News? I believe that this is what the Kingdom of Heaven truly looks like for our world today. “It is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.” (Matthew 13:44) There is a cost in becoming a disciple of Christ and Jesus wants it to be clear among those who wish to follow him. But this is truly what it comes down to. The church is not meant to be an institution or a building. It is within the individual that we need revival. America needs disciples that are willing to seek God in the scripture, pray, and listen to the Holy Spirit for themselves every day. Then maybe we won’t feel like we need coffee and spot lights to bring people to church. Maybe, just maybe, Jesus living within us will be enough.
Evangelism
Many Christians within the American church assume evangelism fits into a simple box of procedure. One would perhaps explain how we’re all sinners, how we need a Savior, and say a simple prayer to be repeated. As believers, we’re told that all we need in order to receive salvation is right there in the name - we need to believe. Yet by simply looking at the life Jesus and his disciples and by reading the new testament epistles, we see that simple belief in Jesus is not enough. In fact, James says in 2:19 “Even the demons believe and tremble!” Christians in America tend to be stuck in a check list mentality. Our question when it comes to evangelism is “What must I do to be sure I’m saved?” and our answer is. “First we must say the prayer, then we must go to church, and then we must help the poor and love others. This is how I know I am a believer.” But what if this lifestyle stops? Does that mean that you never truly believed Jesus? Are we still saved if we fall away from walking with him? In America, we often carry an insurance policy mentality to try to keep our salvation active. Yet I believe that if we were to present these questions to Jesus, he would respond saying “I don’t understand what you’re asking. Are you following me in obedience? Are you seeking me daily? Do you live according to the Holy Spirit? This is what my followers look like.” So what does it look like to be saved? We must dig into scripture in order to find the answer.
Acts 19 begins with the story of Paul as he travels to Ephesus to meet the believers living there. “Did you receive the Holy spirit when you believed?” He asked them. “No,” they replied. “We haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”
“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked.
And they replied, “The baptism of John.”
Paul said, “ John’s baptism called for the repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.”
As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.”
What’s important to understand in this passage is that the Ephesians knew Jesus as the Messiah and had repented of their sins, yet they had not received the Holy Spirit. Paul does not reprimand them for this or even disapprove of where they stood with Christ, but he knew that they needed something more. In order to truly follow Jesus in our walk, to truly become disciples, we must be lead daily by the Holy Spirit. We must become so sensitive to his voice that it defines who we are. (Paul does not list out the “fruit of believing”, he lists the fruit of the Spirit!) It is through the Holy Spirit that we are filled with the Spirit of the Living God. We become his dwelling place.
“Not everyone who cries out to me. ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in Heaven will enter.” (Matthew 7:21) This might be a tough verse to swallow, especially in America. So many of our Christian percentage claim to know Christ, to simply say the prayer (check!) go to church each week (check!) and pray over our meals with our kids (check!) and assume that this is fire insurance. And many people are in fact still good hearted people! However, this is what it comes down to: Are you stepping out in faith and doing the will of the Father?
Let me clarify: this does not mean that every person in the church needs to pack up and move to Uganda (although for some of us this may be the case), but this does involve more than an occasional prayer when you need help. Instead, may we learn to listen intently to the voice of the Holy Spirit as it directs us in our lives. It’s so easy to get caught up in our own routines and work schedules that we never even step out to learn the will of God for the day. Yes- this should be sought daily- by the minute, by the second in our lives. “God, how would you have me handle this insanely rude cashier at Wendy’s? Father, I am heart broken over my neighbors loss, what can I do?” It is even in the little things that this can be sought after.
Yes, this might not be easy to understand, but I daresay that there will be many in our churches today who “on judgement day will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord, we prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name!’ But I will reply ‘I never knew you.’” (Matthew 7:22)
We must break away from our checklist mindset of what is “good enough” and begin walking in the will of the Lord according to the Holy Spirit in our lives. Jesus encourages us saying “Take my yoke upon you, because I am humble and gentle at heart and you will find rest for your souls.” (Matthew 11:29) But this can only begin with total abandonment to the will of God. We have the promise that He will walk with us. But to be a true disciple is to hear the word of the Lord and to obey. Not just to hear and think it’s true.
Discipleship
Often when we think about true leaders of the Christian faith, we think of well known authors and speakers in our world today. We look for seminary credentials and theology degrees in our mentors and teachers. And while all this is good, it is easy to see common individuals, or even to look at ourselves, and think that there is inferiority due to lack of training. Yet by looking at Jesus’ choice in disciples, those in his core group, we find fisherman, tax collectors, and a freedom fighter. So what makes a true disciple? It can’t simply be book study and experience- Jesus’ disciples had none of this. Instead, Jesus saw that they were willing to abandon everything they knew in order to follow where he went. We are all called to follow Christ in total abandonment. So then what makes a true disciple? A disciple hears the word and obeys, is recognized by the work that stems from their heart, and is always seeking to know the Lord Jesus Christ in a deeper way.
A follower of Christ is not one that simply hears the truth, but one that obeys. This can come in many forms. First and foremost, it is the scripture that we are called to follow. James speaks of this in his letter to the Jewish believers who were scattered around the Roman Empire. According to James, the call is to “Get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your soul. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise you are only fooling yourselves.” It is easy to listen and agree with scripture. It is easy to nod our heads and scream out a hearty “Amen!” at every pointed finger and emphasized word behind the pulpit. But it is not as easy to actually apply the truth of scripture to our lives. In fact, Jesus makes clear the cost of following him. It’s not easily achieved. It’s not comfortable. He says in Matthew 16:24-25 “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.” Yet through it all, he promises that we are not alone. Instead we are given his strength, endurance, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We are called to be not only hearers, but doers of the Word. Paul encourages the church in Philippi to “Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.” (2:12) It is obedience that proves a disciple of Christ.
A disciple is recognized by their works. That is to say, a disciple is not made righteous by their works, but this is how they will be known. According to Jesus, “A tree is identified by its fruit. If a tree is good, it’s fruit will be good. If a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad... For whatever is in your heart determines what you say.” (Matthew 12:33-34) We are known by our actions. How can we claim to follow the Lord when we don’t love others as he would? How can we carry his holy name when we live and speak no differently from those lost in sin? James asks of believers “What good is it dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but you don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? (2:14) ... How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” (2:18) James continues on to give examples of what walking in Christian faith truly looks like. As disciples we must control our tongues, run from jealousy and selfishness, love peace and seek wisdom, love one another and always be sincere. (3:13-18) “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (James 1:27) Therefore let us live lives evident of the work of the Holy Spirit within us. May we be open to His direction daily and love through the love of Christ in the knowledge that our own love is not enough. Likewise, may we as disciples walk together in unity with a common purpose and no competitive spirit to entangle us.
As disciples, we must always seek to grow deeper roots into the life giving water of Christ. We should never become comfortable and content in our depth of relationship with God. This was Paul’s prayer for the church in Ephesus. He longed to see them grow deeper in understanding of who he was. “Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to fully understand. Then you will be made complete with all the fulness of life and power that comes from God.” (3:17-19) Our roots must be founded in the word of God, in prayer, and in an understanding of who he is. This gives us not only the nutrients that we need, but a great strength in times of trouble. Faith is knowing who God is, his character and his nature, and standing firm that He will not change. “So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain of God’s inner sanctuary. Jesus has already gone there for us.” (Hebrews 6:18-20) May we never stop growing our roots into the depth of God’s love and faithfulness. May we drink in the refreshing waters of the truth of God’s word daily. And may we continue to walk according to his voice around every corner in our lives. God is good all the time. It’s his nature. This is the rock that we hold to. It is in him that we stand firm.
A disciple of Jesus Christ is one who hears his word and obeys, proves his faith by his works, and is always longing to grow deeper in understanding of God’s love and mercy. This cannot simply come from lecture halls and sermons on Sunday. Yes, we can glean from these gifts and grow in knowledge, but spiritual wisdom and insight comes from an ever growing knowledge of who God is, which can only come through devotion and prayer with a personal and relational God who longs to be with us. As disciples, we are meant to live a life worthy of our calling, for we have been called by God. (Ephesians 4:1) So let us not live according to the expectations of this world, but be willing to abandon normality in the name of a God that is unchanging. From past to present, He is good, just, merciful, and compassionate. Our God is faithful. Let us drop anchor into this truth and be willing to take on hurricanes in this life with the knowledge that our Anchor will never fail us.
Mobilization
In his final moments before ascending into Heaven, Jesus left his followers with one last command. “I have been given all authority on Heaven and on Earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20) This is a calling on every follower of Christ. Noticed that Jesus does not say “Tell them who I am” or “tell them how to get to heaven.” Jesus calls for his disciples to make more disciples. This means that we are called to grow roots in others the same way that we are deepening our own roots in the Lord. This must be done through scripture and prayer, as well as through the voice of the Holy Spirit. Now this does not mean that every person is called to move to the African bush, but it does mean that every person should be willing. We are all called to missions in some form, whether our focus is international or to our home country.
Perhaps the greatest example of an international missionary was Paul. Paul considered it the greatest blessing and privilege to carry the news of the gospel for his Lord. It brought every kind of persecution imaginable, yet Paul rejoiced through it all and counted each new believer as his crown (1 Thessalonians 2:19). However, Paul recognized that he was not simply converting those on his missionary journeys, but making disciples. He kept in close contact with the churches he planted, visiting when he could and sending letters when he could not be there himself. In the same way, Paul carried a sensitivity to each culture he visited, never failing to teach them God’s truth through ways that they would understand. (Acts 17) He molded himself to fit into who they were, being careful to never forfeit his convictions and beliefs. Paul did not want the people to take on his own culture and tradition as a way of taking on Christ. He allowed them to be who they were, but encouraged them that their identity was found only in Jesus Christ our Lord. He never compromised what he knew to be true of Jesus and his gospel in order to simply uphold a good reputation among the people. (1 Corinthians 9:19-21)
While full time international missions might not be a call placed on every follower, we all have a responsibility to be involved in some way. Some of us are meant to go live in huts and love every child that peeks through your windows, some are meant to provide the funds necessary for that missionary to continue their work. But whether we are a goer or a sender, we are all called to pray. Paul says in his letter to the Ephesians “Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” (1:18) There is incredible, world changing power in prayer and as disciples, this should be the cry of our hearts. Yet the numbers are lacking of those who have great fervor for prayer in the church. A pastor in America gave this example when discussing prayer. “ At [church name omitted] on Wednesday night there are at least 1000 people on campus if you include all the children and youth. There are many good things happening that draw people to the church on Wednesday night... Many of these classes have 30 or 40 people attending... and choir will have well over 100. But the group that meets to pray usually consists of 10 to 15 people. This is symptomatic of the church in America.” In light of missions, both international and local, we cannot overlook the importance and power of prayer for the saints. No matter the role that we play, the missionary or the provider, we are called to be intercessors.
Yet for those of us who are considered “senders” of international missionaries, discipleship does not end with the stroke of a check. We all carry the responsibility of making disciples wherever we are. Theodore Roosevelt stated that we are made to “Do what you can with what you have where you are.” If we are called to stay put (and I do believe that this in itself is a special calling, for we are all told to go) then we are to make disciples where we are. We are to serve our community, love those around us, and share the Good News of Christ every chance that we have. This is our mission field. It is a call to discipleship and much like Paul, this means maintaining relationships and allowing roots to grow deep. Often times in America we have the idea that it is up to the church (pastors and elders) to disciple the community, but what is the church if not the individual members of the body? We are meant to disciple through relationships and righteous living, not by simply asking people to go to church on Wednesday nights and thinking that our part is done.
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we are called to proclaim the Good News of the gospel and make disciples of all nations. This can come in many forms. Yet through it all, we must understand that we each have a role to play in the Kingdom of God. We were not saved simply for ourselves, but the advancement of the Kingdom here on earth. He gave each of us a job, a role that God has invited us to play. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10) There comes a time when we need to step back and evaluate where we stand in this. How have we advanced the Kingdom? How have we played a part in growing roots? How have we helped someone to see the light and good news of the salvation in Jesus Christ? If we don’t have specific moments come to mind, perhaps we need to take a moment with God to evaluate where we put our values. Do we live life as citizens of Heaven, knowing that we are here today and gone tomorrow? Or do we live as if this is where we belong? As disciples of Christ who are determined to carry the heart of their King, our priority must be in the should of our brothers and sisters who have not heard the saving gospel of grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
