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BACKGROUND
CALL
CALLING
MINISTER
MINISTRY
The
full background to this teaching is available online at this link
For serious students only
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Online links to scriptures (New International Version [NIV] unless otherwise stated) are shown in blue
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 As we come towards the end of our discussion on the 'Power of the Call' we need to emphasise again that the kingdom is within each believer.
Luke 17:20
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 The role of leadership and indeed, every believer, is to develop the kingdom that is within each one of us in order to be witnesses of Jesus to the world.
We all have spiritual gifts - without exception.
1 Corinthians 12:7
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 In the traditional way of thinking, we believe that spiritual gifts are primarily possessed by leadership. This simply is a lie, one that satan promotes in order to reduce the effectiveness of the multitudes in furthering the kingdom of God.
One of the major reasons members, particularly keen Christians, are leaving traditional churches in increasing numbers is that they are not being encouraged to develop spiritual gifts they have.
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 I am a great admirer of God's ministry given to my friend, Rodney Francis of (The Gospel Faith Messenger Ministry). His ministry role is to develop people in their spiritual gifts, particularly the gift of prophecy. No, not everyone has the leadership gift of prophecy of Ephesians, but as I have experienced in Rodney's seminars, nearly everyone, with positive encouragement, can prophecy over others with an amazing degree of accuracy. To see people who for years sat in pews believing that prophecy is the sole property of leadership speak a word of personally applicable encouragement, at first hesitantly, then with growing confidence, over another, brings a smile to their, and my, face.
1 Corinthians 14:1
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 The role of leadership is to bring people to maturity in their relationship with Christ, not to make people dependent upon the leadership. This is easier said than done, as many people are more comfortable being under the authority of leadership rather than in submission to the will of the Father.
I would suggest that today we are in the midst of a foundational change from the 'church age' to the 'kingdom age'. The church age was leadership led while kingdom age is Spirit led, with the individual believer taking their instruction from the Father through the Spirit in order to become the bride prepared for the return of Jesus. The role of leadership is to teach the people how to communicate effectively through the Spirit, then release them to do so.
We are coming to understand that the kingdom is a present reality as well as a future hope. We are the kingdom. We are the light of the world. We are Jesus to the world. We are the only witnesses of Jesus the world can see.
In the church age we talked about Jesus, in the kingdom age we are to become Jesus to the lost.
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 As we conclude 'The Power of the Call', I simply wish to re-emphasise the fundamental change in understanding that is taking place in the 'community of God' as opposed to the foundations of the established 'church'.
At the very heart of this change is the movement from 'church' being individual buildings, pastors and programmes, normally linked together through a denominational grouping, to a 'kingdom' understanding where each individual believer relates to God personally and individually. Instead of the church down the road being the witness to unbelievers and calling them 'in', each individual believer, progressively being transformed into the likeness of Jesus, is a personal witness 'out' in the community, amongst those whom they come into contact during their daily lives.
The new role of leadership is like that within a human family. It is the leaders job to help new believers become mature rather than dependent, in a similar way to teaching our physical children the skills required to become independent adults. Just as our children need to be taught life skills to become functioning adults, so too we are to be taught and then released into spiritual maturity by those whom God has chosen for that role.
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 The culture of dependence upon the pastor or priest for ongoing spiritual support inculcated in today's church has no place in the ways of the kingdom.
We all too easily forget the primary function of Jesus when He came and dwelled amongst us. It was to reopen a direct path for the individual believer to relate, once again, to the Father through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
This was magnificently symbolised when.....
Matthew 27:51
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 Entry into the Holy of Holies, the dwelling place of the presence of God, where previously only the temporarily purified High Priest could go once a year, was now opened to every believer, priest, pastor, to you, to me, every day of the year. Gone was the distinction between priest and people.
As the angels sang, through His death, Jesus fulfilled His purpose in coming to earth.
Revelation 5:10
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 'Them' is not the professionals, is not a denomination or religious system, but rather, 'them' is all of them! All of us! Every true disciple of Jesus!
People do not see the kingdom in a title, a building or a programme, for the kingdom is not external but internal, existing within the believer.
Luke 17:20
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 My friend, I urge you to pray about and meditate upon what has been written over these past few weeks. It may be considered radical, even rebellious, to many who have faithfully served the current, physical, church based system. You may make your living from it. Change will be difficult, may even seem impossible.
Please, don't take 'my word' for it but search 'The Word'! Today, as there always has been, there is a choice between following a religious system or seeking the kingdom of God. May the Lord be with you as you choose which path you will walk.
Religion is based upon dependence, the kingdom, interdependence.
Religion looks inwards, the kingdom, upwards and outwards.
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| <i>NEXT WEEK:</i> A PROPHECTIC PICTURE -' THE ROCK' |
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 See what it says to us.
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| A NOTE FROM DAVID |
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 What is the call on your life? For sure, there certainly is one!
Pew sitters are certainly not kingdom minded people!
You are important to God! Seek Him to find out what it is he wants you to do.
BIBLE ARCHAEOLOGY
The Coins of Jesus' Time
Herod I, 'the Great', 40-4 BC, AE 8 Prutot. Crested helmet and star flanked by palms/Thymaterion (incense burner), date(year 3) and monogram, Greek legend around (= of King Herod) This coin was in circulation when the Bar Yosef family was in Egypt.
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So until next week.......
MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOU BLESS GOD!
His servant and yours
Learn more about us at...
www.wwj.org.nz/about.php
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A DAVID'S DOODLING
1210. Ministry is service, not position.
David Tait
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Check
out the WWJ website for….
More David's Doodlings: www.wwj.org.nz/dd.php
Reports on past Ministry visits: http://www.wwj.org.nz/diary.php
Eagles Fly High!: http://www.wwj.org.nz/eagle.php
Eagles Fly High! (Pastors, Teachers and Students): http://www.wwj.org.nz/eaglepts.php
God Facts (A mine of information): http://www.wwj.org.nz/gfacts.php
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