In prayer this morning, the Lord downloaded to Tina the outline of what I’m about to share with you. My spirit and the Holy Spirit brought confirmation as she shared with me. Here are the main points:
Leaders must be in a place to hear and receive and follow the Lord’s Vision. Ironically, for me, it took illness to open my heart to a picture far bigger than what I had as a pastor up to that point. Because I am surrounded by gifted and discerning Kingdom leaders, God was able to speak the Appalachian/Antioch vision to us collectively, often. My job has simply been to put the pieces together, by the Spirit, and to try and share as clearly as possible what we have heard.
Confirmations from prophetically gifted folks comes next. To receive words from deeply committed disciples around the world has been amazing and humbling to watch and receive. From my Kentucky farmer friend to the leaders of Partners in Harvest and their mission movement, Iris/Kaleo; from Rick Bonfim to my many local pastor friends—those who operate strongly and accurately in the prophetic—the confirmations keep coming! Frankly, they started coming even before I could grasp the larger picture...
Look for the “Timothy’s. One of the amazing confirmations to God’s vision has been the young men he has brought into the life of this congregation, or raised up within this congregation, who have a heart for servant ministry. We meet monthly with the Timothy group to discern, train, equip and to send forth.
Watch for Heavenly activity in the region. The confirmation that led to the planting of the Twinton Church came though a couple miraculous healings the Thanksgiving before last. With Spiritual eyes open, we look for like minded souls in any given village—those who have been praying for revival, healing, hope.
We are constantly moving in the Luke 10 model—as the 70 disciples who went two by two into the villages of Galilee as “boots on the ground” to preach the Good News, pray for healing, and comfort the afflicted, we go as well, to raise up congregations around the New Testament core values of Word, Worship, and Life groups. We look, for the “sons of peace” (Luke 10:6), who have hearts ready for a move of God. So far, we have had to do very little “wiping off the dust,” as people have been open and are ready to move in the deep and abundant life Jesus came to give us.
Father, in His goodness, has brought us into a Family and a Covering that is serious about presenting the Gospel—in Word and Spirit! WE are not a tiny island of believers struggling to understand what the Works are that Goad Saved us for (see Eph. 2); rather, we are part of a worldwide army of believers who swim in the deep-end of the River of God, ushering and stewarding a movement that will eventually usher in the return of the Groom of Heaven!!! TOGETHER, let’s keep focused, as we Steward the final, great Awakening of Church by the Hand of God!