Tribal Gathering Notes
I just recently returned from ROCK Tribal Gathering in Kansas City, Missouri. The Tribal Gathering serves as a chance for those who are part of this organic spiritual family to reconnect with each other and catch God's purposes for the next stage of our development together. This TG served as an incredibly powerful time that included several messages from Heidi and Rolland Baker. I'll try and make slices of their messages available in the future.
For now, though, I wanted to post my notes from my workshop with Dr. Timothy Johns on "Apostolic Strategies For Regional Revival." The workshop served as a great chance to catch the bigger picture of what we're after: not just a house church network, but the awakening of cities and nations facilitated by organic spiritual families. What appears below are my notes from the meeting. The document can also be downloaded for personal use here.
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Apostolic Strategies for Regional Revival By Timothy Johns
First thing we have to know is the thing we are discussing is biblical. Apostle is a biblical term that means “sent one.” It’s a military term. It was a designated representative from the king sent to expand the territory of the kingdom. The first apostle was Jesus. He was sent from Heaven to break into the earth and reclaim the Earth. He appointed other apostles.
The church was always meant to be apostolic. It was never meant to function without apostles. There were twelve perennial apostles, but there were post-ascension apostles that were raised up after the original twelve. Today the church is mostly lead by pastors. Pastors are not the primary vehicle for church leadership. The best thing a pastor can do is to build relationships with apostles. They release advancement in the church. The average church in America has 53 members, because we are part of a pastor-based system. Apostles think strategically about taking a city or region. They put the go in the gospel. Their agenda is unity, purity, maturity and equipping the saints. They are entrepreneurial. They are always working themselves out of a job.
Strategy—apostles do think strategically. Apostles don’t move the kingdom by strategy. They don’t organize the kingdom into existence. They move it by power and by love. They don’t cookie-cutter something. They release the power of the Kingdom and build an uncontrollable grass-roots movement. Jesus had general directions—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria. He didn’t have programs, but Jesus did have strategy.
You need to embrace the apostolic giftings and grace. You may not be an apostle, but you can be apostolic. Whatever you connect with at a heart level, that you pull the nutrients from. People who pull on an apostolic gift become infected with that gift.
What was Jesus’ strategy for revival? First of all, He knew who He was. The number one thing the demonic realm will do to an apostle is neuter you. Jesus had to hear it from the Father. “You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” You have to hear from the Lord. The early stages is when Satan loves to take us out. We are most vulnerable in our embryonic stages. The battle for a region starts in your own head and your own heart.
Next, you want to only do what You see and hear the Father doing. You want to conduct the River of God in any way He wants You to. You have get filled up Yourself. Pray in tongues. Get full of the Spirit. Be in the word. Become a life-giving person. Become a great oozer. You have to begin to ooze the life of Jesus in your own way.
Go into an area and begin to pray and intercede. Ask the Lord for His vision for this area. Prayer walk. Whatever property you live on, plead the blood of Jesus over. Cancel all broken covenants over a property. You are trying to bring the Kingdom to a place that isn’t. What’s between you and your goal is a demon that has a legal right to be there because of a broken covenant. Pray for individuals.
Connect relationally with the people around you. Get their heart open through every means possible. Listen to their heart. Listen to three things. Listen their Yesterday person. Find out about their today person. Find out about their tomorrow person. Once you get into relationship, preach the kingdom. Gather converts. Begin to disciple them. Raise them into a family so they can reproduce.
You have to insist on government. People will want to hang out and do the Bible study thing. There will be a resistance to government. The battle in people’s hearts is over the kingdom and everyone will have authority issues. Western Christianity is about accepting Jesus and still being able to do our own thing. We want Christianity without fellowship. It’s not about obeying us, its about helping each other obey God. The reason most house churches fail is because they try to only be relational, without submitting to authority designed to expand the Kingdom of God. Apostolic authority is given to help us advance the borders of the Kingdom. The more you find your place in authority, you open yourself to the power of the kingdom. Plant a church with government in it.
A regional revival will need five elements.
1) Strategic Intercession—Unify with other pastors and leaders in the city and begin to intercede with them over the city.
2) Multiplying House Churches
3) Training or Equipping Experience for house church members
4) Celebration Experience
5) Unity with an Apostolic Tribe for an apostolic thrust. The family must be bigger than their region. They need cross cultural experiences.
For now, though, I wanted to post my notes from my workshop with Dr. Timothy Johns on "Apostolic Strategies For Regional Revival." The workshop served as a great chance to catch the bigger picture of what we're after: not just a house church network, but the awakening of cities and nations facilitated by organic spiritual families. What appears below are my notes from the meeting. The document can also be downloaded for personal use here.
-----------------------
Apostolic Strategies for Regional Revival By Timothy Johns
First thing we have to know is the thing we are discussing is biblical. Apostle is a biblical term that means “sent one.” It’s a military term. It was a designated representative from the king sent to expand the territory of the kingdom. The first apostle was Jesus. He was sent from Heaven to break into the earth and reclaim the Earth. He appointed other apostles.
The church was always meant to be apostolic. It was never meant to function without apostles. There were twelve perennial apostles, but there were post-ascension apostles that were raised up after the original twelve. Today the church is mostly lead by pastors. Pastors are not the primary vehicle for church leadership. The best thing a pastor can do is to build relationships with apostles. They release advancement in the church. The average church in America has 53 members, because we are part of a pastor-based system. Apostles think strategically about taking a city or region. They put the go in the gospel. Their agenda is unity, purity, maturity and equipping the saints. They are entrepreneurial. They are always working themselves out of a job.
Strategy—apostles do think strategically. Apostles don’t move the kingdom by strategy. They don’t organize the kingdom into existence. They move it by power and by love. They don’t cookie-cutter something. They release the power of the Kingdom and build an uncontrollable grass-roots movement. Jesus had general directions—Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria. He didn’t have programs, but Jesus did have strategy.
You need to embrace the apostolic giftings and grace. You may not be an apostle, but you can be apostolic. Whatever you connect with at a heart level, that you pull the nutrients from. People who pull on an apostolic gift become infected with that gift.
What was Jesus’ strategy for revival? First of all, He knew who He was. The number one thing the demonic realm will do to an apostle is neuter you. Jesus had to hear it from the Father. “You are my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” You have to hear from the Lord. The early stages is when Satan loves to take us out. We are most vulnerable in our embryonic stages. The battle for a region starts in your own head and your own heart.
Next, you want to only do what You see and hear the Father doing. You want to conduct the River of God in any way He wants You to. You have get filled up Yourself. Pray in tongues. Get full of the Spirit. Be in the word. Become a life-giving person. Become a great oozer. You have to begin to ooze the life of Jesus in your own way.
Go into an area and begin to pray and intercede. Ask the Lord for His vision for this area. Prayer walk. Whatever property you live on, plead the blood of Jesus over. Cancel all broken covenants over a property. You are trying to bring the Kingdom to a place that isn’t. What’s between you and your goal is a demon that has a legal right to be there because of a broken covenant. Pray for individuals.
Connect relationally with the people around you. Get their heart open through every means possible. Listen to their heart. Listen to three things. Listen their Yesterday person. Find out about their today person. Find out about their tomorrow person. Once you get into relationship, preach the kingdom. Gather converts. Begin to disciple them. Raise them into a family so they can reproduce.
You have to insist on government. People will want to hang out and do the Bible study thing. There will be a resistance to government. The battle in people’s hearts is over the kingdom and everyone will have authority issues. Western Christianity is about accepting Jesus and still being able to do our own thing. We want Christianity without fellowship. It’s not about obeying us, its about helping each other obey God. The reason most house churches fail is because they try to only be relational, without submitting to authority designed to expand the Kingdom of God. Apostolic authority is given to help us advance the borders of the Kingdom. The more you find your place in authority, you open yourself to the power of the kingdom. Plant a church with government in it.
A regional revival will need five elements.
1) Strategic Intercession—Unify with other pastors and leaders in the city and begin to intercede with them over the city.
2) Multiplying House Churches
3) Training or Equipping Experience for house church members
4) Celebration Experience
5) Unity with an Apostolic Tribe for an apostolic thrust. The family must be bigger than their region. They need cross cultural experiences.
posted by Travis at 11:34 PM
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