Doing ONLY What you see Father Doing
I would like to take some time to share why i see the way i do and what the Lord has taught me concerning church growth, it's goals and methods. This might give a little understanding as to why I am confident in what I write and might be a help to others, and more importantly make a way to build bridges to others who see things a bit differently. I ask your forgiveness for being a bulldozer at times.
I grew up in an evangelical Christian Missionary Alliance Church, I graduated from one of their colleges with a degree in world missions and communications minor.
By the time I graduated i was sick and tired of the hypocrisy of the church and went headlong into the world in bitterness. I had learned the church growth principles and evangelism methods and techniques, but had not encountered the reality of Jesus Christ and His empowerment for the works of service.
I met the Lord one day after crying out to Him about my addictions I had given myself over to. He came and visited me in a powerful experience while driving to work. He stood on the roof of my car and filled me with His Spirit and spoke to me as i was going down the road.
EVERYTHING changed. This was 1993 the beginning of various organic church meetings in homes and the power of God manifest in wonderful ways. through the next 15 years or so the Lord took me on an tour of Christianity attending the IC while still having organic meetings on our own.
I attended the old IC pentecostal church, Faith movement, the independant charismatic movement, the apostolic network movement. In each of these the Lord showed me elements of truth, but also the works of men and what they had built APART from the direction of the Holy Spirit. In 2001 the Lord spoke to me clearly and took me out from the IC completely.
And now to the Organic church movement of which I have been part of from my filling of the Spirit 15 years ago. I have seen God move powerfully in organic settings, but, I fear the same element of men's work is keeping God from blessing it fully as well.
When Jesus left us his Spirit and ascended, He did not leave us a blueprint for organic church growth or evangelism. He simply said, "as the Father sent me so send i you" And what did Jesus do? He said "I can do NOTHING of myself, but only what I see my Father doing."
And then His command to them was this, "Love one another as i have loved you." Jesus modeled many styles of ministry, in the temple, in synagogues, in homes, in Large crowds, and in small. He was not stuck on a method or system of evangelism and church growth, He simply did what his father was doing, He was led as He walked by the Spirit, as God presented him the opportunities to minister.
Jesus didn't second guess or ponder the different teaching styles and philosophies of Church structure, growth or evangelism, He simply was himself with all He came into contact with and released Spirit to those thirsty for Him. He lambasted the pharisees who were full of methods and laws that made them successful.
The conclusion, Just be and do what you are called to be and do and let Jesus build HIS church. He will use you if you will simply build only by doing what you (actively) see Father do.
And if you don't know what God is saying to do, you must stop what you are doing and listen for His direction, He cannot speak to you his will while you are busy building something FOR Him. some say "God does not speak to me that way". Yes He DOES. If you are not hearing him it because you are listening to another voice that is drowning him out.
Kris
I grew up in an evangelical Christian Missionary Alliance Church, I graduated from one of their colleges with a degree in world missions and communications minor.
By the time I graduated i was sick and tired of the hypocrisy of the church and went headlong into the world in bitterness. I had learned the church growth principles and evangelism methods and techniques, but had not encountered the reality of Jesus Christ and His empowerment for the works of service.
I met the Lord one day after crying out to Him about my addictions I had given myself over to. He came and visited me in a powerful experience while driving to work. He stood on the roof of my car and filled me with His Spirit and spoke to me as i was going down the road.
EVERYTHING changed. This was 1993 the beginning of various organic church meetings in homes and the power of God manifest in wonderful ways. through the next 15 years or so the Lord took me on an tour of Christianity attending the IC while still having organic meetings on our own.
I attended the old IC pentecostal church, Faith movement, the independant charismatic movement, the apostolic network movement. In each of these the Lord showed me elements of truth, but also the works of men and what they had built APART from the direction of the Holy Spirit. In 2001 the Lord spoke to me clearly and took me out from the IC completely.
And now to the Organic church movement of which I have been part of from my filling of the Spirit 15 years ago. I have seen God move powerfully in organic settings, but, I fear the same element of men's work is keeping God from blessing it fully as well.
When Jesus left us his Spirit and ascended, He did not leave us a blueprint for organic church growth or evangelism. He simply said, "as the Father sent me so send i you" And what did Jesus do? He said "I can do NOTHING of myself, but only what I see my Father doing."
And then His command to them was this, "Love one another as i have loved you." Jesus modeled many styles of ministry, in the temple, in synagogues, in homes, in Large crowds, and in small. He was not stuck on a method or system of evangelism and church growth, He simply did what his father was doing, He was led as He walked by the Spirit, as God presented him the opportunities to minister.
Jesus didn't second guess or ponder the different teaching styles and philosophies of Church structure, growth or evangelism, He simply was himself with all He came into contact with and released Spirit to those thirsty for Him. He lambasted the pharisees who were full of methods and laws that made them successful.
The conclusion, Just be and do what you are called to be and do and let Jesus build HIS church. He will use you if you will simply build only by doing what you (actively) see Father do.
And if you don't know what God is saying to do, you must stop what you are doing and listen for His direction, He cannot speak to you his will while you are busy building something FOR Him. some say "God does not speak to me that way". Yes He DOES. If you are not hearing him it because you are listening to another voice that is drowning him out.
Kris
Views: 1476
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Comment by Marion Clark Ingram on April 30, 2009 at 7:20pm
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AMEN, Kris!
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Comment by Kriston Couchey on May 3, 2009 at 6:19pm -
When you get off the path leading to a temple and BECOME the temple of the living God, the institutions of men will become as nothing in your sight, The temple he is building is not an institution of any mans system of relgion, it is WE He is building, Christ in the flesh, we God's children.
Heaven is my throne and earth is my footstool, where is the house/temple you will build me??? the fact is, no man can build Him a temple. Jesus said "I will build my church", The church is PEOPLE not institutions. Jesus is not building an evangelical, catholic, or Morman institution, he is forming the nature and authority of chrsit in People.
I pray you will see this and recognize God is not limited men's religion. ths kingdom is love, joy, and peace in the holy Spirit. this is not any religious instituion. The kingdom is not words but POWER. When you show me the physical, mental and spiritual healing and supernatual knowledge, visions and revelations that we walk in now in a supernatural realm manifest on earth, you will have some merit, but as it stands these do not exist in your institution, only in indivduals, It DOES exist in my home.... you institution has nothing but high sounding words for people.
Kris
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Comment by Bernadette G. Conley on June 10, 2009 at 11:34am -
Please explain how I can "actively" see what my Heavenly Father who is Spirit and therefore invisible.
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Comment by Kriston Couchey on June 10, 2009 at 1:35pm
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Bernadette,
Thanx for the question. Both the Father and the Son have come to dwell in you by the Holy Spirit. You now have all the resources and all of the direction of heaven available to your life.
What I have come to know is this, when we stop doing what we are doing and wait on the direction of the Spirit He will place before us the things which are in His will. They may be small, but when you are faithful to the little places of obedience you will find that the big ones are easier to discern as well.
How can you see what your Father is doing??? stop doing what you are doing to try to serve and please Him and find out what He is truly saying.
In His Love
Kris
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Comment by A. Amos Love on July 27, 2009 at 12:55pm -
Amen Kris. we enter into His rest when we cease from our own works.
Heb 4:10* For he that is entered into his rest,
he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Deuteronomy 4:36 Out of heaven he made thee to hear his voice,
that he might instruct thee.
Deuteronomy 5:24 And ye said, Behold, the LORD our God hath shewed us his glory
and his greatness, and we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire:
we have seen this day that God doth talk with man, and he liveth.
John 10:16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring,
and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.
There shall be, One Fold, One Shepherd, One Voice.
If Not Now, When?
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Comment by Denise LaPorte on August 27, 2009 at 8:41am -
I just happened upon this post as I was searching the scripture that Jesus only did what He saw the Father doing. This was a great post and very timely. I have a House of Prayer in our area and desire for it to look the way He wants it to look and to be what He says be. blessings to you and thanks again for this good word. I plan on sharing it with our group....
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Comment by Connie on January 18, 2010 at 10:22am -
As I move forward, God leads. When I sit and wait I stagnate. I like what you said in your conclusion:
The conclusion, Just be and do what you are called to be and do and let Jesus build HIS church. He will use you if you will simply build only by doing what you (actively) see Father do.
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