I had dinner with Brother Wade Taylor recently, and I was stunned by how young he looked. Without using hair color, or any other cosmetic fixes, he looked at least 20 years younger than the last time I saw him. He said that he also felt better than he had in many years. When I asked him what his secret was, he remarked simply that he takes communion every day. He believes that the Lord is a "quickening Spirit" who will "quicken our mortal bodies." I know many who believe, but I think that Brother Taylor is actually touching on something.
Moses spent so much time in the presence of the Lord that when he was one hundred and twenty years of age, his eyes were not dim, nor his strength abated (Deuteronomy 34:7). Regenerated Christians have the power of the One who created the universe living inside of them. The Lord is a "quickening Spirit" who will "quicken our mortal bodies." If this is so, why are so many Christians weak, sick, and dying prematurely? Let us first read Romans 8:11_14:
But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh--
for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.
There are a number of scriptures that indicate sickness can be the result of sin. Sin kills. If we are abiding in sin, it will work death in our bodies. However, if the Spirit of God dwells in us, and we in Him, He will give life to our mortal bodies, or as the King James Version states, "quicken our mortal bodies."
The Christian rituals that have been handed down to us are symbolic events intended to represent the essential truths of our faith. It has been the bane of Christianity since the second century to replace the essential truths of the faith with an over exaltation of the rituals that represent those truths. However, these rituals, such as communion, baptism, the laying on of hands, etc., were established because rightly used, they are powerful tools for conveying the truths that they represent. There is a ditch on either side of the path of life, and the church's tendency has been to swing from one extreme to the other. Ritual and ceremonies taken to extremes can become a form of godliness that denies its power. Used rightly they keep us moored to the essentials of the faith.
There is nothing magical about the bread and wine that Brother Taylor takes every day. There is something infinitely powerful in the way that he uses it as a point of contact with the Lord. There is a very obvious quickening in Brother Taylor that takes place through it. Formulas and patterns are the basis of witchcraft. Christianity is faith in the living God. We use rituals to remind us of Him. The apostle Paul elaborates on this in I Corinthians 11:25_30:
In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner, shall be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
For he who eats and drinks, eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he does not judge the body rightly.
For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep.
Because of this exhortation, many Christians habitually spend time examining their hearts and repenting of sins before partaking of communion. This is laudable, but the specific problems that Paul addresses here are often overlooked. To partake of communion unworthily is not done just by having unrepented sins in our lives, but also when we do not "judge the body rightly." The sins that we should be repenting of before communion are those which have brought division or discord to the body of Christ. These can be sins of commission, such as slander or gossip, or failing to be properly connected and related to the body of Christ. It is for these that "many are weak and sick, and a number sleep."
The power of God that lives in the regenerated believer is the very life of Christ, which we have been given through His blood. We are repeatedly told in the Old Testament, "the life is in the blood." The cup of which we partake in communion is not His actual blood, but rather a symbolic representation. The bread of which we partake is symbolic of His body, which is now the church. The reason why many are "weak and sick, and a number sleep," is not because they do not partake of the rituals often enough. It is because we are not being properly joined to the Lord and His body so that His life can flow through us, as we see in I John 1:7:
but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
If we are walking in the light: 1) we have fellowship with one another, and 2) the blood of Jesus cleanses us from "all" sin. As we are cleansed from sin, its effect on us is also removed. It is important to take time to repent of our sins, but the primary way that we are cleansed from our sins is by participating in the body life of the church.
The word that is translated "fellowship" in I John 1:7 is the same word that is translated "communion" in I Corinthians 11, which is the Greek word koinonia. The very word "fellowship" was originally derived from the term "two fellows in a ship," which implied that if they were going to get anywhere they would have to work together. Inherent in our fellowship is a cleansing process that is produced by the blood, or life, of Jesus flowing through His people. When we are severed from this we will get weak, sick, and then die, just as if a member of our body would if severed from the rest of the body.
I once heard a pastor say, "Church would be wonderful if it weren't for people!" It's understandable that many think this way. People are difficult. When there were just two brothers on the entire planet they could not get along! All relationships are difficult. The closer and more important the relationship, the more difficult it will often be, but also the more powerful and
rewarding the fruit will be if the difficulties are overcome. One of the ultimate fruits of having a true body relationship is that we will not be as subject to weakness, sickness, and premature death.
Becoming a member of a local church is certainly fundamental to discerning the Lord's body, but there is more to it than that. It also implies discerning the parts of the body and how they fit together. I have asked thousands of people who attend our conferences how many know their calling and ministry in the body--it is usually about 5 percent. Less than that are actually functioning in their ministry. How well could you get along if only 5 percent of your body was functioning? Would this not be a state of weakness, sickness, and even impending death?
Our first calling is to worship the Lord. We must have the simplicity of devotion to Christ as the bedrock foundation of every church. However, after that we are called to love one another, and do the works that He did, which were expressions of His love for people. If we are abiding in Him we will bear fruit, and we will be used by Him. Those who are not being used by Him to touch others have a short-circuit in their spiritual life that will lead to atrophy, and eventually lead to death.
So how do we get to the place where the whole body is functioning? We must recognize that we do not have a valid New Testament ministry unless we are equipping the saints to do the work of the ministry as we are told in Ephesians 4. We must reject the form of church life that has reduced Christianity to a spectator sport where many watch, and a few do the ministry. The leadership of the church must equip the saints, and then the saints must do the work of the ministry.
From Migrants to Inhabitants
Each month we have a gathering of people who see and hear on a strategic prophetic level. In our most recent meeting, Ray Hughes had a word that the Lord was moving in the body of Christ to turn migrants into inhabitants. Many Christians have the mentality of migrants rather than inhabitants. They move from place to place, always seeking greener pastures. They are often under the delusion that motion is momentum. They root themselves more in memories and principles than in places, with nostalgia often being the basis of their love for people.
Vision that is not rooted in discipline, faithfulness, patience, and the hard work required to see a vision become reality is delusional idealism. This migrant, or "vagabond spirit" is often a manifestation of the religious spirit. It is rooted in an idealism that keeps one moving because they cannot find a church, or place, that meets the standards of their idealism. This constant moving has replaced the commitment to the practical, and sacrificial, requirements for turning visions into realities. It is often an attempt to constantly avoid the hard dealings that relationships bring forth resulting in our being cleansed from our evil, selfish ways.
Though migrant workers help reap harvests, the rewards of the harvest go to those who own the land. Spiritual migrants are often helpful for the short periods of time that they are in a church. Even so, they too work for "minimum wages," and seldom are around long enough to enjoy the true fruit of their own labors. The lasting fruit of the kingdom will always be more fully enjoyed by those who have occupied the land. However, the Lord is now giving these spiritual vagabonds the opportunity to go from being migrants to spiritual land owners.
Distinguishing Seeking From Running Away
Before proceeding further, I would like to distinguish the difference between what Abraham was called to do, in leaving his home to seek the city of God, and what has driven those who have this vagabond spirit. Abraham was seeking the city that God was building, not man. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob all dwelt in tents, which were temporary dwellings, symbolizing the fact that they had no lasting city here. Even though there may seem to be no difference between this kind of calling and vision and what we are describing here as the vagabond spirit, there is a difference, and the end result of each will be radically different. How can we distinguish them?
Basically, the first is led by a positive vision while the vagabond is led more by dissatisfaction and discontent. We are called to be changed into the image of the Lord from "glory to glory" (II Corinthians 3:18). We should therefore not be prone to leave any situation or place until we have a victory in it, seeing the Lord's glory manifested. If we are called to move about, we should be leaving a trail of positive fruit and memories, not divisions, rejections, and bitterness.
It is easy for those who have a vision of what the church should be like to become discouraged by the present condition of the church. However, the path to seeing the church become what she is called to be must combine vision with a practical step by step plan for accomplishment. As an old proverb states, "Any job can be accomplished if it is broken down into small enough steps." We need to have a vision for the highest, while also being able to see the next step. For many, the path to being a part of building the city of God is found in Jeremiah 29:4- 7:
"Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon,
`Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens, and eat their produce.
`Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.
`And seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.'
Even though we may be far from the land to which we are ultimately called, we need to build, plant, and learn to prosper in our circumstances. We need to build our lives and our families on successes and spiritual accomplishments. This alone can become a strong platform from which we can be launched into greater things. However, we must never lose sight of the place to which we are called, and like the Jewish people in their diaspora throughout the world, pray each year, "Next year in Jerusalem."
Owners Versus Renters
We must also realize that one major reason for this continuing problem of aimless migration is the "plantation mentality" that still exists in much of the church. Many people are used to serve the purposes and vision of just a few. This would be tolerable if there were a provision within that for people to "own" part of the vision as well. This is more than just being able to identify with something that is successful. Spiritual ownership comes from having something born out of the individual that becomes a part of the whole. All of the tribes of Israel fought together to conquer the Promised Land, but then each family was given their own land. There is a place for us all to learn to serve others, and to be a part of the holy nation that we are in Christ. There is also a point that if people are not given a way to pursue their own vision as well, there will be continual frustration and migration.
You can drive through almost any neighborhood and quickly spot the houses that are rented from those that are owned. It is a proven, and understandable fact that people will treat something better if they own it. When the first lasting English colony in America was established at Jamestown, for two years it hung on the precipice of starvation. They had a common garden in which all the people were to eat, but very few were willing to do the work. After two years, they decided to break up the common garden and give each family their own plot of ground from which they were to eat. From that point on there was an overflowing abundance of food in Jamestown. Almost the entire world now knows that socialism does not work. Yet, in general, the church continues to be one of the most socialistic institutions on earth.
This is not to deny the importance of having a common vision, and being able to join together in worthy missions and projects. But this should be done from the solid foundation of individuals and families being solidly established on their own "land." How we arrive from where the church is to where we need to be will take extraordinary leadership, but it will happen. The colony of Jamestown had to linger at the point of death for a couple of years before they were willing to try a radically different, but necessary, new direction. If we do not choose to do it, though we understand it is the proper thing to do, we will soon know circumstances that will force us to go the right way. Paul warned that it is "For this reason that many are weak and sick, and a number sleep" (I Corinthians 11:30). He continued his exhortation with, "But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged" (I Corinthians 11:31). If we will do the right thing on our own, the Lord will not have to discipline us.
The Lord created man to cultivate the garden. It is a part of our basic nature to cultivate. Man is a part of nature, and it would not be what it is supposed to be without man's contribution. The Lord intended for it to be this way. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 3:9-10:
For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it.
Because Paul was an apostle, he was a "master builder." However, he then exhorts "each man" to be careful how he builds. Everyone is called to be a cultivator of God's field, and a worker on God's building. This does not mean that we can just build anything that we want, but we must "be careful" to build what the Lord wants us to build. Even so, He has called everyone to be a part in this building. If the Lord wanted to do it alone, He would not have needed the church. If He wanted the apostles and leaders to do it alone, He would not have made it clear that they were given "for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12 NKJV).
Many leaders are well content to let the people do the work, as long as it is still their vision. However, what we are called to build cannot be accomplished without a transfer of ownership to the people--where they can walk in the balance of having their own vision, but also being a part of the larger, corporate vision. It is not an either/or situation, but both.
We must also understand that there will be abuses, extremes, and problems. This is normal church life. Until man has been fully restored in the kingdom age, there will be human conflicts. However, we cannot continue to base our strategies, vision, works, and theology, on problems or failures of the past. This will always lead us off the course. Failures seldom stem from a flaw in the basic vision, but usually from our methods of implementation. Theologies and beliefs that are based on previous failures will almost always be in error.
We must also realize that even the best people will sometimes disappoint us. Therefore, we
must not put our hope in people, even in the church, but in the Lord alone. He is the only One who will never leave or forsake us. If our hope is properly placed in Him, then we will be able to trust people much more than we could have otherwise. We read in James 3:2, "For we all stumble in many ways." All people make mistakes, and we have to allow for them. The perfectionism that rejects those who are not yet perfect is a root of the evil religious spirit. The true work of the Holy Spirit is a step by step process that allows people to trip a few times along the way, helps them up, and encourages them to keep going.
The Cemetery and the Kingdom
When the Lord gave me the vision for the place that we are building in Moravian Falls, one aspect of it took me a long time to understand. It was the directive to build a cemetery here. It caught my attention when Ray Hughes said that our ultimate commitment to a place is often demonstrated when we want to be buried there. The biblical patriarchs gave great significance to their burial place. It almost seems that their ultimate statement of commitment to the Promised Land was that they wanted to be buried in it. A number of times in Scripture, we find expressions of allegiance to a place because the fathers were buried there. Why?
First, fundamental to our faith is our hope in the resurrection. To die in Christ is the ultimate victory, the ultimate graduation. The morbid attachment to death is rooted in unbelief. It is still understandable to mourn for our loved ones, as we will miss them in this life, but mourning is for us, not those who have departed. Cemeteries are a place where we can honor our fathers and mothers, or others in the body of Christ who have passed. They should never be a place of fear, but rather of celebration, because for us death is certainly swallowed up in victory (I Corinthians 15:54).
Last year when our ministry team visited Herrnhut, Count Zinzendorf's estate and the birthplace of the Modern Moravian Church, I was surprised to find the cemetery as the most anointed place in the town. There was a beautiful arch at the entrance which boldly proclaimed the resurrection. The cemetery was called "God's acre." Each marker had the person's favorite scripture engraved on it. When East Germany was under the yoke of communism, and Bibles were forbidden, the people would have their devotions by walking through the cemetery and reading the Scriptures on the markers. In this way, even though they were dead, these people were still speaking. Our ability to bear fruit that remains, to continue speaking after we are gone, is more than having a scripture written on our grave marker. But there is something to making an enduring commitment to a place and a people that is required for us to bear lasting fruit.
Summary
People who have been with us very long understand a common statement about MorningStar, that the only thing you can count on if you hang around very long is change. Most of those who join themselves to us are more of the nature of pioneers than settlers. Even so, to accomplish our purpose we need both. We want to be a community that is driven more by a vision for missions than a vision for community. However, we know that the most effective missions will be those that originate from a solid foundation of true, biblical community.
As Lilo Keller pointed out at our prophetic roundtable, the Gypsies in Europe tend to be a gifted, resourceful, and remarkable people. Yet, we do not know of a single Gypsy who has had a major, or lasting, impact on the world. We are called to bear fruit, and bear fruit that will remain. If we have been prone to move about often from church to church, we need to take a hard and
honest look at the fruit that we are leaving behind. If we are not leaving every situation better than we found it, moving from victory to victory, what we may consider spiritual momentum is probably a serious delusion.
More than five years ago, while we were preparing to plant the congregation we now have in Charlotte, a well-known Christian leader gave me Leviticus 19:23_25 as a word for the new work:
`And when you enter the land and plant all kinds of trees for food, then you shall count their fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it shall not be eaten.
`But in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD.
`And in the fifth year you are to eat of its fruit, that its yield may increase for you; I am the LORD your God.
This is about trees, but most of the people with whom I have talked about church planting, find that it holds true for a congregation as well. Many of the people who are drawn to a new work will be coming because they are disgruntled with their present situation. These can be great people, just like many of the disgruntled men who gathered around David that became the "mighty men of Israel." However, we do need to realize that until they have truly become planted, we cannot count on them too much. This rooting that will enable one to bear fruit will usually take about five years. We know that they are properly rooted when they begin to bear fruit that can be used.
True liberty is rooted in commitment. Commitment provides the guidelines in which our vision can be focused enough to bear fruit. We have quite a large population of spiritual Gypsies in the body of Christ now. There is a romance and idealism that they have which can be very compelling. They tend to be some of the most artistically gifted. However, if we want to bear fruit that remains, we need to be rooted and planted in love for a people and a place.