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The Revived Church! English 1301, CTC, Fall 2000 | Persuasive Outline & Essay Disclaimer: this was
written long before I had outgrown my evangelical
fundamentalism
Topic: The end-time Church will be united together in the faith and experiencing a worldwide revival. Subtopic: A) The Biblical expression and terminology of “last days, last times, end times” is often misused. 1. Apostles believed they were in the last days. 2. The “last days” refers to the entire church age. 3. Their warnings was not specifically meant only for the final generation of believers Subtopic: B) The teachings of Jesus don’t support the apostasy beliefs. 1. God desires to give the kingdom of God to the Church. (Luke 12:32) 2. Jesus desires for the Church to be united and glorified. (John 17:20-26) 3. Jesus is the good shepherd (John 10:14-18) 4. The gates of Hell shall not prevail against the Church (Matthew 16:17-20) Subtopic: C) The Apostle John lays down the foundation regarding who is “in the faith” and who is not. 1. John is considered to be the Apostle of Love because of his affectionate writings towards the Church. 2. Apostasy supporters point towards John’s admonishment to “test the spirits” to justify their beliefs and bigotry. 3. We are able to discern between the true and false apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers. Subtopic: D) The writings of the Apostle Paul give various insights regarding the Church’s relationship to Jesus. 1. The Church is raised and elevated up with Christ Jesus, saved by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:6-10) 2. Both Unity and Diversity within the Body of Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22, 1st Corinthians 12-14) 3. The Church’s foundation is the apostles and prophets w/ Jesus being the chief cornerstone. (Ephesians 2:20) 4. We are to seek to be in unity with one another, all Christians serve the same God. (Ephesians 4:3-6) 5. Paul’s admonishment for husband’s, Church is a radiant bride. (Ephesians 5:25-33) Subtopic: E) Modern-day religious movements and outpourings of the Holy Spirit is leading towards Revival 1. Azusa Street – restored the baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues. 2. Latter rain – restored joyful shouts of celebration and dancing before the Lord 3. Charismatic revivals/renewals – Tearing down denominational barriers and uniting Christians worldwide. 4. Ecumenical – Uniting the Catholic and Protestant faith. 5. Toronto blessing – The Father’s love poured out on the Church, beginning of a worldwide revival. 6. Prophetic/Worship/Intercession movements – restoration of 24-hour prayer and worship throughout the world. Subtopic: F) The Modern-day Apostles and Prophets are prophesying that the end-time revival is near. 1. Mick Bickle – Expression and understanding of Christianity will be changed in one generation. 2. Paul Cain – Expression and understanding of Christianity will be changed in one generation 3. Bill Hamon -- Helping to bring order, guidance, and leadership to the Modern-day prophets and apostles. 4. Peter Wagner – Helping to bring order, guidance, and leadership to the Modern-day prophets and apostles. Today, much confusion exists within the Church regarding Eschatology, the study of the end-times. Not surprising, the history of the Church of Jesus Christ has a long established history of disputes regarding doctrinal positions. It wasn’t until A.D. 381 before the early church fathers finally agreed to the doctrine of the Trinity. Furthermore, the church continued to struggle with disputes over the deity and humanity of Christ, existing in one person, until A.D. 451. Even today, many Christians continue to debate many different theological and doctrinal positions. In Eschatology, the church continues to debate doctrinal viewpoints such as whether Jesus is to return before or after a 1,000-year period of time known as the Millennium. For those that adhere to a Pre-Millennium viewpoint, the debate is further divided between those who believe that Jesus will return just prior to, during the middle of, or at the end of a seven-year period of time known as the Great Tribulation. There is another viewpoint that suggests that the millennium reference in the 20th chapter of the book of Revelation is merely figurative. These Amillennialists argue that there is not a literal 1,000-year millennium but rather that the church is already in the millennium because of Christ’s decisive victory over sin, death, and Satan. Although the Amillennial viewpoint has been the prevailing viewpoint throughout most of the Church’s history, recent centuries have been dominated by the previously mentioned viewpoints. These strong eschatological deviations lay down the foundational groundwork regarding the disputed end-time doctrines of denominationalism, apostasy, unity, revival, and Christian apologetics. What will be the spiritual condition and climate of the End-time church that witnesses the 2nd coming of Christ Jesus? Will there be an end-time global revival within the church that brings multitudes into the kingdom of God and all Christians together in the unity of the Faith, or will there be a great falling away from the Faith during the last days? To put it another way, have the Church’s brightest and most glorious days already been recorded in history or do they still lie before her in the future? Believers who support the idea that the Church will experience a great apostasy or falling away from the Faith during the last days base their beliefs on a number of arguments. They often point to numerous scriptural texts that warn of false prophets and false teachers deceiving the multitudes with lying signs and wonders during the last days. (Matt. 24, Mark 13:22, 2 Cor. 11, 2 Pet. 2, and others) They cite scriptures that suggest that many will come to Jesus at the great judgment saying that they performed many signs and wonders in His name; yet Jesus will tell them that He never knew them and sentence them to eternal judgment. (Matt. 7:13-23) They often allude to a scriptural passage that suggests that Jesus didn’t expect to find any faith on the earth when He returns. (Luke 18:8) They also use the book of Revelation’s description of an one-world religious system of worship, known as the great mystery Babylon, that has the appearance of the lamb but speaks like a dragon. The symbolism of this and other scriptures suggest that this great end-time religious deception will have a Christian appearance but be rotten and evil at the central core. Apostasy advocates also point towards other scriptures that warn of an upcoming rebellion within the Church during the “last days.” Although their concerns and arguments are quite sobering, I believe that their viewpoints are not properly balanced and, that they are often misguided in their approach towards Eschatology. I also believe that they have misconceptions regarding Jesus’ relationship with the Church. It is my contention that there will be a great worldwide revival with great signs and wonders that will bring the Church together in unprecedented love, unity, and loyalty towards one another and to Jesus prior to His return. The final generation of Christian believers will enter into the Kingdom of God just as victorious and glorious as the early Church proclaimed it, possibly even in greater measure than what even the Apostles had known. How can I justify such a position? The justification can be seen when you examine the biblical understanding of what the Apostles meant by “the last days” in their writings, the teachings of Jesus and an examination of His relationship to the Church, the writings of the Apostles John and Paul, the religious trends and movements within the Church, and what the modern-day apostles and prophets are declaring regarding the upcoming moves of God. First, one needs to understand the biblical concept and terminology regarding the “last days.” The Apostles believed that they were living in the last days and their warnings regarding the last days directly applied to them just as much as they do today. (2 Tim. 3:1, 2 Pet. 3:3, Matt. 24-25, 1 Tim. 4:1, Jude 1:18, and others) Many modern theologians and apologists try to treat these “last days,” ”last times,” and “end time” warnings found in the New Testament as if the Apostles were specifically talking to the Christians who would see the return of Jesus, almost 2,000 years later. The Apostles understood the terms as meaning the overall church age, not a specific generation of Christians at the end of time. (Heb. 1:2, Acts 2:17, 1 Pet. 1:20) Thus, the warnings of false prophets and apostles deceiving multitudes during the last days through lying signs and wonders were meant for all church generations. Sadly, apostasy supporters often engage in character assassinations of other brothers and sisters by demonizing various sections of the Church as false prophets, teachers, and apostles. Although these accusations are wrong and unfounded, many unsuspecting Christians fall into the trap of repeating and spreading rumors, lies, and gossip against their brethren out of ignorance or bigotry. These activities have fragmented the Church and bound her up to denominational legalism. The Bible, however, declares that this will not always be the case. Second, the fears of deception and apostasy are not in accordance with the words of Jesus. In Luke 12:32, Jesus tells the Church, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” Jesus also tells the Church that the gates of Hades would not prevail over her and that she has certain powers and authorities over heavenly and earthly matters. (Matt. 16:17-19) No matter what deceptive tricks Satan uses, God will see to it that the Church inherits the kingdom of God. Jesus describes His relationship to the Church as being that of a good Shepard. He knows who belongs to Him and the His followers, or sheep, knows who He is. No one can snatch any out of His hand, nor will he ever abandon her. (John 10:1-19) Jesus also declares His desire for the Church to be one, as He is one with the Father and Holy Spirit. Jesus, the Eternal Intercessor, intercedes on behalf of the Church for her to know the glory of God and be in complete unity. (John 17:6-36) Jesus instructs His followers to love one another so that the world would know that they are His disciples. (John 13:34-35) If Jesus advocated love, unity, and loyalty within the Church, then why don’t we? Third, the Apostle John strongly promoted love, unity, and brotherhood within the church in his writings. John is often called the “Apostle of Love” because of his affectionate writings directed towards the Church. In the John’s first letter to the Church, he repeatedly laid down the foundational ground rules regarding who is in the Faith and who is not. He tells us that those who profess the deity of Jesus Christ, walk in the light of His teachings, and demonstrate the fruits of love are true Christians. On the other hand, John tells us that those who deny the deity of Christ, don’t walk in the light, nor demonstrate the fruits of love are not true Christians. Those who advocate apostasy always point towards the Apostle John’s admonishment to not test the spirits to see if they are from God because many false prophets have gone into the world. (1 John 4:1) However, they ignore the following three verses that state,“This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” Fourth, The Apostle Paul gave many insights regarding the Church’s relationship to Jesus and the state of the end-time Church. Paul tells us that the Church is raised up with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly realms. The Church is saved by grace, through faith, and not by works. (Eph. 2:6-10) Paul repeatedly compares the Church to a body and explains that we are all one in Christ Jesus despite our different callings, ministries, beliefs, etc. (Eph. 2:11-22, 1 Cor. 12-14) Paul tells us that Jesus, the Apostles and the Prophets make up the foundation upon which the Church is to be built. (Eph. 2:20) This demonstrates that we should look at the writings and teachings of the Apostles and Prophets to build our faith upon; not necessarily church creeds and traditions. Paul instructs the church to, “make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit— just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and in all.” (Eph. 4:3-6) Clearly, the Apostle Paul was in agreement with Jesus and the Apostle John. All Christians are serving the same God in the same Faith and Covenant. Additionally, Paul describes Jesus’ relationship to the Church. Ephesians 5:25-33 states, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless… just as Christ does the church—for we are members of his body. ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother to be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.” These scriptures and examples are just a few samples of many others that demonstrate that the Apostles expected the Church to be bound together in love, unity, loyal towards one another. Although the apostles warned of false teachers and prophets that would lead many away from the faith, they also clearly defined whom they were and how to recognize them. Fifth, God has begun to restore the Church to Glory in the power and outpourings of the Holy Spirit. The Biblical exercise of praying in tongues was restored during the Azusa street revival during the early 20th century. Shortly afterwards, the latter rain movement restored the joyful shouts of praise, clapping, and dance into the Church. During the 1960’s, God began to break down denominational barriers and unite Christians of all backgrounds and faiths through the Charismatic renewal. God is even reuniting much of Protestant branches with that of the Catholic Faith through the Ecumenical movement. In the past few decades, God has continued to restore the knowledge and authority of a believer’s Faith in Christ Jesus to the Church. In the mid 1990’s, God restored the Father’s love to the Church and ignited a revival that has literally been sweeping around the world over the past seven years. God is now in the process of restoring night and day prayer and worship throughout all the earth as He prepares the Church for His Jesus’ return. Additionally, God has been restoring the prophetic and apostolic dimensions of the Gospel during the past decade. Many examples exist that demonstrate that God has not only been restoring the Church to her former glory but doing so in far greater measure and in ever-increasing frequency. These movements and outpourings appear to be a partial fulfillment of prophecy. Ephesians 4:9-16 states, “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Finally, the restoration process of the 5-fold ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers is giving the Church a better understanding of where God is going to lead her during the upcoming days and years. Although there is still much discussion regarding exactly how everything will play out, most of today’s prophetic and apostolic leadership is in agreement regarding there being an upcoming global revival. In his book Growing in the Prophetic; Mike Bickle relates a prophetic experience that occurred during his life and how it pertains to the future of the Church. In September of 1982, Mike Bickle heard the audible voice of God in a prayer meeting during a visit to Cairo, Egypt. Bickle claims that God audibly told him, “I will change the understanding and expression of Christianity in the earth in one generation.” Bickle explains that he understood the phrase “the understanding of Christianity” to mean the way Christianity is perceived by unbelievers. God will change the way unbelievers view the Church by allowing them to witness the terrifying power, signs, and wonders take place throughout the Church. Bickle understood the phrase “the expression of Christianity” as meaning the way Christians interacts with one another. The body of Christ will flow together in unity as a healthy body in the power and love of God rather than relying on programs based on designs, traditions, and structures. Bickle’s ministry is closely interconnected with a group of prophets that is commonly referred to as “the Kansas City Prophets.” Paul Cain, a highly respected Kansas City Prophet known for his integrity and accuracy, explains that the new understanding and expression of Christianity consists of the three elements of unparalleled power, purity, and unity. In his book the Eternal Church, Dr. Bill Hamon gives a good in-depth overview of Church history, the restoration process that the Church has been undergoing, and what lies ahead of her just before the return of Christ. In his book Churchquake, C. Peter Wagner describes how the new Apostolic Reformation is shaking up the Church. He identifies and examines the core philosophy of the present-day apostolic movement. Additionally, Mike Bickle, Bill Hamon, Peter Wagner, and several others have written additional books and materials regarding the upcoming revival and outpourings of the Holy Spirit. They have also played an instrumental role in leadership of the prophetic and apostolic movements. These are just a few examples that give a small glimpse of what God has been revealing to the overall Church leadership during the past few decades. These prominent men of God are highly respected within much of the Church today, their passion for Jesus is undeniable, and their message will soon be unavoidable. The Church is about to experience the greatest outpouring of the Holy Spirit since the book of Acts was written. Some have even said that all of the physical churches in the United States will not be able to contain the multitudes that will come into the kingdom of God during the upcoming harvest. Indeed, Paul Cain and Mike Bickle both enthusiastically proclaim that the “stadiums of the earth” will be filled with multitudes of believers in night and day prayer, worship, and intercession while displaying great signs and wonders as a final living witness to the world of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In conclusion, the overall spiritual climate of the Church today is very fragmented, divided, and appears rather dark. Many Christians view eschatology through a rather pessimistic viewpoint that holds little hope for revival within their own personal lives or that of the overall corporate Church. Sadly, many even ridicule, demonize, and tear apart one another’s faith rather than uplift, encourage, and build up other believers’ faith. God has not, however, abandoned the Church, nor is He going to allow her to fall away from the Faith. God has been restoring the Church, illuminating various Biblical truths, and fulfilling His promise to unite the Church to Himself as a radiant Bride, without spot or wrinkle. Let’s lay aside our bickering with one another and prepare for His return. Instead of viewing the Church as being poor, miserable, underachieving, defeated, and apostate the way that the enemy portrays her, let’s view her through the eyes of Jesus. Why would anyone want a bride that is in such a horrific condition on the day of the wedding? Jesus is no different! Wake up Church. Make yourself ready, for the Wedding supper of the Lamb is at hand! (Rev. 19:7-8) Even so, come Lord Jesus! Bibliography
International Bible Society. Holy Bible, NIV Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1984. Bickle, Mike. Growing in the Prophetic. Orlando, FL: Creation House, 1996. Hamon, Bill. The Eternal Church. Santa Rosa Beach, FL: Christian International Publishers, 1997. Wagner, C. Peter. Churchquake! Ventura, CA: Regal, 1999. Grudem, Wayne A. et al. Are Miraculous Gifts for Today? Grand Rapids, MI: Counterpoints, 1996. |