Introduction
Anyone listening to ABC broadcasts of Federal Parliament would be familiar with the leader of the House proclaiming “Order!” to restore a semblance of dignity amidst pandemonium, disrespect, and sheer childishness. Few though discern the disgusting disorder amongst our political class contains a message from the Spirit to the Church today (Revelation chapter 2 verse 7 etc.). When the leadership in our largest national congregation “goes down” in a scandalous manner we need to listen to Jesus like never before. For it is Christ who “upholds all things by the word of his power” (Hebrews chapter 1 verse 3). He has promised to protect his Church (Matthew chapter 16 verse 18) but the Hillsong catastrophe points to the spiritual failure of a hybrid body-business model. It is time to heed the great church planter’s exhortation, “all things should be done decently and in order.” (1 Corinthians chapter 14 verse 40).
How Did we Get Into this Mess?
Since the sixteenth century the Western Church has been immersed in the scandal of schism. Paul’s ironic challenge to the Corinthians “I am of Paul...Apollos…Cephas….” (1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 12) became “I am of Luther Calvin Cranmer Foxe…”. In recent decades this has become “I follow Dickson, Pringle, Houston, Varughese,Court and many more. Disorder in the world causes pain in the heart of God (Genesis chapter 6 verses 5-6), so the Spirit deeply groans (Romans chapter 8 verse 26) when Christ’s Bride behaves like a harem! God is “one” (Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 4) and longs to impart this glory to us (John chapter 17 verse 22). Unlikeness to divine life must be named as rooted in “corrupting sinful/selfish desires” (2 Peter chapter 1 verse 4).
Around the Mountain
We “have been travelling around this mountain long enough.” (Deuteronomy chapter 2 verse 3). Impure church movements, like all organisation, run through a cycle of foundation, innovation, extensive growth and then irreversible decline. When the Protestant seeker-sensitive attractional Church movement sprung into life from the 70’s on, the cross of Jesus became sidelined amidst impressive growth matched only by an ongoing crisis of discipleship. So deep is this problem is that in many places it is hard to understand exactly who the object of prayer is: “God, Lord, Spirit, Jesus??” Few hearts transparently reveal (Luke chapter 6 verse 45) “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter chapter 1 verse 3). Whilst churches boom in impoverished places like Africa and India, Westerners fail to see that it is the “beauty of holiness” and childlike simplicity that is attractive to God (Psalm 96 verse 9; Matthew chapter 18 verse 3). Only when our ecclesiastical hierarchies turn from their sophistication can Jesus open up to us the promised “secrets of the kingdom of God” (Matthew chapter 13 verse 11).
Losing Sight of Heaven
According to Jesus to “see the kingdom of God” we need to be born “from above” (John chapter 3 verses 3, 7), similarly, Paul sees all the people of God “blessed in the heavenly places” (Ephesians chapter 1 verse 3 cf. chapter 2 verse 6 Colossians chapter 3 verses 1-3). Hebrews tell us the whole Church has “come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem,” (chapter 12 verse 22ff.). We have lost perspective becoming so earthly minded as to lose heavenly good. Our greatest problem is that we have lost sight of the harmony of heaven where all things are centred on the crucified and resurrected Lamb of God (Revelation chapter 5 verse 6). Today, we desperately need teachers, preachers, pastors, song writers and prophets who can reorient us to where Jesus went after his resurrection. Our Saviour is no longer “Jesus of Nazareth” but the ascended and glorified Lord reigning over all things in heaven and earth (Matthew 28 verse 18). He is “Lord of all” (Acts chapter 10 verse 36).
Conclusion
Jesus taught, “every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house, who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”” (Matthew chapter 13 verse 52). I suggest we need what has been called a “eucharismatic” (Andrew Wilson) renewal to mature the Charismatic-Pentecostal movement in the Word of God. The genius of the ancient liturgies that incorporate confession creed and prayer and the Lord’s Supper is that they have proved able to sustain the faith of generations against the anti-Christ forces, such as Islam. Today, Jesus is re-ordering the Church in our time reformation for revival retention of the harvest it. The future is a Church saturated with love for God and for one another enjoying the grace of his gifts and communion together.
The Rev. Dr John Yates is an Anglican minister in Perth and has 5 children and 7 grandchildren. He spends time in praying, mentoring and writing.John Yates’s previous articles may be viewed athttp://www.pressserviceinternational.org/john-yates.html