WHO'S TENT? - by Randall Burton

Joshua 7:10-26 So the Lord said to Joshua: “Get up! Why do you lie thus on your face? Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them. For they have even taken some of the accursed things, and have both stolen and deceived; and they have also put it among their own stuff. Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they have become doomed to destruction. Neither will I be with you anymore, unless you destroy the accursed from among you. Get up, sanctify the people, and say, ‘Sanctify yourselves for tomorrow, because thus says the Lord God of Israel: “ There  is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you cannot stand before your enemies until you take away the accursed thing from among you...”

Every house has a junk drawer. A place where things are hidden but still handy. Covered up but still convenient...

Achan took some of the first-fruits of Jericho and hid them under his tent. These were things designated for Gods tabernacle, not his family dwelling. By doing so Achan was saying, "I think I can Steward these things better than you God." You can always tell where the object of someone's affection is. I've seen it more times than I'd like to admit. The once fully devoted follower of Jesus who was faithful in giving to the Lord, slowly begins to shift his focus from God's tent to his own tent. They begin to reason in their hearts that God won't mind if I keep some back for myself. "After all we are living in a bad economy..." Before you know it they are hanging out at home on Sundays completly disconnected from the body of Christ. The focus has shifted from the TENT of meeting to that of disconTENT. "I'll just stay at home and enjoy the things that I've worked so hard for..." "God doesn't need my money anyway." The excuses are endless.

Though this is not the case for every Christian, it is a problem for many. They haven't lost their love for Jesus but they have lost the fear of God as they journey along in the promise land. The good news is that you can turn it around by simply taking the things that belong to God and sanctify them by shifting them from your tent to his. These things only become the "accursed things" when we store it in the wrong tent. It's time to change tents.

Trends in Christianity That Could Scare You--by Ed Stetzer

Despite what many think, the church in America is not dying (and no serious researcher thinks that). However, there are some challenges and changes to be considered.

When we consider missiology, part of the discipline includes considering how churches relate to their culture. Since we live in changing times, it's worth thinking through what current cultural changes mean for future church engagement of that culture.

Here are four trends that are already evident, but will become even more important in days to come:

1. The word "Christian" will become less used and more clear. There are three broad categories that make up the approximately 75 percent of Americans who refer to themselves as Christians. I wrote about this earlier in The State of the Church In America: Hint: It's Not Dying, but it is worth keeping in our minds moving forward. The fact is that not everyone who uses the word "Christian" is using it the same way.

Cultural Christians, about 25 percent of the U.S. population, are simply those who, when asked, say they are a Christian rather than say they are an atheist or Jewish. They are "Christian" for no other reason than they are from America and don't consider themselves something else.

The second type is what I call a congregational Christian. They account for roughly another 25 percent of the population. This person generally does not really have a deep commitment, but they will refer to themselves as a Christian because they have some loose connection to a church—perhaps through a family member, maybe an infant baptism, or some holiday attendance.

Convictional Christians, also about 25 percent of the population, are those people who self-identify as Christian who orient their life around their faith in Christ. This includes a wide range of what Christian is—not just evangelicals, for example. It means someone says they are a Christian and it is meaningful to them.

So, what's the trend?

Well, first, the trend is that less people are calling themselves Christians and those who are will take it more seriously. In other words, cultural and congregational Christians, or the "squishy middle," is collapsing while convictional Christians are staying relatively steady.

In the future, the word Christian will mean more to those who would be considered convictional Christians. However, it will mean—and will be used—less to those who were nominal Christians in the first place. The word will be less used and more clear.

2. The nominals will increasingly become nones. Basically, type one (cultural) and two (congregational) are what we would generally call nominal Christians. Nominal comes from the Latin, meaning "name" or "name only." A growing number of people are name only Christians. They claim "Christianity" for survey reasons, but rarely attend church or give any consistent consideration to their faith identification.

They're simply calling themselves Christians because that's who they consider themselves to be, not because of any life change or ongoing commitment. Those types of Christians, about half of the population now, will become a minority in a few decades.

We are now experiencing a collapse of nominalism.

It is fair to say we are now experiencing a collapse of nominalism. Many of these who have been labeling themselves as Christians are starting to feel free to be honest about their religious affiliation, or lack thereof. The "Nones," those who give say they have no religious preference, could potentially represent as many as half of the population in the next 20 to 30 years—it's already over 30% among college students (with a third of college students still being religious).

The nominal Christians in the squishy middle (cultural and congregational Christians) are becoming those who now answer "none of the above" on religious surveys. In other words, the "nominals are becoming the nones."

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As the Nones rise in their number, Christian influence on culture will begin to wane. The minority of Christians in a culture will begin to feel even more like a minority when more nominals become Nones. As people no longer claim to be Christians, Christianity will be further marginalized, which should change the way we think about engaging culture.

3. Christians will increasingly change cultural tactics. The next 20 years are going to be a challenge for convictional Christians and churches in many places. We will be engaging in cultural conversations often as the minority we truly are. Those who aggressively fight this as a culture war will find it hard to reach people. Instead of being seen as those who are seeking to engage and serve people in the culture, Christians will be seen as an enemy. That's not to say there are not important causes to engage—there are—but how we engage is almost as important as that we engage.

In biblical terms, we may experience what it means to be salt and light in the midst of an adversarial culture.

As the Nones rise in their number, Christian influence on culture will begin to wane.

In response, we should look to two groups of people from the Bible, which I profiled in Creating an Assessment Culture By Being of Berea and Issachar. We must hold the Word of God in high authority as the Berean Christians did in Acts 17:11. Christians must become seriously committed to Scripture and the Gospel in every aspect of our lives. We should also wisely discern the present culture and strategize how to best glorify God.

"From the Issacharites, who understand the times and knew what Israel should do" (1 Chronicles 12:32).

I desire for the church and Christians to be examining the Scriptures daily to know the Word of God and also to know the times, the context, and the Spirit's wisdom to address the culture with the Good News.

As I see it, some Christians will go down fighting. Other Christians, will go on loving. But either way, convictional Christians will increasingly see they are not the moral majority and will advocate less for the legislation or traditional values and be more focused on protecting religious liberty.

There are ways to stand for the good, advocate for cultural realities that engender human flourishing, and do so in a loving way. That's the future convictional Christians need.

4. More robust churches will result from the death of nominalism. The next 20 years are going to be a challenge for convictional Christians and churches in many places.

It is beginning to cost something to be a Christian in America—not as much as in many places in the world or in much of history, but more than it used to. And, as living for Christ costs more in our culture, it will mean more in our context.

Churches that are preaching the Gospel and are focusing on biblical truths are going to become more clearly distinct from the culture around them. The end result? Robust Christian communities are going to get stronger.

These gospel-preaching churches will have members who are more, not less, committed and these committed churches will have less nominal Christians in the years to come. Christianity will become more of a minority in culture, but more refined, more biblical, and more missional churches will be the result.

Where From Here?
The lasting effects of these shifts will force churches to make a critical decision. They will either become a cultural church that allows the societal trends to dictate their ever-changing beliefs. Or they will become a counter-cultural church that faithfully adheres to Scripture and proclaims the gospel in a carefully considered way. The latter church will offer real hope in the midst of an adversarial culture and is the only real future for the American church.

Ed Stetzer is the president of LifeWay Research. For the original article, visit edstetzer.com.

NEW WINE

Resturants don't hide the wine list, why should the church? In most resturants the first thing that they ask you is what would you like to drink? Then they attempt to go over the wine list with you. Usually they come out with a wine bottle and a couple of glasses as they approach your table. They do not attempt to hide the fact that they have wine and are selling wine. The church has been serving soft drinks and water far to long, its time to break out the good stuff.

Acts 2:14-21 That’s when Peter stood up and, backed by the other eleven, spoke out with bold urgency: “Fellow Jews, all of you who are visiting Jerusalem, listen carefully and get this story straight. These people aren’t drunk as some of you suspect. They haven’t had time to get drunk—it’s only nine o’clock in the morning. This is what the prophet Joel announced would happen: “In the Last Days,” God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on every kind of people: Your sons will prophesy, also your daughters; Your young men will see visions, your old men dream dreams. When the time comes, I’ll pour out my Spirit On those who serve me, men and women both, and they’ll prophesy. I’ll set wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, Blood and fire and billowing smoke, the sun turning black and the moon blood-red, Before the Day of the Lord arrives, the Day tremendous and marvelous; And whoever calls out for help to me, God, will be saved.” (MSG)

MORE OR LESS?--By Randall Burton

The mantra of recent revivals has been; "more Lord, more." What does this mean? Simply put, the "more" that we are speaking of is time spent in His presence and a heartfelt desire of Spirit-Filled believers to see God displaying his power in them and through them.

But some may ask, what good is more if you don't use it? That's a fair question and I will answer it later in this post. But first answer me this, what is the alternative to more? Is it less? Or we've got all that we'll ever need? So should we pray for "less Lord, less?" How about, never mind Father, I'm good with what I have. I've got this evangelism thing, I've got this healing thing... By asking and recieving more, we are simply saying, God I am completly relying on you for everything. I need your power to be displayed in my life, because without you, I would be powerLESS!

Pentecostals and Charismatics have been  echoing the words of Zechariah 4:6 for centuries, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the Lord of hosts." (NKJV)

Paul the Apostle stated in 1 Corinthians 2:4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. (NLT)

Jesus spent three and 1/2 years demonstrating the power of His heavenly Father before the masses of humanity. Then Jesus says "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. (John 14:12)

Here is the truth, You cant do more with less! You need more so that you can do more! Not less, but more! More signs, more wonders, more healings, more Holy Ghost meetings, more public displays of His power... Display it in the churches, put His power on display in the market places. I dont know about you but I need more. Say it with me, more Lord, More!

SPIRIT OF CORBIN

Mark 7:10-13 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’ ; and, ‘He who curses father or mother, let him be put to death.’  But you say, ‘If a man says to his father or mother, “Whatever profit you might have received from me is CORBIN”—’ (that is, a gift to God ),  then you no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother,  making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.” (NKJV)

There is a spirit that has been released in this country. A corbin spirit unleashed upon the older and the elderly. It is a dishonorable manifestation that estranges children from their parents. It causes generational gaps. It views the elderly as weak and vulnerable. It isolates the aged by categorizing them as non-sequential.

Systems reflection...
•Health care systems
•Social security systems
•Nursing home systems

What is Corbin?

The law of Moses required the Hebrew people to “honor” their parents. That term “honor” did not suggest mere “lip service”; it included the idea of caring for them in their various needs.

Some of the Jews, however, had concocted a scheme to avoid parental responsibility. They would designate certain of their financial resources as “corban.” The Greek word korban is related to the term korbanas, signifying the “temple treasury.” In Jewish practice, therefore, the word “corban” had been coined as a sort of “vow” term. According to the prevailing tradition, one could designate his financial resources as “corban,” which, practically speaking, was a way of “tagging” them, suggesting, “this belongs to God,” and thus was not to be used for personal interests.

Thus, in the manner just described, the covetous, tese ungrateful Jewish people callously neglected parental responsibility by an appeal to this perverted human tradition. In so doing, they flouted the law of God.

Current cultural trends concerning the aged...

Korea: Celebrating old age
Not only do Koreans respect the elderly, but they also celebrate them. For Koreans, the 60th and 70th birthdays are prominent life events, which are commemorated with large-scale family parties and feasts. As in Chinese culture, the universal expectation in Korea is that roles reverse once parents age, and that it is an adult child's duty — and an honorable one at that — to care for his or her parents.

Japan: An elderly predicament
Like the Chinese and the Koreans, the Japanese prize filial piety and expect children to dutifully tend to their parents. But Japan also faces the unique problem of tending to an increasingly elderly population. According to SocialGerontology: A Multidisciplinary Perspective, 7.2 percent of the Japanese population will be 80 or older in 2020 (compared to 4.1 percent in the U.S.), which will likely lead to a host of new problems for the country. Adult diapers are already outselling baby diapers, and the pension system is on course to dry up.

The U.S. and U.K.: Protestantism at play
Western cultures tend to be youth-centric, emphasizing attributes like individualism and independence. This relates back to the Protestant work ethic, which ties an individual's value to his or her ability to work — something that diminishes in old age.
Anthropologist Jared Diamond, who has studied the treatment of the elderly across cultures, has said the geriatric in countries like the U.K. and U.S. live "lonely lives separated from their children and lifelong friends." As their health deteriorates, the elderly in these cultures often move to retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes.

France: Parents also protected by law
It's difficult to imagine such an Elderly Rights Law being a legislative priority in many Western cultures. France did, however, pass a similar decree in 2004 (Article 207 of the Civil Code) requiring its citizens to keep in touch with their geriatric parents. It was only enacted following two disturbing events, though: One was the publication of statistics revealing France had the highest rate of pensioner suicides in Europe, and the other was the aftermath of a heat wave that killed 15,000 people — most of them elderly, and many of whom had been dead for weeks before they were found.

The Mediterranean and Latin culture: One big, happy family. Mediterranean and Latin cultures place similar priority on the family. In both cultures, it's commonplace for multiple generations to live under one roof, (à la My Big Fat Greek Wedding) sharing a home and all the duties that come with maintaining one. In the contemporary iteration of this living arrangement, the oldest generation often is relied on to assist with caring for the youngest, while the breadwinners labor outside the home. As such, the aged remain thoroughly integrated well into their last days.

Scriptures to ponder...

Exodus 20:12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Ephesians 6:2 Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)

Psalms 92:14-15 They shall still bear fruit in old age; They shall be fresh and flourishing, To declare that the Lord is upright; He  is my rock, and there  is no unrighteousness in Him.

PROPHETS AND PROPHETIC WORDS--by Randall Burton

The prophetic yoke is broken when prophetic words come to pass.

There is a huge difference between prophesing from the soul and prophesing from the spirit. To much emphasis is placed upon reading someones mail instead of hearing Gods voice. Much of what we see today when people prophesy is someone reading someones facial expressions rather than getting a true word from Holy Spirit. At best maybe a discernment. I've witnessed a lot of good guesses or close readings that may seem right but in actuality may be a soul read and not a Spiritual unction. I believe there is coming a day when there will be a crisp difference between the soul read and an accurate word from the Spirit of God. Make sure you know the difference!

Jeremiah 28:9-10 As for the prophet who prophesies of peace, when the word of the prophet comes to pass, the prophet will be known as one whom the Lord has truly sent.” Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck and broke it. (NKJV)

WOUNDED WARRIORS--By Randall Burton

Zechariah 13:6 And if someone asks, ‘Then what about those wounds on your chest?’ he will say, ‘I was wounded at my friends’ house!’ (NLT)

It has been said, "there is no burn like a church burn." And while that maybe true this verse is not a license to hurt people in the church. Though Jesus was wounded and then murdered by religion, that doesn't mean that we should allow an atmosphere of hurt and destruction in our churches. Far to long the local church has become a killing floor for spiritualized henchmen to slaughter the saints.

Our churches must become safe-havens for saltless saints. Repairers of the breech. Holy healers and helpers to the hurting. We live in a time of great challenges. As Paul stated in 2 Timothy 3:1 "perilous times."

What are the risks? It has also been said that, "hurting people hurt people." We must be braced for those who will come in among us with walled up hearts. Some will not "enter His gates with thanksgiving", rather they will enter with unthankful closed up gates that will be difficult to mend. In all of this, we must commit our hearts to be healers, repairers and restorers to the hurting and the helpless. It is a choice that you and I will be faced with. What about you, are you a healer?