An Exhortation to the American Church and its Leaders

by Katherine Black, A Lay Prayer Leader

Many voices are saying many things today about the problems with the church.  I am a lay person who has experienced the problems first hand.  Some are talking all about the church becoming a new wine skin and that the old needs to be thrown away before the new is put in.   Some are saying we need reformation within.  

I think the matter is much worse than either of these strategies. Our corporate churches need to change the entire way they preach the gospel. People must be shown that real Christianity is following Christ by doing the will of the Father as outlined in His word.  it is giving up what your flesh and will wants and following what the bible tells you to do.  It is NOT easy.  A Christian's job description is to overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil.  Whew! Impossible without the Holy Spirit's abiding presence.  Has the church as a corporation stolen the concept of God's people as His family ?  Good families pull together, care deeply about one another, share good times and bad, and are more interested in having everyone enjoy life's blessings than have one or two be lifted up at the expense of everyone else's ideas.

It was very difficult for people in the past  to stop following the Catholic Church because it was  the only  church body as well as the civil government.  During the persecution that followed the coming out from the Catholic church, known as the reformation,  personal maturity and following Jesus alone  began to be emphasized and small groups began forming.  These committed Christians began to understand that relationship with God could be very personal and rewarding.   One notable group were the  Moravians. As  the religious spirit of the century was thrown off;  the Holy Spirit given by Jesus,  burned in the hearts of mankind.   

Studying these reformation groups show us what the Holy Spirit was trying to accomplish.  Many of these reformation groups began to take the gospel out into the whole world.  The Moravians were especially set ablaze by the Holy Spirit.  Here is what He showed them to do:

1. They kept a 24-hour prayer watch for 100 years.
2. They took their name from their location; just like the seven churches in Revelation.
3. They were a church that took brotherly love seriously and made up a Brotherly Agreement that ALL agreed to before becoming members.   
4. They honored the Lord and His name.
5. They took  gospel outreach seriously. 
6. Literally, they became the Philadelphia Church.
7. They believed they heard the voice of God and obeyed it.

I believe that  God tried to revive His true church using this root as an example.  The trouble with the fellowship of believers today is that in our homes, and in our private lives, we let the flesh rule and not the Holy Spirit.  Because we do not overcome our fleshly ways at home,  when we come together, the flesh rules in the midst of our fellowships.  The bible is clear about what will happen to the true believers who love Him above themselves and don’t pander to their flesh.  Remember Christ's pattern for His church was stated in Revelations as  the Philadelphia church.  He also praised the Smyrna church as an example to those who suffer to just be faithful in their suffering.

Christ told the Philadelphia church He would keep her from the hour coming upon the whole earth.  She will be the one that honors His name, and His word.  She will be the one praying, and being filled with love for her Bridegroom.  She will be the one helping others to mature and be filled with Christ.  She will have her vessel filled with oil and be able to light it when He comes back for her.  She purchased the oil in her vessel by dying to self and letting the Lord fill her.  She is ready.  She is watching and praying.   

Reformation is all about bringing people into a deep, committed relationship with Jesus Christ as their Lord, allowing HIM to be in charge of His people and what they do for Him.  It is also about maturing each believer into the fullness of the Holy Spirit.  It is not not about how large the corporate church structure is becoming; nor is it about being "married" to a denomination.  Real reformation is about helping others to be "married" to the Lord and following Him.  It is encouraging the maturity of each believer, and seeking ways to reach and help the lost around us come into the "family" of God. 

Paul states that the new creation should walk by the Spirit. 

"But ye, be not ye called Rabbi; for one is your instructor, and all ye are brethren. And call not any one your father upon the earth; for one is your Father, he who is in the heavens.  Neither be called instructors, for one is your instructor, the Christ.  But the greatest of you shall be your servant. And whoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled, and whoever shall humble himself shall be exalted." Matthew 23:1

            One of the main responsibilities of leadership in the body of believers is to bring everyone into a mature faith, emphasize the family of God rather than encouraging the corporate structure of hierarchy that is in place today.  People need to be taught to be like the Bereans and search out the scriptures for themselves.  They need to know the value of prayer and worship should be both a lifestyle of living for the Lord in everyday life as well as songs in their heart and music in their heads.

             Right now I think we need to ask ourselves what the Holy Spirit appears to be doing.  I see Him:

1. Gathering His people at His feet to learn from Him so they can be just like Him.  

2. Waking up His people and having them trim their wicks, fill their vessels with oil, and stand watch for their Bridegroom to return.

3. Separating the real from the false.

4. Exposing sin and deceitfulness in His body.

5. Making preparations for a world wide harvest

6. Enabling His Church to pray more effectively

7. Instituting the watch of the Lord all over the earth

8. Raising up Houses of Prayer all over the earth-- usually in homes.

9. Rescuing His people from a corporate structure and returning them to a Family Structure in house churches, home by home or family by family.

10. Birthing forth repentance on many different and unknown levels all over the earth.

11. Revelation is pouring forth on His people as never before.

12. Renewing His people's world wide mandate to preach the gospel while  helping the poor, the widow, and the underprivileged.