by Thomas Hohstadt

We can no longer ignore the hidden facts. Our whole value system is shifting to suit the needs of individuals. Our entire social structure is reshaping to serve the passions of its participants. On a massive magnitude, the global world is reapportioning power from the "somebodies" to the "nobodies."

These facts forecast a transfigured "laity," and Christendom will not escape their transformations.

The Christian "movement" now encompasses more than the "church." Christ's mission now embraces more than "religion." For spiritual leaders are showing up outside the established church, and "unbelievers" are becoming "believers" outside our sacred "systems."

 
A Commentary on 1 Corinthians 9:1-14

by John White

A critical element in the development of the house church movement in the United States will be a change in our financial paradigm. In traditional church, money is given by church members to pay for such things as the building, salaries for the church staff, various programs, missions, etc. The house church movement offers an opportunity to reexamine Biblical values regarding the use of money for ministry.

Probably the most important single passage dealing with this topic is 1 Cor. 9:1-18. The following is a commentary on these verses with a view to discerning principles for financing ministry. This article would be best read with your Bible open to the passage under examination. (Note: Gordon Fee's commentary, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, has been particularly helpful in this study.)

by David Orton

Part 3 of 3

“But he removed Saul and made David their king…”

Acts 13:22

In this three part series we are showing that David typifies the new order of the kingdom, involving revolutionary transitions in six areas: paradigm, heart, purpose, structure, leadership, and principle.

In this final part I will discuss the strategy and timing of the Saul-David transition.

Its Strategy & Timing

In the battlefields of the spiritual world the true heroes are often
unseen by the world. These are the ones often touched by heaven,
who breathe the rarified air of the secret place of the Most High. Such
a one was Father Nash a partner to the much better known evangelist
Charles Finney during the Second Great Awakening.

Daniel Nash started as a preacher in upstate New York. His record there
is singularly unremarkable. At age 48 he decided to give himself
totally to prayer for Finney's meetings. Nash would come quietly into
towns three or four weeks in advance of a meeting, gather three or four
other like minded Christians with him and in a rented room start
praying and bringing heaven near. It is reported that in one town all
he could find was a dank, dark cellar, but that place was soon
illumined with holy light as he made in the place of intercession. In
another place as Finney relates:

by David Orton

 
Part 2 of 3
 
“But he removed Saul and made David their king…”

Act 13:22
 
In this three part series we are showing that David typifies the new order of the kingdom, involving revolutionary transitions in six areas: paradigm, heart, purpose, structure, leadership, and principle.
 
In the final part I will discuss the strategy and timing of the Saul-David transition.
 
Purpose-shift
 
This shift is from gift to agape.
 
Samuel’s response to Saul’s disobedience, “To obey is better than sacrifice”, is instructive (see 1 Sam 15:22). Saul, like the contemporary church, had mistakenly focussed on gift and ministry. He saw ministry success as the main-game – as his purpose. It reminds me of some workers of miracles on the day of judgement,

by George H. Warnock

-Embracing True Biblical Unity

by Brett Jacobsen

This article is an excerpt from the authors book Heaven's Underground Blueprint which is available here - http://www.christisall.org/hub-book.

by David Newby

About 25 years ago, an old concept in church hierarchy was reintroduced to the church under a different label. It was partly built on relationship, which was good, but it was also a cover up for control.

As it developed, the "whose covering are you under?" question became somewhat meaningless to me personally. The reason was this.

I had been associated with some churches which came into relationship for the purpose of being under a "covering". The pastor of a church in Sydney would come under the covering of a pastor in Brisbane. The Brisbane pastor would be under the covering of a pastor in New Zealand who would in turn be under the covering of a pastor in Canada, and so forth.

by David Orton

Part 1 of 3

“But he removed Saul and made David their king…”

Acts 13:22

The transition from Saul to David typically foreshadows a revolution occurring in the church right now.

Many across the western church, including market researchers such as George Barna, are now recognising on empirical grounds (through measuring trends) that a revolution is occurring. Barna forecasts that over the next two decades the 70% of Christians who currently attend traditional church will reduce to 30% – and the 30% currently outside of it will increase to 70%!

by Brett Jacobsen

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matt 11:28-30

 
Choose the Spirit not the struggle
 
Although we are taught to keep smiling and stand in faith, many Christians struggle a lot of the time with every day life. It is painfully obvious why some struggle as they live out blatant ungodliness, while others are sincere about their desire to live in His holiness but find themselves regularly falling short. They, or rather we, sometimes sound like Paul in Romans saying "For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I" Rom 7:15 and "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do" Rom 7:19.

by Leonard Ravenhill

The prophet in his day is fully accepted of God and totally rejected by men.
Years back, Dr. Gregory Mantle was right when he said, “No man can be fully accepted until he is totally rejected.” The prophet of the Lord is aware of both these experiences. They are his “brand name.”

The group, challenged by the prophet because they are smug and comfortably insulated from a perishing world in their warm but untested theology, is not likely to vote him “Man of the year” when he refers to them as habituates of the synagogue of Satan!