GlocalNet

The movement I was raised in was more of a dispensational premillennialist view point of life and theology.  From reading my blog, it is obvious I am no longer that.  I love the Arabs as much as the Jews and believe the temple has been rebuilt inside the heart of believers.  Jesus really can come whenever he’s ready! An empty grave made that possible - not a piece of real estate in Jerusalem.  Another dimension of dispensational premillennialism most people don’t realize is a view of the cessation of all spiritual gifts - that existed only in the time of the Apostles.  It’s funny to me, how charismatics have taken a theology of Israel but don’t realize the other side of that theology is that the supernatural is over!  But as a result of this, it left me isolated from another part of the body of Christ that took a different viewpoint. 

In the 60’s, there was a move of God in the church. It was frequently called the charismatic movement and was associated with various spiritual gifts - tongues being the biggest one.  I may not agree with everything that happened in that movement but I do believe it was from God - I don’t believe it was handled in a healthy way by either side.  It became really controversial and actually split churches because you had some from the charismatic side that demanded all speak in tongues and if you didn’t you were a second class Christian.  Others, in the mainline view point tried to stop others from experiencing what they were - so the stage was set for conflict.  It’s so interesting to me, how the most conservative Christians can agree to reach the lost world for Jesus - but refuse to try to get along - or give one another grace to disagree over non-eternal issues.

Enter that background - I’m in East Texas, my dad is pastor of First Baptist Church - and David Wilkerson moves to Lindale,  Everyone just assumed he would be going to the local Assembly of God Church - but he didn’t - when he was in town, he came to my Dad’s church.  My Dad is a strong expositor and Bro. Dave loved that.  We didn’t know what to make of that.  Would this create problems for the church?  Not at all - Dave had no agenda for our church - he loved the word of God.  Obviously my Dad and he disagreed, but the longer they hung out - the more they agreed on lots of things.  Dave was into grace, I know some of you may think judgment - yes, but also grace.  Then all these kids, recovering addicts from his ranch began to come.  They were definitely charismatic and you could tell - even in a Baptist Church - because when they sang they raised their hands!  It didn’t stop there - Youth with A Mission, Agape Force, all of them started showing up at my Dad’s church - how could this be?  Why weren’t they rolling in the aisles down the street!  Keith Green (who I thought was weird - white guy with a fro - not cool in East Texas!)  Dallas Holm - the list goes on.  At the time, I didn’t really understand who all these people were or their impact.  They followed me because I played football and knew me for sacking groceries on Saturday in the little food store - they talked to me about football and life - not speaking in tongues or casting out demons or whatever.  I knew them as people first and foremost that I came to love, just good people.  Then - the incredible Leonard Ravenhill moved to Lindale. I began to read his books.  He was tied to a lot of them - he was passionate about the Holy Spirit - but personally not into a lot of the gift issues - but no man loved Jesus more than Leonard Ravenhill.  I’d go and sit in his study for hours and he would talk to me - give me his books - I have many of them in my library today.  I remember the first time I preached and he was present - I was so, so nervous - but he encouraged me.  I loved him. 

I began to realize these people loved Jesus.  I remember my first encounter with the Holy Spirit. It really was when I accepted Christ.  My Dad was preaching in the church of my grandparents, on the cross, and I began to weep as a 12 year old boy. I felt God’s Spirit deep within me. I couldn’t get over the fact Jesus went to that cross for the world - but the world meant me - I was part of the world - he did it for me.  I sensed God’s Spirit coming within and upon me.  You might say that was my “first filling” or “baptism” - not in classic terms, but in how God moved in my life.  Later I would “pray the prayer” and get baptized.  I cannot describe for you what happened but something very profound happened that started a relationship with God that wasn’t a one time event kind of decision but something that went to my soul. 

A couple of years later when living in Lindale, Texas I went to a conference in Dallas where the man spoke on yielding all your rights and being to God.  We drove back to Lindale that night - and sitting in the car with a friend in my front yard I began to literally give God all of myself.  I gave him my future, my desires, my dreams, my mind, my eyes, my feet, my hands, my ears - everything - even my money (didn’t have much) - but I took a few hours that night and yielded everything to him and then - without teaching, instruction, etc., from anyone - asked God to fill me with his Holy Spirit.  I didn’t speak in tongues or see bright lights shine - but deep in my soul something profound happened to me.  I sensed the presence of God on and in my life flooding my life pouring himself into me like no other time.  Deep joy, deep resonance, deep calling to deep - I have no words to describe it.  I have no doubt, this is why - though imperfect - I stayed moving forward in my walk with God - it wasn’t just an emotion - it was a power and depth of knowing God that I would never be able to be free from.  I had never experienced God like this before.  You might say that was my “second” filling or anointing - I don’t know.

Fast forward, my Dad is seriously ill, I’m a student at Baylor, and he’s just resigned his church. He has no money. He’s in the hospital. What do I do?  I become angry and bitter at God for not helping my Dad.  And then one day on my way to Waco from Tyler I’m praying as I’m driving and I tell God how he’s not being fair.  It hits me, he is God, he could have prevented all of this - but he didn’t.  Why?  Because he’s God - I cannot explain this to your satisfaction probably - but all of a sudden it hit me - he’s God.  He’s sovereign - I can trust him, he knows what he’s doing - his Spirit is within me.  I feel another release of the Spirit, anointing, I don’t know, call it what you will - this a whole different level of faith - trusting God for something far beyond anything I’d ever known before.  Loving him when he doesn’t answer your prayer the way you want I believe is the deepest form of love we have for God.  Otherwise, he’s just our genie and not our God.  Not changing your mind about God based on your circumstances - is a very powerful and profound thing.  This was my “third” filling.

So life goes on, I graduate from Baylor, Southwestern Seminary - pastor a church and start NorthWood in ‘85 - in my book Transformation - I tell the story of getting all caught up in “church” and growing it and that little profound question of “When will Jesus be enough?”, and how I discovered the kingdom of God.  It was funny, in all my understanding of the Holy Spirit - it wasn’t until ‘92 that I realized the power of living in the Kingdom - the Holy Spirit wasn’t just for me - to keep me going, but so much more to live the Christian life.  I think a lot of people have the idea being filled with the Spirit is about signs and wonders - its first about the fruit of the Spirit and your character being formed in Christ and made “Holy” - which is why it’s called the “Holy” Spirit.  You could say this was a fourth filling - it would change my preaching, my views of church, my views of walking with Christ - from merely conversion to transformation.

Only 2 years later I would experience what I would call my “fifth” filling of the Spirit.  You can read my book “Glocalization” - it talks about it - when the question came “What if the Church were the missionary?”  I began to understand it was about all disciples using their jobs and vocations for transformation and living in their own anointing and equipping.  That took our church to Vietnam, Afghanistan, and ultimately me working globally with Christians and non-Christians alike.  I have no illusions about who I am - I know God has placed me where he has because of my understanding that his Spirit broods over cities, gatekeepers, and global affairs and we live in this unusual time that requires the Holy Spirit’s constant presence.  In this phase I began to experience God’s Spirit present within many divine moments, meetings, and opportunities for service like never before.  God was guiding the conversations, activities, etc. There is the divine presence of the Spirit that when we are moving with him he is ever so present.  Paul got that - which is why Mars Hill, and the synagogues, and all the rest were powerful.  It’s hard for some people to understand perhaps, but when I am with non-Christians serving them, loving them, explaining who Jesus is to me, I feel more the presence of God then than any other time.  It’s one thing to be quiet before and experience him - it’s another to be standing before God and him moving through you in divine moments of life where you are the only follower of Jesus present.  This is what I want every member of Northwood, every church planter from Northwood to experience and know.  For that to happen there has to be a daily walking with the Holy Spirit. 

I have had a couple of profound “fillings” since then - but will not write about them right now - still processing.  I have never spoken in tongues - but believe it is a gift God gives to some.  I have experienced the supernatural and the miraculous - and frankly I do frequently in different ways.  I learned a long time ago to seek God - let him define you for what he wants, not others.  I have seen God work in the global church and I’ve yet to meet anyone who is flippant or light on the Holy Spirit. 

So, what I would say to NorthWood members, church planters, and everyday disciples - pursue the Holy Spirit - but don’t be driven by other people’s steps, processes, and maps. Leonard Ravenhill hated steps and formulas for knowing God.  He would say that’s the quickest way for God not to work, to copy someone else’s experience.  I agree with him. 

I know some will dissect what I write and say that was “anointing” or whatever.  To me, the question is not the dissection of what happened but that it happens and what I want is God’s full reign in my life to do whatever he chooses to do.  I believe we must be filled with the Spirit like never before. 

We need the Holy Spirit for holiness.
We need the Holy Spirit for intimacy with God.
We need the Holy Spirit for continued maturity.
We need the Holy Spirit for the Great Commission.  And it GRIEVES my heart that we would fight over the very source of power that is required and demanded for all men to hear and know this Jesus that we say we know and love.  God forgive us.  Give one another grace, space, and a place to know God without judging, defining, or categorizing what kind of Christian a person is.  I get upset with “mainliners” and “charismatics” - why?  Because I believe polarized groups are the greatest hindrance of the move of the Holy Spirit because each wants to tell the other what must be for them.  Let God be God in your life - and trust God to work in other people’s lives.  I realized a long time ago, as I began to work around the world - God works in multiple ways in multiple people’s and nation’s lives - he is God who made different races, nations, tribes, and peoples - could it be - God also likes diversity in the body?  I believe it is.  So, who do I lean on for understanding the Holy Spirit? What are my views? . . . . . Tomorrow. . . . or Friday . . . . . depending on when I get time.