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This article is a page from a book called, "Prove Me Now." By Arthur Burt. Published in 2008. Arthur was one of a kind. He shared a room with Smith Wigglesworth when they traveled together. He was still traveling and minister when he was 100. During his lifetime he traveled to over 44 nations. My wife and I knew him personally, since 1969. We learned a lot from him. Many of the accounts written in this book he shared with us personally. This page is about a revival which happened when he was the pastor of a church in Paddock Wood in England.
THE CHILDREN HAD A VISITATION. ONLY THE CHILDREN...
When I was at Paddock Wood, the children had a visitation. It was remarkable! God Sovereignly only visited the children. Not one adult was touched by the Spirit. God came to the children and they were laid out under the power of God all over the floor.
People soon heard about the visitation. One man came up to me and said, "How did you start it?"
I said, "I didn't start it, God just came," Others said, "You ought to stop it!" I said, "I didn't start it."
The Lord said, "Suffer the little children to come to me and forbid them not." (Mark10:13) Allow the children.
I found myself having to carry the children out every night at 10.30 PM. Their arms and legs would be kicking frantically as I carried them and people would be pulling back the curtains wondering what on earth was going on. I'd put them in my van and drive them home as they shouted, "Jesus! Jesus!"
The adult congregation objected. "Are the children more obedient? Do they do their homework? Are they better children at home?" I said, "I don't know. All I know is it is God." "Well you ought to stop it!" And the adult congregation ganged up against me and demanded that every child should have a responsible adult by them who would hold them forcibly on their seat and prevent them from falling on the floor.
There wasn't one adult quick enough. The Spirit of God just came, Boom! Boom! Boom! . , , and they were down of the floor, the same as ever. Then the adults ganged up against me again. "They are spoiling our meetings, the children have religious mania, you ought to stop it." I said, "Look, I didn't start it. It's God."
" Well, we are not having it. We will help you to carry all the children into the back vestry." So they carried them out to the cold vestry in the back where there was no heat at all. And the super spiritual adults got on with their meeting.
At the end, I opened the door to the vestry and the place was dripping. They had generated their own heat.
The kids were laid out on the floor shouting and screaming, "Jesus! Jesus! They were totally unconscious of where they were, lost in the Presence of God.
The adults continued to question it. They were left out. They altered their tactics and totally quenched the Holy Spirit. He moved on and the visitation was over.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GODLY.
”He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” (Ps. 15:4)
Over the many years of ministry you will be amazed how many pastors have lied to me and others when we held an event in their city. They are contacted and invited. They respond by saying they would love to be involved and will make sure their people will participate. The hosting church is excited and expects the other churches to advertise and encourage their people to show up. They don’t! So the cost rests upon the shoulders of the hosting church. Mistake; they trusted the pastors of the other churches to keep their word and not lie. Solution, the hosting church should have told the other church pastors that they need a financial commitment up front. Talk is cheap. Action can be more costly, especially when an investment of $500 is needed to finance the event.
Soon after, another church in the city invites me to come to their church and hold that same event. When I investigate the reason why they didn’t participate with the former church, I’m told that they wanted the event to be held in their church. It seems they were concerned that if their members had gone to the former church and liked it more than theirs they may have lost some members. After all, one must protect their sheep.
Many other churches that have contacted me say they really want me to come, for they have a real burden for the children. When it comes to setting a date or confirming, it becomes a problem to them and their elders. They don’t want the children and youth to become more spiritual and passionate for the Lord than the parents and teachers, as it could cause a problem for them. Then the cost of bringing me in may not sit too well with the finance committee, so it’s postponed indefinitely. The tragic thing is that more than 80% of children raised in the church today don’t make it. By the time they reach high school or college we have lost them to the world. That also includes pastor’s children.
Even in my home town area offering my gift freely to empower their children and teachers and stop the dropout isn’t wanted. The little white haired lady is perfectly fine to teach the kids, or the sports guy in the gym is used to get rid of their excess energy. This is not sour grapes and it’s not about me, but to see the kids being entertained and babysat with Bible stories, quizzes, videos and power points is not producing their full potential.
One pastor from a church where the children’s pastor and leaders wanted to invite me, said, “Why don’t we have someone locally to dress up as a clown and give out toys and games to the kids?” Fortunately they wouldn’t go for it and insisted that I was needed.
Remember this with many local churches, if revival broke out in children’s church it would upset their theology, tradition, and the status quo. ”Don’t mess up the church with revival. We don’t want to lose control.”
One church I was ministering at the Holy Spirit moved on the children and youth in a mighty way. The weekend event ended on Sunday night with the kids praying for the sick and many miracles took place. The senior Pastor was in the balcony watching. I sensed he was threatened, as he had never done what the children and teens were doing.
I mentioned this to the kid’s pastor the next day as he drove me to the airport to fly home, I told him I believed he would have a problem with the senior pastor, A few weeks later, the children’s pastor called me and told me after I left, the kids were on fire and witnessed to their friends at school, resulting in the children’s church increasing tenfold. Revival had broken out and kids were bringing their friends. Miracles, salvations were flowing through children’s church. The senior pastor then told the children’s pastor it had to stop as they were having a church within a church. God was moving on the children and the adult church was stagnating. Now you know the rest of the story. Don’t rock the boat!
David Walters. 2017
DEALING WITH A SECULAR SOCIETY
"Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows that will he also reap." (Gal.6:7)
In our society's ever advancing secularism we have seen the downgrading of acceptable behavior, morals, honesty, manners, kindness, honor, and truthfulness. Our streets, cities and communication systems still have major problems with terrorism, gang violence, murder, drugs, foul language, adultery and fornication, poverty, lack of vision, late term abortions, (baby killing), unwed mothers and the destruction of marriage and many other ills in our modern society. As secularism advances, public prayer in schools and in our government is banned, along with the Bible; hence the increase in shootings. Christianity is being locked up in seminaries and church buildings and evangelism in schools and prisons is discouraged or even banned. Only the Muslim religion and the Atheistic religion has freedom to do whatever!
Pornographic material is acceptable and even encouraged. The ACLU "American Civil Liberties Union" (Anti-Christian Leftist Movement?) is more than happy to take up law suites from Atheists in attempting to stop the practice of religion in public places. To have gay church leaders and practicing gay members in churches and in the boy scouts. To allow transgender students in schools to have special privileges in using both male and female bathrooms depending on how they feel and dress for that particular day. Disciplining and training children is no longer acceptable. We mustn't offend or abuse their self esteem. Many youngsters have left the world of reality into the world of unreality with mind altering drugs and virtual reality video games.
Traditional Christmas is under attack, and being replaced with "Happy Holidays" and "Holiday Trees." Easter has now become "Spring Break" and the only religious festival which is still encouraged and practiced is "Halloween!" In many places it is illegal to preach righteousness at the expense of offending sinners. We all are told to be more tolerant and practice political correctness. No one is better than anyone else. There are no losers and everyone is good and a winner, no matter whether they work for it or not. Everyone does what he thinks is right in his own eyes.
This is the new society which is evolving before us. Sin has been eliminated from our culture and replaced with mistakes, mess ups, or even "if it makes you feel good, go for it." Good is bad and bad is good. The Bible is attacked and said to be evil. Godly living is despised and Godless living is celebrated. We have deteriorated from a moral society, to an immoral society, then to an amoral society, until good becomes evil and evil becomes good.
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; Who put light for darkness, and darkness for light; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!" (Isa. 5:20-21)
Much of the Christian religious culture seems to continue with its religious traditions, oblivious of what is happening in our society outside of the church. True Christianity was hijacked years ago by religious and self seeking zealots, and it still continues today. They carry a veneer of truth to appear to legalize their position and practices. The church by and large is no longer salt and light, but has become irrelevant to the masses in our country. We can become like frogs in a cooking pot, being slowly boiled and not knowing it, until it's too late.
We must stop merchandising religion and get back to preaching the pure gospel. You don't have to be an evangelist to be able to wins souls for the Kingdom. Evangelists need to teach and show new believers how to become soul winners, rather than doing it all themselves. Pastors need to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, rather than have a Sunday service to spoon feed their congregations with sermons to entice them to keep coming back each Sunday for another spoonful. Always learning, but never arriving at the truth. Apostles and Prophets need to spend less time building their own ministries and concentrate more on bringing forth armies of anointed spiritual warriors to turn our decadent culture upside down.
Before we try to use all our resources and energies in winning the world with oversees missions and church planting, we need to address the problems of our own country and be willing to be instrumental in bringing about a national revival. Attending Sunday Church is not God's ultimate plan for us. Jesus didn't say, "I have come that you might attend Sunday church services and listen to sound doctrine." He said, "I have come that you might have life and that more abundantly." (John. 10:10) Let's stop exporting religion and export Resurrection Life.
It is so easy to become comfortable and be locked into a church fellowship, emphasizing religious trivia and missing the call of God and the destiny that He has for our lives. Remember! When you leave your church building, or your home, you are entering the mission field. We are not Americans that happen to be Christians, but Christian Ambassadors who happen to be planted in America for the Kingdom of God. Like I said recently on my Facebook, "We are spiritual beings, having a human experience."
David Walters 2013.
TAKE TIME TO READ THIS AND YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. IT HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO CHANGE YOUR WHOLE OUTLOOK ON CHRISTIANITY.
Have you ever wondered why the Christian church is so divided? Have you ever wondered why man-made traditions are rampant in most churches; whether it’s old denominational traditions or newer Evangelical or Charismatic traditions?
What do I mean by traditions? It’s really following the ways of how it’s being done in our lifetime. Some churches follow after what was done before the Reformation, like the Greek or Russian Orthodox churches. Others follow the Roman Catholic traditions or the Anglo Catholic traditions. Some follow after the Protestant Reformation, such as the Presbyterian traditions. Others follow the Wesleyan period, like the Methodists, and still others like to modernize to go with the times. Whether it’s a Mega Church or a small country church, they all follow similar patterns. Church buildings are structured to accommodate these traditions. Older building (places of worship) usually have older style church services where newer buildings are usually more contemporary.
Of course we have Missionaries and Evangelists that hold crusades and street preachers who win sinners, but many of their converts are left to themselves and fall away or end up becoming Sunday morning pew warmers in a church.
Whenever a new church is established, or a larger facility to accommodate growth, the people involved hardly ever go back to the source to see what a church really is. They make comparisons to see what others have done, either in the past or in the present. They go to a reputable church architect to have a building built that will attract people. Then they are taken up with building structures, furniture, pews, or comfortable chairs, lighting, sound, altar or platform, pulpit or podium; organ, piano, or worship team. Less wealthy congregations will either rent a building, a shop front, or buy an old empty denominational building before it’s turned into a Mosque.
Why all this emphasis about buildings or (houses of worship) anyway. What is the source that I’m talking about? The answer is the New Testament. In a moment you will read an article that could change or even revolutionize your whole approach to what church really is in God’s eyes.
We had something very much like this back in England in the early seventies, but it never grew to the size depicted in the following article, although it did developed into a large network of house churches all over the country, where God opened the door in many schools and colleges in different towns and large numbers of students were saved and filled with the spirit and joined the movement. Our book, “Living in Revival.” tells our story.
Here is the article. Twenty one steps to revolutionize our churches.
MEGA CHURCH TO META (BEYOND) CHURCH
VICTOR CHOUDHRIE
21 Steps to transit from being a barren church to a millionaire of souls.
1. Rewrite the job description of the professional clergy from that of a pulpit orator, sacrament dispenser and tithe gatherer, to that of a shepherd who feeds his flock to be healthy and reproducing, by encouraging them to practice the priesthood of all believers with authority to baptize, break bread and equip fishers of men. He must model a flat church structure wherein brothers and sisters submit to one another, pray one for another, serve one another, exhort, forgive and love each other.
John 13:34-35; Matt.18:21-22; Eph. 5:21
2. Move from meeting in temples to gathering in 'houses of peace'. 'God does not dwell in temples made by human hands'; rather He dwells in human hearts. For we are the mobile walking and talking temples of the living God, with a maximum of organism and a minimum of organization. Luke 10:5-9; Matt. 10:11-13; Acts 7:48-49; 2 Cor. 6:16.
3. Phase out programmed Sunday 'services' while implementing informal, small gatherings. The Bride of Christ must have intimacy with her Lord every day, not only for a couple of hours a week, lest she become unfaithful. However, discourage cross-gender disciple-making, lest chemistry foul things up. Acts 2:46-47; Heb. 3:13.
4. Replace Mosaic tithing with Christian sharing, thereby harnessing the enormous, financial resources, hospitality and goodwill available in Christian homes. Believe that God is going to work a work among the nations through you, which will leave you utterly amazed, and also provide resources for it. Deut. 8:17-18; Acts 5:32-34; Hab. 1:5.
5. Dispense with wafer-and-sip Holy Communion and promote breaking of bread with simple Agape meals (love feasts) from house to house, that believers take with glad hearts, 'and the Lord added to His numbers daily'. The Lord served roast lamb, bitter herbs, bread and wine 'in a house' for the Last Supper. Father God had lunch with Abraham under a tree and discussed Sarah's pregnancy, Sodom's ruin and Lot's rescue plan. Acts 2:46-47; 1 Cor.11:20-23; Gen Chap 18.
6. Replace professional music with believers speaking to each other in psalms and spiritual songs, making melody in their hearts to the Lord. OT worship required the sacrifice of four-footed beasts; the NT celebrates by offering two-legged Gentiles as a living sacrifice. The meta-church is a discipling hub and not a singing club. Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Rom. 15:16.
7. Shift from being a spectator-oriented church to a 'metastasizing', interactive, participatory, prophetic church. Empower men, women and youth, to get the dragon off the driver's seat. We, the seed of Abraham are blessed; "with multiplying I will multiply you and your seed will possess the gates of the enemy". It is time Abraham's seed got on the driver's seat. 1 Cor.14:26-31; Acts 13:13; 18:4; Gen. 22:17-18; Gal. 3:27-29.
8. For a powerful synergy, metamorphose mega-churches into city, regional and national networks of 'meta' (beyond) churches. Instead of gathering under one roof, have them gather under a thousand roofs, just like the mega church at Jerusalem planted meta-churches across Judea, Samaria, Antioch, Corinth, Rome and beyond (Gk. meta) that grew in faith and in numbers (both quality and quantity), daily. Rom. 16:3-15; Acts 1:8; 16:5.
9. Infect the barren Bride with the multiplication virus. A healthy mature female (Bride) implies that she is ready to have babies. Rebecca, the Bride of Isaac, was blessed by her family to have millions of children. The time has come for the Bride of Christ to stretch her tent to the left and to the right, to the north and to the south, to produce millions of meta-churches, and fill the earth. Gen. 24:60; Isa. 54:1-5; Acts 1:8.
10. Know your identity in Christ: You are a royal-priest, made so by the blood of the Lamb. Dismantle the 'Reverend' culture that divides clergy from layman. Like Melchizedek, the royal-priest of Salem (City of Peace), who served bread and wine, took a tithe and blessed Abraham, bring godly governance to your city. Catch the vision of cloning royal-priests for every city, and run with it. 1.Pet.2:9; Rev.5:10; Hab.2:1-3; Isa. 9:6-7; Gen. 14:18.
11. Challenge purposeless churches to enunciate a clear vision and to lay out a road map to translate that vision into action plans to 'do greater things than these'. Armed with maps, stats and the Great Commission go two by two and teach the divine arithmetic of planting just one multiplying church every month. In ten short months, even the least shall plant a thousand meta-churches. John 14:12; Acts 16:5; Luke 10:1-2; Isa. 60:22.
12. Unglue from their pews all those Christians who sit, soak and stagnate, and send them to heal the sick, raise the dead, tread on snakes and scorpions (expel demons), bind the 'strongman', plunder his possessions, and demolish the gates of Hell. Doggedly pursue demon demolition drive until 'the kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.' Matt.11:12; 12:29; 16:18-19; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19; Rev.11:15.
13. Resurrect from being a dead organization to a living organism. Replace all extra-biblical, cosmetic titles like Director, Chairman, CEO, and Secretary by appointing fivefold ministry- gifted Elders, like apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, as equippers. Healthy feeding and leading will keep the flock thriving and fertile and build bridges with the 'other sheep which are not of this fold'. Eph.4:11; Tit. 1:5-9; John 10:16.
14. Empower every Sunday school, Bible school, prayer cell, women's fellowship, and cottage meeting, by calling them full-fledged, authentic churches. They must make disciples who baptize, break bread, equip laborers and send missionaries, and, like the school of Tyrannus, change the spiritual demography. 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Acts 19:8-12.
15. Filter out non-performing goats who come only for hatching (baby baptisms), matching (weddings) and dispatching (funerals), and replace them with sheep who take care of the hungry, thirsty, naked, strangers, sick and prisoners. Culling the non-productive sheep is an integral part of the 'best practices' of sheep rearing. God chose David to shepherd Israel because he took care of "the ewes great with young". Matt. 25:31-46; Ps. 78:70-72.
16. Simplify disciple making. Get a Bible and invite a couple of truth-seekers for a meal where the main dish is - The Lamb. Redefine authentic church as wherever two or three friends meet to eat, to gossip the gospel, and to multiply. Meta-church is the most cost effective strategy for city penetration and reaching the ends of the earth. Acts 2:46-47.
17. Replace seminary training with sharing the whole wisdom of God from house to house. Sound doctrine is the ability to convince those who oppose. The lost of this world do not need scholars as much as they need spiritual fathers and mothers who bring many spiritual sons and daughters to glory. Acts 20:20, 27; Tit. 1:9; 1 Cor. 4:15; 2 Tim. 2:2; Heb 2:10.
18. Reorient your personal paradigm. Your business, workplace or home, wherever you spend most of your time, is your 'primary nuclear church'. It matters little whether you are the CEO, or the janitor or the kitchen queen; you are a full-time minister there and accountable. Adam and Eve were accountable for the Garden of Eden, and they failed.
19. Recognize 'Hi, there,' 'Hello,' handshaking, Sunday church as your 'secondary, optional church'. A church that does not send you out to 'raise your holy hands to pray everywhere ' and equip you to make Christ 'high and lifted up' in your home, workplace and neighborhood is not worth going to.
1 Tim. 2:8; Isa. 6:1.
20. Re-set your priorities to preach Christ where He has not been named. For this you do not have to go to church from Sunday to Sunday nor work from paycheck to paycheck. You are "ordained" to be fruitful, to multiply, and to fill your home, workplace, neighborhood and the city with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Matt. 6:33; Rom. 15:20; John 15:16; Gen. 1:28; Hab. 2:14.
21. Adopt a 'completion mindset'. Evaluate your ministry by the Great Commission as its mandate, and for benchmarks the numbers of disciples made, baptized, equipped and sent out. Aim to become a millionaire of souls. Why not? After all, you believe in a great, awesome God for whom nothing is impossible. At the very least, like Peter, shoot for 3000 baptisms by every Pentecost. Or like Paul, plant a multiplying church every day, till you can claim that there are no more places left here for you to 'fully preach the gospel', not just with words, 'but with signs and mighty deeds.'
Acts 2:41; 16:5; Rom. 15:19, 23.
Shalom and Shalom again.
Email: [email protected]
Date: July 18, 2010
*Victor Choudhrie is a cancer surgeon by profession. He is a Senior Fellow of the American and British Colleges of Surgeons. He left his position as Director and CEO of the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, in 1992, to take up a full-time Church planting ministry in central India. His wife, Bindu, is also in a full-time church planting ministry, equipping women to be house-church leaders and trainers. They now have disciples making disciples in some forty countries. Theirs is presently amongst the fastest growing movements deploying volunteers with no paid workers in the field.
God has blessed this ministry abundantly. In the year from Pentecost 2009 to Pentecost 2010, over one million underwent a 'holy dip' through their ministry partners. Large numbers of grassroots level leaders have been trained, who, subsequently, have planted tens of thousands of house churches across India and abroad.
Books written by Victor Choudhrie include: The Ekklesia, the Church in your House; The Apostolic Gardens; The Prayer Warrior; Teaching Cards and From Mega Church to Meta (Beyond) Church soon to be published.
Electronic copies are available on payment of US $10 via PayPal: [email protected]
THE CHILDREN HAD A VISITATION. ONLY THE CHILDREN...
When I was at Paddock Wood, the children had a visitation. It was remarkable! God Sovereignly only visited the children. Not one adult was touched by the Spirit. God came to the children and they were laid out under the power of God all over the floor.
People soon heard about the visitation. One man came up to me and said, "How did you start it?"
I said, "I didn't start it, God just came," Others said, "You ought to stop it!" I said, "I didn't start it."
The Lord said, "Suffer the little children to come to me and forbid them not." (Mark10:13) Allow the children.
I found myself having to carry the children out every night at 10.30 PM. Their arms and legs would be kicking frantically as I carried them and people would be pulling back the curtains wondering what on earth was going on. I'd put them in my van and drive them home as they shouted, "Jesus! Jesus!"
The adult congregation objected. "Are the children more obedient? Do they do their homework? Are they better children at home?" I said, "I don't know. All I know is it is God." "Well you ought to stop it!" And the adult congregation ganged up against me and demanded that every child should have a responsible adult by them who would hold them forcibly on their seat and prevent them from falling on the floor.
There wasn't one adult quick enough. The Spirit of God just came, Boom! Boom! Boom! . , , and they were down of the floor, the same as ever. Then the adults ganged up against me again. "They are spoiling our meetings, the children have religious mania, you ought to stop it." I said, "Look, I didn't start it. It's God."
" Well, we are not having it. We will help you to carry all the children into the back vestry." So they carried them out to the cold vestry in the back where there was no heat at all. And the super spiritual adults got on with their meeting.
At the end, I opened the door to the vestry and the place was dripping. They had generated their own heat.
The kids were laid out on the floor shouting and screaming, "Jesus! Jesus! They were totally unconscious of where they were, lost in the Presence of God.
The adults continued to question it. They were left out. They altered their tactics and totally quenched the Holy Spirit. He moved on and the visitation was over.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GODLY.
”He who swears to his own hurt and does not change.” (Ps. 15:4)
Over the many years of ministry you will be amazed how many pastors have lied to me and others when we held an event in their city. They are contacted and invited. They respond by saying they would love to be involved and will make sure their people will participate. The hosting church is excited and expects the other churches to advertise and encourage their people to show up. They don’t! So the cost rests upon the shoulders of the hosting church. Mistake; they trusted the pastors of the other churches to keep their word and not lie. Solution, the hosting church should have told the other church pastors that they need a financial commitment up front. Talk is cheap. Action can be more costly, especially when an investment of $500 is needed to finance the event.
Soon after, another church in the city invites me to come to their church and hold that same event. When I investigate the reason why they didn’t participate with the former church, I’m told that they wanted the event to be held in their church. It seems they were concerned that if their members had gone to the former church and liked it more than theirs they may have lost some members. After all, one must protect their sheep.
Many other churches that have contacted me say they really want me to come, for they have a real burden for the children. When it comes to setting a date or confirming, it becomes a problem to them and their elders. They don’t want the children and youth to become more spiritual and passionate for the Lord than the parents and teachers, as it could cause a problem for them. Then the cost of bringing me in may not sit too well with the finance committee, so it’s postponed indefinitely. The tragic thing is that more than 80% of children raised in the church today don’t make it. By the time they reach high school or college we have lost them to the world. That also includes pastor’s children.
Even in my home town area offering my gift freely to empower their children and teachers and stop the dropout isn’t wanted. The little white haired lady is perfectly fine to teach the kids, or the sports guy in the gym is used to get rid of their excess energy. This is not sour grapes and it’s not about me, but to see the kids being entertained and babysat with Bible stories, quizzes, videos and power points is not producing their full potential.
One pastor from a church where the children’s pastor and leaders wanted to invite me, said, “Why don’t we have someone locally to dress up as a clown and give out toys and games to the kids?” Fortunately they wouldn’t go for it and insisted that I was needed.
Remember this with many local churches, if revival broke out in children’s church it would upset their theology, tradition, and the status quo. ”Don’t mess up the church with revival. We don’t want to lose control.”
One church I was ministering at the Holy Spirit moved on the children and youth in a mighty way. The weekend event ended on Sunday night with the kids praying for the sick and many miracles took place. The senior Pastor was in the balcony watching. I sensed he was threatened, as he had never done what the children and teens were doing.
I mentioned this to the kid’s pastor the next day as he drove me to the airport to fly home, I told him I believed he would have a problem with the senior pastor, A few weeks later, the children’s pastor called me and told me after I left, the kids were on fire and witnessed to their friends at school, resulting in the children’s church increasing tenfold. Revival had broken out and kids were bringing their friends. Miracles, salvations were flowing through children’s church. The senior pastor then told the children’s pastor it had to stop as they were having a church within a church. God was moving on the children and the adult church was stagnating. Now you know the rest of the story. Don’t rock the boat!
David Walters. 2017
DEALING WITH A SECULAR SOCIETY
"Do not be deceived. God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows that will he also reap." (Gal.6:7)
In our society's ever advancing secularism we have seen the downgrading of acceptable behavior, morals, honesty, manners, kindness, honor, and truthfulness. Our streets, cities and communication systems still have major problems with terrorism, gang violence, murder, drugs, foul language, adultery and fornication, poverty, lack of vision, late term abortions, (baby killing), unwed mothers and the destruction of marriage and many other ills in our modern society. As secularism advances, public prayer in schools and in our government is banned, along with the Bible; hence the increase in shootings. Christianity is being locked up in seminaries and church buildings and evangelism in schools and prisons is discouraged or even banned. Only the Muslim religion and the Atheistic religion has freedom to do whatever!
Pornographic material is acceptable and even encouraged. The ACLU "American Civil Liberties Union" (Anti-Christian Leftist Movement?) is more than happy to take up law suites from Atheists in attempting to stop the practice of religion in public places. To have gay church leaders and practicing gay members in churches and in the boy scouts. To allow transgender students in schools to have special privileges in using both male and female bathrooms depending on how they feel and dress for that particular day. Disciplining and training children is no longer acceptable. We mustn't offend or abuse their self esteem. Many youngsters have left the world of reality into the world of unreality with mind altering drugs and virtual reality video games.
Traditional Christmas is under attack, and being replaced with "Happy Holidays" and "Holiday Trees." Easter has now become "Spring Break" and the only religious festival which is still encouraged and practiced is "Halloween!" In many places it is illegal to preach righteousness at the expense of offending sinners. We all are told to be more tolerant and practice political correctness. No one is better than anyone else. There are no losers and everyone is good and a winner, no matter whether they work for it or not. Everyone does what he thinks is right in his own eyes.
This is the new society which is evolving before us. Sin has been eliminated from our culture and replaced with mistakes, mess ups, or even "if it makes you feel good, go for it." Good is bad and bad is good. The Bible is attacked and said to be evil. Godly living is despised and Godless living is celebrated. We have deteriorated from a moral society, to an immoral society, then to an amoral society, until good becomes evil and evil becomes good.
"Woe to those who call evil good and good evil; Who put light for darkness, and darkness for light; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe unto them who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!" (Isa. 5:20-21)
Much of the Christian religious culture seems to continue with its religious traditions, oblivious of what is happening in our society outside of the church. True Christianity was hijacked years ago by religious and self seeking zealots, and it still continues today. They carry a veneer of truth to appear to legalize their position and practices. The church by and large is no longer salt and light, but has become irrelevant to the masses in our country. We can become like frogs in a cooking pot, being slowly boiled and not knowing it, until it's too late.
We must stop merchandising religion and get back to preaching the pure gospel. You don't have to be an evangelist to be able to wins souls for the Kingdom. Evangelists need to teach and show new believers how to become soul winners, rather than doing it all themselves. Pastors need to equip the saints to do the work of the ministry, rather than have a Sunday service to spoon feed their congregations with sermons to entice them to keep coming back each Sunday for another spoonful. Always learning, but never arriving at the truth. Apostles and Prophets need to spend less time building their own ministries and concentrate more on bringing forth armies of anointed spiritual warriors to turn our decadent culture upside down.
Before we try to use all our resources and energies in winning the world with oversees missions and church planting, we need to address the problems of our own country and be willing to be instrumental in bringing about a national revival. Attending Sunday Church is not God's ultimate plan for us. Jesus didn't say, "I have come that you might attend Sunday church services and listen to sound doctrine." He said, "I have come that you might have life and that more abundantly." (John. 10:10) Let's stop exporting religion and export Resurrection Life.
It is so easy to become comfortable and be locked into a church fellowship, emphasizing religious trivia and missing the call of God and the destiny that He has for our lives. Remember! When you leave your church building, or your home, you are entering the mission field. We are not Americans that happen to be Christians, but Christian Ambassadors who happen to be planted in America for the Kingdom of God. Like I said recently on my Facebook, "We are spiritual beings, having a human experience."
David Walters 2013.
TAKE TIME TO READ THIS AND YOU WILL NEVER BE THE SAME. IT HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO CHANGE YOUR WHOLE OUTLOOK ON CHRISTIANITY.
Have you ever wondered why the Christian church is so divided? Have you ever wondered why man-made traditions are rampant in most churches; whether it’s old denominational traditions or newer Evangelical or Charismatic traditions?
What do I mean by traditions? It’s really following the ways of how it’s being done in our lifetime. Some churches follow after what was done before the Reformation, like the Greek or Russian Orthodox churches. Others follow the Roman Catholic traditions or the Anglo Catholic traditions. Some follow after the Protestant Reformation, such as the Presbyterian traditions. Others follow the Wesleyan period, like the Methodists, and still others like to modernize to go with the times. Whether it’s a Mega Church or a small country church, they all follow similar patterns. Church buildings are structured to accommodate these traditions. Older building (places of worship) usually have older style church services where newer buildings are usually more contemporary.
Of course we have Missionaries and Evangelists that hold crusades and street preachers who win sinners, but many of their converts are left to themselves and fall away or end up becoming Sunday morning pew warmers in a church.
Whenever a new church is established, or a larger facility to accommodate growth, the people involved hardly ever go back to the source to see what a church really is. They make comparisons to see what others have done, either in the past or in the present. They go to a reputable church architect to have a building built that will attract people. Then they are taken up with building structures, furniture, pews, or comfortable chairs, lighting, sound, altar or platform, pulpit or podium; organ, piano, or worship team. Less wealthy congregations will either rent a building, a shop front, or buy an old empty denominational building before it’s turned into a Mosque.
Why all this emphasis about buildings or (houses of worship) anyway. What is the source that I’m talking about? The answer is the New Testament. In a moment you will read an article that could change or even revolutionize your whole approach to what church really is in God’s eyes.
We had something very much like this back in England in the early seventies, but it never grew to the size depicted in the following article, although it did developed into a large network of house churches all over the country, where God opened the door in many schools and colleges in different towns and large numbers of students were saved and filled with the spirit and joined the movement. Our book, “Living in Revival.” tells our story.
Here is the article. Twenty one steps to revolutionize our churches.
MEGA CHURCH TO META (BEYOND) CHURCH
VICTOR CHOUDHRIE
21 Steps to transit from being a barren church to a millionaire of souls.
1. Rewrite the job description of the professional clergy from that of a pulpit orator, sacrament dispenser and tithe gatherer, to that of a shepherd who feeds his flock to be healthy and reproducing, by encouraging them to practice the priesthood of all believers with authority to baptize, break bread and equip fishers of men. He must model a flat church structure wherein brothers and sisters submit to one another, pray one for another, serve one another, exhort, forgive and love each other.
John 13:34-35; Matt.18:21-22; Eph. 5:21
2. Move from meeting in temples to gathering in 'houses of peace'. 'God does not dwell in temples made by human hands'; rather He dwells in human hearts. For we are the mobile walking and talking temples of the living God, with a maximum of organism and a minimum of organization. Luke 10:5-9; Matt. 10:11-13; Acts 7:48-49; 2 Cor. 6:16.
3. Phase out programmed Sunday 'services' while implementing informal, small gatherings. The Bride of Christ must have intimacy with her Lord every day, not only for a couple of hours a week, lest she become unfaithful. However, discourage cross-gender disciple-making, lest chemistry foul things up. Acts 2:46-47; Heb. 3:13.
4. Replace Mosaic tithing with Christian sharing, thereby harnessing the enormous, financial resources, hospitality and goodwill available in Christian homes. Believe that God is going to work a work among the nations through you, which will leave you utterly amazed, and also provide resources for it. Deut. 8:17-18; Acts 5:32-34; Hab. 1:5.
5. Dispense with wafer-and-sip Holy Communion and promote breaking of bread with simple Agape meals (love feasts) from house to house, that believers take with glad hearts, 'and the Lord added to His numbers daily'. The Lord served roast lamb, bitter herbs, bread and wine 'in a house' for the Last Supper. Father God had lunch with Abraham under a tree and discussed Sarah's pregnancy, Sodom's ruin and Lot's rescue plan. Acts 2:46-47; 1 Cor.11:20-23; Gen Chap 18.
6. Replace professional music with believers speaking to each other in psalms and spiritual songs, making melody in their hearts to the Lord. OT worship required the sacrifice of four-footed beasts; the NT celebrates by offering two-legged Gentiles as a living sacrifice. The meta-church is a discipling hub and not a singing club. Eph 5:19; Col 3:16; Rom. 15:16.
7. Shift from being a spectator-oriented church to a 'metastasizing', interactive, participatory, prophetic church. Empower men, women and youth, to get the dragon off the driver's seat. We, the seed of Abraham are blessed; "with multiplying I will multiply you and your seed will possess the gates of the enemy". It is time Abraham's seed got on the driver's seat. 1 Cor.14:26-31; Acts 13:13; 18:4; Gen. 22:17-18; Gal. 3:27-29.
8. For a powerful synergy, metamorphose mega-churches into city, regional and national networks of 'meta' (beyond) churches. Instead of gathering under one roof, have them gather under a thousand roofs, just like the mega church at Jerusalem planted meta-churches across Judea, Samaria, Antioch, Corinth, Rome and beyond (Gk. meta) that grew in faith and in numbers (both quality and quantity), daily. Rom. 16:3-15; Acts 1:8; 16:5.
9. Infect the barren Bride with the multiplication virus. A healthy mature female (Bride) implies that she is ready to have babies. Rebecca, the Bride of Isaac, was blessed by her family to have millions of children. The time has come for the Bride of Christ to stretch her tent to the left and to the right, to the north and to the south, to produce millions of meta-churches, and fill the earth. Gen. 24:60; Isa. 54:1-5; Acts 1:8.
10. Know your identity in Christ: You are a royal-priest, made so by the blood of the Lamb. Dismantle the 'Reverend' culture that divides clergy from layman. Like Melchizedek, the royal-priest of Salem (City of Peace), who served bread and wine, took a tithe and blessed Abraham, bring godly governance to your city. Catch the vision of cloning royal-priests for every city, and run with it. 1.Pet.2:9; Rev.5:10; Hab.2:1-3; Isa. 9:6-7; Gen. 14:18.
11. Challenge purposeless churches to enunciate a clear vision and to lay out a road map to translate that vision into action plans to 'do greater things than these'. Armed with maps, stats and the Great Commission go two by two and teach the divine arithmetic of planting just one multiplying church every month. In ten short months, even the least shall plant a thousand meta-churches. John 14:12; Acts 16:5; Luke 10:1-2; Isa. 60:22.
12. Unglue from their pews all those Christians who sit, soak and stagnate, and send them to heal the sick, raise the dead, tread on snakes and scorpions (expel demons), bind the 'strongman', plunder his possessions, and demolish the gates of Hell. Doggedly pursue demon demolition drive until 'the kingdoms of this world have become the Kingdom of our Lord and His Christ.' Matt.11:12; 12:29; 16:18-19; Mark 16:17-18; Luke 10:19; Rev.11:15.
13. Resurrect from being a dead organization to a living organism. Replace all extra-biblical, cosmetic titles like Director, Chairman, CEO, and Secretary by appointing fivefold ministry- gifted Elders, like apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds and teachers, as equippers. Healthy feeding and leading will keep the flock thriving and fertile and build bridges with the 'other sheep which are not of this fold'. Eph.4:11; Tit. 1:5-9; John 10:16.
14. Empower every Sunday school, Bible school, prayer cell, women's fellowship, and cottage meeting, by calling them full-fledged, authentic churches. They must make disciples who baptize, break bread, equip laborers and send missionaries, and, like the school of Tyrannus, change the spiritual demography. 1 Cor. 16:19; Col. 4:15; Acts 19:8-12.
15. Filter out non-performing goats who come only for hatching (baby baptisms), matching (weddings) and dispatching (funerals), and replace them with sheep who take care of the hungry, thirsty, naked, strangers, sick and prisoners. Culling the non-productive sheep is an integral part of the 'best practices' of sheep rearing. God chose David to shepherd Israel because he took care of "the ewes great with young". Matt. 25:31-46; Ps. 78:70-72.
16. Simplify disciple making. Get a Bible and invite a couple of truth-seekers for a meal where the main dish is - The Lamb. Redefine authentic church as wherever two or three friends meet to eat, to gossip the gospel, and to multiply. Meta-church is the most cost effective strategy for city penetration and reaching the ends of the earth. Acts 2:46-47.
17. Replace seminary training with sharing the whole wisdom of God from house to house. Sound doctrine is the ability to convince those who oppose. The lost of this world do not need scholars as much as they need spiritual fathers and mothers who bring many spiritual sons and daughters to glory. Acts 20:20, 27; Tit. 1:9; 1 Cor. 4:15; 2 Tim. 2:2; Heb 2:10.
18. Reorient your personal paradigm. Your business, workplace or home, wherever you spend most of your time, is your 'primary nuclear church'. It matters little whether you are the CEO, or the janitor or the kitchen queen; you are a full-time minister there and accountable. Adam and Eve were accountable for the Garden of Eden, and they failed.
19. Recognize 'Hi, there,' 'Hello,' handshaking, Sunday church as your 'secondary, optional church'. A church that does not send you out to 'raise your holy hands to pray everywhere ' and equip you to make Christ 'high and lifted up' in your home, workplace and neighborhood is not worth going to.
1 Tim. 2:8; Isa. 6:1.
20. Re-set your priorities to preach Christ where He has not been named. For this you do not have to go to church from Sunday to Sunday nor work from paycheck to paycheck. You are "ordained" to be fruitful, to multiply, and to fill your home, workplace, neighborhood and the city with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea. Matt. 6:33; Rom. 15:20; John 15:16; Gen. 1:28; Hab. 2:14.
21. Adopt a 'completion mindset'. Evaluate your ministry by the Great Commission as its mandate, and for benchmarks the numbers of disciples made, baptized, equipped and sent out. Aim to become a millionaire of souls. Why not? After all, you believe in a great, awesome God for whom nothing is impossible. At the very least, like Peter, shoot for 3000 baptisms by every Pentecost. Or like Paul, plant a multiplying church every day, till you can claim that there are no more places left here for you to 'fully preach the gospel', not just with words, 'but with signs and mighty deeds.'
Acts 2:41; 16:5; Rom. 15:19, 23.
Shalom and Shalom again.
Email: [email protected]
Date: July 18, 2010
*Victor Choudhrie is a cancer surgeon by profession. He is a Senior Fellow of the American and British Colleges of Surgeons. He left his position as Director and CEO of the Christian Medical College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India, in 1992, to take up a full-time Church planting ministry in central India. His wife, Bindu, is also in a full-time church planting ministry, equipping women to be house-church leaders and trainers. They now have disciples making disciples in some forty countries. Theirs is presently amongst the fastest growing movements deploying volunteers with no paid workers in the field.
God has blessed this ministry abundantly. In the year from Pentecost 2009 to Pentecost 2010, over one million underwent a 'holy dip' through their ministry partners. Large numbers of grassroots level leaders have been trained, who, subsequently, have planted tens of thousands of house churches across India and abroad.
Books written by Victor Choudhrie include: The Ekklesia, the Church in your House; The Apostolic Gardens; The Prayer Warrior; Teaching Cards and From Mega Church to Meta (Beyond) Church soon to be published.
Electronic copies are available on payment of US $10 via PayPal: [email protected]
GOD’S PLAN FOR MANKIND!
God created man in his own image. His original plan was to have sons and daughters to be like Him. So He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, so He could proudly say to His angels, as He gazed at his sons and daughters, "Look at them, they are just like their Dad." Satan messed up our great, great, etc, etc, grandparents, by causing them to sin and produce sinful children. Their seed was polluted; Satan thought he had won.
What was God's response? He didn't go back to the drawing board and build a stronger Adam? No! He sent His Son as a helpless baby to bring forth a righteous, spiritual, generation on earth to be fruitful and multiply and replenish His kingdom with His glory. "He takes the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty." (1.Cor.1.27)
Did you ever imagine that a baby would become the Savior of the World? Adam was created an adult, yet failed. Jesus was born an infant and succeeded; Even though Satan attempted to destroy Him as a babe and as a man. Now Satan wants children aborted, he invests in their destruction. Remember John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while inside his mother’s womb. Does that mean that God still wants to the invest in the least qualified, our children and their future? You decide!
David Walters July 2017
God created man in his own image. His original plan was to have sons and daughters to be like Him. So He told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, so He could proudly say to His angels, as He gazed at his sons and daughters, "Look at them, they are just like their Dad." Satan messed up our great, great, etc, etc, grandparents, by causing them to sin and produce sinful children. Their seed was polluted; Satan thought he had won.
What was God's response? He didn't go back to the drawing board and build a stronger Adam? No! He sent His Son as a helpless baby to bring forth a righteous, spiritual, generation on earth to be fruitful and multiply and replenish His kingdom with His glory. "He takes the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty." (1.Cor.1.27)
Did you ever imagine that a baby would become the Savior of the World? Adam was created an adult, yet failed. Jesus was born an infant and succeeded; Even though Satan attempted to destroy Him as a babe and as a man. Now Satan wants children aborted, he invests in their destruction. Remember John the Baptist was filled with the Holy Spirit while inside his mother’s womb. Does that mean that God still wants to the invest in the least qualified, our children and their future? You decide!
David Walters July 2017
Christian parenting
by
david walters
Many Christian parents today reject the traditional Bible believing church concept of raising kids. The strict rules of obedience with tough discipline and threats of God's anger and displease of rebellious attitudes has had a negative affect upon them. And they vow never to be as strict with their children as their religious parents were with them.
So how do we deal with the following scriptures? "Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Prov.22:6) The word "old," mentioned in that scripture verse is not of an elderly person. It's not about a prodigal who finally wises up and repents just before it's too late, although that's still possible. It's about a child who has reached the age of maturity. When is that? When he or she have reached 18? Not necessarily. Just because they have reach the legal age of adulthood, doesn't mean they are mature enough to make quality decisions. If they have been trained by the Holy Spirit and not just by their parents, or their church rules, they are far more likely to become spiritually successful and wise beyond their years. This scripture gives us a command, but also a promise. If we train up our child the way he or she should go, which is not necessarily the way he or she may want to go, or his or her friends want him or her to go, or the world wants him or her go, but God's way, then he or she will not depart from it.
Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.'"
(Eph. 6:2-3)
Children should not obey parents who tell them to do things which are illegal, immoral, or dangerous. They can politely refuse by saying, "That's against God's character." They are expected to obey them in the Lord. If the parents are out of the Lord that's another matter. Some children may have divorced parents who have joint custody. Maybe the mother is a committed Christian and the father is backslidden and lives with a girl friend and they practice a decadent lifestyle. Mom is worried that dad will have a bad influence on her young son when he goes there. If the son is well trained and really knows and loves Jesus, then he can have the ability to win his dad to the Lord. It's simple to train children who love God to become soul winners. Don't underestimate the power of anointed and dedicated kids who love the Lord. I spoke at a conference once, where the theme was, "Win A Child, Win A Family."
Children should not be allowed to make their own decisions, until they have learned to make the right ones. Christian parents are not merely told to raise their children, but also to train or disciple them. The word discipline is the same as disciple. But when most children are told they are to be disciplined they see it as a negative, when in fact it's a positive or should be. It must be done the right way. Father screams at his son, "Sit Down!" the son shouts back, "I won't sit down!" Father screams louder, "Sit down or I'll knock you down!" The boy sits down, but mutters, "I'm still standing up inside." You may be able to change your children on the outside by parental pressure, but you cannot change them on the inside, only the Holy Spirit can do that. "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord." (Eph. 6:4)
The Sergeant Major screams at his troops, "Don't do what I do, do what I say!" The Apostle Paul said, "Follow me as I follow the Lord." So we parents need to lead by example. Danny Silk who teaches on children in his book, "Loving Our Kids On Purpose" said there are times when you do give a child the freedom to make their own decisions or judgments, but warn them beforehand of the consequences which may follow bad judgments or careless choices, for which he gives examples.
Christian parents, if you teach your children how the Holy Spirit makes God and His wonders so real to us, you will have far greater results than forcing them to obey you or leaving them to their own devises, or vices. If the Spirit of God and the love of Christ is flowing through you, then your standards will become your children's standards and your God will become their God. You won't have children that hate church, despise you and are just waiting until they are old enough to do their own thing and jump into a worldly, hedonistic, decadent, lifestyle. Why would that be? Because those kids see God as an angry old man who wants to spoil their fun and freedom by strict rules and wants to punish everyone who messes up. And often they find church boring. If church is boring it's probably because the Holy Spirit isn't operating there. Explain to your children how wonderful it is to be a "Born Again Spirit Filled Christian. It's so much more than Sunday morning church attendance.
Too many church kids today are taught to know about God, rather than to know Him. Remember Christianity is not a religion or a ritual, it's a divine relationship. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we become a legal citizen of the kingdom of heaven and also a child of God through adoption. This makes us family, Jesus becomes our elder brother and God becomes our heavenly Papa. Adoption gives us the same rights as a biological child. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba" (daddy) Father." "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children then heirs ---heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Rom. 8:15-17)
I have explained to younger children about adoption through reminding them of the classic movie, "Annie" who was an "orphan." She was in an orphanage for girls run by a wicked woman who treated the girls very badly. They had poor food and rags for clothes and stayed dirty and smelly. One day a Multi Billionaire named Mr. Warbucks, (I call him Mr. Big-Bucks) had his secretary come to the orphanage to bring Annie and her dog to his mansion.
When Annie arrived she looked terrible, so his secretary took off Annie's rags and put her in the bath. Washed her hair and cleaned her up and then gave her a beautiful new dress to wear. When Mr. Warbucks finally saw Annie, she looked beautiful. Eventually he fell for her and decided to adopt her and she called him, "Daddy Warbucks." Then all his wealth that he had was to become legally hers. She was family and his daughter.
When we come to Jesus we are as orphans and we need to be cleansed from our sins. "And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags." (Isa.64:6) So our filthy rags are taken off of us. Then we are given a bath in His blood to wash us clean from all of our sins. "For He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2.Cor.5:21) Then we are given a new beautiful dress to wear. "He has covered me with the robe of righteousness." (Isa. 61:10). "Jesus my robe of Righteousness, His beauty is my Glorious Dress." so the Hymn Writer wrote.
Formal religion and religious spirits will rob you and your children's destiny. Don't let that happen. Satan is a kidnapper. and he often uses religion to destroy your children. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and destroy. I have come that you might have life and may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). So go for the Life!
David Walters. May 2017.
So how do we deal with the following scriptures? "Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." (Prov.22:6) The word "old," mentioned in that scripture verse is not of an elderly person. It's not about a prodigal who finally wises up and repents just before it's too late, although that's still possible. It's about a child who has reached the age of maturity. When is that? When he or she have reached 18? Not necessarily. Just because they have reach the legal age of adulthood, doesn't mean they are mature enough to make quality decisions. If they have been trained by the Holy Spirit and not just by their parents, or their church rules, they are far more likely to become spiritually successful and wise beyond their years. This scripture gives us a command, but also a promise. If we train up our child the way he or she should go, which is not necessarily the way he or she may want to go, or his or her friends want him or her to go, or the world wants him or her go, but God's way, then he or she will not depart from it.
Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right. 'Honor your father and mother,' which is the first commandment with promise: that it may be well with you and you may live long on the earth.'"
(Eph. 6:2-3)
Children should not obey parents who tell them to do things which are illegal, immoral, or dangerous. They can politely refuse by saying, "That's against God's character." They are expected to obey them in the Lord. If the parents are out of the Lord that's another matter. Some children may have divorced parents who have joint custody. Maybe the mother is a committed Christian and the father is backslidden and lives with a girl friend and they practice a decadent lifestyle. Mom is worried that dad will have a bad influence on her young son when he goes there. If the son is well trained and really knows and loves Jesus, then he can have the ability to win his dad to the Lord. It's simple to train children who love God to become soul winners. Don't underestimate the power of anointed and dedicated kids who love the Lord. I spoke at a conference once, where the theme was, "Win A Child, Win A Family."
Children should not be allowed to make their own decisions, until they have learned to make the right ones. Christian parents are not merely told to raise their children, but also to train or disciple them. The word discipline is the same as disciple. But when most children are told they are to be disciplined they see it as a negative, when in fact it's a positive or should be. It must be done the right way. Father screams at his son, "Sit Down!" the son shouts back, "I won't sit down!" Father screams louder, "Sit down or I'll knock you down!" The boy sits down, but mutters, "I'm still standing up inside." You may be able to change your children on the outside by parental pressure, but you cannot change them on the inside, only the Holy Spirit can do that. "Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord." (Eph. 6:4)
The Sergeant Major screams at his troops, "Don't do what I do, do what I say!" The Apostle Paul said, "Follow me as I follow the Lord." So we parents need to lead by example. Danny Silk who teaches on children in his book, "Loving Our Kids On Purpose" said there are times when you do give a child the freedom to make their own decisions or judgments, but warn them beforehand of the consequences which may follow bad judgments or careless choices, for which he gives examples.
Christian parents, if you teach your children how the Holy Spirit makes God and His wonders so real to us, you will have far greater results than forcing them to obey you or leaving them to their own devises, or vices. If the Spirit of God and the love of Christ is flowing through you, then your standards will become your children's standards and your God will become their God. You won't have children that hate church, despise you and are just waiting until they are old enough to do their own thing and jump into a worldly, hedonistic, decadent, lifestyle. Why would that be? Because those kids see God as an angry old man who wants to spoil their fun and freedom by strict rules and wants to punish everyone who messes up. And often they find church boring. If church is boring it's probably because the Holy Spirit isn't operating there. Explain to your children how wonderful it is to be a "Born Again Spirit Filled Christian. It's so much more than Sunday morning church attendance.
Too many church kids today are taught to know about God, rather than to know Him. Remember Christianity is not a religion or a ritual, it's a divine relationship. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, we become a legal citizen of the kingdom of heaven and also a child of God through adoption. This makes us family, Jesus becomes our elder brother and God becomes our heavenly Papa. Adoption gives us the same rights as a biological child. "For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba" (daddy) Father." "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God, and if children then heirs ---heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." (Rom. 8:15-17)
I have explained to younger children about adoption through reminding them of the classic movie, "Annie" who was an "orphan." She was in an orphanage for girls run by a wicked woman who treated the girls very badly. They had poor food and rags for clothes and stayed dirty and smelly. One day a Multi Billionaire named Mr. Warbucks, (I call him Mr. Big-Bucks) had his secretary come to the orphanage to bring Annie and her dog to his mansion.
When Annie arrived she looked terrible, so his secretary took off Annie's rags and put her in the bath. Washed her hair and cleaned her up and then gave her a beautiful new dress to wear. When Mr. Warbucks finally saw Annie, she looked beautiful. Eventually he fell for her and decided to adopt her and she called him, "Daddy Warbucks." Then all his wealth that he had was to become legally hers. She was family and his daughter.
When we come to Jesus we are as orphans and we need to be cleansed from our sins. "And all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags." (Isa.64:6) So our filthy rags are taken off of us. Then we are given a bath in His blood to wash us clean from all of our sins. "For He made Him who knew no sin to become sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (2.Cor.5:21) Then we are given a new beautiful dress to wear. "He has covered me with the robe of righteousness." (Isa. 61:10). "Jesus my robe of Righteousness, His beauty is my Glorious Dress." so the Hymn Writer wrote.
Formal religion and religious spirits will rob you and your children's destiny. Don't let that happen. Satan is a kidnapper. and he often uses religion to destroy your children. "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and destroy. I have come that you might have life and may have it more abundantly." (John 10:10). So go for the Life!
David Walters. May 2017.