Pray Network Forum

Pray for wisdom for those in leadership as they make decisions on what precautions to take and how to respond as COVID-19 has been spreading throughout the region.

Pray for conversations with locals about the fear and anxiety many have towards this illness and its spread.  Pray that those in the Arabian Peninsula would recognize that they are not immune to the brokenness of the world. Pray that they would be pointed to their need for a savior as their sense of security is broken. 

Outwardly, lent can appear similar to fasting our friends do during Ramadan.  Pray for opportunities to share about the meaning and purpose of lent.  Ask for wisdom in sharing how lent is different than Ramadan and about fasting in the Christian context.  Pray that locals would be drawn to the freedom found in Jesus and the personal relationship we have with the Father.

Pray for wisdom for those in leadership as they make decisions on what precautions to take and how to respond as COVID-19 has been spreading throughout the region.

Pray for conversations with locals about the fear and anxiety many have towards this illness and its spread.  Pray that those in the Arabian Peninsula would recognize that they are not immune to the brokenness of the world. Pray that they would be pointed to their need for a savior as their sense of security is broken. 

Outwardly, lent can appear similar to fasting our friends do during Ramadan.  Pray for opportunities to share about the meaning and purpose of lent.  Ask for wisdom in sharing how lent is different than Ramadan and about fasting in the Christian context.  Pray that locals would be drawn to the freedom found in Jesus and the personal relationship we have with the Father.

Fasting from all, one day at a time.

The body grows weak, dreams come to mind.

All food abandoned, an annual fast.

We’re seeking forgiveness and healing that lasts.

Forty days pass, like Jesus I fast.

Temptations and trials start to attack.

Breakthrough will come, if only I win.

Could fasting help us all overcome sin?

Abstaining from pleasure, I walk Daniel’s path:

Rich foods forgotten, in this partial fast.

I yearn for my homeland: a vision revealed.

The future unfolds; the Scripture unsealed.

Demons must flee, as I starve my old flesh.

Evil must leave! I passed the test!

Mercy increases, I yearn to be right.

The journey’s been long, but the end is in sight.

Transform my hunger to faith in the Lord.

Refraining from comfort as I bear the Sword

Of the Spirit to vanquish my foe and pierce

Through the dark: no lusts, no pride, and no fears.

We seldom use the word behold in common speech. But it is a crucial word in Scripture and an essential concept for our spiritual lives. I could have posted this on my thinking in the Spirit blog, but particularly because of the passage I have chosen, I believe it fits Watching In Prayer better.

Behold is used three times in Jacobs encounter with God in Genesis 28:12-14. I have italicized them to emphasize its significance.

Let me give you some applications of the word “behold,’ especially as it is used in this passage.

SEE
The foundational meaning of the word behold is simply to see. Here it means to see God. In Hebrews 11:27 we read that Moses endured because he saw Him who is invisible. Behold means to see the work of God. In John 5:19 Jesus said He could only do what He saw His Father doing. John 5:20 says the Father loves the Son and shows Him what He is doing. Behold is a command to see on a spiritual plane. We read about Stephen in Acts chapter 8. As he was being stoned for the gospel, the heavens were opened and he saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God. He said “Behold, I see.” But those who were intent on stoning him were not willing to look.

HEAR
Behold also calls us to pay attention to what God has to say to us. God spoke to Jacob standing above the ladder in his dream. And God will speak to you if you listen. He can speak to you in any way He chooses. He can speak in a dream. He will consistently speak to you in His word, in the fellowship of the church, in circumstances, and in all of these things, you will hear Him speaking as you pray.

THINK
Behold is a call to grasp the significance of what God is showing you. Jacob got it. He realized what God was saying to him. Realizing that God is speaking will open your heart you more and more meaning as you focus on what He is telling you, especially in Scripture. In Deuteronomy 6:6-9 God commands us.

BELIEVE
Beholding expects believing. When God speaks you need to recognize that He is real and that He is really speaking to you. In John 12 when Jesus prayed that His Father would glorify His name, a voice came from heaven saying, “I have glorified it and will glorify it again.” The people standing there were amazed. Some said, “An angel has spoken to him.” But Jesus said, No. “This voice has come for your sake, not mine.” God is speaking to you.

EXPERIENCE
Behold calls us to experience the presence of the Lord. We seldom sing Surely The Presence in our churches. Its words come from verse 16 of Genesis 28.

Of course, these last words point us to the promise of the presence of Jesus any time we gather in His name. I have never sung the second verse of this song.

There is a special promise of His presence in church. We are also in His presence any time we are listening to His voice. 

TREMBLE
In verse 17 Jacob says he was afraid. He said what we should say every time we gather in church. “This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
When you are in the presence of the holy God you ought to tremble like Jacob did. He was terrified. But it was not an earthly fear. He experienced the joyful fear of God.
The third verse of Surely The Presence sings.

Many think being on one’s knees is the way to pray.  But knee pain can set in quickly.

Some set a clock for a certain time of daily prayer.  When time is up, prayer concludes.

A walk with God is best because the distance of the walk lengthens the conversation.  A person gets more time to ask questions.  He Gets more time to Give and Repeat Answers.  God also provides receptacles along the path you walk with Him where you can discard those "prayers(?)" that are not in accordance with His Will.

Yesterday we held our third session in our prayer class themed around Paul Miller's book, "A Praying Life".  We continue to have very consistent attendance - evidence that God has placed a hunger for deeper prayer lives in our congregation.  It's exciting to think about what he might do with that hunger!

This week we covered chapters 6-8 of the book, and I divided the session into three main topics based on those chapters:

• Letting helplessness drive us to prayer
• Letting circumstances drive us to prayer
• Letting anxiety drive us to prayer

The topics seemed to connect well, and there was good engagement in the class.

At the beginning of the first week, Richard, who is co-teaching the class with me, asked people what they wanted to get out of the class or any specific struggles they had in prayer, and we created a "parking lot" out of those items.  Yesterday's session really hit on the "praying continuously" item on that parking lot, as we discussed the different ways that God draws us to prayer through things like helplessness, circumstances, and anxiety.

A couple of highlights:

• Prayer doesn't automatically relieve anxiety - it is prayer with thanksgiving that brings God's peace (Ph. 4:6-7)
• The way Paul worded this means that we are to give thanks even before we see the answers.
• This type of thanksgiving is rooted in the definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1 - being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.  (We discussed the faith of the centurion whose servant Jesus healed from a distance in this context).

One of the parking lot items was the question of if there is a "wrong prayer".  We touched on two examples of wrong prayer:

1. The Israelites asking for a king
2. The Pharisee in Jesus' example of the two men praying in the temple.

In the first case, a wrong prayer is prayer for anything that puts something other than God on the throne of our lives.

In the second case, a wrong prayer is prayer that is all about exalting ourselves rather than God (the same type of prayer that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 6).

Next week:  Chapters 9-11!

  Do you ever think about who you would call if you had a crisis in the middle of the night or while traveling in the middle of nowhere?  I was once in a vehicle in the wilderness of a west Africa nation, when someone asked where we were, to which the missionary replied, “We’re fifteen miles beyond the Great Commission.”  We laughed, but it set us to thinking.  Is the one on whom you call, the one to whom you pray, available at all hours, odd hours, from wherever you may be?  The Psalmist says, “The goodness of God endures continually” (Psalm 52:1).  The communication link between man and God is always open.  We are never far from His presence, nor is He far from us.  Through God’s Holy Spirit, He is available to us always and everywhere. Max Lucado said, “We (Christians) are always in the presence of God. There is never a non-sacred moment! His presence never diminishes. Our awareness of His presence may falter, but the reality of His presence never changes.” The Message paraphrases Psalm 52:1 as, “God's mercy carries the day.” All day. Every day. I’m thankful today that we have a 24/7/52 God with whom I can communicate, and on whom I can depend.

(Adapted from HOPE, The Anchor of The Soul)

The Anchor of Perspective

Understanding that Jesus really rose from the dead has transformed the lives of people who have followed Him down through the ages. They could minister in the midst of plagues at the risk of their lives. They gladly died to help their neighbors, and loved ones, and people they didn’t even know. They were willing to stand for the Bible and the truth of the gospel even in the face of martyrdom.

We see this in the death of Stephen. He could even pray for the men stoning him, “Don’t hold this sin against them.” And he could pray, “Lord Jesus receive my spirit,” because he knew the Lord was there to receive him. And this was not a unique testimony. Others have said similar things at death. He cried while he was dying, “Look, I see the throne in heaven and the son of man standing at the right hand of God.” I cannot help but wonder what his attackers might have seen if they had looked. Stephen was certainly convinced they would see Jesus as he saw Him.

The Anchor of Prayer

My heart throbs at the simple prayer of Stephen, and so many others who have died with prayer in their hearts and on their lips. When you come to know a risen Savior it radically changes the way you pray. And such prayer gives you hope in the face of life or death. Prayer is itself an expression of hope.

Are you cultivating the habit of prayer? This is crucial because you know you will face difficult circumstances. You will come under spiritual attack. 1 Peter 4 begins,

And 1 Peter 4:12 says,

You need to know, if you do not already, that your enemy will do everything he can to keep you from praying. If you are in the habit of spending time in prayer, you will still be able to pray when your enemy is telling you God doesn’t hear, or things are too bad for you to pray.

Some years ago I went to a training conference at Jefferson Baptist Church. Their primary program is helping people pray extended time every day. More people attend that church each week than the number of people who live in the little town of Jefferson Oregon. And they attribute their growth to prayer. At the conference they encouraged us to commit to pray for an hour every day. You have to rearrange your life to spend a full hour daily in prayer. But that is the kind of habit that will terrify the enemy and keep us praying when we are tempted to give up. 

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

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Amazon Author's Page

https://www.amazon.com/David-Young/e/B008C7VLAQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

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Spoken of frequently in Christianity is a personal relationship with Christ.  One either has that or does not.  God seeks all of the world (John 12:47).

God has Given us free will.  Free will is nothing more and nothing less than having the right to say, “no,” to God.  All human sin is committed after one says, “no,” to God.  But Grace allows that same sinner to say, “yes,” to God at other decision points in their life.  Clearly, whether God Exists has a “yes” or “no” answer.

Perhaps what needs to be Re-imagined is the practice of religion.  What has been done by religious people has not always been good for the world.  Saying “yes,” to religiosity is too often saying “no,” to God.

Christians should understand that, while we are always On Call, we are not On Duty 24/7/365.

God Knows we're in for the long run.  But He also Knows that humans cannot run as fast or as long as He Can.  He told us to take a rest (e.g. Exodus 20:8)

So, at those times when you may think you are not doing the Lord's Work, consider that it may just be a "sabbathitcal."

Previously, I've summarized our first prayer service, which we held at the end of December last year.  I mentioned that we were beginning plans for what we call an "Equipping Class" on prayer.  Last Sunday, we held our first session of the 10-week class.

We had 20 people attend, which we were all thrilled with.  Our Senior Pastor has mentioned the class a couple of times (including last Sunday) from the pulpit, and has provided a ton of support for us.  We are studying Paul Miller's book, "A Praying Life."

We divided the class into about 45 minutes of teaching and then 45 minutes of group discussion.  There was a lot of engagement, and people afterward expressed excitement about the upcoming installments.  The class leaders will be meeting on Thursday to debrief, but I think the overall summary would be "God showed up!"

Interestingly, the class was divided roughly evenly between men and women, which has not been my experience in other churches relative to prayer.  I think all but one of the participants was over 40 and most of us by a good number of years.  Part of that may be that we're also running a parenting class at the same time, so younger adults with children were likely attending that.  

I'll continue to post updates on the prayer class over the next few weeks.  Other items we're currently working on are the creation of a prayer wall in the sanctuary, where people can post prayer requests (I've seen this in several churches), a training class for our small group leaders, and making prayer available after services.  All of this is hopefully on the way toward becoming a house of prayer.  God seems to be blessing our efforts so far!

I believe this is the most important truth that God has pressed upon me in the past few years. I wrote a book that was never published, titled, SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE. I abandoned that book because God convicted me that part of my purpose in writing it was to say, “I am smart.” I am still plumbing the depth of that wickedness. In addition to and because of my pride, the focus of about half of that book was wrong. I would rather write something on Spiritual Childishness. I have been stirred again and again by the words of Jesus in Luke 10:21.

I certainly don't understand enough about this concept to write a book. But I think I do see some really good things that relate to it.

First, in Spiritual Childishness we have The Humility of Understanding.
Like a child we come to spiritual things knowing we do not understand them. And God in grace reveals Himself to His children.

Then, Spiritual Childishness brings us to The Submissiveness of Understanding.
Most spiritual insight is blocked by our willingness to argue with God. When you come to something in Scripture that goes against what you think, the struggle to understand must be accompanied by an attitude that says, “If this really is what You are saying God, I will change my mind.”

Spiritual Childishness develops The Faith of Understanding.
Children automatically trust many things to their parents. The arrogance and fear of unbelief keep us from risking and resting in the arms of God.

Finally, Spiritual Childishness brings The Joy of Understanding.
Children often have a freedom to rejoice over many things. Fellowship with Christ brings us into the joy that overflows into our hearts from this verse. 

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/
http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/
http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website
http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube
https://goo.gl/PyzU

Amazon Author's Page
https://www.amazon.com/David-Young/e/B008C7VLAQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

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Our grandchildren are facing a different culture or environment than many of us did when we were growing up or when we raised our children. People make culture and are molded by culture. It changes with the generations just as modernization, fashions, and ideas.

As grandparents, we feel the culture is trying to steal our grandchildren and their parents with their subtle and often dangerous enticements. J.B. Phillips writes in John 10:10 “The thief comes with the sole intention of stealing and killing and destroying.” We are experiencing the thieves’ subtle intention as we observe the culture/environment our grandchildren are navigating today.

A friend of mine was telling me about the weekend she spent with her grandchildren. She was amazed to hear the things they were talking about and their time on their cell phones texting their friends. They didn’t want to play games with her anymore, only their games on the cell phones.  Spending time with our grandkids gives us ideas about how to pray for them.

It is hard for us to accept their behavior such as body piercing, tattoos, long hair, music, disrespect, dishonesty and more. However, it is crucial that we let them know that we love them, even when we do not accept their behavior; they are facing many subtle messages from their friends. It’s vital that we model a Biblical worldview to show them how to live in an immoral world by our example.

Cultural issues our grandchildren have to navigate

The Information Age:  The digital revolution has changed our lives. Google has replaced the World Book encyclopedias. Our grandchildren don’t know that we had telephones with cords or black televisions with only a few channels when we were growing up. That was our norm, but it is not their norm. Today’s culture makes it difficult for our grandchildren to know which message to trust in their vast amount of information they receive on their cell phones. Grandparents can create an environment where the grandchildren will feel safe to ask questions about issues they are facing.

Identity: The Bible states we are made in the image of God, and we have to know God to know ourselves. We don’t know who we are if we don’t know God. Our grandchildren have to deal with transgender bathrooms. My granddaughter’s girlfriend suddenly decided she wanted to be a boy, wore boy's clothing, and acted like a boy. We are told that even kindergarteners are exposed to gender identity being told they can be either a boy or girl, whatever they decide.

John Stonestreet & Brett Kunkle, A Practical Guide to Culture, David C. Cook Publisher, 2017, p 153-155.

Pornography: The Covenant Eyes website offers the following statics.  90 percent of boys and 60 percent of girls said they were exposed to pornography before the age of eighteen. One out of every eight online searches and one out of every five mobile searches are for porn. Pornography makes up one-third of the Internet’s bandwidth. I know this is heavy, but this is what our grandchildren are facing. Porn produces many consequences. They are told many lies about porn, that it is harmless and no one else’s’ business.  Pray that God will protect the eyes of our dear grandchildren and give them the strength to flee from the temptation of porn when they are enticed.

Addiction:  Our grandchildren are filled with lies about legalized marijuana, alcohol, and drugs. It’s important they are taught the consequences of using these before they are exposed to them. The use of alcohol and drugs is high among high school students and higher among college students, and the numbers are rising. Addiction is a result of the emptiness of the soul; it doesn’t take care of the pain. Only their faith in Jesus Christ will give them fulfillment.

Entertainment:  Entertainment vies for the souls of our grandchildren in the movies, television, music, and video games, Ask your grandchildren about the movies they are watching and talk about them. These types of entertainment aren’t all bad. However, it is vital that grandchildren are taught how to evaluate them.

Affluence & commercialism:  Our grandchildren are exposed to and influenced by a world of affluence, commercialism, and entitlement by our media today. Our goal should be to not shower them with material wealth but teach them to work and earn the things they want. Expose them to children living in poverty to familiarize them with how others are surviving. The Samaritan’s Purse Christmas Shoebox project is an excellent way for them to participate in helping children less fortunate. Help them to discover that money isn’t going to bring them long-term happiness.

Sexual Orientation: The Gay and Lesbian Movement is an issue of our time. Our children are exposed to it at an early age in their families and in school. Homosexuality attempts to exchange their God-identity with self-identify. It’s important that we dialogue on this issue with our grandchildren to influence them with the Biblical view. We must teach the truth and engage with grace.

Racial Tension:  Christians must be cautious not to get absorbed in the racial views of our culture. Our origin as God’s image-bearers outweighs our ethnic backgrounds. Don’t let the worldview control your conversations about racial issues. God has created all people in His image; we just have different colors of skin.

Witchcraft: Wicca is among the fast-growing religions. Wicca has effectively repackaged witchcraft for millennial consumption. Wicca’s website is one of the most visited religious sites on the Internet. All forms of witchcraft are strictly forbidden in the Bible as being tied to the occult and the work and the world of the evil one. “Let no one among you who practices sorcery engage in witchcraft or cast spells. Anyone who does these things is detestable to the Lord.”  (Deut. 18:10-12) Regretfully culture has made witchcraft mainstream. Talk with your grandchildren and their parents about this subject so they will be able to recognize the witchcraft often placed subtly in some movies and music. (This information was taken from Crosswalk.com, written by Dr. James Emery White, 02-19-2019)

Daniel’s story

Daniel was taken from his home country in Judah to captivity into Babylon, a very ungodly environment. Daniel was to be trained to serve in the king’s palace. He resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine. King Darius made a decree that no one could pray to anyone other than him for 30 days. Daniel went to his room and prayed three times a day facing Jerusalem, giving thanks and praying as he always did to his God. He did not allow the worldly king to transform him into the pattern of Babylon. As a result, Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den. God closed the mouths of the lions, and he was brought out without any wounds because Daniel trusted God. King Darius acknowledged that the God of Daniel was a living God.

Shortly before Jesus was arrested, He prays for his disciples asking God to protect them, and I believe it is for us, too. “I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one.” John 17:15 (NLT)

So, grandparents, there is an urgency to pray intentionally for the physical, emotional, and spiritual protection as our grandchildren and their parents navigate our world today. The greatest long-lasting gift we can give your children and your grandchildren is an intentional praying grandparent.

Study Guide for A Look at our Grandchildren’s Culture

For personal reflection or group discussion

1. Have you listened to your grandchildren visiting with their friends or cousins the same age?
2. Have you asked your grandchildren how their friends feel about gender identity, marijuana, pornography, and other cultural issues?
3. Ask your grandchildren how they think about cultural issues.
4. Have you asked them if they have answers for when they are confronted with cultural issues?
5. Have you talked with your grandchildren about the racial tensions in school or their community?
6. Have you asked your older grandchildren how you can pray for them or asked the parents of the younger ones how you can pray for them?
7. Tell your grandchildren that you are daily praying for their protection physically, emotionally and spiritually.

 Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, protect our grandchildren from:

• Becoming addicted to alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, gambling, pornography, or other forms of additions.
• Being taught in the lie that Jesus is nothing more than a good teacher.
• Being lured into “It must be okay if everyone else is doing it.”
• Wandering aimlessly without a purpose in life.
• The enemy’s traps, and when necessary, protect them from themselves.
• Being charmed and intertwined in witchcraft, divination, magic, the world of fascinations, and the occult. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2 New Living Translation (NLT)

 Written by Lillian Penner, Co-Prayer Director for Christian Grandparenting Network, lpenner@christiangrandparenting.net

The Gospel of Luke, like each of the Gospels, gives us a little information the others do not. Look with me at two events recorded in Luke chapter 9. The first that I want us to look at is Luke 9:18.

Luke 9:28-29

Jesus was transformed in the heavenly intensity of His prayer. We are promised to be transformed when we see Jesus face to face. Although until that day our appearance will not be changed as much as Jesus's on the mountain top, we are being transformed day by day as we commune with our Heavenly Father in His name. The more we pray and grow in prayer and in His word the more like Jesus we will become.

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/
http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/
http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website
http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube
https://goo.gl/PyzU

Amazon Author's Page
https://www.amazon.com/David-Young/e/B008C7VLAQ/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

The #ReimagineFORUM  Coaching Session • Phil Miglioratti

Phil is the Curator/Coordinator of The #ReimagineFORUM @ Pray.Network and Discipleship.Network

• Pray! magazine contributor
• National Pastors’ Prayer Network founder
• City Impact Roundtable national facilitator
• Promiseland @ Willow Creek creator
• Mission America Coalition national facilitator

Phil’s vision, through the collaborative ministry of The #ReimagineFORUM, is to engage and equip 10,000 Christ-serving leaders in their Romans 12:2 journey of “being transformed by the renewing of our mind” … A reviving of the Church by a revising of the temporary wineskins that have become standardized in our ministry. Spirit-led, Scripture-fed, discernment of how to rethink-to-relink with a radically and rapidly changing culture. Redesigning Gospel ministry while preserving Gospel truths.

WHY?

• Why is it important for Christian leaders to begin a journey of rethinking ministry?

Many leaders are motivated to reimagine their approach to ministry because their strategies or systems are producing very little fruit. Others realize the signs of the times point to a need for transformative change; simple upgrades are insufficient. All of us, however, need to review-revise-revive our ministry because of biblical commands that did not expire when our worship traditions were standardized or our ministry methods became our default model of how to pray together or train volunteers or share the Gospel.

These (and many other) Scriptures call every Christ-serving leader to take a journey; a pursuit that produces transformation in themselves, neighbors, and nations

• Start Right Here: Romans 12:2
  • “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind”
  • What if … we began applying this command, not merely to every aspect of our personal life, but to every aspect in the life and ministry of the Church?
• Pray From Here: Ephesians 2:6
  • “We are seated together in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus”
  • What if … we offer our prayers (whether praise to petition) as if we were actually in the presence of the “trialog,” a trinitarian conversation between Sovereign Lord, Savior, and Spirit?
• Ask This First: Matthew 7:7
  • “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”
  • What if … we wait to ask God for ‘things’ (help, healing, hope) so that we first ask a question that seeks the leading of the Holy Spirit into the mind of Christ. Listening before listing.
• Love Always: Galatians 5:6
  • “All that matters is your faith, activated and expressed when you love others.”
  • What if … we designed ministry (the biblical foundations and biblical formation of disciple-making, praying, evangelism, justice, communities/cities) with the one objective to “make love our aim”?

• Why will a "reimagine-journey" be difficult and potentially dangerous to the status quo?

A serious reimagine-journey has many risks. We may simply be rearranging deck chairs on a sinking ship; swapping something trendy for something traditional. We may be following a person or program that was intended as the reimagine-journey of another leader or ministry but not for us.

Another significant risk is that a pursuit of God’s calling/mission/will (the mind of Christ as revealed to us by the Holy Spirit) usually demands change, often radical change, and that can awaken a pharisaical response from those around us (spouse, staff, church members, colleagues) who have a strong reliance on the status quo.

An authentic reimagine-journey may affirm our current mission or vision or passion. But, it might not. It may be the beginning of a new calling that requires a huge step of faith.

WHEN?

• Agree/Disagree ~ We live in an extraordinary world:  Globalization. Immigration. #BlackLivesMatter. Gender reclassification. Marriage Redefined. #MeToo. The rise of White Supremacy. Terrorism. Unpredictable Weather. The impact of the Industrial Revolution gives way to the Technological Age.  . . . This a time of epic change that requires the Church to rethink how we apply biblical truth to the traditions-programs-models-systems that format everything we do.

I agree … Every generation has a unique set of challenging circumstances, but I am convinced we are living in an unprecedented “hinge of history;” a shifting of views and values that are producing stark changes in the core values of global culture, communication, and our sense of community. A 21^st century ‘Roaring 20’s’ is unfolding before us.

The Church must act. Now. But the first step is to hear “Don’t just do something; stand there.”

Every leader who begins a serious reimagine-journey, brings the Church one step closer to a tipping point; the pendulum swing from what many believe is a hypocritical/judgmental/mean-spirited institution, to an authentic community of loving truth-tellers.

We certainly need to protect biblical truth but we often seem more interested in preserving tradition (decades or centuries old) or promoting quick-fix trends. Biblical truth is eternal; the ‘things’ we design or construct to contain and carry that truth in our ministries all have a shelf life. We discover the expiration date only if we keep on asking (questioning the Spirit), keep on seeking (discernment from the Spirit in prayer and Scripture), keep on knocking (until a specific door opens to a new pathway).

WHAT? 

• What does it actually mean to "reimagine?" Please unpack the word as you understand it and the components of a reimagining process.

I do not understand the term “reimagine” as a New Age practitioner or a therapist does.

To me, to reimagine means to:

• “Imagine again in a different way” – could mean, “pray first…”
• “Creative problem solving; change a perception; rethink a new way of an old idea”
• Review (assess by the leading of the Spirit; a collective experience of the group or team or membership), then revise (systems, programs, applications), then revive (move forward with the leading and in the power of the Spirit of God).
• “Never doubt God’s mighty power to work in you and accomplish all this. He will achieve infinitely more than your greatest request, your most unbelievable dream, and exceed your wildest imagination! He will outdo them all, for his miraculous power constantly energizes you.” Ephesians 3:20

I fear my refusal to reimagine (reaching for the mind of Christ) much more than my fear of being deceived (by myself or the Enemy) with an ungodly counterfeit.

• What roadblocks or resistance, barriers and boundaries, inhibit or prevent leaders from pursuing a discernment-assessment when they commence a journey to reimagine ministry?

-Fear.

Assuming beneficial models/modes from the past are eternal; untouchable.

-Inability to wait; ask, be silent-listen-hear, then obey.

-Unwillingness to be coached by the Holy Spirit.

-Flying solo; my plan, my way.

-Relying on successful leaders/models while not making oneself accountable to a community (cohort group, leadership team, churchwide prayer and deliberation).

-Better at listing (petitions) than listening (perceiving by the Spirit God’s Word and will).

WHERE?

• "Where do I begin? Where do you recommend a leader looks first to ensure they commence a truly Spirit-led, Scripture-fed journey?

>Seek first his kingdom (God’s righteous reign and rule; God’s purposes and priorities). The Spirit may lead you through a process of:

~Conviction: misplaced trust

            ~Contrition: genuine sorrow

            ~Confession: “to say the same thing” by agreeing with God’s diagnosis

>Surrender to a journey of discovery that is •Spirit-led, (“Keep on being filled with the Spirit” Ephesians 5:18) •Scripture-fed (foundational truth), •Worship-bred (praise and honor to God is the beginning, middle, and ultimate goal of every aspect of ministry), •Corporate-said (God’s will is spoken through Spirit-led people, cohorts in our faith community), •Community-spread (reimagining begins with the Church but flows out into neighborhoods and unto the nations).

>Set a daily prayer format:

            ~Ask … questions of the Coach who will guide your journey (list needs another time)

            ~Seek … discernment; be still, search Scripture,

            ~Knock … when the Spirit gives you clear direction, knock (pray boldly and with

 confidence),then  act faithfully by serving others with kindness and justice

>Share your journey with others who are also pursuing a Spirit-led path to a transformed perspective on ministry. Scout-out cohorts who can give you wise-counsel.

WHO?

• Who are the thought leaders the Holy Spirit is using to help the Church reimagine?

You will find a diverse selection of Thought Leaders and Ministry Organizations on:

• The ReimagineFORUM @ Pray.Network
• The ReimagineFORUM @ Discipleship.Network
• The ReimagineFORUM Bulletin (a free, periodic, listing of new links to new thought and best practices) … Subscribe here>>>

HOW?

• How does your ministry help Christian leaders equip those they serve to begin their reimagine-journey?

Our mission is to invite/challenge Christ-serving leaders to embark on a Spirit-led journey to “be transformed by the renewing of their mind.” We do not present a programmed set of steps, rather, as the Spirit leads, we encourage “reimagineers” to explore our Archives-Blogs-Categories-Discussions as they pursue their journey:

• Discussions (articles/commentaries) on Disciple-making, Evangelism, Cities, Justice, more) >>>
• Discussions on the 6 Dimensions of Reimagining Prayer >>>
• #ReimagineDISCIPLESHIP - Tweeted quotes, links, resources >>>
• #ReimaginePRAYER Tweets >>>
• Our Directory of Ministry Organizations @ Network and @ Pray.Network and our Index of Prayer-Related Newsletters
• #ReimaginePRAYER Blogroll >>>
• #ReimagineDISCIPLESHIP Blogroll >>>
• The #ReimagineFORUM on Facebook >>>

MORE?

• More coaching insights to share?  Questions we must pursue?

Everything is changing. To blindly embrace every new thought is dangerous but to stubbornly ignore or reject every new shift in culture is foolish.

Begin to:

            >Ask questions before giving answers

            >Submit traditions (whether years old or set in ancient times) to the review of the Holy

  Spirit and be open to being revived by becoming revised.

>Facilitate more. You do not always have to lead or direct; give the Holy Spirit room to

  lead through others or in unexpected ways. Soft planning.

>Facilitate from the front (instructions for interaction), the side (listen to conversations

  and comments), the back (ask questions that point the conversation back to Jesus, our

  center).

PRAY!

• Please lead us in a prayer that sets us onto a reimagining journey . . .

Jesus, we present this prayer in your name, your authority, asking for a fresh filling of your Holy Spirit that produces a deep-rooted assessment with the discernment to pursue the path you have for us … and we petition you for the faith to take the next step. To listen with others and to launch out with others who also seek the mind of Christ for every aspect-level-application of ministry.

Build your Church. Not for us but with us and through us.

I remember my father saying the blessing at every meal as I was growing up. That memory continues to bless me everyday of my life. It was not unlike the blessing of Jesus over the loaves and fish.

Luke 9:16

This is a beautiful picture that is worth considering separate from the rest of the event of which it is a crucial part. The One who created all things made the bread and fish nourishing. He had already put His blessing on it. But it would only have fed one boy. Jesus looked toward His Heavenly Father, and by His power He blessed the meal so it would feed a multitude. Luke said there were about five thousand men there. How many women and children might have been there? That could easily have been a multitude of twenty or thirty thousand souls.

I would like to do something like that with my writing. As I write, I pray with all my heart that God will put more of His grace in my words than I know to write. And I also pray for a blessing like Jesus prayed for, that God will multiply it to touch the lives of multitudes of people.

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/
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http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/
http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

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