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During 2001: a season of soul searching, culminating with a night of prostrate prayer; I believed that God specifically asked me to raise a flag, a marker in the 'heavenlies' identifying the much articulated but reasonably invisible journey known as 'Heartland'.
The voice of God came to me as a whisper at 'The Great Hall' inside Parliament House in Canberra during the network prayer event that had been so faithfully organized to coincide with the Australian Federal Election of November, 2001.
In that moment, the Lord seemed to be pleading for us to move beyond the constraints of our denominational securities, indeed our local zones or ghettos of involvement, to breakthrough fears effected upon us by the expectations, criticisms, ill - perceptions and misunderstandings of people, particularly 'church' people, and to unashamedly ACT and operate apostolically, i.e. strategically across the whole city. It seemed to me that this moment was to be a watershed, a moment indefinable that would lift us up on the apron of His Spirit's rushing wind and take us, as a pilgrim people, beyond any safety zone we had ever known. As His people in the nation's Capital, I believed that we were supposed to play our part that night, under God's inspiration and grace, and boldly identify and then corporately appoint apostles, prophets and evangelists. Then we were to commission them to plant without constraint; NEW communities in neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, market places, within corporations and inside the hallways of government.
In hindsight, I think I abdicated from a great responsibility that night, without excuse but with reason. In November 2001 I thought I had no right to pursue the obvious calling on my life because of the lies I was entertaining within my soul that the evil one had successfully woven around me like a cocoon; masked and impenetrable. I sought a way forward but retreated to my familiar playing field, inadequate and unworthy. I looked for the people I had come to respect as the key players tostep up, but quietly and inwardly I resolved to engage God's plan in my own small corner, with a handful of faithful peers who could see the truth and with it, the possibilities. These true believers saw through the veil that restricted me and EVERY DAY exhorted me to break through.
I am constantly in awe of our great God who uses the simple things to construct amazing realities. In as much as I have received overwhelming support and encouragement to re-engage the calling on my life, I have found that running the race as best I can has still been the most exacting challenge of my life thus far. But, in very recent times, I have seen my energy and passion returning, my previously unswerving commitment to relationships across the Christian network being rekindled and my need for validation or endorsement from ministry peers or even human beings generally, essentially erased by the Lord so mercifully and graciously. This long term misdirected drain, has been replaced by an even clearer vision. A vision, now becoming a strong platform for the future; no turning back, no turning back.
As is true for all of us, God wants me to firstly be and then do; but do only according to my being and not a thing more, or less. This is also true for those in partnership with me. We are therefore passionate about being an appropriate beacon for the lost and struggling AND ALSO an example to the believers; wherever we are, whenever we are there and through whatever we are doing. We don't go to church, we are the church, we live the church, we journey the church. It is Christ's body. It is an assembly of body parts in a strategic configuration which functions collectively like Jesus did …. as one. To be true to my calling, I must be a present and living example of this. An apostle IS the church wherever they are. Paul calls apostles and prophets who operate in close relationship, the 'foundations' of the church.?Such is the simplicity of 'Heartland.'
The voice of God came to me as a whisper at 'The Great Hall' inside Parliament House in Canberra during the network prayer event that had been so faithfully organized to coincide with the Australian Federal Election of November, 2001.
In that moment, the Lord seemed to be pleading for us to move beyond the constraints of our denominational securities, indeed our local zones or ghettos of involvement, to breakthrough fears effected upon us by the expectations, criticisms, ill - perceptions and misunderstandings of people, particularly 'church' people, and to unashamedly ACT and operate apostolically, i.e. strategically across the whole city. It seemed to me that this moment was to be a watershed, a moment indefinable that would lift us up on the apron of His Spirit's rushing wind and take us, as a pilgrim people, beyond any safety zone we had ever known. As His people in the nation's Capital, I believed that we were supposed to play our part that night, under God's inspiration and grace, and boldly identify and then corporately appoint apostles, prophets and evangelists. Then we were to commission them to plant without constraint; NEW communities in neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces, market places, within corporations and inside the hallways of government.
In hindsight, I think I abdicated from a great responsibility that night, without excuse but with reason. In November 2001 I thought I had no right to pursue the calling on my life because of the lies I was entertaining within my soul that the evil one had successfully woven around me like a cocoon; masked and impenetrable. I sought a way forward but retreated to my familiar playing field, inadequate and unworthy. I looked for the people I had come to respect as the key players to step up, but quietly and inwardly I resolved to engage God's plan in my own small corner, with a handful of faithful peers who could see the truth and with it, the possibilities. These true believers saw through the veil that restricted me and EVERY DAY exhorted me to break through.
I am constantly in awe of our great God who uses the simple things to construct amazing realities. In as much as I have received overwhelming support and encouragement to re-engage the calling on my life, I have found that running the race as best I can has still been the most exacting challenge of my life thus far. But, in very recent times, I have seen my energy and passion returning, my previously unswerving commitment to relationships across the Christian network being rekindled and my need for validation or endorsement from ministry peers or even human beings generally, essentially erased by the Lord so mercifully and graciously. This long term misdirected drain, has been replaced by an even clearer vision. A vision, now becoming a strong platform for the future; no turning back, no turning back.
As is true for all of us, God wants me to firstly be and then do; but do only according to my being and not a thing more, or less. This is also true for those in partnership with me. We are therefore passionate about being an appropriate beacon for the lost and struggling AND ALSO an example to the believers; wherever we are, whenever we are there and through whatever we are doing. We don't go "to" church, we ARE the church, we live the church, we journey the church. It is Christ's body. It is an assembly of body parts in a strategic configuration which functions collectively like Jesus did …. as one. To be true to my calling, I must be a present and living example of this. An apostolic person REPRESENTS the church wherever they are. Paul calls apostles and prophets who operate in close relationship, the 'foundations' of the church.
Such is the simplicity of 'Heartland.'
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