10.11.08

city church

Posted in ekklesia, leadership at 8:30 am by len

A couple years back I received a note from ChurchoftheMartyrs with the message, “God wants to restore the “city church.” I found myself immediately asking, “Lord, is that true?” From that point two things happened…

First, I was near a window to our back yard, and outside I heard a horn sounding.. I have heard a shofar a few times in my life, since I used to hang around restorationist types. The horn I heard sounded just like a shofar. Very weird, and I can’t explain it.

Second, I found myself having an inner conversation about “city church” with the Lord. I tried to later write down the conversation to capture the essence.. here it is.

Q. Lord, are you restoring the city church?

A. No, “restoration” isn’t quite right. But I am raising up the church in the city. They won’t look like what you have known.

Q. So.. the old churches are going to die?

A. Some will die. Some will be like seeds sown in the ground and will spring up in new life. Others, even in their decay, will become fertile ground for new life.. life from the ruins. You see how mushrooms can appear fully formed over night.. in reality, they have been growing in hidden places for many days before they appear.

Others will remain much like they are, but their gaze will turn outward. Leaders will be free to bless what I am doing outside their walls because they hear My voice. These ones will become part of a new tent and a new chaordic network. I have many faithful people in existing structures.

Q. So.. the wheat and the tares will remain?

A. Yes, the wheat and the tares is a parable for yesterday and today. There are more tares in the old church because of the ways of men, but the new church will not be immune.

Q. What about leadership—does this mean we will see an apostolic network as in the early church?

A. I never do the same thing twice… I change to remain the same. The apostolic network of the early church isn’t like the network you will see growing. This network will be less visible and stronger because it is woven into the fabric—these cords will strengthen everything around them. This network will be relational, and it will transcend the boundaries of old and new.

Q. So will there be key leaders over this city church? Will the most visible leaders we see now be the ones who have authority in it?

A. There will be key leaders, but my people are not “over,” they are “among.” What once existed as a mechanism will become a movement. Leaders will be connected relationally and not through office. Their authority will come from me, not from a denominational structure. And it will be transparent, even to the leaders themselves. Power comes through love and service. My people are be too busy washing feet to worry about status.

Q. Then how will they know each other? Isn’t that kind of knowledge necessary to establish a strong network?

A. They will know each other because deep calls to deep. What I am doing is a work of the Spirit. Those who are listening will hear. Those who are seeing will see.

Q. With such lack of definition, isn’t there an opportunity for a counterfeit movement?

A. The enemy is not very creative—so he always mimics what I am doing. But it doesn’t work very well. When you see church leaders fighting about vision and control, you know that isn’t the work I am doing. The leaders I am raising up will be willing to be invisible. They will not be worried about who gets the credit. They want to give Me the glory. This requires a “new heart and a new spirit,” and I love it!

The more leaders decrease, the more I increase, and the more the whole body will grow and mature. Too many of my people have been living in Egypt under hard taskmasters. They will again learn to hear my voice.

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