December 27, 2009
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subscribe, view past issues and Get Releasing Kings Note: Tomorrow night (Monday) I'm helping Tara Travis with a conference call on marketplace ministry. It will be fun and it will introduce a second call a week later. PRE-LAUNCH Marketplace Ministry Initiative Conference Call Orientation (Monday 8 PM Eastern, December 28th, 2009). Conference Call Number 218-339-2500 Code 515589#
Kings - Learning To Fly In 2010 Leaving the nest – The implication of learning to fly is “leaving the nest.” Some of us birds do it naturally, others wait until the nest is “thorned” by mother, and a few just get thrown out by God himself! I’m suggesting that maturity is a process and what was once warm and pastoral and loving and comfortable can become somewhat perverse if we don’t graduate. What was once good and healing and from the heart of God can be turned into an idol! He broke into
pieces the
bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had
been
burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.) 2 Kings 18:4 Imagine
a child who nurses until the age of ten; a
teenager who never moves out of the house; a college graduate who never
gets
a job. What
it feels like
- The emotion of moving into marketplace
ministry and the accompanying “Kingly” mentality is an “out of the
boat”
experience for all of us. Here is what it feels like… from a good
friend in
another state in response to the last newsletter, From
Spiritual Covering to Practical Mentoring. "Yes,
I think this is where
we have now settled our hearts, after a frustrating time of wondering
why our
pastor didn't even acknowledge what we were trying to do in the
"marketplace
ministry." It is still disappointing, though, to feel a total
lack
of "pastoring" in our church, no matter what we do for a
living. But, yeah, we have ceased struggling for affirmation
or understanding
within the church. Does that sound like sour grapes?" We could try to portray these feelings in terms of the shortcomings of the pastor involved, but I think we would be missing the real point. I wouldn't assume the pastor has done anything wrong. He may well be feeling abandoned himself because his paradigm may be that the church is the only mountain. Pastors will value Kings functioning in a different mountain more in the future as we recognize the role of marketplace ministry in the Kingdom. We
shouldn't impose expectations on our pastor that Jesus wants to fulfill
Himself.
You see the goal for all of us is to eventually mature from
the healthy
incubator of first love discipleship to relating directly to the Lord
for
ourselves… taking initiative, becoming entrepreneurial, stepping into
new
levels of creativity and ministry… moving from milk to meat (Heb
5:13-14) is a good thing! Seeing the flock mature is really the goal of
every pastor. It’s
a very natural progression after we’ve been faithful in that which is
another
man’s to be given that which is our own. It's more responsibility and
it "feels" more alone... out on a limb. God simply won't
allow us to make pastors choose our destiny. We have to make that
decision ourselves. Choosing
your destiny - It’s much easier to stay within the vision
of a local
church, play a role in building that church, and stay under the
pastor’s
covering. It’s even healthy… unless you’ve been equipped
and called into a
different mountain …and the Holy Spirit is personally driving you
crazy.
Pastors, apostles, prophets and churches are very good things until you
begin
to hold them in a role Jesus wants to occupy himself. All the
complaining about authority
issues really resides right between our ears… some are just being
invited into a
place of “growing up.” You can turn the invitation down and stay where
you are.
There is nothing wrong with building a local church. Equipping the
saints is a very legitimate calling close to God's heart. Some will be
perfectly
happy; others called to a different mountain may have a sense of
forfeiting some of their personal destiny. Owning the
challenge - Can you see that it’s not necessarily a
problem in the
church? …Leaving one church for another, changing the church, or
abandoning the church is not
necessarily a solution? Sometimes in the course of growing up, we long
for the
wrong thing and the ajustment needed is in the
mirror. The
prophets prophesy
lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my
people love it this way. But what will you do in the end? Jer
5:31 For the time
will come
when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their
own desires, they will
gather around them a great
number of teachers to say what their
itching ears want to hear. 2 Tim 4:3 NIV The
Kingdom is within you
– Becoming a King and extending the Kingdom
of God into all seven mountains and changing the world is exciting
stuff. It’s
scary, but having tasted what it’s like to be out of the boat, I don’t
want to
go back. This "way" is too much fun, too fruitful, too rewarding, too
prosperous and too exciting. It's closer to Jesus! The
highlight of 2009 for me was meeting David Tinney
and Poul Dalgaard and seeing the great things God is doing in Ukraine.
It is
only exceeded by what is in store for 2010. I
want to suggest that the Lord is knocking on your
door and inviting you into the next level. I agree, it’s scary and
risky. But
see if you can’t hear that invitation from Jesus himself. And after
having
heard it from Him, see if the risk doesn’t melt away. See if you can
believe
that God values the desire of your heart. Your dream can come true
- if you will take the initiative to make it happen. No
one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As
I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor
forsake you. Josh
1:5 NIV Be
strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God
goes with
you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deut 31:6 KJV I took you
from the ends
of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, 'You are
my
servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 10 So
do not fear, for I am with you; do not
be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I
will
uphold you with my righteous right hand. 11 "All who rage against you
will
surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as
nothing and
perish. 12 Though you search for your
enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be
as
nothing at all. 13 For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your
right
hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isa 41:9-13 NIV Need practical encouragement? The best source is another King in the same mountain. Here's a recipe for starting a small group with other Kingdom builders. God's doing the same thing in many and you'll find they already speak your language. Start Your Own Group. Take your dream with you and get some help with it... Write Your Business Plan. Learn
to fly in 2010... but those who hope in the Lord will renew their
strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not
grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isa 40:29 NIV
who satisfies your desires with good things so that
your youth is renewed like the eagle's. Ps 103:5 NIV
Desire to Destiny is available now at our store along with reviews. Not sure what your dream is? This book will help you pull the curtain back on your future. Newsletter - If your newsletter comes incomplete (filtered), you can always catch the latest version in our archive along with 200 others. 1700+ people from around the world get Kingly encouragement from our weekly newsletter. Invite a friend to subscribe - they will be blessed. How to Start a Small Group - Kings are increasingly getting involved in Bible study or mentoring groups to facilitate their "Release." Here are some helpful suggestions www.Releasing-Kings.com/Starting-a-Group.html. We've also updated our Vision Brochure with graphics to show how to become a King and how you can help Release Kings. Lastly we've created a guideline to help you take your dream to the next level by considering the elements of a business plan. See Write Your Business Plan. French Translation - Releasing Kings is now available in French thanks to the efforts of Cees Bakker and Support Ministries in the Netherlands. In France, copies can be obtained from Editions Menor or Librairie Chretienne CLC. The Title in French is “Libération des Rois pour le ministère dans le monde du travail”. Cees is also the guy who made the Dutch translation possible - available through his website. He can be contacted for Releasing Kings conferences in France and throughout Europe. Facebook - I'm posting more information on Face book at http://www.facebook.com/john.garfield1
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