The State of the Church Address (Part #2 SAMUEL)

Early in the 1990’s the scriptures opened up to me about the “birth of” the prophetic ministry. The Lord took me to two prominent women in scriptures – Hannah and Elizabeth. Out of barrenness and intense desire – these two women moved the heart of God – and gave birth to sons who would change the course of history.

I look at Samuel as a type or foreshadow of the “prophetic ministry”. His counterpart in the New Testament is John the Baptist. The “prophetic ministry” is a forerunner of one who is coming later.

Similarities between Samuel and John

1. Both are birthed from mothers who had been barren.
   
2. Both are raised under a priest and brought up inside of the religious system and order of that day.
   
3. Both have significant rebukes of the government and rulers of that day.
   
4. Both have as their life destiny to anoint or proclaim one who is to follow them. Samuel anoints David and John proclaims Jesus.
   
5. Both rise to prominence, point out the “one to follow”, and then slip into relative obscurity.
   

Similarities of the “One who follows” the prophet:

1. The one following is he who establishes a “new government”.
   
2. The “new government” is significantly at odds with the “old government”.
   
   1. Saul attacks and tries to kill David.
      
   2. Saul attacks and destroys the priests.
      
   3. Herod has all of the newborns killed trying to destroy Jesus.
      
   4. Herodias has John the Baptist’s head delivered on a platter.
      
   5. The Jews crucify Jesus.
      
3. The “new government” is significantly different than the “old government”. This will be outlined in the next blog – on David.
   

The “prophetic ministry” of today.

God has a divine purpose and function for the prophetic ministry. This divine purpose and function is exactly the same as it was with Samuel and John the Baptist. I submit to you the following:

1. The “prophetic ministry” of today has been birthed out of the church’s barren state. Most of this has occurred thru desperate women who have intense desire to see this thing come forth. I call these “the intercessors”.
   
2. The “prophetic ministry” of today has been raised up in the religious system of today.
   
3. The “prophetic ministry” will have significant rebukes of the government and rulers of this day.
   
4. The “prophetic ministry” has as its destiny to anoint or proclaim one who is to follow them
   
5. The “prophetic ministry” should rise to a place of prominence; anoint the “one to follow” and then slip into relative obscurity.
   

The current state of the church and “prophetic ministry”

It seems that the state of the church right now, is that the prophetic ministry reached a place of prominence and is now on the decline. It’s not about the “prophetic ministry” – it’s about the “one that is coming”. Strangely enough, many of the prophets have now proclaimed themselves “apostles” but kept the exact same “order”. The only thing different about THEIR churches is THEIR title. Everything else (the services, the hierarchy, the order…) is exactly the same as it was before they gave one another these new “apostle” titles.

“A horrible, terrible thing has taken place in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests rule by their own authority. My people love it like this….” (Jeremiah 5:30-31 HCSB)

Many of the prophets have very limited understanding of what that “new” is all about. They see with the eyes of their spirit – that the “new” is coming and even that it has come, but they don’t know what the “new” is. Like Samuel and John, these have been brought up in the “old system” and are very much a part of that order – so their vision is obscured by their religious point of reference.

“When the men reached Him, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to ask You, ‘Are You the One who is to come, or should we look for someone else?’”" (Luke 7:20 HCSB)

John was really confused, he had baptized Jesus, proclaimed Him to be “the one” then became totally disoriented. Jesus didn’t look anything like John thought He should look. The same thing happened to Samuel when it came time to anoint David.

“When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Certainly the LORD’s anointed one is here before Him.”" (1 Samuel 16:6 HCSB)

Good thing Samuel “had his ears on” because Eliab (and not David) looked like the right choice to Samuel.

The move of the Lord on the earth now doesn’t look anything like many of the prophets have pictured or perceived. To get through this time, they must “put their ears on”, look at the instrument panel and realize their own sense of direction may be misleading them. Many of the prophecies coming forth in this season are extremely accurate and pointed. Many of these guys are first class hearers. But I marvel at what happens when it comes time to interpret what the Lord just said. They are so far off in their interpretation it is alarming. I’m speaking of prominent prophets with national platforms. Their point of reference is taken from Eli and Zechariah’s play book and from a religious, political structure that the Lord has abandoned.

“He must increase, I must decrease” is not a real popular message, especially for one who has reached a place of prominence. The “day of the apostle” is at hand – but the “day of the saints” is what the apostle is all about. So simultaneous with apostles – is the raising up of the saints to do the work of the ministry. In fact – the “day of the apostle” and the “day of the saints” is the exact same day. These are not two different historical “days” – they are one in the same. “The one who is coming” is not the apostle at all – it is Jesus. He is coming to dwell among His people. It is the apostle who has a burning desire to see this take place. Next week – Part #3 DAVID.

The State of the Church Address (Part #1 SAUL)

Okay ya’ll, my perspective on the current “state of the church”, who the players are, and where it is headed. I do understand that my perspective is somewhat different than most – and to some extremely warped. Understand that I am coming from a charismatic background as a (former) worship leader and (former) elder. I am going to paint this picture for you in “absolutes” – though reality hardly ever exists in absolutes. The players may actually be a “group” of people – or even a “philosophy”.

Player #1 Saul

Saul is a KING. Saul rules OVER the people. If you disagree politically (in a position of influence) with Saul’s vision, Saul’s direction, or Saul’s ambition, you will have your head chopped off (be removed from your position of influence). Saul’s followers cower underneath Saul – they are totally intimidated by him and will not confront him politically for fear of their life. The OFFICE OF KING means that Saul is absolutely in control, this is absolutely a pyramid, and he is absolutely on the top of it. Saul is the top dog in the political structure called “the church as we know it”. Saul may call himself a “pastor”, an “apostle”, a “senior elder”, a “prophet”, an “evangelist”, a “bishop”, a “shepherd”, a “priest”, a “father”, or whatever. These positions and titles only serve to mask Saul’s true office – that is the office of KING. Most “Saul’s” that I know – started out calling themselves “pastor”, moved to calling themselves “senior elder”, and are now calling themselves “apostolic”. Other Saul’s that I know started out calling themselves “prophets”, moved to calling themselves “pastors” and now call themselves “apostles”. Please understand – pure and simple – these “titles” only serve to mask the person’s real position of authority and soften the reality that Saul is a KING.

Article of Evidence #1 – Saul’s Structure

“He said, “This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. “He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. “He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. “He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. “He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. “He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. “He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants. “Then you will cry out in that day because of your king whom you have chosen for yourselves, but the LORD will not answer you in that day.” Nevertheless, the people refused to listen to the voice of Samuel, and they said, “No, but there shall be a king over us,” (1Samuel 8:11-19 NAS95)

Blogging Points:

1. The will of the Lord was NOT to establish a “Saul Structure” and not to create the position of KING.
   
2. Saul’s structure is all about one thing – SAUL. (Saul’s chariots, Saul’s horsemen, Saul’s commanders, Saul’s plowing, Saul’s harvest, Saul’s weapons, Saul’s equipment, Saul’s cooks, Saul’s bakers, Saul’s servants, Saul’s officers, and Saul’s work.)
   
3. If you divide up all the money – half of it goes to Saul’s bank account (this is called a “salary”), and the other half of it goes to Saul’s ministry.
   
4. Saul is the “primary vision carrier” which when translated means that Saul is the only person allowed to have “vision” in Saul’s structure.
   
5. Saul’s structure is held in place, financed, and maintained by four very distinct things:
   
   1. Saul’s position of authority as THE KING.
      

      Saul’s spend thousands of hours on sermons about how God has mandated their authoritarian position (the office of KING). Which – by the way – the office of KING was not God’s idea. The idea of a single KING over the church is totally foreign to the New Testament – but yet thousands of churches across the land employ this model.
      

   2. Free Labor
      

      “Free Labor” is a result of countless of sermons on “getting involved in the church”, “making a difference”, “not being pew warmers”, etc. Hundreds of thousands of hours are given every year to Saul’s vision, Saul’s structure and Saul’s cause.
      

   3. A tithing system set up by Saul (not established in scriptures)
      

      The “Old Testament” system of “tithing” was designed by God to take care of Priests and Levites and to fund the local government. The “local government” mostly consisted of a sacrificial system and a judicial system operated and staffed by the priests.
      

      Saul implemented a “tithe” on top of God’s system of “tithing”. The purpose of Saul’s tithe was to fund the OFFICE OF KING – all of the king’s men – and all of the king’s programs.
      

      For many reasons, God’s system of “tithing” disappeared in the modern church (funding the priests and Levites, the sacrificial system and the judicial system) – but the (illegitimate) tithe that Saul implemented remained (funding the KING).  Tracing the evolution of dropping the ”priests and Levites” as the tithe receivers - replacing them with “the pastor” – and passing that thru the cross into the New Testament is tougher than finding the missing links of the evolution theory.   

   4. It’s the CHOICE of the PEOPLE.  To have someone “over” them.   To have someone to “go to God for them”.  To have someone to “fight their battles for them”.  

Saul’s constituents are busy doing one thing – paying for Saul and holding up Saul’s system. If they happen to do something for God in the process – count that as an added bonus – and thank God who still does miracles and whose grace still abounds. 

Many are caught up in “is it prophetic”, “is it apostolic”, “is it emerging”.   I really am struck on one thing.  Is it “Saul”?  Right now in the church there is “Prophetic Saul”, “Apostolic Saul” and “Emerging Saul”.  And of course there is “Mega Saul”, “Micro Saul”, “Community Saul”, and “House Saul”.   Oh well – enough of “Saul” (really).

Part 2 – next week is – enter “SAMUEL” the prophet!

Please, my insanity is awaiting your response !!!!