Are we there yet?

This is so typical of me, on day when I am supposed to be readying myself to tap into the presence of God, I am busy thinking about Church History and wondering where the Body of Christ is (a reference used to think about the Universal Church of God). 

So here goes. One of the Authors that I was raised to think keenly about is a theologian called Peter C. Wagner. I believe that he got the bulk of his training from Fuller Theological Seminary in California. In one of his books he talks about the new moves of God that are outgrowths of the Charismatic Renewal (mainly main stream catholic movements) as well as other movements in the sixties that brought about a great transformation of the modern day church. Uganda for one is no stranger to these types of moves and has produced the great Revival of the 1930s. This took place in the East African Region and has it seems been transferred and inherited at least in the broader leadership sense by the sons and daughter of this move. Leadership because at least in Uganda, many of the people that were sired by the revivalists of the past are now in significant positions of leadership in the Country. 

One of the major markers that he used in distinguishing the moves of of in the end times was that unfortunately it was geographical in scope and therefore restricted to the Southern Hemisphere. Predominantly third world countries were therefore experiencing a massive growth in numbers and pastors were beginning to lead mega churches of upwards of tens and thousands. This move at least in its other manifestations brought about what we call the Cell Movement (pioneered by Yongi Cho in 

South Korea). These congregations were often so large and influential that they were seen as a threat to governments whose citizens were submitting to the authority of these leaders. While the cell movement cannot be thought of strictly as a revivalist move, it represents a shift in thinking that attempted to refocus the body of Christ back to a point where the small group became supreme. The idea behind this move was that as the church grows bigger it must become smaller. You can find traces of this in the book of Acts where the early church began to form right after Pentecost and was therefore driven to meet in the local homes of new believers. 

It may not be possible to differentiate between the move of God that can be created or initiated by people and those that are created by the activities of men with a working knowledge of history. So we also attempted to distinguish between the tent revivals of the past that were celebrations of American History as opposed to genuine deep rooted changes in society that were often birthed by praying-church-attending-older people that decided to devote themselves to prayer and fasting. 

The second distinctive marker that he uses in the attempt to discern the new moves of God is that they are often driven by very young people. 

There are echoes of church history in this regard too and worries as well as concerns about the possibility that one generation can be by-passed by another. Perhaps one of the most difficult things to deal with in this regard is the frankness and oppresses with which the current crop of young people view the world and in which there is little room for foolery. Maybe this sense of openness is what makes them so pliable and able to receive from the divine. 

The third has to do with the plethora of names that are used in references to these churches. It might be troubling for main stream congregants but for the attendants of these churches the answers are often found clearly in their names which tell of their mission. It is common to see a little tag of war taking place between the main stream churches and the off-shoots as they jockey for position and place in a rapidly changing world. The main stream has found itself tempted to take on a few new instruments or even to increase the volume of its sound systems in order to appeal to these new crowds. 

The fourth is the emphasis on tongues and the reference to Pentecost. That an the drive towards the expressive gifts of the spirit. The tongues, the interpretation of tongues, prophecy, word of knowledge (a release of information unknown to the speaker that often scares the living day lights into the receiver and yes helps strengthen faith), word of wisdom (often used to strengthen and give direction). Perhaps some of the greatest criticism of these gifts is the manner in which they are expressed. For new believers, the public display can be challenging and frightening. Some have drawn parallels of this move with the change at took place in the tower of babel where God decided to confuse the language of men who were determined to build a tower (to reach the skies). 

None of this is possible without the fifth expression that provides the foundation we often refer to as a five fold ministry. Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers. These leadership set is important because if used correctly can provide a lot of direction and guidance as well as safeguard the younger saints as they grow in their faith. Growing up in the faith. We were often more obsessed with the power gifts because these made us feel much better and more powerful than our peers. Those who could call out the faults of others were often revered so you can see how this has proven to be a challenge. 

Another useful markers is location. Maybe it is important to have a place that we can call Holy or that can be devoted to worship and that we can set aside for what we call divine. But these new moves seem to flourish everywhere. They are not as structured and therefore not controllable but that does not mean that they are out of his sight. On the local scene there is a split that has arisen in the 'Balokole' churches that emerged in the early eighties after a struggle with the Idi Amin Regime. During his reign there was a struggle to keep the government in power and to control the level of resistance most of which (it was reported) emerged from the established religious order. As a result people or faith suffered. This was not only restricted to Christians but also to members of other faiths. We however cannot rule out the existence of other forces which could also have come into play influencing the politics of the day. The believers of the day prayed fervently and brought about the emergence of a new faith that used to meet in what were called 'Biwempe'. These are reeds common in swamps and wetlands but that were also used in Historical accounts to punish the subject of the Kingdom who chose to accept the new faith that had emerged in the Buganda Kingdom of the day. 

All this took place at the same time or in parallel to the birth of an American Church that produced movements and activities and personalities that all blended together with the developments of the time. For example we cannot divorce the faith we hold from the massive technological changes that took place in the eighties. Here there was the Rise of the Televangelist, then there was the rise of the Faith Broadcast Movement. Then there was the word of Faith which was interlinked with the healing movement. Most of these moves were carried by men and women who sought to draw from older wells dating back to what we refer to as major moves of God. You cannot speak of the Assemblies of God church or the Church of God in Christ in the U.S without reference to Azusa Street. Most the Pentecostal fire that marks our days emerged in some form out of activities traced to that move. Then there were the Revivals in Hebrides for England and Scotland and those in Uganda that it can be argued indirectly brought about the emergence of new states as well as invigorated the Church. 

The sixties and seventies at least in the U.S, were times marked by great change which also caused much religious activity. The supreme need of the day was probably discipleship which was made necessary by the new converts and also the difficult times in which the people lived. Naturally the need for discipleship and the need to maintain a level of closeness with others was covered by Anti-communist sentiment that is still alive to this day. The combinations of these forces brought about a revulsion to communal living that had thrived in the day (flower culture). This was further hampered by the emergence of cult movements which run counter to the activities of the day.

Where do wolves go when in distress

So Thursday June 30th was a rather intense day and all that before the clock even struck 9am. We were in a safe place listening intently to one of the local stations. The discussion for that day was supposed to be about a young man who falls in love with a young lady only to realize much later in that his real love is the young lady's sister. And so it began and the calls began rushing in and presenters began flooding the small studio to give their opinions to the seemingly perturbed host of the show. 

It was all, left to the imagination and I sat there trying to form something significant in the minds eye at the chaos that ensued in the production room. 

There were several camps that emerged but one of the main ones was about was what referred to as the Code. This is supposed to a set of unwritten rules between women that forbids one (friends) from encroaching on the love space of another. So the violation which was falling squarely in the hands of the fella, was made much worse because the two young women were friends yes, but more than that sisters. The conclusion then was simple. The guy should abandon ship and leave the family intact. The experts when on to say that he was risking ruining the lives of the family. 

Others decided to use Scripture in defense of the actions and referenced characters like Jacob who was fooled into marrying one sister instead of the one he really wanted to Marry. 

This is not the only show that covers relationships but this was unique in the sense that it was giving a Christian perspective. Other shows are much more brutal or honest (depending on where you are sitting). But the advise is often noteworthy. 

Maybe this is a crisis unique to our generation where we are less inclined towards commitment. Evidence of some if this thinking is found in the types of responses you will find in many of these posts especially where challenges are faced. The advice often is often to jump ship an find someone else, or something along the lines of life is too short. 

The rest of the show was peppered with humor from past presenters and other calls that attempted to give responses based on tribal biases. One example of this was the girl from the north who threatened to use a stick against the aggressor who dares to put her against her sister in a matter so delicate as one of affection. 

In a world devoid of innovation at least in regards to affection but where the reign of Kings means that the bulk of us a willing in some part to trade and share our affections with others, the question is where do wolves go when in distress and in a world that favors sheep?