THE VISION OF
MOUNTAIN OF WORSHIP
1.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH
The Church
has historically moved into the new things of God by thinking “outside the
box” …. Whether that be Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Wesley, Whitefield,
Finney, Moody, Omar Cabrera, Wimber, Hybels, Joyner, Cesar Castellanos,
Rolland & Heidi Baker, Bill Johnson…. the problem is that most of the
church wants to copy an existing approach that is working… and no-one
wants to find out what God wants for them specifically…. Because that is
hard work…. constant listening… and VERY RISKY…
The Disciples
had NO model to reach their world…. The book wasn’t written, and
interestingly enough NOT ONE of the New Testament books was written as a
“how to” for planting churches, reaching people, or methodology for church
growth or church development. What the New Testament does teach simply
directs us in matters related to character and functioning within the
“RELATIONAL ORGANISM” of the church….
THE
REASON:
The Church is
meant to be established through an ONGOING, DYNAMIC relationship with God…
it is never to be a formula or program… it has always been forged out of
the crucible of a relationship with Holy Spirit! When we begin
“formulating” and “programming” all the how to’s…. we end up with simply
another denominational structure that may bear some fruit… but not “much
fruit!”
(John 15:5-8) "I am the
vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will
bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. {6} If anyone does not
remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such
branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. {7} If you remain
in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be
given you. {8} This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit,
showing yourselves to be my disciples.
MUCH FRUIT
can only be produced through relationship… through listening and through
hearing!
Often we will
start in this way… we will start on the streets “listening to God” …. the
relationship during those days with Him is vibrant and dynamic… the
stories are always fresh… then we “come into our own”… we are accepted by
the religious community… and forms can take the place of that hearing! Not
that everything is bad… we just learn how to figure out some formulas that
worked in gathering a crowd.
The early
stories become places we remember and where we point to as things God has
done to validate our existence… but we often have a hard time seeing those
same realities occurring in our daily life! We can actually reminisce and
worship at the idols of those stories, but fail to continue to hear and
listen and respond and grow… we become a part of an accepted community of
believers… just like so many … we simply have a different set of
traditions that we hold onto… we are in the process of developing yet
another denominational structure that will again become antiquated and
have to subject itself to “updates” and “revisions” to stay somewhat
current with the world… rather than an organism that was intended to grow
and change and mature and develop and produce ongoing fruit because of the
connectivity to the source…. Jesus …. who said so clearly ....“My sheep
hear my voice!”
2.
THE FOCUS
WORSHIP will
be THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT part of what we do…. That is the Vision God
gave me in the 80’s with the Volcano that erupted here …. Worship went
from here to the nations and throughout the area, southeast, and country….
Columbia
became a “Mountain of Worship”… an event of worship that resulted in
exaltation, magnification, and praise of God in spirit and truth! Rather
than “Mountain of Worship” being a noun… it will be a "perpetual event of
spirit and truth worship". The focus will be on the activity and lifestyle
of worship, not any organization! (In other words the goal is to “do” and
“be” and not on “becoming” an organizational structure that becomes yet
another form for ministry).
(John
4:21-24 NIV) Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when
you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem.
{22} You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do
know, for salvation is from the Jews. {23} Yet a time is coming and has
now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and
truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. {24} God is
spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
I see
“churches” developing in café’s… in business districts ... in parks
and in restaurants… and it will look like an organism…. A people…. on a
journey... a "dynamic" relational journey ... with ups, and downs… but
with His Presence….
I see worship
leaders, worship teams, both traveling and local…. I see God providing the
ability to reproduce and multiply fresh worship throughout the world… that
touches both the saved and those who have a destiny to meet their maker...
so that the whole earth worship Him! It’s a bold vision…. But it’s what I
am meant for….
But it will
go further than that… because worship involves so much more than simply
music…. Worship involves music, and song, and poetry, and art, and
writing, and media productions, and everything creative that can be done
“to Glorify God”…. Lifestyle itself can reflect worship. Not every
lifestyle reflects worship... but every life should!
I see a team
of those whom God has called to establish this Mountain... those with
various giftings and callings, walking together in absolute dependence on
Him. My Goal, it's very small.. I simply want to be a part of
accomplishing the greatest vision that has every been placed before a man…
"Therefore
God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above
every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and
on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ
is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:9-11)
I
want to see the whole earth bow down in Worship… I want to see the lost
worship Him and the found adore Him… I want to see the lost saved
and brought to freedom ... I want to see the blind see, the lame walk, the
deaf hear, the dead rise again…. Not just in the future resurrection…. But
here and now…. Because His Power is on us…. I believe it’s time for a
people to rise that will absolutely astound the world and the “religious”
community…. Because God is on us…. And His power is being released through
us… because just like the early disciples…. “We have been with Him!”
3.
A HOUSE WITH MANY ROOMS
Although the
focal point and foundation of this "Mountain" is worship... the shape, the
walls, that will undergird what we are doing are, Worship, The Word,
Authentic Power, and Relational Lifestyle. These walls provide rooms
that contain 24/7 Worship and Prayer. These walls bring the poor into
authentic reason and destiny to worship. These walls release a prophetic
people to declare to the Lost and the Found destiny that releases worship
and praise in the hearts of a grateful people. These walls will release
the artistic, the creative to express with deep gratitude their affection
and love for for the One whom they Worship with their hands, and hearts,
and minds! These walls cause us to look at the lost and release the full
power of His Kingdom Authority... one life at a time. These walls
absolutely provide for a people with a heart to see this Volcano... this
Mountain of Worship explode to the nations. These walls are only limited
to the vision in people’s hearts!
4.
THE FURNISHINGS ARE US!
Because this
vision of “Mountain of Worship” is dynamic… every aspect of the vision is
alive. There is nothing in it that should ever reflect death or an inanimate
object. The furnishings are “alive” they are you, they are me... they are
us…. “the living stones”…. The pieces that reflect a prism of God and that
evokes worship from others. As we are brought together we form a greater
“living organism” that flows and moves with the purposes of God.
The only thing
constant is His Word... His Voice!
His Gifts,
including office gifts, are fluid… they are alive and moving and reflect the
nature of this house as long as they function to perpetuate the “verb” of
Worship in all aspects … those gifted will also lose credibility and
authority the moment they try to turn the “verb” of Worship into a “noun” of
an organization.
His people, you
and I are the showbread… the lampstand… the altars….
We are the
couches & chairs, the tables and appliances… it is His People that God uses,
God rests in , God arranges.
And without His
People the foundation exists without meaning… because worship exists for
people to do it, not for people to watch it… not for people to simply know
that it exists.
VISION STATEMENT
The
formation of the house and the goal of the house is perpetual, sustained
worship through lifestyle and power living out and reflecting the evidence
of the Word.
5.
HOW DO RELATIONSHIPS HAPPEN IN THE HOUSE!
Whereas in a
natural house we would see the role of the “Father” as a natural man. In my
“Father’s House”, He legitimately leads and directs… that was the reason for
the Holy Spirit. The gifts of the Spirit were never given to make “spiritual
fathers” but rather were given to cause the “body” to grow up in all
respects into “HIM” … He is the actual, legitimate, very real “Father”.
Gifts of apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, and teacher don’t reflect
leadership… they reflect Servanthood and function. Those called as “Elders”
have simply been those who have served the sheep of HIS FOLD with abandoned
love and as such are those given with the corporate aspect of tending the
sheep…
These are
merely a collective gathering for those who desire to hear the voice of the
Father and follow His leading… because there can be no leading without His
Voice.
So the leading
must truly come from the Spirit… the goal is not to develop a “structure” …
but encouraging a people … releasing a people… bringing people from the
“promise” to the “fulfillment” of God’s purposes for their life. Mountain of
Worship is not simply another church choice, but rather a corporate, living
organism that chooses to seek God’s Heart collectively and individually...
and living a lifestyle of Worship in all respects.
Authority has
always resulted as a process of servanthood. Those who serve… have authority
in the lives of those they have served. As a gathering that aspect would be
central for all of us maturing in Jesus. Authority is not about “position”
it’s about love … Those who allow themselves to be served will one day
serve and then again be served to serve again… that is how the organism
functions. Every heart needs blood… but every heart gives it too! So the
goal would not be to “establish a leadership”, but rather to release
servants to serve… the process must begin there… Jesus said so!
"But
you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like
the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. {27} For who is
greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the
one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves."
(Luke
22:26-27)
7. WHAT
PART DO YOU PLAY IN THE MOUNTAIN OF WORSHIP?
I saw many
people relocating to Columbia to help establish this vision... Worship
Leaders, Pastors, Evangelists, Leaders, Servants, Artists... on and on...
from all over the Nation and some from around the world...
-
Some of you
have this same seed in you…. Some of what was imparted to me or through me
was given to you as well… everything in you is crying out for more….
Everything in you wants to see the Power of God released in full measure,
as you have heard, but not yet seen. You are the seed for the foundation
of this Mountain of Worship.
-
Some of you
have in you the arts, music, media, gifts and other creative aspects in
your life… that which God called you to usually sits at home in obscurity
waiting for the day when God will fulfill His promises to step into that
fulfillment. You are seed for this Mountain too!
-
Others of
you would give it all for the Kingdom but you feel as if you don’t have
much to give. Just remember, the widows mite was “worth more” than what
the wealthy could give, because her gift was born out of faith. There are
some of you who are adventurers of faith who see it, though not yet, and
who get excited about trusting God for all that is needed. You are seed
for the Mountain.
-
Still others
know that God has called them into community… not to church… but to a
lifestyle of loving others and walking together through the journey of
life towards the promises of God… You are the core of the seed… You will
feel like this is “family” before you ever jump in… As you have read
this... Your Spirit has stirred and you have said... I belong there! You
will know you are home!
Your troops
will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the
womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth.
(Psalms
110:3)
