Lynn Green

Tag: Sphere

  • Global Guilds

    Global Guilds

     

    **This is a personal website and reflects my thoughts and convictions. It does not represent any official position held by Youth With A Mission.**

    In recent years, many Christians, especially the young, have begun to understand that God’s purposes encompass all of creation and that includes all the spheres of social influence. Practically, that concept means God calls His people into government, education, business, the arts, entertainment and sports, media and communications etc. These Christians realize that all these vocations are equally as significant as a call to local church ministry or world missions.

    Though this understanding of the all-encompassing nature of the Kingdom of God is spreading widely, many still feel isolated and unsupported in their vocation. They may have embarked upon a career in government or education or entertainment or the news media—but a large majority of these committed Christians feel under-supported in their vocation.

    Many centuries ago committed disciples of Jesus banded together in supportive, worshipping communities and formed what became known as guilds. As illustrated by the following quotes, the initial purpose for the formation of guilds was that practicing Christians in the same craft or service could support one another in their faith.

    “They were voluntary associations or fraternities and in the first instance their objects were religious and social. The craft element grew almost as an accidental feature, largely because people of` the same craft tended to live in the same neighbourhood in those days.”

    “However, after the Dark Ages it is known that the early guilds in London evolved from a purely religious basis when craftsmen in specific trades tended to congregate in a common area for both practical and mutual convenience. To some extent this still appertains today – for example in Hatton Garden. It is natural therefore that the members of a particular craft who worshipped together at their local church should form a community of interests and it was from these religious congregations that voluntary associations (as opposed to the compulsory ‘frith guilds’ of Saxon times) were formed for the mutual aid and protection of their members. These fraternal bodies of Guild took their title from their patron saint, and the guild of bakers was known at least until mediaeval days as the ‘FRATERNITY or GUYLDE OF OUR LADY AND ST. CLEMENT’.

    The spiritual connotation is perpetuated to this day in the title ’Worshipful’ and in the Company’s motto ‘PRAISE GOD FOR ALL’, which is also the traditional grace used before all meals.

    The guilds, in the course of the following centuries, became instrumental in the transformation of London and served as the foundation stones upon which the prosperity and global leadership of the City of London were built. The guilds grew in influence and leadership until they became the structure by which the City of London was governed.

    Because of this strong religious and ethical foundation, the City of London operated primarily on a basis of integrity and trust until as recently as the last quarter of the twentieth century.

     

    Trust-worthy people are the greatest resource any economy can have. When high trust is deserved and given, overheads are reduced due to little need for self-protection; project completion times are shortened, stress is reduced and synergy between people and organisations grows hugely.

    The emerging streams of committed Christians who are pursuing their calling to the various social jurisdictions could be well served by an adaptation of the guild concept. Communication and information technology could facilitate the emergence of Global Guilds in education, government, entertainment, sports, business, health services etc. Current and developing technology could help create a sense of global community, though web-communities can only serve to network and serve real, face-to-face communities of common interest.

    This idea requires much prayer and some careful thought, assuming it has a chance of being successfully implemented in the 21st Century. For example, how would an individual or company attain membership?   In the context of YWAM perhaps successful completion of a YWAM-DTS could be a starting point? Additional very specific training would probably be required, followed by a formal commitment to a code of practice.

    The global guilds would not be simply a framework of agreement between individuals; membership would also constitute a covenant with God. With His blessing the guilds could become very influential—a transformational force among the nations.

    The web-based dimension of the global guilds could provide documentation of the agreements and values, information about resources and events, up-to-date articles and testimonials, chat rooms and on-line conferencing facilities.

    In addition to the web services, the guilds could be serviced by YWAM bases hosting events for members. The members could also form themselves together in cell groups for mutual support.

    In addition to the primary benefits of the global guilds, YWAM could contribute by being able to provide resources for the members, facilitating conferences and other events, and having strategic access to a potentially very large web community. This concept would provide a most compelling reason for YWAM alumni to remain connected and could lead to the fulfillment of a vision given to Loren Cunningham several years ago for a massive, global, online community committed to the coming of the Kingdom of God.

    YWAM Together 2016 was organized around the foundational idea behind the original guilds—that the Kingdom of God encompasses and shapes all aspects of human society. We are convinced that the Holy Spirit has guided us and will continue to guide us to serve people in their God-given vocations. The Sphere Tracks have been developed to enable members of the wider YWAM family to connect with others who have similar callings. In those Tracks networking and mutual learning will occur as an obvious outcome, but each track will also engage extensively with the Scriptures, seeking out understanding and revelation about what God has said, and is saying, about every dimension of society. The Sphere View App will be an enormous benefit as a tool to focus our engagement with God’s Word.

    Each Track can also pray together and work through the essential questions of how to move forward with some up-to-date expression of guilds. Some of the most obvious questions are:

    • Is there sufficient felt need for momentum to be created and sustained?
    • Who is committed to start and take a lead in the formation of global guilds?
    • Should local “cells” be at the heart of the movement?
    • Periodic events are needed at local, national, regional and global levels. How can YWAM serve these?
    • How can common practices and standards be developed?
    • Can/Should the guilds have the authority to enforce their standards on those who choose to join? If yes, how would that look in practice?

    Godly transformation of nations will not just happen. The entire world felt the effect of a prayer group that met in Clapham, London in the early 19th century. From that group, William Wilberforce led the global movement to abolish slavery. They also impacted education, Church life, the arts, media and business. They did not start with a grand strategy, but started with genuine Christian fellowship and commitment to prayer. From that, God unfolded a strategy that transformed a nation and that nation touched the entire world.

    Transformation is still on God’s heart today. Are we available to be used, regardless of the cost?

    Lynn Green.

     

  • Kingdom Of God And Sphere Of Society

    Kingdom Of God And Sphere Of Society

    **This is a personal website and reflects my thoughts and convictions. It does not represent any official position held by Youth With A Mission.**

    Kingdom of God and Sphere of Society

    Lynn Green shared about the Kingdom of God and the Sphere of Society in YWAM Harpenden at our Community Night.

     

  • “Thy Kingdom Come”

    “Thy Kingdom Come”

    Photo© Slava Bowman

    **This is a personal website and reflects my thoughts and convictions. It does not represent any official position held by Youth With A Mission.**

    AMAZING GROWTH IN WHAT USED TO BE “THE HARD PLACES”

    One of my good friends just came back from China after a trip to join with Chinese officials to launch the first officially approved study Bible in Mandarin, the main language of China.  He also met some pastors in the official Church and attended a service in a large church building that was constructed by the government.  The minister of this church said his biggest problem was finding a way to disciple the large numbers coming to faith in Jesus and attending his church.  He was baptizing another 100 new converts the next Sunday.

    My personal connections have been with the leaders of the unofficial Church in China.  A few years ago, when I was just getting to know some of these extraordinary people, the majority of them women, I was talking to one lady who has a great heart for the Chinese missions movement known as Back To Jerusalem.  Another person who knew her took me aside later the same day and asked if I knew much about her.  He then explained that she has been an extraordinarily fruitful person for decades.  “She knows what it is to lead 10,000 people to Christ in a day!”

    Do the Chinese people believe their prayer, “Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done…” is being answered?  Surely they do!

     

    My recent article about the Middle East provides another context for that question.  Anyone can see that there is unprecedented growth in the numbers of people following Jesus.  The figures are not yet statistically impressive, but with hundreds of millions of people in that part of the world, only tens of millions would be statistically significant.  But the numbers are huge when compared to any time in the last 13 centuries.  Do the faithful there believe that the Kingdom is coming?  They certainly do!  There was such buoyant faith in the meetings I attended in the Gulf and in Egypt.

    THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT

    Our context always shapes our perspective.  Most people who live around where I live, in Europe (or islands off the coast of Europe, depending on your politics), would not think that the Kingdom of God is on the move.  Marti and I have lived in Europe for nearly 50 years now.  When we first came, it was during the exciting days of the charismatic movement.  We attended meetings of thousands of people from many different churches and denominations and excitement was in the air.  Soon after we moved here in 1971, over 25,000 people gathered in central London to proclaim the name of Jesus in the Nationwide Festival of Light.

    About 15 years later I helped convene 55,000 people for a prayer meeting that grew to global proportions and became known as March For Jesus. I think it was 1992 when I stood on a stage in Hyde Park, London and looked over a crowd of 100,000 worshiping people.  It certainly felt like the Kingdom was coming!

    DISTORTED CONTEXT

    On the other hand, I recently read an article by a British journalist, similar to articles I have read from time to time, in which he quoted the official statistics of church attendance and concluded that Christianity is disappearing in the UK and Western Europe.  He concluded with a well-worn sentence;

    “Will the last person leaving the Church please turn off the lights?” 

    That’s the way it seems from his context.  Context makes a difference. But I have to ask, are the statistics he is referring to reliable pointers to the health of the Christian faith?  The picture I see is quite different.  I see that:

    Much of the vitality of the charismatic movement is now expressed in small groups and congregations that meet in homes, school auditoria, town halls, business facilities, warehouses etc.  No one could accurately track the numbers.

    If we simply poll the traditional denomination HQs and measure the numbers meeting in official church buildings, the results are negative and can be extrapolated to the point when they will be zero.  But that picture is not representative of the Body of Christ.

    Because it is no longer socially important to attend church, those who do, most often do so out of genuine commitment to follow Jesus.

    There are church planting movements that are becoming more dynamic and statistically significant every year, especially in the Church of England.

    Almost every church in our town has grown significantly in the past decade and there is more mutual respect and unity than any time in recorded history! I hear that in town after town in Britain.

    I’M OLD ENOUGH TO DO A LITTLE HISTORY

    When Marti and I first moved to London, we could not find a church with obvious spiritual life. But we did find a curate (if you are not familiar with that term, it is kind of a trainee minister) at a small church with a big building by the name of Holy Trinity Brompton.  Nicholas Rivett-Carnac conducted small healing services and prayed for life in HTB.  Today that church has world-wide impact through the Alpha Course and has packed multiple weekend services to cope with the crowds.  It has also planted congregations that plant congregations that plant congregations… so that no one can count how many churches have been impacted.

    I conclude from all this anecdotal evidence that “social Christianity” has died in the past 7 decades but that genuine faith and discipleship has grown many times over.  I also conclude that the move away from institutional church and towards informal but consistent fellowship between believers is very hard to track and no journalists I know of have even made an attempt.

    THE BLINDNESS OF HUBRIS

    Speaking of journalism, there was a recent discussion about why the BBC should produce more religious broadcasting.  In the course of that discussion the head of religious broadcasting, James Purnell, identified himself as an atheist. He also confirmed that the BBC would be increasing the number of religious programmes.  However, in the light of “the steady decline of Christianity” they would be sure the programming is of a multi-faith nature.

    One third of the world’s population identify themselves as Christians!!  Where has this man been?

    Well, he has been in the context of the “educated liberal elite” many of whom have somehow come to believe they are in the majority, even though they are a very small minority in this world. His response in a recent interview demonstrates the approach of so many of the liberal elite to religion.  A broadcast journalist asked him, ‘Are you a religious man?’, to which Purnell replied: ‘I’m not…I’m an atheist but I think the issues around belief are incredibly important to how we live. But not important to how HE lives?

    These are the people who feed us information about our world, either directly or indirectly.

    But they do so from a sort of echo chamber of like-minded people and their context warps their perception and conclusions.  Almost everything they say about the Christian faith has to be seen through the knowledge that they don’t know nearly as much about the world as they think they do.  Constant immersion in the society of the highly educated elites dulls the senses.

    TWO WAYS TO SEE THE WORLD

    I am grateful that, over the decades, I have travelled to so much of the world on a very small budget.  So I don’t often stay in hotels; I am not hosted by powerful people; I don’t travel on private jets or in first class.  I usually live with local people at their level, eat their food, meet their families etc. On every continent and virtually every nation there is evidence that the Kingdom of God is growing—but that evidence is usually seen at grass-roots level.

    Once a person becomes either rich or powerful they can no longer see the world like that.  Sadly, most of our elite leaders have never lived at a time when they could mingle with normal people in different parts of the world.  They don’t know what it is to see reality without it being “managed” with political or financial motives in mind.  Wealth and power are terribly isolating!

    All that is about context.  You might continue to hear, from journalists and broadcasters in parts of the the developed world that Christianity is dying out.  Sympathize with the predicament of their context, but more importantly, remember, their view is usually blinkered.

    “THY KINGDOM COME” is being answered like never before in the history of mankind!

    Lynn Green.