You can watch a short video podcast that I recorded from the car on my way here to IHOP today.  If you are reading this in your email, head on over to www.revolutionexperience.com and you can watch it there.

I’m getting excited about our trip to Detroit on Saturday.  The hunger and preparedness there is really unique.  First, I’ll be in Canada preaching at the home church of the publisher of my books.  www.revivalnationchurch.com.  Then I’ll be moving around from IHOPE to Bethel Christian Church to C3 and possibly some other places as well.

Amy will be training the IHOPE leadership as well and she’ll also be teaching her infamous and very powerful message on the spirit of Mammon.

I’ll be in the IHOP prayer room a lot over the next month and a half, so I’m praying I can finally launch into writing my new book, Pharaoh in the Church.  It’s been on hold for too long as it’s a key message for the church in these end-times.  Pray for me as I press through all of my other focuses and start on the task of writing it.

Here’s the video.  Note, I had to reinstall my video conversion software on my new laptop, but haven’t had a chance yet to track town my license code.  So, you get to see big red letters “NON-ACTIVATED VERSION” across my face at the beginning!

We’re going to Silver Dollar City, the Sight and Sound Theater (it’s AMAZING) and hanging out with my family.

Watch this video!

Some key components for the house of prayer & global end-time prayer movement

This is not an exhaustive nor a comprehensive list of components and elements for churches and ministries devoted to the global end-time prayer movement, but it is a partial list.  This is some of what the Lord has burned in my heart that is meant to compliment the greater global vision.

I’d encourage you, as well, to discover your personal, God-breathed DNA as it relates to the corporate call to prayer. 

A primary rule for us as ministers and leaders is to avoid the trap of picking up the cookie cutter that was molded by another ministry and using it to form our own.  In my book Six Enemies of Fulfilled Destiny I refer to this dilemma as Generic Dreams.  The idea? 

It would be foolish to construct a full scale model of the Eifel Tower in Little Rock, Arkansas and then pass it off as a great accomplishment.  It would not be.  In fact, it would not be a monument to greatness, but rather a monument to foolishness.  The personal, creative call do dream and develop was put aside in favor of defaulting to what has already been done. 

Of course, there are some non-negotiable principles that we must always adhere to, and I’ll list some that I received from another house of prayer leader regarding the house of prayer movement below.  But first, here are some of the key components that I feel we must embrace if we are to see this movement develop with greater efficiency:

• The house of prayer movement is actually a church movement: I doubt my father-in-law knew how prophetic and precise his words were when he said them. As we were launching into the infamous transition from Revolution Church to Revolution House of Prayer several years ago he said, “John, you aren’t transitioning from a church, but rather you are transitioning into a church.”  Unwittingly, I feel we may have possibly alienated ourselves from the greater body by overemphasizing the house of prayer’s unique role.  Do I feel that much of the house of prayer movement is to have a parachurch feel to it?  Yes.  Do I feel there is a unique function and a forerunner calling at this time in history for the house of prayer to fulfill?  Yes.  Do I feel the ultimate goal is to have a clear dividing line between church and house of prayer?  No.  The church is a house of prayer for all nations.  This is scripturally clear.  The primary ministry of all believers is to pray, intentionally, zealously, every day. 

Isaiah 56:7 (New International Version) ⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations."

Mark 11:17 (New King James Version) ¹⁷ Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’? But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ "

The call will grow from that of the forerunner to that of the entire body.  We will all find ourselves embracing prayer as our primary ministry. 

• The prophetic:  My heart breaks over the extreme restraint and misunderstanding regarding the prophetic in our nation’s churches.  It’s vital that we discover the importance of the Rhema Word of God.  God is continually communicating in a variety of powerful, and sometimes subtle, ways.  The only way we will find ourselves energized, precise and continually effective is if we continually hear God’s voice.  What I feel is Christianity 101 and a mandatory, first year class of the Holy Spirit for every believer has been delegated to an optional, underemphasized extra-curricular activity for a minority of believers.

Revelation 1:10 (New King James Version) ¹⁰ I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

As we live our lives in the Spirit (which is a direct outcome of praying as a primary ministry) we will hear God.  Period.  All of us.  Now, we all won’t hear the same thing all of the time.  God will reserve certain messages for certain people.  However, every one of us hears!  As we see our small groups, Sunday services, prayer meetings and other ministries launching off of the platform of agreed, prophetic prayer, the lid will blow off the top!

A key point; the Bible will answer some questions directly and with great clarity, while it will give us a more involved process of discovery for other questions.  The process of discovery that some questions demand must include a variety of inputs, including prophecy while other clearly addressed issues require no further counsel or a process of discovery at all. 

For example, if we have the question, “Should I get drunk tonight?”, the Bible gives a clear answer and no further process of discover is necessary.

Ephesians 5:18 (New King James Version) ¹⁸ And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,

However, there are many, many daily questions that are not specifically addressed in scripture.  For example, what if you wanted to travel to a certain city for a vacation or for ministry?  How can you know whether it’s the time and season to do so?  What steps of preparation should you take?

Acts 16:6 (New International Version) ⁶ Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia.

That’s the key point here.  Just like Paul, we must hear God’s voice and be led and kept by the Holy Spirit as we make our decisions and live our lives.  The Bible gives us a clear process of discovery, and this process includes seeking wise counsel, surrender of our own will, repentance, at times laying out fleeces, etc.  Add to this prophecy.  What is God saying? 

Now, consider this prophetic reality as we think about the development of the house of prayer.  I regularly teach about the trap of being limited by the grocery list of prayer requests.  I call it ‘addiction to petition’.  We see with our eyes what’s seemingly obviously in need of prayer and we then pray according to our natural senses.  This is not inherently bad.  There is honor is petition, and at times it’s fully appropriate. 

However, it would make no sense to pray, for example, for God to bring revival to our church, or to heal a relative’s bum knee on the very night that God revealed prophetically that we are to pray against an impending terrorist attack in Washington D.C.  It would be horribly irresponsible to not drop everything and intercede for Washington D.C. and our nation.

That’s a dramatic example, but you can adjust the circumstances any way you’d like and you’ll always come up with the same answer.  Pray what’s on God’s heart for that moment.  We might be tempted to pray for financial breakthrough in our own life when God’s heart is desiring us to contend for an orphan in Thailand- or vice versa.

• Dynamic development:  I won’t spend much time here, but it’s worth considering.  Though we must never violate the original core vision for the ministry you’ve been called to, it will be stretched and developed.  God will emphasize and deemphasize certain aspects in certain seasons.  Others will bring elements to the table, some of which should be entertained, some of which should not.  I know this is a simple point, but I’ve seen visionless leaders either sticking to the same thing for decades, or hopelessly diving into the latest church fad in the hopes of finding traction.  We must dynamically develop in direct response to the prophetic voice of God.  As we pray, we must expect to hear God as leaders about next steps.  We must expect change, and put our sacred cows at risk of extinction.

• Distinctive leadership:  Contrary to what many are crying out for, God is not done with distinctive leadership.  In fact, I believe God is raising up prophetic, dynamic leaders who are broken, humble, bold and ferocious.  As we hear God well, we must also respond well.  We can’t form our ministries around the demands and desires of any group or person other than God.  As we are willing to take the risk, to fail, to struggle, to face the pressure of ridicule, all while keeping a healthy, happy heart, God will, in time, shine through us.  Amos 3:3 is important for all of us.  We must be unified as we walk together.  We find how this is possible in Amos 3:7.  God will reveal his secrets to his servants the prophets.  What does this mean?  God will reveal his plans to his leaders, and the rest of us undergird him or her and follow them with zeal.  As this happens, we will see houses of prayer that don’t only provide an outlet to pray, but that change the culture of cities.

• SPIM, The Strategic Prophecy & Intercession Management System:  I won’t take the time to explain the ‘system’ right now, but suffice it to say that it’s a ‘God idea’ that will help facilitate the increase of prophecy in the global church.  As we release people into their prophetic gifting (I like to call it their prophetic responsibility), this system will kick into action to measure, facilitate, steward and communicate the prophecies.  Prophecies that are timely and accurate will then be compared with similar prophecies in other cities of the earth.  This is an important invention that has some strong confirmation behind it.  We must, must, must steward the hearts of the prophets!  If we shut them down, as leaders, we will be held responsible. 

• Blueprint Prophecy:  You can see a drawing of the vision here.  This is one of the most significant visions I’ve received regarding the establishment of the city church and the house of prayer.  Simply, the call must be for every believer to primarily be in the place of prayer.  The actual, practical involvement will vary as we each have specific DNA, but everything that we do must be birthed out of the fire.  It’s a call to personal and corporate revival.  We pray always, we burn always.  We cannot allow leaders in our churches or ministries to lead if they don’t pray hours and hours a week in the house of prayer.  We cannot!  One of my favorite Leonard Ravenhill quotes is, “Pastors who don’t pray two hours a day aren’t worth a dime a dozen.” 

• City-church focus:  This is a big topic, and it’s addressed well in my book 20 Elements of Revival.  The core idea is this- we must understand the big picture.  Imagine the roof of your local church expanded to cover the entire city.  Under that roof, everybody is unified and organized.  The house of prayer is central.  The other functions flow out of that.  Independent local church pastors of yesteryear are now on the staff or the city church and are responsible for leading their city church department well.  We will find believers continually together in a variety of ministries through the week, and in the place of prayer every day.  You can see an example of this here.

• 24/7 church:  Every believer in the place of prayer every day corporately, and then involved in a variety of key ministries throughout the week.  This is outlined in my book 20 Elements of Revival as well.

  Acts 2:46-47 (New King James Version) ⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.

Now, with all of this in mind, here are some possible (up for discussion?) non-negotiables of the house of prayer/global end-time prayer movement that I received from another house of prayer leader:

1. Intimacy- Song of Songs, lengthy and daily times of being intimate with God
2. Holiness & Repentance- Joel 2:15-16 (NKJV) 15 Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, Call a sacred assembly; 16 Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babes; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, And the bride from her dressing room.
3. Revival- Called to be a model of revival for the nations.  For us to not respond could have tragic international results.
4. Prophecy- Huge! Clearly hearing God and responding and stewarding.
5. Justice- Abortion, sanctity of marriage, etc.
6. Forerunner Ministry
7. Israel- GBF 100 million intercessors provoking Israel to jealousy
8. End Times

Intercessors needed! Join PRAYtheREVOLUTION in our next season! Manitou Springs, Detroit & Kansas City…

First, Amy and I are asking people to start interceding in mass for us as we make a very serious decision regarding our ministry base.  We will most probably be moving to Detroit or Colorado Springs.  We will still maintain our ministry focuses for those cities, the nations, writing, developing training materials and prayer, though the home base will also gain a significant portion of our energy.

My heart is for interns to join us in the journey, regardless of which city it is.  We’re not sure if this will be the time for people to jump their current ship and start a brand new season of their own life, but if so, contact me asap. 

Of course, there is also the chance that we’ll stay at IHOP in KC and serve the house of prayer here.  So, can you pray?  My heart is for the right decision to have the direct result of launching fires of revival in many different places.  The dream is big, and this decision is critical.

It will be important that we see scores of people join forces with this ministry as interns on site, as intercessors and as financial partners.  I’ll be praying for many in both of these cities, regardless of where we move, to rise up as revivalists in a unified advance toward city-transformation.  Please contact me if you want info on joining the ranks of PRAYtheREVOLUTION.  Can you answer one of the following questions?

1. Yes, I want to be a PTR intercessor!
2. Yes, I want to be on site as a PTR intern/intercessor!
3. Yes, I want to financially support PTR’s mission of revival to the nations!

MINISTRY SCHEDULE

I’ll be ministering at Revival Nation Church on Sunday, November 23rd.  Their website is www.revivalnationchurch.com.  Here’s the address:

517 Louisa Street
Point Edward, Ontario 

Here’s an email I received from Ron Zettle, the Director of IHOPE in Detroit:

Hi Everyone!
We are looking forward to our upcoming John Burton Seminar. John will be teaching and ministering prophetically at IHOPE Detroit. We will also be having a time of worship, intercession, and ministry. We are expecting a great impartation from the Lord! We are praying for both Personal and Corporate Revival! Please be fasting as the Lord leads.

Here are some of the scheduling details:

• Friday, November 28th: 7PM-? Encountering God Service at IHOPE
• Saturday, November 29th: 10AM-12PM Session | 2PM-4PM Session | 7PM-? Encountering God Service all at IHOPE
• Sunday, November 30th: 9AM and 11:30AM Services at Christ Community Church, 7PM-? Encountering God Service at IHOPE
• Friday, December 5th: 7PM-? Encountering God Service at IHOPE

Please note that all sessions are held at IHOPE Detroit: 19136 10 Mile Rd, Eastpointe, MI 48021 EXCEPT FOR the Sunday Church Services which will be held at Christ Community Church: 25410 Kelly Rd, Roseville, Mi 48066

This seminar is free of charge. A Love Offering will be taken. Please join us. To Learn more about John and Amy Burton’s Ministry please got www.praytherevolution.com.
In Christ,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Ron Zettle
IHOPE Detroit, Director

Some of you received a personal email requesting prayer and personal thoughts the other day.  I have heard back from some of you, but not everybody.  We cherish your prayer and participation in this next step.

We are fully devoted to seeing legitimate revival arriving in your city.  We must be unified, strategically aligned and willing to pour our hearts into the mission.

Contact me at john@praytherevolution.com and, of course, subscribe to the podcast and blog and visit the blog at www.revolutionexperience.com.

Blessings!  Can’t wait to hear from you!

John

The urgency in our spirit is elevating, and we’re more at peace than ever.  Sounds like the way God does things.  We’re starting some preliminary research on a possible move to either the Detroit area or back to Manitou Springs.  Also very much in the running is serving a new internship here at IHOP in Kansas City.

Listen to a podcast here:

Download audio file (178351.mp3)

One thing is for sure: as we move into our next season, we’ll be recruiting and inviting people to pack up and move with us (if we leave KC).  A re-launch of RHOP in Manitou Springs will need a serious team of unified and dedicated people.  I want to see that city catch fire!  It could easily be the most defining and powerful season of your life if you are called to join us.

It will be very hard, grueling and very exciting!  We see something happening within the next few weeks, so NOW is the time to pray and respond.

Imagine developing a church (house of prayer) that is revival based, prayer fueled and has as its mission city-transformation that will be felt around the world.  That’s the call.  I recently connected with an Egyptian leader that confirms the prophetic connection with us in Manitou.  A revival in that city will be felt in Egypt in very literal ways.  The same is true of Detroit.  Talk about a revival in America’s most Muslim city!  It’s coming!

Regardless of where we base out of, Detroit, Manitou Springs and the mother ship here in Kansas City will all be a key focus of ours.  Add to this the call to the nations, the emerging prayer movement in Branson, Missouri and a key relationship in Idaho and we are looking at a very busy ministry.

We are AT THIS POINT asking people to quickly respond, even if it’s with questions, prophetic words or thoughts.  Are you to join our internship team?  Are you to sow important financial seed?  Contact me at john@praytherevolution.com.

So, to clarify, contact me!  Detroit, Manitou Springs, IHOP, Branson, Idaho… all part of our ministry lives, one will be our base.  If you want to learn more about the ministry, visit www.praytherevolution.com and www.revolutionexperience.com. 

John and Amy

I don’t know if many understand the serious reality of bloodshed on our soil.  We are guilty as a nation, and Barack Obama is not positioning himself to overturn Roe v. Wade, but is actually fighting for it.

Mike mentions that we must pray for Barack Obama.  We honor him as God established him.  This does not at all mean that God desired for Barack Obama to be our president, but it does mean that God affirms him and honors our free will as humans to elect him.

There was cheering in the room when Mike Bickle addressed the passing of Proposition 8 in California.  However, that battle is far from over.  We must pray.

Can you imagine what would happen around the world if Barack Obama were to declare the discovery of Jesus Christ as his Lord?  It would send shockwaves of revival across the planet.  Let’s pray hard for him.  As it stands, we are facing the threat of three key issues that are contrary to God’s will being advanced with force:  Abortion, homosexual union and the release of land in Israel.  These three points MUST be addressed in prayer.  The way to see them all addressed with one broad stroke would be for Barack Obama to have an encounter with Jesus Christ.

Jesus actually visited a life-long witch in his bedroom in Manitou Springs, Colorado.  His report was that, as he reached out and touched him, he would NEVER be able to deny the overpowering love of Jesus again.  He called the first church he could find.  This happened after God spoke through three people at a city-wide prayer event in City Hall that Jesus wanted to visit people in the city THAT NIGHT.

We prayed in unity in response to the prophetic word and it ACTUALLY HAPPENED!  The same can happen with our new President.  God loves him a lot and God loves this nation a lot.  He also loves the unborn who are at risk and those who are diving deeper into homosexuality.  The situation is complex, and we need an encounter in the White House like never before.

I know similar to me, many of you are confused concerning how to respond to the result of this week’s election. Mike Bickle spoke and prayed Wednesday morning.  What he shared and called all of IHOP to really encouraged me and provided much insight into how we as a nation and as the body of Christ should respond.  Here is a shortened paraphrase of what he shared with us. I pray that it not only encourage you with the power and truth of Christ’s authority over all but also awaken a sense of urgency in your heart to “watch and pray” (Luke 21:36).

How to Pray:
1.    Ephesians 1:16-17, Psalm 43:3-4: ask for God to send forth light and truth, to lead His people and a nation into the holy place. Also for God to release the spirit of wisdom and revelation. This is our great weapon, we have been given the authority by God to open gates.  No one else can do this but the praying church who is able to release God’s supernatural light, the only force that can drive darkness out of a human heart/a nation.
2.    Pray for Obama’s blessing and prosperity, the multiplying of his strength, of Biden and all those in office. That’s our position, to lose light. Not to resist in carnal ways. We have the most powerful weapon, more powerful than all the armies of the earth. We have intercessory access to the throne of God to lose light to drive darkness off the planet. We know we win! We have the ultimate confidence of victory.

Response to the Elections:
1.    Yesterday was a great and a terrible day. It was a great day that an African American president was elected. That is a massive blessing and statement of goodness about America. Not just for African Americans, but for America itself. That is a great day. For that I say Lord Jesus thank you.
2.    But beloved it’s also a terrible day. I believe that yesterday marks on the calendar, a clear turn of our nation toward darkness. Now that turn has been present for some time but it documented it. It became officially recorded on earth and in heaven. It became official even in the courts of heaven in a way that’s important to recognize.
3.    A great victory happened in California same sex marriage was banned. That is a great victory. But it’s only just the beginning. This is still going to be appealed. The war is on. (referring to proposition 8 )
4.    The second battlefront is same sex marriage. Currently, from the legislation point of view good things are happening. But there’s ominous signs happening. Just the raising up of voices all over the land to challenge the sanctity of marriage. That will be destructive beyond anything we can imagine. That and blood guilt. For such a time as this the prayer movement has been raised up.
5.    We now have a president who is fiercely pro-choice. That is a terrible thing for America. This doesn’t mean that this issue is over. It means that we have to take our place of authority. The battle is raging.
6.    There are two great battlefronts from the Lord’s point of view. The issue of murder. The sword of bloodguilt over our nation is the most dangerous thing imaginable. Most of America even the church is not aware. It’s dangerous beyond anything we can understand. But the prayer movement is growing in America. I take a stand, claiming the blood of Jesus in the place of our own guilt. That battle is not over at all. We believe that this murdering of innocent children in the womb going to turn around, even if it takes until Jesus returns.
7.    What pains my heart and makes me sober, is that 18-30 year olds, the power base that is emerging in America, voted pro-choice and they voted against the sanctity of marriage. Believers and unbelievers sided with darkness. Beloved now that’s troubling.  Now that’s something that’s emerging for some time. But yesterday, this was documented in the courts of heaven. The voices in the church, the voices of deception, of demonic deception that stand alongside, that allow abortion and same sex marriage to go unchallenged is grievous to God.  Many in the church (18-30 yr old crowd) are siding with darkness.

Encouragement:
1.    I am encouraged rather than discouraged because we have the blood of Jesus, the throne of God. We have a human being on the throne whom we’re connected to.  He desires to hear our voices, our cries. He has way more power than the power of darkness.
2.    God is training us, working our prayer and faith muscles right now.  There is coming a man who is far more evil, far more power than any man that  has emerged in history, far more powerful than Obama. God is raising up on a global level an army in these early days to resist that man.  That man will be overthrown in history openly before all by the praying church, under the leadership and in agreement with Jesus.
3.    Our posture right now is Roman 13. We acknowledge that God has sets all authorities in place. Of course God sets men and woman in place of authority with the big picture in view always. Always honoring the free choice of the nation.
4.    I look at this at the next 20, 40, 50 years if the Lord tarries and I ask what are you doing God? He says “I’m raising up an army to prevail against the ultimate darkness that will emerge in the earth”. I’m believing God for an America in the decades to follow that has found power in the Spirit to resist the antichrist as an entire nation.  America’s in the balance.  For some nations it’s clear where they will stand in the future. But America you look at the word of God I believe it’s silent. I believe the Lord’s answer to America is would you believe me in a nation that prevails against the antichrist even until my coming? To resist evil until the end? And my answer is yes.
5.    Now we’re kingdom of God people first, and Americans second.  We can determine the fate of our surroundings. We have authority in the spirit because we live here, God put us here in the will of God gives us legal access to shift things regionally and nationally. To contend w/ ultimate evil together as a nation. The Lord is looking down, he’s not troubled, He’s grieved in one way but He says, “I’m raising up a voice, I’m raising up an army.  They will be strong and they will have many victories.”  Rise up and stand and we’ll be transformed in that battle.  Resolve to stand w/ God’s authority.  We’re not going to get into a contentious spirit as things unfold.  We don’t have to wrangle with men. We have all the money we need to get this thing done.  The Lord doesn’t want to just turn a man, but to also raise up an army.
Points of Sobriety:
1.    One of God’s terrifying ways throughout history is that He gives a nation a king after their own heart. He does that to let them face themselves. Nations all through history have cried out for kings, they always want kings after their own heart and not after God’s own heart. And the Lord in his wisdom and in the providence of his government He permits nations to have kings after their own heart. But then they will live with the consequences of that king. America has chosen a king after their own heart.

“Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21: 36

First, we’re asking our intercessors and friends to pray for our next steps in ministry.  There is a lot of activity in a few different locations and we’ll be involved in all of it, but we need to know where our home base is for the next season.  We as a family are primed and ready for what’s next, and we’re considering the next five to ten years as we pray for some long time visions to be realized.

Regardless of where we base, I’ll be on the road as much as necessary to help facilitate revival, the prayer movement and advance toward city-transformation.  Additionally I’ll continue writing (my next book has to get started!), working in graphic and web design and remain in personal prayer.  Of course, the Manitou vision is key and prayer for strategic advance in the nations is very much on my heart.

    Kansas City: Of course, we are here now, own a house and have IHOP in our back yard.  I talked with the leader of the Evangelism department yesterday and the possibility of directing or assisting with a brand new internship is a very real possibility.
    Manitou Springs: We are praying about the timing of a possible return to RHOP in Manitou Springs.  This is the original vision, and is intimately connected with the other ventures on our heart.  My desire would be to see several people that I’ve developed relationship recently continue to raise personal support and join us in a fresh advance in Manitou.
    Detroit: I’ll be returning for my third time, this time with the whole family, in a couple of weeks.  God is priming the church in Detroit for a visitation, and the prayer movement is growing there.  I’ll be meeting with some key people with both ministry and my design business in mind.

There are some other possibilities as well… we’re basically wide open and ready to step in whatever direction God calls us into. 

THE DELUSION OF FELLOWSHIP : THE ORGANIC CHURCH 

We’re watching the dangerous advance of ‘me focused’ Christianity right now across the nation.  It’s becoming more common for Christians to search for a  church that’s fellowship focused as opposed to prayer and mission focused.  The organic church movement (some of which is healthy, some, in my opinion, is not) is possibly over-affirming the desire of Christians to have a voice and a platform for ministry.  It’s promoting a fellowship-driven church environment that may unwittingly find the calls to corporate prayer and personal humility minimized. 

If we’re not careful, the focus can be on gathering together as a community ahead of ministering to God in the place of intercession.  Apostolic, prayer-driven, revival-focused, mission-sensitive corporate events must take priority over other focuses including fellowship.  Why?  Because we cannot truly fellowship or evangelize or teach if we aren’t unified in prayer and full of the Holy Spirit.  Simply, fellowship on its own strength will disappoint.  We can’t sprinkle fellowship with prayer, but we can sprinkle a life of prayer with some wonderful fellowship.

Acts 2:41-42 (New King James Version) ⁴¹ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. ⁴² And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

The focus on fellowship and community is absolutely appropriate when it keeps its biblical focus.  However, it is not the primary call for believers.  It’s has become common to focus on the second commandment while forsaking the first.  To love God with everything means that we’ll be people of lengthy, continual, intimate prayer.  Time set aside for relationship with God is extreme while time for other endeavors is limited.

Acts 2:46 (New King James Version) ⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart,

So, we see that fellowship is a key part of the Christian experience.  However, it’s not foundational.  Meaning, we can’t seek to develop a church or ministry on a foundation of fellowship.  It’s too weak, susceptible to division, gossip, an Absalom spirit, personal agenda, etc.  The only way fellowship (breaking bread) can work is if we are “in the temple daily.”  Prayer first, everything else second.

The only way that Acts 2:42 came about was through a correct foundational emphasis on unity and prayer as we see here:

Acts 2:1 (New King James Version) ¹ When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Here at the International House of Prayer it’s not at all uncommon to hours a day in the place of prayer, in unity with many others who are pacing, reading their Bibles or interceding from their seats.  All of this is going on as a primary missional focus, and from that we see unified fellowship occur. 

Meaning, the call is to pray, and from that we will find times to connect over coffee or in homes.  We have to see the church again highlight prayer as the first and most time consuming call.  As we so this, we’ll find ourselves gathering spontaneously to declare the wondrous works of God.

Some are nervous that key and important relationships and nurturing fellowship is at risk if we don’t emphasize it as primary.  It’s actually quite the contrary.  If we emphasize it as the first call, we are out of order and will actually end up disillusioned, discouraged, hurt and pulling back.  However, if we demote the desire for fellowship to its appropriate place we will become strong, energized and able to pour into people very well.

Here’s a chapter from my book 20 Elements of Revival on this topic:

Element One

Acts 2:1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

The way this ancient and emerging Church was birthed is the way it was meant to continue. God drew zealots together to actively wait. As we step through these twenty elements, it’s critical to prayerfully consider the step-by-step process. It is flexible enough to allow God to infuse your Church growth experience with your own DNA, yet the underlying principles simply must not be violated.

This first element is the most critical, yet is probably the most neglected. In the pursuit of establishing a new Church, or in the development of an existing one, the pure adrenaline of it can cause us to become impatient. This first Church could not have been planted from a human perspective. Good teaching, proven programs, intimate small groups, evangelistic crusades and other methods would not work at this stage of the process. These are actually parts of future elements that will take root and develop further in the Church planting process. So, what is this first element?

Element One- Agreement

The verse tells us that they were ALL in one accord AND in one place. This depicts a mature and hungry team of radically devoted believers who understand the massive commitment it will take to fulfill the mission. To launch, there must be a strategic team of mission minded owners of the vision. A tragic mistake that is often made at this initial phase of ministry is the improper focus on relationship. Fellowship will become a staple of the Church experience well into the process, but to entrust the strategy of fellowship as a foundational element at this phase will result in failure, stagnation and a lack of power. Being in agreement is very different than being in fellowship. An attitude of agreement results in corporate strength that will bust through many barriers the enemy will set up in the early stages. A strategy of fellowship alone is incredibly susceptible to offenses taking root, gossip, frustration, disagreement and the fostering of an Absalom spirit. Fellowship is simply not strong enough to be a foundation of a local Church. Agreement, however, easily is.

I’ll often hear pastors state that they are launching a new Church on a foundation of fellowship. They have a plan of worshiping together, inviting friends and developing a new community. Of course, the heart behind this is wonderful. Strategically however it simply rarely works. This first element of agreement breeds the second element that we’ll discuss further in a moment. The second element is extreme devotion of time. We’ll notice that the first Church was together every day. Why? Because that was how it was birthed. In order to capture God’s heart, hear His instructions, nurture unity and become alert to the directives of apostolic leadership we must be together nearly continually.

If we are fellowship minded, this type of commitment will rarely last. Desire for fellowship is inward focused primarily, but an attitude of agreement causes us to look outward. To be agreed and unified toward an impossible goal that God has presented to the team will both require and result in a continual pursuit of that goal together. I often teach that if we are to experience revival, we must do now what we will be doing when revival breaks out. A revival atmosphere results in people craving to be in the Church building night after night. Prayer and worship and breaking under the presence of God never end. If we are contending for that, we must start the process now. I find it amazing that Churches are eliminating services in response to a very demanding American lifestyle. If we are to experience revival, we must fight that spirit and once again, as in the previous generation, be in the Church every time the doors are open- and the doors should be open night and day!

The Experience

At the risk of getting ahead of myself, I want to share now what we are contending for. The biblical norm for believers is to experience the weighty presence of the Holy Spirit regularly. The normal experience for a Sunday service, for example, is for us to walk in the door and immediately become influenced by an atmosphere of fire. Brokenness, tears, drunkenness in the Holy Spirit, prophetic unction, repentance and other manifestations should be the expected reality day after day. We have become satisfied with teaching services, song services, social gatherings and other activities without the baptism of fire that should be burning through them.

I often discuss what I call the ‘money changer principle’. Churches, both new and mature, often have an imbalanced focus on satisfying the needs and desires of the members. Church growth strategies dictate that we must have certain things in place if we expect people to want to come to our Church. So, from the outset, our minds are tilted toward drawing the crowds and in order to do that we ask the question, “What will cause people to come, stay and get involved?” May I offer that this mind set must change if we are to experience God the way He wants to be experienced. The money changers’ table was overturned by Jesus. He was indignant. He stated clearly that the temple was to be a House of Prayer. What was the sin of the money changers? They went into the temple with the expectation of leaving with more than they entered with. The temple is to be a place of sacrifice! We are to have the expectation of leaving with less than we entered with! If we as leaders understand this, we will have no problem requiring much from those who are joined with us in mission.

We are truly called to die. That perspective must be embraced and shouted from the rooftops. Let’s look at an interesting passage of scripture. Keep in mind as you read this that Peter was the ‘rock’ on which the Church was birthed. Jesus was making a severe statement not only to Peter but also to the upcoming Church. Matthew 16:21-25 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!” But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.” Note an very important statement that Jesus made: “You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Peter unwittingly renounced the cross. Jesus rebuked him in this famous conflict to ensure that the generations to come would be sure to embrace what Peter renounced- daily death under the weight of a cross. This was exceedingly critical not only for Peter and not only for the generations, but primarily for the structure that Peter represented. The Church. As we launch or redevelop our Churches according to this New Testament paradigm we must be sure that we avoid a structure that appeals to man ahead of God. Jesus told Peter that he was an offense to Him. Why was he an offense? After all, he wanted Jesus to be safe and comforted. The boldness that we saw in the garden as Jesus was being led away to