Tuesday, January 12, 2016

7 Signs That God Is In the House

Baptisms in the river in our backyard

When God shows up one should expect certain things. What are essential elements of a real move of God? 

I distinguish essential elements from contingent elements. For example, essential elements of "car" include wheels, motor, can be driven; contingent elements of car are attributes like red, four-door, convertible, and 450 hp. 

What will a real move of God look like? Will there always, for example, be people falling down under the power of the Spirit? The answer is no. "Falling down" is a contingent, not essential, attribute of a move of God. (This does not mean it is unimportant.)

Here's what I'm now thinking (with a little help from JB).

7 Essential Signs of a Real Move of God

  1. Proclamation and Demonstration of the Kingdom accompanied by the Presence of The Holy Spirit
  2.  People are transformed internally (identity, behavior, etc)
  3. Social transformation (reach out to lost, hurting, poor, etc.)
  4. Awe – (especially expressed in worship)
  5. A truth is restored or expressed in a new way (e.g., the. Father's love)
  6. Fellowship together and *disenculturation (unity, mission, prayer, etc.)
  7. Resistance and possible persecution

*Disenculturation - an examination of our culture through the lens of the Kingdom of God