Some look at things that are, and ask why.

I dream of things that never were and ask, why not?

~George Bernard Shaw

I thank God for Jesus Loves Kalamazoo and am a part of Catalyst Week every year. JLK is a vehicle the Lord is using to bring revival, reformation, and restoration to our region. My idea of what that looks like has certainly grown and changed over the years.

The change has come as I’ve been led by the Holy Spirit to consider what the Lord desires, rather than what I’d like to see happen from my earthly perspective. When I was first saved 38 years ago, I had a vague idea that it would mean that the church would be outrageously happy and that many would be saved just as I had been.

Over the years as the culture wars increased and I saw Orthodox Christianity under increasing assault my ideas of what would be necessary for the Church to be triumphant turned to her returning to her First Love. I have come to understand more clearly what Jesus desires her to be. It’s essential we become all our Lord has ordained for us if we are to present a witness that will win the hearts, minds, and imaginations of a despondent world steeped in deception and held fast in bondage to the dark ruler of this world. In a nutshell, I believe the destiny of the Church in these last days is this:

‘. . . that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

~Ephesians 4:12-13

This statement is astonishing when we consider what the implications are, especially since it would mean the Church would collectively attain this before the return of Christ! That we, collectively, would be increasing in measure as Christ is; His divine name, which when translated, means: ‘Anointed One’. This should not astound us when we consider how Satan is perfecting his armies to bring death and destruction; an alliance of demon-possessed humanity embodied in groups like ISIS and Boko Haram. The only witness that will answer to such evil is a Spirit-filled host of Christians joined with Angelic hosts who together bring the Word of God as a collective move of the Spirit. And Jesus is doing exactly that in His Church– raising up a People of the Cross willing to ‘live dead’ for the Kingdom of God.  In order to see that occur, each of us must have the same attitude as the Apostle Paul, when he said:

‘. . . that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.’

~Philippians 3:10-11

How would we describe such a church? While still being human, she would:

  • Be wise with the wisdom of God Himself, as Steven was- acting and speaking with Spirit-inspired wisdom that could not be refuted (Acts 6:10).
  • Be anointed to move in the power of the Holy Spirit even as her Lord did.
  • Willingly lay down her life when called upon for the faith.
  • Have love for everyone, especially love for the enemies of Christ.
  • Be pure and holy, as her Lord is.
  • Be courageous, kind and joyful.
  • Restore the honor and dignity of humanity- at least for those who desire it to be restored.
  • Look forward to the return of the Lord and speed its coming. (2 Peter 3:11-13)

She would pursue and see the fulfillment of the Lord’s Prayer: ‘Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven.’ This, then, would be the Overcoming Church that Jesus longs to return to and claim as His own for eternity.

How then, do we see this vision unfold? We go in whatever strength and wisdom we already have, taking the next step of obedience together, believing the Lord will unfold this vision as we go. The lamp of the Lord through His Word and His Spirit will guide us. We are already seeing some of these things occur, and we long to see more. Join us on this incredible journey. See the Kingdom of God come to the earth in preparation for the Messiah. Be a part of JLK’s Catalyst Week and JLK/365, and help the Church ‘become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.’ In so doing, we will win the world for Christ!

~ Dave Alderman. Plainwell Assembly of God