“This took place for two years, so that all who lived in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.” Acts 19:10 (in reference to the Ephesian revival that some historians say resulted in a church of 50,000 after two years)

The Vision: part 2.

POWER and EXTENSION.

When I speak of power I am referring to Acts 1:8 when Jesus talks about how the Spirit will come upon His band of ragtag hillbilly’s and empower them for fruitfulness.  You see, when He tells them to go back to Jerusalem and wait there is an assumption on Jesus’ part.  The assumption is that they are not ready.  They are not empowered to the extent that will be required.  You need more!

So they go back and wait.  Can you imagine what that must have been like?  A week?  They weren’t really sure what they were waiting for but they were waiting…. and waiting … and waiting.  I’m not convinced I would’ve made it a week.  I probably would’ve thought to myself after four days… “well, whatever was supposed to have happened must’ve happened.  Let’s get going!  This isn’t a holy huddle after all!  He said go and make disciples so let’s get busy!”  Are you like me?

I think this is what Jesus meant by “half built towers” in Luke 14.  Most of the church I have experienced is a half built tower powered by activism and enthusiasm but not THE thing he told us to wait for.  So we only get so far.  We only build so far before we bottle it or breakdown.  Much of the church in the West is a “four day church.”

But they waited the full week.

And something happened.  Oh baby did something happen!

POWER happened. 

We were always meant for POWER.  You see, humans are by nature “derivative.”  We do not possess in ourselves the innate capacity to live and thrive.  We need to draw strength from The Source which lies outside ourselves.  And when that connection is made humanity elevates into all that it was meant to be.  We become “ourselves.”  You know what’s cool?  Part of that “becoming ourselves” involves brokering miracles and power into this human reality so that people can attest to The Source that is behind it.  It is what you were meant for.

Instead we are stuck in “four day churches” living from our measly resources and creating theology to explain our powerlessness and exhaustion.

It is our passion @ CV that we would be a broken and open community of people that have realized our dependence to the extent that we will pay any price and obey any request He has of us in the quest for access to Him and His resources for us.  Not for a “bless me up” but so that we can play the part He has for us in brokering His Life into Kent, the UK and the Nations.  The darkness is thick but His power is weighty!  It can cut it like a hot knife thru butter!  But it has to be His power.  We will be crushed. 

But when power does come and we are brought alive into the mission for which we were created we see a very natural secondary process happen.  We see it in Mark 4 when Jesus tells the story of the sower:  There are four soils and the fourth is the good soil that waits all week… it knows its need and its derivative nature so it does not leave but receives The Word and lets it fully digest itself into our systems.  And Jesus then says that something extraordinary will result.  EXTENSION.  He says that this one seed will multiply and result in exponential multiplication to the tune of 30x, 60x or even 100x growth!  Have you ever seen that? 

I think I’ve seen it with consumer phenomenon like Facebook or iPhones but before I die I want to be a part of a movement of God where His power is releasing and extension and an impact upon this earth that genuinely can be measured with 30x, 60x and 100x growth!  CV lives to see that promise fulfilled.  We are banking that one.  When God’s Kingdom comes and fuels a movement this is what is supposed to look like… so why not Kent?  Why not the UK?  Why not Canterbury?

Which brings us to the inevitable question… “why?”  is this some kind of ambitious attempt to pursue personal glory or the creation of an “empire” for all things CV-ish?  (In the memorable words of my old friend James Prior, “revival without extension is nothing but spiritual masturbation.”) Hardly.  In Acts 19:17 it says this of the result from the Ephesian revival, “When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honour.” 

“The name of the Lord Jesus was held in High Honour.”  The NASB says it was “magnified.”  That is the goal. 

“Jesus’ people filled with Jesus’ power bringing Jesus’ extension bringing Jesus honour.”

 This is The Vision.