10 takeaways from Christian leadership roundtable
Through the corridors of time we hear the voice of 16th century reformer Martin Luther reminding us: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point that the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, […]
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Through the corridors of time we hear the voice of 16th century reformer Martin Luther reminding us: “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point that the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages is where the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”
To collectively discern the issues God is calling us to address today, about 25 senior Christian leaders attend a roundtable summit each year. We reaffirm our commitment to declare the transformative message of the Gospel and “hear what the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 2:7) at this specific time in history.
It is one of the highlights of my year as we gather to cultivate friendships, collectively learn from one another and consider prayerfully how best to serve those whom we are privileged to influence.
Rick Joyner, a seasoned veteran and prophetic leader, hosts the event many of us enjoy as a refreshing “family reunion.” I’m honored to join Steve Strang, Gen. Jerry Boykin, Wellington Boone, Ricky Skaggs, Jim and Lori Bakker, Janet Porter, Bob Weiner, John Dawson and others (Dr. Michael Brown, Mike Bickle, Cindy Jacobs and others are also sometimes with us).
In the closing session we tried to piece together a distillation of the most important themes. We went around the table trying to craft this from a one sentence submission from each person, a monumental task I can assure you! Here’s my attempt at the summary statement.
“Understanding God’s character and, while embracing our call to biblical fatherhood and motherhood in true holiness, we recognize our challenge of intense spiritual warfare amidst escalating surveillance technology to proclaim God’s Word uncompromisingly as a spiritual ‘Delta Force,’ challenging leaders to preach repentance, cultivate honor and arise courageously to fulfill the Great Commission and experience a desperately needed Great Awakening so America’s God-centered heritage is recovered and we enjoy our full salvation for the glory of God.”
That’s quite a mouthful so so I’ll break it down.
10 takeaways
1. Consistent Communion with God
Our privilege is to “abide in Him” on a daily basis so we enjoy intimacy with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, hear His voice, receive His daily empowerment and understand heaven’s blueprint for these critical times. With many distractions and legitimate responsibilities to which we must attend, it’s imperative we keep the main thing, the main thing.
2. Honoring Fathers and Mothers
The ongoing disintegration of the family has resulted in violence, immorality, confusion and lawlessness, so the recovery of these high callings in the family and church is a non-negotiable. The “Elijah ministry” of the church “will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a curse” (Malachai 4:6).
3. Pastors as Courageous Leaders
Amidst our deepening cultural crisis, pastors can no longer sit silent on the sidelines, seduced by non-offensive church-growth strategies but must come forth to address the cultural issues of our day. God’s people must be prepared and equipped to speak confidently, charitably and clearly on the hot button issues impacting our lives.
4. Lifestyle Evangelism
As the recent “Send” historic gathering in Orlando emphasized, we must “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest” (Matthew 9:38), as these are days of opportunity amidst abounding hopelessness in our culture. “The opportunity of a lifetime must be taken in the lifetime of the opportunity,” so leaders must model and make sure their people are motivated and equipped.
5. Another Great Awakening
The only hope for our nation is for divine intervention amidst the ever-increasing darkness. In the ’60s era of assassinations, race and campus rioting, Vietnam morass, homosexual, drug and feminist movements, God responded to the humility, prayers and activism of His people with the Jesus Movement similar to Great Awakenings in our nation’s history.
6. Stopping the Slaughter of Babies
God’s clear command to “speak up for all such as are appointed to destruction” (Proverbs 31:8) demands an end to apathy and a radical commitment to social justice, prayer and election of political leaders who stand for the sanctity of human life. The genocide of over 59 million babies plus aggressive promoting of wholesale abortion, infanticide and physician-assisted suicide MUST come to an end.
7. Emergence of God’s Minority
America faces imminent civil war, but “Small is God’s next big!” Jesus worked with His 12-member “band of brothers,” and opponents eventually declared, “these men who have turned the world upside down have come here also” (Acts 17:6). As the Russian Revolution and Nazi Germany were revolutionized by minority power, God’s people are awakening to the urgency of the hour and our opportunity similar to the two faith-filled spies among the 12 in these turbulent times.
8. Social Media and Surveillance
We are living in an unprecedented time when the “prince of the power of the air” is dangerously exploiting technology to restrict religious freedom and track our every move (as is currently happening in a chilling way in China). We must be watchmen on the wall and seek God for how we can utilize the potential of the Internet and online innovation for enhanced communication and mobilization of the global Christian community.
9. Recovering our God-centered Heritage
America was founded as a Judeo-Christian nation, but the church became comfortable, complacent and compliant to secular forces. By default, leftist-leaning atheists, socialists and secularists capitalized upon our ignorance and work aggressively to reshape this country in a godless way. The good news is that many of God’s people are being shaken by the effects of this demonic strategy and awakening to take a stand for righteousness and restoring our foundations.
10. Prayer and Fasting
The 2019 roundtable coincided with the one-year anniversary of Billy Graham’s death; his home was once on the very property where we gathered. Someone quoted Billy, “To get a nation back on its feet with God begins when we first get on our knees before God.”
Here’s the deal: As the dark gets darker and the light gets lighter, the difference between the two becomes more evident. As spiritual war heats up dramatically, it’s time to begin with prayer alongside the other conditions and promises of 2 Chronicles 7:14. Unite with us in claiming, “Your people will follow you in the day of your battle” (Psalm 110:3).
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