It has been a while since I posted on this blog. One of the things I have been doing over the last few months is reading the book, "7 Commitments of a Forerunner: A Sacred Charge to Press Into God" by Mike Bickle with Brian Kim. This book is one of those life-changing books. In order to review this book, I must first provide you with some background on the context of the book's message.
Two years ago, the theme of the International House of Prayer's Onething conference was focused on the second coming of Jesus. I must admit that I struggled more than a little with this theme. When it comes to eschatological (end times) preaching, I picture those wide-eyed preachers with signs saying the "end is near." Honestly, some of my Christian friends seemed to react with similar caution and skepticism. It is out of fashion to talk about Jesus second coming these days.
I personally felt like I had to come to grips with this whole "Jesus is returning" theme. In short, I realized that the Bible clearly teaches the second coming of Christ. As Misty Edwards noted, it is not just theology, it is reality. In addition to this, it tells us that (regardless of our understanding of those teachings) we should live as if His return could be any time. Furthermore, scripture clearly teaches that there are some signs that will accompany the events surrounding His return, and that we should be aware of these. In fact, there is a balancing influence that takes place when we realize that the fullness of the kingdom of God will not be manifest until Christ returns. He is our hope, and that hope is a future tense kind of thing. Paul summarizes it like this:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all, training us to renounce impiety and worldly passions, and in the present age to live lives that are self-controlled, upright, and godly, while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He it is who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds. Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you. Titus 2:11–15 (emphasis mine)
The counterbalance to all of this is that we are not merely called to be "marketing agents" for the Lord's second coming. We are called to be disciples of Jesus, imitators of God. We are called to be temples of the Holy Spirit, and to be Christ's bride, and to be friends of the Bridegroom. We are called to love God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and our neighbor as ourselves.
If I were to summarize the primary points of the Onething 2008 conference they would be:
- Jesus Christ will return in reality.
- We are to expect it, and that some are living today who will see the day of His return.
- We as his people -- the Church -- are not ready.
- We need to equip ourselves and disciple people, so we will be ready.
- The "Sacred Charge" call to be forerunners, like John the Baptist.
An important side note is that the IHOP-KC folks are not adherents of the pre-trib rapture, where believers expected to be "taken up" prior to the Great Tribulation. Their position is that the Church will be present throughout the end-time events, and will in fact, play a key role during that time. I tend to agree. If the believers alive when Jesus returns will be present, then that suggests we need to perhaps prepare differently than if we think we will be snatched out the last minute, leaving the rest behind.
This brings us to the Sacred Charge. When I first heard the Sacred Charge, it moved me. It influenced the mission and vision and practices articulated on this blog. This spring, I was moved to purchase this book, to see how Bickle has elaborated on the topic. The Sacred Charge is summarized in seven commitments.
- Pray Daily
- Fast Weekly
- Do Justly
- Give Extravagantly
- Live Holy
- Lead Diligently
- Speak Boldly
Bickle and Kim's book is an easy read, and is a simple and practical call to a lifestyle. The call to pray daily, involved more than just prayer, it involves immersing ourselves into the Bible with listening hearts. It involved pressing into God and loving God with all our being. Fasting is presented in a way that makes it assessable to anyone, as several types of fasts are presented. "Do Justly" focuses on the outward aspect of loving God, as we love our neighbors. They are not just challenging us to do good works, but to do good works as a result of our intimacy with God. One of the valuable points the authors make is that our intimacy with God revitalizes us and helps us avoid burnout. Calls to "Give Extravagantly" and to "Live Holy" involve a whole hearted commitment to God, where we commit 100 percent of our being to God. We are to get our pleasure and fascination from God. Again, the authors do not suggest a legalistic response, but rather, a partnership with God. The sections on "Lead Diligently" and "Speak Boldly" are addressed to discipleship and leadership in ministry. The section on leadership is worth the price of the book all by itself. Bickle's 12 characteristics of a diligent leader are definitive for what it means to be a leader. All of this is presented in a way so as to make Jesus the center.
One interesting point comes out repeatedly in this book. Bickle identifies seven spheres of society: Family, Education, Government (politics, law, and military), Arts (entertainment and sports), Media, and Religion. He observes:
"God has placed His people in each sphere. Jesus has called us to bring His Word and presences to impact all seven of these sheres." (p. 106)
This is a point that could easily be missed. Note, he does not say we are called to make all these areas look like the Kingdom of God. Bickle does not call us to transform society. In this way, his teachings are not in conflict with those such as Greg Boyd. Instead, he is concerned with showing forth the love of God, and impacting those around us, wherever we are. The fact is, God's people are involved with one or more of these spheres of society. The point is that we "bring His Word and presences to impact" these spheres we are engaging at the moment. In this way, the 7 Commitments are not a call to a hermit-like lifestyle. Rather, it is a call to allow God into all of our life, and to let Him define our life as we seek to know and love him more. One of my favorite scripture verses is:
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:1–2
It is true, that as we press into God like this, we will be changed. Our priorities will change, and we may even re-evaluate our life goals and work. In the section on Speaking Boldly, Bickle challenges us to be prepared to meet resistance and rejection the more we seek to be a faithful witness to the truth of God.
This book is something I think all followers of Jesus should read. It cuts to the core of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. We just need to realize that God is calling His people to prepare for His return. He is calling us to participate in God's transforming love for this world and its people.
For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and grounded in love. I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:14 – 21
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”
And let everyone who hears say, “Come.”
And let everyone who is thirsty come.
Let anyone who wishes take the water of life as a gift. Revelation 22:17
