Remember ~ All Things Learned

Back to Basics

This term is kind of odd or funny for me. First of all, we have a rather large, hardbound book called “Back to Basics” that covers everything from planting, well drilling, blacksmithing, to whatever you can think of. In the early years of marriage and self-supportive (homesteading) farming. It became my go-to book for creative ideas.

Years later, it was not only a phrase the Holy would use from time to time. But when we were employed at Morningstar, we used it as the name of our home group that we ran. That group, however, never did prosper for several reasons. One being the overall culture of giving everything to the call to the “ministry” of building. The second was that the general hotel manager at that time would not allow home group functions to take place in the building. So, because of that, I found a way around her and used my MFM membership to get a weekly room. This was an action that was not liked, but they could not do anything about it.

One would think that a ministry-related activity, an activity that they promoted, would be a green light. Saily, it did not. This was because the vice president at that time, Dave Yarnes, was extremely money-oriented; it was his god, and he pushed everyone under him to gain another dime.

Lessons Learned

I just spent some time re-watching the Elizabeth Herder interview that the Wake Up and Win podcast did some time back.

There is a lot of wisdom packed into that old podcast, and even though the main subject is IHOP and Mike Bickel. You could easily replace those names with Morningstar and Rick Joyner. Yes, many elements of the story are definitely IHOP and don’t transfer over. But the attitude does, the gas-lighting mindset of the workers, and more. So much so, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND this video to any former staff member or any of the current staff working under Rick. I would also recommend this video to all those who heard Rick talk about Mike Bickle and restoring him back into ministry. And I would ask this question after watching it: Is this the man you want as your boss?

( Click on the Image above to Listen)

Ever had a song that just hangs out in your mind, haunting like a ghost? Amanda’s Song, “All Things Learned,” often does that for me.

When we start out, new in the ways of the Lord, we often have an idyllic view of the world and how things work. As time unfolds, we start to forget and gloss over what we once knew. As says in the song says, “But all things learned, they don’t stay learned.”

In a congregational sense, we forget to easily, we paint over the issues of the past. Lost in the fog, we sometimes, out of misplaced hope, call the forgotten memories “grace” and allow people and things past our firewall.

Right now, the Body of Christ has a LOT of rebellious leaders, especially in the Charismatic. The Lord is bringing them to the surface so that hopefully we learn this lesson. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?” Matthew 7:16 Too often, we evaluate a pastor or prophet by things that dazzle our eyes and not by kingdom values.

Will we learn? We need to, or we will just repeat the same errors of the last 40 years over and over again.

Remember

The ability to remember can become a spiritual door to either good or bad. When God remembers someone, favor can fall on them. When you remember the things of God and how he did something in your life, you are opening a door. A door to wonder and the possibility of renewal.

Remembering forces us to give context to things. It can bring wisdom and even creativity.

I fully believe that since we are made in the image of God, and with the blood of Jesus. That remembering is far more than we think it is. We are choosing by an act of will to spiritually step into a moment of time and draw forth that moment into the present.

I often find encouragement in choosing to remember, to feel the emotion and the moment once again, when I was filled with the Holy Spirit at a John Wimber meeting. For a moment, I am 18 and all things feel possible again. I ponder it, the life, the zeal, and it gives me a tangible moment to gauge my older self by.

But then, as the moment shifts and the day grows into evening and videos like Elizabeth Herder's interview wander back. I hear in her voice the same youthful zeal that ran to the surface, only to be dazzled off to the side by Mike Bickel. It’s caused her to reevaluate her life and whether or not she or any of the other former leaders of IHOP should be trusted again. I hear wisdom in her older words and pain… and I wonder.

I wonder if leaders who are a part of Ricks' ministry, who were intertwined but have now woken up. I wonder if they have rushed back into ministry too early? They, like the rest of us, they need to heal, reevaluate, and unlearn what we thought we knew. I know in my own life, unlearning and relearning only come from the Presence of the Lord, and that is not a one-time thing. I mean, consider how long the Apostle Paul was in the desert, apparently alone, getting revelation from the Lord.

This is how we get back, this is how we get back to the basics. We need the Holy Spirit to untangle the mess within us and rewrite a new heart.

On that note, here is a video from one of the former leaders of Morningstar, Justin Perry. As a person who left the system in 2018, and now has several years of mentally and spiritually processing the events. I am encouraged to see the progress Justin is making. Listening to it, I would say there is more yet for his mind to walk through. Just like other ministers, like Wanda Alger, who is also struggling to put recent things into context.

Why am I saying this?

I am saying this to say, give them grace and time. The Father is shaking some of the leaders awake. And like Martin Luther, who just revamped the old system he knew (Catholicism) because it was all he knew. These leaders are doing the best they can with the knowledge and tools in front of them. So for the Lost, Hurt, and Lonely who are still triggered by words and phrases being used. I understand, there are still some leaders who trigger me, so give them grace, give them time. They are being refined just like the rest of us.

Leaders like Justin and Wanda will continue to change. What is being said now will alter as the Holy Spirit corrects and improves ideas. Case in point, I can tell Justin’s mind is still in process concerning House Church & the Corporate Church, perhaps we will see through Justin a better view in the future. And perhaps the new view will lay the foundation for the House church movement that will solve older issues.

Leadership