NEW KIND of WARFARE - Andrew Strom
Quote from Forum Archives on August 25, 2005, 4:47 pmPosted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
"A NEW KIND of WARFARE"
-APPLYING it to the CHURCH.
-by Andrew Strom.I have always been interested in books about Battle Strategy
and War Tactics, and have read quite a few over the years.
Recently I have been reading about Col. John Boyd, who led the
tactics revolution in the US military that ended up with the USA's
overwhelming victory in Desert Storm. In between the Vietnam
War and Gulf War I, America's whole approach to battle was
revolutionized - largely through the thinking of this one man.Boyd had gone back in history and studied all the great generals
and the battles where small forces beat much larger armies. He
analyzed all of this, and came up with a kind of "Blitzkrieg" theory
that has totally transformed the way that the US fights. No longer
do we see vast lines of thousands of men slowly advancing and
getting mowed down by machine guns. The new approach is all
about being highly mobilized, fluid and quick-witted on the ground,
taking "gaps" and getting in behind the enemy as quickly as possible.It is a kind of 'guerilla warfare' approach - but on a vast scale. The
commanders of small units are given much more autonomy to
make on-the-spot decisions. They are taught to use their "intuition"
and take opportunities as they open up - to press forward and not
to stop. They are told what the "mission" is - but the exact way of
getting there is totally adaptable by junior commanders on the spot.
Thus, command is becoming truly "decentralized". This is a radical
departure - completely new. And the US forces are becoming
masters of it. That is why Iraq 1 and 2 were such a walk-over.
-Against large armies too!Which leads us to the church.
As you know, I have read and thought and written a great deal
about "Street Revival" over the years - and I am convinced that
this is the kind of Revival that we are about to see. I am also
convinced that we are now entering (or have entered) "Harvest"
time in America and other countries. RIGHT NOW! -Which makes
taking ACTION doubly-urgent, as I'm sure you'll agree.As I have looked down the corridors of time, from the Book of Acts
down through all the great Revivals in the Western nations, I have
always felt that there will be a "coming together" of all these key
ingredients in one last great Revival. So what exactly is God's
approach for THIS Harvest in THIS hour?After years of praying and pondering, lately God has been boiling it
all down for me in a much more coherent way. And it seems like
when I look at the situation in the cities of the West today, I see
the answers as more "obvious" than I have ever seen before. Isn't
that often the way? It is like God draws back a veil and suddenly
everything is so clear.Let me paint a picture for you - of a new - and highly mobilized -
kind of warfare. One that is very old but also very new. (By the
way, this is not mere "theory". It is what we are teaching and
DOING in Minnesota next week, and elsewhere).Please picture for me a group of young Christians in their teens
and early twenties. This group is all Spirit-filled, but their church
makes little use of them - just expects them to do the usual "Youth
Group" things - and maybe hold a 'youth service' once in a while, etc.Now imagine that they get with a bunch of 'radical' older people
and God begins to challenge them about reaching out to those
in the inner cities. The way God is leading them will involve being:
(1) Highly mobile, (2) DARING, (3) Using technology, (4) Preaching
a piercing gospel, (5) Healing the sick and casting out demons,
(6) Being "instant" (led by the Spirit), (7) Aiming at the POOR,
(8) Getting in and getting out fast.So, how 'mobilized' is it possible to be today?
Well, I just bought an 'Inverter' off Ebay for $25.00 that enables me
to power an entire band off a car battery. And instead of setting
up drums and amps (-which takes ages), I bought a Hip-Hop
'groovebox' for $50 that plays ALL our music. (700 patterns). -So
the TECHNOLOGY has changed in our favor. The set-up time is
drastically reduced.What it all adds up to is this:
We can go into the worst neighborhoods and drive around praying
for God's leading - and quickly find a place where youth are hanging
around. We can jump out, throw the speakers on the roof of the
car and be making music to draw a crowd within about 5 minutes
flat. We can give testimonies, preach a piercing 'Repentance'
message, pray for the sick, and if there are serious problems with
either Police or gangs, we can be out of there in 3 minutes flat.
Now that is what I call "mobilized"!(I also believe it is vital that we have a "base" in the neighborhoods
we are ministering in, and that there is a strong emphasis on
discipling new converts. We need to make disciples that will make
disciples that will make even more disciples, and so on).Some of the most powerful prophecies I have ever heard about the
coming Revival say that in the Last Days there will be a "new
Salvation Army" - an army of worshipping warriors that will take
to the streets in the name of Jesus. I believe we are in that hour,
and that we must become "mobilized" into the streets in ways
that are both "new" but also very old. Jesus said, "I have come to
seek and save that which was LOST."Please note that such an army must involve ALL AGES. The
street-teams themselves (especially the singers) I believe will be
almost all YOUNG, but there will be preachers and pray-ers and
'disciplers' and mentors of every kind involved in this thing. In fact,
one of the key roles that a lot of older ones will have is urging the
youth to be more bold and radical - but also keeping things on a
'sound' footing. There also MUST be massive prayer-cover for this
whole thing to work. We are invading the devil's territory!In Desert Storm, when the Marines adopted these new 'maneuver'
tactics, they found that they moved so fast through enemy lines,
and outflanked them so quickly, that the Iraqui's thought they were
"everywhere" and began to surrender in their thousands without a
fight. Whole battalions of troops were surrendering to US units
who were far outnumbered by them! This is what happens when
you are so "mobile". The enemy cannot target you quickly enough.
They grow alarmed and confused - and fall apart.And this is exactly what God wants to do to the devil today. He
wants us so 'mobile' and so "instant" (led by the Spirit) that we
are behind the devil's lines before he even knows what is happening.
God wants confusion to reign in the enemy camp. And He needs
daring soldiers, full of the Holy Spirit, to accompish this task.We are talking here about a completely "mobilized" army. -A
'church without walls' in the same way that the Book of Acts was
a church without walls. We are to bring Jesus to the culture of our
streets - the same as they brought Him to the culture of theirs.
The 'wine-skin' is different but the heart is the same. And modern
technology makes it possible to be more "mobile" now than we
have ever been.So what about you? Are you ready to 'mobilize', my friends?
-I believe the time has come.God bless you all.
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.
Posted by: prophetic <prophetic@...>
-APPLYING it to the CHURCH.
-by Andrew Strom.
I have always been interested in books about Battle Strategy
and War Tactics, and have read quite a few over the years.
Recently I have been reading about Col. John Boyd, who led the
tactics revolution in the US military that ended up with the USA's
overwhelming victory in Desert Storm. In between the Vietnam
War and Gulf War I, America's whole approach to battle was
revolutionized - largely through the thinking of this one man.
Boyd had gone back in history and studied all the great generals
and the battles where small forces beat much larger armies. He
analyzed all of this, and came up with a kind of "Blitzkrieg" theory
that has totally transformed the way that the US fights. No longer
do we see vast lines of thousands of men slowly advancing and
getting mowed down by machine guns. The new approach is all
about being highly mobilized, fluid and quick-witted on the ground,
taking "gaps" and getting in behind the enemy as quickly as possible.
It is a kind of 'guerilla warfare' approach - but on a vast scale. The
commanders of small units are given much more autonomy to
make on-the-spot decisions. They are taught to use their "intuition"
and take opportunities as they open up - to press forward and not
to stop. They are told what the "mission" is - but the exact way of
getting there is totally adaptable by junior commanders on the spot.
Thus, command is becoming truly "decentralized". This is a radical
departure - completely new. And the US forces are becoming
masters of it. That is why Iraq 1 and 2 were such a walk-over.
-Against large armies too!
Which leads us to the church.
As you know, I have read and thought and written a great deal
about "Street Revival" over the years - and I am convinced that
this is the kind of Revival that we are about to see. I am also
convinced that we are now entering (or have entered) "Harvest"
time in America and other countries. RIGHT NOW! -Which makes
taking ACTION doubly-urgent, as I'm sure you'll agree.
As I have looked down the corridors of time, from the Book of Acts
down through all the great Revivals in the Western nations, I have
always felt that there will be a "coming together" of all these key
ingredients in one last great Revival. So what exactly is God's
approach for THIS Harvest in THIS hour?
After years of praying and pondering, lately God has been boiling it
all down for me in a much more coherent way. And it seems like
when I look at the situation in the cities of the West today, I see
the answers as more "obvious" than I have ever seen before. Isn't
that often the way? It is like God draws back a veil and suddenly
everything is so clear.
Let me paint a picture for you - of a new - and highly mobilized -
kind of warfare. One that is very old but also very new. (By the
way, this is not mere "theory". It is what we are teaching and
DOING in Minnesota next week, and elsewhere).
Please picture for me a group of young Christians in their teens
and early twenties. This group is all Spirit-filled, but their church
makes little use of them - just expects them to do the usual "Youth
Group" things - and maybe hold a 'youth service' once in a while, etc.
Now imagine that they get with a bunch of 'radical' older people
and God begins to challenge them about reaching out to those
in the inner cities. The way God is leading them will involve being:
(1) Highly mobile, (2) DARING, (3) Using technology, (4) Preaching
a piercing gospel, (5) Healing the sick and casting out demons,
(6) Being "instant" (led by the Spirit), (7) Aiming at the POOR,
(8) Getting in and getting out fast.
So, how 'mobilized' is it possible to be today?
Well, I just bought an 'Inverter' off Ebay for $25.00 that enables me
to power an entire band off a car battery. And instead of setting
up drums and amps (-which takes ages), I bought a Hip-Hop
'groovebox' for $50 that plays ALL our music. (700 patterns). -So
the TECHNOLOGY has changed in our favor. The set-up time is
drastically reduced.
What it all adds up to is this:
We can go into the worst neighborhoods and drive around praying
for God's leading - and quickly find a place where youth are hanging
around. We can jump out, throw the speakers on the roof of the
car and be making music to draw a crowd within about 5 minutes
flat. We can give testimonies, preach a piercing 'Repentance'
message, pray for the sick, and if there are serious problems with
either Police or gangs, we can be out of there in 3 minutes flat.
Now that is what I call "mobilized"!
(I also believe it is vital that we have a "base" in the neighborhoods
we are ministering in, and that there is a strong emphasis on
discipling new converts. We need to make disciples that will make
disciples that will make even more disciples, and so on).
Some of the most powerful prophecies I have ever heard about the
coming Revival say that in the Last Days there will be a "new
Salvation Army" - an army of worshipping warriors that will take
to the streets in the name of Jesus. I believe we are in that hour,
and that we must become "mobilized" into the streets in ways
that are both "new" but also very old. Jesus said, "I have come to
seek and save that which was LOST."
Please note that such an army must involve ALL AGES. The
street-teams themselves (especially the singers) I believe will be
almost all YOUNG, but there will be preachers and pray-ers and
'disciplers' and mentors of every kind involved in this thing. In fact,
one of the key roles that a lot of older ones will have is urging the
youth to be more bold and radical - but also keeping things on a
'sound' footing. There also MUST be massive prayer-cover for this
whole thing to work. We are invading the devil's territory!
In Desert Storm, when the Marines adopted these new 'maneuver'
tactics, they found that they moved so fast through enemy lines,
and outflanked them so quickly, that the Iraqui's thought they were
"everywhere" and began to surrender in their thousands without a
fight. Whole battalions of troops were surrendering to US units
who were far outnumbered by them! This is what happens when
you are so "mobile". The enemy cannot target you quickly enough.
They grow alarmed and confused - and fall apart.
And this is exactly what God wants to do to the devil today. He
wants us so 'mobile' and so "instant" (led by the Spirit) that we
are behind the devil's lines before he even knows what is happening.
God wants confusion to reign in the enemy camp. And He needs
daring soldiers, full of the Holy Spirit, to accompish this task.
We are talking here about a completely "mobilized" army. -A
'church without walls' in the same way that the Book of Acts was
a church without walls. We are to bring Jesus to the culture of our
streets - the same as they brought Him to the culture of theirs.
The 'wine-skin' is different but the heart is the same. And modern
technology makes it possible to be more "mobile" now than we
have ever been.
So what about you? Are you ready to 'mobilize', my friends?
-I believe the time has come.
God bless you all.
Kindest regards in Christ,
Andrew Strom.