Quote from Forum Archives on November 29, 1998, 5:35 pm

Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>

Standing Shoulder To Shoulder With You In The Trenches
As We fight The Good Fight

TITLE: "Patterns Of Purification" (Part Three -- final part)

Dear Co-Laborer on Christ:

A "hallelujah hello" to you! I trust, for you U.S. folks, you had a
great Thanksgiving holiday filled with family, fellowship, and praise.
For you who don't have this legal holiday, I hope you had the same.

I love all the seasons of the year. But, if I had to pick one, this is
my favorite ---- even after the leaves are gone and the cold winds have
begun. There is something about the colors of Fall ---- the blueness of
the sky, the whiteness of the clouds, the rainbow shades of the leaves,
the brilliance of the Fall flowers. God is really good with His artist's
brush as He strokes across the canvas of the seasons!

For you who live south of the Equator, Spring is also a wonderful time
---- as seeds begin to manifest life, the grass turns green, the flowers
blossom, and life again springs forth. God does a great job of painting
on both sides of the canvas!

NOW TO THE SUBJECT BEFORE US:

In review ---- If we can correctly discern God's activity in the various
states of church life, we can come to understand the dynamics of human
personalities and preferences and how they can be used to accomplish
God's intention of holiness, purity, spiritual vitality, and effective
ministry for every church.

In my first letter on this subject two weeks ago I shared from several
passages of scripture the fact that I believe it is in God's heart to
bring every single church to such purity, holiness, revival power, and
effective ministry. As most churches traverse through four major phases
which lead to either progress or death, that church will become more
fully molded into the image of Jesus Christ.

Those four phases are . . .
1. Honeymoon Adventure
2. Stabilization and Plateau
3. Re-grouping and Digging In
4. Decision Toward Collapse or Commitment.

I described the first two last week. Today I conclude with the last two.

In the Honeymoon Adventure, it is exactly that ---- a time filled with
joy, expectations, and great experiences, as people enter into a new
relationship with each other. It is characterized by numerical growth
and exciting days.

But, eventually the newness wears off and reality sets in, leading to an
inevitable and necessary time of stabilizing and coming down to earth
---- usually after six to eighteen months, sometimes a little longer.

In the second phase, the Stabilization and Plateau period, which
generally lasts another one to two years, there is a leveling off process
that often results in varying degrees of disappointments and misgivings
---- primarily because of unfulfilled expectations which have been
focusing on the wrong things and have been placed in the wrong people..

During this time there is the first of several major turning points as
both leadership and membership react to the plateauing phenomenon, often
resulting in growing dissatisfaction, criticism, and reversion to efforts
of the flesh to try to crank things back up again. There will be losses
---- both in finances, membership, and motivation. These losses lead to
greater dissatisfaction and criticism ---- which, in turn, can result in
more losses.

It can easily deteriorate into a vicious cycle that leads to total
discouragement and extremely unwise decisions and actions. Which brings
us to the third phase . . . .

III. RE-GROUPING AND DIGGING IN:

As pastor and people scramble to try and pick up the pieces of what
little motivation remains and try to hang on, . . .

1. The Plateau effect seems to solidify like freshly poured concrete
that has been left unattended. It easily deteriorates into a "holding
our own" or "about the same" mentality among the leadership and
membership alike and, if not properly addressed, will turn into a
circular track that does nothing but lead you in circles and get you
nowhere.

Then, you eventually turn into the "infield of self pity" for a pit stop
in the "pit of despond". At this point, nearly all motivation is gone,
and you find yourself basically jumping back and forth between going
through the motions on the one hand, and lashing out "prophetically" from
the pulpit, attempting to shame the people back into action, on the
other.

This, of course, only creates new wounds, re-opens old ones, and further
infects those still not healed. So, it is easy for the pastor or staff
member to pack up and leave ---- a victim in his own eyes, a fallen hero
to those who supported him, and a vanquished criminal paying for his sins
to those who had become his adversaries.

2. A second polarization takes place in the form of three different
responses made by those who remain.

Remember that the first polarization was not particularly dynamic, and it
centered primarily around the issues of spiritual condition,
traditionalism, and personal offenses.

This second polarization, however, can sometimes hit like the shock waves
from an earthquake. You find yourself thinking, "Oh, no! Here we go
again! I'm not up to going through another battle." It is extremely
tempting to bail out.

This time around, however, you will find the congregation polarizing in
more precisely identifiable groups. Tthough not strategically planned
this way, the polarization will probably settle in around three basic
reactions:

1) Fresh Commitment ----Those faithful members who have made a
commitment to go on with God, no turning back, because they understand
what God is doing. They are the ones who will take up the slack. Their
memories of past struggles have driven them to a commitment level beyond
themselves. (It is very important to be sure these loyal saints don't
burn out in the future as a result.)

2) Debilitating Despair ----Those who, because of the earlier
criticisms and losses, become fearful, disillusioned, and discouraged.
Their fears of another battle lead them to give up and contemplate
abandoning ship. (Time needs to be spent with them, encouraging and
explaining ---- teaching them to keep their eyes on the Lord and their
trust in His faithfulness.)

3) Destructive Complaining ----Those who become critical, take up the
offenses of people who left earlier, begin to sow seeds of discord, and
try to "go back to Egypt" by returning to the way it used to be. In a
sense, there is a form of intended revenge for the "damage" done earlier.

There is, strangely enough, A Condition that can be found present in all
three polarization groups ---- a general sense of Dissatisfaction With
the Way Things Are. Frankly, that is good, because it becomes fairly
certain, therefore, that one way or another, things are going to move off
dead center.

THREE RESULTS OF DISSATISFACTION:

Dissatisfaction not resolved will then ultimately lead to one of three
things:

1) Despair and/or disgust. Both despair and disgust lead to the same
thing ---- dropping out. Dropping out results in Death ---- spiritual
death.

2) Anger and resentment. They, in turn, lead to an attempted return to
the "good old days" of Egypt. Returning to such things as leeks, garlic,
mud, straw, and bondage also results in death ---- legalism and
traditionalism.

3) Desperation and brokenness. Such things will lead to hopeless and
helpless ---- prayer! This most highly desired result will also produce
death ---- wonderful death! Ron Dunn said, "most of us don't pray until
we have to", and God has His ways of getting us there ---- to where we
"have to". That is a crucial and necessary point to which we must
arrive.

You see, my friend, that's where God wanted that church all along!
That's where God wants us all!

Why?

Because resurrection life and revival come from the grave! "Except a
grain of wheat fall into the ground and die, . . . !"

This, in fact, is the second major ---- Very major ---- Turning Point.
And ---- tragedy of all tragedies, many pastors leave at this time ----
just at the moment God is about to manifest a new work and give a new
word. When a pastor is terminated or resigns at this time, it is a most
tragic event ---- because it often brings God's activity of reviving to a
grinding stop.

This "crisis" moment comes at various times, but usually after an
additional six to eighteen months after the plateauing has solidified.
If you add these time spans together, you find that up to an approximate
three to five years has transpired since the church began, a new staff
member was added, or a pastor was called.

During that time the church has probably faced two major turning points
and two primary episodes of polarization. The first of each was
primarily that of positioning and flaking off some surface issues. The
second of each was more substantive.

Most polls I have seen indicate that a church generally faces some type
of turning point within its first nine to fifteen months, again around
its third year, and again around its fifth year. My own observations
concur.

When such polarization takes place, the nearly inevitable result will
lead to some hard decisions being made. The decision to leave, ---- the
decision to give up, ---- the decision to just play the game, ---- the
decision to get rid of someone, ---- the decision to blame, ---- the
decision to launch an offensive to take control.

In a way it is a point of no return. It is decision time.

IV. DECISION ---- COLLAPSE OR COMMITMENT:

This is where God has wanted us ---- at the point of Decision. It is a
decision that involves the pastor, the church leadership, and the church
membership.

By this time the church has experienced both the loss and addition of
members, the clarification of distinct polarized groups, and the
challenge for control and leadership.

What happens here will, by and large, determine the future of the church
for years to come, because in its earlier responses it has already
established a pattern that will guide it, sometimes literally for
generations to come.

The pastor and the leaders are faced with a major choice ---- which of
the three polarized groups will most influence their decisions. Or, more
importantly, are they willing to hear the voice of God and trust the
purpose of God to bring healing, restoration, revival, awakening, and the
salvation of the lost?

The key to the church's future will be primarily determined by the
response of the pastoral and lay leadership ---- are they willing to burn
all the bridges and make a commitment to shepherd, train, and minister to
those who remain? Or, will they choose to bail out, or just acquiesce
and play the game?

This is the Third Major Turning Point ---- the beginning of something
exciting, including the following:

1. A dissatisfaction that turns into a desperation that says, "God is
our Only solution."

Or, a decision to throw in the towel and resign. If a pastor, for
example, choose to resign under such circumstances, having somehow been
convinced that his ministry there is over or that he is the problem,
then, as I said last week, it will be necessary for God to start the
process all over again ---- or simply write "Ichabod" over the doors and
leave the church to its own self-created malaise and death.

2. This dissatisfaction, on the other hand, if responded to properly,
will be accompanied by brokenness ---- coming to the end of all human
resources, and embracing the fullness of all divine resources. When that
happens, conviction of sin, unconditional love, and deep healing begin to
flow.

Revival Is Beginning! And, it is destined to grow and gain momentum.

3. Out of that "dissatisfaction-desperation-brokenness-revival process
will come a deepening of spiritual disciplines and commitment.

4. People will begin ministering out of brokenness and compassion rather
than out of self-centered duty and desire for recognition, to people with
both real and felt needs. This will especially be carried out through
prayer and spiritual giftings.

Restoration Is Taking Place! The church is being healed, restored, and
brought into loving unity. Those still undecided will have to make a
choice. Those remaining who are still complaining and striving for
control will either come under God's judgement, will experience personal
revival, will have disqualified themselves right out of any form of
influence or leadership, or will have left the church.

And, when revival and restoration take place in the church, it will
eventually affect the community.

5. The community begins to notice what is happening in the church.
Jesus becomes the topic of conversation, even among the unbelievers.
Spiritual things emerge as important.

Awakening in society Is Beginning!

6. As God works in the hearts of believers, He begins to thrust them
outside the church and its restrictive walls and systems. Ministry,
witnessing, and evangelism start happening outside the church.

Massive evangelism and harvest eventually become a way of life.

7. As the church deepens its own life and new believers come on the
scene, further rebuilding and growth take place. Somewhere in the
process it reaches the point of "critical mass" ---- that place when the
momentum of ministry and witnessing are so driven by the Holy Spirit that
both spiritual and numerical growth of massive proportions are
inevitable.

At the same time, the winnowing and purifying process continues to
jettison some members as God speeds up the refining and fine-tuning
necessary.

8. The momentum becomes well established, and the church becomes a
Spirit-driven, people focused living organism that moves in the anointing
of a world-changing God.

9. An ongoing cycle of warfare, refining, brokenness, correcting,
growth, training, healing, reaching, building, etc. is established, and
you suddenly find . . . .

The Church BEING the Church! ---- in an On-going manner!

WHERE ARE YOU IN THE SEQUENCE?:

In all candor I must say that the vast majority of us have experienced
the first three phases of church development. However, because we have
often interrupted the process before it reached its intended conclusion,
few have exprienced the type of revival life described in the fourth
phase.

Where are you?

TWELVE SIGNIFICANT CONCLUSIONS:

Having studied these patterns now for over thirty years, I have formed
the following conclusions. Maybe you will agree with some of them.

1. Most churches are filled with wounded, hurting people who need
healing, restoration, and revival. Many of them strike out in vicious
ways when hurt or threatened.

2. Most pastors leave far too soon! It takes three to five years for a
pastor and church to get to know each other, and even longer to learn to
trust each other. It takes five to ten years for a New church to really
find out who it is and what type of church God wants it to be.

Often pastors leave because they cannot or will not face spiritual issues
in their own lives with which God is dealing ---- pressures from their
peers, fear of exposure, guilt over past failures, fear of losing
control, fear of letting go and letting God, fear of being branded or
labeled, etc. The results are often premature actions and decisions.

3. In my own experience, and often substantiated by interviewing many
pastors across the country, I have found that, without exception (though
there must certainly be some), those who insist on prolonged, on-going
criticism, complaining, and controversy, are people filled with guilt,
bitterness, unreconciled relationships, unforgiveness, and/or resistance
to God's delegated authority.

4. Many pastors and church members are unaware of such a process as I
have described, or they are unwilling to pay the price required to see
God act in supernatural power. The result will be obvious ---- premature
departure, game playing, continuous bickering, constant stalemate over
taking action.

5. Loving and patient teaching and counsel are necessary in the lives of
the leaders.

6. It is imperative that pastors recognize that not all members of the
church are born again; and others are carnal; still others are spiritual
but immature. You will ALWAYS Have A Mixed Multitude to shepherd.

7. You may find characteristics from each of the four major stages
present in your church simultaneously.

8. When a pastor Does leave, he should do so by "call" and not by
"crisis".

9. The stronger your prayer base, the more fruitful the process will be.
Therefore, the most important ministry you can ever have in a church is
a Comprehensive Prayer Ministry!

10. What sometimes appears to be the most unfruitful and least enjoyable
period of time, may well be the most important in the long run. Like the
growth and development of a tree, the Pruning of Springtime and the
dormant Fall and Winter seasons which help solidify past growth both
generate strength and maturity which will result in fruit more abundant
both in quality and quantity.

11. Any church that experiences Real Revival will have automatic losses.
And, losses are Not equivalent to Failure. The famed "back door
revivals" are often some of the most needful.

12. You can stop this cycle wherever you want and whenever you want ----
and go back to the old way ---- Playing Church!

Or ---- you can go on with God through the crucible of cost into revival,
then awakening, then dynamic and effective ministry and evangelism.

IN CONCLUSION:

My friend, it is my prayer that these three letters have brought you
understanding, clarification, and great encouragement. It is imperative
that any church or individual that wants to enter the "Promised Land" of
true Revival must be willing to let the "old generation" of Egypt's
residue die in the wilderness before God can take it in to such dynamic
life.

May it be so for you!

In Christ's Bond,

Bop Tolliver ---- (Rom 1:11-12)
Copyright November, 1998. All rights reserved.

If this letter has blessed you and you know of someone else who needs to
be encouraged, feel free to forward it in its entirety to all such people
you know.

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{ (O) (O) }
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Hang in there! I'm with you!

-------.oooo0--------------- Ooooo--------
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TO SUBSCRIBE, send any message to <[email protected]>.

Bob Tolliver ---- Rom 1:11-12
Life Unlimited Ministries
E-mail: [email protected]
Ph: 417-275-4854
Fax: 417-275-4855

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