As many of you may or may not know, Liz and I are on a summer sabbatical. We are so grateful to our elders and pastors at The Road for encouraging the much-needed break from direct ministry. The past three weeks, though called back into some serious ministry situations that we could not anticipate, we have enjoyed much prolonged time in prayer, seeking God’s face, talking, listening, and yes, even fly fishing.
We bought a mountain cabin in Fairplay, Colorado, and have used a lot of the time fixing up the new place. It needed new floors and a fresh paint job. I have been downing trees, building a fire pit, and sitting under the aspen watching the sun rise each morning.
The fly fishing in the Fairplay area has been relaxing. I have spent many hours learning the waters, sitting by lakes and streams, and listening for God’s voice. For you who know me, I’m a kind of “mountain man” who loves the deep woods, the flowing streams, and the solitude of the woods.
This is a “vision sabbatical.” We are seeking God for the next decade. Some questions we are
asking:
- What are we called to focus on?
- What is our greatest contribution over the next ten years?
- How are we wired and what is it that will leave a lasting legacy upon Colorado and Colorado Springs?
A Kingdom of God Revolution
I spoke at Restoration Fellowship in Pagosa Springs last Sunday. I was invited by my good friend Justin Frie, the senior pastor. As I sought God, I was led to Haggai 2:6-7,
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts.”
I have spoken on this passage many times over the past year. I did an entire series on Haggai during the reopening of our church in the summer of 2020. And I am convinced more than ever that God has allowed covid to hit the world in order to shake us and wake us up.
God is bringing a mighty revolution of the Kingdom of God in our nation that will shake the very foundations of everything we have depended upon! At The Road, we have tripled in size during covid because of the hunger of His people. God is on the move, and we are in a Kingdom wave that is only building.
The True Church
The true Church, the ecclesia, is the government of God upon the earth. God is building His Church that the gates of hell cannot prevail against! He is raising up a Church that will impact every aspect of culture: education, politics, health care, arts, media, business, family, and even the church itself. It is this last area that is really being rocked at this point. I have talked to many pastors over the past few months, and most of them are struggling. They have lost many members and are desperate. Barna has predicted that one third of all churches will close their doors over the next year!
But Jesus is building His Church; and demonic powers, government overreach, Big Tech censorship, and Marxists policies will not prevail against it! For churches that have built their foundations on easy believism, no deep discipleship, business as usual, and a comfortable seeker model, the days ahead are ominous. For those churches that are building their foundations on Christ, His power, His Word, prayer, and the presence of His Spirit, the days ahead will be glorious!
Full of Confidence and Faith
I have been in ministry for over 41 years, and I can honestly say that I am more confident and full of faith than at any other time in my life. The lines between the soft and comfortable and the hard and powerful are clearer than ever.
The Kingdom of God Revolution will be made up of men and women who love God with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They will follow the narrow way of loving their neighbor as much as they love themselves. They will realize that the only way for strongholds to be demolished is through Spirit-anointed living, crying out to God, and an abiding faith in the promises of God! They will grow to understand that the basis for everything in their lives is the fear of God, not the fear of man. This is the church we will continue to build at The Road.
I want to be a part of what God is doing. Jesus wants His Church to be a glorious, united, revolutionary Church that turns the world upside down (Acts 17:6). In the next decade, whole nations will topple, churches will crumble, and leaders will fall, but His Church will endure. His people will be the overcomers who will change the world. Let’s go!
Yours for the Revolution,
Pastor Steve
