I respect Jack Hayford and the Four Square movement which itself was born in the power of the Holy Spirit and revival. What is happening in Lakeland is clearly rooted in Jesus. No one will ever agree with everything that any leader or movement that is being powerfully “rested upon” by the Lord teaches or believes. We often wrongly assume that because God has chosen to pour out on a particular group or person that this means that God approves of ALL that this group or person represents, teaches and believes.
We then often draw the conclusion that if we DON’T agree with ALL that this group or person represents, teaches and believes that this MUST mean that they are heretical or somehow not of God and therefore what is happening there must NOT be of God. Again, nothing could be further of from the truth. What we need to remember is that God has always been intent on redeeming all men, fallen men, to himself and that with that comes every variety of difference that can be imagined.We have 100’s of denom’s and movements for just this very reason.
The question we must always ask first is “are they wrong on who Jesus is?” If the answer is no, they are not wrong on who Jesus is, then the next question is is what they are teaching in conflict with the orthodoxy of Christianity or any clearly stated Scripture? This requires heartfelt honesty about whether or not we are truly objective or operating from an agenda.
When God pours out His presence it is because He is responding to hungry hearts that have cried out for His fullness. Every Revival in History has been exactly this way. I appreciate Jack’s approach; slow to judge, open hearted and aware that if it offends the religious mind that it is probable that God is right in the middle of it!
Concerning “The Lakeland Revival”
May 20, 2008
The following is provided by the Foursquare president, Pastor Jack Hayford, as a response to the many inquiries that have been received regarding the “Lakeland Revival.” This response is being sent with the confirmation of the board of directon. It is understandable that the reports of what may be a breakthrough of divine grace are raising questions regarding the veracity of the reports. Some ask what official stance the Foursquare movement will take toward this phenomenon.
First, by any standard of biblical wisdom, it is far too early to assert anything on any terms. Understandably, the reports of miracle blessing would cause rejoicing in anyone who believes that God does, indeed, work miracles in our time. But equally understandable are the questions raised by experienced pastoral leaders who have dealt with “revival” situations that have proven deceptive and that have ultimately deterred sincere souls from an understanding of God’s Word and relationship with His Son.
Second, it has not been the practice of The Foursquare Church to draw conclusions hastily in such situations. Our own history as a movement is marked by miracle visitations, both in the United States and in many nations around the world where our ministry extends. We have seen pure, wise, and trustworthy leaders scorned by cynics—at times, even scorned by church leaders who oppose miracles in our time on any terms. That is one reason our general response is to be “slow to speak,” as the Bible instructs (James 1:19). It is for that same reason that we tend to position ourselves as Gamaliel did (Acts 5:34-41)—the rabbi whose influence is reported by the Apostle Paul as having shaped his own thinking in significant regards (Acts 22:3).
As president of our fellowship, and in conjunction with the elders serving on our board and the executives serving in our offices, I recommend that we all give ourselves to prayer for God’s grace upon us as a fellowship of churches. We want to be available to His Spirit, instructed by His Word, open to His will, and humbly slow to pass judgment on things that are outside our purview. We are not called to answer for any other ministry or its report; our responsibility is to seek to serve our flock, teach our people God’s Word and wisdom, and keep ourselves open to to the precious workings of His Spirit.
For the time being, our desire is to live in hope, believe for God’s best in our day, and counsel our leaders and our people to be filled with the Spirit of God. We ask the Spirit to give us humility in discernment and to guard our souls from being either gullible, doubt-prone, or resistant to whatever God may seek to do that proves Christ-exalting, Word-verifying, and enduring beyond sensation or mere excitement. With time, whatever is taking place in Lakeland and through activities issuing from its happenings will either verify or discredit the source of the manifestations.
We are in an hour of history, both nationally and internationally, that calls us to prayer and fasting. Let us give ourselves to seeking God, and let us give place to His visitation in ways that please His heart, seek His glory, and honor His Son, our Savior, Healer, Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, and Soon Coming King.
It is very easy to play like Herod did with Yeshua, the Son of the Living God, when he washed his hands and said to himself it is OK.
Let’s pray and fast for God Himself would send His angels to take away from His Kingdom all the stumbling blocks and all lawlessness people, and only then we can see God’s holiness and His power to save the lost from ecumenism, humanism, satanism, idolatrism, hypocrisism, comunism, taoism, budhism, muslimism, confucianism, new-age-ism, unitarianism, babilonism, pacifism, homosexualism, lesbianism, and all other -ism’s that oppose to the Gospel of Yeshua. Amen.
Huh?