Little Tents; Big Tent
Little Tents; Big Tent
During a recent visit to Wellington, and while praying with my good friend Pastor Seth Fawcet at Hope Centre, I had the following vision:
I was looking at many groups of people with little tents, camping beside a big river. The people began to take their tents down and pack them away. As they did this a very large tent became visible, and the people who had dismantled their little tents began to move together into this one big tent.
In the first instance this vision has to do with God's work in the Hutt Valley of New Zealand, and especially in the city of Lower Hutt itself. The Lord is calling individual local churches and their leaders in that city beside the Hutt River, to increasingly move themselves from the small to the big picture...that they are individually significant parts of a much greater whole; the one Body of Christ in that city.
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4.4-6)
This vision also has implications for the whole nation of New Zealand. The 90s Revival here was basically quenched by individual leaders and their acolytes who insisted that they and their "kingdoms" be viewed not merely as significant parts, but as the whole of what God was then doing by the Holy Spirit.
The "unity of the Spirit" (Ephesians 4.3) has been repeatedly and massively bludgeoned and pulverised over the past 10 years by the cult of "grandee" leadership and Christian tribalism. Via this Christians have been trained to believe that their local church or movement is superior, and that ipso facto any Believers outside their tribe are fair-game for blistering criticism...even disqualification/excommunication!
It is going to take the whole Body to carry the whole Anointing to save this whole Nation. Therefore, that person who sunders the unity of the Body of Christ attacks the Anointing for national revival and in fact esteems the eternal salvation of souls very lightly.
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with all humility and gentleness, with patience showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body..." (Ephesians 4.1-4)
In Biblical terms the tent is an emblem of the Presence of the Lord.
"Whenever Moses entered the tent (of meeting), the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses." (Exodus 33.9)
"Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting." (Leviticus 1.1)
In historical terms, a tent is a symbol of Pentecostal revivalism. In the United States during the early and middle years of the 20th C, many significant evangelistic and healing ministries began in tents. E.g. TL Osborne, Oral Roberts, Paul Cain.
The End Times' harvest is going to be by the sovereign power of God and is going to be extraordinary in its scope and extravagance. It would be advisable for all of us at this time to consider folding up and packing away our own very stunted and timid visions and theologies of God, church, revival and the return of Jesus. Let's enter the "big tent" of God being God.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55.8-9)
"God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams." (Ephesians 3.20 The Message)
"Not even the message by which faith, hope and love live...can take the place of God." (K Barth "The Doctrine Of Reconciliation")
