MULTIPLE TRANSFORMATION STREAMS
One Great Transformational River
Multiple transformational streams are welling up and flowing across the world into one great “transformational river” of God’s blessing for the nations, prophetically announcing that God is on a mission of transformation at the beginning of the 21st Century. We read in Ps. 46:4, “There is a river whose streams make glad ….” The Psalmist says: “The Lord almighty is with us. Come and see the works of the Lord.” In places as distant from one another as Indonesia, Fiji, Uganda, India, and Colombia, transformational streams are converging under God’s hand into this one great “transformational river.”
THE REVIVALIST STREAM is characterized by divine visitation and revival; this stream can be seen today in Fiji. In this stream, God acts on the Church, bringing revival, He acts on society, bringing spiritual awakening and He acts on political leaders, bringing ethical leadership, concern for the needs of the people, and readiness to review political and economic structures and systems in light of a Biblical Worldview and Kingdom values.
THE SATURATION CHURCH PLANTING STREAM results in the establishment and nurturing of vital, healthy churches in every class and kind of people that are within practical and relational reach of every person, permeating every segment and sphere of society as salt and light with the love, truth and saving power of Jesus Christ.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL DEVELOPMENT STREAM seeks to create a better future for the poor and the destitute through community development. Those living in poverty are often caught in mutually reinforcing cultural mind-sets and the resulting juridical/social/economic systems that mar the dignity and identity of all, dehumanizing rich and poor alike. The power of the Gospel of transformation consists of inspiring the privileged to freely and compassionately come alongside the underprivileged to repent each of their own sin. Then they can address together the cultural lies and the pervasive systems of injustice, undertaking community development initiatives and producing sustainable development in a changing world.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL PRAYER STREAM prays out God’s heart for the cities and the nations of the world. It begins with listening to God for his agenda for the world. Some of us agree that these four major transformational streams that have already emerged are the four major streams of transformation for the healing of the nations.
THE CITY-REACHING STREAM builds on the foundation of vital, Biblical churches to mobilize God’s people toward a mission to transform people, places and cultures where the Church lives around the world.
THE MARKETPLACE STREAM recognized that God is at work transforming people and nations through business and that Kingdom business is an effective mission strategy for the 21st Century.
THE TRANSFORMATIONAL WORSHIP STREAM though more difficult to describe, its representatives affirm that Transformational Worship involves ministering to the Lord in united worship. Some use the term “harp and bowl worship,” others call it “end times worship” because it focuses on the final worship scenes of the worthiness of the Lamb in Revelation 4 and 5. It is not heritage-based, connection-based or evangelism-based (although it can have that effect). It’s all about the Lord. It exalts Christ. It brings the worshipper to greater intimacy with God with an attitude of self-abandonment. Emphasizing more attitude than forms, it is characterized by a manifest sense of the presence of God as he is enthroned in the worship of his people.
THE “BACK TO JERUSALEM” MOVEMENT STREAM flows out of prayer convocations in which a growing number of God’s people
are cooperating together from the first fruits of the Great Commission, going back to Jerusalem to prepare the way for the Lord of Glory through worship, intercession, preaching of the Gospel of the Kingdom, church planting and a Kingdom mindset.
CONCLUSION:
We celebrate multiple transformational streams, which are becoming one great “transformational river” broadening and deepening the healing of the nations. The river is here.
Taken From
Transform World Connections Handbook
