Jesus People

After hearing Greg Laurie endorse a book by Larry Eskridge titled God's Forever Family:  The Jesus People Movement in America, I was immediately interested.  I "Kindled" the book and I have found it invigorating and thought-provoking.  The book chronicles the "Jesus People Movement" in the United States of which Calvary Chapel was a part.  I first began attending Calvary Chapel in 1980 as a child and a relationship with Jesus has been a massive, transformative part of my life since.  The "counterculture revolution" was a bit before my time, but the Holy Spirit utilised the thirst for enlightenment and truth to direct many hungry, lost souls to the saving knowledge of Christ.

Some of the facets that marked the hippie Christian movement throughout the States was using the book of Acts as a script for daily living.  There were people who actually sold their belongings and moved into communes or shared dwellings to have "all things in common."  Coffee shops featuring Gospel presentations and Christian rock music popped up across the nation.  Runaways, hippies immersed in a hedonistic anti-establishment bent, and all manner of down and out people were evangelised.  What struck me as I read these accounts was those sharing Christ did more than give a message.  They shared the love of Christ in generous, practical ways.  Simple things like the use of a toilet or a shower was extended to homeless hippies.  Humble peanut butter sandwiches and coffee were given away for free.  Music the culture was familiar with was played accompanied with the message of salvation in Christ alone.  The new Christians didn't often have too much, and they were willing to give all they had away for the sake of Jesus.

Now this is where the modern church has diverged greatly.  The hippies of those days have cut their hair and moved out of their communes.  People have bank accounts, careers, and retirement funds.  They have their spouses, 1.9 children, two vehicles, and their holidays planned a year in advance.  The story has been repeated again and again:  those anti-establishment idealists have become the institution - and it is a far cry from the book of Acts.  Some churches even set forth the passage in Acts 2:42-47 as a model for their vision of ministry:  "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. ⁴³ Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. ⁴⁴ Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, ⁴⁵ and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. ⁴⁶ So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, ⁴⁷ praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."  Churches these days have idolised the second part of verse 47 but have neglected the preceding verses!  This is not intended to be a formula for church growth, but an example of the outworking of the Holy Spirit to save and enable God's people to live in unity.

So what should we do?  Are we to sell all we have and live in communes?  No.  But for the church to become effective as at the first we must be willing to.  We must be willing to quit our careers, move our families, and give generously according to the leading of the Holy Spirit.  My observations are not an indictment over a particular fellowship, but the general impression having been in the church for over 30 years.  When I read this book it came to me:  over time "church" has become more an activity than community.  It can be more a hierarchy than a Body.  People can attend church because of what they can receive rather than what they can give.  Is there a hunger for God at the first or just a desire to further establish our theology?  We are full!  Yet we are content and discontented at the same time.  I can fall into this rut as well.  We would love to see changes in theory, but we are unwilling to change.  We are unwilling to make the sacrifices necessary to see the fulfillment of Acts 2:42-47 in our churches, families, and communities.  There is no place for signs and wonders because we do not expect them, nor do we need them.  How much of your life actually necessitates a walk of faith in God?  Walking in faith grants us strength from God, but without faith we are weak as any other man.

It would be wrong for us to read of the "Jesus People Movement" and long for those days, just as it is foolish for us to try to create the conditions of the early church so we might duplicate their result.  We live in a different culture; it is a new day.  Instead of trying to return to a point in time, recreating the past through present efforts, we must return to Jesus Christ, our First Love.  The power of Jesus to save remains unabated and the power of the Holy Spirit as fervent and fiery as ever.  God has plans for you and your church fellowship in these last days.  He will do a new thing if we will return to the old path of faith and complete reliance upon God in all things.  Anything short of an all-out commitment will not do.  Are you willing to do whatever Christ commands?  If God told you to quit your job, sell your house, your two cars, your stuff, and bring your spouse and 1.9 kids along for the ride, would you?  What is holding you back?  Don't make the mistake of giving God your wretched past and holding onto your future.  He has plans for you, to give you a future and a hope.  Is that good enough for you? :)  God help me:  may You be my all in all!