Change the earth…
January 30th, 2007
I just decided to just go for it today. If I’m posting too much for you, prioritize the last entry on barrenness and come back to this one later. I’ve decided to be unashamedly grandiose today, and call you to it as well.
I’ve been reading Thomas L. Friedman’s latest book, The World is Flat (A Brief History of the 21st Century).
In this book he lays out the progression of globalization over the last 500 years, and then explains the latest and most stunning phase. He lays it out like this:
Globalization 1.0 - 1492 A.D. - 1800 A.D. This phase is kicked off by the paradigm shattering journey of Columbus to the West Indies - the “large” world became “medium” in a moment. Nations suddenly began to think global, and aggressive colonization of the earth began as a response. The resources of the world were in the balance.
Globalization 2.0 - 1800 A.D. - 2000 A.D. Industrialization and the rise of technology serve to take a “medium” world and make it stunningly “small”. One obstacle after another falls as corporations emerge. These corporations suddenly began to think global, and the aggressive economic shift of the earth took place as a response. The wealth of the nations began to flow through these corporate entities.
Globalization 3.0 - 2000 A.D. to today. The emergence of the digital age has placed resource, information, and technology in the hands of people to take a “small” world and make it “tiny” and “flat”. What began with nations and continued with corporations has now shifted to the individual - the individual is now able to compete on a global stage for the resources and economics of the global economy. Secondly, this dramatic shift will not only be driven by individuals, but non-western individuals from places like India and China. The power structures of the earth are in great flux. This is an unbelievable time in history.
Governments and corporations cannot control this flow of information and finance. New arenas and audiences are available to the individual for the first time. A door has been opened that cannot be shut. It’s breathtaking to consider.
When I did my little series on “people who should be blogging”, THIS WAS MY POINT. It’s not just about hearing the thoughts of cool people that we like. It’s about the unprecedented power and resource available to the individual to change the earth. People, the earth is filled right now with bored people reading the thoughts of boring people with nothing to say. Some do this to gather and bolster themselves in their boredom and anethstetize themselves from the pain of it (again, see my last post). It’s Romans 1:32. Others are yearning and hungry for ideas, thoughts, and concepts from heaven - something with a little bit of life on it (or as we here call it, “reality”). In a vacuum of ideas, a greenhouse of prayer is producing paradigm-shifting thoughts from the throne room of heaven.
Beloved, more than any other time in history, the stage is set for you to change the earth. Obstacles are removed, resources are at your fingertips, and the platform is staring at you right now. That we can digitize ideas and disseminate them immediately is an astonishing opportunity that I believe is equal to God establishing koine (common) Greek as the global language of 1st century Rome. It’s the same as the roads that empire built with security that enabled the gospel to go forth with power in one generation to the “ends of the earth” at that time. We have that unprecedented opportunity again. WE MUST PURSUE SOMETHING TO SAY. From God - divine ideas to the ones who pursue Him wholeheartedly in the place of fervent prayer and fasting.
There are three non-negotiable steps in this process if you want to sign up to change the earth. Technology changes and history moves forward at an unbelievable speed, but God’s methodology never changes even if the medium does. We must, in this hour:
1. Pursue a bonfire on the inside. We must become burning and shining lamps in the place of prayer and fasting.
2. Receive divine ideas from heaven related to the scriptures. We call this the “spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.
3. Then, we wait for God to breathe on our little lives with power that calls the attention of the nations to His message and ideas.
Once the third part of the journey happens, these little ideas will go to the ends of the earth. A revolution called the “prayer movement” will shake the power structures and foundations of the kingdom of darkness. Illegitimate governments and economic centers of the corporate world are trembling right now; racing against YOU to lay hold of this medium before something like this can take place. North Korea is working feverishly to keep this kind of information, these kinds of ideas, from out of the hands of their people. They are racing the clock, governing the Internet with fervency because of the undeniable pattern of history. One man’s ideas transformed the global church through what we call the reformation. One man’s ideas overthrew centuries of Czarist rule in Russia.
There are two responses to what I am proposing. Some may think that I am a bit over the top here - a bit too grandiose and odd. But some of you - you have to be thinking right now, “why not me?” Is it true? Can God really give you a voice in a digital age that surpasses the platforms of the great preachers in history? Can the stadiums of the digital world far surpass the stadiums in the natural? Can the impact of one little intercessor really shift the thinking of millions?
It’s happening right now. A little intercessor that has been praying for 30 years is poised by the grace of God to shift the thinking of millions in 214 nations. Beloved, THIS IS GOD’S WAY. It’s not reserved for Mike Bickle. It’s not reserved for someone else. It’s reserved for the ones who believe that the way of Jesus is right and that the only hope for the nations of the earth is a sovereign breakthrough of the Holy Spirit in power AND IN TRUTH.
You, who already are learning to express yourself on a digital medium, now go get truth. Who wants to change the earth?
David
Entry Filed under: current events, end times, people who should wordcast, prayer movement
36 Comments Add your own
1. Brent Steeno | January 30th, 2007 at 10:19 am
YA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!!!
I WANT TO CHANGE THE EARTH!
Actually ever since I was young I wanted to change the earth. This is my opportunity. I rule the world in prayer with Jesus. GOVERNMENT baby!
2. Cathy | January 30th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Great stuff, David. You can never post too much. We definitely want to change the earth, and are trying to do our part out here in our NY/NJ, our little corner of the world.
“It’s reserved for the one’s who believe that the way of Jesus is right and that the only hope for the nations of the earth is a soveriegn breakthrough of the Holy Spirit in power AND IN TRUTH.” - WE BELIEVE!!
3. Randy Bohlender | January 30th, 2007 at 1:50 pm
RE: the new flat earth reality…
I am constantly reminded that in leading our children, we are faced with a situation unique in all of history. For the first time in the history of EVER, our kids can access knowledge by themselves, for free. Nevertheless, even with the vast resources of knowledge at their fingertips, they have no more processing skills thank children did in the 1800’s. We have to morph from knowledge providors to knowledge interpreters….whole ‘nother ball of wax. In our house, the kids are regularly introducing facts. It’s up to parents to help decipher facts, debunk myths, and help them find the truth amidst all the information.
hmmm.
4. Randy Bohlender | January 30th, 2007 at 1:54 pm
And when your’e done with that book, I’ve another for you. You and your Community Development team need to read Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community by Robert Putnam. I’ve worn out two copies. The last one I gave to a Tibetan Monk.
By the way, t’s not about revival.
5. Kyle | January 30th, 2007 at 2:41 pm
the world is flat is - amazing - should be required reading for IHOPers - I love the stuff on Wal-Mart.
also recommended: Future Shock - Alvin Toffler - written in the mid-seventies about the pace of change (culturally, technologically, socially) hitting such a high level of momentum that no one is able to actually ‘keep up’ - a classic in the same vein as Friedman’s book.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Future_Shock
6. shanon farebrother | January 30th, 2007 at 4:33 pm
you spoke on this in class today (NT survey) and you asked the class for some feedback. i was too emotional to be able to say what was going on in my heart.
i sat in the prayer 5 hours this morning and was engaged with Jesus for only a short amount of time. when you started praying in class and speaking in tongues it was like my spirit was agreeing with what your spirit was praying. i just listened to what you where saying to God, the mysteries you were speaking. and then it hit me. my spirit within me missed Jesus! i was awakened again to my primary purpose- loving Him.
thanks for taking time today in class, it gave me the push to go back in the prayer room and wait until i become a burning one. to finally reach a place of unbroken communion with the One i love.
7. GC | January 30th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Intriguing post, David. A galvanizing word for those of us who feel unable in our smallness to play any part in redeeming our world’s barren insitutions for Christ’s glory. But the focus should not be on the work or world-changing potential of any individual by himself. We aren’t lone rangers in our fight to reform the evil in our world.
This task is the responsibility of the Church proper, working in unity, to align itself with historic Christianity and true orthodoxy in taking a stand against the prevailing culture. This does mean a prayer movement, but also a public confession of faith and a bearing witness to the death and ressurection of Christ in the world. A CONFESSING CHURCH- speaking out publicly and in the civic realm and putting itself on the line against the powers and principalities ( a la Karl Barth and the 1934 Barmen declaration). David, your message is powerful and important, but I don’t believe the prevailing focus should be on individual intercessors doing it by themselves in the prayer closet. Not that this is what you meant in fullness, but that seemed to be the general direction you were pointing in. If I misread you, which is very possible, please correct me.
8. David | January 30th, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Greg -
I love your point, and fully agree. The end of the age expression of Christianity that will shake the nations is a corporate one, with dynamic unity as a hallmark - unity with God and with one another.
I think that it is not an either / or thing, as we are fond of saying here. The ultimacy of God is that we grow together into maturity (Eph. 4:13) - thus we will all come to the “unity of faith” when we lay hold of the fullness of Christ. Even the prophetic words over IHOP-KC speak more to a corporate expression than an individual one.
Still, Mike Bickle’s life testifies to the power of prayer over the decades and the message that has come to the man through the weakness of prayer is one that is about to touch large numbers of people. There are lots of examples of individuals encountering God and being used mightily as a result. The Bible is both the story of a people as well as godly individuals - Hebrews 11 being a primary example of this.
We are not reaching for the place of encounter to be a lone ranger - we will always be a body and need to walk in true team ministry with meekness; yet Paul touched something and had an impact that was unique in his generation (or any other). I could list many more throughout church history that fit the example.
No one person (except Jesus) will embody the full picture or the complete gift. Yet we have an invitation to pursue and lay hold of God in a way that can make an impact on an unimaginable scale because of the technological shift that has taken place over the past 7 years. If thousands say yes to the invitation, than perhaps hundreds or dozens will actually lay hold of something dramatic, not only one. Who knows?
I want to run my race and lay hold of God to build a fire and be a voice. I don’t want to do this alone (which is why I posted). But at the same time, I’m not going to wait for others to enter the race before I begin running.
-ds
9. GC | January 30th, 2007 at 9:38 pm
I appreciate your response. You are certainly right that God has used the witness of many single individuals to impact the minds and lives of many. Thank you.
10. JaredDiehl | January 30th, 2007 at 10:52 pm
I have bee nthinking much about the power of words–reading James and how he says we either bless or curse with our words. The other thought is that what goes in comes out. If I just watch TV all day, everyday, then I am going to have lifeless speech(most likely) but if I am in the word and prayer, it changes everything.
J
11. ChriS | January 31st, 2007 at 5:56 am
I want to change the world…but mostly I want to be changed before I leave this world.
My heart is stirred, now I realize the “talents” in my hand our worth more than I ever realized. They can be leveraged by the Soveriegn I AM just like loaves and fishes. If I bury them it is throwing away a treasure much more valuable than I ever imagined. Thanks for blogging thanks for sharing your heart and even being willing to ditch the lesson plan. One hour in class today was worth the whole semesters tuition.
12. Amanda | January 31st, 2007 at 7:36 am
Wow. I needed to hear that.
It’s so easy with my little (and I mean *little*) corner of blogdom to just kind of shrug it off as a quirky little thing I do on the side. Although I’ve gotten one or two comments on it from people I don’t know, and was surprised to discover that there were actually people outside of IHOP, or my immediate family, who saw the thing.
However many people do or do not read the thing, it’s helpful to remember that this is something to steward. It’s something to ask the Lord about. It’s something that could potentially impact a random net surfer who needed to hear a word from the Lord and “just happened” to stumble across it on one of the IHOP blogs that are springing up.
Thanks again for casting such a clear vision.
13. David | January 31st, 2007 at 7:58 am
Randy - Bowling Alone is a great book - I read it years ago (about 5-6) and kind of forgot about it. It would be a great resource for the team, absolutely!
I also love your point about “interpreting” information for people. That pretty much sums up our ministry during the last seven years of history - might as well begin practicing now!
It’s a point I’ve been making lately to folks, that as those who endeavor to be like the sons of Issachar (who had understanding of their times) we can actually pursue the spirit of revelation related to the news. Why? A soveriegn God is behind these events, not a flaming dragon.
If the dragon is orchetrating everything than life is a conspiracy theory needing to be exposed. If a sovereign God is moving history forward than the truth CAN BE KNOWN. Why? HE WANTS TO TELL US! That’s the glory of being an intercessor. He wants to give us His “inside info” on the what and why of what is happening in our times.
Then we pray.
-ds
14. David | January 31st, 2007 at 8:03 am
Greg - i still loved your point much. It helped me greatly in the communication of these ideas. Yes, Paul touched something unique - but he was not satisfied with that, and prayed night and day for the whole church to participate in what he was walking in. We were meant to change the earth together.
Actually, one of the big points Frieden makes in his book is that beyond individuals, small groups have the ability to collaborate digitially through email and other means in a manner that is unprecedented. The productivity and the possibilities for a small group to produce stunning work from over great distances is limitless now. So he’s big into collaboration.
Case in point, the ridiculous levels of outsourcing what we feel are menial tasks to India that have now become normative for mid-size businesses. (i.e. call centers, tax prep, etc.) It’s cross-continent teamwork in a manner (and speed) that was impossible just a few years ago.
-ds
15. David | January 31st, 2007 at 8:09 am
Kyle - you’re a smart dude.
Do you agree with Toffler’s conclusions? I don’t know that he has been proven correct so far, 36 years later (and much more rapid chnage than perhaps even he could have anticipated in 1970).
-ds
16. Emily Mea | January 31st, 2007 at 8:15 am
Dave,
Thanks for the comment about “menial task” type of jobs. I work in a call center and am constantly amazed about how I can send a customer to one center in Oregon and another customer to a call center in Calcutta - and it only take seconds. It truly is interstate, international, and intercontinential at its best and worst.
You have gotten my interest up on this book now - and you’ve gotten me to think about my job of getting people back on the internet in a whole new light.
17. David | January 31st, 2007 at 9:20 am
Emily - be sure that I said “what we feel” not “what are”. For those in India, these are high-status opportunities with incredible pay and benefits. For American businesses, they can get motivated, friendly, diligent workers for a fraction of the cost with great training and low turnover. They even practice their accents to fit American and British customers and take on American names (like Bob & Suzie).
It was the tax prep stuff that was even more astonishing to me.
-ds
18. anitah | January 31st, 2007 at 2:45 pm
man, the comments on this post were the most meaningful to me… randy’s on guiding people (my words) and chris’s on burying talents. i got a confirmation and an exhortation to my heart. keep blogging peeps!
19. Emily Mea | January 31st, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Dave,
I really should have learned my lesson by now - comments should wait till after I get some sleep to write because they never quite say what I want them to say after 11-14 hours at work.
It is a perception of those types of jobs as menial that can be very annoying. I have fought those types of mindsets and have even had to defend my choice to work at the company I work for to good friends. They have been know to say that I am wasting my life in a job that “leads nowhere” and “is better suited to those people overseas.” (Those are quotes from conversations that I have felt the need to defend myself in before.) True, call center jobs have lower turn over and higher benefits overseas - but they are amazing jobs here in the US too. I love my job, the people I work with, and my supervisors.
While many people perceive my job as menial, the fact is that it is a blessing from God. It pays well, covers my health insurrance, gives me time to spend time in the word, is helping fund my return to KC to finish track 2, and has many other great benefits.
Well, I’m wasting time I should be getting ready for work, so off to work I go.
Emily
20. Shawn Blanc | February 1st, 2007 at 9:03 am
Dave -
I’ve read lots of posts on lots of blogs that encouraged me, but I think this may be the first I’ve read that actually provoked me to go pray.
21. Josh | February 1st, 2007 at 11:03 am
Dave, this is right on. I once heard that God told a certain Prophet that He was able to use John Wimber so powerfully because John went with change so well. I really like the point you made about the mediums changing but God’s methodology remaining the same. Fantastic post. Thank you for putting such a clear focus to this subject.
22. genavieve | February 1st, 2007 at 11:35 am
so I’ve always been skeptical of blogs…the freedom involved and lack of accountability often makes my skeptical heart assume that little more can come through a blog, or wordcast (which I now prefer and propigate form this day forward) then unformed opinions with little to no form; and that if they did infact have an impact, that could be dangerous.
MAN! The enemy had me blinded and I didn’t even know it. I am finding blogs such as this one that do infact impart Holy wisdom and revelation as they throw fuel on my fire. I am undone with the thought of God using the internet, even inspiring the idea for it because of divine moments like the one I am having right now. The Spirit is hear in this cramped office of mine. Truth is being spoken to my heart, and I know I am not alone. The Spirit is encouraging me with this wordcast and the comments. I AM NOT ALONE! My call to intercession and my desire to CHANGE THE EARTH is not selfish or crazy. The Lord has called me out and in my blindness I thought I was alone on so many battlefronts, but REJOICE MY SOUL I AM NOT!!! Holy Spirit, BREAK OUT! Bring us closer. Reveal your secrets. Utter mysteries that bring new life to dieing souls.
Oh, I am getting stirred just thiking of this. The Spirit led web surf….ah I love it. I know He brings us across things in life for His Glory, why not the internet, and why not me? Oh, Lord, use me…
Thank you for casting out the truth in words.
23. David | February 2nd, 2007 at 9:24 am
Shawn, Josh, those are really kind words - thanks much. That side note about John Wimber and the “certain prophet” is really interesting to ponder. I mean, really noteworthy. I’ve been thinking about it all day now. Hmmm….
genavieve - glad you found some like-minded comrades here. Clicking on names and links will hook you up with many more, cut from the same cloth.
-ds
24. Marc Agnello | February 2nd, 2007 at 10:33 am
What is the spiritual significance to the globalization that is talked about in the book, The World is Flat? I am beginning the study the end times and the events that lead up the return our my Bridegroom.
25. David | February 2nd, 2007 at 10:54 am
I think that there are more negative connotations than positive. I hit the positive significance hard in the manner that we as believers can use the medium to deliver the message and not cede ground in this sphere to the kingdom of darkness. We want to “plunder Satan’s kingdom” and take as much ground as we can while it is day. When night comes, we will most likely have to abandon this medium completely.
I’ll hit the negative siginificance later today.
-ds
26. Antje -- Why blogging...-Warum bloggen... | February 17th, 2007 at 5:43 pm
[…]This is meant for German still “blog-shy” Christians. I am paraphrasing these Posts by Dave Sliker and Shawn Blanc:
Change the earth…
Two necessary things…
Building an Apostolic Blog […]
—The rest is in German:) But thanks for sharing your heart and writing great posts…
27. Warum Bloggen… - Wh&hellip | February 25th, 2007 at 12:16 pm
[…] Warum Bloggen… - Why blogging This is meant for German still “blog-shy” Christians. I am paraphrasing these Posts by Dave Sliker and Shawn Blanc: Change the earth… Two necessary things… Building an Apostolic Blog If you understand this, go and read their posts. If not, maybe you should try the following… […]
28. Steph | March 12th, 2007 at 12:52 am
This is exactly what I needed to read right now. Thanks for redirecting me to this post.
I’ve already seen people come to know the Lord through myspace and youtube. I can only pray and contend for God’s grace upon these people (and those in the future) to not just say a prayer and go back to business as usual but really cultivate a hunger for God deep within their hearts through that and go from there…
I could be wrong, or not thinking, but it seems that what internet evangelism (for lack of a better term) strongly lacks is true discipleship. As Mike so gently put it on Thursday, “You can be in the best resteraunt in town, you can read the menu, have it memorized, know all the waitors and waitresses, you can even get other people to memorize and read the menu, and still starve to death.”
As I previously stated, i could be off the mark completely, but I’m curious as to what your thoughts are, Dave.
Thanks for the post, again. Its an amazing encouragement.
29. David | March 13th, 2007 at 7:51 am
Steph - you’re welcome. Could you clarify what you’re asking in regards to my thoughts?
30. Steph | March 13th, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Well, I guess what I’m asking is, what should a believer do with those people who have come to know the Lord through one of their pages on myspace, youtube, or wordpress? The reason I ask is because, for myself, I have found it almost impossible to keep up, in terms of discipleship.
31. David | March 14th, 2007 at 7:05 am
Ah! I get it. Thanks for the clarification. I don’t think it’s possible, really, to do “electronic” discipleship with a new believer. The best thing to do is to steer them to a trusted local gathering / congregation. True discipleship takes so much coaching and modeling (as well as the expected shepherding and accountability) that it probably can’t be done via this medium.
Nor do I think it was meant to be. This is a medium to provoke, stir, challenge, and invite - but in the beauty of “team” ministry there is someone else that can build on the ground. Paul planted, Apollos watered, and God makes the heart grow - so I do not think we need to be all things to all men in that sense.
32. Steph | March 14th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
Okay, that helps a lot. You rock, Dave!
33. David | March 15th, 2007 at 7:40 am
You’re welcome, Steph! Glad I could help.
34. Heather | April 11th, 2007 at 4:36 pm
What an inspiring post! I am nearing graduation and feeling the call into the nations. I feel a burden for Asia in particular. This blog really gave me such encouragement to seek the Lord and wait on Him more than ever. If I am to go for Him I must take this time (8-10 months, Lord willing, before missions begin) seeking Him and really waiting on Him. My heart is ready to go forth and share His goodness with the world! I would really love it if you would be able to provide any advice or anything to help me to learn more of the Lord, drawing near and to being a better witness. My hearts desire is to seek Him with all I am. All for Him
35. David | April 16th, 2007 at 10:23 am
Thanks Heather. I’m glad you found me - and I’m glad that this article was your first taste of this site. Bless you in your pursuit of the higher and deeper things of God.
36. Martin | April 24th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Amazing! what can I say. Just last night I said I should register a Blog. An Apostolic blog, cause I’m overflowing with words and wisdom from God. As you’ve quoted from Corinthians “the spirit of wisdom and knowledge in Him” . I’m wrinting a book “The Acts Files of the Apsotes - The truth is out there!” And I think to go blogging with these writing will be the best thing. Thank you for your inspiration. I think it’s time for the church to fast, blog and pray.
God Bless
Leave a Comment
Trackback this post | Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed