S C H I S M

By

Ken Bryan 

Schism; that was all I heard, one word, but as He so often does, an automatic download occurred that gave revelation to this one word. Not being a word that I used every day I was compelled to see if the definition matched what I felt the Lord was saying. A schism is by definition a division or disunion, a formal division within, or separation from a church or religious body over some doctrinal difference. (The American College Dictionary). I was unaware of the second part of the definition, but that is a large part of what the Lord is saying at this hour.

This is what is on the horizon. There is a schism that is going to occur at the highest level of believers. I am talking about the people who walk the walk, who know the Lord and who are totally in His will at this very instant. This is going to be among the "church" leaders who are on the cutting edge of what God is saying and doing right now. It will not be avoided. The reason for the schism is Jesus. The move that is getting ready to occur will be of the same magnitude as the initial entry of Jesus into the world of scholars and religious leaders. The world was completely changed. The stage has again been set.

If you are questioning how this can occur, given the group I have outlined, good. The reason for this division among believers is because of a level of intimacy. Very soon the things asked of the men and women fully in tune with the Lord are going to appear so radical to the church leaders that they will jointly proclaim "that is not of God". It has happened before. Jesus was so fully in tune with the Father that when He did the radical things He saw the Father do, the response was that He was not of God, but of the devil. His level of intimacy with the Father was so great that it redefined the church.

Part of the consternation on the horizon is coming over just what constitutes "church". This term is being reshaped and redefined again into something that is so radically different than the established church as we know it today, it is going to cause a schism. For a long time the scripture "not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some" (Hebrews 10:25) has been used as a means to prove, by scripture, that every one should attend church to be in God's will; point taken. However the interpretation was flawed in that it narrowly defined church as the building occupied by members. Today there is a group that is seeking a level of intimacy with Jesus that few walk in at the moment. These particular followers of Jesus have come to understand that they are the church and that the scripture ".where two or three are gathered together in My name" (Matthew 18:20) constitutes both assembly together and church. As these believers start doing the works done by Christ (healing the sick, raising the dead, restoring sight to the blind) a new day will dawn for the church, as foretold by the prophets of old. It will bring a radical departure from what has been defined as "church". Be very careful in the days ahead how you judge what a man or woman is doing for the Lord. Don't look at the circumstances. Look at the heart. I dare say you won't understand the circumstances, but you just might recognize the heart of God if you are open to receive it.

God is preparing to move, to shake things up, and nothing will be the same. This is not a time for the faint of heart. This word is given to the leaders, but, the believers need to know, as well, what is transpiring when the shake-up begins. Yes, this is a hard word but it is necessary for the edification of the body. This article is in no way a condemnation of the established "church". As a matter of fact, it is just the opposite. A lot of my time is devoted to seeking the Lord regarding the face and place of today's established church in the coming move. What you read in this article is what I have received for today.

The picture I am presenting of the "church" in the future, is of two diverse and distinct entities trying to exist side by side. On the one hand, you have the established church of today, consisting for the most part of some type of denominational structure, and on the other hand, you have a new group that for the sake of discussion is going to resemble today's house churches. Both groups seek and serve the same God, but they are going to exist on different sides of a cavern and they will be throwing rocks at each other across this schism. Is there hope? Yes and no. The answer is no if both groups continue on the current path. The established church of today, for the most part, is loosing ground daily as people tire of programs, building projects and structure. These people are seeking a setting that promotes a level of intimacy void of the very things we call "church". They are seeking an environment that has Jesus as the center. Given the condition of the church today it is easy to see why people desire something new. The leadership of organized religion has failed miserably. Before you start throwing rocks at me, pick up a newspaper and see which Catholic dioceses is being closed because the finances went to pay legal fees over sex scandals. I'm not singling out Catholics; check the same newspaper to see which mainline denomination has voted to recognize same-sex unions. At some point you can no longer "pull the wool over people eyes" and tell them it's night time. That point arrives when this new group of seekers meets Jesus face to face. These people very quickly learn the truth and move to a place that offers this place of intimacy with the Lord, void of the leadership structure that has let them down. The house church setting seems ideal for what people are so desperately seeking. The potential danger is this; as a network of house churches develops, a group of leaders rises up to lead these separate entities without structure and accountability. Ultimately "everyone does what is right in his own eyes". (Judges 17:6) This scripture is from a time when Israel did not have a king. Today we have a king and His name is Jesus and "the government will be upon His shoulders". (Isaiah 9:6) I have just introduced the term, government, which brings about the yes answer to my question, is there hope? The government introduced here in the scriptures is the Kingdom government set up and administered by Jesus. It is necessary to have such a government because when everyone is doing what is right in their own eyes you have anarchy. Government is meant to establish order. If you are questioning the need for government in the church I refer you to the scandals plaguing the church today. The church is out of order and something must be done. The church structure of today's denominational churches will not carry us where Jesus is taking His church. So the question becomes what is the government of Jesus for the church? Let's go back to scripture. "And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets" these are, according to scriptures, the foundation, with "Jesus Christ Himself as the chief cornerstone, upon which the church is to be built. Theses simple instructions when applied today will usher in order of a Kingdom government. Failure to follow these scriptures results in the turmoil of the church today and the schism that is on the horizon. Where does that leave us? On the one hand we have the established church which refuses to acknowledge that apostles and prophets are for today, thus they are out of order, and on the other hand, we have the new house church that at times, has so many apostles and prophets it causes confusion, which is also out of order. Both are going to have to recognize the true Kingdom government and submit to those who have authority over them. So who has authority? The one God has sent to bring order. Identifying the sent one takes prayer and discernment.

In closing, I call your attention to the end of the article Proclamation Journey. The Lord gave powerful insight to a prophet and I feel it is a word for this hour, "the church was no longer used as it was designed, the church was now relegated to being a museum piece". Let's take heed. If this schism in the church is not overcome we are destined to become a museum piece.

To the believers reading this newsletter take heart, Jesus is still Lord and if you are prepared for change you will truly enjoy the days ahead. May God bless you and keep you in all that you say and do..