Paradigm Shifts and Global Transformation

Paradigm Shifts and Global Transformation
info@dougfortune.org
by Doug Fortune

Paradigm Shifts and Global Transformation!?! I thought that title might get your attention... now on to my real subject. I realize as I write this that there is the distinct possibility that no one is really that interested in what I'm about to write, but this personal update may prove to be good therapy for me anyway. You see, the paradigm shifts I am going to address are the ones happening in my own life, and the "globe" that is being transformed is the one that sits perched on top of my shoulders. I will also discuss the paradigm shift in the way our local fellowship is "doing church" these days, so there might be at least a bit of redeeming value for some folks. I haven't written anything for some time because I haven't had anything to write. That's about the same as the preacher who has nothing new to say... most of them just go ahead and preach anyway (smile). Don't get me wrong though, I have been getting all kinds of new things that we've been discussing in our fellowship gatherings. It just has not come out in the form of written articles yet, although I believe it eventually will. I may not have not been writing, but it seems that Father has been quite busy recently writing upon the tablets of my heart. I seem to be right in the middle of my own personal "revival." I don't like using that term "revival", because what the Church really needs is reformation, not revival.

However that seems to be a word that many can relate to these days, so I will use it no matter how inaccurate. I am experiencing a tremendous "Surge" In Worship And Prayer Tears are forming in my eyes right now as I even begin to think about what is happening in me and to me. The "Golden Altar" ministry seems to have taken the forefront in both desire and priority. Worship and prayer have also become the primary emphasis in our local fellowship. When we gather together, His manifest Presence in our midst has become dramatically increased. Often times I can barely stand while leading worship, His glory becomes so weighty.I believe that many in our Third Day/ Kingdom/ Most Holy Place/ Tabernacles understanding seem to have have left prayer behind. We learned that the Golden Altar of Incense was located in the Holy Place (the second division) in the Tabernacle, therefore we relegated prayer to the Second Day/ Pentecostal/ Holy Place experience. We got "too spiritual" for prayer. We need to re-read Hebrews 9:3-4, "But [inside] beyond the second curtain or veil, [there stood another] tabernacle [division] known as the Holy of Holies. It had the golden altar of incense and the ark (chest) of the covenant, covered over with wrought gold..." (Amplified Bible) You see, on the Day of Atonement (which directly precedes the Feast of Tabernacles) the Golden Altar of Incense was taken out from the Holy Place and within the veil into the Holy of Holies. The Golden Altar of Incense is the only piece of the furniture that moves from one place to another... it is the only part of the entire Tabernacle that transitions into a different dimension. Can you see the spiritual message for us?

Remember, you cannot have the Feast of Tabernacles without first having the Day of Atonement. It is the Golden Altar of Incense, the ministry of worship and prayer that will truly transition us from the Second Day/ Pentecostal/ Holy Place experience into the Third Day/ Kingdom/ Most Holy Place/ Tabernacles experience! Without the Golden Altar ministry, it is just mental ascent to a spiritual concept. I believe that prayer is paramount to entering into what lies ahead. Speaking of mental ascent to spiritual concepts, our local fellowship is actually "doing church" very differently these days, we're not just making mental ascent to an idea. Keep in mind that we have a small fellowship, I don't exactly know how things would work in a larger congregation, I guess we will deal with that when it happens to us. For years we have talked about the corporate anointing, a different paradigm of "church" where every member brings their part. I personally have stood in pulpits all over the USA and many nations proclaiming such a thing, while everybody else sat in their pew or chair and listened to me. Now then, I have nothing against preaching/ teaching. I am a preacher/ teacher, that is my gifting. For seven years before we started pastoring a church, I traveled all the time preaching and teaching. I believe that there is still a very valid place for preaching/ teaching within the context of the local church. In fact, when we moved to North Carolina to begin pastoring, I had a plan in mind to grow our church. I was going to build the church on the apostolic preaching/ teaching gifting that I had operated in for years. Father had other ideas, however.... It probably took me a whole year to admit that I had no idea what I was doing pastoring, because it seemed that nothing I was doing was working very well. We are now coming up on our second full year and I am now EMBRACING the fact that I have no idea what I am doing pastoring, and it seems to be working for us because we have become totally dependent upon the Spirit!

I am not saying this is for everybody, but in our local fellowship Father has required me to lay down the apostolic preaching/ teaching gifting and operate as a facilitator to help bring out the gifts of others. I really don't preach in our typical Sunday morning meeting, I moderate the interaction. After an extended time of worship/ prayer/ prophetic expression in what could be described as a very large comfortable living room (the Worship Center) with wing-back chairs, floor pillows, lamps, candles, low lighting and a coffee bar, we then move into another room set up with tables and chairs all in a circle (the Learning Center) where I sit in the middle. I might teach for about 5-10 minutes just to set a basic direction. Then each table discusses our subject among themselves for a while. After that each table presents to the whole group what they have discussed. This gives everyone an opportunity for expression. Even our teenagers enter into the discussion and often surprise the adults with their insight. Every week I am so amazed at the complete continuity of it all, how everything dove-tails together to make a "sermon" that I, as one individual, could never come up with. It is truly the "voice of many waters" making one Sound. About once every month or so I will spend a more extended time teaching, but we still have some interaction and discussion.

Once again I don't know if this kind of thing is for everybody, but I believe that I am called to pioneer something very different. We Also Don't Have Any "Bigshots" In Our Fellowship, No Titles, Offices, Etc Don't get me wrong, we have strong leaders. We have elders and deacons, but that is their FUNCTION, not their title. I have never stood our elders up in front of the congregation and said, You should listen to these guys because I say that they are elders. No, they are faithful and wise men and women who FUNCTION in spiritual eldership- in decision making and spiritual direction. I never make any significant decisions without the counsel of the eldership. Once again, we have a small fellowship, I don't exactly know how things would work or even IF this could work in a larger congregation. But for now, like Captain Kirk, we are "Boldly going where no man has gone before!" However, we are not waiting for Scottie to beam us up (smile). Back to the subject of prayer... We are praying differently now than we used to in our Second Day/ Pentecostal experience. Remember the old days when we would gather together and all pray in tongues at the top of our lungs for extended periods? Man, that was a blast, I always enjoyed it a lot. I still think there is a place for some of that, but we are doing corporate prayer differently these days. We are doing what I will call "Stillness With Purpose", it includes the element of what some would call Soaking Prayer but with more to it. It is not a "formula" for prayer or a "five easy steps to spiritual perfection in five minutes or less" kind of thing (smile). Neither is it an exercise intended to induce spiritual phenomenon or religious experiences, as some ministries are promoting so much these days. Rather it's just some principles to help draw us into a deeper relationship, a deeper in-Christ reality, especially in a world filled with busyness and distraction. I do have notes available with scripture references if you are interested, but here is the basics of what we are doing-*

We gather together in the Worship Center and we get STILL before Father individually for an extended period, being present to His abiding Presence, usually with some instrumental type music that is conducive to prayer and contemplation. * As we focus on Him we LISTEN for His Voice- often times He will speak, but it is OK if He does not. Our objective is not just to get Him to speak to us, our objective is BE with Him. It is important to note that we are NOT trying to empty our minds of everything, as in Eastern meditation. We don't want an empty mind, we want the mind of Christ. He is our intense focus. * We WRITE it down when He shares His heart and He speaks His purpose and will, as the revelations given are to be used toward a purpose or intended outcome. * Then we gather together corporately and we each DECREE what He has spoken to us. Every time we do this I am always amazed at how Father seems to speak the same things to each of us, only in different ways. It is very similar to what happens with our interaction in the Learning Center. In fact, we did a whole weekend retreat recently where all we did was worship and engage in this type of prayer. What a powerful time it was! * Then we REST in His decree, knowing that our prayers have been effective! Father Already Has A Will, A Purpose, A Decree Over Everything We Can Think of To Pray About. All we need to do is to tap into what He has already decreed over the situation, join our voice with His voice, and then REST in His decree. Well, enough of my rambling on about the paradigm shifts happening in my life, and the "globe" perched between my shoulders being transformed. I hope that somehow, some of this has been helpful to you in some way... if not, it has at least been therapeutic for me to actually write something.

Doug Fortune