My last e-letter ("Chariots of Fire: Reflections on Elections, Politics and Spiritual Transformation") touched on the issue of spiritual transformation from an historical perspective as it relates to missions and politics. In this week’s letter I want to continue that discussion with a look at the topic of "Spiritual transformation" as it has recently become popular in the church. Thanks to George Otis, Jr. and the "Transformation" videos, the idea of "spiritual transformation" has become very popular in those Christian circles which see and describe themselves as "city reaching." Now, nothing I am about to say should be taken as either minimizing or disparaging either George Otis, Jr. or the videos. If you want more of my thoughts on this subject you should read my e-letter entitled "Transformation, Baseball and an Evening With George Otis, Jr.", on our website at www.parousianetwork.org/Parousia_Weekly_E-Letter_For_08_31_05.htm.  

At the outset let me re-iterate how much I appreciate what George Otis has done via the "Transformation" videos (and related work). I am not among those "transformation bashers" which can be readily found on the internet. I believe George & The Sentinel Group have done the church a service in calling attention to both historic and contemporary moves of God around the world. By doing so he has reminded all believers everywhere of God’s ability to move in great power and to redeem seemingly impossible situations, and this should encourage all of us to greater prayer in seeking God for a fresh move of His Spirit in our day and in our own locations. But while I appreciate the work that George Otis has done, I fear that it has had several unanticipated side effects. In other words, the "Law of Unintended Consequences" has been activated. And it is some of those unintended consequences which I want to briefly address.

The "Megaphone Effect" - The first unintended consequence has been the "megaphone effect", namely, the effect of taking unique situations and events and blowing or magnifying them out of proportion. The media, you see, (yes, including videos and the medium of radio where I have worked) is a "megaphone" which can take small isolated events and magnify or amplify them to the point where they are, in fact, much larger in our perceptions than they ever were in reality. I have spoken with evangelical pastors from Hemet, California (featured in the first Transformation video) who have no knowledge of anything out of the ordinary occurring in their city. Transformation? Well, that depends on your definition, perspective and whether you have your ear to the megaphone. I have spoken with pastors and missionaries from other locations featured in the videos with similar results. Cali, Colombia, prominently featured in the first Transformation video as a transformed city, continues to struggle with drug trafficking and violence at levels which would leave any casual observer questioning whether any recognizable transformation has taken place in the years since the first video appeared in 1999. I also call this the "anecdote effect". An anecdote is a true but isolated story about a true but isolated event. The "anecdote effect" takes small personal anecdotes and turns them into a paradigm for a whole new ministry (the "God blessed me and now I want to give you the formula for how God can bless you too" syndrome, usually available for a love gift of $19.95 plus $4.00 shipping and handling). Beware of placing your ear too close to anyone’s megaphone (including mine) lest your ability to hear God’s still small voice be permanently damaged.

The Transformation "Formula" - The second unintended (at least I hope it’s unintended) consequence has been the creation of transformation "formulas." You know, the "Ten Steps To Transformation" kind of nonsense (Otis perilously flirts with this consequence in his video "The Quickening"). Men want formulas; God desires obedience as we listen for His still small voice. An example of such a "formulaic" approach to spiritual transformation is the current emphasis upon "unity" (usually very vaguely defined). This emphasis basically says something like: "In order to have revival/transformation (I’ll distinguish between these later) we must first have unity among the churches/pastors/etc." Or "No Unity, No Revival". Ahem. Really? Someone should have told Jonathan Edwards that. When revival broke out under Edwards ministry in Northampton, Massachusetts, the only "unity" among the local area churches was their unity of opposition towards Edwards & the Revival. The wonderful books which we read today by Edwards regarding the revival were written in defense of the move which was under serious attack from other ministers who thought it was nothing but fakery, emotionalism and religious hysteria. Soon after, Edwards lost his pulpit due to the controversy surrounding the awakening. The same was true of John Wesley and the Evangelical Awakening in England in the 1700s. After his heartwarming experience at Aldersgate, Wesley began preaching an evangelical message of salvation in Christ. As a result, even though he was an ordained Anglican priest, the doors of Anglican churches throughout England began closing and preaching invitations dried up. Why? Because the Church of Wesley’s day had an official philosophy known as "Latitudinarianism." Now there’s a mouthful. It simply meant that in the Church all religious views were to be given the widest possible latitude of acceptance and toleration, and whatever else you might do, don’t preach that evangelical faith in Jesus is the only means of salvation. Needless to say, during the Awakening Wesley broke this taboo and Churches were promptly closed to him and his message. When Wesley abandoned the Churches and began preaching in the open air, in fields and public squares, persecution followed him. He was frequently heckled and pummeled with rotten tomatoes and vegetables (I’ve often mused as to whether this was the origin of the Church potluck. After all, with that much free food flying around a church gathering you might as well invite friends and have a meal!). The homes of Methodist preachers were ransacked, their families evicted and the preachers beaten by angry mobs while local religious and secular authorities watched without intervening. The only "unity" among the churches of Wesley’s day was the unity of their opposition! So much for "unity" being the necessary ingredient in the "formula" for revival/transformation today! History would suggest otherwise. Here’s my point. Beware of anyone’s transformation or revival formula (i.e., "Ten Necessary Steps to Community Transformation" etc.).. Spiritual revival, awakening and transformation is nothing less than a visitation from God Himself. And He always visits on His terms, not ours.

The Death Of A Thousand Definitions - O.K., I think this is unintended consequence number three, in case you were counting. Any first year philosophy student who didn’t sleep through class emerged knowing that, in the philosophy of language, a word which means anything is a word which means nothing. In some church circles the word "transformation" has become so ubiquitous (it’s everywhere, it’s everywhere) as to be almost meaningless. What does it mean to be "transformational"? How do you become "transformational"? Easy, simply take whatever your church is currently doing and label it "transformation". We aren’t doing anything different, we’ve simply redefined what we’re doing so that we are now engaging in "transformation". This is the death of a thousand definitions, with the result that "transformation" means anything we want it to. When everyone and everything is "transformational," then no one and nothing are transformational.

BTW - FYI - We are experiencing a similar issue within the house church movement. Traditional and institutional churches are moving quickly (or let us say that the Titanic is turning as quickly in this ice field as its little rudder will allow) to re-label and re-name their "small groups" as "house churches". Got a bible study? It’s now a house church! Got some home groups? Now they’re house churches. The house church movement stands on the brink of being co-opted by people whose definition of house church resembles their definition of transformation: "WHATEVER". The issue is simple. If you can’t define it, how do you know that you are doing it?

Confusing Transformation And Revival - My experience in working with "transformation" oriented people is that I am seeing an increasing tendency in all of this discussion to conflate and confuse the issues of "community transformation" with the issue of "spiritual revival." Hear me clearly when I say that biblical "good works" - which should be transformational in nature - should be a significant part of the ordinary work of the Church (see my e-letter for October 19 entitled "House Church, Good Deeds And The Least of These"). But such good works should not be confused with seasons of divine visitation and genuine spiritual transformation which, historically, we have called "revival" or "awakening." In the history of the Church, when one studies the history of spiritual awakenings and outpourings, it quickly becomes evident that such outpourings almost always result and manifest themselves in "good works," what I would call some form of outward "transformation". But conversely (and this is my point), one is hard-pressed to find instances of good works & outward "transformation" which subsequently resulted in spiritual awakening or revival. The relationship of spiritual awakening to issues of practical transformation is so evident throughout the history of spiritual awakenings that not too long ago I felt compelled to write a lengthy article documenting it. The article is entitled "Historic Spiritual Awakenings And Market Place Transformation" and is available on our website at www.parousianetwork.org/Historic_Spiritual_Awakenings.htm.

Transforming, Establishing & Judging - Finally, there are really at least three things God is about in our time, and transformation is only one of them. Transformation is what God does to those existing things which He can still use but which need change. He transforms them into something different, better and immensely useable for His Kingdom purposes. In other words, some old wine skins He keeps. But others He must judge because no amount of reformation or transformation will fix what’s broken. If you don’t believe this, just read the book of Jeremiah. There are religious structures in our day which God is fixing and transforming. There are others which He is judging and tearing down, because He cannot use them and doesn’t want His name associated with them. But thirdly, God is raising up and establishing new paradigms and structures, new vessels and channels, which are being called forth to perform a unique and vital function in our day. I believe that House Church is one of these new (but old) paradigms that God is raising up in new life and vitality and establishing them to serve as vessels and channels for a fresh outpouring of the River of His Spirit in our day. The question for each of us is which of these three divine activities (transforming, establishing, judging) apply to God’s dealings with you and your structure or ministry?