Arise 2012 Women’s Conference was a great weekend. One of my favorites, actually, as I watched Kathy flow in a new level of anointing and the prophetic – and brought other women along with her in this “arising.”
Sunday’s interactive service at World Revival Church topped the weekend as we connected globally to 8 churches. Women from several continents took their place in the prophetic, speaking into the lives of each represented congregation.
Holland, Finland, Canada, the U.S… how amazing to hear women from various cultures and backgrounds prophecy God’s heart for the nations. (And I’ve got to tell you - it was fun to coordinate the flow between the 8 churches represented!)
Many pastors have a bad interpretation of God’s plan for women in ministry. If you look a little closer at Paul’s writing and put them in context, you’ll see that God never intended to shut them down and turn them off.
The early church women were actively involved in ministry, with Paul giving instruction as to how to work within the parameters of their culture.
I’m challenging church leaders everywhere to search out the scriptures and start letting women take their place in ministry. I think we’ll have stronger churches and congregations if we can get a hold of this. For me – I’m already looking ahead with Kathy to Arise 2013 and the impact these women’s conferences can have on the church overall.
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
P.S. Kathy’s little book, “HUA! – A Training Guide for Women,” is great for gaining more insight into God’s plan for women. If you want more in-depth discussion, check out my book, My Absurd Religion, where I’ve devoted a whole chapter to the topic!
http://stevegrayministries.com/pcart/books/hua-a-training-guide-for-wome...
http://stevegrayministries.com/pcart/books/my-absurd-religion/
My photo: On-screen shot as Finland pastor prophecies to the nations. (World Revival Church global interactive service)
What does it mean to be a Christian? I think revival helps us define what true Christianity really looks like. It’s not the “calmed down and cooled off” kind of living that’s found in many churches.
True Christianity is all about the supremacy of Jesus Christ in your life. Yes, God loves you, but this is not about you.
The message of the hour that will change the course of a church, a nation, a marriage – is that Jesus reigns supreme. He is the King.
If we live our lives in allegiance to him, we can change the world. God is asking for your life… he’s looking for the men and women that will willingly submit to his rulership.
The real problem with modern Christianity is that the people of God won’t let ANYONE rule over them. We’re so stuck in our individualism that we don’t understand kingdom living – and we nix our opportunity to be powerful world-changers in service to the King.
Align yourself with Jesus and just see what happens. You’ll realize you have never fully lived until you let his sovereignty reign over you.
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
P.S. Hang on to your hats, folks, Kathy’s gearing up for Arise 2012. She’s one that has grasped the kingship of Jesus and is ready to run with his mandate for this weekend! http://arise2012worldrevivalchurch.eventbrite.com/
One thing I’ve learned in revival is that numbers don’t tell it all. “How many people do you have in your church?” is not the question we should be asking.
What we should be looking at is, “How much work of the Holy Spirit is going on?” How many lives are being touched and transformed by God’s amazing presence?
We need the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It’s what changes people’s lives!
I’m telling you, wherever God is -- things start happening. Lives start changing and a ripple effect happens as transformed people start letting the Holy Spirit do something powerful through their lives.
Numbers are great, but not if God’s left the building. We need a move of God to make us into the people we’re supposed to be.
Sounds like I’m beating a dead horse to make my point, but we’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of people get absolutely changed forever in revival. They go back to their churches and homes and transformation starts happening there, too.
When ordinary people step into the realm of God’s presence, it feels different, it looks different and life gets better.
Maybe instead of counting people we should count testimonies. Numbers are great, but to impact the world we’ve got to be transformed people. That’s what counts.
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
Photo: A transformed life can touch the world!
I believe the year 2012 is going to be a year of increased influence for those willing to pay the cost for revival. I shared a message from 2 Corinthians this past Sunday at World Revival Church and want to share the reason why it’s important for us to increase…
I believe in 2011 we saw the end of an era. Dictators came down, governments were overturned. As we enter 2012, the players on the world scene are changing.
Think of it. In 2011 Greece, Italy, Ireland and Spain all changed hands. The governments in Egypt and Libya toppled and major players in these governments passed away.
But the new era has not yet begun. It’s like we’re in a gray area of transition and then – the world is going to be turned inside out. This may be for just a season, and it could be weeks or years away, but an event is coming where it will feel like up will be down, down will be up.
Why? Because the Christian leadership worldwide has taken Christianity to a point of “no recovery.” The church overall is overwhelmed with humanism and idolatry and God is not going to stand for it any longer.
The cataclysmic upcoming event will reform the leadership of the Kingdom of God.
Leading us back to the reason it is important for you to increase: You need to be in a position of influence when this happens.
The bible says that if we increase our faith and our activity in God, it will increase our influence. That’s what I want for you, and that’s what the world needs of you.
Make the changes in your life that you need to now so that when this “turning inside out” happens, people look to you for answers. Make 2012 a year to “be ready.”
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
Are you ready for Christmas? Amidst the shopping and the busyness, take a little time to glean these secrets from the Christmas story…
The Magi from the East were not Jewish, yet they followed the star and bowed down to worship the King of the Jews. Somehow they knew he was worthy of their gifts and their worship.
The shepherds were considered lowly, yet the angels gave a glorious display for them. Sent from God to common people, they shared their good news with hopes the shepherds would respond.
The shepherds didn’t let them down. They were quick to search and find the baby King to worship him and spread the good news!
On the other hand, Herod and the religious leaders were clueless. God sent the wise men their way, but they let the opportunity – and the Messiah - slip through their fingertips.
They weren’t looking for the baby King, nor did they have plans to worship him. In fact, they were disturbed that someone else would claim the title king!
The Christmas story is not just a sweet little story of a baby in a manger. It’s a contest between two kings. It’s a contest of loyalty.
The contest continues today. Who are you going to worship? Who do you say is King? Christmas is a great time to remind ourselves of the Kingship of Jesus.
May you have a merry Christmas!
Steve Gray
Photo: Come let us adore him!
Ever since Kathy and I entered ministry, our goal all along has been to create a church God likes to attend. We’ve centered everything around him at World Revival Church so he’ll come down and be with us.
Life is too big to live without help from heaven, and if we can get God in our midst, then everybody has access to the help they need!
It’s the same way with our movies, Three Blind Saints - and the new one called “Something to Believe.” My goal? To produce movies God will attend. Something that will draw him near and connect the viewers to his presence.
It’s been quite an adventure producing a feature film. The premiere was an amazing night for Kathy and I to sit in the AMC theatre surrounded by friends and family, including Hollywood actors and film industry professionals that we now call our friends.
A big thanks to everyone who made that night possible: the hundreds who gave their time to the movie production, plus all those who turned out for the premiere. We couldn’t have done this without you, and Kathy and I are incredibly thankful!
Please keep praying for the success of “Three Blind Saints.” The possibilities are huge for the number of people this movie can touch! Keep “Something to Believe” in your prayers, too… we’re already moving into this next adventure!
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
God likes to use unlikely people. He sent a fisherman to reach the scholarly Jews and he sent a scholarly Jew to reach the Gentiles. When God can’t find the “likely” people to do his work, he’ll go to the ones that are willing.
That’s the basis for my movie Three Blind Saints that premieres on December 13 in Kansas City. It’s a great comedy slant on religion that’s not working – and the unlikely people God sends to fix it.
Religion is supposed to work. Lives are supposed to get better. But when God’s own people are more interested in the remote control and wondering how quick they can get in and get out of a church service - then he’s going to start looking elsewhere to get the job done.
Everybody deserves to experience his presence… and that’s why I wrote this movie. I’m going outside the church walls to reach the ones who might appreciate a real encounter with God that’s not dressed up in man-made religion.
Sitting in a movie theatre, your average Joe is going to get to a glimpse of God he may never had before. My three “unlikely” characters (played by Richard Speight, Jr., Stelio Savante and Elijah Rock) are going to lead the way to a church experience that’s genuine and really offers people a chance to know the living God.
It’s funny, it’s lighthearted… and I hope it’s going to open some eyes and turn some heads.
Everybody should experience God – and Three Blind Saints is making a statement that everybody can.
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
P.S. I hope you’ll join us for the world premiere of Three Blind Saints in Kansas City on December 13! Click here for tickets to this red-carpet evening!
http://threeblindsaints.eventbrite.com/
Dreaming of doing big things for God? Waiting for someone to tell you to go for it? Here’s my word for you:
Throw off what hinders you and run this race at full speed!
What’s stopping you from fulfilling the dream God’s put in your heart? What’s hindering you from moving toward the vision with faith and purpose?
Don’t tell me the power of power of God isn’t big enough to overcome the obstacles! All you have to do is walk by faith and welcome into your life everything God wants to do.
Revival has stirred my soul to run harder and faster after God than ever before. I’m doing things beyond anything I ever dreamed of. All it takes is faith in the God that’s bigger than me.
Move a revival to Kansas City? Sure. Write a screenplay and produce a feature film? Why not?
I can do anything with the power of God helping me along. And you can too.
The Bible says we have a cloud of witnesses cheering us on. I’ll add my voice to the chorus from heaven: “Keep going! It will be worth it!”
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
How many times do you hear of good news for Israel? Typically we hear of rockets and bombing and nuclear warfare… and from the Christian corner it’s mostly about end times destruction and who’s going to be left behind.
My job is not to bring an end-time message to Jewish people. My job is to bring a message of good news. I want to be the “beautiful feet” the Bible refers to that bring hope and life to Israel.
God has a plan for the Jews. Anyone, anytime, anywhere, that calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.
This message has nothing to do with time. This message is an eternal truth – forever held out to those who will believe.
God has not forgotten you, Israel. God didn’t make you a nation in 1948 to turn around and watch you die. Just like in days of old, God will come down and save you.
I hope that my life as a Gentile will make you jealous… I hope you’ll look at the glorious work God is doing at World Revival Church and you’ll realize how much you’ve been robbed of Yahweh’s glory.
Ever since revival touched our lives, Kathy and I have longed for a chance to tell the Jewish people good news of God coming down.
Our next movie is for Israel. It is a story of deliverance. It will give the Jews “Something to Believe.”
Yours for revival,
Steve Gray
P.S. We’re finalizing our first feature film now – and I’m already working towards this next one!
