On Passover 2018, Dutch Sheets declared we have entered a new era. He explained that this new era was going to move the church from the Pastor, Teacher, Evangelist ministry model to the Apostolic, Prophetic led ministry model. He explained how this would look in great detail and said we must learn what this new model is going to look like and multiply the message. Dutch then commissioned us to go and preach this ministry model as the Lord gives us revelation into it. Well, the Lord has revealed something to me that I want to share with you. The Lord said to me this morning, “The church is moving from an answer to me ministry model to an authority ministry model.”
The answer to me ministry model has the attitude of you do what I say, you sow into my ministry, you support my vision, you follow my lead, it is very much driven by the senior leader, the titled position and the congregation is expected to financially and gifting wise support the leader. People are not allowed to do things without the Pastor’s permission and leadership roles in the church are given to those based on loyalty and tithing. This ministry model is not new, for the Pharisee’s employed the same model, they expected the tithe, they expected allegiance to them as leaders in the temple and they created a culture of fear, submission and obligation of which the people were bound to.
Remember the story of the man who was born blind, but Jesus healed him (John 9)? The Pharisees did not believe he was born blind and healed because Jesus did not keep the Sabbath, so they asked the blind man a couple times and he said, yes He opened my eyes, but the Pharisees still did not believe, so they asked the blind man’s parents and questioned them saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see? His parents answered them and said, we know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself. His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason, his parents said, he is of age, ask him” (John 9:19-23).
The answer to me model the Pharisees employed was a model of intimidation and fear. People obeyed out of fear and obligation. But Jesus is on the scene at the same time that the Pharisees are and he is employing a different ministry model. Jesus is modeling authority. Whenever Jesus finished speaking, the crowds would say, who is this, He speaks as one who has authority and not as the Scribes and Pharisees. Or the people would be amazed whenever they saw a miracle, for they knew that man could not do miracles, only God could. Jesus’ ministry model was one of authority, His teachings were with authority, the miracles He did were because He had authority and He knew He had authority because of Whose He was. Jesus always pointed to His Father in heaven, He never pointed to Himself. Jesus would only do what He saw His Father do and say what He heard His Father say; He would tell the disciples, if you see me you have seen the Father, for the Father and I are one. Jesus was quick to give glory to the Father, credit the Father and point His disciples to the Father.
The answer to me ministry model wants to be seen, heard and followed, but the authority ministry model wants you to see Jesus, hear Jesus and follow Jesus. The answer to me ministry model wants you to come to church, the authority ministry model wants you to come to Christ. There are two ministry models on the earth right now, just as there were in Jesus’s day. The exodus out of the answer to me ministry model is not out of rebellion, disobedience or a lack of pursuit of the kingdom of God, it is actually quite the opposite. When the people hear authority, see authority and learn that they too can have authority, they want that, for no human being was made to be powerless, but powerful and as Solomon said, “Who is this coming up from the wilderness leaning on her beloved” (Song of Solomon 8:5)? She is the bride of Christ and she is coming up out of the wilderness with authority because she is leaning on her beloved. It is a new era we have entered!
Mouthpiece Ministries 