Mike Bickle
International House Of Prayer
Charisma Magazine Article

Today’s church leaders are moving in two different directions that will become more solidified by 2010.

Among the first group are those who have set their hearts to live deeply connected to Jesus and who are committed to full obedience in a fasted lifestyle. They will prayerfully devour the Word of God and encounter the Spirit’s power in different ways. They’ll reach out in justice with compassion to bring God’s love to people and to transform society. They’ll call people to love Jesus on God’s terms as they faithfully proclaim the whole counsel of God (including its “unpopular” aspects). As they impart these values to others, they will raise up praying churches that will be small-group based and have varying expressions of meeting and ministry style (both within and outside the church). Such groups will regularly experience God’s presence together with a spirit of prayer and prophecy. As they faithfully speak out in ways true to Scripture but unpopular to the masses, they’ll be ridiculed more and more by mainstream religion and media.

Within the second group are those seeking to grow their ministries by promising people ease, comfort and pleasure. Their present dullness and man-pleasing spirit will escalate into a much bolder distancing from the foundational principles of the Word. These leaders will also be involved in many outreaches and service-oriented works, even as they label the first group as fanatics. Both groups will function under the banner of Christianity and will aggressively reach out to others, yet they will do it with a very different spirit and message.