If we go back to the arrival of Chrisopher Columbus, we may say that the Church has been in the Caribbean for over 500 years. For about half of that time there have been Protestant and Evangelical churches in the region.
I. The State of the Church in the Caribbean Today.
What is the state of that church today? How Does God see the Church in our region today? How does the church in our area stand up to the New Testament Expectations of the Church?
1. The Church in the Caribbean is Sadly Divided. There are so many names; so many denominations; so many varieties of Doctrine; so many unrelated ministries, and, so many authorities, that the idea of One Church seems far-retched and unreal. Can we describe what we have in the Caribbean today as the Church which the Lord Jesus Christ is building, against which the gates of hell cannot pervail? Is the Lord well pleased, or is He grieved with what exists in our area?
2. Many of the members of the 'churches' in our area are unsaved. They know nothing of the saving grace of God. And there is scarcely any challenge to them to be saved.
3. Many members are part-saved, and are content that they are part-saved. They are born again, they can testify. Their spirits which were dead in trespasses and sins have been brought to life. But their souls, their personalities have not been transformed by the renewing of their minds. And
their bodies have not been offered up to God as a living sacrifice. This is bound to give rise to nany problems in the Church.
4. Some churches have opened the door to Satan. Witchcraft has been in churches in the Caribbean for generations, and it is more so now. Satanic, secret societies can be found in some churches. Double-mindedness by which people try to serve God and serve the devil at the same time persists.
5. It is often difficult to tell the difference between the church and the world. Not that the world is like the church, but that the church is like the world.
6. There is too much self-interest and self-glorification in some churches. Ministries exist in some churches more to serve the desire of men for glory, than to serve the purpose for which ministries are given to the church.
7. There is too much shallowness in our Caribbean Christianity. We do not come anywhere near to being filled with all the fulness of God, or growing up to a perfect man.
8. We cannot claim to be A Victorious Church. We cannot rejoice that the Glory of God is among us.
9. There is a serious lack of 'The Mind of Christ.' We cannot say with St. Paul, 'We Have the Mind o Christ.' Love, the Forgiving spirit, humility are woefully lacking.
10. We are afraid to look at ourselves. We are afraid to repent.
11. Some churches have virtually shut out the Holy Spirit and are operating by human skills, human abilities, and human ingenuities.
12. We cannot confidently confess that we are a chosen nation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.
13. We seem to be a people without vision. "Where there is no vision, the people, society and nations perish."
II. There is An Urgent Need for God to Intervene
The need for God to intervene in our Caribbean Situation is Exceedingly Urgent. Nothing else can save and transform Caribbean society and Caribbean nations. God needs to humble the Nebuchadnezzers exalting themselves in the Caribbean nations, until they learn that the Lord God rules in the kingdoms of men and give it to whomsoever He will.
The walls of Jericho which Caribbean peoples and nations have built up to enclose themselves in their systems and ideas must be broken down, and Caribbean nations and societies made open so that God can move freely among the people, instead of the godless elements which are invading our sosieties and destroying our people.
God may first have to teach us by severe judgement, that there is no other way to bring righteousness, peace, and joy to the people of the Caribbean but by raising up His Church, and by working through His Resurrected Church to Transform the Nations.
III. God Needs A Man For This Hour in the Caribbean
God needs to raise up a man for this hour, to speak His Word to the Caribbean people. Such a man must be a prophetic man, saturated with the Word of God. He must be filled with, and totally controlled by the Holy Spirit. He must be prepared to speak the word of God no matter what the response of the people. He must be prepared to come against a stubborn, stiff-necked, and heard-hearted people.
He must have no illusions about the condition to which the church has fallen, and he must have the faith that though, humanly speaking things look impossible, with God all things are possible. He must have Great Faith. He Must be a priestly man, given to prayer, intercession, and spiritual warfare for his people. He must be prepared to be a watchman for his people; who sees, and knows the great dangers coming at them and warns them.
He must faithfully proclaim the Gospel in all its fulness. He must be prepared to be uncompromising in his proclamation of Jesus Christ in all the fulness of His Deity and His Humanity. He does not seek his own glory, but like Jesus he takes the form a servant; humbles himself, and is obedient to God alone no matter what the cost.
Have you ever wondered how is it that there are great 'moves of God' jn different parts of the world, but nothing seems to be happening in the Caribbean? Is it that God's time to intervene has not yet come, or is it that we are delaying God's intervention?
God is looking for a man.
IV. What Will A Resurrected Caribbean Church Be Like?
1. It will be A United Church, Eph. 4:3-5. not the splintered, man-made denominations that exist today. Christ has One Body.
2. The Glory of the Lord will be permanently present within His Church.
3. The Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ will be greatly manifested. This Church will have and will manifest the Mind, and the nature of Christ, incarnate inits members.
4. It will be A People, Holy with the Holiness of God, manifesting the fulness of the nature of God, uncontaminated by the world. The Fulness of God will be manifested in the Church.
5. The Holy Spirit will be the power at work in the church. His Gifts and His Fruit will be abundantly manifested.
6. It will be a Victorious Church-A Mighty Army against which the gates of Hell will not prevail.
7. The Resurrected Church will operate by the Word of God,by the Spirit of God, by The will of God, and by the Authority of God. The will of God will be perfectly obeyed.
8. The Resurrected Church will be blessed by the Indwelling Holy Trinity.
9. The Resurrected Church will do the works of Christ, and Greater works than Jesus did.
10. God Power will flow from the Resurrected Church, bringing life to all it touches.
11. The world, the nations will run to this Church, drawn by the power of God at work in it. Multitudes of the enemies of Jesus Christ and of His Church will be converted.
12. The Family will be restored by the impact of the Resurrected Church, based on sex and marriage after God's design; and bringing up the children of the kingdom of God. The image and likeness of God will be seen.
13. The Resurrected Church will impact and Transform the Nations at all levels. It will Transform the culture into the culture of the kingdom of God. It will raise up New Leadership for the Nations.
14. Church and Nation will be subject to the Sovereignty of God. God will be All, and In All.
IV. How Can Such A Church Come Into Being?
Is there any part that we can play in bringing such a Church into Being?
True Christian Believers in the Caribbean Must:
1. Give themselves unceasingly to Prayer, Intercession, and Spiritual Warfare in the heavenlies against all the powers of darkness opposing the purpose of God, and bringing the will of God into manifestation.
2. True Christian Believers Must Give themselves to Saturating themselves with The Word of God and with God's Will and Vision for His Church given in the Bible.
3. True Christian believers in the Caribbean Must be prepared to make the Sacrifice of Fasting For This Cause.
Without the Resurrection of The Church in the Caribbean, and God working through that Resurrected Church to fulfil His Purpose, Caribbean Nations are Doomed.
Contact: Martin C. Roberts
Rose Hill, Marigot, Commonwealth of Dominica, W.I.
Tel. 1-767-613-2201
Email: sendlight@hotmail.com
Copyright@Martin Roberts, Transformation of the Nations
Contact: Martin C. Roberts
Rose Hill, Marigot, Commonwealth of Dominica, W.I.
Tel. 1-767-613-2201
Email: sendlight@hotmail.com
Copyright@Martin Roberts, Transformation of the Nations
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