October 30, 2025

In The Beginning . . . 

The Charismatic and Jesus People Movements occurred simultaneously. I have always considered them as two parts of one revival. Recently, I have been sharing a few posts highlighting some of the weaknesses of these movements to help us avoid the same mistakes in the coming revival. Today, I’m going to begin discussing another mistake we made. This weakness involved short-term thinking, and was caused by poor theology. It will take me two or three posts to cover this subject; I am going to take my time because I consider the teaching to be critically important.

Just before He left for heaven, Jesus gave two commissions to His church:

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. The one who has believed and has been baptized will be saved; but the one who has not believed will be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name, they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’” (Mark 16:15-18 NASB)

“And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”’ (Matthew 28:18-20 NASB)

The “Great Commission” in Mark 16 is the restoration of people back to God’s family–salvation. The “Great Commission” of Matthew 28 is the restoration of a people’s thinking back to the ways of God–discipleship. The first (Mark 16) changes people’s nature—who they are—transforming their spirit. The latter (Matthew 28) changes people’s thoughts and actions–how they live–transforming their soul (mind, emotions, and will). God not only wants kids; He wants them to become mature sons and daughters who know His ways and think His thoughts, enabling them to represent Him. When Mark’s commission occurs in mass, resulting in the salvation of many people, we call this a revival; when Matthew’s commission occurs in mass, resulting in societal change—government, laws, morals, education, culture, etc.—we call it a reformation. In the Charismatic/Jesus People revivals, we worked toward Mark 16; the Matthew 28 commission, not so much. I will cover the result of this later. But first, let’s make sure we understand these commissions.

These two commissions will never be fully understood without a clear grasp of Genesis 1, for they are actually recommissions of what took place then. Jesus came to restore–restart, rebirth, revive, redeem, recover, reform, refill, and recommission. It is only logical, therefore, that we must go back to the beginning in order to understand what he is RE-storing and RE-commissioning us to.

In The Beginning. . .

In the first chapter of Genesis, God worked on a planet in His universal kingdom: Earth. It would become home for the family He was soon to create. For five days, He transformed this home. I love the glimpses of His heart as He progressed. After each day’s work, God said the progress was “good.” Why would He say this? The Lord certainly wasn’t bragging, patting Himself on the back for a job well done. Nor was He surprised–“Wow, this is turning out really well.” No, Yahweh was expressing His pleasure—His satisfaction with what was occurring—just as an expectant mom and dad might when preparing their nursery.

Abba’s pleasure increased to its highest level, however, on the sixth day after creating His human family. In His sixth pronouncement that what He had created was good, the Architect added a word: “This is very good” (Genesis 1:31). His plan was coming together, and like a proud parent standing over a newborn baby, Papa God was savoring the moment.

The Creator made this family in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26). The Hebrew word for ‘image’ is tselem, which involves the concept of a shadow, a phantom, or an illusion.(1) An illusion is something you think you see, but on closer observation, discover that your eyes have tricked you. When the rest of creation saw Adam or Eve, they must have done a double-take, thinking: For a moment, I thought it was God, but it’s only Adam.

The Hebrew word demuwth, translated as “likeness” in Genesis 1:26, comes from the root word damah, meaning “to compare.”(2) Adam and Eve, at creation, were very much like God, filled with His life, nature, and Spirit. They were His family. He who had innumerable angels serving Him was not satisfied. God desired sons and daughters; He also wanted companions for His Son. To satisfy these desires, He created a new “species,” in His image and likeness, far different than the angels. 

Then came two commissions or mandates to this new family. Commission One: “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Genesis 1:28). God was saying, “Reproduce! I have placed in you the ability to multiply My image and likeness. And I want a big family!” Just let that sink in: God gave humans the ability to reproduce and multiply eternal images and likenesses of Himself! Astounding! What a privilege and what a responsibility.

Then came Commission Two: “Rule over…all the earth…over every living thing that moves on the Earth” (Genesis 1:26-28). Psalm 8:6 restates the mandate, “Thou doest make him to rule over the works of thy hands, Thou hast put all things under his feet.”

Each of the above passages uses a different Hebrew word for “rule” (translated as “dominion” in other versions of the Scriptures). The Genesis verses use radah,(3) Psalm 8 uses mashal.(4) Both words convey the concept of management, government, or rule. Adam and Eve were commissioned to govern or manage earth, their home, for themselves and Creator God. They did not “own” earth; they were delegated stewardship and governance for the Owner and Creator, Yahweh. Obviously, they were to do so under His headship and rule, implementing the principles of His Kingdom, not according to their own dictates.

Obviously, this plan was interrupted at the fall. When Adam sinned, he lost the image, likeness, and Spirit of God; he also lost his dominion, the delegated authority to manage the earth. And God lost His family. (God did NOT lose ownership of the Earth, for He had never given that to Adam, nor did He lose HIS personal authority over the Earth; we humans lost OUR delegated authority, which had now been transferred to satan.)

These two losses are what Jesus came to restore: 1) God’s family, and 2) their lost governance and stewardship of the earth.

We will pick up here tomorrow, see how this all relates to the last revival, and what will change in the coming great awakening.

Pray with me:

Father, we know revival has begun. It is in its beginning stages here in America, though in some parts of the world, multitudes are already coming to You. Increase it here and around the world. Save a billion souls. We thank You for the increase that has come this year. Now, we ask that You unleash the full-force power of the gospel and confirm it with signs, wonders, and miracles.

You have said reformation has also begun, stating that the ekklesia, the church, is prepared and ready. You said angels have been dispatched to assist us, that the impossible will occur, and the unchangeable will change. So we ask You for this. Revive and reform. Teach us what reformation looks like, so that we can partner with You at higher levels and see lasting fruit.

Cause this revival to break out over the entire world. We declare the coming of Your Kingdom, and the accomplishing of Your will here and throughout the earth, as it is in heaven. Multiplied power, multiplied deliverances, multiplied salvations–bring them forth. In Yeshua’s name, amen.

Our decree:

We decree that we have moved into revival and reformation, and will see the great billion soul harvest.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. Spiros Zodhiates, Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible - New American Standard (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 1984; revised edition, 1990), p. 1768.

2. James Strong, The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990), ref. No. 1819.

3. Ibid., ref. no. 7287.

4. Ibid., ref. no. 4910.

October 29, 2025

The Importance of Running Together

The Jesus People movement occurred in the late 1960s and throughout much of the 1970s, impacting North America, Europe, Central America, Australia, and New Zealand before it subsided. It coincided with a significant breach between the younger and older generations, commonly known as the “generation gap.” This division was not a single, uniform phenomenon, but encompassed political beliefs, cultural tastes, social norms, and expectations about authority, education, and personal freedom. Sadly, the generation gap negatively influenced the Jesus People movement in some ways. Before we address this, let’s briefly recap this “generation gap.” It was caused by several overlapping phenomena:

• Postwar affluence: As economies grew, more young people enjoyed disposable income and time for education and leisure. This created a distinct youth culture with new priorities and ambitions separate from parental routines and activities. 

• Educational expansion: College attendance surged in the 1960s and beyond. Known for radical ideas in philosophy, sociology, and political science, campuses became hotbeds of challenges to established norms about race, gender, class, morality, religion, and authority.

• Civil rights and anti-war movements: Many young people began questioning the legitimacy of older generations’ hierarchical structures and national decisions. This led to great disillusionment in the youth.

• Cultural revolutions: Popular music, art, literature, and media celebrated experimentation, sexual liberation, and nonconformity. The rise of rock and roll, folk revival, and the drug culture offered new identities and ways to resist conformity.

• Changing gender expectations: Women increasingly challenged traditional roles at home and in the workplace, which impacted the family unit.

• Technological and media shifts: Television, film, and the mass availability of information allowed younger audiences to encounter diverse viewpoints and lifestyles, creating a sense of global connectedness and generational difference.

• Authority and traditional values came under scrutiny: Many parents and authority figures had grown up in more hierarchical, economically stable times. As their children embraced alternative lifestyles, dissent, and political activism, this generated distrust, conflicts over authority and discipline, and division.

What were some of the outcomes of this era? What did the generation gap produce?

• Cultural transformation: The era reshaped popular culture—music, fashion, literature, and media—leading to more permissive attitudes toward sexuality, the challenging of authority, and the celebration of individual expression. This left a lasting imprint on societal norms.

• Political polarization and discourse: Debates around war, poverty, and social justice created lasting generational divisions. Political movements often blurred into a sense of “us vs. them” between younger reformists and older traditionalists.

• Educational changes: Schools and universities became spaces for indoctrination and activism. 

• Long-term shifts in family dynamics: Shifts toward the family structure, feminism, reproductive rights, marriage, and contraception contributed to new family models and gender roles. Along with this, the idea that youth could and should define their own paths became a more accepted norm.

In summary, the 1960s and 1970s were a very tumultuous period, and the generation gap became very significant. It arose from a convergence of diverse issues affecting family, education, politics, and culture. Younger people questioned established authority, challenged social hierarchies, rebelled from past standards, and demanded more freedom. The era reshaped culture, intensified political discourse, and redefined family. 

How This Influenced the Jesus People Movement

When the Jesus People movement emerged, multitudes of youth were saved, but this did not heal all the division, distrust, and significant generational separation. The young people who came to Christ brought with them their different music, dress, free-spiritedness, many of their political ideals, and more. Some of this was actually good and helped break down the existing religious boxes in the church built solely on tradition and preference, not on Scripture. A lot of the older folks did not like this, however, and were resistant to the change, wanting the status quo. Traditions, especially religious traditions, are not easily changed. 

The youth also brought some of their distrust toward the older generation in the church. And, of course, this lack of trust was reciprocated by many of the older folks. Each wanted the other to change. The truth was that both generations needed to do so. Instead, the generation gap was brought right into this move of God. This was disastrous.

Malachi 4:6 speaks of a curse associated with division between parents and children. I realize many translations use “fathers,” not “parents,” but I believe the warning includes both fathers and mothers, as do several other translations. The verse states: “And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.” KJV

“He will return the fathers’ hearts to their children and the children’s hearts to their fathers so that I can come and bless and not strike the land with a curse.”  TPT

The charismatic and Jesus People movements experienced the fruit of this curse Malachi spoke of, along with the rest of America. The wisdom of age and the zeal of youthfulness were unable to partner and produce the wonderful fruit God intended through generational synergy. The experience of the older generation didn’t help channel the passion of the young, and the elders’ passivity wasn’t offset by the fire of the sons and daughters. 

Many Joshuas couldn’t find their Moseses, Elishas their Elijahs, and Timothys their Pauls. And vice versa. Many of the old grew stagnant, becoming old wine skins, unable to receive the new wine; many of the youth were captured by false doctrines and built ministries on weak foundations. And much potential fruit for the Kingdom of God was lost.

The Third Great Awakening

I have hope in my heart that this breach will not exist in the coming revival. I believe God has done a work of joining fathers and mothers to sons and daughters, turning the hearts of each toward the other. And I believe this will create a much greater stability, power, and productivity in the new move of God. I also believe it will produce the longevity that comes from generational connection. In the next awakening, we will not be divided, but instead, will run together.

Let’s ask for this now. 

Pray with me:

Father, You call us to walk in unity with one another, including unity between generations. Sons and daughters, fathers and mothers must run together. We know that when they are in agreement, it releases synergistic power. 

In the coming revival, we want to see Joshuas leading with the strength of their Moseses, Elishas moving in the double portion of their Elijahs, Timothy’s building with the wisdom received from their Pauls. You said Joshua had the spirit of wisdom because Moses laid his hands on him (Deuteronomy 34:9). You said Elisha received the mantle of Elijah (2 Kings 2:13). You told us that Paul laid hands on Timothy and gave him spiritual gifts (2 Timothy 1:6). Do these things many times over in our day. No more generation gaps; those days are over. 

And we pray that the young people who come to Christ in this great awakening would grow quickly. Break off any and all mindsets that would hold them back or cause them to stumble. Free them from all addictions, gender confusion, deceptions, and wrong ways of thinking. Cause them to be truly Christ-like, demonstrating the fruit of Your Spirit in abundance, and be the greatest generation ever. All of this we pray in Jesus’ name. 

Our decree:

We decree that the hearts of the fathers and mothers have turned to the sons and daughters, and the sons and daughters have turned their hearts to the fathers and mothers.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

October 28, 2025

Sensationalism Without Substance

The last few days, I taught about the danger of building churches and ministries on gifts and charisma rather than on God’s heart, His wisdom, and sound biblical truths. This was a serious flaw in the most recent national revivals, the Charismatic and Jesus People movements. Today, I want to address another mistake made in those revivals. As I have said previously, I’m doing so that we might guard against repeating these mistakes in the coming awakening. The weakness I’m addressing today is building churches and ministries on hype, sensationalism, innovation, etc., rather than on God’s presence, Word, power, and anointing.

Revelation 3:1&2 says of the church at Sardis, “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen the things that remain, which were about to die.”

This church had obviously been alive and well at one point. And to the average observer, it continued to have the reputation of being alive. God, however, looked into the heart of the church and saw its true condition. The fact that Sardis was still considered spiritually healthy tells us that they continued to do all the right things. People were impressed. Jesus, however, said Sardis was dead. Yes, their presentation was polished, their methods seemingly effective, but it was all outward show. Inwardly, they had serious heart issues.

This problem in the church comes from attempting to build, not on the anointing of Holy Spirit, but on formulas, hype, sensationalism, big names, miracles, the gifts of the Spirit, innovation—anything that breeds excitement. It usually takes place because it is quicker and easier to build this way. 

Innovation is prioritized over the anointing. Man-made ideas are implemented to achieve growth. In our generation, there is no shortage of creative ways to produce a movement. Just as King David attempted to bring the Ark of the Covenant back to Israel on his “new cart,” we have produced thousands of “new carts” in our efforts to restore God’s glory in the church. These “carts” come disguised in many forms, from church growth seminars to the most innovative and technologically brilliant schemes imaginable. E.M. Bounds said it well, “We are constantly on a stretch, if not a strain, to devise new methods, new plans, new organizations to advance the church and secure enlargement and efficiency for the gospel.”(1)

I sometimes hear promotions of mighty services only to find hype and sensationalism when I arrive. A few years back, I heard of one well-known evangelistic team’s “great crusade” where more than 2,000 young people were supposedly won to Christ in a single week. A few months later, I checked the results and was told that only one of the “converts” had become a true follower of Christ. Great crusade? I don’t think so. I wasn’t surprised—their entire approach was hype and entertainment.

This approach to generate growth leads to what I call “placebo Christianity.” The outside looks real, but the inside lacks substance. It looks alive, but is dead. Perhaps most alarming is that it standardizes mediocrity. The church of America has done this.

The Samson Effect

Those who read my books and these Give Him 15 posts know I want the body of Christ to see a resurgence of the miraculous. But an overemphasis on power, miracles, and especially emotional stirrings leads to sensationalism and, ultimately, a decrease in power. Like the church at Sardis, the power and anointing can die, while the church’s reputation lives on. As with Samson, this can happen without our even realizing it. After having lost his power, he said, “‘I will go out as at other times and shake myself free.’ But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him” (Judges 16:20).

Sensationalism ultimately leads to cynicism in the world and disillusionment in the body of Christ. I have watched several churches and ministries built using these methods. There was great initial excitement, Christians transferred from other, less exciting churches, and these congregations became the latest “fastest-growing, cutting-edge, overnight sensations.” The interviewers came, articles were written, television shows were produced, and money was made. Many of the churches are now dead or mortally wounded. Others still have a name that they’re alive, but are basically dead. Heaven weeps…while someone goes and repeats the process somewhere else, creating another overnight sensation, playing the Kingdom success game, striving for greatness.

What has been the fruit of this approach to church growth? Our cities and nation were not changed—no, that's not actually true. They grew worse! Christians grew more disillusioned, the world more cynical.

Genuine Greatness

I don’t think the average American–believer or unbeliever–understands greatness these days. Most Christians will be totally confused at the awards ceremony in heaven. I can assure you that it won’t look like ours. I do know some truly great people, but you’ve not heard of most of them. They are not “gifted” enough. They’re simply great moms and dads…hard workers…faithful servants.

My grandfather, Bill Henkel, lived to be 90. He didn’t leave his family any money; it wasn’t there to leave. He lived in the same small house for 60 years, in a small town. Grandpa never preached a sermon, but his life continues to preach. So does his offspring. Known for his integrity, my grandfather’s handshake and his word were enough for anyone who knew him, including his bank. My brother Tim once saw him get a loan at the bank without even a signature! “We’ll do the paperwork later, Bill. Your word is enough for now,” the banker said. He was a humble man. When Grandpa was saved, he was so convicted that he crawled to the altar. He was in church every Sunday, most Wednesdays, and served in various capacities. He tithed, gave offerings, and helped many needy people, though he had to work three and sometimes four jobs to survive. Grandpa only had an elementary school education. 

But while Grandpa didn’t leave his family any money, he left a great legacy. His children love God; his grandchildren preach the gospel. Bill Henkel was a great man! Heaven celebrated his arrival. When he moved there, I wept and rejoiced at the legacy he left me, worth far more than money.

The world around us is looking for true greatness, not sensationalism. Understanding sensation and hype far better than we in the church do, they are unimpressed with ours. We will never reach unbelievers using their own methods. They need substance from us. Truth. Depth. A proud, be-number-one, claw-your-way-to-the-top generation will be defenseless against genuine humility, servanthood, agape love, and genuine power.

Let’s show them what this looks like.

Pray with me:

Father, sometimes we deceive others, we even at times deceive ourselves, but we cannot deceive You. You look straight into the heart, not at the outward flare and flash. You did so for the church at Sardis and told them they were flatlining, that they had to wake up and strengthen the good that remained. In their weak state Your heart was not to condemn them, but to awaken them from their slumber. 

We know You have come to the church in America to do the same. You have challenged us to wake up and strengthen the good within us. We believe that many believers have done so - not all, but many. And You have always been willing to use a remnant to repent, intercede, and prepare the way for others. We have done so, and will continue to do so. We ask You to enable us to fully awaken the American church and impact our nation. 

We ask You for signs, wonders, and great power, but not so we can grow our churches and promote our ministries. We want to make Jesus known, not ourselves. We want those who are hurting to be touched by Your power so they can be free from oppression and suffering, not so that we can be famous. Show us any hidden areas of our lives where the need for self-promotion hides. Cleanse us from any and all pride. Get us ready to be used for the great outpouring of Your Spirit that is building. We ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Our decree:

We declare that we will not yield to sensationalism and self promotion, but will walk in humility and glorify God with our lives.

Click on the link below to watch the full video.

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1. E.M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977), p. 5.