5. Testing the Doctrine, “Jesus should be worshipped 24/7 from one location by one group.”
One of the foundations of IHOPKC is Mike’s encounter when he is told … “Day and Night prayer and worship in the spirit of the Tabernacle of David.” Mike then changed the “Day and Night” part to mean 24/7 prayer, because the Tabernacle of David went 24/7 in one location with one group. Was this a correct interpretation?
I was a worship leader and pastor of a Prophetic church for over 25 years. My connection to IHOPKC through the decades was always about their practice of Spirit Filled, Spirit directed worship. My father helped Kansas City Fellowship’s first worship leader find “worship in spirit and truth” practices before Mike moved to the Kansas City area. This man first experienced “singing in the Spirit,” in the church I attended in my youth.
I love free flowing, worship and tried to help, as my father did, to correct and encourage this practice. NOT 24/7 worship but the “Worship in spirit and truth” of John 4:24. I have always felt that Mike’s “SPIRIT of the Tabernacle of David” pointed to John 4:24.
I quick study of the term “Day and Night” shows us there are three circumstances where the Bible uses the term.
1st - In Heaven a lot happens - “Day and Night,” but since Heaven doesn’t have literal DAY or NIGHT, we should probably recognize the meaning being CONTINUOUS. For example: Revelation 4:8 …and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God…
2nd The Old Testament’s - David’s Tabernacle which then became the Temple. This is what IHOPKC tried to do, even though it is not a New Testament model of “Day and Night” prayer and worship.
3rd The New Testament – First Century Church model which is mentioned by Paul about himself and “widows indeed.”
I Timothy 5:5 Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day.
II Timothy 1:3b I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day,
The New Testament (Christian) model of “day and night” prayer is NOT a literal 24/7 prayer meeting. The term means continual or consistent.
God himself settled the question of whether He wanted the church to start up a “David’s Tabernacle” practice (one group in one place.) The first church expression was in Jerusalem and that group was scattered throughout the Roman Empire.
The church was never established as mainly in one place until Constantinople in the 4th Century. This ushered the world into the dark ages and the beginning of the Roman Catholic Church.
Since the 1st Century church was scattered into all the Earth, Jesus has been worshipped and prayers have been ascending 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Millions of Christians throughout the Dark Ages and continuing to the present have been inspired and taught by the Holy Spirit to continue in prayer and walk in the Spirit. They have been one group (the church) but not in one location.
If the practice of doing LITERAL 24/7 prayer in one place is not a Christian model and historically was BAD for the universal church, why did no one confront and discuss what Mike’s vision really meant?
One reason why IHOPKC wanted to continue in this Non-Biblical pattern is that their recruiting was done to young people who were told, “Do you want to be a part of something that is not happening anywhere else? We have been worshiping and praying 24/7 since 1999.
The Second reason may be that IHOPKC had nothing else to claim as being unique. Some leaders (not all) had hidden motives to use people’s desire to love Jesus as a way to advance and grow their vision of the IHOPKC and the “Prayer Movement.”
The Third reason is that many who committed to 24/7 model had hidden pride. They had experienced the sacrifices of their commitment and had a high opinion of themselves and their accomplishments for Jesus. Even if Jesus did not ask them or want them to leave the New Testament model for a distorted Old Testament model.
According to Mike, God spoke 4 things to him, I-H-O-P. Because Mike missed what God wanted and started a Roman Catholic style 24/7 open-all-the-time organization, Mike only accomplished one of the four values.
FINALLY, FOR ALL THOSE WHO LOVED THE 24/7 VISION
It is NOT pride to feel that you can be a part of a World Impacting Prayer Movement. I would encourage all Christians to be whole heartedly following Jesus and being a faithful servant in all their callings and giftings. NO MATTER WHAT THAT IS – Bank President or Landscaper – Pastor or Teacher…
It is also a good thing for us to strive to see – church groups in every community banding together to have meeting centers open 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. That will fully happen in the Age to Come. But we can move toward that occurring throughout the Earth in this age. But the goal of the Spirit is to see Unity of Spirit throughout the community in all the church groups. So instead of working a man-made organization to accomplish God’s will, we should do the following.
…with all humility and gentleness, with patience,
showing tolerance for one another in love,
being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
There is one body and one Spirit…
Ephesians 4:2-4a
The church will see repentance and miracles as the Spirit of Elijah – the Holy Spirit prepares the Earth and especially the church for the 2nd coming of Jesus – King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We can see a very special season when Unity of Spirit leads all the church and church leaders to worship and pray, DAY AND NIGHT.
(Back to Title Page - https://www.gregorygrinstead.com/post/12-ihopkc-doctrines-practices-to-examine)
Comments