One Church, One Body, Regional Transformation
A Biblical Model and Not Business Model of Church:
The Upper Room does not operate on the typical American church model, which although has served us well, it is far to often centered around a single man usually a pastor) who has to be everything to everyone(teacher, counselor, worship, administrator, pastor, visionary, and more). We operate based on a simplistic biblical leadership model that is based out of Ephesians chapter 4:11-20:
" And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love."
What that looks like practically at the Upper Room:
We are a work in progress, developing a team of people who operate in different anointing and gifting’s to equip and help lead the body and effect regional transformation. This means we at times rotate for weekend services those people who operate in these gifting’s to teach services, impart, provoke, minister, exhort, equip and challenge the church as a whole. Meaning you wont see one person up front all the time. The diversity of these gifting’s equips and matures the body to be the body, to provoke them to be who Christ has called them to be messengers of the Kingdom. We operate as a family, and like every family your expected to contribute and participate in life together!
So where do I fit in, what can I do, how can I get connected in?
The first step is to get connected and start attending the Upper Room in Cardington! Then begin by asking the Lord, what is my place, where am I called. Quite often we think the place we fit in is insignificant or unimportant because in the typical church everything is centered around the guys in the front. At the Upper Room we recognize the Glory of God that you carry and its part it will play in a church that the “gates of hell will not prevail against” that will transform a region! So often we see church as business were we move up a ladder to get in the front and be seen, or heard, or noticed because that is the business model, not the Kingdoms model. The people in fronts job is simply to lead, but primarily to equip, empower and release YOU into your gifting’s so that Gods glory can be known and encountered in our region, that makes you a VERY important person and needed!
More importantly we need that you recognize the unique treasure God has placed in you and not try to be something you are not! When we can truly honor each person’s gifting, talents, and place in the body and recognize their gifts as not insignificant or less, when we can Honor the Christ in each of us, that is when true unity and love will emerge as described in 1 Corinthians 12-13. see the treasure in them that they are we will be a picture of maturity and power that will transform the Central Region for the Glory of God.
Your vision statement talks about raising up spiritually mature Christians, I have been in the faith for a while and feel I am mature what do you define as mature?
We define spiritually maturity as being a Christian who knows their identity in Christ, first as a son or daughter in the Kingdom, then who they are called to be in the Kingdom. That means they know what their giftings and calling are, and are have been equipped in that area, and are fully committed to using those gifts to see the Kingdom advanced. It means you are active in the Kingdom seeking the advancement of the Kingdom of God throughout the region. A spiritually mature Christian knows who they are in Him, uses their gifts and resources to further advance the Kingdom of God, and is committed to the local body.
You speak about regional transformation what does that look like?
Regional transformation begins at the simplest level, the individual. It begins with you. How so? We equip,empower and release you into the community with your gifts and you bring the power of God and have God encounters with people in and around your sphere of influence. But that's just the beginning.
1) Individual Families Transformed- It begins with your life and those in your family! It means relationships are really healed, people are truly delivered from the demonic, physical, emotional torment and encounter spiritual healing in powerful ways that only God could do!
2) Regional Marketplace Influenced- With the transformation in your life you begin actively share, encounter, and move with boldness towards the people in your workplace, the community gathering places such as stores, parks, and bring change lives on day.
What that looks like practically-
-People get actually get healed, set free, or have true God encounters at work, stores where you or others in the body enter. Your mindset is changed from passivity to boldness. Your mindset becomes one of I am going to be used today to advance the Kingdom of God!
-Those with influence in the business community begin to openly share Kingdom business principles vs. worldy principles, openly speaking into lives of the local businesses and business leaders.
3) Economic Turnaround- Regional Transformation means a shifting from a poverty mindset to a son and daughter mindset. As business and people begin to operate in the principles of the Kingdom of God, and demonic oppression is lifted there should be a visible shifting of poverty over the region. Economic development and Kingdom business will increase, farmers harvests will increase, droughts and famines end.
4)Decrease in divorce, sexual abuse and addiction- As we see the Kingdom being advanced across the region we should see divorces drop off, sexual abuse and addictions will rapidly decrease.
5)Unity of Churches- As the Kingdom increases, mans idea of church decreases. We should see unity and cooperation between churches and not competition, we will see churches working together, denominational lines will no longer be an issue.
6)Governmental influence- As the Kingdom increases, the regional government workers will often partner with the church and not against or vice versa and it will be a marked difference between the present time situation.
7) Neighborhood transformation- As we see the influence of the Kingdom in families, neighborhoods change, families work together, pray together and we see even the look and feel of neighborhoods change.
8) Decrease in Sickness and disease- We should see decreases in cancer, sickness over the region. Marked decrease in mental health problems, and large amounts of healing.
Does this sound like a place for you? Come check us out.......