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Kris Vallotton (Bethel Church) Hears Prophetic Word of Multigenerational Revival
3/7/2019Charisma
Kris Vallotton, senior associate leader of Bethel Church and cofounder of the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, says he heard God tell him that revival is not coming from the youth, but from every generation—the old, middle-aged and young all uniting together as one generation.
After hearing several prophetic words about revival coming to the youth, Vallotton says he heard God tell him, "Omission is powerful. ... If you say the revival's coming from the youth, what are you saying to the middle-aged and what are you saying to the elders?"
He says it's important to show respect to every group in the church, noting, "Revival doesn't have a gender. It doesn't have a generation—old and young. And it doesn't have a social class. ... It's doesn't matter how much money you have. You're included."
Vallotton explains this prophetic word and teaching in this short sermon clip.
I've noticed a common cause when big churches abruptly close. I call it the virus of spiritual pride. (Getty Images)
Just five years ago, Mars Hill Church in Seattle was considered the coolest church in the country. Pastor Mark Driscoll—with his ripped jeans, untucked shirts and raw pulpit vocabulary—set the standard for the evangelical hipster. His congregation, which had grown to 12,000 people at 15 satellite locations, attracted huge numbers of young people in one of the most unchurched regions of the country.
But the coolness came to an abrupt end in 2014. Driscoll resigned from Mars Hill amid allegations that he bullied and verbally abused his staff. The megachurch closed its doors at the end of that year. Suddenly everyone got off the Mars Hill bandwagon.
I've seen this scenario repeated too often. Does anyone remember Robert Tilton's Word of Faith World Outreach Center in Dallas? It was one of the biggest megachurches in the country back in the 1980s. It's closed today. So is Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, a church founded by Earl Paulk Jr. in the Atlanta suburbs. It had 10,000 members before a sex scandal wiped it off the map. And don't forget Bishop Carlton Pearson's 5,000-member Higher Dimensions Family Church in Tulsa. It's closed.
In my years of observing the ups and downs of our movement, I've noticed a common cause when big churches abruptly close. I call it the virus of spiritual pride. And I am concerned that this virus is back today. We would do well to protect ourselves from infection. If you see any of these attitudes in your church, you can be sure that spiritual pride is spreading like a disease:
"We do church better." I know of one church-planting movement that believes their Sunday-morning formula is the only one that works. Beware when church leaders start fantasizing that they alone are the catalyst for spiritual revival in the world. Success is great, but it can also cause your downfall. If you take credit for all the good things happening in your ministry, you are on the path to shutdown. You are not the Holy Spirit! Give God the credit He deserves and acknowledge that there are plenty of other churches that are reaching people for Jesus even though they use different methods.
"Our pastor is the best." In Uganda, a prophet named Elvis Mbonye attracts 5,000 people weekly to his church. He sits on a golden throne and invites parishioners to approach the stage, bow to him and kiss his feet. You may say that could never happen in America. But I see the same kind of celebrity worship on display in some of today's megachurches. Let's beware. A church built on one man's charisma, pulpit swagger or even supernatural gifts will eventually crumble. The best preachers don't demand attention; rather, they are busy training their replacements so the anointing doesn't stop with them.
"We have the 'secret' revelation." It was spiritual pride that moved Joseph Smith to found the Mormon Church—because he claimed to have secret information about Jesus Christ that no other church had. Smith's revelations proved to be bogus, but millions have been deceived by his doctrines. Spiritual pride leads people into deception. Members of the Colossian church began to have grandiose visions (see Col. 2:18), yet their hyper-spirituality created divisions in the church. Any prophecy or vision that suggests, "We have more of the truth than all other churches," is not from God!
"We are the coolest Christians." The spirit of pride creates an "us vs. them" mentality. The same devil who tempted Jesus in the wilderness whispers to us: "You are better than they are. You have the anointing—they don't. You have paid the price—they haven't. You are the new wineskin—they are old and irrelevant." This was the sin of the church in Ephesus. They had opposed false teachers and false apostles, yet Jesus rebuked them because they had lost their first love (see Rev. 2:4). Pride always distorts reality and makes you look better than others!
"God favors our group." There are many wonderful church movements on the scene today. Some are highly visible on television and social media; others produce music that is hugely popular. Every one of these movements has an important contribution to make—whether it's Hillsong, Bethel Church, Elevation, Gateway, Planet Shakers or ARC. We should be thankful for what God is doing in each of them.
At the same time, there are also many smaller, lesser-known churches and movements that don't have the huge audiences, the big money, the media buzz or the "cool factor" these groups have—yet God is also working through them. Never join a group because of the numbers or the cool factor. Don't jump on bandwagons just because everyone else is. Follow the Holy Spirit, not men.
Let God lead you to the church where He can most effectively use you. And wherever God plants you, stay humble and avoid the deadly virus of pride.
J. Lee Gradywas editor of Charisma for 11 years before he launched into full-time ministry in 2010. Today he directs The Mordecai Project, a Christian charitable organization that is taking the healing of Jesus to women and girls who suffer abuse and cultural oppression. Author of several books including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, he has just released his newest book, Set My Heart on Fire, from Charisma House. You can follow him on Twitter at @LeeGrady or go to his website, themordecaiproject.org.
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Hubie Synn, author of 'The Tales of a Wandering Prophet' (Facebook)
Why God Is Raising Up a Prophetic Army
While gathered at a great banquet with his lords, wives and concubines, King Belshazzar saw a mysterious hand write an encrypted message on the wall of the royal palace: "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin." Frightened by the apparition, the king of Babylon summoned Daniel—a prophet regarded for his ability to interpret dreams, explain enigmas and solve problems (Dan. 5:12). The prophet deciphered the inscription, explaining God had weighed Belshazzar in the balance and found him wanting, and that his kingdom would be divided by the Medes and Persians.
Today, the handwriting is on the wall again. But just as Daniel helped solve problems in ancient times, God is raising up prophetic leaders to offer hope and help release the next great move of the Spirit.
The cover story in this month's issue of Charisma—"A Prophetic Army Rising Up"—features interviews with a number of respected prophetic ministers who believe the world is on the verge of a powerful new move of God.
This may seem counterintuitive given the troubled state of the world. Yet many are prophesying awakening. And while some believe a "great shaking" is coming, they also believe God is patient and is giving the world time to return to Him. "I believe we're on the cusp of another phase of the release of the Holy Spirit that began with the Pentecostal/charismatic movements," says John Eckhardt, overseer of Crusader Ministries. "Some things don't happen unless prophets are involved. There has been a great amount of prayer worldwide for revival and awakening, and I believe God is answering those prayers by raising the level of the prophetic."
Today, prophetic believers are rising up as part of a great intercessory army to prepare the way of the Lord. God is calling a global community of prophetic people to arise and decree revival. Some who have felt discouraged are receiving a touch from heaven. Others are recognizing dormant spiritual gifts such as the simple gift of prophecy used for edification, exhortation and comfort (1 Cor. 14:3).
As this prophetic movement unfolds, it's important for mature prophets who have gone through the "making process" to train those with budding prophetic gifts. "The first thing is they need to find a mentor, somebody who is more seasoned," says Hubie Synn, a speaker and author of The Tales of a Wandering Prophet. This training is also available at a variety of prophetic schools, including the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry, where 2,100 students learn about healing, deliverance, the prophetic and supernatural gifts. "We are teaching people to leave the walls of the church and take the kingdom wherever they go," says Kris Vallotton, senior associate leader at Bethel Church and co-founder of the school.
These and similar ministries teach people about prophetic gifts, how to receive prophecies and how to know if they are true or false.
"We still have prophets today who are issuing corrections, warnings, teachings and instructions just as they did in the Bible," says DeGraw Ministries Founder Kathy DeGraw.
These prophets are encouraging church and ministry leaders to seek to understand those in their congregations and ministries with interest in this spiritual gift. Whenever God releases a new movement, teachers are needed to help the body of Christ understand what is happening.
"If you still believe in miracles and healings, then how can you remove prophets? God has always had prophets," Eckhardt says. "If we need them at any time, we definitely need them today with all the challenges the church is confronted with."
Just as Daniel was summoned to the royal palace in Babylon to interpret dreams and solve problems, Vallotton says more than 100 graduates of the Bethel school have gone to Washington, D.C., to work in government and "see the kingdom move into places of influence."
The graduates of the school are also working in several cities. Like the sons of Issachar who understood the times (1 Chr. 12:32), they're helping officials create "prophetic strategic plans" to solve problems before they occur.
This is why God is raising up a new wave of prophets—not just to sound a trumpet of warning in a world largely oblivious to the writing on the wall—but also to offer hope and godly solutions to the Gordian knots facing humanity.
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Bill Johnson, Cindy Jacobs Support GOD TV in Wake of 'Moral Failure'
Bethel Church's Bill Johnson called GOD TV viewers to throw their weight behind the network in the wake of co-founder Rory Alec's moral failure and resignation. (GOD TV)
In a Wednesday broadcast from Jerusalem, GOD TV co-founder Wendy Alec spoke candidly about her husband Rory's "moral failure." Rory resigned in September after admitting to a breach in his marriage.
The special episode was prefaced by words from GOD TV trustees Steve Beik and Canon Andrew White.
"GOD TV is doing the work of God, which the evil one wants to destroy," said White. "We sense brokenness but are assured God is not finished with GOD TV."
Beik, GOD TV's chief of staff, told viewers the network is there to stay, its mission remains unchanged, and he thanked viewers for their ongoing support.
Charismatic leaders rallied around Wendy and GOD TV.
Bethel Church's Bill Johnson called viewers to throw their weight behind GOD TV: "They're in a place of real need right now. ... This is the worst time for us to pull away from these friends of ours."
Kim Clement appealed for Rory to return to his God-given calling. Lois Gott, senior leader of Bethshan Church, pointed to the need for "valiant intercessors" to rise up to pray for GOD TV and how heartache is often the precursor of revival.
For her part, Patricia King of XP Ministries said that the media carries the greatest spiritual attack and asks how believers should react when leaders falter: "By speaking the truth in love, which shows mercy."
Cindy Jacobs of Generals of Intercession encouraged Wendy with a prophetic word: "No person built this network, God built this network and the Lord says, 'I AM the foundation, if My people stand behind Wendy, the media anointing of Isaiah 52:7 shall continue. Daughter, I have anointed and appointed you for this battle, the angels you have written about are doing battle, and My angels are greater than any demon.'"
Jacobs also broke a spirit of grief over viewers.
"We are going to rise above this, we as family together," she said. "We are taking the battle to the heavens, and we're going to win."
Click here to watch the Revival Alert broadcast on GODTV.
JERUSALEM, Israel - Could the world experience a second Pentecost? That's the hope of a global movement called Empowered 21, with organizers setting their sights on Jerusalem, where the first Pentecost took place.
Recently, Christian leaders came from around the world to Jerusalem to worship, pray, and plan for what they call E-21.
"It's amazing to see how many wonderful leaders God has raised up to partner with this goal of seeing every individual touched by a real encounter with the Holy Spirit by the year 2033. It's stunning," Bill Johnson, from Bethel Church, said.
Oral Roberts University President Billy Wilson, director of E-21, spoke at a recent event for global movement.
"Tonight we stand on history and we come to worship the King of Jerusalem who is our Lord Jesus," Wilson said.
"Our big, big vision is bigger than all of us. It comes out of Habakkuk 2:14 that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord will cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. And the big vision is that every person on earth will have an authentic encounter with Jesus Christ through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit by Pentecost 2033," he continued.
The first Pentecost recorded in the book of Acts took place on Mount Zion in Jerusalem 2,000 years ago. During the next Pentecost, May 24, 2015, organizers of E-21 are inviting Christians from around the world to pray for a fresh Pentecost on a new generation.
"You know in Acts chapter 1:8 Jesus said after the Holy Spirit comes on you, you'll be my witnesses in Jerusalem first, Judea, sort of where we are right now, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. So the theme of the conference is to the ends of the earth," Wilson explained.
"We're calling on believers from around the world to converge back on Jerusalem to celebrate the Holy Spirit, to look at what it means to be Spirit-filled in the 21st century and to pray for a new generation to experience God," Wilson said.
As they prepare to pass the spiritual baton to a new generation, some leaders say they already see God at work.
"Thank God E-21 is doing transformation among the leaders in India. Unity has been the key," Al Hollingsworth said.
"I see Empowered 21 as the Body coming together again. So important. So necessary," Dr. Paul Dhinakaran predicted. "When brothers dwell together in unity, the Lord commands a blessing. And I believe the blessing of the end time is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit."
The leaders represent the spectrum of charismatic and pentecostal groups.
Cindy Jacobs
"It's really end time stuff. I mean to have all these streams come together in the mountain of the Lord is, you know, something we dreamed of," Cindy Jacobs said.
Their next dream is Pentecost 2015.
"To experience a fresh Pentecost in our generation will be life changing so your life will never be the same if you come," Wilson promised.
Mike Bickle, Bill Johnson Join Spiritual Leaders in Honoring the Late Prophet Bob Jones
Mike Bickle
Bob Jones has gone home to be with the Lord after more than four decades of prophetic ministry. Spiritual leaders from various camps in the body of Christ are mourning his loss and praying for his family. Here are a few of the early reactions to Jones' passing:
"I am deeply indebted to Bob Jones for how the Lord used him in my early ministry. I loved him more than he ever knew and often told my friends stories about him," says Mike Bickle, director of International House of Prayer in Kansas City. "I am very sad for Bonnie and his son, Wayne, and for so many of us to hear of his departure, but I am so happy for him. I remember Bob as a man who loved people deeply and served them tirelessly for so many years. Bob was well-known for his remarkable love for Jesus and His Word—he devoured the Bible for 40 years."
"Bob passed away at 6:22 this morning, peacefully and smiling," says Rick Joyner, founder and executive director of MorningStar Ministries. "Bob was known around the world for his prophetic gift, but he was also the greatest lover of God and people that I ever knew. It seems fitting that he would pass on a day that celebrates love."
“Our wonderful friend and prophet Bob Jones went home to be with Jesus today, his first love, on Valentines a Day,” tweeted Bill Johnson, founder of Bethel Church.
'Bob Jones said, ‘I don't see anything prophetically after 94'. So either Jesus is returning then or I'm going home then.’ Rest in Peace Bob,” tweeted Robby Dawkins of Vineyard Church of Aurora, Ill.
“Just heard that the prophetic voice of Bob Jones is for heavens ears only. That man prophesied to me in my 20's that I would sing,” tweeted singer Rita Springer.
“Just heard that Bob Jones passed into glory today. He was a grandfather prophet to me, the movement and many. He will be missed,” said Matt Lockett, director of Bound4LIFE.
Click here to read more about the life and legacy of Bob Jones.
Modern Pentecostalism is increasingly wary toward supernatural manifestations and unusual phenomena.
I believe this article is coming in due season, particularly with all of the recent talk of "strange fire" concerning modern Pentecostalism and an increasingly wariness in the charismatic movement (of all places) toward supernatural manifestations and unusual phenomena. Also, Jennifer LeClaire recently posted a most timely article about how a church that was birthed in the flames of Pentecost—namely, speaking in tongues—has all but abandoned this glorious gift in pursuit of "relevance." This is unacceptable, and I contend that to be relevant for the kingdom, we should not only tolerate but earnestly desire supernatural manifestations and phenomena.
My Encounter With Supernatural Manifestations
Last November, I had an unforgettable experience at Bethel Church in Redding, Calif., that completely rocked my world. This experience was hardly limited to just me or even those attending that particular service. Supernatural phenomena has been gaining momentum in places like Bethel and in other houses of worship across the globe. The physical, visible glory of God is being revealed in an increasing measure—and rather than approach it with immediate skepticism, I believe we need to adopt an entirely new approach to supernatural phenomena and unusual manifestations of God's presence.
He might just be saying something to us.
The Travesty of Toning Down the Supernatural
Yes, even we—the charismatic church that has a rich history in the supernatural—have had the tendency in recent years to try and tone down the supernatural in fear of excesses. But there will always be excess. There will always be those who abuse and misuse something genuine and authentic. We need to deal with it, learn how to biblically navigate it, shut down the distractions, kick the dust off and continue pursuing the real deal. Counterfeits will always follow the genuine, and tares will always grow alongside the wheat. Counterfeits are the enemy's strategy for getting believers to throw important truths and realities out the window.
My theory? If there is something circulating in the body of Christ that produces confusion and uncertainty and cannot be easily categorized, it demands careful study, observation and evaluation through Scripture. Supernatural manifestations are just such a topic.
The Glory Came Down
Back to my Bethel experience. I was attending a Friday night service. Everyone was worshipping ... and then the glory came. Now, when I say "the glory came," people have all sorts of impressions and responses.
I stand shocked at what we have reduced the glory of God to be. We use the phrase God's glory as flippant Christian jargon, so it can mean anything from God being the focus of a worship song (and, by default, He receives glory) to a warm flutter in our chest and a tear trickling down our cheek. I refuse to devalue those experiences, as God's presence produces a myriad of responses, from simple and quiet to electric and overwhelming. At the same time, I also refuse to equate emotional behavior and feelings with a manifestation of God's glory.
What I saw and experienced at Bethel did not require faith. It was not in my head. It was not some spiritual vision or hallucination. I, along with 1,000 other worshippers, witnessed what has become identified as the "glory cloud." Shiny, transparent, golden, sparkling embers started falling out of the sky near stage right of the church platform. This caused some commotion and excitement. Rightly so! The commotion was not at all distracting, but rather fuel for more intense worship and focus on Jesus.
I was excited, but of course still a bit unsure, as my natural mind was in full swing, trying to make sense of the supernatural—that is, until the embers started coming up out of the ground. At this point, I was thoroughly convinced that some person was not up in the rafters sprinkling glitter on the congregation. God was in the house, and this visible manifestation of His presence filled my heart with incredible joy and praise but also intense fear and awe.
God is bigger than my box. He comes in unusual, unexpected ways. He is glorious and actually enjoys sharing this glory with His awestruck children. That is where I want to land this article, as I believe there is a powerful purpose for signs, wonders and unusual supernatural manifestations—such as the glory cloud phenomena.
A few things to know:
1. Unusual supernatural phenomena should be expected and welcome, as they are scriptural validation that we are living in the last days' outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
"I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath: blood and fire and vapor of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord" (Acts 2:19-20).
The "last days" signify the Pentecostal era since the book of Acts, as all these items originally listed in Joel have been coming to fruition—from the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost to sons and daughters prophesying to young men seeing visions and old men dreaming dreams.
Even as a charismatic community, we have embraced the outpouring of the Spirit, dreams, visions and the prophetic. But for some reason, we stop short of the wonders in heaven and signs in the earth. Why? They are noted very plainly in Scripture.
2. Unusual supernatural phenomena reintroduces the fear of the Lord to a generation that has become overly comfortable with the church experience.
Time after time, we note a correlation between extraordinary supernatural phenomena and the fear of the Lord.
Jesus raises a young man from the dead. This is undeniably supernatural phenomena. The result? Fear of the Lord. We read, "Then fear came upon all, and they glorified God, saying, 'A great prophet has risen up among us'; and, 'God has visited His people'” (Luke 7:16).
The early church moved in the fear of the Lord, and this was directly connected with the demonstration of signs and wonders: "Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles" (Acts 2:43).
When God shows up in ways that bust open our 21st-century "safe" spiritual boxes, we come face to face with the fear of the Lord. Let's be honest: In many contexts, church has become overly predictable. We know what to expect from the church service, and we assume we know to expect from God. I believe it's high time leaders embrace the shift and earnestly contend for the Spirit to break out once again.
Sadly, many poorly respond to this glorious invitation to tremble before Almighty God. Supernatural phenomena is purposed to increase our reverence for the awesome One who is uncontainable, indescribable, and does what He wants, moves how He wills and is utterly supernatural. We poorly respond to supernatural manifestations when we either reject them as a whole or place inappropriate emphasis on the signs or wonders.
The pursuit is never the manifestation. Many contemporary charismatics have made that very clear, and I totally agree. However, we must welcome and celebrate the manifestations, for they are invitations to experience a truly awesome God. I'm tired of worship songs with lyrics that describe experiences and revelations of God that we as the church are living beneath. It's time to finally catch up with what Rich Mullins wrote about in his classic praise chorus "Awesome God"—and experience God as such.
3. Unusual supernatural phenomena should be experienced, as they are part of our Pentecostal inheritance.
Modern Pentecostalism was actually birthed out of unusual manifestations. Many of our contemporary Pentecostal denominations emerged from the revolutionary outpouring at Azusa Street in 1906 to 1909, which included visible flames of fire appearing over the Azusa Street mission to similar glory cloud phenomena to limbs literally growing out of people's bodies.
To divorce ourselves from a rich heritage in the supernatural is to simply consent to an insidious form of "seeker sensitive" Christianity. Many of us may be under the banner of a historically Pentecostal denomination, but if someone walked into our churches, they would not be able to distinguish it from the seeker-friendly congregation down the street. We cannot afford to live beneath our supernatural Pentecostal inheritance, for it is actually the spiritual birthright of all born-again believers.
Whether we define ourselves as Pentecostal (by denomination or paradigm) or not, all believers have a Pentecostal heritage. If we are born again, we received the same Holy Spirit that was poured out at Pentecost. This is the same Spirit that empowered Jesus to work miracles and even rise from the dead. This is the Holy Spirit who resides in every believer on the planet. Everything the Holy Spirit did, He is fully capable of doing again. It's not a matter of waiting for some new sovereign outpouring or us crying out for heaven to open. Heaven has been opened for 2,000 years. So here's the kicker of a question: What are we going to do about it?
Pastor Bill Johnson summed it up perfectly in his response to the manifestations Bethel has experienced over the years: "You can't invite God into the house and not have something outside of your box happen. He's bigger than our understanding."
Of course, we keep our eyes and focus on Jesus. We are God-centric. Bethel is one of the most Jesus-centered, God-focused churches I've ever experienced. That said, it is time to pursue His presence—without strings attached. Let's welcome Him and everything He brings. Let's take one step deeper into our Acts 2, Pentecostal inheritance and contend for everything promised—that His glory would be seen, the church would be struck again with the fear of the Lord and "many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord" (Ps. 40:3).
Larry Sparksis host of Life Supernatural, a weekly radio program that features best-selling authors, emerging filmmakers and key ministry leaders. In addition to serving as the director of curriculum resources for Destiny Image Publishers, Larry is president and founder of Equip Culture Ministries—an organization that equips believers to experience a life of sustained victory through the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit. Visit him at lawrencesparks.com or on Twitter at @LarryVSparks.
Larry Sparks is the host of Life Supernatural, a weekly podcast that features bestselling authors, emerging filmmakers, and key ministry leaders.
In addition to serving as the Director of Curriculum Resources for Destiny Image Publishers, Larry is president and founder of Equip Culture Ministries—an organization that equips believers with tools and resources to experience a life of sustained victory through the supernatural power of God. He lives in Florida with his wife and daughter.
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