WE NEED Another JESUS MOVEMENT

[Lou Newton]

WE NEED Another JESUS MOVEMENT

by J. Lee Grady


Share In todayīs hip, sophisticated churches, we often forget to

preach about Jesus. Letīs get back to basics.


I became a serious Christian at the tail end of the Jesus movement.

I was too young to remember the hippie beads, tie-dyed shirts and

"Jesus Is Groovy" slogans, but the songs were still popular when

I was in college (from musicians such as Andrae Crouch, Love

Song and Barry McGuire), as were the movies (especially The

Cross and the Switchblade.)


The Jesus movement was like a spiritual tsunami that washed over

hundreds of thousands of young people in the late 1960s and early

`70s and brought them into a personal relationship with Christ.

Some of these kids had been drug addicts and social misfits; most

were just average Joes and Janes who discovered that Jesus is a

lot more exciting than traditional churches had led them to believe...


Lately I find myself waxing nostalgic for those days-not because

I want to return to the awkward fashions and hairstyles of 1972, but

because I miss the spiritual simplicity of that era. The Jesus

movement was primarily focused on-surprise!-Jesus. Theology

was not complicated, pastors werenīt trying to be hip or sophisticated

or tech-savvy; and we hadnīt yet created a Christian subculture

with its own celebrities and political power bases.


Today, we just donīt preach enough about Jesus. This is certainly

true in many charismatic churches, where weīve become experts

on everything but basic Christian theology 101. In my travels this

past year Iīve been horrified to learn that many Spirit-filled believers

have given up the discipline of reading their Bibles even semi-

regularly. They prefer a steady diet of culturally relevant, fast-paced,

techno-theology that is a poor substitute for discipleship.


Many charismatics have developed the attitude that a simple focus

on Christ isnīt enough. Weīd rather go to a "prophetic encounter"...

or experience some exotic spiritual manifestation (gold dust, gems

falling out of the ceiling), or ask Rev. Flash-in-the-Pan to pray for

us for the sixteenth time so we can receive yet another "special

anointing" that we will probably never use.


In the midst of all this charismatic gobbledygook, where is Jesus?

Am I the only one out there who is weary of this distraction?


Call me old-fashioned, but Iīve decided to get back to the basics of

the faith. Thatīs why I am reading What Jesus Is All About?, a

classic book written more than 50 years ago by Henrietta Mears,

a Bible teacher who helped mentor both Billy Graham and Bill

Bright in the 1940s.


Mears explains in her book how each of the four gospels-Matthew,

Mark, Luke and John-give us a unique, four-dimensional portrait

of the Savior. According to Mears:


Matthew was written to Jews to tell of a Promised Savior who is

also a King-and it uses the word "kingdom" 55 times.

Mark was written to Gentiles to tell of a Powerful Savior-and it

reports more miracles than any other gospel.

Luke was written by a Gentile to tell of a Perfect Savior-and it

has the most references to Jesusī humanity.

John was written by "the disciple whom Jesus loved" to tell of a

Personal Savior-and it has the most references to Jesusī divine nature.


The Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible knew we needed more than

a one-, two- or three-dimensional look at Jesus. The Spirit gave

us a four-dimensional view so that we could gaze at Him from all

sides and become captivated by His magnificence-His supreme

kingship, His compassionate mercy, His supernatural power, His

perfect justice, His amazing humility and His love for sinners like

you and me.


Thereīs so much more to Jesus than we realize. And there is so

much more to say about Him than we are telling our generation.

Thatīs why Iīm spending most of my study time in the four gospels

for the next few months. I want a fresh revelation of Jesus!


Perhaps another Jesus movement will be unleashed in our country

when we discard our distractions and focus on Him again.

[redsoxmaloney]

WE NEED Another JESUS MOVEMENT

by J. Lee Grady


Share In todayīs hip, sophisticated churches, we often forget to

preach about Jesus. Letīs get back to basics.


I became a serious Christian at the tail end of the Jesus movement.

I was too young to remember the hippie beads, tie-dyed shirts and

"Jesus Is Groovy" slogans, but the songs were still popular when

I was in college (from musicians such as Andrae Crouch, Love

Song and Barry McGuire), as were the movies (especially The

Cross and the Switchblade.)


The Jesus movement was like a spiritual tsunami that washed over

hundreds of thousands of young people in the late 1960s and early

`70s and brought them into a personal relationship with Christ.

Some of these kids had been drug addicts and social misfits; most

were just average Joes and Janes who discovered that Jesus is a

lot more exciting than traditional churches had led them to believe...


Lately I find myself waxing nostalgic for those days-not because

I want to return to the awkward fashions and hairstyles of 1972, but

because I miss the spiritual simplicity of that era. The Jesus

movement was primarily focused on-surprise!-Jesus. Theology

was not complicated, pastors werenīt trying to be hip or sophisticated

or tech-savvy; and we hadnīt yet created a Christian subculture

with its own celebrities and political power bases.


Today, we just donīt preach enough about Jesus. This is certainly

true in many charismatic churches, where weīve become experts

on everything but basic Christian theology 101. In my travels this

past year Iīve been horrified to learn that many Spirit-filled believers

have given up the discipline of reading their Bibles even semi-

regularly. They prefer a steady diet of culturally relevant, fast-paced,

techno-theology that is a poor substitute for discipleship.


Many charismatics have developed the attitude that a simple focus

on Christ isnīt enough. Weīd rather go to a "prophetic encounter"...

or experience some exotic spiritual manifestation (gold dust, gems

falling out of the ceiling), or ask Rev. Flash-in-the-Pan to pray for

us for the sixteenth time so we can receive yet another "special

anointing" that we will probably never use.


In the midst of all this charismatic gobbledygook, where is Jesus?

Am I the only one out there who is weary of this distraction?


Call me old-fashioned, but Iīve decided to get back to the basics of

the faith. Thatīs why I am reading What Jesus Is All About?, a

classic book written more than 50 years ago by Henrietta Mears,

a Bible teacher who helped mentor both Billy Graham and Bill

Bright in the 1940s.


Mears explains in her book how each of the four gospels-Matthew,

Mark, Luke and John-give us a unique, four-dimensional portrait

of the Savior. According to Mears:


Matthew was written to Jews to tell of a Promised Savior who is

also a King-and it uses the word "kingdom" 55 times.

Mark was written to Gentiles to tell of a Powerful Savior-and it

reports more miracles than any other gospel.

Luke was written by a Gentile to tell of a Perfect Savior-and it

has the most references to Jesusī humanity.

John was written by "the disciple whom Jesus loved" to tell of a

Personal Savior-and it has the most references to Jesusī divine nature.


The Holy Spirit who inspired the Bible knew we needed more than

a one-, two- or three-dimensional look at Jesus. The Spirit gave

us a four-dimensional view so that we could gaze at Him from all

sides and become captivated by His magnificence-His supreme

kingship, His compassionate mercy, His supernatural power, His

perfect justice, His amazing humility and His love for sinners like

you and me.


Thereīs so much more to Jesus than we realize. And there is so

much more to say about Him than we are telling our generation.

Thatīs why Iīm spending most of my study time in the four gospels

for the next few months. I want a fresh revelation of Jesus!


Perhaps another Jesus movement will be unleashed in our country

when we discard our distractions and focus on Him again.

When we discard our distractions...... great thought.

[Lou Newton]

I went to a local Christian church a few months ago and the name Of Jesus was seldom spoke of. BUT the whole sermon was about how the people should obey their pastor. The man speaking went by the title Pastor, so of course he was telling the people to obey him. Now my Bible tells me to obey Jesus. Jesus also tells us to not call any man teacher, or father. So I would assume that I should call no man pastor, or any other title. Jesus told us to call every man brother. I have never went back to that church.

Why is it so important to the men that are called to be pastors to be called by that title. Paul never once addressed himself as Apostle Paul, not once. He simply called himself Paul, and then sometimes followed with the fact that he was called to be an apostle. Apostle was his calling and job, NOT his title.

There is One and Only One Man who deserves for us to call Him our pastor, and that is our true Shepherd, The Lord Jesus. He alone shed His blood for us.

I have had people address me with a title and I always correct them quickly and seriously. I ask all people to simply call me Lou.

[Lou Newton]

I received this email from Glen:

WE NEED Another JESUS MOVEMENT

by J. Lee Grady


Lee Grady, like so many of the Jesus Movement seems to have observed it mainly from the youth movement or hippie lifestyle. Indeed, this is how it started under the ministry of Chuck Smith at Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, California. Reverend Smith started the congregation in 1965 by appealing to the youth and hippie element in California. The spiritual power of the Jesus Movement began to wane by 1976. In terms of spiritual power and growth all but the shouting was over. J. Lee Grady entered the movement in 1976. He was ordained in June 2000 with the International Pentecostal Holiness Church. Today, the IPHC provides him with an official covering for his ministry.

The Jesus Movement entered traditional congregations as the charismatic movement – not as the Jesus Movement. People of all ages were involved. In these traditional congregation the focus was not on speaking in tongues or miracles but in worship of the Lord. The pronouns 'me' and 'I' were absent for praise was about the Lord and His glory. The results were over flowing crowds and changed lives and opposition from congregations where the Holy Spirit was squelched.

All who permanently benefited from this movement yearn for such a Divine Presence again. These people continue the spiritual blessing received from those days but know for the Church to again experience the Divine Presence is beyond their making, their asking, their power.

Sadly, there is not any evidence of spiritual residue, nor has there ever been. Many experienced the Divine Presence but in time ignored the reality of God's Presence and drifted back to the ways of the world. A smaller number were permanently changed. In the traditional churches the movement had found fertile ground in those members who had always hungered and thirsted for Divine Righteousness. This new Divine Presence in the congregation exposed the joy and blessing of the Divine Presence these members already experience in their spirit. As the movement begin cessation those who had always longed after the Lord continue to this day to hold dear the memory, all the while benefiting from the joy and blessing of the Divine Presence within. It is the next generation who must live without this spiritual confirmation among the congregations until the Sovereign God so wills another time of Holy Presence. But when the Son of Man comes you will not need to search. Just be watchful for the Holy Spirit will send the message to you. There is not any residue, either the Holy Spirit indwells you or He doesn't.

Movements today within the American Church are products of man's efforts and not the Divine Presence. Everything about the contemporary church service is an orchestrated attempt to reproduce the emotion felt in the Divine Presence during the Jesus Movement. All the elements of the rock music concert are employed. However, all the hoopla remains powerless to make disciples and change this nation. This is a witness to what happened to sinful Dallas, Texas when the Divine Presence descended. His power changed the city and made front page news weekly. No, it will not be necessary to search for His descent.

There has been one constant in this life before the Jesus Movement, during the Jesus Movement, and after the Jesus Movement. That every day constant is desiring, seeking, and acknowledging the Divine Presence.