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For 33 years, a significant leadership gathering takes place at what was once Heritage Village USA to discern what God is saying so that we as the people of God can stay strong and on the right track. Thirty senior Christian leaders attend the annual roundtable summit facilitated by Rick Joyner, a widely known and respected catalytic prophetic leader at Morningstar Ministries.
I consider it an honor to be one of the invited servants of God uniting with some of my close friends in ministry for decades. Our dialogue is lively and respectful, enabling us to better equip and encourage those whom we serve.
Among the attendees were Mike Bickle, Wellington Boone, retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, Bobby Connor, Lou Engle, Garland Hunt, Mark Nuttle, Ramiro Pena, Gordon Pennington, Janet Porter, Ricky Skaggs, Lance Wallnau and Bob Weiner. Steve Strang, Cindy Jacobs and Michael Brown have attended previously but were not present this year.
This grouping represented all five of the ministries cited in Ephesians 4:11: apostles (govern), prophets (guide), evangelists (gather), pastors (groom) and teachers (ground). Sermons are not allowed. Instead there is sharing from depth of experience and discernment regarding what is developing on our watch today.
Themes in crisis times
After a relaxed, informal dinner to cultivate a culture of friendship, we gathered to submit the themes we believed should be at the forefront for prayer and biblically informed discussion. They included:
- Centrality of Jesus/Scripture/Gospel
- Sanctity of life and marriage
- Effective cultural engagement
- Repentance/revival/reformation
- Global reset/one world government
- Religious freedom and censorship
- Elections/fraud/essential reform
- Economic upheaval and socialism
- Racial reconciliation/cooperation
- Democrats/extremism/Biden
- Republicans/conservatism/Trump
- LGBTQ agenda and activism
- Escalating pressures/persecution
- Laodicean spirit in the church
- Border security and immigration
Note: Groups that don’t want a secure border wall include Mexican drug cartels, MS-13 gangs, sex traffickers, smugglers, rapists and, tragically, most Democrats.
God tells us in the Bible, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:1). We cannot afford the luxury of retreating and remaining ignorant of what’s behind the darkness escalating around us. After an unprecedented year of COVID, racial tension, violence, school closings, impeachment, election turmoil, economic catastrophe, Capitol rioting, societal chaos and confusion, it’s understandable that many are demoralized and desirous of detachment from stress.
But this is a defining moment of history. This is our Mordecai moment! As Esther responded to the challenge in her day, so must we. “Who knows if you have come to the kingdom for a time such as this?” (Esther 4:14).
Valuable insights to emerge victorious
To communicate a comprehensive overview of the content from the gathering is beyond the scope of this article. I encourage you to listen to the “Here’s the Deal” podcasts on the Charisma Podcast Network to gain a fuller report on this year’s Roundtable. What follows are some of the key “nuggets” but not necessarily in order of importance.
1. Rick Joyner, from some very personal times of extended communion with God, impressed on us a sobering but necessary message for Christians. We have consistently preached but not fully embraced the mandate of 2 Chronicles 7:14 in which God calls us to turn from our wicked ways. God’s promise to bring healing to the land is predicated on real repentance, which paves the way for divine visitation in America.
2. Mike Bickle shared in humility his own challenges and those of the International House of Prayer community in responding to the radical reset God is calling us to in preparing His Bride for His return. He said both the republic and the church are being shaken, but divine judgment begins in the house of God, which has a Laodicean spirit (“lukewarm … I am rich … in need of nothing … realize you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked … be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:14-22). Lukewarmness must be vanquished to bring blessings (v. 20-21) and see authentic, New Testament Christians shaking society as we saw in the book of Acts.
3. Janet Porter, pioneer of the pro-life “heartbeat bills,” reminded us of the paramount issue of the sanctity of human life, with 61 million babies killed and a “Catholic” president shamelessly promoting abortion aggressively. On this critical issue, alongside LGBTQ activism and the horrific Equality Act, she quoted reformer Martin Luther.
“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely the point that the world and the devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may profess Him,” Luther said. “Where the battle rages is where the loyalty of the soldier is proved and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is merely flight and disgrace if he flinches at this point.”
4. Marc Nuttle, a brilliant political strategist who has worked with presidents, explained the major developments:
- The “Great Reset” Davos meeting on the 50th anniversary of the World Economic Forum in which globalist leaders gather to control banking, manufacturing, climate and other areas.
- The “Great Restructuring” in U.S. government is paving the way for totalitarian socialist control and China’s dominance.
- The “Great Redefinition” of truth and morality furthers secular, man-centered goals. He encouraged us to review Bill Gates interview on “60 Minutes” and the World Economic Forum website to learn the brutal realities behind this “one world” ideology.
5. Retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin, distinguished leader of the Delta Force initiative, warned us of impending danger to the nation because of the Armed Forces compromise and promotion of the LGBTQ agenda. The same dangers are permeating our schools because of education that is twisting history and indoctrinating children and youth with Marxist, BLM and radical LGBTQ curriculum.
As a vice-president at the Family Research Council, he warned of increased censorship on social media as we discussed creative alternatives now underway.
6. Ricky Skaggs, an uncompromising country music Hall of Fame artist, reminded us that the Lord is jealous for His glory! He stated God is erasing all we can do in our own strength, so that we passionately love, honor and obey Him unreservedly. We must heed His marching orders in this critical hour so He alone gets the glory. He’s extending an invitation for a visitation, and no matter how dark it gets, His light will shine in and through us as Isaiah 60 declares.
7. Bobby Connor, a respected and insightful prophetic leader, encouraged us that God is turning up the voltage and will not let us be comatose on the journey in this critical hour of history. We are called to “contend earnestly for the faith,” being “bold as a lion” and not shrinking back in our D-Day assignment. He reminded us of Galatians 1:10 in which Paul said, “If I were still trying to please men, I would not be the servant of Christ.”
8. Lou Engle, revivalist and catalyst for “The Call” massive youth gatherings throughout the world, stated emphatically: “Without another Great Awakening there is no future for America!” In the same place in Scripture where God tells us that He “sought for a man,” He addresses the practice of “shedding innocent blood.” We cannot and must not sell out on the abortion of little babies being exterminated in their mother’s wombs!
9. Prophetic oracles Lance Wallnau, Ramiro Pena and Nicolas Papanicolaou all echoed the refrain that we are “Crossing the Rubicon” – the point of no return – and all true followers of Jesus must be “salt” holding back decay and “deny self, pick up our cross and follow Him.” No more excuses, rationalizations and sitting silently on the sidelines saying, “Stay out of politics”; “God is sovereign and would never let us go into exile” (as He did twice with ancient Israel!); “It’s time to stop making America, the flag and the National Anthem idols!”
We must not yield to these misleading statements.
10. About 98% of the time I was an avid listener but added some comments better encapsulated by the words of another leader who fearlessly addressed the threat of Hitler’s democratic socialism. It cost him his life. May none of us shrink back in the time of testing but may we all look to the Lord with renewed devotion, meditate on His Word, share the gospel and engage culturally in a winsome and courageous way.
Here’s the deal: “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer