Greater Transformation is Coming

h2. Greater Transformation is Coming h3. Feb 15, 2010 Annita Maat On Wednesday, Feb. 10, Derk and I attended the celebration of the complete transference of Dexter Quinlan’s citizenship to heaven. We had come to appreciate Dexter as the GTA pastor called by the Lord to unite the Toronto congregations for the sake of the GTA’s transformation and blessing. Over the years, we prayed for, were pastored and encouraged in the Transformational Summits he helped organize. We enjoyed his sense of humour at a Harvest Evangelism Conference in Argentina where, together, we were inspired by global examples of transformation. Over the years, the Elisha Mississauga Intercessory team has joined GTA prayer meetings in City Hall, worked with Dexter and the Toronto Leadership team to pray and prayer walk for the Global Day of prayer and, later, prayed for his healing from the aggressive brain tumour he faced. Our Meadowvale prayer chain also prayed for a miracle. Although Dexter was given more than twice the average amount of time, he died early Sat. morning, having done all he was called to do here, released by those in his immediate family and welcomed by the family in heaven. We were so strengthened by this celebration of who Dexter was in Christ and encouraged to continue doing whatever the Lord requires of us, first of all in our personal lives and then whatever else the Lord asks. We came to the celebration encouraged already, having spent Jan. 31-Feb.4 in California at a gathering of 50 world leaders who testified to the grace of God in bringing transformation to their cities, regions and nations. One of these was Lance Wallnau, who, seeking to strengthen the unity of the Lord’s body as expressed his desire to continue in delveloping a relationship with the Harvest Evangelism Family. (Ed is Derk and my Spiritual Father and Mentor and has greatly (along with others) encouraged us in this past year.) Lance writes on transforming the seven mountains (or spheres) of society. He told the meeting he had seen that, out of all the streams with the same transformational message from the Lord, Harvest Evangelism has demonstrated the most tangible results of actual transformation of cities regions and nations. Lance agreed with the emphasis on the Luke 10 teaching ( bless, fellowship, pray for or serve felt needs and then—proclaim the Gospel) and the 5 pivotal paradigms and he wanted to work in unity as family of God to accomplish His will. h4. The 5 pivotal paradigms that Harvest Evangelism teaches are: * The great Commission is about discipling nations, not just people. * The marketplace (education, business, government--the heart of the nation) has already been redeemed by Jesus and now needs to be reclaimed by His followers. * Labour is the premier expression of worship on earth and every believer is a minister. * Our primary call is not to build the Church but to take the kingdom of God where the darkness is still entrenched in order for Jesus to build His church. * The premier social indicator that transformation has taken place is the elimination of systemic poverty. It was again demonstrated at the conference in the testimonies from folks from around the world that the teaching of these 5 paradigms is critical in igniting spiritual transformation of hearts, minds of people in churches, businesses, governments, and educational institutions leading to city, regional and national impact of the gospel. At the conference we heard amazing testimony by people such as Lloyd and Joanne Turner who have been called to lead a prayer walking and adopt-a-street prayer movement in Newark, New Jersey that has seen a major reduction in murder and crime, so that it was noticed by the federal government. As well, the New York City pastoral equivalent to Dexter spoke of how 150 congregations have united to prayer walk every street in New York City 7 times, so that the murder statistics have decreased 77 per cent and the spiritual atmosphere over the city is greatly altered. And we heard from Brian Burton who pastors a church in Phuket, Thailand where the equipping of marketplace ministers and his Spirit led preaching for 6 months on the 5 Pivotal (and biblical) Paradigms have resulted in 7 million dollars of bribes being returned. This money is being used to help eliminate systemic poverty. Brian is now being paid to be the Regional Mayor’s “Minister of Righteousness” who checks each government bill for righteousness before it is passed into law in that predominantly Buddhist land. For his leadership after the Tsunami, Brian has received high honours from the King himself, by God’s grace the first Christian ever to be so recognized and honoured. Jay Swallow, the First Nations Seer and Prophetic Elder, also led at the gathering. Derk and I had the honour to receive prayer by Jay and Joanne his wife, for us and our GPEC waste-to-energy company. We were greatly challenged and strengthened. The conference became a catalyst to see what needs changing and doing in our personal lives first of all and then to obey whatever else the Lord asks of us. We want to serve the Lord in any and every way he calls us to. And, after the celebration of Dexter’s citizenship transfer, our hearts are even more quickened with anticipation and hope. All the long sowing into the land by so many through prayer and prophetic acts and the giving of lives to the unity of the city and regional church for the sake of the city, region and nation, is going to be blessed. The longing of our hearts for the Lord’s transformation is going to happen. We brought back several DVDs sharing global examples of city and regional transformation and have already been asked to show, explain, and teach on these to several interested groups and individuals. The DVD on Newark Prayer Walking and Pat Francis’s entrepreneurial church along with several others are a moving testimony of what God is doing. The “how to” section of each DVD is amazing in how it challenges folks on how to apply and implement in each local setting in which we find ourselves. We are exploring the TOW website and are learning what an amazing tool and resource this is to facilitate communication, networking and transformation across Canada and around the globe. Thank you Marilyn and team for all your hard work on this website which is already starting to bear fruit! Derk and Annita Maat Chair of the Board of Transformation Canada(ITN/HE)