Jun 22, 2017
THE RISING STORM and A CLARION CALL for
HUMILITY, TRUTH and REPENTANCE
Observations
for Calvary Chapel Leaders to Consider
Video description, originally published on Apr 26, 2016
Filmed
between a 45-minute break between down-pouring rain and a storm
system approaching from the horizon, this unscripted, impromptu
video expresses my heart and desire to see people in the Calvary
Chapel movement (and other movements) helped and healed and
strengthened in their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in these last
days.
I have no desire to divide the Body of Christ or needlessly offend
anyone who is in the Calvary Chapel movement and beyond. I am
simply sharing my heart and God’s truth in light of a number of
observations I have seen growing for over 25 years now, in the
Calvary Chapel movement. Things now have become so blatant in the
rising storm of ecumenical apostasy—that only sincere prayer and
publicly declared clarion calls for humility, truth, and repentance
will make any difference at all. My prayer is that God Himself by
His Spirit and His Word will raise up clarion voices around the
globe in this late hour.
As a Christian missionary and as a former Calvary Chapel pastor for
many years, I have been observing a growing trend of too many
people remaining silent on far too many major ecumenical
compromises. A host of other issues are also of concern.
Sadly, true biblical accountability is often sidestepped and
leaders (and/or church elders) either remain silent in the face of
evil—perhaps out of fear of ostracism or losing their livelihood—or
they willfully choose to remain ignorant when presented with
documented facts. For whatever reason, when leaders are passively
silent, and even suppress the truth when godly action,
righteousness, and truth should prevail, God is grieved and the
church sinks into malaise, confusion, and apostasy.
This video was not a 'planned' event. I was actually standing on
the beach alone, praying. As I was watching the rising storm clouds
on the distant horizon and observing the turbulent waves, I was
reminded of the flood of shameful compromise and storm of spiritual
apostasy that is taking over churches and families worldwide. As I
began to share my heart and thoughts in this video, some local
bystanders slowed down to listen, perhaps you, like them, will
seriously consider what I was saying.
Altogether, my heart is for pastors, for church leaders, and for
fellow believers in Jesus Christ. My heartfelt exhortation is the
same as Jude’s in the early days of Christianity, and my sincere
prayer is that all who have ears to hear, will hear—for God’s
glory—and that laymen and leaders alike, will take heed, “Beloved,
when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common
salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you
that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once
delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3).
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some,
evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of
the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the
body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of
the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth
be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with
every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the
truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the
head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together
and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the
effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of
the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:
11-16)
Contending for the truth, in the love and joy of the Lord,
Chris Lawson
Jude 3; Ephesians 4: 11-16