Part Eight of previous articles: Part 1 + Part 2 + Part 3 + Part 4 + Part 5 + Part 6 + Part 7
by Glenice Mills
The other morning the Lord was speaking to me about Vanuatu. Vanuatu is a Christian nation, one that openly speaks of it’s Christian heritage. It’s government is Christian and they openly acknowledge and appoint apostles and prophets as leaders in many areas of governance.
However, they have one major problem and that is their tribal thinking and living. It is contending with the leading of the Holy Spirit. They have lived in and been a part of their various tribes with chiefs leading a particular tribe in certain areas that was their territory. Each tribe is unique, however throughout the generations there has been contending and warring between the tribes for territory, and position. So what happens when the Holy Spirit is trying to bring them together? As long as the tribes contend with one another it blocks and stops how and the degree to which the Holy Spirit can move. There is a problem when the Holy Spirit is added to the mix of tribal thinking and living. Tribal thinking and being must bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The Lord then began to show me Australia. We have our tribes as well. We are a bit more subtle about it, but it is still there. It is insidiously woven into the fabric of our modern society and is expressed in obvious ways such as through sport and expressions of cultures. If we take the modern cities of Sydney and Melbourne, they have their enclaves of tribes within. For example: Italians living in their suburban area, the Greeks in another, the Vietnamese in another, and so it is with the different ethnic groups. This is tribes living in their areas staking their claim and hold over that particular geographical area. That is how factions form and the contending festers between the ‘tribes’ until there is a trigger point when this factionalism boils over and becomes fighting between and among the people.
The same can be said of sports teams people support. Some ‘tribes’ support for example the Eels, the Broncos, etc. depending on the sporting code and again territories where people live. These ‘tribes’ have their colours, their songs, their favourite players, and their supporters have a passion, a zeal and strong belief in their favourite team. In the bigger picture of Australia we also have our ‘tribes’, whether we are Queenslanders, New South Welshmen, Victorians etc according to the states we live in. Again that is outworked in team support for example, the Maroons and the Blues in rugby league.
The dictionary meaning of tribe is an independent social group, claiming or occupying a particular territory. We bring this way of thinking and being into the church. So why is the Lord wanting us to consider where and how this affects our lives? The Lord showed me how it goes back to the roots with the Tower of Babel. At that time the whole earth had one language and one speech. This changed when they decided to build a tower. The key is found in a statement in the following verse.
Genesis 11:4
And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the earth.”
We see in verse 9 where the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth because of this idolatry. Contending, one up man ship, and this competitive divisive spirit is rooted in the fact of one wanting to make a name for itself.
The truth is we also have this way operating in the Body of Christ. Denominations, charismatic, pentecostal, apostolic/prophetic could all be called tribes. We each operate independently, and often contend with other tribes, in this case churches claim a territory, a people for themselves. We can be very individual in the way we operate, and can be very protective of our ‘claim’ and territory. We can easily succumb to wanting to ‘make a name for ourselves.’ It is very easy to view the body of Christ with narrow minds forgetting how the Lord sees us. He is about unity, of us being of one accord, of like spirit, with a love for Him. When the Lord looks at His body of believers, He doesn’t see Anglicans, Presbyterians, Pentecostal, Apostolic, He sees those who are lovers of Him, those who are true followers of Jesus Christ. Unity will not come to the body of Christ until we look at our tribal thinking, our sectarianism, with its false claim on people, and territories.
There are some traits of tribal thinking that the Lord is wanting us to look at and how it works against Him and His Holy Spirit. First we will look at it in the context of the perception in sports and culture and the ‘Australian way’.
1. Pride: Wanting to make a name for ourselves is pride. To be the biggest, and the best, to want to be known and the glory go to ourselves so we appear to have it all is one of the roots of tribal thinking. It is concern for reputation, what people think with greed and money at its roots. Appearances and opinions have incredible power to influence. We just need to look at sport and how a person is idolised because of their great playing. They are often quoted as heroes.
2. Parochialism: This is having a narrow, limited viewpoint often related to the local area a person lives. This can be the one eyed view of sports teams of a particular geographical area or the culture base of an area that is exclusive. There is a thinking such as ‘once a Queenslander always a Queenslander’ and if anyone dare move or speak against Queensland they are often vilified and cast out as a traitor.
3. Sectarianism: This is a concern for or relating to the interests of one’s group which is often viewed as a sect. It always has a belief system that its people must adhere to and tends to be isolationist in its way of living.
4. Generational: This zeal for country, sports team is passed down through the generations and if anyone dares to move away from or support another they will again be seen as a traitor.
5. ‘I follow’: A person is always judged and classed in a particular group because of the words ‘I follow’. They are either endorsed or viewed of lesser opinion by the person enquiring about them. It is judging by biased opinion and what has been spoken of by others.
The truth is: at the core of everything is a person’s desire to belong somewhere, whether that be cultural like mindedness, sports, or the church. That is how God created us to be, to love, care and watch out for each other. That is why we gather in ‘tribes’. It was always a way of God but it got distorted from the building of the tower of Babel. As we have spread over the earth with our various languages and ways we are now having to learn how to come back to the Lord and His ways. His church is the way we love and care for one another, for His people.
If we look at the above traits of tribal thinking as it relates to church we see how it subtly and easily entraps God’s people.
1. Pride: Sadly much of the body of Christ is more concerned about making a name for itself rather than being concerned with what the Lord wants His church to be. The Lord will build His church and in coming days it will be obvious which have not been built on the rock of Jesus Christ and which have been built by the hands of man. God resists the proud. Humility is the key, and unless we acknowledge we can do nothing without the Holy Spirit’s leading we will easily succumb to our own ways.
2. Parochialism: Many church leaders have laid a claim on areas and have set themselves up as the only church in certain geographical areas forgetting that the Lord will build His church and that means no one denomination has rule over that area. Again it is building by the hands of man rather than by the Lord.
3. Sectarianism: The body of Christ has factions, with division and contentions between many of God’s church leaders and this also flows to the people. We see this when the Apostle Paul spoke in 1 Corinthians 1:12,13
Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or ‘I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul?
The Lord is concerned about us having deep relationship with Him rather than the church leader we serve in church. It is a matter of correct balance.
4. Generational: Attending church out of obligation because of loyalty to a particular denomination because a parent/grandparent has been an active participant in that church is no guarantee of salvation or where the Lord wants you to be a part of. We must be where the Lord wants us to grow and mature into His future for our life.
5. ‘I follow’: Unfortunately many in the body of Christ have got caught up following a person, a doctrine, or a set view point rather than being led by the Holy Spirit. Idolatry of a church leader is rampant in the body of Christ. It is easy to speak more about the church leader rather than the Lord. We are quick to look up to the leader and place them as a ‘god’, going to them for answers to our problems rather than going to the Lord. Again it is about balance. We must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit rather than any man or denomination. It may require us to check who we truly follow: man or religion.
1 Peter 2:9,10:
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
That is how God sees us, and that is how we must see ourselves. We are His people, one’s who know and love Him. However, we must look at where we have allowed pride and idolatry to come in, that would have the potential to skew us off course. We all have our culture, our family upbringing, our traditions and ways of living, but they must bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In the mix of this is tribal thinking and living and it too must be confessed so the Lord has greater rulership of our lives.
Much of the world has come into the church and this area is just one small aspect of ourselves that has the potential to stop and block the full aspect and potential the Lord wants to bring into all our lives. We say and sing “Let your Kingdom come Lord,” and this is His Kingdom coming into our lives in greater measure.
Thank you Lord for freedom to be ALL He created us to be!!!
(Prophetic word given on the 20 April 2011)
by Glenice Mills
The other morning the Lord was speaking to me about Vanuatu. Vanuatu is a Christian nation, one that openly speaks of it’s Christian heritage. It’s government is Christian and they openly acknowledge and appoint apostles and prophets as leaders in many areas of governance.
However, they have one major problem and that is their tribal thinking and living. It is contending with the leading of the Holy Spirit. They have lived in and been a part of their various tribes with chiefs leading a particular tribe in certain areas that was their territory. Each tribe is unique, however throughout the generations there has been contending and warring between the tribes for territory, and position. So what happens when the Holy Spirit is trying to bring them together? As long as the tribes contend with one another it blocks and stops how and the degree to which the Holy Spirit can move. There is a problem when the Holy Spirit is added to the mix of tribal thinking and living. Tribal thinking and being must bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
The Lord then began to show me Australia. We have our tribes as well. We are a bit more subtle about it, but it is still there. It is insidiously woven into the fabric of our modern society and is expressed in obvious ways such as through sport and expressions of cultures. If we take the modern cities of Sydney and Melbourne, they have their enclaves of tribes within. For example: Italians living in their suburban area, the Greeks in another, the Vietnamese in another, and so it is with the different ethnic groups. This is tribes living in their areas staking their claim and hold over that particular geographical area. That is how factions form and the contending festers between the ‘tribes’ until there is a trigger point when this factionalism boils over and becomes fighting between and among the people.
The same can be said of sports teams people support. Some ‘tribes’ support for example the Eels, the Broncos, etc. depending on the sporting code and again territories where people live. These ‘tribes’ have their colours, their songs, their favourite players, and their supporters have a passion, a zeal and strong belief in their favourite team. In the bigger picture of Australia we also have our ‘tribes’, whether we are Queenslanders, New South Welshmen, Victorians etc according to the states we live in. Again that is outworked in team support for example, the Maroons and the Blues in rugby league.
The dictionary meaning of tribe is an independent social group, claiming or occupying a particular territory. We bring this way of thinking and being into the church. So why is the Lord wanting us to consider where and how this affects our lives? The Lord showed me how it goes back to the roots with the Tower of Babel. At that time the whole earth had one language and one speech. This changed when they decided to build a tower. The key is found in a statement in the following verse.
Genesis 11:4
And they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the earth.”
We see in verse 9 where the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth because of this idolatry. Contending, one up man ship, and this competitive divisive spirit is rooted in the fact of one wanting to make a name for itself.
The truth is we also have this way operating in the Body of Christ. Denominations, charismatic, pentecostal, apostolic/prophetic could all be called tribes. We each operate independently, and often contend with other tribes, in this case churches claim a territory, a people for themselves. We can be very individual in the way we operate, and can be very protective of our ‘claim’ and territory. We can easily succumb to wanting to ‘make a name for ourselves.’ It is very easy to view the body of Christ with narrow minds forgetting how the Lord sees us. He is about unity, of us being of one accord, of like spirit, with a love for Him. When the Lord looks at His body of believers, He doesn’t see Anglicans, Presbyterians, Pentecostal, Apostolic, He sees those who are lovers of Him, those who are true followers of Jesus Christ. Unity will not come to the body of Christ until we look at our tribal thinking, our sectarianism, with its false claim on people, and territories.
There are some traits of tribal thinking that the Lord is wanting us to look at and how it works against Him and His Holy Spirit. First we will look at it in the context of the perception in sports and culture and the ‘Australian way’.
1. Pride: Wanting to make a name for ourselves is pride. To be the biggest, and the best, to want to be known and the glory go to ourselves so we appear to have it all is one of the roots of tribal thinking. It is concern for reputation, what people think with greed and money at its roots. Appearances and opinions have incredible power to influence. We just need to look at sport and how a person is idolised because of their great playing. They are often quoted as heroes.
2. Parochialism: This is having a narrow, limited viewpoint often related to the local area a person lives. This can be the one eyed view of sports teams of a particular geographical area or the culture base of an area that is exclusive. There is a thinking such as ‘once a Queenslander always a Queenslander’ and if anyone dare move or speak against Queensland they are often vilified and cast out as a traitor.
3. Sectarianism: This is a concern for or relating to the interests of one’s group which is often viewed as a sect. It always has a belief system that its people must adhere to and tends to be isolationist in its way of living.
4. Generational: This zeal for country, sports team is passed down through the generations and if anyone dares to move away from or support another they will again be seen as a traitor.
5. ‘I follow’: A person is always judged and classed in a particular group because of the words ‘I follow’. They are either endorsed or viewed of lesser opinion by the person enquiring about them. It is judging by biased opinion and what has been spoken of by others.
The truth is: at the core of everything is a person’s desire to belong somewhere, whether that be cultural like mindedness, sports, or the church. That is how God created us to be, to love, care and watch out for each other. That is why we gather in ‘tribes’. It was always a way of God but it got distorted from the building of the tower of Babel. As we have spread over the earth with our various languages and ways we are now having to learn how to come back to the Lord and His ways. His church is the way we love and care for one another, for His people.
If we look at the above traits of tribal thinking as it relates to church we see how it subtly and easily entraps God’s people.
1. Pride: Sadly much of the body of Christ is more concerned about making a name for itself rather than being concerned with what the Lord wants His church to be. The Lord will build His church and in coming days it will be obvious which have not been built on the rock of Jesus Christ and which have been built by the hands of man. God resists the proud. Humility is the key, and unless we acknowledge we can do nothing without the Holy Spirit’s leading we will easily succumb to our own ways.
2. Parochialism: Many church leaders have laid a claim on areas and have set themselves up as the only church in certain geographical areas forgetting that the Lord will build His church and that means no one denomination has rule over that area. Again it is building by the hands of man rather than by the Lord.
3. Sectarianism: The body of Christ has factions, with division and contentions between many of God’s church leaders and this also flows to the people. We see this when the Apostle Paul spoke in 1 Corinthians 1:12,13
Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or ‘I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.”
Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptised in the name of Paul?
The Lord is concerned about us having deep relationship with Him rather than the church leader we serve in church. It is a matter of correct balance.
4. Generational: Attending church out of obligation because of loyalty to a particular denomination because a parent/grandparent has been an active participant in that church is no guarantee of salvation or where the Lord wants you to be a part of. We must be where the Lord wants us to grow and mature into His future for our life.
5. ‘I follow’: Unfortunately many in the body of Christ have got caught up following a person, a doctrine, or a set view point rather than being led by the Holy Spirit. Idolatry of a church leader is rampant in the body of Christ. It is easy to speak more about the church leader rather than the Lord. We are quick to look up to the leader and place them as a ‘god’, going to them for answers to our problems rather than going to the Lord. Again it is about balance. We must follow the leading of the Holy Spirit rather than any man or denomination. It may require us to check who we truly follow: man or religion.
1 Peter 2:9,10:
"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy."
That is how God sees us, and that is how we must see ourselves. We are His people, one’s who know and love Him. However, we must look at where we have allowed pride and idolatry to come in, that would have the potential to skew us off course. We all have our culture, our family upbringing, our traditions and ways of living, but they must bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. In the mix of this is tribal thinking and living and it too must be confessed so the Lord has greater rulership of our lives.
Much of the world has come into the church and this area is just one small aspect of ourselves that has the potential to stop and block the full aspect and potential the Lord wants to bring into all our lives. We say and sing “Let your Kingdom come Lord,” and this is His Kingdom coming into our lives in greater measure.
Thank you Lord for freedom to be ALL He created us to be!!!
(Prophetic word given on the 20 April 2011)
