On March 18, 2006, the church in Topeka crossed a major frontier in reconciliation of past divisions. Large steps in racial reconciliation within the church had previously been taken in a series of meetings at various churches, attended by pastors and members of a number of churches. Last night, March 18, at a mass meeting in the Sunflower Room at the Kansas Expocentre, racial and age diviions in the church here were declared abolished in the Spirit, after reconciliation at the meeting. Therefore, the past divisions are behind us. What remains is organizing to WORK TOGETHER to do God's work in Topeka, starting with the poor.
The work that remians is no longer properly called "spiritual mapping." We have the map, and the first stage of the battle plan. What remains is called "doing," putting feet to the reconciliation we have. Anyone who is moved to this work is invited to join us—and bring your church along with you!
Consequently, this webite will soon be undergoing major changes, most likely with the input of a group of believers working together, in order to accurately reflect our new focus. Stay tuned, things get exciting now!
I have been assigned by my pastor, Rev. Philip Hollis of Faith Family Life Centre, to lead what will ultimately become a team of Christians from various churches in preparing a "spiritual map" of Topeka. "Spiritual mapping" is, of course, not a term used in Scripture, but a concept popularized by George Otis and C. Peter Wagner. As I understand it, the purpose of spiritual mapping is to determine, through a study of a city's history and present characteristics, the spiritual strengths and purpose of the city, the nature of the demonic strongholds that restrain the city and the Body of Christ in it from accomplishing its purpose, and those events and attitudes in the city's background that have created or nurtured those demonic strongholds. This information can be used first, and most importantly, to bring the city's churches and believers into active repentance from the sins that have hindered the work of God, and then as a guide for prayer in overthrowing the demonic strongholds those sins have permitted to arise. This information can and should then be used in prayerfully designing an approach to evangelism which directly addresses the true spiritual condition of the city and brings the power of God to bear on the real problems of its people.
While "spiritual mapping" is a modern term, the practice of carefully studying where we are and how we got here to determine the true location of the battlefield has been necessary throughout the history of the Church. We cannot expect to fight effectively if we are fighting the wrong battle in the wrong place.
That said, however, I must state that I do not take as radical a view of the matter as apparently some do who use the term "spiritual mapping." I do not see a demon behind every tree, and I do not advocate casting a demon out of every problem I find. Demonic influences are important, and must be accurately identified and appropriately dealt with. But most of our problems in the Church today, and most of the reasons for the ineffectiveness of our evangelism, arise from our own sinful attitudes and from bitterness and division left over from past sins. These problems can only be overcome by continuing, active repentance and reconciliation. One-time ritual exorcism will not solve these problems.
Thus, one of the first tasks must be to identify sins from which repentance is particularly needed in the Church in Topeka and roots of bitterness for which repentance and reconciliation are required. In the process, demonic strongholds will undoubtedly also be identified. But the Church will not be in a position to deal with these until she is repentant, clean and approaching unity.
This web site is a work in progress, the "hub" of the project on which work for the consideration of all interested persons is posted. Therefore, I fully expect it to become a collective work in progress having many contributors from churches in a number of denominations. I would expect a number of additional pages to be posted to this site in the not-too-distant future. Nothing presently posted here is "written in stone." Much remains to be done, and even the work that is posted here remains very incomplete. I would hope to be joined by a committee, or, better, a community of other Christians working with me toward the same goal, each working with and under the authority of his or her own local church. I am not trying to steal sheep for my own church.
I would also expect that, as this work develops, others will be acknowledged as the leaders of it. I do not seek the limelight. This is not "my" work, it is God's work. My strong gift is teaching, not administration. Furthermore, as you may learn for yourself by reading my résumé(see link below), I have a rather strange background that renders me a less-than-perfect public leader. But for now, until things develop further, I am willing to spearhead this effort. I will gladly surrender leadership when other leaders are acknowledged.
Practical steps to be taken (first set of proposals)
Areas for repentance (first list)
Prayer list of Topeka churches.
Research work remaining to be done
Organizational work remaining to be done
Small group Bible studies, proposed on an external site as a possible grass-roots approch to unity and evangelism.
The Topeka Storm, a conference to held in Topeka by Global Fire Ministries on March 16 through 18, 2006 with a follow-up conference in September!
Topeka's apparent redeeming strengths and purpose
The North-South Line in Topeka
Brief summary of the founding of Topeka and present implications.
Past treatment of Native Americans in Kansas as a stronghold
Brief summary of race relations in Topeka to 1915
Charles Sheldon, Charles Parham and the revivals that almost started here
Early Topeka Historical Outline
Index to my Systematic Theology, for those interested in learning how orthodox I am.
You can't exorcise an attitude, when repentance is needed, casting out a demon is no substitute.
My résumé, for those who simply must know my formal qualifications (or lack thereof) before they will consider working with me.
My approach to the divisive issue of tongues.
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