A message from Pastor David Crawford...
On July 9th 2008, Bellevue Grace gathered for its weekly Family Night Dinner and Service. Minutes into our meeting it was evident that God had stepped into our midst to bring the healing waters of His presence to a thirsty congregation. What followed was nothing less than a powerful demonstration of the Holy Spirit that has changed the dynamic of our church forever.
On the Tuesday night before the regular Mid-week meeting I had a dream, and in that dream I relived Jesus cleansing the temple. The Lord really began to speak to me about what was really going on in that passage. First of all, it was not that they were selling CDs in the sanctuary! Jesus was filled with “righteous anger” because they had distorted the eternal purpose of the temple. It was no longer a place to connect to God, it was a place to do their "religious duty." They moved from actively worshipping God to a place of being a spectator. Their sacrifice of praise had no sacrifice! They just bought it out of convenience when they showed up at the temple. Their sacrifice cost them nothing. The word "den" is actually defined as "resort or habitation" and "thief" is "someone who takes what he did not earn or pay for; that which does not belong to him." Jesus said you have turned My House into a resort of people who want what they have not earned. It angered Jesus because the place that God designed to connect people became the place of disconnect and ceremonial nonsense. Jesus reestablished and defined the true purpose: My House shall be called a house of prayer! A place of connection! As we began to pray, a healing stream of God's presence began to wash and renew us. The leadership and congregation alike began to repent and the stream of healing turned into a flood of renewal.
Across our nation and around the world, Revival seems to be breaking forth in the Body of Christ. Whether or not "Revival" is the term we use to describe what is happening in our church, it is evident that God is moving freely among us and it is our desire as a congregation to leave our religious activities behind and fix our eyes upon Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1)
God help us turn over the tables in the church that we have established that keep and allow people to come into the House of God and disconnect. Those who sit and watch the service unfold and call it worship! Let’s turn the tables over in our hearts that take the cost out of our sacrifice and cheapen our relationship down to religious rituals and ceremonies. We sing with our mouth in overdrive and our brains in neutral. Let the church arise again and be called a House of Prayer (a place of divine connection, where you speak to God and God speaks to you.) Call 911 our church is on fire!
-Pastor David Crawford