The Church is losing it's face

The Church is Losing Its Face
by John Paul Jackson

Years ago, the Lord began to give me and others dreams and visions about a breed of people who would become leaders when God returned the "Passion of Pentecost" to the church. These were faceless people, in whom the glory of God would show more than their ministry would.

Today's renewal by the Holy Spirit may well be the beginning of what will one day become a divine network of massive proportions. It may well foretell a time when the favour of God, flowing unencumbered through faceless men, will transcend human structures.

"Faceless," however, does not mean "nameless." When God intensely breathes His Spirit into people, they become known. Facelessness must mean something other than "persona-non-grata."

Seven Characteristics of Facelessness

1. Authority by Favour

It would be interesting to see how many leaders would have any followers if it weren't for the formation of structural hierarchy. It has been said that, "A man who says he is leading, but has no one following, is merely taking a stroll." Many leaders today are taking long, leisurely strolls.

True authority does not come through having a title; it comes through favour. Favour itself appears in two forms: favour with God and favour with man (Lk 2:52). Favour with God is evidenced through a gift or anointing. Favour with men is evidenced through the timing in which that gift is released and embraced by others. While favour with God comes directly from His throne, favour with man comes from God through others.

Faceless people will wait for God to grant them favour in the hearts of others, before they shout "Follow me." These people will not demand that others follow, but others will soon demand that they lead.

2. More Love for Jesus Than For Theological Dogmas

Through the centuries people and churches have been divided by differing theological perspectives. With the passing of time, theologies are often modified, but friendships and churches, shredded by this self-righteous madness seldom reconcile. Meanwhile, heaven is sobbing.

Faceless men will be driven to seek the council of others through whom the Spirit of God flows, regardless of their theological differences. They will value each others love for Jesus, more than their own theology. Calvin and Armenius will seek the mind of God from each other because in the light of God's glory most of our theology seems weak and trite anyway.

3. Relationship Over Hierarchy

The greatest changes in the church come through relationship. Faceless men and women can not be "coccooned" by denominational structures. They will be well springs of life to others and receive life from others regardless of denomination or affiliation.

They will recognize that the Holy Spirit is desiring them to become interdependent. They will embrace the 'spiritual synergy' that occurs when two or more agree regardless of theology. When two can put ten thousand to flight, why should they struggle with a mere thousand, alone?

4. Character Over Giftedness

It is normal to desire more of God's power -- especially when we see it flowing through others. Often, however, we are unaware of the character building trials that God has allowed them to go through to prepare them for that experience. Character is today's definition of what Scripture calls "righteousness." It's comprised of integrity and maturity.

Although we may occasionally experience the power of God flowing through us, it never flows consistently over a long period of time, without our 'wineskin' (character) being changed. "An inheritance gained hastily at the beginning will not be blessed at the end "(Pr 20:21). The wine of heaven will only tear us where we are weakest if we don't allow God's 'tanning' process to soften us.
Character doesn't come fast, nor does it come easy, but it lasts a long, long time. Character is God's inoculation against the pride that comes when His power flows through mere men.

5. Lack of Ownership

These faceless believers will have already relinquished their "Isaac" to the Lord. They understand that the ministry they have built all their lives is not theirs. It belongs to God. This truth only surfaces when leaders have stared the death of their ministry in the face, and realize they have failed that -- God is the only one who can keep it alive.

It is easy to give our ministry, our church, or even our anointing to another when we do not own it. When we have conquered the desire to "own," we experience the greatest freedom to build what is His. We have nothing to protect, and no reputation to uphold. Everything is now God's to kill or keep alive.

6. Greater Anointing With Less Privilege

Faceless people know they have not earned their gifting and anointing, and so are content with less public recognition. The demand for greater recognition comes when men feel they have worked hard for what they have. One of the most common means of obtaining that recognition is to demand to be given honour and privilege. The world lacks people who will take lesser privilege with greater
anointing - men who will raise the dead and not demand a raise.

7. Kings Without Kingdoms

I believe the ability to be in ministry without measuring its success by its size or numerical impact is the hallmark of facelessness for it embodies all the other virtues. It is often thought that kingdoms define the parameters, or boundaries, of a person's rule, authority, impact, and anointing. However, if that were true, the size of our kingdom would define how anointed our ministry is -- the larger the kingdom, the more anointed and successful. The flip side is that if our kingdom decreased the assumption is that we must have lost our anointing. According to that thinking we must always be striving for larger churches, seeking to attract others who will take our name -- denominations are the result.

While none of the above mind-sets are evil, faceless people do not care about kingdom size. Their ministry may expand or contract, go into hiding or be exhibited before nations. None of it matters to them, for they give thanks in all things, understanding that it is the will of God (1 Thes 5:18). How does God view our efforts? "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits" (Pr 16:2). Faceless people will not be perfect, but they will be broken in heart and contrite in spirit. On the shoulders of such people God will place the weight of His kingdom.

John Paul Jackson was on the pastoral staff of the Kansas City Metro Vineyard for five years before joining the Anaheim Vineyard staff. He is part of John Wimber's international ministry team. In 1994 John Paul began pastoring Shiloh House church in Fort Worth, Texas. He is the editor of Streams of Shiloh.