THE BIBLE AND THE FOUNDING OF AMERICA

At a time when there was no Internet, no TV, no phones, no radio and no movies, the people of colonial America spent most of their leisure time reading, and they read the Bible more than any other book.

Indeed, in early America, the Bible was cherished and quoted far more than any other book. America’s founding generation found in the pages of the Bible its moral compass, its guide for ethics, and the lens through which it viewed and interpreted all of life.

From the beginning, the Bible was incorporated into all the learning of the schools in colonial America. For example, The New England Primer coupled Bible verses and Christian doctrine with the learning of the ABCs. The letter “A” was associated with “Adam” and the statement, “In Adam’s fall, we sinned all.”  The letter “B” was associated with “Bible” and the phrase, “Thy life to mend, the Bible tend.” The letter “C” was associated with “Christ” and the phrase, “Christ crucified, for sinners died.”

The New England Primer became the most popular educational textbook in 17th century America, and the foundation of most primary education in the 18th century. Most of America’s Founding Fathers learned their ABCs from the New England Primer. And this commitment to a biblical orientation was true, not only of elementary education, but also of the first colleges founded in America.

Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and all the so-called Ivy League schools, were founded on biblical principles with a Christian worldview. For example, Harvard was founded in 1636 to train pastors and ministers. Its founding document references John 17:3 and declares that the purpose of the college is, “to lay Christ in the bottom as the only foundation of all knowledge and learning.”

A ten-year study to determine where America’s founders derived their ideas for America’s founding documents, found that they quoted the Bible far more than any other source (Hyatt, America's Reawakening, 67). It is, therefore, not surprising that when the first English Bible was printed in America in 1782, it carried a recommendation from Congress.

The publisher of this Bible, Robert Aitken, had written a letter to Congress in which he asked for that government body’s sanction of his work. In the letter, Aitken called this Bible, “a neat Edition of the Scriptures for the use in schools.”

Congress enthusiastically responded to his request by commending his work and declaring that they, “recommend this edition of the Bible to the inhabitants of the United States and hereby authorize him to publish this recommendation in the manner he shall think proper” (Hyatt, America's Reawakening, 64).

America’s Founders considered the Bible to be the basis for the Constitutional Republic they brought into existence. John Adams, America’s 2nd president, wrote a letter to Benjamin Rush, another Founding Father and signer of the Declaration of Independence, in which he said,

The Bible contains the most profound philosophy, the most perfect morality, and the most refined policy that was ever conceived on earth. It is the most republican book in the world (Hyatt, America's Reawakening, 168).

With this sort of pervasive esteem for the Bible, no one was surprised when George Washington took the first presidential oath of office with his hand on a Bible. It was the American thing to do. This act showed his great respect for the Bible, for when someone swears an oath, they swear by something greater than themselves. For Washington and virtually every American, the Bible was the highest tangible authority by which he could swear to uphold and defend the Constitution.

Andrew Jackson, America’s seventh president, understood this prominent role of the Bible in the founding of America. In a conversation with a colleague, he gestured toward a Bible and declared, “That book, sir, is the rock on which our Republic rests.”

Ronald Reagan declared 1983 to be the “Year of the Bible” and to coincide with his proclamation, Newsweek, a secular magazine, carried an article entitled, “How the Bible Made America.” In this article, the authors correctly stated,

For centuries, the Bible has exerted an unrivaled influence on American culture, politics, and social life. Now historians are discovering that the Bible, perhaps even more than the Constitution, is our founding document (Hyatt, 1726: The Year that Defined America, 7).

Yes, it was the Bible that made America great, and if America is ever going to be truly great again we must have a “Back to the Bible” Awakening, beginning with the churches of America. 

This article was derived from 1726: The Year that Defined America and America's Reawakening by Dr. Eddie L. Hyatt, and available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

ARE MANY AMERICAN POLITICAL LEADERS LIVING IN A FANTASY WORLD?

  

“To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any moral virtue is a chimerical idea,” said James Madison, America' fourth president and chief architect of the U.S. Constitution. A “chimerical idea” is a “pipedream” or “fantasy” with little or no chance of ever occurring. 

 Madison is saying that people who think they can have a a stable and prosperous society without "character" and "moral virtue" are living in a fantasy world. Based on how many political leaders, especially in the Democrat Party, have embraced candidates with little or no moral character, it is obvious that many Americans are living in this fantasy world. 

America’s founders emphasized “virtue” as a necessary characteristic of a free people. Virtue may be defined as “moral excellence” and America’s founders agreed that only a virtuous people could maintain political and civil freedom. People without virtue will turn liberty into licentiousness and freedom into anarchy, and we are seeing this happen before our very eyes.

With widespread fraud in the billions of dollars being daily exposed, it is coming to light how amoral people are taking insidious advantage of America's freedoms and misusing those freedoms for personal, illegal gain. Every day it is becoming more and more clear why the founders insisted that only a virtuous people could enjoy the freedoms they were enshrining.

For example, John Dickinson, founding father and chairman of the committee that produced the Articles of Confederation, warned that “when states lose their liberty, this calamity is generally owing to a decay of virtue.” Two weeks before signing the Declaration of Independence, John Adams made the same point in a letter to his cousin, Zabdiel Adams. Adams exhorted him,

Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue (Hyatt, America’s Reawakening, 213).

In his Farewell Address after serving two terms as the nation’s first president, George Washington exhorted Americans to cling to “religion and morality,” which he called “indispensable supports” for a stable and happy nation. 

When the Founders speak of "religion" they are speaking of "Christianity" for this was the only religion they knew. Washington went on to warn against the supposition that morality or virtue could ever prevail apart from Christian principle (Hyatt, America’s Reawakening, 183).

As Americans who believe in God as the Source of true moral virtue, we should see this lack of character and morality in our culture as an opportunity. When society becomes the darkest is when the light of Christ in us will shine the brightest. And there are promising signs that light is arising in the midst of the darkness.

President Donald Trump recently said, “Religion is coming back to America and I am glad.” Indeed, in recent months Bible sales have surged, and church attendance has increased, especially among the youth and younger adults. According to the pollster and sociologist, George Barna,

Millennials and Gen Z are driving a resurgence in church attendance. As reports emerge of spiritual interest, rising faith, signs of revival—including [our] analysis of the recent rise in commitments to Jesus—churchgoing frequency is another improving trend among Millennials and Gen Z in the U.S. 

On the nation's 250th birthday, these reports of spiritual awakening offer hope of a national return to the moral principles on which our nation was founded. Such spiritual and moral awakenings are necessary if our Constitutional freedoms are to be preserved for the next generation. President John Adams made this clear in a 1798 speech in which he said,

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other (Hyatt, America’s Reawakening, 49).

Yes, there is hope. I encourage you to read my latest book, America’s Reawakening, and join me and thousands of others in praying for another Great Awakening to sweep across the land. Such an Awakening will restore "virtue" to our culture and lift many of our citizens out of the world of fantasy in which they are living. This, in turn, will guarantee our unique freedoms for another generation. 

This article was derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt’s latest book, America’s Reawakening, available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

THE GREAT OPPORTUNITY BEFORE CHRISTIANS IN AMERICA

“To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any moral virtue is a chimerical [illusionary] idea,” said James Madison, America' fourth president and chief architect of the U.S. Constitution. A “chimerical idea” is a “pipedream” or “fantasy” with little or no chance of ever occurring. 

 Madison is saying that people who reject the importance of "character" and "moral virtue" in the political arena are living in an illusionary world. And based on the current election results throughout the nation, it is obvious that many Americans are living in such a fantasy world.

Take, for example, the election of Graham Platner to be the Democrat candidate for senator from Maine. Platner has cone under fire for wearing a Nazi tattoo and has been accused by various women of sexual and physical abuse. He has described himself as a communist and a socialist. His language is crude and abusive and a former girlfriend said he talked of raping women to dominate them.

Despite the absence of character and moral virtue, Democrat voters in Maine chose Platner to represent them in the fall election. There has been a similar pattern in other Blue cities and states that lean to the Left. 

This, perhaps, should not be surprising for in 2019 the DNC (Democrat National Committee) unanimously adopted a resolution affirming atheism and declaring that neither Christianity nor any religion is necessary for morality and patriotism. Interestingly it is these Democrat-run cities where homelessness runs rampant, the streets are unsafe, massive fraud is being uncovered and their budgets are soaring. 

America’s founders must be turning in their graves for they believed “virtue” to be a necessary characteristic of a free people. Virtue may be defined as “moral excellence” and America’s founders agreed that only a virtuous people could maintain political and civil freedom. People without virtue will turn liberty into licentiousness and freedom into anarchy, and this is happening in America.

John Dickinson, founding father and chairman of the committee that produced the Articles of Confederation, warned that “when states lose their liberty, this calamity is generally owing to a decay of virtue.” Two weeks before signing the Declaration of Independence, John Adams made the same point in a letter to his cousin, Zabdiel Adams. Adams exhorted him,

Statesmen, my dear Sir, may plan and speculate for Liberty, but it is Religion and Morality alone, which can establish the principles upon which Freedom can securely stand. The only foundation of a free Constitution is pure Virtue (Hyatt, America’s Reawakening, 213).

In his Farewell Address after serving two terms as the nation’s first president, George Washington exhorted Americans to cling to “religion and morality,” which he called “indispensable supports” for a stable and happy nation. 

When the Founders speak of "religion" they are speaking of "Christianity" for this was the only religion they knew. Washington went on to warn against the supposition that morality or virtue could ever prevail apart from Christian principle (Hyatt, America’s Reawakening, 183).

As Americans who believe in God as the Source of true moral virtue, we should see this flight from morality and commonsense as an opportunity. When society becomes the darkest is when the light of Christ in us will shine the brightest. And there are promising signs that light is arising in the midst of the darkness.

President Donald Trump recently said, “Religion is coming back to America and I am glad.” Indeed, in recent months Bible sales have surged, and church attendance has increased, especially among the youth and younger adults. According to the pollster and sociologist, George Barna,

Millennials and Gen Z are driving a resurgence in church attendance. As reports emerge of spiritual interest, rising faith, signs of revival—including [our] analysis of the recent rise in commitments to Jesus—churchgoing frequency is another improving trend among Millennials and Gen Z in the U.S. 

These reports of spiritual awakening are encouraging and on the nation's 250th birthday offer hope of a national return to the moral principles on which our nation was founded. Such spiritual and moral awakenings are necessary if our Constitutional freedoms are to be preserved for the next generation. President John Adams made this clear in a 1798 speech in which he said,

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other (Hyatt, America’s Reawakening, 49).

Someone has said, "We are daily surrounded by a host of wonderful opportunities that have been cleverly disguised as impossible situations." So, I believe  the Holy Spirit would speak today to every true follower of Jesus Christ the word that God sent to Israel through Isaiah the prophet during a time of great darkness, He exhorted the people, 

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. 
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, 
but the Lord rises upon you, and his glory appears over you. 
Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
Isaiah 60:1-3

This article was derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt’s latest book, America’s Reawakening, available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com.

UNDERSTANDING GOD'S "PROVIDENCE" WILL SUPERCHARGE YOUR FAITH LIFE

In the left American soldiers suffer deprivation at Valley Forge 1775 and on the right the NYC skyline and Statue of Liberty

In researching America's founding generation, I noted “Providence” to be a word often used as a synonym for God, particularly as the One who is overseeing the flow of history. “Providence” expresses faith in God as the One who is superintending the course of events and overruling, even the actions of evil men, to bring about His plan and purpose.

A vivid Old Testament example of Providence is the story of Joseph whose brothers turned on him and sold him into slavery, which resulted in him being carried away to Egypt. Yet, God worked through all these events, even the tragic ones, to bring about His will for Joseph and fulfill the dreams He had given him as a young man.

This sort of faith in God’s providential activity is why Roger Williams, after being banished from Massachusetts by the Puritans in 1636, and making his way in the winter to Rhode Island, founded a city there, which he named “Providence.” This expressed his faith that God would overrule the wrong that had been done to him and cause it to work toward the fulfillment of His plan for his life.

Yes, the word “Providence” was commonly used in the 18^th century as a synonym for God. It was used by the Founders and by preachers such as George Whitefield who routinely used the term to describe God’s active, guiding, and protecting hand in the daily lives of believers, the fortunes of nations, and the spread of the Gospel.

John Witherspoon, a member of the Continental Congress and a Presbyterian minister, preached a sermon entitled “The Dominion of Providence over the Passions of Men” less than two months before signing the Declaration of Independence along with the others.

In this sermon on "Providence," Witherspoon emphasized the necessity of believing that God would bring good out of the evil situation of the day—that the ambition of mistaken princes and the cruelty of oppressive rulers would finally promote the glory of God. In other words, he encouraged the oppressed people of colonial America to believe in what the Founders called “Divine Providence.”

The final paragraph of the Declaration shows that the Founders had put their trust in God for His providential protection and support in their momentous act. They knew that King George would see the Declaration as an act of treason on their part. He already had six regiments of British soldiers occupying the city of Boston and they knew this act would put them in George’s crosshairs.

In the Declaration they recognized God as “Creator” and source of all blessings, privileges and rights. They also appealed to God as the “Supreme Judge” for their righteous cause. In the final paragraph they used the word “Providence” to show their trust in the infinite wisdom and limitless power of Almighty God to cause even the attacks of their enemies to work for their good and the good of the new nation they were forming. They wrote,

And for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

Look what came forth when a group of individuals decided to trust in God’s providential power and might! What about you? Do you believe in “Divine Providence.” Do you believe that God in his infinite wisdom and omnipotent power is able to cause even the most disappointing events of your life to work toward your good?

Romans 8:28 is an expression of Providence. It reads, And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. I encourage you to say “yes” to God and put your unreserved trust in Him today.

This article was derived from Dr. Eddie Hyatt's latest book, America's Reawakening, which is available from Amazon and his website at http://eddiehyatt.com. 

REMEMBERING 50 YEARS OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS, PART 8

Our Encounter With  the New York Mafia 

It was the year 2000 and we had just moved into our new home in Euless, Texas when we came face to face with our next door neighbor, a tough looking woman in her mid-50s. We shook her hand and told her our names. With a cigarette dangling from her mouth she shook our hands and replied, “My name’s Adele. I’m a backslidden pastor from Brooklyn, New York.”

We had no contact with Adele for the next three weeks except to wave if we saw her in her yard. It was obvious to us that she had been through some deep and painful experiences with church. A superficial Christian cliché or a chic tract would do nothing for her, except probably make her angry.

The Holy Spirit Knows How

The Holy Spirit, however, knows how to reach the most difficult cases and He moved powerfully one day as Sue and I were about to back out of our driveway. Sue, who was driving, suddenly began experiencing a deep compassion flowing out toward Adele who was working in her yard.

We sat for a moment not sure how to respond to what Sue was experiencing. Finally, Sue rolled down her window and called out, “Adele!” Adle came walking over with the cigarette dangling from her mouth. When she reached the window, Sue suddenly began speaking to her in tongues.

I was sitting in the passenger seat and had the interpretation, which was a prophetic word for Adele. I knew that I should look her in the face and so I leaned across Sue in the driver’s seat, looked Adele in the face, and said, “Adele, God is saying to you, ‘My daughter, you are precious in my sight."

Adele burst into tears and then broke out praying in tongues and we had revival there in our driveway. God bonded our hearts together. She later came to our home and shared how she had grown up in an Italian, Catholic mafia family in Brooklyn, NY, and as an adult had herself joined the mafia. 

However, one of her uncles and his wife had come to Christ and had invited her to church. She went and had a glorious encounter with the Lord. She was on fire for the Lord and opened a storefront church in Brooklyn where she was reaching many of the homeless, drug addicts, and what someone described as “the hard cases.” 

However, opposition from Christians to her pastoring as a woman and an ill-advised marriage to a Jewish husband who turned on her, brought her to despair. She gave up on church, but she did give up on Jesus. That day in our driveway a tremendous healing took place in her soul and her faith and hope were renewed.

About two months after this encounter, Adele and her husband (since deceased) moved to Florida. We stayed in touch and several months later I received an email from Adele saying,

I am putting a check in the mail. I want you and Sue to come to Florida for about three days, and you can stay with us. I will have about forty people over. Most of them are not Christians. Do whatever God tells you to do.

The Holy Spirit Falls

We arrived at Adele’s home in Port St. Lucie, FL. Howie, her Jewish husband who professed to be an atheist, asked how long the meeting that night would last. I replied, “Howie, it will probably be safe for you to come home around 10 PM.” He then departed for an area casino.

Later that evening the people Adele had invited began to arrive. As starting time approached, the living room and kitchen were filled with people and it seemed that everyone was smoking. Clouds of smoke hung heavy in the atmosphere.

Many of the people were members of the mafia or former members. One little Italian woman’s husband was a mafia boss who had recently been sent to prison. She had come to Florida to work for her brother who owned a pizza chain. Some of the people had been members of Adele’s church in Brooklyn, and when she “backslid” they all backslid with her.

One woman sitting across the kitchen table from Sue and me had been a part of Adele’s congregation in Brooklyn. She and her family had recently moved to Florida and opened a restaurant. As smoke billowed around us, she said to me, “We’re all backslid.” I thought, “Well, at least, they are not trying to impress us with how spiritual they are.”

Starting time arrived and I picked up my guitar intending to lead them in some praise and worship songs. It soon became obvious, however, that I was the only one singing. Everyone seemed to just stare at me as they puffed on their cigarettes.

Realizing this was going nowhere, I put my guitar aside and picked up my Bible. God had given me a message about His unconditional love, and as I shared this message, I sensed a change in the atmosphere.

At some point, I noticed that everyone had put out their cigarettes and the smoke had dissipated. As I completed my message, a sense of solemnness and the fear of the Lord seemed to fill the atmosphere.

I then invited anyone who wanted prayer to come forward to receive prayer from Sue and me. Everyone sat quietly as if afraid to move. Adele then stepped forward and in an emphatic tone, said, “I know that everyone here needs prayer; so come on up and let Eddie and Sue pray for you.”

The first person to come up was Isabelle who was from Brooklyn and part of a mafia family. She was in deep depression for her husband and two sons had been murdered by a rival mafia family and her daughter was a drug addict, living on the street.

As we laid our hands on Isabelle and prayed, she began to sob and then fell to floor. We had no catchers, but no one was concerned, as their minds were taken up with God. Another person then came up for prayer, and she too fell to the floor.

At this point, the Holy Spirit “fell” on the people just like in the Book of Acts. Suddenly, everyone was on their knees or lying in the floor, weeping and calling out to God at the top of their voices.

The Joy of the Lord flowed 

It was a surreal moment when God came down and did a mighty work beyond anything we could have ever imagined or planned. Later that evening there was a release of joy such as I have never seen and our hearts were further bonded with Adele. Howie arrived home in the midst of this joy and was obviously astounded as everyone loved on him and greeted him.

We returned numerous times for meetings with Adele and those we call our mafia friends. On one of those visits Howie was obviously touched by the Holy Spirit and opened his heart to us and the Lord. But that is another story for another time.

        Eddie -  Sue - Adele

Drs. Eddie and Sue Hyatt are still active in ministry and their numerous books are available on Amazon and their websites at http://eddiehyatt.com and http://godswordtowomen.org. Of particular significance at this moment in history is Eddie's book, America's Reawakening, and Sue's book, In the Spirit We're Equal, which contains a message that "has the power to begin a mass movement from Islam to Christianity, beginning with the women."

WHO ARE THE SUCCESSORS OF THE APOSTLES?

One of the major doctrinal divides between Catholic and Protestant is the Catholic concept of apostolic succession. According to this Catholic doctrine, the authority of the original apostles has been passed down to the Catholic bishops through a mechanical, religious rite called “Apostolic Succession.”  

Since Peter, they argue, was the chief of the apostles whom Christ gave the keys, and since he founded the church in Rome, his authority over all the church has been passed along to the bishop of Rome (the pope) through this rite of apostolic succession. Beginning in the latter part of the second century lists began to be made of this succession.

According to the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith (formerly known as the Inquisition), since Protestant “communities” do not hold to this Roman Catholic doctrine and practice of “Apostolic Succession,” or maintain a “sacramental priesthood,” they cannot be called churches.

Being able to trace a mechanical, institutional succession back to the apostles is, according to Catholic doctrine, what makes Roman Catholicism the true church and is what disqualifies Protestant “communities” from being called churches.

No Biblical Evidence of Such a Succession

There is, of course, no evidence that either Jesus or the first apostles established permanent church offices that were to be occupied by a succession of church leaders/bishops. Judas was replaced out of necessity because he had been one of the Twelve and by his apostasy he had reduced the number to eleven.

When James, who is also one of the Twelve, is put to death by Herod in Acts 12, there is no attempt to replace him. He held no continuing office that another must fill, nor does any Christian leader in the New Testament. Instead of establishing permanent offices, Paul and the Twelve understood that the continuing presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church guaranteed that He would raise up leaders when and where they were needed.

The Idea of an Apostolic Succession Began in the 2^nd Century

The idea of permanent church offices occupied by a succession of bishops did not surface until the latter part of the 2^nd century with the church father, Irenaeus, who used it as a tool to combat heresy. Irenaeus pointed the heretics to the apostolic churches of his day—the churches of Antioch, Ephesus, Philippi, Rome and others that supposedly had been founded by Paul or one of the Twelve. According to Irenaeus, if the heretics were not in communion with one of these churches (or a church in communion with those churches), then they had no claim of Christian legitimacy.

The Roman Catholic Church claims that Peter founded the church in Rome and passed his authority along through a succession of bishops down to the present pope. The Eastern Orthodox Church, on the other hand, claims that the true apostolic succession has continued in their churches, through their bishops. They assert that, with the division between the eastern and western sectors of the Church in 1054, the true succession continued with them, while the western Church (Roman Catholic) veered from the true faith into heresy.

The Lutheran Church also traces a succession, although their succession of bishops changes at the time of the Reformation. Lutheran historian, Lars Qualben, says, “The Lutherans did not form a new Church after the schism with Rome. They merely formed a continuation of the early Christian Church, as we know it from the New Testament and from the early Christian Fathers.”

The Anglican Church’s claim of apostolic succession would be similar to those above. In fact, all the older churches that claim an ecclesial, organizational succession have continued the model begun by Irenaeus with modifications to fit their own unique historical situation.

No Institutionalized Apostolic Succession

There is, of course, no Biblical basis for an institutionalized, apostolic succession. The New Testament writers, in fact, show very little concern for church offices and organizational structure. This is why the New Testament scholar, Dr. Gordon Fee, says that the New Testament is full of surprises, “but none is so surprising as its generally relaxed attitude toward church structures and leadership.” He and others point out that, excepting Phil. 1:1, Paul never addresses himself to a leader or group of leaders in any of his letters to the churches.

Lists of succeeding bishops, such as that begun by Irenaeus, tend to be based on dogma and expediency rather than factual history. Dr. Hans Kung, who is the most widely read Roman Catholic theologian in the world today, says, “An uninterrupted sequence of ‘laying on of hands’ from the apostles to the bishops of today, an unbroken chain of succession (of the kind cited in later lists of succession) cannot be demonstrated historically.”

John Wesley, who as an Anglican minister, initially held to an apostolic succession through the Anglican bishops, found his views refined in the fires of the 18th century Methodist revival, which he spearheaded. Through his diligent study of the New Testament and after observing the Holy Spirit raise up powerful ministries from the ranks of the common people outside the Anglican Church, he declared that ”neither Christ nor his apostles prescribed any form of church government.”

In his classic work, The Primitive Church, Professor Burnett Streeter agrees with Wesley and says;

"Whatever else is disputable, there is, I submit one result from which there is no escape. In the primitive church there was no single system of church order laid down by the apostles. During the first hundred years of Christianity, the Church was an organism alive and growing—changing its organization to meet changing needs. Uniformity was a later development."

True Apostolic Succession is a Thing of Faith and of the Spirit

The idea that there can be no church without this Catholic rite of Apostolic Succession, diminishes both faith and Christ. It makes a doctrine—and a tenuous one at that—to be predominant and central. It makes both church and the apostolic appear mechanical and doctrinaire.

Jesus, on the other hand, said that where two or three are gathered together in His name, that he would sanction that gathering with His presence (Matthew 18:20). Is His presence not adequate? Paul echoes this in Colossians 2:9-10 where he says that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ and that you are complete in Him.

For many Protestants, the Catholic approach to Apostolic Succession, wherein the authority of the apostles is passed along by a programmed religious rite, does not make sense or pass the test of Scripture.

I would ask my Catholic friends to consider the following questions. Should not Apostolic Succession be a thing of substance—of faith and of the Spirit? Should it not be a succession in apostolic faith, apostolic commitment to Christ, and an apostolic experience of the Spirit? Are we not all responsible for adhering to the faith and vision of those first apostles?

Apostolic succession as a thing of the Spirit cannot be restricted to a religious ritual that is mechanically repeated generation after generation--as though the Holy Spirit could be confined to a particular ecclesiastical order. The wind blows where it wishes, Jesus said (Jn.3:8). This is why Henry P. Van Dusen, former president of Union Theological Seminary, declared, “The Holy Spirit has always been troublesome to Church officialdom, because He does seem to be unruly, unpredictable and radical.”

The Whole Church Is Apostolic

The apostles recognized all gatherings of believers as true churches. Although neither Paul, Peter, nor any apostle had been to Colosse, Paul recognized the believers there as forming a true ekklesia—a church. Even though the church in Antioch was not under Peter’s authority, as evidenced by the fact that Paul publicly rebuked him when he came there and waffled on the issue of the Gentiles equal acceptance in Christ, there was no question of Antioch being a true church.

Apostolic succession is the responsibility of the whole church—of every Christian. A church is not apostolic because it has a leader who calls himself an apostle, bishop, or pope.  Every believer must seek to walk in the same selfless devotion to Christ as those first apostles. Every believer must live in the same selfless love toward others that characterized the early apostolic Church. And every believer must live in a radical dependence on the Holy Spirit as did those first followers of Christ. Only then can the Church today make any claim to being apostolic.

Apostolic succession is neither mechanical nor automatic. Apostolic succession is a succession in apostolic commitment to Christ and apostolic life in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Eddie Hyatt is an author, historian and Biblical scholar. This article was derived from his book, Apostolic Leadership, available from Amazon in both paperback and Kindle. To read about his vision for another Great Awakening, visit his website at www.eddiehyatt.com.

REMEMBERING 50 YEARS OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS, PART 7

Holy Spirit Orchestrated Encounters in England

Sue and I will celebrate 50 years of marriage on May 17 and I recently was stirred in my heart to share some of the stories of God's faithfulness to us through the years. Here is Part 7 in the series.

We had just picked up some food items at an Albertson’s supermarket and were driving across the parking lot on our way home. Suddenly and unexpectedly, Sue broke forth with an utterance in tongues. I immediately had the interpretation and said aloud, “The time is approaching when you will be going to England.”

We found this prophecy interesting for we had never ministered in England and had no contacts in England. Knowing, however, that if this was of God, He would open the doors, we put it in His hands went about our business. 

A few months later, I received a totally unexpected invitation to present a 90-minute lecture at Oxford University on my book, 2000 Years of Charismatic Christianity. I was also invited to participate in a panel discussion on the Holy Spirit the night before the lecture. It was obvious to us both that this was the fulfillment of the prophetic word we had received in the Albertson’s parking lot. 

We spent two days at Oxford, and it was a wonderful experience. The panel discussion and my lecture took place in the very same hall where John and Charles Wesley formed the Holy Club, which gave birth to the great Methodist Revival. In my lecture, I explained how God has visited His people again and again throughout history with Holy Spirit revival.

The lecture must have stirred faith in people’s hearts, for at the end a number of students asked Sue and me to lay hands on them and pray that they would be filled with the Holy Spirit. Many seemed genuinely impacted by the Spirit’s presence and I heard some speaking in other tongues.  

I felt both humbled and grateful, for here I was, a country boy who had grown up in the cotton fields of East Texas, lecturing at Oxford University. Our God is truly an awesome God!

Our friends, Jim and Judy Hamilton, of Apple Valley, CA, joined up with us at Oxford along with their teenage son, Josh. Jim’s mother was an English war bride and Jim had lived in England as a child and attended grades 5-7 while his father was stationed there with the U.S. Air force. This was an opportunity for him to revisit the land of his mother and his childhood.

From Oxford we went to London where God had opened another door to preach in a Sunday morning service.  From London we traveled 40 miles by train to Midhurst, a small quaint town that reminded us of something out of the Middle Ages.

Interestingly, Christ for the Nations Institute in Dallas had an English affiliate in Midhurst. Since I was a part of the CFNI faculty in Dallas, the affiliate in Midhurst gave us rooms in their dorms and a Malaysian-made Proton to drive. We had a great time touring the southern part of England, visiting Stonehenge, and enjoying the various restaurants.

It was in The Tea Shoppe, a small restaurant in Midhurst, that we had an encounter that was obviously orchestrated by the Holy Spirit. The five of us sat at a table where we laughed and discussed our experiences in England and talked about the good things of God. The restaurant was crowded with waiters and waitresses bustling about. 

A young couple was seated at a table next to us and when the young man got up and left, his female companion turned her chair facing us. She was an attractive young woman with long blonde hair and was wearing shades. It was so obvious that she was watching and listening to our conversation.

Finally, she arose and walked to our table and said to me, “Are you a pastor?” I replied, “yes,” and asked, “Are you a believer in Jesus.” She replied, “I got hit by the love of God at Holy Brompton [Anglican Church] but I have gone really bad.”

I invited her to join us and she sat down between Jim and Judy. We asked about her situation and she told us about going to a revival meeting at Holy Brompton Anglican Church in London.  I had heard of this church for its leaders had put out the welcome mat to the Holy Spirit and genuine revival had erupted. This revival had been reported in various Christian publications in England, Europe and in the U.S.

She described her experience at Brompton as being “hit by the love of God.” She went on to reiterate, “But I have gone really bad.” We assured her of God’s love and willingness to forgive and led her in a prayer in which she recommitted her life to the Lord.

At this point, Jim talked to her about being filled with the Holy Spirit and told her that we would like to pray for her to have this experience. She agreed. Jim and Judy, sitting on each side of her, laid their hands on her shoulders and we all asked God to fill her will the Holy Spirit.

Suddenly, the Holy Spirit fell on her as in the Book of Acts. She began weeping and with her face turned upward and tears streaming down her cheeks, she began praising and magnifying God in other tongues.

This was all happening with people sitting at tables all around us and waitresses scurrying back and forth. It was a surreal moment. When the power of the moment subsided, she said to us through tears, “I just saw Jesus hanging on the cross.”

We all basked in the glory of that moment and all too quickly the time came that we had to depart. We gave her the address of the Bible school and Christian ministry where we were staying, committed her to God and went on our way. We have to believe that God ordered her steps and that her life was never the same.

Our first stop on returning to the U.S. was New York City where I preached to a congregation of poor and homeless street people that a ministry had gathered and fed on a public sidewalk in the middle of Manhattan. It was quite a contrast to Oxford, but that is another story for another time.

Drs. Eddie and Sue Hyatt are still active in ministry and their numerous books are available on Amazon and their websites at http://eddiehyatt.com and http://godswordtowomen.org. Of particular significance at this moment in history is Eddie's book, America's Reawakening, and Sue's book, In the Spirit We're Equal, which contains a message that "has the power to begin a mass movement from Islam to Christianity, beginning with the women."