The Call
The Lord is moving in a unique way among His Body during this time. He is calling His children to return to our first Love, seeking Him with wholehearted passion and laying aside the differences we’ve constructed for ourselves in order to begin living out the answer He’s orchestrating to His prayer in John 17 – “‘I pray not on behalf of these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their message, that they may all be one. Just as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You, so also may they be one in Us, so the world may believe that You sent Me‘” (verses 20-21).
The Scriptures outline the beauty of a deep, abiding relationship with the Father, and this is to be the core of what drives our calling as His children – “And He said to him, ‘You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment” (Matthew 22:37-38). From here flows additional marching orders:
“And the second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself'” (Matthew 22:39);
“‘Go forth! Look, I am sending you as lambs in the midst of wolves. […] Behold, I have given you authority to trample upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you'” (Luke 10:3, 19);
“And Yeshua came up to them and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, immersing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Ruach ha-Kodesh, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you'” (Matthew 28:18-20);
“He said to them, ‘It is not your place to know the times or seasons which the Father has placed under His own control. But you will receive power when the Ruach ha-Kodesh has come upon you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and through all Judah, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth'” (Acts 1:7-8);
“Take no part in the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them– […] So play close attention to how you walk–not as unwise people but as wise. Make the most of your time because the days are evil. For this reason do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is” (Ephesians 5:11, 15-17).
The Response
It is time for the continued opposition and strongholds facing us in the 21st century to come down by the Spirit of the Living God, and we can participate in this mighty work by giving our unashamed “yes” to the Lord. The model of the early Church outlined in Acts 2 provides a guidepost for how we, as the Church of today, can live as a ‘New Covenant community’ – devoted to learning from the Word and our shared experiences; devoted to equipping one another; devoted to fellowship and breaking bread; devoted to worshipping our Father and to prayer; and devoted to having everything in common, sharing with all, as any have need (verses 42-45). While this is not going to look exactly as it did for the early Church, the principles persist today and are meant to be carried forward.
Having a heart to facilitate spaces for the Body to come alongside one another and answer this call is why I am launching DVTD.Life, a collaborative ministry that allows followers of Christ to come together and encourage, equip, and embark on partnering with the Lord in advancing His Kingdom with a unified heart, in one accord. Everything we do is based on our framework of PEACE – Prayer, Equipping, Activation, Compassion, Elevation. Our three-year strategic plan focuses on the three tiers of the Community, the Academy, and the Launchpad. I’m excited to share further details as the wise counsel of our Advisory Council and Prayer Team guide us through this startup process.
Personal Notes
I live in the greater Atlanta area with my wife of eight years, Greta; our children, Joelle (6) and Isaac (5); and our dogs, Portia and Milo. Isaac’s twin, Joy, is waiting for us at the Father’s side. I have close to 15 years of experience in ministry and the nonprofit sector, a Bachelor of Science in Psychology & Religious Studies, and am pursuing a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (concentrating on Servant-Leadership). I would love to get to know you personally; please do not hesitate to reach out. My email is michael@dvtd.life, or I can be reached at any of the linked social media handles. May the peace and favor of the Lord be with you always.