'The Gathering - Melbourne'

Introduction

In the heart of God's people there is a growing hunger for the reality of His manifest presence. They are also searching for paradigms of being the people of God that will release that presence into the lives of their friends and into their world.

So, what are we doing about it? Definitely not starting another church, denomination, or network!

'The Gathering - Melbourne' is an emerging citywide 'wineskin' for the church of Melbourne, Australia. It is an event, a process, and an invitation.

The Event

The event is a monthly gathering for all followers of Jesus in greater Melbourne who desire more of Him and are looking for the fulfilment of His prayer that "they all may be one" (Jn 17). God is calling a people out of the false values and human systems of church that have divided us, into a new ecclesia, the one church of the city. One aspect of this is large citywide gatherings, not around celebrity ministries, but around the person of Jesus. These gatherings are for celebration in extended times of worship, impartation, and prayer. They are animated by a hunger for God and an expectation for His presence to be evident in the supernatural. They are a platform for apostolic teaching and for prophetic understanding of the reformational shifts currently occurring in the global church. They are also a safe place for relationships to grow across the larger body of Christ.

The Process

The process started in the heart of God when He purposed to create the earth for His dwelling. Consequently, in the climax of history, God in Christ is taking back the planet as His house. Just as He revealed Himself in His Son two thousand years ago, He is coming to us again in His body, the corporate Christ. This is why Satan's strategy has been to divide the body. Even so, God is now bringing us together "bone to his bone" (see Ezk 37). As Paul explains:

we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. (Ephesians 4:15-16 NASB)

We are entering the 'appointed time' for Christ's high priestly prayer, "that they all may be one", to be fulfilled. As we grow up into Him, in intimacy with Christ, the whole body will be connected into new relationships and alignments. A new citywide ecclesia will emerge and grow as a relational fabric to form a canopy for His glory over an entire city (see Isa 4).

Therefore, 'The Gathering - Melbourne' is designed to catalyse a renewing and re-forming of the body of Christ across a whole city so that "they all may be one". However, for this to occur a revolution must come. The new thing God is doing is not just an aggregate of the old. The idolatrous values and systems that have withheld the power of God from our cities for centuries will be removed.

Therefore, 'The Gathering - Melbourne' is a declaration of war on behalf of a city - but not a war against any particular person or group. This is a war against the mindsets that have held God's people captive for almost two millennia. It is a war for the supremacy of Christ over His church and, in fact, over the whole of creation. Therefore, one of the heart, of pure devotion to Christ.

We believe God is giving a strategy for deliverance and for the harvest of a city. There is a way of being the people of God that will transcend our denominational divisions and eventually supersede them.

The process is catholic in the true sense of the word but not ecumenical in the sense of organising unity through existing church structures. The Holy Spirit is in the process of sovereignly preparing and connecting His people relationally. One aspect of this will be emerging 'apostolic' teams functioning through flat relational leadership. They will be instrumental in raising up new-breed shepherds caring for 'simple' churches which are supernaturally imbued with the DNA for rapid multiplication across the city.

The Invitation

'The Gathering - Melbourne' is to Jesus. All His followers from greater Melbourne are invited to gather the first Saturday of each month. We have space for 1,000 people currently, but as it grows, there are venues in inner Melbourne for up to 100,000 people (and all sizes in between).

We are not aggressively promoting or networking. We felt strongly to grow the vision from a relational circle, which is expanding each month as the news of what God is doing spreads. Our one concession to advertising is an invitation flyer and this web page.

Feel free to access the invitation flyers on the left of this page and invite your friends or send them this link.

If you are from Melbourne or in town, you are welcome to join with us.

Vision:

• The restoration of the one church of the city as the dwelling of God and the ingathering of greater Melbourne and of the nations

Mission:

• To create a safe space within the city for followers of Jesus to grow in the Presence of the Creator

Strategy:

• Extended times of Worship
• Prophetic teaching on reformational shifts occurring in the Global Church
• Personal Ministry and Impartation
• Apostolic Expansion and Growth
  

Spiritual Values:

Inside Out Transformation

Presence & Power of God - Spirit led

Christ in me, as children

Bottom up Leadership

Relational Trust, Spiritual Authority to build-up

Christ in you, as Fathers

Grass Roots Innovation

Empowering Responsiveness

Body of Christ, as One

Big Picture Perspective

Kingdom Restoration Incarnational Mission

Kingdom of Christ, as a City

For more teaching: Refer to the articles:

 A 'Prophecy Concerning Melbourne' given by Marc Dupont

 A 'Statement Concerning the City-Church' from Derek Prince

 Click here for a list of the 14 Reformational Shifts

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