How We Began
The seeds of CWOWI were planted in 1992. During a time of prayer the Lord Jesus appeared to John in a visitation and shared some of what he was going to be doing in the future. Part of what he said included a bit of a history lesson. He said that during the Charismatic renewal of the 1960’s and 70’s many people came out of the traditional churches because their needs were not being met and they were hungry for the deeper things of God.
As a result, many ‘para-church’ organizations were raised up and played an important role in the discipleship of these new believers. (Two organizations that come to mind are Full Gospel Businessmen’s International and Aglow)
He told him that as a result of that ‘exodus’ teaching and evangelistic organizations soon started Bible schools to train and equip pastors and leaders.
The Lord then told him that many of these pastors and churches that were raised up during that time have now become as ‘structured, rigid, and set on their own agendas as the churches they came from’ and he (John) would again see an exodus from them.
The first CWOWI Tulsa Easter house church meeting in 2002
He said that there would again be a move of ‘para-church’ organizations, home prayer meetings, and also home based churches raised up.
He went on to say that many of the ’new’ churches were no longer meeting the needs of the people and the people were looking for ‘depth, relationships, a free flowing move of the Spirit, and leadership that does not play political games’.
Jesus shared how many of his people were not in fellowship anywhere or were dissatisfied where they were because of “hurt, misuse and abuse, politics, and leadership caught up in the things of the flesh.” He also added some commentary saying ‘that many of my people are facing the choice of conforming to what is being presented or getting out, not willing to compromise what they know is right.’
At the beginning of 2001 John was seeking the Lord as to what His next move would be. Having observed the ‘hot’ revival centers either cooling or getting spiritually off and not seeing anything on the horizon, this was a matter of prayer being kept on the ‘front burner’ before the Lord.
In early 2001 John was invited to conduct a seminar and minister at a church of about 200 people in the Toronto, Canada area. During the morning worship service John’s eyes were opened to the Spirit realm and he saw Jesus walk over to him saying in part:
“Do not look at the TV and larger media ministries to try to understand what I am doing in my body today. They have a part to play, but they are the visible to the eye veneer of my body that people see. Those that are carnal and immature see the outward appearance and are impressed, thinking these are the height of ministry and where the Spirit is concentrating today. But they are mistaken.”
“See what I see, many small churches and ministries investing in relationships, walking in love, pouring their lives into each other, this is where the Spirit is moving today. There is a revolution taking place in my body, a revolution of relationships and discipleship and love. This will affect whole communities and economies.”
“See what I see, many churches all over the world in which people are accountable to one another, working through conflicts, walking in love and growing as my disciples. This is where the Spirit is moving today.”
“Many are running to and fro asking, ‘Where is the next move, what is the next season of the Spirit?’, and I say to you it is under their very noses. They stumble at the supernatural work in their midst and refuse to humble themselves and be taught, because they seek the sensational and that which appeals to the outward man. They fail to recognize the true move of God because it must be spiritually discerned.”
He continued: “…you will see this revolution continue to grow and even be recognized by many, but not as a fad or a ‘flashy’ move of the Spirit. The discerning will perceive in their spirits that this is an abiding move, as it has been from the beginning so it must be now. This will be a time of separation within my body. This is the most important point I’m sharing with you today; the true disciples are losing their taste for the shallow and the carnal, and separating themselves from those caught up in the appearance of spirituality. These are my army, the ones no one knows, these are the ones I am raising up, not to be known of man, but to be known of God.”
“You are part of this move. This move is not a move of the masses, but of the individual. Make disciples, teach the ways of the Spirit, for many are hungry to truly know me, and the Father. Lead them into intimacy and growth in Me. Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.”