These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.
--Revelation 3:7-8

These words, spoken prophetically by the messenger of the Lord to the church in Philadelphia, formed the foundation for BCF’s 2002 theme message, "Year of the Open Door."

In that message we also received the next instruction for BCF out of the prophetic message given in Haggai 2:1-9. Previously we had received the words ministry audit (verse 3: "How does it look to you now?") and increased capacity (verse 9: "The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house.").

Now the word was: step into the traces (verse 4: "Be strong…and work.")! Traces are the leather leads that keep a team of horses working in unison; they are also the template and forms that have been laid out in advance for us to walk and work in.

Combining the impetus of these prophetic words, the Lord was (and is) saying to us, "I have set before you an open door; step into the traces with me and walk through that door and into your destiny!" At Bethel Christian Fellowship we believe our destiny is to be an Apostolic House of Prayer for All Nations.

BCF’s second pastor, Pastor Helen Jepsen, gave a prophetic word that we would bloom like a rose in the desert. The scriptural foundation for that word, Isaiah 35:1-2, has nourished the congregation for decades:

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the rose, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the LORD, the splendor of our God.

Building on this prophetic foundation, as well as the specific word for 2002, I laid out a vision plan for BCF. It is based on eight “I” beams that, taken together, help to flesh out in concrete terms our calling as a congregation. These "I" beams and their scriptural foundations are:

1. Imminent Glory: Exodus 33:12-15
2. Intimacy and Intercession: Ephesians 2:19-22
3. Increasing Hospitality: Romans 12:9-13
4. Intentional Discipleship and Evangelism: Matthew 28:18-20
5. Intensifying Leadership Development: 2 Timothy 1:6-7,13-14
6. Implementing Partnerships: Ecclesiastes 4:9
7. Investment Mindset: Luke 19:11-26
8. Irresistible Influence: Acts 2:42-47

For the last seven years we have built upon these "I" beams, walking through the open door God has placed before us. The work to which He has called us is not something we can accomplish in our strength, but only in His. As you read the full prophetic message the messenger of the Lord gave to the church in Philadelphia in Revelation 3:7-13, you will see that the church was characterized by three qualities: weakness (verse 8b), faithfulness (verse 10), and endurance (verse 11). I believe these same qualities characterize BCF.

Revelation 3:7 also gives us an encouraging description of Jesus. He is holy and true, and He holds the key of David (verse 7). These keys are described for us in Isaiah 22:20-22:

In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.

These keys have now been given to us, the church, according to Jesus' words to Peter in Matthew 16:18-19:

And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

With these keys, we are to cooperate with Christ to open doors and see the reign and rule of His kingdom extended through and around us. This is the work He gave to the church in Philadelphia, and it is the work He has given to us, Bethel Christian Fellowship, today.

And with this work, we receive His promise, "I am coming soon" (Revelation 3:11). Living in this hope, let us continue to walk through the doors He is opening before us with a passionate, persevering expectancy as we enter into the New Year of 2009.

--Pastor Jim