In 1989, I was sent to Phoenix, AZ by the Lord as a preamble to fulfilling His will concerning me and the work of the ministry.  As I traveled south on I-17 via Greyhound, the last leg of a three day journey from Michigan, and entered into the city limits of Phoenix, the Lord said that this is where He wanted me to build His Church; this was April 1st.  The next day, a Sunday, the first day of what would be an extremely difficult week, I received from the Lord what I call the Mission Statement; receipt of “this word” would, and has, forever altered my life.

I left Phoenix, after that first week in 1989, and returned for good within a year, according to the word of the Lord.  It is now 17 years later, and having survived to this point the very arduous and grueling maturation process that only a place like this can exact, with the help of the Lord, a measure of favor has been dispensed to more fully understand what “build My Church”, and “speak My vision”, as contained within the first paragraph of the Mission Statement means.  The “Line of Authority” is an integral product of that maturity and understanding.

The Line of Authority, founded and derived solely upon sound biblical principles and “apostolic” doctrine, is a business model for church government and ministry development.  This “new” business model, while scripturally simplistic in presentation, may prove to be quite complex in execution.  This is in large part due to the proposed paradigm shift from a hierarchal, vertically exclusive form of church government, implemented more than a century ago, to a horizontally inclusive and expansive form of church government.  The dynamics of this paradigm shift will undoubtedly create conflict on every level from laity to leadership, but ultimately will facilitate the fulfillment of Colossians 1:9, and will directly enable each “member” of the body of Christ, from laity to leadership, to operate in that “will of God” concerning them, and to walk in their biblical purpose and predestination with specific scriptural reference and definition.