Megashift [Hardcover]

James H. Rutz (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2005

The 1700-year nightmare is over. This is not another book highlighting the eradication of Christian piety and rehashing the overpowering evil that seems to rule society. Rutz s refreshing outlook illuminates an upsurge of power and activity in the body of Christ. A megashift of spiritual power into the hands of ordinary people is about to overwhelm the world and put it into vastly better shape. Prepare yourself to take part in a total makeover of Planet Earth! Discover a new world where... Over a billion non-Christians may become highly active Christians in the next dozen years. A whole new form of Christianity promises to bring a far greater impact than the Protestant Reformation. Millions of ordinary people are doing miracles. God has brought hundreds of people back from the dead, mostly in the last 15 years. These are not near-death experiences, but real resurrections of actual corpses. A shift from spectator religion Megashift not only documents a wide range of miracles, but also spotlights hundreds of thousands of house-church teams around the globe that are producing a new culture of responsible freedom. In these teams, people are allowed to speak and interact. They often form deep friendships, dump their heaviest problems, turn into free and powerful spearheads of worldwide change, and get connected with God and man in ways that almost defy description. This is a Megashift away from spectator religion. 8% Growth Per Year There is a hidden world that already has 707 million evangelical/charismatic Christians who are growing by an incredible 8% a year. In the center of this shockwave are roughly 100 million informal networks of committed circles who run their own show without buildings, paid pastors, or sermons. Megashift is a startling introduction to that surge of grass roots power and love, which is forming the culture you will soon live in. Sample Chapter titles include: 1.) The New Kingdom Explosion: Exciting miracles and church growth. Rutz tells how the kingdom of God is expanding exponentially! 2.) The New Engines of Change: 10 Rediscovered Forces Behind it all. This exciting chapter shows how God is pouring His power into new believers and what brought about this radical change. 3.) The New Saints: 7 Signs of Today s Overcomers. A new kind of disciple is breaking away from the sidelines of Christianity--one who is liberated, proactive, and empowered. 4.) The New Church: 30 Hallmarks of Emerging, Scripture-based Congregations. Today churches all over are going back to a biblical basis. Rutz illuminates what defines these churches and explains their unique characteristics. Finally, here is a positive book focusing not on the depravity and hopelessness of the world, but highlighting the change that Christians are making worldwide. This book will boost every Christian s confidence and motivate all to get off the sidelines and participate in the work of Christ. About the Author James Rutz is an author, advertising copywriter, columnist, teacher, pioneer thinker, chronicler of the miraculous, spokesman for the worldwide House Church community...and all-around humble guy.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Brace Yourself for a Total Makeover of Planet Earth The world is changing hands – for the last time. It is not a mere shift in power, but a total transformation in how things happen. For centuries, tyrants and generals have swept across the Earth, crushing and raising empires. But 2003 probably saw the last war of massed armies. Military technology can now fry a million field troops in days.

In fact, all our centralized power structures are morphing into something else. Traditional, top-down systems are turning into gigantic, bottom-up co-ops.

The driving institutions of society are the family, religion, government, economy, military, science & technology, agriculture, business & industry, education, media & communication, and law- plus ancillary fields like medicine, sports, entertainment and the arts.

All of their structures have taken major hits in our lifetime. All (except law) have been decentralized, demystified, and democratized. All of them are about to be overwhelmed and put in vastly better shape by a kind of power you probably wrote off years ago: the spirit.

The Great Game is all about power and control. Till now, the main weapons in that game were knowledge, wealth, and force (also known as technology, money and violence). But now, as you read this book, you will see the unfolding of the main event, the great transfer of power. Time is up, and God is taking over – with a little help form His friends.

The new world force is an alliance between the Holy Spirit and our own human spirits. The main facets of this force are love, truth, wisdom, and a miracle-working spiritual power that has nothing to do with guns, gold or governments.

Until our generation, this force was held back or shot down by friendly fire – the traditional church. To be a Christian was to be subject to the stained-glass hierarchy and absorbed into its endless programs.

Now there’s a new ball game in town, and it has started in the ninth inning. So pull up a chair and prepare to be astonished. Or better yet, grab a uniform and get into the action. Welcome to the endgame of God.

About the Author

Jim Rutz is the leading U.S. spokesman for open Christianity, a startling innovation on the traditional church that is laying a whole new basis for civilization. his megashift to a new, responsible society is attracting thousands in North America who want a lot more from their faith than a warm pew, a commercial-grade sermon, Nashville-level music, and a Brownie-point religion that may or may not get you into Heaven, depending on whether God grades on a curve. Rutz's open Christianity solves the three biggest problems of the church, he says: We've gotten rid of all the expensive buildings and paid pastors. Plus, you never have to listen to another sermon. This is the next step up from Protestantism. As the author of the 1992 best-seller The Open Church (230,000 sold, counting all editions), Rutz appeared on more than 80 TV and radio stations, up to and including TBN and CBN (Pat Robertson on The 700 Club). He is chairman of Open Church Ministries and has been a full-time writer for 31 years. Sales of his newest book, MEGASHIFT: Igniting Spiritual Power, could pass half a million and create demand for well over a hundred interviews. It's a shocker. Among other things, Rutz's research has found 51 countries where God has raised people from the dead, mostly in the last 15 years (all footnoted, some with photos). These are not near-death experiences, but bona fide resurrections of corpses. Rutz (rhymes with klutz, he says) has an endless stream of astounding but documented reports of varied miracles from around the world. Your audience will be spellbound. But far more important, Rutz and his house-church friends are offering your fans a doable new 24/7 lifestyle where lives get straightened out, long-standing problems get solved, wimps turn into world-changers, and everyone experiences the strong presence of God. The miracles are being done by ordinary people worldwide millions of them. For example, China already has over 110 million Christians who are authorized to take power roles in the church. And since 2001, Rutz has taught former Hindus across India who have now planted perhaps over 10,000 house churches. The revolution is headed this way, and he is ready to tell your audience how they can change their lives by starting or joining a family-like, interactive, highly participatory team.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 259 pages
• Publisher: Empowerment Press (CO); 1st Edition edition (June 30, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0966915828
• ISBN-13: 978-0966915822
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #334,199 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get Ready For A Radical Change, March 20, 2006

By 

John R. DiLullo (Medford, MA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Megashift (Hardcover)

Before I begin let me give a disclaimer. If you are satisfied with the status quo of mainstream Christianity then stay away from this book. But if you are one who senses that there is so much more than what you have experienced in following Jesus up until now then get this book. Now. Do not delay. Click away as fast as you can. Get this book. Read it. Reflect on it. Let it change you. Then go and change the world.

It begins with accounts of miracles happening, mostly overseas, right now. The first chapter has to be one of the longest in the book. It seems that Mr. Rutz has done his homework to verify the reports as accurate. He wants to take on this culture of unbelief that has infiltrated the American Church. This unbelief does not have the hold on the minds and hearts of Christians in other non-Western countries. Perhaps this is the answer to why miraculous accounts are more common in other countries.

The nest chapter discusses 10 new "strategies" that are being held on to that seem to be fueling those miraculous accounts. Some of what he proposes I do not agree with (i.e., "strategic level spiritual warfare") but I think the strength of the chapter is to try and get you to think outside the box of your own experience which might be sub-normal with what the New Testament teaches. My advice: eat the meat and spit out the bones.

Although most of this book seems to be aimed at what might be called "House churches", the greatest strength of this book is that each chapter gives you PRACTICAL teaching and advice on how to proceed. You are not left hanging with the thought, "But how to I get there." You are not given a "Step 1-2-3" procedure but you are given sign posts to help you move along the way.

The appendix "For Futher Equipping" is one of the best things in the book. The books and web sites listed there are a gold mine of helpful information and encouragement. The stuff that I have found there was worth the price of the book alone.

It ends with 7 ways to take action with what you have learned. It starts with wanting to build your faith that maybe God might even use someone "like me", gives you strategies that will stretch you to your end, then you get practical instruction and advice on beginning and maintaining your journey.

If some Christians take up this book and heed the call of the Holy Spirit then we will once again turn this world upside down with the Gospel of the Kingdom of God.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Radical, Revolutionary, Goes Very Much "Against The Grain", June 6, 2005

By 

Donna Bistrican "William & Donna Bistrican" (Des Moines, Iowa) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Megashift (Hardcover)

Do NOT read this book if you are looking to get your "ears tickled"! This book is "anointed" by God's Holy Spirit to cause ACTION! You will most likely either love this book, eat it up, and get inspired to "get off your duff", or despise it, and throw it away as heresy! This book is really not about doctrine, but about the original way Jesus Christ intended His followers to become the Church, the Body of Christ. After reading this book it is very evident, (at least to my wife and me) that "Church" has not been done the right way for almost 2,000 years! Dead works, traditions of men, misconceptions, Spirits of control, programs, forms and fashions, none of which our Lord ever intended for us as His Disciples. Jim Rutz has simply had the guts, and taken the time to write down what many people have really believed and felt about Church for some time. Other books like Dr. Michael Brown's "Revolution In The Church" (Baker Book House 2002) have very similar themes and statements, which I view as "Holy Spirit" confirmation of the radical change sweeping thru the Body of Christ. I challenge all, especially the skeptical to find in any English version of the Holy Bible, New Testament, any precedent for the manner in which your current denomination or non-denomination "holds" Church! Come Quickly Lord Jesus!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Provocative Study of the New Church, April 11, 2011

By 

David Bower (Houston, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Megashift (Hardcover)

This book was published in March, 2005 and tells a fascinating story of the growth of Christianity all over the world. New hardcover copies are available from the World Net Daily Superstore for $17.31 plus shipping.

The book is divided into five parts: The New Kingdom Explosion, The New Engines of Change, The New Saints, The New Church, and The New Meetings. In addition there is an Epilogue: Mad Max, Zorah, and the Lady in Pink; Appendix One: Invitation to Life; Appendix Two: How did we ever get into this mess?; Appendix Three: How to Raise the Dead--a Dozen at a Time; and two additional sections called For Further Equipping and What's Next.

One of the interesting things about the books format is the extensive use of footnotes and endnotes; each part is followed by several pages of references for the subjects discussed in the text. It is evident that Mr. Rutz wanted to provide extensive references for all of the statements made and topics discussed in each part.

On page 3 of his book, Mr. Rutz writes: "You may have a hard time believing some of these reports, but I've done my best to nail them down with almost 400 footnotes and endnotes plus a few photos."

The message I got from this book is a message of Christian hope that God is working in amazing and wondrous ways all over the world in calling people from all nations and ethnic groups to Himself at a pace never before seen.

On page 25, Mr. Rutz tells the reader that 175,000 Christians are added to the Church every day. The vehicle of growth is the individual Christian empowered by God the Holy Spirit working through the home church. As strange as that may sound to Western ears, it is the working model in most non-Western countries according to Mr. Rutz.

Three areas of major spiritual revival are Africa, India, and China where thousands are accepting the Lord and many are being healed. In China the home church has grown rapidly in spite of government opposition; on page 82 we read: "As noted before, China has the largest church in the world with 115 to 120 million true Christians, mostly in house churches."

This book is exciting and inspiring to read; as a Christian in the United States I have not personally witnessed the wonders mentioned in the book. I have no doubt that the Holy Spirit can do all of this and more and rejoice in the growth of the true church. It is very gratifying to know that even as the church in the Western nations grows cold and indifferent that God is moving in marvelous ways to bring new souls into His kingdom.