STOLOG oF , a 2 ey SEEvery Week Te Sus TR Are You Subscribed to Our Free Weekly Videos? Are you subsaibed to receive aur free weekly videos: The Jesus Tip? ‘Simply visit our homepage waw.thenewmysties.com and enter your ‘email tthe top of the page fo subscribe, Make sure fo add us to your approved sender lst so we don't end up in your email spam box! Our ‘YouTube has hit 3 milion views, and you can also catch every episode tight on our New Mystics app for iPhone or Android. Some may be of- ‘ended as we happily continue drinking grace straight, but the Scandal ofthe finished work of the cross continues to spread! Thanks to our regular viewers who help us share and repost on social media each ‘week as part of our grassroots ‘propaganda team” Register for Cana Seminary E-Course in March Ifyou have ever considered studying theology, but want a Spii-led, CCiist-centered course — consider becoming an online student of Cana [New Wine Seminary this fall and study at your own pace. Registration ‘opens March 26 forthe ealy bird discount Dive into the supernatural, intoxicating Gospel as we release the word of Grave in an atmosphere ofjay unspeakable! Teachers iniude Jahn & Ly Crowder, Dr C. Baxter Kruger, Matt Spinks, Francois Du Toit, Dr. Eric Wilding, Ro Wiliams ‘and more, The full course runs two years, with one session per week for ‘an easy pace. Class begins Oct. 28, For more info, see story on page $G.and vist: www.cana.co 2 the ecstatic :late 2019 ise ‘SWAT Team Busts up Crowder Meeting in Belarus Belarus, often called the last dictatorship in Europe” senta SWAT team cof neatly a dozen armed agents in ski masks, helmets, lak jackets and ‘machine guns to break up our church event in May. They detained John, searched and interrogated congregants st gunpoint for three hhouts. confiscating video and sound equipment and locking the pastors in all, SOT was able to bal them out after the ares... bul the violation lofhuran rights only stoked the zeal of Gospel drinkers as they begged John to keep preaching until midnight after the cops lft Russia Gospel Collusion: Grace Awakening is Here ‘Something incre Is happening in Russia. We took a Sons of Thu der team to Siberia in June and ae returning in March. ifs nat just that they love the Presence (they do} itis the Gospel Message itself that is spreading like vldive.Effoiess union. Finished Work of the Cross. COurinctusion inthe love ite ofthe Tint. People steeped in charismatic formulas exported from the West ae realizing they never heard the real Gospel. Pastors and bishops representing over a hundred churches have been begging us to come from allover the courity. More invita tions to speak are pouring in than we cen handle. Theyre getting it (One group has been running a 300-student online school based di- rectly on our materia translated info Russian. The intoxicating Glory ‘and rriracuious isso strong; we are neary eaten alive by grandmas Ia the meetings. In one night alone on our as ip, tumors shrank, a lady's crumpled back straightened out, people supematuraly lost weight and many more were healed. Bodies everywhere. Total chaos. They beg us to preach for hours on end. Drinking in every word!eae Nicaragua Mission Trip with John and Matt Experience the supematural and release the glorious Gospel in the rations. part of @ Sons of Thunder mission inp! We have one trip ‘urretly open for applicants coming up Januaty 2021. Our Nicaragua Mission wil be co-hosted with John Growler and Mat! Spinks. On this trip you willbe onthe team helping equip local churches inthe Message ‘of grace. healing the sick and partizpating in outreach tothe slums and {garbage dumps. For more information on the trip and sign up deta, See story on page 21. Lock in your spot witha deposit by September 31 2020. Find out more and apply to join the adventure at www thenewmystics.cominica ee LN Sr ae TAS Do You Have Our Free iPhone or Android App? "Make sure to update to the atest version ofthe "New Mystics” app which is on both iPhone and Android platfomms. The app is now available as a free download. Get all our Jesus Tiip video archives in one spot, find Current events and read a digital version of The Ecstatic magazine on Yyour mobile device. Simply look for "New Mystics” at the iPhone app Store to ge the Apple version, or search for us on Google Play to get the Android version. Be sure to allow notifications, and each week youl ‘ge a rienaly message from us alerting you tothe latest Fee Jesus Trp video asit gets posted. TEL nF ie dé Telos & Theophany: Weeklong Events in UK and US ‘We are hosting Wo special destination evens in both the UK and the USA called Tels and Theophary. These unique, seven-day foundation courses ate jam-packed, concenrated intnsives that ae both super natural and thecogeal. Our goal To rework ou entre understand ing ofthe Gospel fom the bottom up: eating everthing we know through he er of Chiistlogy an he fnshed work of he cross. Ths ‘il be 2 ro-hald-bared docinal detox in a Me-giving atmosphere of Holy Spit inaxication Pat mcroseminary Pat camp meeting. Ear- ly registration i recommended as space wl be ima, See mae an age 20-21 and vist wun:thenowmystis.comitelos Theology & Bourbon: Kentucky Gentlemen's Retreat Conversation. Worship. Whiskey... If you are a gentleman who ap preciates theology and fine bourbon, we are hosting a small exclusive fetreat to Lovisvile, Kentucky in October 2020. John Crovader and Dr CC. Baxter Kruger, together wth worship leader Godfrey Bit vil spend ttre days of personal interaction, theological discussion and worship together, along with tours to local ditileries along the bourbon tral in the heart of histori American whiskey county. Space i extremey im ited and thus reflected in the premium registration fee. Costs $250 and {does not including lodging or airfare. This tip is strc limited to the first 30 registrants. Vist www. thonowmystics.comikontucky the ecstatic: tate 2019 sve |News Brazil Outreach to Church, Slums, Drug Traffickers ‘Athough we were always warned fo avoid the dangerous faveta slums Cf Rio de Janeiro, we disregarded any hesitation and plunged right in ‘outing ou Sons of Thunder Brazil mission ln August. Immediately the team saw drug traffickers staking the streets wih pistols and machine ‘Guns drawn in broad daylight. There is no police presence as the drug ‘dealers run the slums; one of them had just been killed the day befor. People opened their homes freely and dug traffickers pocketed their Pistols and readiy received prayer and ministy. We also shared the ‘Gospel in tree local churches inthe region, wih John following up with ‘ministry in Argentina while in South America, ‘SOT Mission Headed to Two Nations in Africa At the time of printing this publication, John Crowder is leading @ Sons ff Thunder ministry team to two nations in Africa: Ghana and Camer- ‘oon. The team willbe equipping churches, leaders and doing outreach with orphans in November 2019. Ve are excited to sae the message Of pure grace taking root in hearts and minds around the world. We value your support as we continue to bring the Gospel o the nations. Although itis 100 late to jin this trp, there is an opportunity to be part of the Sons of Thunder team next yearn January 2021 as John Crowder ‘and Matt Spinks bring a group to Nicaragua. Apply early to lockin a spot {8 space is limited. For more information, visit \worwthenewmystics.cominica 4 | the ecstatic: late 2010 ise Save $80: Get All Our Books & A Free T-Shirt ‘We are currently running a special package box set ofall eight books ‘writen by John and Lily Crowder, together with ftee USA shipping and discounted interational postage. Plus wile supplies last, we wil in- ude a free New Mystics T-shirt Share deep insights on the supernatt- fal Gospel of Grace wth your fiends and loved ones, or just teat your sell. This package saves you more than 80 off etal. Books include: ‘Mystical Union, Money. Sex. Beer. God., Cosmos Rebor, Chosen for Paradise, Grace for the Contemplative Parent, The New Mystics. Sev- fen Spints Burning and The Ecstasy of Loving God. Check it ut at our Web store: www.johnerowder.not/box. Pr MARRIAGE RETREAT MAUI Hawaii Marriage Retreat: Bring Your Spouse! “ake time to pull aside and priortize your mariage. Book a babysiter ‘and splurge on your spouse. Schedule a vacation wih us: come aside from the dally stess of life and career and venture to Maul, Hawai in September 2020. This intimate getaway in paradise for coupes is, designed for marta bliss. With John and Lily Grover and Rick and Melisa Wood, tis retreat i far rom a religious self help program. Get 2 glorious Gospel detox from the fear, insecure, identiy hangups {and avaward communication gaps that bind or dul us tothe delights of ‘mantal joy. The honeymoon realy can last forever! Visit oww.thenewmystics.com/etreata Contents irene | — _. total ban ocieig ha Was wom af Nepiion avdPosr 2 News: The Latest from Sons of Thunder ‘Verwse ne tvs atmo o'Bea minaorasn orves da tasters 6 Pure Distillate of Christology Cae nee SS 414 Find the Party: Sons of Thunder Itinerary a. we ey ori rom i rt 415 Mission Report: Pakistan, Afghanistan, More! Sisctuncreencucercctas | 18 Medatlons of tro tiyetes igutmuligniatwcurtenrnens | 19 Cana New Wine Seminary Online SE I ir ne ter 20 Telos & Theophany Seven-Day Intensives Fororest fal cu poate weskong cours Tos tow un 2010, = Europes versntathatbe Come. Engandin Jy 2020usn od felting wrap Ad Novena 2020 shove m spat eo et fated Theapary nfs sendes can sped an erie week ober ih ‘yea an Basa Xrpor Portas, Grae, Ws Noh eerie ks Flom ery tome ploamage ar cl lls UK. Treaphny the US Gea page 20 ara 2), honey, ura pss wl od ‘nam we hve aNcaragianosotre mJruy 02 wn met rd Not Spr Agu er play of tr pln eas four a prt tne minty ean. 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Reenter ppoach Racal Charumass ver Refers ts sey of race These 3 ga cn ota pusiaien wn curounlncn fs eee aura race Fecueney sy uepestsbe Fully Satisfied John Crowder Founder, Sons of Thunder Publications the ecstatic is published bi-annualy (Copyright © 2019 Sons of Thunder Ministries &€ Publications Allright reserved Email infoethenewystiosore ‘Phone: 1-877-345-3245 Adress: PO. Box 40, Marys, OR 97036 ‘www TheNewMystics.com the ecstatic late 2019 issue | 6Pure Distillate of Christology The Divine Mystery Revealed in Flesh by John Crowder How can we really know anything about Goa? “There are countess thousands of doctinal ideas thrown atthe theological dan board. How «do we even begin to approach epistemology, that is, the study of "how’ something can be known about Goa at al? Its okay not to have everything figured out Rest assured you don't. But human pride and fear always tend to overstep the bounds ofmys- tory. We want tidy doctrinal boxes that allow us {o Gontain God within the sala ramework of our ‘own understanding. We overestimate our im- ted ably to know anything whatsoever about God. Yet God wants and has chosen to frooly 1o- ‘veal Himself was never His will fo leave US inthe dar and has chosen fo display His na ‘ed personaly to mankind. He sef-reveals not by a cold, calculated lst of doctrnal principles, Rather Ha disclosas Himselt personally and telationaly by coming in the Person of Christ. By becoming us and fully intertwining Himselt to the human race. Itis our sheer arrogance to think we could pro ‘ect theological ideas about God and present ‘an understanding of Hi outside of Jesus. Yet that is exactly what we do. Of course, every CCuistian gives lip service to Jesus. Neverthe less, we move right along and construct tidy ‘phiosophical stuetures to explain Him, repiate ‘with all our metaphysical ideas about Him - 3s if our four-pound brains can encompass the limits of whal can be known about the Author ofthe cosmos. “This is a project of fear: i God is relegated to ‘a set of formulated concepts and ideas, He is ‘much easier for us 10 contol, Is He not? AS fearful creatures, we much prefer a remote- contol God of our own fabrication. But a rela tional Christan mysticism that is rooted inthe Intimacy of Jesus does not presuppose human eas about God inorder to Sketch outa pictute ‘of Him in any way “separate” from Jesus. The thing about a mystic is hat she doesnt have a {earul drive to connect all the dts she fs oon tent inher personal relation with God, without the vain drive to explain everything away. Yot this isnot to say every so called ‘mystic™ gots the Gospel either. In fact. many disdain theo gy aliogotner Thoology is vitally important, Dut we must do i with Chistologcal fons we are to have an accurate picture of God. As fearful creatures, we much prefer a remote-control God of our own fabrication. ‘THE GOD CONTRAPTION ‘Most often, te whola corpus of what wo say ‘and know about God (aur theological starting point for taking about Him) bogie wth an ab ‘tact sot of principlos. We so often talk about God in tems of big metaphysical concepts we ‘cobble together from seripture to desorive Him words lke soveroignty, justice, power, hol- ‘ness — or all the “omni” words: God is omnipo- Tent, omniscient, omniprosent. etc. otc. And Wwe argue over all these things, breaking Into Camps that are liberal or conservative, Calvin- Istor Pentocostal, denominationally unique or supposedly dierent ~ each based on how we choose to fashion together our own manmade ‘God Contraption rom allthese conceptual phil- ‘sophical dens. Then we take sides ana bate ‘one another. “My God Contraption is more ac- ‘curate than your God Contraption!” But there Teally are no sides, because every camp Is actually in the same camp: trom tundamental- isis to postmodem progressives - everyone is. In the Same pot because they begin tom the Same foal stating point: tie human mind. Despite their aiteronces, the samo throad among all Christian groups Is thoi alam at building @ God Apparatus, which is the sum ‘of all ek human ideas. Sure, they all may be “pilical” ideas, but the common denominator is that the starting point is always the limited vain mental conjecturing about an “out there" God of our own understanding. The futle at- tempt at deciphering an unknowable God Yet standing over and against this man-made God Apparatus of metaphysical guesswork and patchwork scripture quit making is Goo Himself allot these camps and denominations have a botiom-up approach that begins with the human mind and artogamty attempts to Works way up Godward BY artving a a nea, ‘lean set of theological answers. But standing ‘opposed the pride of human wisdom - stand ing against our theological assertions about Him (whatever flavor of theology ft may be) ~ ‘here is something else, And that something is God, Tho elarnal Mystery Who will never ba Unfolded by the mind of man, but who has de- Iinkivly revealed Himself in Jesus Christ. ‘Jesus represents something radically diferent {han a bottom up approach to figuring God out. Ho is the Godtto-manward mation of Gods ‘own sei who has come down fo reveal Himalt hot in-a convenient set of metaphysical ideas fr scriptural lite hacks ... but has revealed a there is 0 know about Himself im human flash ‘and therefore in “our human flesh. God has ‘come in person, 6 | the ecstatic :late 2019 iseHe throws a monkey wrench into all our ab- siract ideas: For instance, how can you talk ab- Sraclly about God's sovereignty (as it He con ‘wols everything), and blame Him for evil and sickness f Jesus comes healing the sick? How ‘can you talk abstractly about justice and hol ess, f Jesus comes forgiving sinners. tumn- tng te inw on shea? We must beg al cur ik and knowledge about God with the person ‘of Jesus, Not with humanist, logical concepts. ‘THE INEFFABLE GOD ‘None ofthe prophets or patiarcs of old could full see God. Jesus affirms none of them even ‘new God! They saw gimpses. And why could they nol see the big picture? Because you can- rot nd God - you cannot understand God. He is not discovered, He is revealed. Only He can disclose Himsoll’ One of the chis! principles (of God is His inefiabiity ~ His inability to be ‘comprofiended. God is unsearchabe, uncon- tainablo; our inte minds have no capably ‘of grasping Him. We can apprehend God like ‘calching a footbal- but you cannot wrap your hand around that whole thing. we cant com prehend God - we do not fully wrap our heads ‘around Him, The ineflabilty of God is one of His chit and most beautiful aspects God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of ‘ings and Lord of lords, wh alone 1s immortal ‘and who lives in unappraachable ight, whom ‘no one has seen or can see ..(1 Tim. 815- 18) (Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His ‘and His paths beyond tracing ‘uti om. 11.33) Who does great and unsearchable things, Wonders without number (Job 53). (Gan you discover the depths of God? Can you cdscover the limits of te Almighty? (Job 11.7) ‘Such Is fo0 wonderfut for me: It is 100 high, leannot attain to (Ps. 139'6), “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nel ther are your ways my ways," declares the Lord (sa. 55:8) He is beyond description. You cannot reason ‘back nto the being of God. You cannot project {your ideas back into the nature of God ard un- ‘erstand anything about Him. Only God knows Himselt. The creatureCreaiorcistncton les at the heart of our knowledge of God. Augustina ‘sald, “The ite cannet understand the infinite.” “The Lord says, “You thought | was al together tke you, (Ps, 60:21) but in declaring God's in- ‘oftabilty we confess that He evados and 0s- ‘capes all our statements about Kim. Its above “The Psalmist says His greatness is unsearch- ‘able, “Who can utler the mighty deeds of God (or declare His praises’ (Ps. 108.2) and "None The th she doesn’t have a fearful about a mystic is rive to r perso} God, without the vain drive to ex- plain everything away. ‘can compare with you .. His wonders are more than ean be told” (Ps. 40). Gods deods and thoughts are unfathomable. Wonically, we are told to declare His praises, yot wo aro told that they are beyond declaring! The sama can bo ‘sald of theology. We are instructed to learn and ‘Speak about Film, yel wo are told His ways are Deyond fnding out. He ways ate unuttorable = you cannot utter them. incomparable ~ you ‘cannot compare them. Innumerablo ~ more than can be numbered, Inexpressible ~ more than can be articulated. Inexpleable — more than can be explained. LEARNING SILENCE He is outstanding among ten thousand. How ‘can we make all thesa ippant vapid stato- ‘ments about God - or squeeze Him into our ‘human paradigms of conservatism, iberaism, ee =a socialism and capitalism — or Evangelicalism, Catholicism, etc? Everyone constructs a God who endorses their agenda, or'@ soco-culur- ally conditioned Jesus who puts His stamp of ‘approval on their Weologies. How can we so Boastiuly assume He endorses all our pat doc- ‘nines or fs tdly within our ow theological camps and streams? We cannot grasp Him, [Atthe end ofthe book of Job, after God showed him the vasiness of His intreate making of the cosmos, Job is forced to say, ‘behold these fare but the outskirts of His ways - how small a ‘whisper we hear of Hie (Job 26:14) This sheer enormity of time and space ~ the universe (perhaps universes. wih universes) = parallel universes. or dimensions within di- rmeneions .. and to think this fs only @ shadow Pointing to His immensity of being tis a drop In the bucket fo the etme infintude of God. ‘Uke Job it makes us want to putour hand over ‘our mouins and say nothing. Then the Lord answered Job out of the whit- wind and said, “Who is this that darkens coun ‘Selby words without knowledge?” (Job 29: 1-2) ‘Then Job answered the Lord "Therefore | ‘have uttered what | cid not understand, things 00 wondertul for me, which I did not know" (dob 423), Wouldnt ibe brifiant if we just leamed to shut up? In the world af countess opinions and ond less Social media blaher about God wha we just learned to close our traps and contem- plate Himin slencs or chang? The dosper {90 into ministry, the more | realize | know not- ing. And theless realy want to talk. Apart from ooking at Jesus, wo aro kids with a chomisty set- we have no clue what we're talking about ‘Yet we slap onto ourselves doctorates and t= tis lke children playing dress up and ascribing sellimportance n matters infinitely beyond our pay grade and expertise, ‘So many Evangelicals reject the idea of myst- tem: then run eff hal-ooeked tying to explain ‘away the inexplicable God. How tippantly Cone om page 8m the ecstatic: late 2019 sve | 7