Culture of Honor – Sustaining a Supernatural Environment
by Danny Silk
Published by Destiny Image Publishers (2009)
Reviewed by David Collins
From time to time the spotlight turns onto a local church or a ‘revival’, I’m always curious to find out why. Bethel Church in Redding California is such a case; it’s ministries are being received in numerous nations, and the books they author are gaining wide readership. Worship recordings emanating from Bethel are fueling singing in churches all over the world.
The thing I find most interesting is, unlike other ‘hotspots’ of recent years – Toronto, Brownsville and Lakeland, for example – the spotlight is shining on the ministry functions and relationships found in this church. And now a book has come along that greatly assists one in understanding this facet of the Bethel legacy.
Bill Johnson, Bethel’s senior leader, provides the foreword for Danny Silk’s book, ‘Culture of Honor’. In it he writes
“I absolutely love Culture of Honor. I’ve waited a long time to see this revolutionary way of life captured and put
into words. While many of my staff teach on this subject, God has given Danny Silk the best language for it.”
In his introduction, Danny gives us what he calls “The Principle of Honor”; this gives us the simple premise that underlies of what is to follow.
“The Principle of Honor states that: accurately acknowledging who people are will position us to give them what
they deserve and to receive the gift of who they are in our lives.”
Although this “principle” finds some general application in Danny’s book, his main thrust is to show how this “principle” works to release and empower the five ministries of Ephesians 4:11 – apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.
Further into the “Introduction” we get indications of the shape of what is to follow:
“In a culture of honor, leaders lead with honor …
… by courageously treating people according to the names God gives them
… acknowledge their interdependence on the diverse anointings God has distributed among His leadership and their design for functioning as a team that creates a ‘funnel’ from Heaven to earth
… in teaching and preaching a Gospel that accurately affirms god’s identity as good, as love, as shalom, and look for clear manifestations of these realities as signs that God’s presence is truly welcome in the culture
… by developing ways to help people get along with one another in a free culture
… in extending the honor of the Kingdom to the wider community, creating ways for our cities to experience the life that is flowing among us.”
These five statements are expanded, illustrated and explained in detail through the chapters of the book.
Chapter 2 “The Funnel From Heaven” and Chapter 8 “Revolution to Reformation To Transformation” I regard as the key chapters for those, like myself, interested in examining the application of “The Principle of Honor” among the five ascension gift ministries, and learning of it’s particular application in Bethel.
Danny’s definition of the Apostolic gift is quite freeing and refreshingly locally-focussed:
“Apostolic leaders are focused on heaven, and their mission is to see Heaven’s supernatural reality established on the earth. They long to see the evidence of Heaven’s touch in the environment they lead and influence.”
I recall the first time I was taught about Apostles there were only ever going to twenty four of them throughout history! Now, it’s likely we can see this gifting in many (most?) healthily functioning local churches – I like that, I like the availability and naturalness of that view.
The message in ‘Culture of Honor’ is given contemporary relevance and urgency in the following statement found in the eighth chapter:
“This is where we stand as a movement in our generation. We are in the throes of a reformation. No longer will we tolerate the status quo of an externally governed existence. No longer will we accept training in powerlessness. No longer will we live as servants and slaves. The religious motivation of the pending wrath of God and the ideals of a small life are no longer options for us. We are sons and daughters of the Most High. We are in training for reigning as never before. We now expect to be powerful, living an abundant life in Christ until the kingdoms of this earth become the Kingdom of our God.”
A little further on in this chapter we have a journey – a “from” and a “to”
Danny writes,
“In chapter 2 I introduced some of the governmental shifts that are necessary for Heaven to flow to earth. Transformation has been successful at Bethel to the degree that we have implemented that new set of core values and paradigms.”
The author then addresses current models of church government and the priorities associated with them – this is the from.
The to begins a few pages later with the statement,
“We must have permission in our church environments to challenge the sacred cows of our day, just as Jesus did.”
He then writes of Bill Johnson’s journey in matters of governance, and sets a new priority to flow out of a new model of local church government.
‘Culture of Honor’ has arrived at a good time in my life and ministry. Suzanne and I are presently church planting, and have reached the point in that journey where we are focussed on developing cultures for the release of people’s gifts and cultures in which to incubate an effective, relational and life-giving governance in the church.
I recommend Danny Silk’s book to you. It is a explanatory, visionary and timely account of one Californian local church who’s grand experiment with presence-filled and honour-focussed Christian community is inspiring.
