Grace Outreach International

THIS PRESENT REFORMATION

Introduction

This is a pregnant time across the nations. Every cultural analyst sees the 21st century as a time of great change and transition. The world is entering a period unlike anything experienced before in human history. The present church must perceive the changes or paradigm shifts that are coming from the hand of the Lord.

A paradigm shift can be defined as: The word paradigm comes from a Greek word and means a "model" or pattern, a collection of thoughts or ideas that make up the way one sees life. A paradigm shift controls how we interpret what we see and experience. It is also the way we perceive things, live, communicate and perceive changes. Paradigm shift is a set mentality and patterns of behaviour.

The earth was divided into three worlds: "First, Second and Third". The first was the industrialised democratic nations, mostly in the Northern Hemisphere. The second world was the Soviet Union, China and other communist nations. The third world consisted of the poorer, economically less developed nations located mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. These distinctions are now obsolete with the collapse of communism. We are moving from three worlds into one. The trend in science, economics, entertainment, business and political globalisation is the shaping force.