I once read there are four phases of development in a Church movement – Man, Movement, Monument, and Mausoleum. A group of followers will initially be formed and ignited by a person of faith. That original faith will gain momentum and become a movement. After a season of growth and structural development, a monument to what happened will be created shifting the focus away from the original acts of faith that ignited the movement in the first place. Finally, a mausoleum is built to memorialize the death of what was once a life-giving move of God.

This process is nothing new. It happened in Jesus’ time on earth after the outstanding event of Jesus’ transfiguration occurred when His appearance was transformed and God spoke. During the transfiguration, the disciples watched as Elijah and Moses appeared and spoke with the Lord.

In the emotion of that moment, Peter said, “Rabbi, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials – one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Mark 9:5). Then a cloud overshadowed the disciples. They heard the voice of the Father affirming His love for His son. They were then instructed to listen to Jesus. Moses and Elijah left “and they saw only Jesus with them” (vs. 8). 

The only safeguard from having to go through the painful process of man, movement, monument, and mausoleum is to allow our success to be interrupted so we can hear the voice of the Lord again. A problem emerges when we begin to listen to the voices of those who tell us keeping something alive that is dead is our most important assignment.

Currently, the Church is being transformed by the Spirit for those who choose to see the Lord in a new way. Mausoleums of our previous faith are being dismantled. The dismantling of these edifices offers us an opportunity to see Jesus in a new way. On the Mount of Transfiguration the change happened when all the excitement had passed and “they only saw Jesus with them.” 

If a movement has entered a mausoleum stage and is being kept alive only by the memories of what happened in the past, we will spend a lot of money and effort trying to keep the mausoleum open and functioning at the expense of seeing and hearing Jesus in a new way. In each new season, we will always need a fresh revelation of Jesus. That revelation will keep our faith alive and not build another mausoleum.