NorthernChristian.org

Paul tells the church at Ephesus that those in Heaven were fascinated by certain events on earth: “Through Christians like yourselves, gathered in churches, this extraordinary plan of God is becoming known and talked about even among the angels!” (Ephesians 3:9-10).

You’ve been told that angels are messengers, and indeed they are.  Usually we think of them bringing messages to us.  Imagine with me that they are not only messengers to earth but from earth.  Could they also be bringing news back to heaven?  “Wait a minute,” you may say, “Doesn’t everyone in heaven see everything that goes on down here? And who would they report to, anyway? God knows it all!”

Yet, in the book of Genesis an angel tells Abraham he has come to see if the news about the wickedness on earth was true (Genesis 18:20). This passage makes me wonder if the folks that “entertain angels unaware” are not necessarily being tested (as was my previous assumption) but are being unwittingly interviewed to get the facts ‘on the ground’ so-to-speak!!!

Satan seems to have wiggled his way into a heavenly reporting session. (Job 1:6-7). Could the question put forth to Satan “From where have you come?” have been asked of each angel as they “presented themselves before the Lord”?

To them [the prophets] it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven—things which angels desire to look into. (I Pet 1:11 NKJ)

So now that we’ve established that there is “news” being reported in Heaven, let’s consider what might qualify as heaven’s headlines.  What, exactly are the angels talking about?  What’s the buzz in heaven? What do the angels report concerning the events of earth? Does earth’s nightly news even remotely resemble what heaven is talking about?  Would coverage of the stock market, sports scores, and politics even make the ‘back page’ in heaven? If the angels are reporting, getting the story, “looking into these things” what is priority news?  What’s front page copy?

God’s overarching purpose is to bring glory to his name. All of creation longs for the day when such harmony will happen. So any progress toward this end must be newsworthy. Similarly, any major setback or hindrance to its fulfillment would make the news in Heaven.    What Paul wrote so many years ago is true again today: “All over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing”! (Colossians 1:6).  The event that had heaven buzzing was the spread of the Good News – that God was laying out the welcome mat to all the nations, and that they were responding to it! So my question is, ‘Why does the Church satisfy herself with earthly news, rather than Heaven’s Headlines? Wouldn’t most of our news headlines seem like tabloids to Heaven’s observers?

I gather news for the online magazine, Missions Catalyst. So much of what I read about the church in the world rarely makes the papers. Take a look at my picks for Top Ten Missions Catalyst Stories for 2008.

Just as worship is an echo of the strains of Heaven, I hope that the news briefs of the Missions Catalyst are strains of Heaven’s headlines. NorthernChristian.org would like to invite the churches of St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Lewis and Franklin counties to unite for God’s kingdom on the earth. Get conneted here by clicking the ‘Connect’ link at the top.  Join us as you seek your part in what God and his people all across the world are doing to reach the nations. We might even make Heaven’s headlines!