Detailed Summary of Megashift by James Rutz
In Megashift, James Rutz states that the world is undergoing a massive spiritual transformation where power is shifting from institutional, "pastor-centered" churches into the hands of ordinary believers. He calls this the end of a "1,700-year nightmare" of spectator religion.
We are witnessing the greatest transformation in human history since the Protestant Reformation. While Chapter 1 focuses on the "miracle explosion," Chapters 2 through 5 and the appendices provide the blueprint for the structural and lifestyle changes Rutz believes are necessary to sustain this move of God.
Chapter 1: The New Kingdom Explosion
Rutz focuses on the rapid, exponential growth of Christianity globally, particularly outside the West. He provides startling statistics (such as Christianity growing by 8% annually in some regions) and documents reports of millions of miracles—including resurrections—occurring in over 52 countries. His thesis here is simple: God is winning.
Chapter 2: The New Engines of Change
The church's "engine" is shifting from large, program-driven organizations to small, organic networks. This transformation is driven by 10 Rediscovered Forces that prioritize rapid global expansion over institutional maintenance.
The 10 Rediscovered Forces:
Rutz categorizes these drivers into spiritual empowerments and practical strategies:
Spiritual Forces:
Direct Communication with God: Every believer is empowered to hear God’s voice personally, reducing reliance on "professional" experts.
Spiritual Mapping: Researching a city’s history to identify "roots" of sin (such as historical injustices) and using targeted prayer to "bind" demonic strongholds.
High-Intensity Prayer: A shift toward authoritative "warfare" prayer and prayer-walking.
Expectant Faith for Miracles: Moving from the belief that God can heal to the active expectation that He is healing now.
Strategic Forces:
5. Small Groups/House Churches: The move from "Big Box" institutional buildings to intimate, organic home networks.
6. Decentralized Leadership: Shifting from a "one-man show" to a "priesthood of all believers" where authority is shared.
7. Holistic Evangelism: Addressing the whole person by meeting physical needs (like clean water) alongside spiritual ones.
8. Rejection of "Extraction Evangelism": Instead of pulling people out of their culture, the church goes to them.
9. Community Transformation: Focusing on changing the spiritual climate of a city rather than just adding members to a club.
10. Spontaneous Expansion: Encouraging rapid, organic growth through existing social networks.
Extraction vs. Transformational Evangelism:
Rutz contrasts the traditional 1,700-year-old "fishing" model with the new "Kingdom" model to show how the "Megashift" strengthens communities:
Evangelism Models: Old vs. New:
Extraction Evangelism (The Old Way)
Method: Focuses on pulling individuals out of their natural environment (oikos) and bringing them into a church building.
The Focus: Aimed at convincing a person to "convert" and transition into a separate, religious social circle.
The Result: The convert often loses influence with their pre-existing friends; consequently, the original community remains largely untouched by the gospel.
Transformational Evangelism (The New Way)
Method: The believer enters the other person’s world, meeting in natural settings such as homes or cafes.
The Focus: Aims to plant the church inside the existing social structure so the believer stays integrated within their community.
The Result: Friends and family see the transformation firsthand, which often leads to the spontaneous expansion of faith across entire households.
The Impact of Spiritual Mapping
Rutz claims that once Spiritual Mapping clears the spiritual "air" by identifying and praying against local strongholds, Transformational Evangelism happens 10 times faster. By removing resistance first, the message permeates the community naturally through existing relationships
Chapter 3: The New Saints
Rutz profiles the "Overcomer"—the new standard for a Christian disciple who is no longer content sitting in pews.. He outlines 7 Signs of Today's Overcomers:
Proactive, Not Reactive: They don't wait for a church program; they see a need and act.
Empowered: They believe they have the same authority to heal and deliver as the early apostles.
Biblically Literate: They study the Word for themselves rather than just listening to Sunday sermons.
Interdependent: They are deeply connected to a small group for accountability and support.
Transparent: They live "open" lives without the masks often worn in large congregations.
Multiplication-Minded: Their goal is to make other disciples, not just "convert" people.
Warriors: They view life through the lens of a spiritual battle that they are winning.
Chapter 4: The New Church
This is the heart of Rutz’s ecclesiology. He outlines 30 hallmarks of emerging, scripture-based congregations. He contrasts the "Traditional Church" with the "Open Church" (or House Church).
Key highlights include:
No Central Professional: The "Pastor" is a gift-softener/trainer, not a performer.
Interactive Meetings: If a meeting doesn't allow for everyone to speak, it’s not a New Testament meeting.
No Specialized Buildings: Meetings happen in homes, cafes, or parks, freeing up 100% of the budget for the poor and missions.
Organic Growth: They grow like a "starfish" (if you cut one off, it grows a new body) rather than a "spider" (if you pull off the head/pastor, the church dies).
The 30 Hallmarks of the Open Church:
Rutz defines the "Open Church" as a shift from a theatre model (passive) to a living room model (active). He breaks these down into three core areas:
1. Structural & Financial Hallmarks
These hallmarks remove the institutional barriers that often drain resources and create "spectator" environments.
No Specialized Buildings: Meetings happen in homes, cafes, or parks, freeing up 100% of the budget for the poor and missions.
Small Size: Groups stay between 10–20 people so that every voice can be heard.
Rapid Reproduction: When a group reaches roughly 25 people, it "splits" or plants a new group to maintain intimacy.
No "Stage": There is no "front" of the room; everyone sits in a circle or around a table.
No Religious Jargon: Communication is kept in plain, everyday language to remain accessible.
Low Maintenance: There are no committees, soundboards, or "green rooms"—only the people.
No Names or Branding: Groups usually identify simply as "The church in [Neighborhood]."
Children Included: Kids are not sent away to "Children’s Church" but participate in the life of the group.
2. Leadership & Authority Hallmarks
This shift moves power from a single "professional" to the entire body of believers.
Priesthood of All: There is no distinction between "clergy" and "laity."
No Central Professional: The "Pastor" is a trainer or gift-spotter, not a weekly performer or CEO.
Plurality of Elders: Leadership is handled by a group of elders rather than a single "Senior Pastor."
Leadership by Consensus: Decisions are made by the group together, not by a top-down mandate.
Non-Hierarchical: Authority is based on service and maturity, not title or rank.
Apostolic Oversight: Outside "fathers" or traveling workers visit to provide wisdom, but they do not exercise control.
Mutual Accountability: You are truly known; the group provides a space for correction and growth.
3. The Dynamics of the Meeting
These hallmarks describe what actually happens when the "Open Church" gathers.
Participation & Interaction: Every meeting is a dialogue, not a monologue. Rutz states that if you can't speak, it isn't a New Testament meeting.
Spontaneity: There is no printed bulletin; the group follows the leading of the Holy Spirit in real-time.
Agape Meals: The "service" is often centered around a full meal together, mimicking the early church.
Vulnerability: Members share real-life struggles and receive immediate prayer and support.
Gift Discovery: The group actively helps each member find and use their specific spiritual gifts.
Spirit-Led Worship: Singing is often simple or acappella, and can be initiated by anyone in the room.
Teaching via Discussion: Knowledge is shared through Q&A and life application rather than a 45-minute lecture.
Signs and Wonders: Miracles and healings are expected and prayed for during the gathering.
Focus on the "One Anothers": The primary goal is to love, rebuke, and encourage each other directly.
Openness to Correction: Anyone, regardless of "status," can be corrected by the Word and the Spirit.
High Commitment: The group functions as a family, not a weekly social club.
Mission-Driven: The group exists to reach the lost, not just provide comfort to members.
Focus on the Kingdom: The group is concerned with the welfare of their entire city.
Unity: They see themselves as part of the whole body of believers in their region.
Putting It Into Practice:
By combining these hallmarks with the 10 Rediscovered Forces, the church stops being a "destination" you visit and becomes a mobile community that permeates the city. When the spiritual "air" is cleared through Spiritual Mapping, these organic groups can multiply rapidly because they require no money, no buildings, and no professional staff to function.
Chapter 5: The New World
Rutz moves beyond the church to discuss how this spiritual shift affects society at large. He makes bold (and sometimes controversial) predictions about the collapse of non-Christian religious systems and the decentralization of driving institutions like government, science, and the economy. He suggests that as the "Spirit" takes over, chronic diseases and even global conflicts will begin to dissolve.
Rutz makes radical predictions about the societal impact of this shift. As the "Kingdom of God" manifests through ordinary people:
The Economy: Will move toward "God-nomics," focusing on local support and debt-free living.
Science & Medicine: Will see a surge in "miracle-based" healings that baffle traditional medicine.
Satanic strongholds will fall: He predicts a literal "emptying of hospitals" and "closing of prisons" as the lifestyle of the Overcomer becomes the dominant culture.
Governance: Institutional corruption will be exposed by a "spirit of truth," leading to more decentralized, community-led governance.
Government will shrink: Because the "Saints" will be taking care of the poor, the sick, and the judicial disputes within their own communities.
The "New World" Power Shift (Chapter 5 & Appendices)
Rutz expands this idea to show how it eventually replaces secular or corrupt systems. He breaks this down into three "Fronts of War":
System Comparison: Institutional vs. Kingdom
The Front: Healing
The Old System (Institutional): Characterized by a heavy reliance on expensive and often failing medical infrastructures.
The New System (Kingdom): Every believer takes up the mantle of praying for the sick; as faith-based healing scales, the reliance on traditional hospitals diminishes.
The Front: Economy
The Old System (Institutional): Built on a debt-based, centralized model driven by greed and accumulation.
The New System (Kingdom): Defined by radical generosity, community resource-sharing, and localized "micro-loans" within social groups.
The Front: Education
The Old System (Institutional): Focuses on indoctrination through secular humanism or rigid, inflexible religious dogma.
The New System (Kingdom): Centers on mentorship and "Life-Learning," where the primary objective is helping individuals discover their unique, God-given calling.
Conclusion: What’s Next?
The book concludes with a call to action, offering 7 ways to take part in this shift. Rutz encourages readers to:
Join or Start an Open Church: Move away from institutional, pastor-led churches and find (or begin) a small, participatory home group where every member has a voice.
Practice Direct Communication: Cultivate a daily habit of listening for God’s voice. Rutz emphasizes that the "Megashift" is fueled by individuals who get their "orders" directly from the Source rather than a middleman.
Expect Miracles Daily: Shift your mindset to expect supernatural intervention—healings, divine appointments, and answers to prayer—as a normal part of your everyday life.
Engage in Spiritual Mapping: Research the spiritual "climate" and history of your local neighborhood or city to pray more effectively against specific local strongholds.
Focus on the Oikos: Instead of trying to "extract" people into a church building, live out your faith naturally within your existing circle of family, friends, and coworkers to transform that network from the inside.
Adopt a "Warfare" Prayer Life: Move beyond polite requests and begin using authoritative prayer to "bind" darkness and "loose" the Kingdom of God in your community.
Become an "Overcomer": Commit to the lifestyle of a proactive disciple who takes responsibility for the spiritual well-being of those around them, rather than waiting for a church program to do it for them.
The Appendices: Tools for the Shift
Appendix 1: Invitation to Life
A practical, personal guide for readers to transition from "spectator" Christianity or non-belief into the "Megashift" lifestyle. He outlines this process through the following key steps:
1. Acknowledging the Gap
Rutz begins by identifying the void many feel in traditional religious structures. He contrasts a life of religious obligation with a life of spiritual power, inviting the reader to move beyond just "knowing about" God to actually knowing Him.
2. The Four Vital Realizations
He outlines four foundational truths necessary for this transformation:
God’s Intent: God desires a personal, active partnership with every individual, not a distant relationship managed by an institution.
The Problem of Independence: Rutz defines sin primarily as "independence from God"—the desire to run one's own life without divine input.
The Solution in Christ: He explains that Jesus didn't just come to "pay a debt" but to restore the authority and connection humans lost.
The Need for Response: Belief alone is insufficient; a deliberate decision to "switch sides" and join the Kingdom is required.
3. The "Full Surrender" Prayer
Rather than a standard "Sinner’s Prayer," Rutz provides a template for a Covenant of Allegiance. This involves:
Repentance: Turning away from self-governance.
Reception: Inviting the Holy Spirit to take residence and provide direct guidance.
Commitment: Pledging to follow God’s lead in every area of life, including the supernatural.
4. Immediate Next Steps for the New "Overcomer"
Rutz emphasizes that this is a lifestyle shift, not just a mental change. He instructs the reader to:
Tell Someone: Making a public declaration to solidify the decision.
Find an "Open Church": Immediately seeking out a small, participatory group of believers rather than a traditional "theatre" church.
Practice Hearing: Starting the daily habit of listening for God's voice (the "Direct Communication" mentioned in Chapter 2).
5. The Expectation of Power
The appendix concludes with a challenge: the reader should now expect to see signs, wonders, and miracles in their own life. Once you have entered this "Invitation to Life," you are no longer a spectator but a frontline worker in the global shift.
Appendix 2: How Did We Get into This Mess?
The 1,700-Year Nightmare (The History)
Rutz provides a historical "autopsy" of how the church lost its power – a historical deep dive into how the church went from an organic movement to a Greek-style "theatre" under Constantine (the "1,700-year nightmare").
The Shift: He points to Emperor Constantine (AD 312) as the turning point. Before Constantine, the church was a persecuted, underground, house-based movement.
The Result: Christianity became the state religion. To make it "official," they had to adopt Roman pagan structures: grand buildings (basilicas), professional "priests" (robes and titles), and a passive audience.
The Loss: In this process, the "body" of Christ was paralyzed, and the spiritual "priesthood" was taken away from the common man. Rutz views the modern "megashift" as the final undoing of Constantine’s influence.
Appendix 3: The Protocol for Raising the Dead
Perhaps the most famous and controversial part of the book, Rutz offers a "standard operating procedure" based on observations from African and Asian movements.
Check for Evidence of Death: Ensure the person is actually deceased.
The Environment: Clear the room of skeptics or "mockers" (referencing Jesus in Mark 5:40).
The Command: Don't just "petition" God; speak with authority directly to the body or the spirit of the person (e.g., "Lazarus, come out!").
Persistence: He notes that some resurrections in the mission field took hours of collective prayer and "battle."
Focus on God’s Glory: The goal must be the advancement of the Kingdom, not a "sideshow" or personal fame.
Summary – Rutz’s Final Vision
Rutz’s "deep" summary of these chapters reveals his belief that the Great Commission is not just about saving souls for heaven, but about colonizing earth with the atmosphere of heaven. He envisions a world where the "Spectator Church" has completely vanished, replaced by a global, interconnected web of powerful, miracle-working commoners who have rendered most government and religious bureaucracies obsolete.
