Author Spotlight: Charlotte Quist
By Charlotte Quist
Many years of lay ministry eventually led Charlotte Quist toward ordination and a position as Worship Pastor/Women’s Ministry Director. What began as a calling to worship ministry as a teenager developed into a lifelong mission.
Her love of the truth has led her from being a student to becoming a sought-out conference speaker, radio preacher, and Bible College teacher throughout Canada, Thailand, Haiti, and the Philippines. She has developed and written college-level courses on a variety of topics, including spiritual warfare, discovering your destiny, and praise and worship. She has also written numerous Bible studies, including Enter His Gates: A Guide to the Temple, Proverbs 31: A Woman that Wins, and a woman’s devotional titled In Her Shoes. Canada’s Jesus Revolution is her first published work.
In addition to her personal ministry, Charlotte is also the founder and chairperson of Praise24 Ministries, a worship ministry which provides teaching and equipping for worshippers. Starting in January 2015, the ministry will be taking their place in Canada’s Jesus Revolution by hosting a monthly prayer/praise event called Revolution Cry!
Interview with Charlotte Quist
WAP: What is a “Jesus revolution”?
CQ: A revolution can be defined quite simply. It is a means of achieving a life-altering, reality-shifting change. By extension, a Jesus revolution is about allowing Jesus to be the means by which our daily reality is shifted or radically changed. A Jesus revolution is about choosing to live completely awake and completely sold-out for Him, and then carrying that transformation into the world around us.
WAP: Obviously the message of this book is directed at Canada and Canadians. Why is that?
CQ: Sometimes, in our modern age of technology and travel, people come to see a very blurred line between nations. We tend to see and think in terms of continents, and many of us unconsciously lump all of North America together. But just like God knows each person by name, He knows each nation and each people group.
We see distinctive national roles very clearly when we look into the scriptures. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray…” (NIV) This verse is speaking to a particular group of people who are being mobilized at a particular time. Canada’s Jesus Revolution follows on much the same idea. It is birthed from a prophetic word from God over this nation. Canada has a unique relationship with God and a specific role to fill on the world stage, and God has positioned us for such a time as this!
WAP: The ten phases in the book follow the storyline of Esther. How does that historical story apply to us today?
CQ: The Bible is a rich and multifaceted communication from God to man. Some passages are about wisdom and instruction for life, some are about our relationship with God and with others, some are about historical documentation to teach and guide, and some are about prophetic declarations that apply to certain people at God-selected times. The book of Esther falls into all of these categories.
There are strategies and concepts hidden in Esther’s story that God has designed for this moment in Canada’s history, strategies that will unseat the rule of false gods and false ideologies and instead declare Jesus as Lord over this nation! The really exciting thing to me is the understanding that not only is Esther a political and spiritual game plan, it’s also proof that God’s plans can and will succeed if we choose to engage them.
WAP: Why is a Jesus revolution necessary now?
CQ: The obvious answer for me is that God is calling us to it. But beyond that, even with our natural eyes we can see and discern the urgency. Our nation needs Jesus! The Church is at war and struggling to maintain religious freedom and righteous rule. A little while ago, I heard a national legal advisor say, “Most people believe that national law decides the state of our society, but in reality, society determines the state of our national laws. The best way to impact society is from within.” Our government needs God. Our legal systems need God. Our justice systems need God. And the best way for that to happen is for each one of us to recognize our need of God, choose to live sold-out for Him, and impact society.
WAP: Do you believe a Jesus revolution is really possible?
CQ: Absolutely! Not only is it possible, I believe it is already beginning to happen.
WAP: How would you describe your publishing experience?
CQ: I can’t say thank you enough to the team at Word Alive Press. Getting started on the publishing process is intimidating, to say the least, but one phone call to Jen put my mind at ease and helped me jump off into the unknown. I felt confident that the Word Alive Press team would not let me down!
Once the project was underway, I met Amy, my project manager. She answered a hundred and one questions and helped me over every hurdle without making me feel silly for asking. What an amazing lady, and what a blessing to me!
And then there’s the editing. All I can say is, wow! Susan took my grammatically flawed mess and turned it into something beautiful that I am really proud of. She helped me navigate the language rules and yet stay authentic to my natural voice. I’m so grateful for the Word Alive Press team, and I’m hooked. I can’t wait to get working on the next project!
WAP: You feel God gave you the assignment to write this book. Did that make you resistant to editing?
CQ: Not at all. I am very aware that we are human and well able to make mistakes in the actual delivery of the message. We write about God, for God, and from God, and therefore we can feel that the words are too sacred to be changed. But even God says that prophecy is subject to the prophet. In other words, the human factor can get in the way.
On this particular project, I was blessed with a dear friend who edited with me as I wrote. She helped me keep a continuity of flow. Before starting the publishing process, I ended up going through and writing a cleaned-up second draft before sending the manuscript for a professional edit. By the time the manuscript was refined and ready for print, I really felt like it was as close to God’s original intent as possible. It takes a process, and it takes a team!
WAP: Do you have any advice for writers?
CQ: Write authentically. God put the desire to write in your heart because He wants to release something through you. You have a voice and a way of expressing your story that nobody else has. You have life experiences, relationships, and revelations that are unique to you. Write the book that only you can write. Who knows? Perhaps God has called you for such a time as this!
Upcoming Book Signings
January 9, Christian Fellowship Assembly, Grande Prairie, AB: Revolution Cry, a monthly citywide prayer and praise event.
January 10, Christian Fellowship Assembly, Grande Prairie, AB: Northsong Worship Workshop, a full day of teaching on worship and encountering the presence of God. Register at www.praise24.ca
January 11, Gateway Victory Church, Grimshaw, AB (10:30 a.m. service)
February 6, Believer’s Full Gospel, Grande Prairie, AB: Revolution Cry, a monthly citywide prayer and praise event.
Upcoming Projects
Charlotte is currently taking a bit of time to edit her audio teachings on spiritual warfare and the accompanying workbook. She hopes to have these materials available for purchase on her website shortly.
Following that, the next book project will be a prophetic look at Proverbs 31. This chapter of the Bible that women love to hate is actually all about abundant life. It’s about empowering women to win, and it is absolutely saturated with prophetic significance for the women of today!
About this Contributor:
Charlotte Quist is a passionate, committed, minister of the Gospel – a Bible teacher, preacher, conference speaker, writer, worship leader, songwriter and city-wide ministry director. After serving many years as the worship pastor and women’s ministry director in her local church, she is now enjoying getting to know many more members of her “God-family” through full time itinerant ministry. Her heart burns with a desire to see the Church rise up and take her place in the nation – boldly living the abundant life of Christ.
Website: charlottequist.ca
Facebook: public page – Charlotte Quist
Twitter: @charlottequist1