Some folks that use television as there mode of choice to communicate "the Gospel" are making my job a little harder. Sometimes what it means to be a pastor in America today involves more re-education than it does evangelism!
I hope the following video makes you as angry as it does me.
Less I pick only on television nuts, I will at least make you privy to some more heresy by the post-moderns at this link.
20 March 2008
18 March 2008
Revival, Renewal, & Refreshing...
Our scheduled revival services ended on Wednesday, March 5. I sent a mass e-mail out to many describing some of what occurred, but wanted to put it on the blog as well. I know it will be a long post, but it is worth it:
God has been moving! Folks are getting saved, sanctified through & through, and getting serious about their spiritual lives! Some long time church-goers are finding out what it means to be Christians! For example: Sunday Morning the altars were full with folks desperate for revival! Then the front pews filled, then steps to the platform, then two deep at the altar. Yes, many were the "same ole folks at the altar," but many were people that I was surprised to see... weeping for God to do something in their lives! A lot of folks were those who claimed to be "Christian" in a generic sense, but really found the Lord during revival!
Sunday evening the evangelist was preaching about the anointing of God on Jesus when he was here on earth (LUKE 4) and I heard a lady, I had met one other time, sobbing and sniffling behind me. I thought: "As soon as he gives the altar call she is going to go down to the altar." I was wrong though. About ten minutes into his sermon the evangelist said something like: "Do we really want sinners to be in these seats so that they can hear the good news? What if a prostitute sat right here? [pointing to a pew] What if a thief sat here? What if a homosexual sat here? What if a liar here? What if a crack addict sat here? What if a gossip sat there?"
I was sitting on the very front pew next to the keyboard/organ. The young lady (about 25-30 years old) is still crying in the pew behind me and a few minutes after the evangelist says the above she leans up and says crying into my ear: "I am the prostitute he was talking about! [I turned around in my pew, no doubt with a surprised look on my face.] I am the crack whore he was talking about!" The evangelist is in the middle of his sermon still!
I said: "Well, let's get down to the altar!" She gets up and walks all the way over to the other side of the pulpit (the evangelist was walking around a lot) and waves her arms in front of him and says: "I want to be free, I want to be free!" (Something the evangelist had asked: "Do you really want to be free from the yoke of sin?") I caught up to her and said: "Well, kneel down at the altar and we'll pray for that."
She gets on her knees and is weeping loudly! Bro. Rod Walley from Summersville Church of the Nazarene church comes up and lays hands on her along with a couple of other ladies from our church. Then we start praying and the evangelist goes on preaching for a minute or two then stops and comes over and prays for her.
Then another lady that comes to church sometimes on Sunday mornings (she is 69 years old) comes running down to the altar practically screaming: "I want to be free too!" I start praying for her. By this time the congregation begins to break out praising the Lord. Some quiet folks start shouting! Others start in, some saying 'amen' or 'praise the Lord' and stuff like that. Others just praised the Lord through tears, uplifted hands, or humbly bowing! Then the 69 year old lady lifts her hands up and says "Thank you Lord, I need you!" And goes back to praying at the altar.
Then another young lady (around 20) from the Summersville Church of the Nazarene (they had dismissed service to come over Sunday night) goes to the altar and the evangelist, who had tried to start preaching again finally gives up. He leads everyone, without instrument, in 'How Great Thou Art' while others gather around the altar to pray. People are worshipping God all over the sanctuary! People that I have never seen raise their hands, were raising their hands in praise to the Lord! Then the evangelist asked some of the first ones to come to the altar to tell what God had done for them. That set everybody to praising the Lord, clapping, shouting, crying etc. all over again!
Then the evangelist, while some are still praying around the altar, asks folks to raise their hands if they want to be set free. I think God was moving in such a powerful way there, that just about everybody raised their hands, just because, whether they were free or not, they wanted God to do something for them! Then the evangelist asks a few more things and hands me the handheld wireless microphone before leaving the sanctuary. I asked the choir to come and sing the choir special they had sang earlier in the service: "There is a Fountain" (not the hymn). Then praise to God erupted again.
Bro. Rod Walley, started shouting, which set the whole place into an uproar (in a positive spiritual way). The song leader, trying to lead the choir, finally gave up and just stood on the platform, arms raised to the Lord, crying. The evangelist starts shouting and praising God in the fellowship hall (he told me later that he couldn't stand the power of God in the sanctuary. He said: "I almost preached my head off, God was there in such a powerful way."). I started shouting along with all kinds of others throughout the congregation. Some were just crying. Some people were sitting, some were standing, some had hands raised, some had their face in their hands weeping, some were under conviction, a few were even kind of scared about what was going on, others were just overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. After the choir finished, or at least the CD accompaniment, I talked briefly about real revival being life changing so that it was not a single event, but a way of life. I prayed and we dismissed that service.
I left church Sunday evening and there were still some there praying or I think that they were really just trying to soak in what had just happened. I don't think I have ever been in a service where the power of God was more real! And I have been in some good services in my time! Anyway, the service went about an hour and forty five minutes. I wanted to end, so people would be hungry for more. (I've been in too many services were a preacher(s) just kept drawing it out so that eventually even God left, and I didn't want to do that!)
Monday night at the end of the sermon, the evangelist just asked those who had something they needed to repent of to stand up. This was while the congregation was sitting and there was no music. There was dead silence for a few moments before people all over the sanctuary started standing up. There were probably 15 to 20 people standing (some red in the face). The evangelist said: "Now, just come from where you are down to the altar and God will hear your prayer." They came, and then others, who were not standing, started coming too!
What a blessing! When God is on the scene it is only good things that happen. There is no doubt about it, many still need the Lord! But the good news continues to be that these victories are no isolated events, but a part of the plan of salvation God fulfilled through the death & resurrection of His Son!
Send a great revival, Lord, and start the work in me.
God has been moving! Folks are getting saved, sanctified through & through, and getting serious about their spiritual lives! Some long time church-goers are finding out what it means to be Christians! For example: Sunday Morning the altars were full with folks desperate for revival! Then the front pews filled, then steps to the platform, then two deep at the altar. Yes, many were the "same ole folks at the altar," but many were people that I was surprised to see... weeping for God to do something in their lives! A lot of folks were those who claimed to be "Christian" in a generic sense, but really found the Lord during revival!
Sunday evening the evangelist was preaching about the anointing of God on Jesus when he was here on earth (LUKE 4) and I heard a lady, I had met one other time, sobbing and sniffling behind me. I thought: "As soon as he gives the altar call she is going to go down to the altar." I was wrong though. About ten minutes into his sermon the evangelist said something like: "Do we really want sinners to be in these seats so that they can hear the good news? What if a prostitute sat right here? [pointing to a pew] What if a thief sat here? What if a homosexual sat here? What if a liar here? What if a crack addict sat here? What if a gossip sat there?"
I was sitting on the very front pew next to the keyboard/organ. The young lady (about 25-30 years old) is still crying in the pew behind me and a few minutes after the evangelist says the above she leans up and says crying into my ear: "I am the prostitute he was talking about! [I turned around in my pew, no doubt with a surprised look on my face.] I am the crack whore he was talking about!" The evangelist is in the middle of his sermon still!
I said: "Well, let's get down to the altar!" She gets up and walks all the way over to the other side of the pulpit (the evangelist was walking around a lot) and waves her arms in front of him and says: "I want to be free, I want to be free!" (Something the evangelist had asked: "Do you really want to be free from the yoke of sin?") I caught up to her and said: "Well, kneel down at the altar and we'll pray for that."
She gets on her knees and is weeping loudly! Bro. Rod Walley from Summersville Church of the Nazarene church comes up and lays hands on her along with a couple of other ladies from our church. Then we start praying and the evangelist goes on preaching for a minute or two then stops and comes over and prays for her.
Then another lady that comes to church sometimes on Sunday mornings (she is 69 years old) comes running down to the altar practically screaming: "I want to be free too!" I start praying for her. By this time the congregation begins to break out praising the Lord. Some quiet folks start shouting! Others start in, some saying 'amen' or 'praise the Lord' and stuff like that. Others just praised the Lord through tears, uplifted hands, or humbly bowing! Then the 69 year old lady lifts her hands up and says "Thank you Lord, I need you!" And goes back to praying at the altar.
Then another young lady (around 20) from the Summersville Church of the Nazarene (they had dismissed service to come over Sunday night) goes to the altar and the evangelist, who had tried to start preaching again finally gives up. He leads everyone, without instrument, in 'How Great Thou Art' while others gather around the altar to pray. People are worshipping God all over the sanctuary! People that I have never seen raise their hands, were raising their hands in praise to the Lord! Then the evangelist asked some of the first ones to come to the altar to tell what God had done for them. That set everybody to praising the Lord, clapping, shouting, crying etc. all over again!
Then the evangelist, while some are still praying around the altar, asks folks to raise their hands if they want to be set free. I think God was moving in such a powerful way there, that just about everybody raised their hands, just because, whether they were free or not, they wanted God to do something for them! Then the evangelist asks a few more things and hands me the handheld wireless microphone before leaving the sanctuary. I asked the choir to come and sing the choir special they had sang earlier in the service: "There is a Fountain" (not the hymn). Then praise to God erupted again.
Bro. Rod Walley, started shouting, which set the whole place into an uproar (in a positive spiritual way). The song leader, trying to lead the choir, finally gave up and just stood on the platform, arms raised to the Lord, crying. The evangelist starts shouting and praising God in the fellowship hall (he told me later that he couldn't stand the power of God in the sanctuary. He said: "I almost preached my head off, God was there in such a powerful way."). I started shouting along with all kinds of others throughout the congregation. Some were just crying. Some people were sitting, some were standing, some had hands raised, some had their face in their hands weeping, some were under conviction, a few were even kind of scared about what was going on, others were just overwhelmed by the Holy Spirit. After the choir finished, or at least the CD accompaniment, I talked briefly about real revival being life changing so that it was not a single event, but a way of life. I prayed and we dismissed that service.
I left church Sunday evening and there were still some there praying or I think that they were really just trying to soak in what had just happened. I don't think I have ever been in a service where the power of God was more real! And I have been in some good services in my time! Anyway, the service went about an hour and forty five minutes. I wanted to end, so people would be hungry for more. (I've been in too many services were a preacher(s) just kept drawing it out so that eventually even God left, and I didn't want to do that!)
Monday night at the end of the sermon, the evangelist just asked those who had something they needed to repent of to stand up. This was while the congregation was sitting and there was no music. There was dead silence for a few moments before people all over the sanctuary started standing up. There were probably 15 to 20 people standing (some red in the face). The evangelist said: "Now, just come from where you are down to the altar and God will hear your prayer." They came, and then others, who were not standing, started coming too!
What a blessing! When God is on the scene it is only good things that happen. There is no doubt about it, many still need the Lord! But the good news continues to be that these victories are no isolated events, but a part of the plan of salvation God fulfilled through the death & resurrection of His Son!
Send a great revival, Lord, and start the work in me.
14 March 2008
The Wool Has Been Pulled!
1 John 4:1 (ESV) "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."
I would like to propose 10 indications you may have had the wool pulled over your eyes when it comes to tele-evangelists!
1) You own all the books written by Joel Osteen as well as T.D. Jake's movie.
2) You bought 'miracle' spring water, a chart that will help you figure out the date that Jesus is coming back, a splinter from 'the cross of Christ,' dirt from Israel, or a paper prayer cloth from a smiling face on television.
3) You still think Jimmy Swaggart was framed!
4) You do not believe Benny Hinn has a comb over.
5) You named your daughter Rexella (after Van Impe).
6) You have been slain in the spirit while watching Oral Roberts on television.
7) You have been prayed for while touching your television screen. -or- You believe Pat Robertson has actually called your name during his prayer time on "The 700 Club."
8) You quote Joyce Meyers more than Scripture.
9) You applied to be a "catcher" for Benny Hinn.
10) You said 'Amen!' when Robert H. Shuller said: "I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition."
Any others?
I would like to propose 10 indications you may have had the wool pulled over your eyes when it comes to tele-evangelists!
1) You own all the books written by Joel Osteen as well as T.D. Jake's movie.
2) You bought 'miracle' spring water, a chart that will help you figure out the date that Jesus is coming back, a splinter from 'the cross of Christ,' dirt from Israel, or a paper prayer cloth from a smiling face on television.
3) You still think Jimmy Swaggart was framed!
4) You do not believe Benny Hinn has a comb over.
5) You named your daughter Rexella (after Van Impe).
6) You have been slain in the spirit while watching Oral Roberts on television.
7) You have been prayed for while touching your television screen. -or- You believe Pat Robertson has actually called your name during his prayer time on "The 700 Club."
8) You quote Joyce Meyers more than Scripture.
9) You applied to be a "catcher" for Benny Hinn.
10) You said 'Amen!' when Robert H. Shuller said: "I don't think anything has been done in the name of Christ and under the banner of Christianity that has proven more destructive to human personality and, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise than the often crude, uncouth, and unchristian strategy of attempting to make people aware of their lost and sinful condition."
Any others?
11 March 2008
Alcohol, Prostitution, Slavery, and Controversy...
The small town of Greensburg, KY has entered the alcohol debate. There is a push by some (as well as our neighbor: Campbellsville) to sell alcohol in the city limits, by the drink (I was not aware you could buy it any other way, but I think they distinguish between the glass and the can/bottle/keg). In Kentucky each county decides whether it will be dry, which means it is illegal to sell alcohol in the county, or wet, which means it is legal to sell alcohol in the county. Alcohol proponents have now found a new way to "ease" us into being a 'wet' county; it involves first being "moist."
"Moist" means that we sell alcohol only in restaurants by the drink. The argument always involves "the great economic benefits" that will solve all of our financial problems as we increase revenue through alcohol sales. It is the same argument, if I might add, that politicians used to bring the state of Kentucky (as well as many other states) to adopt the sale of lottery tickets. And now it is the same argument used by our present Governor BeShears to push through legislation allowing Casinos in Kentucky. (I wonder how long it will take them to use that argument for legalized prostitution and euthanasia...)
Some of the more "progressive" "churches" in Greensburg and Campbellsville seem to be taking one of two stands on the issue of alcohol sales by the drink: (1) looking the other way or (2) attempting to rationalize a moderation view on alcohol.
While I have not been a pastor for very long (since the beginning of 2003), I cannot seem to understand, not only how a Christian would seek to justify a 'pro-sales' stance on alcohol, but how a pastor could support or even ignore such a proposal.
The Baptists are against it. Thank you, my once-saved-always-saved brothers and sisters!
I have been a pastor just long enough to do the funerals of two men who died as a direct result of alcohol consumption...
(1) Man in his upper 50's, got so drunk at a bar that he fell off his bar stool and busted his head on another bar stool. He went into a coma and died about three days later.
(2) Man in his early to mid 50's, who destroyed his liver as well as about every other major organ in his body (cigarettes probably added to the problem). I visited him two days before he died and tried to lead him to Christ after the doctor gave him eight days to live. It was to no avail. (When Satan deceives an individual all their life, what prevents that deception from continuing till they die?)
"But alcohol sales will bring more money into our small Kentucky county!" Maybe, just maybe poverty or lack of money isn't the problem. Maybe sin is the problem. Maybe the spiritual emptiness is the problem. Maybe the hopelessness, despair, heart-ache, and destruction sin brings is the problem.
Alcohol has never strengthened a marriage, brought a family together, saved a life, educated a child, lowered the crime rate, healed the sick, lowered the poverty rate, or lowered the unemployment rate.
On the other hand it has broken up marriages, destroyed families, killed (both drunkards and the innocent), led to child abuse (physically, mentally, sexually, etc.), increased the crime rate, caused sickness, increased poverty, and increased unemployment.
How much is a dollar worth compared to an eternal soul?
And do not get me started on the self-centered Christians who seek to establish their "right" to drink socially. (To them: Crucify the desires of the flesh!)
Let me make a few more points:
(1)Slavery proponents - quoted Scripture to claim that slavery within certain boundaries was okay
Alcohol proponents - quote Scripture to claim that alcohol consumption within certain boundaries is okay
(2)Slavery proponents - claimed some slave owners were sinful because of their abuse of slaves
Alcohol proponents - claim some alcohol-users are sinful because of their abuse of alcohol
(3)Slavery proponents - touted their 'right' to own slaves
Alcohol proponents - tout their 'right' to drink alcohol
Is my view legalistic? No, I think walking the fine line between sobriety and drunkenness in alcohol consumption that we like to call moderation is legalism. So what about you: To drink or not to drink?
But whatever happens in Greensburg, the church will continue to point the world to Christ.
"Moist" means that we sell alcohol only in restaurants by the drink. The argument always involves "the great economic benefits" that will solve all of our financial problems as we increase revenue through alcohol sales. It is the same argument, if I might add, that politicians used to bring the state of Kentucky (as well as many other states) to adopt the sale of lottery tickets. And now it is the same argument used by our present Governor BeShears to push through legislation allowing Casinos in Kentucky. (I wonder how long it will take them to use that argument for legalized prostitution and euthanasia...)
Some of the more "progressive" "churches" in Greensburg and Campbellsville seem to be taking one of two stands on the issue of alcohol sales by the drink: (1) looking the other way or (2) attempting to rationalize a moderation view on alcohol.
While I have not been a pastor for very long (since the beginning of 2003), I cannot seem to understand, not only how a Christian would seek to justify a 'pro-sales' stance on alcohol, but how a pastor could support or even ignore such a proposal.
The Baptists are against it. Thank you, my once-saved-always-saved brothers and sisters!
I have been a pastor just long enough to do the funerals of two men who died as a direct result of alcohol consumption...
(1) Man in his upper 50's, got so drunk at a bar that he fell off his bar stool and busted his head on another bar stool. He went into a coma and died about three days later.
(2) Man in his early to mid 50's, who destroyed his liver as well as about every other major organ in his body (cigarettes probably added to the problem). I visited him two days before he died and tried to lead him to Christ after the doctor gave him eight days to live. It was to no avail. (When Satan deceives an individual all their life, what prevents that deception from continuing till they die?)
"But alcohol sales will bring more money into our small Kentucky county!" Maybe, just maybe poverty or lack of money isn't the problem. Maybe sin is the problem. Maybe the spiritual emptiness is the problem. Maybe the hopelessness, despair, heart-ache, and destruction sin brings is the problem.
Alcohol has never strengthened a marriage, brought a family together, saved a life, educated a child, lowered the crime rate, healed the sick, lowered the poverty rate, or lowered the unemployment rate.
On the other hand it has broken up marriages, destroyed families, killed (both drunkards and the innocent), led to child abuse (physically, mentally, sexually, etc.), increased the crime rate, caused sickness, increased poverty, and increased unemployment.
How much is a dollar worth compared to an eternal soul?
And do not get me started on the self-centered Christians who seek to establish their "right" to drink socially. (To them: Crucify the desires of the flesh!)
Let me make a few more points:
(1)Slavery proponents - quoted Scripture to claim that slavery within certain boundaries was okay
Alcohol proponents - quote Scripture to claim that alcohol consumption within certain boundaries is okay
(2)Slavery proponents - claimed some slave owners were sinful because of their abuse of slaves
Alcohol proponents - claim some alcohol-users are sinful because of their abuse of alcohol
(3)Slavery proponents - touted their 'right' to own slaves
Alcohol proponents - tout their 'right' to drink alcohol
Is my view legalistic? No, I think walking the fine line between sobriety and drunkenness in alcohol consumption that we like to call moderation is legalism. So what about you: To drink or not to drink?
But whatever happens in Greensburg, the church will continue to point the world to Christ.
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