Life Lessons From A Spiritual Mentor

Mattersey Hall Leadership Lectures

2010-07-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

This year in June I was privileged to lecture at Mattersey Hall College in northern England. It was a thrill to be able to take our Student Ministries Pastor, Ricky Spindler who is like a son to me, and share in the ministry and fun! Paul and Carol Alexander along with Glenn Belfour and all the team are doing a great job there.

Many of you requested our teaching notes and we finally got around to posting them. I hope you can print them off and reuse them in your portion of building the Kingdom of God.

Love and prayers,

Gary Grogan aka Papa G

P.S: It was a thrill to watch England and USA tie in the World Cup with our Mattersey friends. LOL

NOTES:

Wednesday June 9--Chapel and Lectures

Thursday June 10--Lectures

Friday June 11--Lectures

Sunday June 13--Langold Message

Sunday June 13--Langold Power Point

PICTURES:

Urbana School of Ministry

2010-06-23T14:41:00.000-07:00

We would like to let you know about an exciting training opportunity for young adults in your congregation who are preparing for full-time ministry. This fall, we are kicking off the Urbana School of Ministry which is fully accredited with the School of Urban Missions in Oakland, California. Students can earn a full Bible College degree at a fraction of the cost.

USM is located in the middle of a richly diverse community, hosting individuals from 121 nations of the world. It is a center of academic excellence that is committed to creativity and innovation. Students may find themselves handing out groceries to a single mom in our food pantry, sharing a meal with a Muslim couple, speaking words of hope to a runaway teen, or introducing a future CEO to Jesus.

At USM they will receive a quality classroom education and practical ministry experience in a vibrant church.
For years, our leadership has envisioned a school and church partnership where students could learn in the classroom and through hands-on ministry. They will gain not simply head knowledge, but skills they can implement and utilize immediately.

Students will then participate in one of the many dynamic ministries of Stone Creek Church in which they can observe/learn and actively participate. Each student will be mentored by church leadership, learning how to passionately follow Christ and live in the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

If you have any young adults who would be interested in attending USM, please contact our cohort director, Adam Sikorski at asikorski@sum.edu.

Dying to Self

2010-03-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

I used this at our District Discipleship Camps in the past and I know it will be a blessing to you. Wise words for all of us to live by and experience His Highest blessing in our lives. Love you. Papa G

When you are forgotten, or neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting and hurt with the insult or the oversight, but you heart is happy, being counted worthy to suffer for Christ, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinions ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart, or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient loving silence, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, and impunctuality, or any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensitivity...and endure it as Jesus endured it, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you are content with any food, any offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, and any interruption by the will of God, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation, or to record your own good works, or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and in desperate circumstances, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself, and can humbly submit inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart, THAT IS DYING TO SELF.

Are you dead yet? In these last days the Spirit would bring us to the Cross. "That I may know HIM...being made conformable to His death."

Download Documents

2010-02-15T13:42:00.000-08:00

Click to Download Documents:

Mardi Gras Document 2

Sermon Idea

Power Aid #1

Power Aid #2

Power Aid #3

Complaining

2009-09-24T21:12:00.000-07:00

I am a bad—sorry it has been so long since my last blog. Some of you who actually read my blogs asked me to keep writing, so here goes.

Recently I had surgery on my tongue to remove a fibrous growth and the pain and slowness of recovery has reminded me again of the importance of being grateful. I think we all complain to much and this I know about complaining: it's a killjoy. It makes you & everybody around you unhappy. The big problem with complaining is that is a hard habit to break.

I think our basic human nature is naturally negative so we tend to look at the bad things in life instead of the good. Also, it seems to me we are conditioned by our society. Bad news makes the headlines--we are literally bombarded with all that is wrong with everything--it tends to develop in us the habit of complaining.

But we should be different. Here’s what the Apostle Paul said, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” Philippians 2:14-15

Jesus help us! This tells me we are supposed to live our lives and do our ministries without complaining! Sometimes we ‘whine’ and says things like it’s just not fair, people don’t really appreciate me, I don’t deserve this, I shouldn’t have to put up with this or how come the other guy gets all the breaks?

The truth is, life is unfair and so is ministry but as long as we complain it only makes us more miserable! This I know, complaining does not work. I have tried it with my wife, Bonnie! She will just say, ‘O shut up!’ She has a way with words!

Seriously, complaining brought judgment to Israel and it does the same to us today. We miss out on God’s best. If the Scripture says we are to “do everything without complaining…”then perhaps here are some things that may help:

● We have to admit we are guilty. “A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful. But if he confesses and forsakes them, he gets another chance.” Prov. 28:13 LB

If our speech was recorded for a week, what would it reveal about our words? Let’s not spend time griping, grumping, complaining, arguing and saying things like “life/ministry stinks.”

● We have stop blaming others. Life and ministry is what we make it—plain and simple. Of course there are trials and people are unreasonable but we are free to make choices, however, we are never free from the consequences of our choices. They may not be immediate but they will be eventual. [Selah]

● We have to realize God uses difficult times to grow us--if we handle them right. Here goes Paul again, “This small and temporary trouble we suffer will bring us a tremendous and eternal glory, much greater than the trouble. So we fix our attention, not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are unseen. What is seen lasts only for a time, but what cannot be seen lasts forever.” 2 Cor. 4:17-18 GN

-Paul is saying that the good we will get out of our problems will be much more long lasting than the problem. For me, I have noticed the things I complain about the most are often the very things God knows I need the most in order to become all He wants me to be. It is a warning light of God. He is saying, “There is something wrong here. Stop complaining and start changing!”

At a Discipleship Camp years ago one of speakers shared the following on the results of complaining?

1. It absolutely poisons the air.
2. Deflates morale. People start feeling uncomfortable with each other.
3. Hinders vision. Cuts off what God is trying to do.
4. Shows a lack of trust/faith.
5. Keep you from God’s best--The Promise Land.

Pretty good stuff! One more from Paul--Philippians 2:14-15 needs to be the complainers Rhema Word! “Do everything without complaining or arguing…” then there are 3 results:
1. “…so that you may become blameless…” -- nobody can find fault with you! Nobody can point a finger at you.
2. “…and pure…” -- Greek word means ‘having integrity.’ Non-complainers are people of integrity. You cannot trust a complainer—they do not tell the full story—facts are they lie.
3. “…children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in
which you shine like stars in the universe.” – you become positive in a negative world! A positive person shine likes a star on a dark night—there are plenty of critical, put-down type people in this ole world—we are to be different.

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:18 NIV

“…I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Phil. 4:11 NIV

Being happy and joyful in spite of circumstance is called maturity. I love my spiritual sons and daughters and hope this helps you have a better day. Papa G

Doing Things Together is What Makes Life & Ministry Work!

2009-07-27T07:01:00.000-07:00

It was my joy and privilege to ride 58 miles this morning in our annual Missions Bike Hike with some heroic friends! We have been doing this the past eight years adding a mile each year for my b’day. You have to be smart enough to figure out how old I am.  But don’t rub it in or then you’d be dumb! 

This year we raised $10,000 US for TC Moore who ministers in a youth mentoring program in Boston, MA. He is an incredible young man with a great personal testimony of the Lord rescuing him from gangs and drugs. If you would like a copy of his printed personal testimony email kbott@stonecreekwired.com and request it.

The bike hike today reminded me how much fun it is to do life and ministry together. However, over the years I have noticed that some pastors/ministers seem to withdraw from fellowship especially as they grow older or perhaps more successful. This is such a tragedy and hurts their leadership effectiveness. Here are some thoughts on doing life and ministry together:
1. Michael Jordan won ‘zero’ NBA championships but his team won six. You may be a super-pastor or minister but you won’t win the big ones unless you do life & ministry together with others.
2. The Lone Ranger was an old make-believe black and white TV show that was actually pretty cheesy. You are making yourself look bad by avoiding fellowship and doing life and ministry without others. Not just talking about those in your church group but working with other pastors and churches!
3. Life and ministry gets hard but when you do it with others the encouragement they give you keeps you going.
4. Withdrawal from ministerial fellowship is proof that insecurity has not been nailed to the cross.
5. Withdrawal from ministerial fellowship is proof that pride has not been nailed to the cross. This is big.
6. Withdrawal from ministerial fellowship is proof that a root of bitterness is springing up and causing trouble.

Repentance is the key to restored fellowship with others not just God. As pastors we are always in the ‘teacher’s seat’—we need to humble ourselves and sit in the ‘learners seat.’ That’s what fellowship and working together does—it humbles us.
If life and ministry haven’t been working for you as good as they should—it’s time to make a greater effort to be in fellowship. It makes both lots more fun! Selah

Observations from my “Motherland” Ministry Trip

2009-06-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

Just finished an awesome time of ministry in England (the motherland!) with my friends Paul Alexander and Ken Williamson. With Paul I did a whole week of lectures at the college where he serves as Principal at Mattersey Hall and with Ken an elders meeting and morning and evening services.

Here are some ministry observations:
1. Ministering to college students is incredibly rewarding-- I have this deep sensing of shaping future ministries and lives. They are not as stuck in the rut of life and are so eager to learn. Investing in others no matter the sacrifice is what makes ministry satisfying.
2. I absolutely love it when young people show a hunger for the things of God by asking questions. Ricky Spindler and Wayne Northup are some of the best I have seen at asking questions. It is the position of a continual learner. I need to be a continual learner and ask lots of questions.
3. It was fun speaking on the Holy Spirit baptism on Pentecost Sunday a week ago. I did so in a creative way at Langold in Northern England and a few folks were Holy Spirit baptized. Being hosted by a young sharp student, Marcus from Mattersey, was a great way to start my time there. I cannot leave the message of the Holy Spirit baptism out and being a good host helps others do a better job.
4. Traveling from Northern England to London with Shawn on a train going 125 miles an hour and being on the Internet was a wonder of technology! Going that fast and doing Skype with my son-in-law and granddaughter was a cool moment in time. Being willing to learn new techy things will help me.
5. Having a global plan on my cell phone so I can do calls & texts and receive both has really been handy and helpful. Thanks Ed Burnson! Communication is what makes life, family, everything work right!
6. The similarities between Bethel Church in East London and Stone Creek in Urbana, IL USA are amazing. I love what God is doing around the world. Being with my friend Ken Williamson is always fun and crazy! Proof that the effort it takes to have good friendship is worth it. To have friends, we have to show ourselves friendly by making the time to get together, communicating, and taking initiative.
7. I look forward to the High Holiday where we celebrate our Independence from the Motherland! j/k (Ken Williamson says “why” when I can have pork pie!)

Love you and believe in you, Papa G.

Basics I Knew Our Children Had to Learn

2009-05-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

By Billy Graham

1. Learn the difference between right and wrong. It takes more character to do right over wrong. Everyone needs to learn rules for living.
2. Honesty is rewarding. A good conscience is worth more than millions. Honesty is related to happiness.
3. Suffering is part of life. Hardships are a part of normal living. Complainers do not get very far in life.
4. Self-discipline is a good thing. Discipline is the road to success.
5. There is a God is heaven. The best way to teach is by example.
6. Finish what you start. Winners never quit and quitters never win.
7. Love is a necessary part of living. Got to learn to love God, family and others.
8. Sin displeases God. Disobedience hurts God, others and yourself.
9. Becoming a follower of Jesus is the goal of life. Jesus has a personal plan for everyone.
10. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit are necessary for living out God’s will.

Prayer for My Kids

2009-05-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

Several from our Stone Creek Church family requested the sample prayer I have prayed over my children and now grandchildren. I wanted to list it for you along with a great article I read a long time ago from Billy Graham. Please know you are loved greatly, Papa G

“Lord, I pray for Jimmy/Stacy that he/she will have the spirit of Daniel and the three Hebrew children: an excellent spirit and skill in learning, wisdom and knowledge in all sciences.

I pray he/she will increase and grow mentally, physically, spiritually and socially.”

And for Stacy I would add, “Lord, help her to take things and ponder them in her heart; give her a spirit like Mary.” Based on Luke 2:51

Prayers based on Daniel 1:4, 8-9, 17 5:12, 14 and Luke 2:52

Stacy's dedication in Pekin, Illinois

6 hours of driving for 5 hours together!

2009-05-20T06:33:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I was blessed with one of my sons in the faith, Carlos Ortiz from Dallas, TX.

He was at a Round Table meeting in St. Louis, MO and then drove three hours here to just hang out. We had steak together, a fun meeting at a local pastor friend’s church anniversary celebration, and then hung out at my house until midnight!

He drove the three hours back to St. Louis and then flew back home by nine this morning! Wow, the things we do for friendship and spiritual fathers/sons! I was so blessed and encouraged and Carlos was too.

Here are some quick thoughts on friendship and the relationship that spiritual fathers and their spiritual children have:

● Spiritual fathers/children lift each other up. We all get down and under heavy burdens. Without others to lift us up, we can’t make it.
● Spiritual fathers/children let each other out. Some people like to release the wolves on us. But we all need those who will let us out, regardless of whether we are totally on our game or not.
● Spiritual fathers/children pull each other away. What I mean is we need those who pull us away from the mundane and keep us living our dream.
● Spiritual fathers/children lead each other in. We lead each other into avenues of service and truth. We lead each other higher in God.
● Spiritual fathers/children look each other up. We call each other, get together--even drive 6 hours like Carlos did just to spend 5 hours with me!
● Spiritual fathers/children labor with each other. We cannot live withdrawn to ourselves. If we do we miss out and become deceived in some way.

Be encouraged and know you are loved, Papa G.

Antioch Prayer Model

2009-05-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Sons and Daughters,
Here is a way to pray for your church/youth group/ministry. Trust it is a blessing!
Love you much and wish the best for you,
Papa G.

The Church at Antioch is an example of what God wanted the Church to be. Look at Acts 11:19-30 and pray that you would model the Church at Antioch by:

1) Being a “Cutting Edge” church (vv. 19-20)
2) Being an “Evangelistic” church (vs. 21)
3) Being a “Discipling” church (vv. 22-24)
4) Being a “Generous” church (vv. 27-30)
5) Being a “Word” church (Acts 13:1)
6) Being a “House of Prayer” church (Acts 13:2)
7) Being a “Missions Minded” church (Acts 13:3)

It’s Good to Be Reminded:

2009-04-21T06:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry I’m behind of blogs but I had the joy of speaking to youth pastors for Paul Hinzman (Illinois District Youth Director) at a meeting in Carlinville, Illinois a few weeks ago and here’s what I shared. To all my sons and daughters please know you are loved, believed in and prayed for!

Here are some things that are good to be reminded of that I hope gives you some strength & encouragement.

Always good to be reminded that faithfulness produces results.
One of the works (fruit) of the HS is faithfulness (see Gal. 5:22-23) and you know a life verse of mine is Hebrews 10:36 “But you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God you may obtain the promise.” There is a Living Bible verse that says, “Steady plodding brings prosperity.” There may be lots of ‘talent’ things I cannot do, but I can be faithful—and so can you.

I heard Dr. CM Ward say one time that all it takes for a miracle to happen is to “just show up.” He was talking about the children of Israel and the miracle of multiplication that took place every day with the quail and manna and all they needed to do for the miracle to take place was to just show up and gather it in.

Missionary Karla Weise told Bonnie and I a story about a woman who prophesied over her in the days when her husband Paul planted a great church in Batavia, Illinois. The lady said it takes more faith to endure than overcome. Wow, that is a great word! Sometimes being faithful seems very unspiritual but I need to remind you it is the stuff that produces great results!

Our former Illinois Superintendent (Bishop) Ernest Moen used to say what it takes to produce a fruitful work is to “Preach, pray & plug away.” Certainly we are all tempted to quit but the rewards of faithfulness & longevity are so great! The old adage says, a great oak tree is just a little nut that stood its ground!

Always good to be reminded of our calling & words God has given us
For me I have to visit a vision God gave me at youth camp after I graduated from high school to keep the call of God fresh in my life. When I first came to Stone Creek the Lord gave me some great promises in Zech. 4:10, Joel 2:25, Haggai 2:9-10, Ezk. 36:11. You have to get some words for your life and ministry and then remind yourself of them regularly!

When the Lord first called me as a teenager He made John 15:16 and 1 Thess. 5:24 so real. I re-visit them ALL THE TIME to stay fresh. There are times when I’m discouraged that these verses are my life-line. Sometimes in prayer I say to the Lord, “I love you & you're stuck with me.” He is a father to me and somehow I make it another day—and so can you.

Always good to be reminded that we serve a supernatural God who still does supernatural things
Heb. 13:8 says “Jesus Chrst is the same yesterday, today and forever.” In January of 1970 I was healed of about an inch spot of tuberculosis—He supernaturally did that for me—and He will do the same for you. When I came to Urbana the second Sunday of April 1988 the Lord gave us our first salvation here on May 1—a cute little teenager who is now married and still in the church with her family! It took us nine months to break the 100 attendance barrier—it was so exciting! The church was a financial mess and some people began to give literally thousands of dollars at a time! It was all supernatural for me/us.

I want to remind you that the God you serve is supernatural and still does supernatural things. In Ex. 12 He supernaturally led Israel out of Egypt. And remember when God enabled Elijah to supernaturally outrun Ahab’s chariot! Supernaturally our God parted the Red Sea and supernaturally the walls of Jericho fell flat! And supernaturally the Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead!

When I was a youth pastor in Central Illinois God supernaturally gave me a burden to pray everyday for missionaries David & Julie Leatherberry. I have tried to be faithful to this all these years. If you know the Leatherberrys or have read their book "Afghanistan My Tears" you know how God has so supernaturally moved in their lives. This includes waking up in the middle of night and having a breakthrough for David in learning the Pashtun language! He says God helped him supernaturally!

Whatever situation you are in I want to remind you that God will do supernatural things for you! He will.

Always good to be reminded that it’s all about relationships (relational theology).
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching" Heb. 10:25.

"Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled" Titus 2:5 .

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction" 2 Timothy 4:2.

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing" 1 Thess. 5:11.

I want to remind you that what we are doing is all about relationships—right relationships. Whatever network you are a part of it is your calling to partner with others. The Apostle Paul talked about partnering with others all the time! Being a part of a denomination or church fellowship is like being married—there are things you have to do not because you want to (like vacationing with your mother-in-law) but you do it because you are committed to your marriage relationship.

When you are committed to relational theology you spend time and money to be a part of meetings and programs (even if they are sometimes like vacationing with your mother-in-law!). I am speaking prophetically to my spiritual sons and daughters now. I must remind you to not be a hypocrite! I know that is strong but I speak with love in my heart for you life, ministry and future.

You want people to participate in your program but you are not faithful to participate in the programs and meetings of the network God has put you in. Remember, we reap what we sow. I am convinced the next step for some of you is to practice relational theology and not just preach about it. Selah.

Love you and want the best for you—really. Papa G.

Out of the Box

2009-03-27T07:32:00.001-07:00

Got to be at our youth groups (Sudden Impact) retreat last weekend and had a blast. We got crazy ‘dancing’ and praying with some wonderful teenagers a week ago Friday night at Little Galilee Camp outside Clinton, Illinois. Congrats to Ricky Spindler our Student Ministries pastor along with his great leadership team for a job well done! As I shared with the students at the end here’s what came to me about “Living Outside the Box (the camp theme):

Make right decisions. Life is all about making right decisions and avoiding wrong ones. There is a passage in the old Living Bible that says, “He grants the godly ones the ability to make the right choices every time.”
Being godly means to really go after God in every area of life. I shudder inside at times when I think about how close I have come a few times to making wrong decisions. Thank God for good council and friendships that has helped me over the years make right choices.
Deciding to not praise the Lord is a wrong decision. Deciding to praise the Lord is a right decision. Deciding to not obey your parents is a wrong decision. Deciding to praise the Lord is right decision.

Make right friendships. 1 Cor. 15:33 says, “Bad company corrupts good morals.” Hang around winners and you will be a winner. Hang around losers and you will be a loser. Hang around negative people and you will be negative. Hang around positive people and you will be positive.
Don’t let people run your life. You make your life count and the best way to do that is by being with the right friends. Dropping friends can be a super touch choice but it just might save your life!

Make right commitments. There is a Proverb that says, “Commit your way to the Lord and He shall bring it to pass.” Do not be afraid to make commitments because it is the only way to live the Christian life.
Making right decisions, friendship and commitments is life outside the box. It is living life to the max!

These thoughts are good for us in ministry and for my sons and daughters working in the Kingdom. May you be encouraged—I believe in you! Papa G.

Let's Talk About Grace

2009-03-07T15:09:00.000-08:00

“But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 5:10-11 NKJV).

Thank God for His grace—because we all need it! Here are some definitions of grace I’ve run across over the years:
-James Strong: “The Divine influence upon the heart and the reflection in the life.”
-Bill Gothard: “An active force within us, giving us the desire and the power to do things God’s way.”
-Apostle Paul: “…a good work in you…” Phil. 1:6
-Noah Webster: “Unmerited Divine assistance given for man for his regeneration or sanctification.”

During a noon prayer meeting in our Café one time, I felt inspired at the end as we prepared for Communion to share some thoughts on grace. There was a lady who was just coming to use the prayer room and saw all the cars in the lot and wondered what was going on. She came in and was delighted to find a prayer meeting in progress. The word on grace was exactly what she needed to deal with some trials in her life.

This illustrates how God is always faithful to minister to us when we earnestly reach out to Him in prayer during our time of needs. I want to encourage any of you going through a difficult time to lean heavy on God’s grace. Pray the above definitions of grace for your life and what you are going through and see what God does.

Until we have real revelation of grace, the Christian life and Christian ministry will be a chore and very difficult. Of course there are burdens and difficulties but when God’s grace is at work in our lives there is a deep joy and energy that comes directly from Him! 

Dr. Charles Brown shares this simple outline on grace:
1. GRACE HAPPENS. It comes through relationship, not rules or reason. As we grow in our love for Jesus we grow in grace!

2. GRACE HAPPENS IN JESUS. Grace motivated everything He did. He was ‘grace-soaked.’ Cool, let’s all pray to be grace-soaked!

3. GRACE HAPPENS IN THE CHURCH. Wouldn’t it be great if the first thing we think about when we think about church is grace? If you haven’t read Phillip Yancey’s book What’s So Amazing About Grace? --please at least read the first chapter and the illustration about the prostitute on page 11! It seems to me evangelical and Pentecostal churches are full of truth but little grace and liberal churches are full of grace but little or no truth. The Scripture says, Jesus was full of grace and truth. That should our goal.

4. GRACE HAPPENS IN ME. If you are struggling today please allow God’s grace to work in your heart. Have you ever asked for more grace? Do it now. The NIV of 1 Peter 5:10 says ‘But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.”

Thank God for His amazing grace. He loves you more than you could ever know.

Love to my spiritual sons and daughters, Papa G.

PS Congratulations to Wayne & Kristi Northup and the whole team of Answering the Cries Ministries for the best Mardi Gras Outreach ever! And thank you so much for letting me be a part. What an incredible team of young adults at the MG this year! Best ever!

PSS After spiritual highs come the lows. Wish I would have written this blog sooner but make sure you rely on God’s grace to see you through the lows just like you relied on His grace during MG.

Everyone Needs a Dad

2009-02-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

I had a pastor's wife say to me one time she did not know God as Father. Her dad died when she was very young, was going through a rough time and said, “I just need a daddy.” Being with my granddaughter, Reghan the past few days has inspired me to write about the incredible love of our Father!

This pastor's wife was not alone. No matter what kind of father you have or had, no father is perfect. What I mean is that there is a “father-need” in every one of us. We all need a father. We need someone strong, who is there, wise, faithful. Someone who will love, help, instruct, encourage, guide, counsel, and discipline us. We all need a father.

Jesus shocked his disciples when He introduced God to them as “Father.” Back then as it is all too often today, people see God as an Unfelt Presence, not as a “Father.” For my spiritual sons and daughters, I hope you really feel loved by the time your done reading this. Here’s some thoughts as I sit here and watch Reghan play:

● A PAPA ENCOURAGES HIS CHILDREN
If you have the blues. If you feel down. Heavy. Depressed. Isolated. Rejected. Forgotten. Ignored. Know our Papa God specializes in encouragement. You don’t have to ‘do life alone.’ You don’t have to live in a dark tunnel. You don’t have to spend your life in an emotional wilderness. You are Papa’s child. And Papa offers encouragement to see you through!

If you are discouraged, hurt, depressed, ticked or whatever—would you please spend some time with Papa God--experience His presence--talk to him--complain to him--fellowship with him--listen to him. And He will encourage you.

● A PAPA COMFORTS HIS CHILDREN
Peace is Papa’s gift to me. Papa’s peace drives out stress. His presence quiets the negative emotions that attack my soul.
► Papa’s presence replaces the winds of worry with whispers of assurance.
► Papa’s presence allows me to rest in the middle of trouble.
► Papa’s peace gets me out of the “Martha mode”—that tells me I’ve got to do something to fix things—and gets me into the “Mary mode”—that rests at Papa’s feet and watches him fix it!!!

Peace is Papa’s gift to me. Papa comforts and encourages his children.

● A PAPA INFLUENCES HIS CHILDREN
Papa God won’t bully you. But He will discipline you. He wants you and me to be a reflection of His nature. He wants me to be like Him. And when I don’t, He loves me enough to let me fail.

Papa influences me through His Word, our wonderful community of believers here at Stone Creek Church and softens my heart in times of worship and praise. His presence gets my attention and melts stress and frustration from my life. His presence clears the cobwebs from my soul.

When I worship, even when I don’t feel like it, His presence restores my exhausted soul. It mends my bruised heart. When I praise Him it attaches me to Papa’s heart. I need to praise Him more and complain less. Maybe we all need to.

● A PAPA WANTS TO BE TRUSTED
Any parent who has ever had their child jump into their arms understands trust. Standing on a chair you tell them to trust you and they jump. Dad could have dropped him. Let him down. But dad loved his child more than life itself. Dad caught them.

Will Papa God do any less for you? You may need to close your eyes and clinch your fists, but go ahead—jump. Papa God is there! He will catch you. I went through a very painful time a few years ago and the Lord reminded me to just trust him. In simple devotions one day during that tough time this verse came alive and gave me strength.

Jer. 17:7 But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.

It is pretty plain--genuine, plain ole vanilla trust is absolutely necessary. Trust is indispensable. Without trust we live independent of Papa. Trust keeps us dependent upon him and humble.

Bonnie says I am a nutty grandpa (well she’s a nutty grandma) because whenever our grandkids call or I’m with them I am never too busy—I drop everything to give them my full attention. So, Papa God will never turn you away. Nor will He bully you into obedience. You have the freedom to trust Him.

In Papa’s embrace, life’s problems seem to work out. Enjoy Papa God. Rest in him. Laugh with him. Cry with him. Listen to him. Be honest with him. Confess to him. Talk to him. Appreciate him.

I don’t care how hurt you feel. How discouraged you may be. You may feel unappreciated—unloved—unnoticed. Listen: You have a Papa who loves you! Papa God loves you!

And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

By the way, I can’t tell you how great it makes me feel when Reghan calls me “Papa.” I think God feels the same. I love being Papa Grogan but only Papa God can take care of your deepest needs. Love you, PG

*Some of these thoughts come from an old brochure by Charles Brown that was given to me years ago at an Illinois Discipleship Camp.

A Personal Philosophy of Life & Ministry

2009-01-30T10:17:00.000-08:00

This was one of my 'outdoor' trips with and we stopped by the center of the US! Guess where?

I wanted to remind my spiritual sons of daughters that having a good philosophy of life keeps the ship going in the right direction. When people hurt you, when you preach a bad sermon or don’t do as good as you would like to—I hope this encourages you a bit along the way.

1. It is not yours by right. Everything is a gift and has to be appreciated. When we become complainers we die in the desert.
2. A correct MINDSET is more important than either Charisma or Gifting! I have always believed my attitude is my choice no matter what happens to me in life.
3. To make a difference in the lives of others you must have healthy attitude and wholesome relationships.
4. Risk-taking is not important—it is imperative!!!!!!!!! Counsel is always needed here—we cannot go off half-cocked.
5. Laughter is good medicine and it helps when life gets serious.
6. Work hard---play hard!
7. Aim for excellence—give everything your best shot—laziness never works and God cannot bless a mess—always try to be thoroughly prepared and do your best.
8. Business principles are often and usually Biblical principles.
9. Make every service count and never go through the motions.
10. If it can be delegated—delegate it.
11. Confrontation is needful but don’t try and be the Messiah. Its ok people are different.
12. Lack of creativity is a sin!!!!!!!!!!!! 11th Commandment.
13. Balance is THE key to long term health and effectiveness.
14. Come to a level of understanding ‘self-love’—we are complete in Christ! See Col. 2:9
15. Got to be a decision maker but include people in the process.
16. Faith without ‘works’ is dead.
17. Always lived with a deep sense of purpose.

Thanks for the comments and please stay faithful. Papa G.

Rest, Fun and Hard Work

2009-01-26T10:44:00.000-08:00

I am basking in the goodness of God after another wonderful Sunday at Stone Creek Church. Lead Pastors know preaching on money is often a pressure thing but in our series entitled “Blueprint” we finished talking about “Giving” yesterday. I am so grateful for the way the people responded. By the 3rd service I was actually having fun preaching on a subject I would just as soon avoid!

Here’s a few thoughts in my heart right now:
● Truly taking a day off and time off to rest is so important to maintaining a good attitude about life and ministry. A weekly Sabbath is Biblical you know!

● Fun is a big part of my theology and in order to stay sane with all the difficulties we deal with in ministry we have to learn to not take ourselves so seriously! Got to keep the joy flowing! That’s why I’m posting the pix of Bonnie and I from Lynette’s (former PA) wedding this past summer! O the joy in my old age! 

● Without hard work none of this will work properly. Ricky Spindler, my youth pastor and I were visiting with another minister recently and he asked some great questions: “What is the minimum size a youth group should be that has a full-time employed youth pastor?” “A youth pastor asked me how many hours he should be expected to work per week!” (He thought he was over-worked but when we checked he was only working about 25 hours per week!)

What this shows me is that there are ministers who lack the passion that comes with a divine call! I have noticed two extremes we need to avoid: [1] Those who sacrifice their families & marriage on the altar of the ministry. [2] Those who have made an idol out of their family and marriage. Both extremes are wrong and must be avoided to be successful in life and ministry.

There is no substitute for hard work and passion. Selah. Enjoy the pix!
Love you,
Papa G.

BROKENNESS

2009-01-12T11:02:00.000-08:00

We have just finished the best of Week of Prayer we have had in years and I am so massively encouraged! People literally came out by the hundreds in the evenings for prayer services and our morning and noon prayer meetings were just great. Our all-night prayer chain had right at 300 people participating! And, more people fasted for 3-days than I can remember in years.

All this has renewed my relationship with Jesus and given me a new sense of healthy brokenness in my heart. Here’s a classic verse on brokenness and some thoughts as we all try and drink some new wine in ’09 (let’s not whine!).

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” Ps. 51:17

Humility, daily dying to self and the world, giving of ourselves--this is such an important word for today--greed is the god of this age; personal gain and security are most people’s goal and motivation.

Glorification of self is popular even in the church—self help and success has replaced humility--we have drifted so far from the cross! Please understand I am not talking about being broken-hearted—crushed by sorrow or grief. Some friends in Israel sent me this comparison between brokenness and being wounded that is very helpful. They say one of the biggest problems in the church today is that we are not so much broken, pliable people as we are wounded people.

So, how do we know when we are wounded instead of broken? Here are a few comparisons to consider:
+When wounded, I focus on myself and on my inner pain.
+When broken, I focus on the cross and on Jesus, and I am not so aware of my own pain.
+When wounded, I find it difficult to forgive others, God, and/or myself.
+When broken, I am aware of and accept God’s mercy toward me, and in gratitude, I extend it freely to others.
+When wounded, I am too preoccupied with inner turmoil to see the needs of others.
+When broken, I am free of self so that I am easily sensitive to the needs of others. [Phil 2:3-4]
+When wounded, I am self-protecting, usually unwilling to risk further pain.
+When broken, I want the best for others, and am willing to sacrificially love and serve them. [1 Thess. 2:8]
+When wounded, my goal is a painless life, free of suffering—‘I don’t want to hurt anymore!’
+When broken, my goal is Jesus at all costs [Phil 3:7-10]…even if further pain is involved.

Brokenness has to do with giving not getting--it has to do with embracing sacrifice--with emptying ourselves and being tender before God. I pray for you, my spiritual sons and daughters that the ministry will never become simply a profession or way of life. I pray it will be a reflection of your character and life with Jesus. Let’s keep it real.

Love you,
Papa G.

Drink New Wine in '09 (Cheezy, I know!)

2009-01-05T12:47:00.000-08:00

We kicked off our annual Week of Prayer and I am massively encouraged! Terry Austria our college pastor did a super job with the message yesterday and we have Kristi Northup here who did worship yesterday morning in all the services, last night in our opening prayer rally and will tonight in our prayer service.

As our church has grown I have witnessed apathy in our people when it comes to corporate prayer. This has been a great concern to me. When we ran four to five hundred we used to get 120-150 to show up for prayer meetings. And back then we did them weekly! Then we would pray for 1 1/2 hours and the time would fly by!

Over the past couple of years our attendance has grown to about 1400 in weekend services but in our monthly prayer meetings we have only seen 60 to 70 attend. Sad and very disheartening for me. Once in the summer I pushed really hard and we had about 120 but that was mainly due our Francophone Pastor, Guy Lombella who motivated many of our Congolese members to attend.

But last night we had 206 in prayer and this morning early 41! I am so encouraged! I have often said it is easy for young ministers to learn how to conduct culturally relavent services, do baptisms, weddings, funerals and so on--the things we do as pastors. But very few pastors including those who have been around a long time (like me) know how to run a prayer meeting. There are usually two extremes to prayer meetings: [a] Too wild and crazy. [b] Too dull and boring. We have to somehow find balance.

Here is a practical outline with some thoughts for my sons and daughter that I hope is a real help to you as you lead God's people. We will be held accountable on how we lead the church. May God give you grace is my prayer:

Prayer Meeting Outline and Thoughts

-Open with scripture and prayer
-Worship
-Identificational repentance
-Missions offering
-Short devotional thought on prayer!
-Go to prayer
(Interrupt as the HS directs)
-Come together at the end
-Sing hymns/songs
-Communion
-Stand in circle (Those with needs step to middle, have people stand in for missionaries, etc., have others lay hands on them and pray, someone (you) lead out in prayer over mic.

(We use to go 1 ½ hours & time really flew! Now about an hour is what most people can handle.)

{Thoughts to share with your people}
1. We have come here to pray. Not just talk about prayer, although guidance is important. Not just worship, although worship is part of it.

2. We have come to intercede. Intercession is giving/a dying to ourselves. This means we have not come to receive although we will. But our motive is to give ourselves. We are not here to figure out prayer, we are here to be used by God.

3. We do have responsibility to requests. But we also need to be and want to be led by the HS. This means I may at times interrupt your praying.

4. Important, practical things:
*You are not here to have personal devotions. Personal devotions are usually meditative and quieter.

*We are not going to be overly emotional but you may find yourself getting distracted become someone is praying with more emotion than you. Important to remember this is a corporate praying meeting and not a private prayer time.

*We are engaging in spiritual warfare. When you are in battle things sometimes get noisy. You still have an individual job to do but you fight along side the rest of your troops. So don’t use someone else as an excuse for not ‘getting into prayer.’

*Focus; cry out to God with more intensity. He wants us all to grow and be stretched in the area of prayer. Folks who are always loud need to be quieter. And folks who are always quiet need to probably be louder.

*Move around. If you get bored or tired change your position for a few minutes! Do not be inhibited (fervent prayer). Take a break (lobby, water, etc.) then refocus and come right back.

*Perseverance – there is always a place in prayer whether it is private or corporate that you need to breakthrough. When you feel bored, or drained, or distracted that is the very place God wants to breakthrough – persevere right there – maybe change your body posture and go after God more.

This is God’s heart--Jesus said, “My house shall be called a House of Prayer for the Nations.” We are here to pray God’s interests and God’s heart. Let’s go for it.

Papa G's Top Ten (more than!) Book Recommendations

2008-12-31T11:04:00.000-08:00

For Personal Spiritual Growth:
1. Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders
2. No Easy Road by Dick Eastman
3. Called & Committed by David Watson
4. No Wonder They Call Him Savior by Max Lucado
5. All of A.W. Tozer’s books especially The Pursuit of God
6. The Navigator by Robert D. Foster (a must read! Life story of Dawson Trotman)
7. The Divine Romance by Gene Edwards
8. A Tale of Three Kings by Gene Edwards

For Personal Leadership/Life Growth:
1. The Jesus Style by Gayle D. Erwin
2. The Vanguard Leader by Frank Damazio
3. Team Ministry by Dick Iverson
4. When The Giant Lies Down by Dick & Ruth Foth
5. The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham by Harold Myra & Marshall Shelley
6. Disciple by Juan Carlos Ortiz
7. The Oswald J. Smith Treasury (5 little books with different titles)
8. Be The Leader You Were Meant To Be by Leroy Eims
9. The Making of a Christian Leader by Ted W. Engstrom
10. Life is Tremendous (Leadership Is For You) by Charles E. Jones
11. The Lost Art of Disciple Making by Leroy Eims
12. The Master Plan of Evangelism by Robert Coleman

For Marriage and Family:
1. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
2. The Strong-Willed Child by James Dobson
3. If Only He Knew: What No Woman Can Resist by Gary Smalley
4. Personality Plus by Florence Littauer
5. The Two Sides of Love by Gary Smalley & John Trent

For Survival and Endurance:
1. Well-Intentioned Dragons by Marshall Shelley
2. Healing for Damaged Emotions David A. Seamands
3. Hang in There…to the Better End (formerly Running the Mid-Night Marathon)by Craig Brian Larson
4. Three Steps Forward Two Steps Back by Charles R. Swindoll

For Church Structure/Growth:
1. Simple Church by Thom S. Rainer & Eric Geiger
2. The Presence Based Church by Terry Teykl
3. Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scazzero
4. Breaking Down Walls by Raleigh Washington & Glen Kehrein
5. A Drink at Joel’s Place by Jess Moody
6. Re-Thinking the Church by James Emery White
7. Church in the New Testament by Kevin J. Conner

For Miscellaneous Reasons:
1. The Beauty of Spiritual Language by Jack Hayford
2. Surprised by the Power of the Spirit by Jack S. Deere
3. Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy
4. With the Word (a devotional commentary) by Warren Wiersbe
5. Afghanistan My Tears by David Leatherberry

Obviously, some of these books are out of print but it would be worth your effort to try and find them. I pray you have some of the greatest experiences of your life and ministry in '09. Please know you are loved and believed in! Always always, Papa G.

Papa G's Top Ten Life Verses!

2008-12-20T15:07:00.000-08:00

1 Thessalonians 5:24
Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (KJV)

John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (KJV)

Luke 2:52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. (KJV)

1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. (NKJV)

Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. (KJV)

Zechariah 4:10a For who has despised the day of small things? (NKJV)

Haggai 2:9 The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,' says the Lord of hosts. 'And in this place I will give peace,' says the Lord of hosts." (NKJV)

Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. (KJV)

Ezekiel 36:11 will multiply upon you man and beast; and they shall increase and bear young; I will make you inhabited as in former times, and do better for you than at your beginnings. Then you shall know that I am the Lord. (NKJV)

Deuteronomy 8:2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. (NIV)

{Below is #11--I’m like the Big Ten University System, they are called the Big Ten but have 11 colleges—go figure!}

Isaiah 41:8-13 But you, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, The descendants of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, And called from its farthest regions, And said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away: Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' "Behold, all those who were incensed against you Shall be ashamed and disgraced; They shall be as nothing, And those who strive with you shall perish. You shall seek them and not find them-- Those who contended with you. Those who war against you Shall be as nothing, As a nonexistent thing. For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, Saying to you, 'Fear not, I will help you.' (NKJV)

Philippians 3:10 That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, (NKJV)

Colossians 2:10a And you are complete in Him,… (NKJV)

1 John 3:20 For if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things. (NKJV)

Proverbs 24:3-4 Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches. (NKJV)

And My #1 Favorite Bible Verse that is actually #16 (sorry, I have too many!) that keeps me going is:

Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: (NKJV)

For my spiritual sons and daughters--may God give you specific words that keep you going! It has been a secret of longevity for me! Love you & believe in you, Papa G.

Christmas...A Season for Mending Relationships

2008-12-08T12:17:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a great time to reach out to an unsaved loved one. What better time of year to build a bridge of communication?
My older brother was estranged from our family for a number of years and the holidays were especially hard. Finally reconciliation came and Christmas was right again. Many are facing this holiday without a loved one. Some are estranged from friends or family members because of some argument or blowup that took place years ago. I want to encourage you to take time to reach out and mend relationships this Christmas and begin the New Year on a new footing.
Here are a few suggestions that might be helpful…

● Don’t try to preach—just reach!

It takes some people a while to come to the realization that preaching to their relative who is estranged is not effective. I want to encourage you to reach out and accept your family (in spite of their unsaved lifestyle) then you will begin to the relationship start to rebuild.

● Keep the focus on the future—not the past.

It doesn’t matter really who was right or wrong. Agree to disagree and move ahead. May want to win and lose in the process. Say, “I’m sorry I hurt you”—it validates how the other person feels.

● Don’t expect too much—keep it light.

When relationships have been damaged, or severed as it was in my brother’s case, they need time to be rebuilt again. Start slowly to create a new bond of love and trust. Find common ground—something enjoyable to do together. If your son likes basketball, get tickets to a game. If your daughter enjoys shopping, make a date and go to the mall. If your friend enjoys music, invite them to a concert. There are so many wonderful activities and events to choose from during the Christmas season.

But beware; the ground you are on is shaky at best. Be careful not to bring up sensitive areas from the past. If a sticky subject comes up, simply say, “We are having such a great time, let’s not ruin it by getting into an argument.”

●Pray—it works!

Give it up to God. Even when hope is gone, even when things may appear worse than ever, a breakthrough could be on the horizon. It’s like watching the big hand on a clock. It can seem like it is moving farther away at it makes the circle back to 12:00. But the truth is, after it moves to the farthest point away at 6:00, it begins to draw closer to 12:00 again. We prayed for my brother for over a decade and he was headed in the wrong direction getting farther and farther from God. But our prayer on his behalf brought him back to Jesus!

Christmas is the season of hope. Jesus is the greatest symbol of hope in a hopeless world. Use this holiday season to reach out in love. Begin mending relationships. There is no better time than today!

For my spiritual sons and daughter please know you are loved! If you have unsaved parents or siblings I hope these little suggestions will help you have a better Christmas season.

Papa G.

Here are a few powerful verses that I pray blesses you as you pray for and reach out to a loved one who is not with the Lord this year:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, along with your entire household.” Acts 16:31 NLT
“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6 NKJV
“For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.” Isaiah 44:3 KJV

Financial Counsel From a Banker!

2008-11-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

My younger brother John and his wife Nancy along with our mother, Esther came over tonight for a visit through Sunday afternoon. Already had some great laughs!

Nancy is a banker and I thought a few tips from her would be good for all us. Here are some of her thoughts:
1. The media says there is no money to lend but that is not necessarily true. There are many banks that have money to lend!
2. It is a buyer's market right now which means if you can afford it, now is the time to buy a home or even a small business. You will get your best bang for your buck now.
3. Things are more realistic now because the ‘bubble has burst.’ You are not paying for the bubble any more. In other words homes and properties all over were just too high priced!
4. Pay down all consumer credit! Pay down your autos unless they are zero interest (so that would be last thing to pay off). Start with your highest interest card and work on that big time.
5. You need an emergency fund (slush fund). If you own a home you will have to repair stuff like water heaters, air conditioners and DO NOT BORROW FOR THAT! DO NOT PUT STUFF LIKE THIS ON CREDIT! This is the beginning of the end for people who begin to descend into debt.
6. After you pay stuff off then put that same amount away (ear mark that money!) so when you get ready for a new car (they do wear out!) you can pay for it in cash!
7. Buy end of season stuff and you get incredible deals (sometimes 75% off). NEVER SETTLE FOR FULL PRICE! For example if you have kids buy summer clothes at the end of summer and so on!
8. She thinks Americans will start swapping services more—she thinks we will be bartering & networking more with others. For example a mechanic may do some car work for a CPA who will prepare his taxes for free, etc.
9. With your employer set up a pre-tax flexible spending plan. Take advantage of this if you can. In other words, ask them if they will offer it and look at your out-of-pocket medical expenses including some over-the-counter medicines and then ear-mark that amount to be taken out of your payroll check. You will save some tax money and have more out-of-the pocket money returned. Let’s say it’s $600.00 a year you spend on medicine, etc. Have your employer deduct $50.00 per month pre-tax from payroll. Then they can reimburse you as your expenses come due.
10. Check out this excellent web page “Cheapskate.com”
11. If you need to speak to Nancy you can email her at ngrogan@farmersstate.com

As always, I want you to go farther than me. Love you tons, Papa G.

Easier to Gripe Than Give Thanks

2008-11-24T20:56:00.000-08:00

I called several absentees today and told them I have been missing them in services, love them, and hope they will come back to services. With the way people travel these days, and miss church for so many entertainment reasons, it is hard to know when to call folks. I usually wait about 4 to 6 weeks.

Excuses for not being in church for over a month went all the way from "I am disappointed the church did not stand up for morals more before the Presidential elections" to "we are getting our house ready to sell and are too busy for services."

Rueven Ross, a dear friend who has ministered in Israel for years, said a long time ago that he thought American Christians were the least prepared for hard times than any other Christians on the planet. He has traveled extensively all over the world and would have a larger perspective than many church folks. I agree with him more now than ever.

It is shocking and amazing how quickly people drop out of fellowship--even members who have agreed to a covenant relationship. Is it any wonder why these types of Christians have little victory in their lives? There is little difference between the fickleness of these types of believers and those who do not attend church. They know little of faithfulness, perseverance, and endurance.

Regardless of these types of heart-aches, any pastor knows this is still a season to give thanks. Here's a quick list of things I am thankful for:

1. My wonderful wife--she is the most stable person I know.
2. My wonderful children and their spouses. I am so thankful they have healthy marriages and are in the ministry.
3. My wonderful, adorable, best in the world grandchildren. I am absolutely crazy about them, would do anything for them and want to be with them every day of my life!
4. A wonderful team of elders, deacons, pastors and staff I work with at Stone Creek Church.
5. The joy of living in a major college town full of world-class citizens.
6. The fact that my mother is still living and I get to see her about every single month. She use to live 14 hours away and now is just on the other side of the state.
7. The wonderful young men and women who call me Papa G, truly love me, and let me share in their lives and ministries.
8. Wayne and Kristi Northup who really got the Papa G. thing going so many years ago!
9. This coming Christmas -- my whole family will be together in Minnesota with my wife’s entire family!
10. For God's blessings and goodness upon my life--He has made me a minister of the Gospel and I have more blessings than I deserve in any life-time.

So my sons and daughters, please make a quick little Thanksgiving list and it will help you be a better person and gripe less!

Love you,

Papa G.

Church was fun this weekend!

2008-11-16T19:42:00.000-08:00

I am a pastor and I still love church (at least most of the time)! We have five services now it was just flat out fun this last weekend!

One of my spiritual sons, Kevin Foster, was here, and I did a simple introduction to the message while he did a super message on "Staying Together." You can hear it on our website at www.stonecreekwired.com. We had 21 committments to the Lord. It is good to be reminded that church can be fun. Here's what I liked:

1. Good healthy attendance!
2. Worship was engergetic & awesome! I connected to God in wonderful times of praise of worship.
3. Listening to one of my spiritual sons minister with maturity and effectiveness brought me such incredible joy.
4. Being able to evaluate the whole meeting & message after the Saturday evening service with a great team is so healthy.
5. Good healthy offerings!
6. People were very responsive!
7. There was such a feeling of momentum toward spiritual growth and outreach!
8. Watching volunteers making healthy ministry decisions on the spot about who should serve where and what needed to be done! Oh, that is pure joy!
9. The content of the sermon was absolutely excellent!
10. We baptized a bunch of people after the last service, and the atmosphere was electric! Water baptism NEVER gets old--it is one of the most fun times of ministry as far as I'm concerned. Watching another one of my spiritual sons, Ricky Spindler, run the water baptism was pure joy too!

So let's keep living our dreams and having fun! If you know me, you know FUN is a big part of my life. I like to practice party theology! Jesus did this with Matthew after his conversion, so let's be like Jesus!

Papa G.

Hanging Out!

2008-11-09T18:01:00.000-08:00

Hanging out with some staff at our house--eating, watching Amazing Race--Jamie Kemp, former Jr. High Youth Pastor @ Naperville, IL Calvary is here with us. Jamie & Tosha are itenerating for missionary ministry among youth and children in the great country of Indonesia.

I want to interview Jamie now and find out what life is like for a young couple trying to raise their funds to go into missions. Plus they are having a baby in February!

Let's see how this Q & A works:
1. Q: How long been on road now? A: Into 11th month.
2. Q: How much of your budget raised? A: About 75% got to get to 90% by Christmas so we can get out of here by April.
3. Q: About how many land miles have you driven? A: Over 35,000 miles and this morning we visited church #83!
4. Q: Got a baby named picked out yet? A: Keeping it a secret until the birth!
5. Q: Do pastors treat you pretty good? A: 99% of pastors treat us great. 1 or 2 have treated me like a begger.
6. Q: What are some things that have happened in these 11 months? A: Seeing how every church is so "different" (draw your own conclusions of that!). Most churches are seeker insensitive!
7. Q: Tell me a funny inteneration story (this is a set-up because I've heard it before)! A: In a service where a guy owned the front row & 'fell over' and cracked his head on the corner of a pew. It bled real bad & I went to help but I was rebuked & they said, 'When he's like this, let him be, so God can finish His work on in.' But I insisted they take him to the hospital--after a considerable amount of blood loss they finally agreed & he returned to the church after the service with four stitches! [You check Jamie's web site out at www.jamieandtasha.com

Well, let's end on that high note. I can hear my sons and daughters laughing right now. Enjoy the moment and remember I love you tons and want you to go farther than I ever have!

Papa G.

Serving Others Together!

2008-11-08T14:16:00.000-08:00

Just finished our "Big Give" where we tried raising 5,000 coats for the needy in our communities and it was amazing! I don't know how many thousands of coats were donated and how many we gave away today but it was such a great demonstration that God's people are the best!

Here are my thoughts so far:
1. We can do so much more together than any of us can do alone! Developing a team takes more time but more can be done!
2. The joy was absolutely contagious among our workers!
3. One lady told me that just about her entire small group showed up to help! Oh, that makes a pastor very happy!
4. 80 volunteers last night and over 100 today! And they were such happy volunteers!
5. The recipients were so grateful and thankful.
6. All our staff did so great and our dear Pastor Kevin deserves a big thank you for a job well done.
7. We were trying to figure out who came up with this "Big Give" coat idea and no one seems to know. I love these type of God things that just seem to happen and have His blessing on them and only HE gets the credit for it.
8. Some workers drove 80 miles round trip just to come and help.
9. One worker was so excited last night she could hardly sleep. Serving others is like Christmas Eve for kids.
10. I had unsolicited opportunities to pray with people and it was just so great!

So, to my sons & daughters, my little word of wisdom is this--any time we can get God's people to serve others it is the big stuff of the Kingdom! It is worth the work, any hassles and brings great glory to our Lord.

Remember, the only way we can really serve God is by serving others. None of us can give Jesus Himself a refreshing drink, a meal or clothing. But, when we do it for others and when we do it with a Kingdom perspective, He said we were doing it to him!

I want you to go farther than I ever have.
Papa G

Handling Criticism

2008-11-02T18:30:00.000-08:00

One of the costs of leadership is criticism. It is a price all leaders have to pay. Sometimes it is very helpful, but other times people are punitive and just reflecting the dysfunctional behavior they have never conquered. Most of the time the Lord has enabled me to handle criticism, but critical people who often lack spiritual depth are something I find hard to handle.

Here are some things that have helped me over the years:

1. Listen and delay your response.
2. Take the sting of criticism to the Lord in sincere prayer. The Apostle Paul prayed that he would be delivered from unreasonable men.
3. Never respond publicly. God has really helped me in this area. A few years ago, some folks became disgruntled and wrote very cruel emails and gossiped terribly--one lady even left notes in the leadership mailboxes of the church leadership team. It was so tempting to say something in a message, but God really helped me to bite my tongue. We have all learned to avoid using the pulpit as a bullying tool. This is great wisdom!
4. When people are cruel to you in emails, do not argue with them via the Internet. I tell my staff to write them back something like, "I received your email. Please call me at your convenience, and let's talk personally about this."
5. Collect articles on dealing with criticism, file them, and review them a couple times a year.
6. Preach/teach on this subject, as our preaching probably helps us the most!
7. The facts are, there are times when the devil uses criticism to overwhelm us--realize this is a spiritual attack--stand firm.

Rick Warren in his Ministry Tool Box Issue #343 has a great article entitled "How To Handle Opposition." It is from 1/9/08, and you can find it at Pastors.com/Ministry Toolbox.

Hope that helps you, my dear spiritual sons and daughters. I cherish our times together and hope as many of you as possible can be a part of Mardi Gras Outreach this year. It is always a great reunion! Love you tons, Papa G.

What To Do When You Feel Like You've Bombed!

2008-10-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

I proved yesterday in chapel at North Central Univeristy (NCU) in Mpls, MN that no matter how much experience you have in preaching--it is possible to "bomb!" I preached (tried to!) on "Overcoming Racism" which is a topic I have preached on many times. Anyhow, I am just not happy with how I did--the subject matter was good but my delivery just did not go as well as I think it should have gone. I also perhaps went a bit over time which I rarely do and that bugged me to.

I know I am really physically tired from weeks of hetic ministry schedules but at the same time I 'hit home runs' in five different class lectures and a discipleship lecture this morning for a missions team.

Only those with massive ego's wouldn't admit they have never bombed at preaching. When you know you can do better and you don't it causes some melancholy. So the question is--how do you handle those feelings? Here's some helpful tips to keep you preaching:

1. I think it is good this happens occasionally because it humbles us and reminds us how much we need the Holy Spirit's help no matter how little or how much experience we have.
2. It helps keep our pride in check. That ugly thing is our downfall.
3. It proves we are not the center of the universe.
4. It proves the Biblical statements "the foolishness of preaching."
5. It proves we are human and not ministry robots/machines.
6. It is short lived. For those preaching every week like youth pastors and others as soon as you're done with this weeks sermon you start thinking about next week!
7. It gives you incentive to do better next time! Prepare better, pray more, (for those starting out) practice more and for old guys like me, be rested!

Some thoughts to encourage my sons and daughters in the faith who perhaps feel you bombed the last time you preached/taught. I believe in you and know God has called this generation to do great things for our Lord. May these words from a Spiritual Father encourage you greatly today! Papa G.

Finishing Strong

2008-10-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

From June 2005:

“For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise:” Hebrews 10:36 NKJV

Recently I was speaking with Gordon Anderson the President of North Central University in Minneapolis, MN and we were talking about this subject of ‘Finishing Well.” He made this insightful statement: “We have not been called to run a perfect race but we have been called to finish the race.” I wholeheartedly agree. It is very important to start well and very important to do well in the middle of your time, but how we finish determines whether or not we will live a life of rewards.

There are so many things that have to do with living a life of rewards:
• Being faithful. 2 Samuel 22:6 says, “To the faithful you show yourself faithful…” Dr. CM Ward use to say, “All it takes for a miracle to happen is for you to just show up. What a word for unfaithful Western Christians!
• Being a generous person. Proverbs 11:25 “The generous soul will be made rich, And he who waters (refreshes) will also be watered (refreshed) himself.”
• Living a holy life. “Pursue peace with all men; and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14
• Having a good attitude. “Let the same mind (attitude) be in you that was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:5
• And finishing well! This is the greatest key to living a life of rewards.

Here’s my encouragement for us to all finish well…
1. GOT TO KEEP A GOAL IN MIND. (Got to have a vision) Proverbs 29:18
-A generation of Hebrews did not finish well & did not enter into God best (the Promised Land!).
-Demas in 2 Timothy 4:10 forsook Paul and did not finish well.
-In 2 Timothy 4:5-8 we read of Paul keeping his goal in mind and it enabled him to finish well.

There is an interesting story about Florence Chadwick, the first woman to swim the English Channel in both directions. On July 4th, 1951, she attempted her first swim of the Channel. The waters of the Atlantic Ocean were bone chilling and a dense fog made visibility impossible. After 15 hours within ½ mile of her goal she gave up. She told reporters if she could have seen the land she probably would have made it. But she tried again and in fact broke the men’s record by 2 hours (we know ladies, God created a man and said, “I can do better and created a woman)! Anyhow, she said even though it was foggy again on her second try she made it because “I kept reminding myself the land was there.” This demonstrates the power of keeping a goal in mind.

This is what I have to do when I ride on my birthday a mile for each year of my age (I am at least 30 years of age for those who don’t know me!). It gets tiring in the hot July sun and humidity but I know the satisfaction of crossing the finishing line in the church parking lot and the incredible satisfaction of raising thousands of dollars for the cause of worldwide missions! The rewards are worth the pain and keeping a goal in mind helps me to finish well. I am so glad Jesus finished well! See Hebrews 12:1-2

2. GOT TO HAVE A GOOD NAME IN YOUR HEART.
“A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches. Loving favor rather than silver and gold.” Proverbs 22:1

I was discussing this idea of finishing well with Lois Owens our Senior Saints Pastor and she said, “If I ever got fired from a job (she never has and don’t worry Lois you won’t!) I would be the best employee in the world my last two weeks or however long I was on the job, just to protect my good name.”

There are things we do not because they are convenient or we necessarily feel like doing them but in order to finish well with rewards we do them for the sake of our own personal good name, the good name of the local church and most of all the good Name of our Savior!

3. GOT TO HAVE GUTS IN YOUR BELLY! (Sorry)
Notice the order of our text in Hebrews 10:36:
a. Endurance
b. Do God’s work and will.
c. Then we get the promise, the blessing.
We like the blessing right away, maybe do the will of God but we sure don’t like the endurance thing. There are so many Christian quitters—it is sad! Jesus did not save us for us to quit or be quitters. He saved us to finish the race and finish it well.

I think the greatest story of “guts” I have ever heard is from the 1968 Olympic Marathon race in Mexico City. John Stephen Akhwari from Tanzania was the one predicted to win but there was a collision, fall and severe injuries. He was urged to quit and get treatment but refused. Bloodied and bandaged he continued mile after mile with excruciating pain. Four hours later there were only a few thousand spectators left in the stadium. The winner of the race, an Ethiopian, had crossed the finish line more than an hour before but all of sudden sirens blazed and the gate opened. Into the stadium staggered a solitary figure, the last man to finish the Olympic Marathon—John Stephen Akhwari. The remaining spectators rose and cheered him as though he was winning the race.

Asked why he continued and didn’t quit he said these powerful words, “My country did not send me 7000 miles to start the race; they sent me 7000 to finish the race.”

Tears come to my eyes as I tell this story again—I have it on tape and cry every time I watch it because it so speaks to me. Life and for me ministry at times has a way of beating us up with its endless demands—it certainly is not a 100-meter race we are in, it is a Marathon! But this I know, to enjoy the rewards I have to finish well and to finish well I have to have ‘guts in my belly.’ No matter what, I have to finish and do it well.

I could tell you the story of Derek Redmond in the ‘92 Barcelona 400-meter semifinals who pulled a hamstring and his dad jumped from the stands and helped him finish. I could tell you the story of the Special Olympics where one of the runners tripped and fell and everyone else stopped and helped him back up and they all ran arm in arm across the finish line together. These kind of stories really inspire me to finish and show me that many times I need the support of others to help me finish and friend, so do you.

How we finish determines whether or not we will live a life of rewards.

Importance of Evaluation

2008-10-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

We are in the 4th week of our Saturday night services--are doing 8 then will evaluate and see what happens. Are we only shifting people, have we really grown (don't think so yet) ?--we'll just have to see!

The nice thing about Saturday night services is that you get to evaluate afterward! It's all part of what Earl Crepes's calls "reverse mentoring." I met with four other younger staff members and talked about what worked and what didn't work so well in the message. We critiqued the whole service and were able to make adjustments. It made preaching today so much more fun since we have 4 Sunday morning services and our evaluation on Sunday mornings is just on the run! Literally!

So here's some quick thoughts on the importance of evaluation:

1. Older ministers need to be open to evaluation from younger staff. Again, reverse mentoring can be really good.
2. The only thing better than experience is evaluated experience.
3. In the teams you lead, make sure you can have times of healthy evaluation.
4. If a team leader is afraid of open evaluation, the team will not win championships.

Hope these simple thoughts bless the young men and women I love, pray for, and believe in. It is the joy of my life being a spiritual father!

Papa G.

Making Spiritual Parenting Work

2008-10-09T08:03:00.001-07:00

Good morning spiritual sons and daughters!

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted! Wow, September flew by...finished a fun sermon series called "Game Time" and last weekend we kicked off 40 Days of Community! My son James and I had an incredible father-son time attending the Illini vs. Michigan game at the "Big House" in Ann Arbor, MI. We were on the sidelines and just had a blast!

Am currently in San Diego visiting our newest granchild, Titus James Grogan! He was born September 21st and became "Jewish" yesterday if you know what I mean! :) It's such a joy bonding with my California grandchildren and being with my son and daughter-in-law!

All of this has made me think about spiritual fathering again. Here's some quick thoughts:

+Got to make time investments in order for it to work.
+Take the iniative as a spiritual son or daughter to spend some time together with a spiritual hero.
+The causal but real times of discussing life, ministry and family while driving down the highway are absolutely priceless! Make sure they happen.
+Fathers need the feedback on new books to read and sermon ideas as much as spiritual children need them! Keep things flowing back and forth.
+Sons & daughters develop their own personalities, styles, tastes and preferences and it's the way it should be. If a "spiritual parent" tries to make you into them, run! A true parent allows space.
+Be sure and express your love and friendship to each other. I make sure I verbalize things like, "I love you," "You really handled that well," "I am proud of you and what you are doing," and "It's just great hanging out with you!"

Gotta go. James and I are going on an hour hike up a San Diego mountation to check out a new view!

I believe in you all! Papa G.

Assumptions and Losses

2008-09-17T19:18:00.000-07:00

Good evening Sons & Daughters,

I just got back from a week of ministry in jolly old England with Paul Alexander, President at Mattersey Hall Bible College in Mattersey, enjoyed visiting the oldest wooden church in the world at Essex (the Greensted Church late 6th/early 7th century!) with my dear friend Pastor Ken Williamson and then wonderful ministry at a Men's Retreat & Sunday Service with Pastor Doug Williams of Evangel Christian Centre in Walthamstow, East London.

Was standing in line at 4:10 AM @ London Heathrow this past Monday waiting to board Air France for Lagos, Nigeria for five days of fellowship, friendship and ministry with my dear Elder Blessing Adeoye (after completing his PHD & working professionally, he gave up a rich career to minister to some of the poorest of the poor in that vast city of Lagos) and realized I did not have a Visa for Nigeria! I took the subway (called The Tube) into London and waited for 3 hours at the Nigerian Embassy to no avail. Back to Heathrow airport and was able to jump a plane and come home!

My assumption in not checking details for this trip ended up in loses. Here's some life-lessons for my sons & daughters so you can live smarter, avoid my dumb mistakes and be more blessed than me:

1. Superintendent Ernie Moen use to say, "Attention to details brings success." I was not successful because I did not check all the details. Some I did, but one of the most important I overlooked. Lesson: Check & re-check details so success is guaranteed.

2. I called Elder Blessing via his wife Florence and told her I could not make it. Then I called him yesterday to find out he did not sleep well Monday night because he was so disappointed. He had worked, planned and prayed so hard and yet my arrival fell through. Lesson: When we fail in checking details & leave something undone it causes pain in the ones we love.

3. I was totally exhausted from so much travel, ministry and then the stress of plans not working out. Lesson: Assumptions can cause personal exhaustion, embarrssment, and trials (makes you feel really dumb!).

So all of you sons and daughters please make sure as you continue to grow in your experience and confidence that you still check details, follow through on promises, and do your hardest work on the front end of things. An ounce of prevention is still worth a pound of cure. Be encouraged with Galatians 5:16, it is my prayer for you.

I love you passionately as father,

Papa G.

Asking People To Come To Jesus!

2008-09-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

I was so impressed with Craig Groeschel "10 Reasons..." I wanted to put it on my blog hoping more people would read it and pass it on. Please see below.

Am teaching at Mattersey Hall Bible College in Northern England and having a great time! 15 minutes from where the Wesley's grew up! A church right across from this school has records of the actual pilgrims that came to America! If we find something 100 years old in America we think it is a big deal--tonight I went to dinner with Dr. Paul & Carol Alexander's the President here at MH in Linclon, England and there is huge Cathedral there that was built in 1079! Paul said it costs $100,000 US to operate it per week! Yikes!

Head back to London on Thursday via the train and do a Men's Retreat for Pastor Doug Williams and on to Lagos, Nigeria on Monday to minister in a prison and outdoor meeting for our own Elder Blessing Adeoye from Stone Creek Church!

I encourage any of my spiritual sons & daughters to go on missions trips whenever you can! It enlarges your world view and helps you be a more tolerant and loving person! The world and certainly the Kingdom is sooooooooooo much bigger than our American culture. We need to be cultural students and one of the ways to understand America better because of the huge immigration going on in our country is to travel. Enough said, enjoy Craig's article!

by Craig Groeschel
10 Reasons to Invite People to Follow Christ Every Week At Church
1. Someone may be at church only once.
2. The Holy Spirit may have been working on them for months or years.
3. Even some churched people don’t understand the gospel.
4. Many trust in the church for salvation instead of trusting Christ.
5. Seeing others saved gives believers another reason to worship and motivation to witness.
6. New Christians can “light a church on fire.”
7. Angels in heaven get to party when one person meets Christ.
8. Hell is a real place.
9. You care deeply about people.
10. Families, workplaces, neighborhoods, cities, and generations could be different when one person meets Christ.
This entry was posted on Monday, August 18th, 2008 at 5:21 am and is filed under global church. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Racism

2008-08-28T07:19:00.001-07:00

Recently a famous white comedian made some racial comments to a couple of young black men in his audience. It shows the old demon of racism is still around. Here's a sermon that expresses my biblical convictions on this subject. I hope in some small way this will help with this problem in our country.

Overcoming Racial Strife
Scripture: Acts 10: 1-48 11:1-18. I love this passage of scripture. Notice 11:2 where the leaders of the church in Jerusalem went from "contending with the Apostle Peter/criticizing him" to v. 18 "quieting down and glorifying God." Peters' heart was changed; the leaders of the church in Jerusalem had their hearts changed, and God was glorified. And that is a real key to overcoming racial strife--A Changed Heart.

The Jewish people at this time history were taught apartheid. They thought the world was divided into two ethic divisions: Jews & Gentiles, Circumcised & Uncircumcised, and Saints & Strangers. In fact the Jews used racial slurs and refereed to the Gentiles as 'dogs' and believed that all dogs went to hell. We know only cats go there! j/k. Remember the story of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10? The amazing thing most people miss in that story is that it's all about racial reconciliation. Jews hated Samaritans and the Samaritans hated the Jews. They would go way out of their way to avoid going through Samaria. Jews saw the Samaritans as half-breeds. In John 4 we read the story of the woman at the well. V. 9 "How is it… For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans."

Unfortunately that mindset was still with the Jewish Christians. They saw themselves in one room and all others in another room with a great big thick wall of separation between them. Christian Jews needed a REVEALTION that all human beings were made by God "of one blood" (Acts 17:26). The Apostle Peter and the leaders of the Jerusalem church needed their minds cleansed. And none of them needed to be cleansed more than a rough fisherman from Galilee.

RACISM KEEPS PEOPLE APART.
The Jerusalem church leaders made a judgment about Peter and the Gentiles in Caesarea. They concluded that the Gentiles could not be real/legitimate followers of Jesus. To them they were pagans and Peter was wrong for associating with them. It's sad but true—the Christian Jews and Christian Gentiles were kept apart by the racist sins of their leaders. It's still that way today. Some people are taught to stay away from "other so called Christians" because they are not like us. We need to be careful of our opinions of other Christians. Because God says what I have cleansed don't call dirty (10:28).

When we speak of racism it is important to understand that most whites and blacks & ethnic groups think differently about this. There are contrasting views. Most white Americans think of racism as something overt done by one individual to another. They see racism as something an individual chooses to do. For ex: if an apartment manager decides not to rent to blacks or any ethnic person, then that manager is guilty of the sin of racism.

Whites/Anglo Americans often want relationships & warm feelings but do not always the need for social justice. Often it is because justice involves painful change & personal involvement. Many times I think whites are just blind to the injustices/racism of our society, don't think it exists or are just insensitive to what is going on.

However, black Americans & other ethnic groups view racism more often as structural. Of course there are individual acts of racism but they understand how society can perpetuate racism even when individuals in that society do not intend to be racist. For example, public schools are funded largely thru property taxes. So schools in wealthy neighborhoods are able to put more money into their schools & those students get a better chance at a quality education than students who live in poor neighborhoods where the tax base is smaller. So personal racism is not the blame but the blame is on the social structures of our society. People of ethnicity usually understand these kinds of things better than whites do.

The secular way of dealing with racism is thru four basic models: Colorblindness, Anglo-Conformity, Multiculturalism, White Responsibility. We know they all come up short and I agree with him that the church has the answer and we can demonstrate it daily. Just say this about prejudice/racism/divisions/bigotry: it is part of the human heart. That is why we need Jesus in our hearts—to change our hearts! -This I know-- Prejudice/racism even keeps Christians apart.

A CHANGE OF HEART IS REQUIRED TO GET RID OF PREJUDICE/RACISM.
(This is the supernatural solution to racism). Notice 11:17 The Apostle Peter had his heart changed. He was prejudiced against Gentiles. God gave him a vision that dissolved his prejudice/racial attitudes. He was reluctant to do what God said (10:14). But his God given REVELATION broke through his reluctance! He responded to the vision, he obeyed; when the Gentile men from Caesarea came he went with them! (10:23). After he saw God pouring out the HS on the Gentiles, his mindset, his heart changed, he said in 11:17 "who was I, that I could stand in God's way?" Let me guarantee you this, if you are serious about following Christ: He will show you your prejudices racist feelings, then He will give you the opportunity to let go of them. And we all need our hearts cleansed.

I just experienced racism on my flight from Japan to here…Racism keeps people apart—the only hope is changed hearts. There are other observations from this text but I want us to look at John 4:1-42. This encounter of Jesus with the woman of Samaria is one of the most insightful teachings in the NT in regards to culture, truth & unity. Another key to overcoming racial strife is found here and that is—true unity & love for one another. Changed hearts & true love… {Read some of John 4} Need to understand a bit of historical backdrop to this conversation between Jesus this Samaritan woman at the well.

About 700 years BC the Assyrians invaded the Northern Kingdom of Israel and took many of the people captive. There were also many Assyrians who settled into the Northern Kingdom. Intermarriage began to take place and a new group of people came into being called the Samaritans. The Jewish people had been taken captive by the Persians but were allowed to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple when Artaxerexes was king of Persia? Nehemiah was the king's cupbearer. But there were people living in the land of Israel who did not want to see the city of Jerusalem rebuilt because of their racial hatred of the Jews. Those people were the Samaritans (mixed breed of Assyrians & Israelites) you can read about it in Neh. 2, 4, 6. The reason for this hatred was because the Jews would not allow the Samaritans to participate in the rebuilding process. A feud started that continued into the days of Jesus. Knowing this will help you understand that when Jesus journeyed through Samaria He was making it clear that He was willing to go beyond His own culture with love and compassion. He was not patronizing them—he was there to demonstrate the power of God's life changing love.

My observations of this text:
FIRST, HE ESTABLISHED COMMON GROUND. Vs. 6-7. He stopped at Jacob's well & built a bridge of communication by starting with what He & the Samaritan woman could agree on. Both the Jews & Samaritans loved Jacob, who was the father of both groups. This shows that Jesus rejected the racial attitudes of his day. This is why the woman asked him in v. 9, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman? For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans." She could not believe Jesus was asking her to let Him use her cup. That was an act of fellowship and acceptance. How did she know he was a Jew? Perhaps he looked like a Jew or had a Jewish accent, we don't know. But I want you to see something. He did not stop being a Jew, but neither did He let His culture stop Him. That's it. We cannot let our culture keep us from people. And neither did Jesus rob this woman of her culture. He established common ground with her, and that is what we need to do today. What is our common ground? Our common ground is our LOVE FOR JESUS CHRIST that gives us love for one another—true love.

Jesus said in John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another." The bonus to all this would be that the world would see our unity as we work together cross-culturally. As a church, as an individual believer, we need to 'establish common ground', we need to reach out, and you need to reach out to someone that culturally is different than you. Jesus did and so should you & me. Another principle for biblical unity & love is that Jesus refused to allow culture to interfere with the truth of God's Word.

DO NOT ALLOW CULTURE TO INTERFERE WITH GOD'S TRUTH.
When the Samaritan woman allowed her cultural background to cloud her correct understanding about God, Jesus rejected her cultural commitment. He said to her very directly, "You worship what you do not know" v. 22. His point was clear: Whenever there is a conflict between culture and God's truth, culture must always submit to the truth of God's Word! Our cultures must be controlled by our commitment to Christ. I am not a white Christian. You are not a black Christian, or an Asian Christian, Latino Christian. We don't modify the noun 'Christian' by an adjective—black, white and so on. In other words we don't modify our Christianity by our culture. The facts are--OUR CHRISTIANITY SHOULD MODIFY OUR CULTURE!

I am a Christian who happens to be white. You are a Christian…Important to understand this—as Christians we must always, inform, explain, and if necessary, CHANGE OUR CULTURES—never the reverse. Culture can be a wonderful thing but it not sacred. KINGDOM CULTURE is above all our cultures. Just with a 75 yr old man who understands and appreciates culture—every time he was asked to pray he would say, "Lord thank you for this wonderful world we live in."

Look at v. 35; Jesus said they were to stop making excuses for racial hang-ups! It was harvest time and they needed to see people on God's terms. Illus: Carolina Football Coach note…
Let's not allow culture to interfere with God's truth. Amen?

RECONCILIATION LEADS TO RENEWAL.
(Satan loves to polarize people but God loves to…) A spiritual revival took place in Samaria. V. 39. Jesus even spent the weekend there. V. 40. Because Jesus sought unity and bridged the gap of racial prejudice many Samaritans came to faith. VV 41-42. Want to say this—it doesn't matter if others around you, even your own family won't reach out cross-culturally. You should. God expects you to, and in fact demands that we do it. It is a real key to lasting revival/renewal.

CONCL: If the world can see us as Christians reaching out to other brothers and sisters cross-culturally they will believe. Jesus made a powerful statement in John 13:35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

The Biblical Answer to Racism is GENUINE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER, demonstrated by our unity and HAVING OUR HEARTS TRULY CHANGED BY GOD. These are some real keys to Overcoming Racial Strife—and it is a Technical Foul (worst kind of foul in the game of basketball—can cause your team to lose).

From Acts 11 we see two spiritual truths:
Prejudice keeps Christians apart (and God wants us to be in unity-Satan loves to build walls, God loves to tear them down). A change of heart is required to get rid of prejudice/racism (something spiritual needs to take place). The Lord is saying, 'let your heart be changed.' And from John 4 we see: Establish common ground. You need to reach out to someone that is culturally different than you. Even if your family doesn't. Cannot let our cultures interfere with the truth of God's Word. We are not white Christians, etc. we are Christians. Culture bows to the Kingdom of God. Reconciliation leads to renewal. Personal and cooperate.

I want to sincerely apologize to every person of ethnicity in this fellowship and especially our African American brothers and sisters who have experienced racism at the hands of a white person. I apologize for the way, we the majority, the whites, have historically and even now socially& structurally impose unfair treatment to any black person or any person of color. I repent of white privilege (repeat) and pray that all Americans of any race will experience the God given freedoms of this land we call the United States of America. I give you my personal word that I will stand with you to fight any social injustice you may ever face. I have done this before and will do it again as any need arises. Just say, no Christian who is black should ever play the 'black card' or any person of ethnicity should ever play the 'ethnic card' to get out of personally responsibility or their own sin but again I will stand with you, personally, in any legitimate grievance or concern if you ever need me. I promise. I want to say especially to any black man who has been embarrassed in front of his wife or children because of something said or done by a white person—I say to you I am truly sorry—may God give you the grace you need and may God change that person (s) heart.

Prayer--Connection with God

2008-08-28T07:15:00.001-07:00

From: Saturday, January 13, 2007

Prayer Thought...
I read a story today of a factory worker who was new on the job. She worked in clothing factory. Over her machine there was a card that read, "If your threads get tangled, send for the foreman."
Wasn't to many days and her threads got tangled. She thought she would try and fix it herself and… Finally she called the foreman and when he came he said, "You have been working on this haven't you?" She said, "Yes, I did my best."
He said, "No, you did not do your best. Your best is to call for me."

That illustrates how we need to turn our situations over to God in prayer! Here's some observations about prayer that will help us tonight as we do our best:
+ Prayer reaches up. (I John 5:14,15) The truth is, we reach heaven when we pray!

+ Prayer reaches in. (Isaiah 30:15) It draws the power of God into our lives. It is a spiritual magnifying glass. We catch God's rays, His power and focus it upon our hearts and our spirits can spontaneously burst into flames. Our hearts can be set on fire! It unleashes power in the life of the one who prays. 3.

+Prayer reaches out. (Acts 13:1-3 ) No limit to how far or how fast prayer reaches out. We know light travels 186,000 miles in one second! Wow! But prayer is faster! When we pray, the message goes immediately to God, and by faith, we know the answer is immediately on its way. How many times have you been unable to go to someone but you were so burdened for them. You prayed and knew immediately God was working!!!

+Prayer reaches through. (Acts 12:5-19 ) There are no barriers that can withstand the power of prayer. No obstacles can withstand the powerful thrust of prayer. It doesn't matter the difficulty—doesn't matter if there is a situation that seems to be hopeless—seems to be no resolution---remember PRAYER REACHES THROUGH!!!

CONCL: Praise God! The best we can do is pray. Not just talk about prayer. But really pray. The more we pray, the more power we will have. Little prayer, little power. Much prayer, much power.

Let's not try and untangle things ourselves. Let's call for the foreman. That is the best we can do! And that is a prayer thought

The Midnight Hour

2008-08-28T07:12:00.000-07:00

From: October 31, '06

[Spinning record by Wilson Pickett "Gonna wait till the midnight hour"
Matthew 25:1-6 "At midnight the cry rang out:…"

Romans 13:11-12 CEV "You know what sort of times we live in, and so you should live properly. It is time to wake up. You know that the day when we will be saved is nearer now than when we first put our faith in the Lord. [12] Night is almost over, and day will soon appear. We must stop behaving as people do in the dark and be ready to live in the light."

One translation of verse 11 says, "The hour is come to wake up for the end is near…" And it says of our text in Mt. 25:6 "A cry went out at midnight, the bridegroom is coming…"

I believe we are living in the hour before Jesus returns. He is coming again. We need a personal revelation/conviction that JC is coming again—will keep you pure! There are some events in the Bible that happened at midnight and then put ourselves in those places as we think about the coming of the Lord:

Judges 16:1-3 Here we see Samson sleeping in enemy territory – he was sleeping in Gaza. But it says at midnight he woke up. It is time to wake up and rip out the gates of the enemy and do some exploits for God. It's 11:59 and time to do some exploits for God!

Acts 16A Paul & Silas in jail and they did what? That is an exploit when things are going bad for you to… Need to live our lives like it is 11:59.

Ruth 3: 1 Story of Ruth – awesome story—beautiful story & picture! Again, I want us to see the church here – you and me. It's time to do our best for Jesus! Boaz redeems Ruth and takes care of her. But in verse 8 it says concerning Boaz "Now it happened at midnight that the man [Boaz] was startled, and turned himself; and there, a woman was lying at his feet [Ruth]." Boaz had been good to Ruth & she wanted to show her love—she wanted to show her appreciation for what he had done for her. In verse 7 it says she came in "softly" or "quietly" as not to disturb Boaz. In other words she wanted to do her best – she wanted to show her love by doing her best! What time is it? -- 11:59. Everybody knows you play your best in the 4th quarter and you study your best. Time to do your best!!

1 Kings 3:16-20 Story of two women (actually harlots/prostitutes) who gave birth to one son each in the same house. It says one of the sons died because the mother laid on him in the night (talk about sad). They have come before Solomon for a judgment because of what happened. One of the ladies is speaking to Solomon and says in verse 20 says, "So she arose in the middle of the night (at the midnight hour) and took my son from my side, while I slept, and laid him in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom." Sounds like something that would make it on the Jerry Springer show! Bizarre! Want you to see this –at the midnight hour one woman deceived another. You do realize we live in time of great deception – don't you? It's time to be free from deception. Walk out of your…

The Apostle Peter reminds us, "Be on your guard and stay awake. Your enemy, the devil, is like a roaring lion, sneaking around to find someone to attack." 1 Peter 5:8 CEV. Jesus was speaking to his disciples in Mt. 24:4 NIV and he says to them, "Watch out that no one deceives you." And in verse 5 he says, "For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many." In Matt. 13:24-30 Jesus gives the parable of the wheat & the tares (weeds). Jesus says, "…The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat,…" This is a picture of what is happening at the midnight hour –what is happening today. There are some weeds in the church

The devil is the one who puts weeds in the church –they are in my church and they are in your church. People who can sing like angels on Sunday but live like the devil during the week—they are weeds. People who have one foot in the church and the other foot is in the bar! Really going to find great people there – especially at the single bars…

Luke 11:5-9 Great searching for bread here at midnight. This man was bold to go to a friend at midnight – he persisted and because of it he got what he needed. And in the same way there is a great searching for truth at this midnight hour. In John 6 Jesus says He is the Bread of Heaven—Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. This is a great word for us – Jesus/truth will not be found by the causal – by those who are just wanting to get by –we have to seek him with all our hearts—day by day, everyday! It's time to seek Jesus w all our hearts… Won't find the truth/Jesus by accident – have to seek for it. Prov. 2:2-4 NLT says, "Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure." Look at those verbs!!!!!!!!

Concl: You can attend church, be involved, sing, and still go to hell. You can be religious but do you know Jesus in your heart? If we could do a countdown – 60, 30, 20, 10, 9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 –and an alarm clock went off and the midnight hour came – How would you be living? What do you need to change? What time is it? 11:59 At midnight it is too late.

North Central University

2008-08-28T07:10:00.001-07:00

From: Wednesday, November 1, '06

FAMOUS LAST WORDS
On the grave of Ezekiel Aikle in East Dalhouise Cemetery, Nova Scotia: Here lies, Ezekiel Aikle, Age 102, The Good, Die Young.

In a London cemetery: Here lies Ann Mann, Who lived an old maid, But died an old Mann, Dec. 8, 1767.

In a Ribbesford, England cemetery, The children of Israel wanted bread, And the Lord sent them manna, Old clerk Wallace wanted a wife, And the Devil sent him Anna.

In a Georgia cemetery: "I told you I was sick!"

OK, here are some famous last words from 'famous last words.com'
* What does this button do?
* So, you're a cannibal.
* Are you sure the power is off?
*Which wire was I supposed to cut?
* I wonder where the mother bear is?
* What duck?

Last words are important. Old Testament—blessings. Here are some of the last words of Jesus Christ. Acts 1:8 "But you shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you and you shall be my…" This is what has made the biggest difference in my life; next to my salvation is the Holy Spirit Baptism. I have seen so many people after they have given their lives to Christ, when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit it changed their lives.

Need to understand there is more. HS baptism will give you greater intimacy with Jesus and will give you greater power. Some say when you get saved you get the whole ball of wax. Used to be a great preacher, J. Vernon McGee, would teach thru the Bible and say in his Southern drawl, "Friends, when you get saved you get the whole ball of wax. But the Bible teaches different. I have a friend who was telling me about a preacher's wife and her friend that would attend his church for special meeting. She was taught when… One time he was leaving church and they cornered the pastor in the parking lot. He went thru the whole thing with them again. All of a sudden it got cloudy and lighting struck a light pole just a little ways from them. He started moving and they followed him crying and speaking in tongues! She had just said while she was driving that day. Just say, God does not need to send lightening, in fact don't… Just believe the Scriptures! It all comes down to trust—just believing God & the Bible!

There was a Baptist Greek Scholar who was taught that if you learn another language that was the gift of speaking in tongues. He was taught everything supernatural was natural. But he started studying Greek and became a Greek Scholar. He discovered was not dialetos, a language learned—it was gloss (glows) alalia –a language given! Now he is a Baptecostal! How many of you have heard, "Hang on!" Or "Let Go!" What are you suppose to do? Hang on or let go? Well, it's different for everybody:

Some need to let go ad some need to hang on. You will find in the Book of Acts it was different in each case. But one thing is that they spoke in tongues—languages given.
a). Lay hands on… b). At altars c). On own at home. Ned to understand God did not send you here just to…there is more! . Need to understand there are some requirements.
a. Got to be born-again.
b. Desire/thirst. Why not get all you can? Mt. 5:6 hunger… shall be filled (Mark 11:24)
c. Got to believe. Some have to get over prejudice. Maybe tradition.

Here's what I really want to talk about today: Need to understand we can have a 4 Dimensional Relationship with the Holy Spirit. First, before you were saved the Holy Spirit was WITH you. (Gen. 6:3) spirit not always strive with man. Just say if you are praying for people realize. Second, The Holy Spirit comes to reside IN (within) you as a believer. 1 Cor. 3:16 "…you are the temple of God and the Spirit of God dwells in you…" (1 Peter 1:11 John 14:17). If you say the Holy Spirit is IN you—you are absolutely correct! The minute you accepted Jesus. How does Jesus get in your heart? —Thru the Holy Spirit. Third, We are to be LED BY the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:14 …. OT, cloud & fire. NT, peace & integrity!) Fourth, another dimension of your relationship with the Holy Spirit is that He wants to come UPON you. These are the last words of Jesus Christ! Acts 1:8 In the Greek it is F-Hou-mos. It is a different word than IN or WITH or LED BY. Obviously, the Holy Spirit is not UPON every believer. WITH every person and IN every believer but not…

Jesus said, "You shall receive power (might & ability) when the Holy Spirit shall come UPON you…" When we talk about the Baptism of Holy Spirit we are not just talking about the Holy Spirit being WITH you or being IN you—we are talking about the Holy Spirit coming UPON you.
We have to understand that we are vessels of the Lord. If a vessel is left alone the water IN it will evaporate. There is a big difference between getting filled up and leaving the water flowing. You can be a cup and get some water in you, so to speak or you can put your cup under the water and be a blessing! Holy Spirit wants to come UPON you in power. Lots of benefits to this: 1 Cor 14:2,4 edification, Rom. 8:26-27 able to pray in line more effectively with perfect will of God & can even pray for the unknown. Jude 20 will stimulate your faith! Isa. 28:12-12 spiritual refreshing.

Some of you want this but you want this 'without' the tongues. Somebody told you to be careful you might get a demon! Got a Greek word for that—dumb, really dumb! Luke 11:11-13

So how do you receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit?
+Have to be active. Have to do something. Faith without works is dead. Can't receive passively. "Well if God wants… like saying, 'If God wants to save me.'' Mt. 5:6 Hunger & thirst…

+Have to believe. God wants you to have this; the HS wants to come UPON… But everything we receive we receive by faith. Devil will tell you: a) You are making it up b). It's not real c). It's just you. Yes, it may sound foolish to your intellect but you have to believe. The way to believe is to obey. Eph. 5:18
1. Ask.
2. Praise Ps. 22:3 says, "God inhabits.." The more you praise Him the more His presence will increase in you. Eventually you won't know what to say in your own language.
3. Now just speak in tongues. God will give the utterance—but you do your part—you speak! Ps. 81:10 Open mouth… Yield you voice to the Spirit!!!

My recent fall and hospitalization

2008-08-28T07:03:00.002-07:00

From: Monday, January 14, 2008

For My Friends,
I slipped on the ice in front of my house on Dec. 17th and ended up being in the hospital for 3 days with BPPV (vertigo). Missed preaching one Sunday and then had to use a cane on Dec. 30th but am doing much better now. Instead of dizziness I just have the "wave thing" going on. Am excercising and trustting God for total healing. If you are suffering in some way or no someone who is, I hope this article helps.
Bless you all, Papa G.

Being ill/injured has really reinforced some life lessons for me this Christmas that I want to pass on to you:
1. It gives you a new compassion for the sick and afflicted. Certainly none of us ever want to just go through the motions and do ministry. Even when people seem to drive us crazy at times, we never want to lose our compassion for the hurting and needy. Compassion is something we need to ask the Lord for so we can keep our ministries real. I never want to minister with dry eyes—my prayer is that all of us do our ministries with 'moist eyes.'

2. It gives you a deep appreciation for all health care workers. I received great care at Provena Hospital from every doctor, nurse, tech person and staff member. Dr. Todd Kiskadden, one of the doctors of our church even came to visit me Sunday morning and prayed for me—I was so incredibly touched. Hats off to health care workers who express kindness, patience and tenderness for the sick and afflicted in our communities. They have disciplined themselves to learn, study, and be equipped to serve others. I cannot say enough about the great care given me by Dr. Frank Wrestler and a host of nurses and hospital staff. I am so grateful and thankful.

3. It makes you thankful for simple acts of human kindness. As I was being wheeled down different hallways at Provena, people were patting me on the shoulder and saying things like 'praying for you pastor,' 'love you pastor' and receiving phone calls, visits and gifts from so many from our wonderful leadership team and church family made me so thankful. Kindness is such a force of power and when you are laid low by illness or injury it gives you such hope and encouragement which absolutely builds your faith.

I think sometimes we think we shouldn't say things like, "if you need anything" or "if there is anything I can do please let me know."—but the truth is those words are incredible powerful, helpful and full of healing! Of course anytime we say that and someone contacts us for help we need to make sure we follow through and do what we promised. But so many said those kinds of things and it strengthened me greatly.

God is with us this Christmas. And just as He is helping me and encouraging me through this time in my life, I am confident that "We are well aware that God works with those who love him, those who have been called in accordance with his purpose, and turns everything to their good." Romans 8:28 NJB

Everyone needs encouragement and hope. You might even forward this note on to people you care about. May God bless you and your family.

REAL FREEDOM

2008-08-28T07:03:00.001-07:00

REAL FREEDOM

NCU Chapel – December 5, 2006

I want to talk about the difference Jesus makes in our past, present and future. Jesus made an incredible profound statement in John 8. He said, [32]"And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make your free. [36] "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed." You will really be free, He said. What was Jesus talking about? What does He set me free from?

He wants to set you free the Pain of Your Past/Yesterday.
So many people are stuck in the past and it makes them so unhappy. They hold on to hurts—reacting to the past. Discovered from working with people that there are two basic kinds of things people have a hard time getting over: resentment and regret. Resentment over the way people have hurt them. Regret over the way they have hurt other people or themselves. Jesus wants to set you free from both of them. That is really a good thing! Isaiah 43:18-19 NCV "The Lord says, 'Forget about what has happened before. Do not think about the past. Instead, look at the new thing I am going to do.'" You say, "I would really like to do that, but I can't. They hurt me so deeply. What they did hurts so bad, I can't forget what they did. I just can't let it go."

You are right—that is why you need Jesus! Humanly it is impossible to forget the past. You need supernatural power, you need God's love/power in your heart—never get free from the past until God is really working in your life (may be visiting here today and…). Where is God when you hurt? He is close to you. But you have to be plugged in—God is not distant—you just have to be plugged in. There are so many people who feel like Humpty Dumpty, "Nothing could put me back together again." Friend, you are wrong. God specializes in freedom! Freedom from the past.

Jesus also wants to set you free from the PRESSURES OF TODAY.
This I know about pressure—when it's on you need two things: strength & stability. God offers them both to you. "God never grows faint or weary…He gives power to the those who are tired and worn out." Isaiah 40:28-29 NLT God says I want to give you power when you are worn out. The reason so many are tired all the time is because they were never meant to live life simply on their own power. God designed you to have a relationship with Him, to be plugged in to Him, to get power from Him! I was working on my laptop one time and it kept shutting down because the battery was drained. So I plugged it in the wall but about every two minutes it would shut down on me. I would restart and reboot but it kept shutting down. After 3 or 5 times I finally figured out that I had plugged it into the wall but it wasn't plugged properly into my laptop. I was running off a drained battery. Life can be like that. You keep shutting down when your battery's drained—when your emotional, physical, spiritual battery is drained, you will shut down. But when we build our lives on Jesus Christ, when we make Him the center of our lives—then we can handle anything… And that is the truth.

One more thing —Jesus Christ wants to set you free from pessimistic about TOMORROW.
Lot of pessimistic people today. People have lost faith in a lot of things. But when you really get down to it, most people are discouraged about personal issues:
a.People lose hope when they face situations that need to be changed but they just don't seem ...
b. Another reason we lose hope and become pessimistic is when we don't know the purpose that God made us for. Bible is very clear that we were all created for a purpose, a reason. The sad thing is that so many people go thru life never discovering (a) a relationship with God, or (b) the purpose God put them on earth for.

Have you ever wondered, "What does God think of me?" The Bible is clear what God think about you. "I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord, "I have good plans for you, not plan to hurt you, I will give you hope and a good future." Jer. 29:11 NCV. That is what God is thinking about you. He has plans for you—good plans, filled with hope—and we all have to have hope—have to have hope to cope. Can live without food for 40 days, 3 days without water, 8 minutes without air, but you can't live one second without hope. The moment you lose hope you are no longer living, you are just existing—that's when get pessimistic. We are living in a time of rapid change—everything seems to be up in the air. Need what Alvin Toffler calls "islands of stability."—something that never changes in your life, some emotional and spiritual anchors that hold you down when everything else is flying apart.

Do you have spiritual anchors? Do you have a real relationship to God? Psalm 125:1 LB "Those who trust in the Lord are as steady as Mount Zion unmoved by any circumstance."-This I know, God has a gift for you through Christ—it is freedom, freedom from the pain of your past, the pressures of today and being pessimistic about tomorrow.

Healthy Ministries/Churches

2008-08-28T06:56:00.002-07:00

From: Tuesday, May 29, 2007

One of the joys of my life is mentoring young men and women in the ministry. That is why my blogs are usually in outline form so they (you) can re-use the teachings in your own ministires. Here is subject close to my heart. We need to have healthy ministries. This is a teaching I did in Nebraska last year and if it is a blessing, please give me some feedback and use it!. Passing the baton, Gary Grogan/alias Papa G.

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Theme: 'Choices and Changes' that come our way. Keeping a right attitude in the journey. (Sometimes really tough to do.)

TS: In this first session we want to look at the 'Essential….'

SESSION #1: ESSENTIAL QUALITIES OF A HEALTHY CHURCH and use Acts 2:40-47 as a …
-Acts 2 outline: [a] Fire of Pentecost-HS [b] Fuel of Pentecost-Word [c] Friendship of Pentecost—Cultural of Relationships.
-Want to be clear that church health & church growth is not a numbers game, it is about fruitfulness and durability. In other words a ministry that produces fruit and that fruit lasts! And PLEASE remember we are not called to "how many" but "who!"

1. There is a commitment to prayer. Jer. 33:3

-We don't just believe in prayer or just talk about prayer but we really pray. Corporately and individually. Easy to run a service but a challenge to run a prayer meeting and not go to extremes! Dull or crazy!

-Share insight from Dr. Terry Tekyl based on his book the Presence…

Þ Insight: Presence Based Church
-He says there are basically two types of churches. In Martha churches people are at the center and Jesus is kind of… Calls this a 'head' church. Busy, worried, activities, programs.
-In Mary church he says Jesus is at the center and people are right here… These are presence-based churches. Greatest desire is the presence of God, people of the presence, listen to His Word.
+Wilkerson: David and Solomon Church.
-Leonard Sweet, Methodist-- C'ville seminar that pleaded with us to be the church in town where people could come and be wowed, not with a program but with God's presence.

-Only way that can happen is if we are people of prayer.
Insight: With so many models & ideas have you ever really thought about 'What Makes a Great Church'? Many things for sure, but it seems to me there are three basic things…
A. A place where the truth is proclaimed. Jesus saves…

B. Relationships are built. In order to build a culture of relationships some things we need to know about how groups function in the church world.

1. Large group mtgs—where life decisions are made. 2. Small groups—life process takes place. 3. Medium size groups—is usually where ministry takes place. Choir,etc.

C. Needs are met. Got to have systems and policies in place to help people or you will get your budget/yourself in trouble.

2. There is simple/functional organization and structure
-Of course organization is important --Mark 6:30-44 -- Feeding of 5,000
-Unhealthy churches are overly organized for their size. Healthy churches have simple organization
-Some have mtgs after mtgs to decide basic things. Have to have an amendment to constitution (act of congress) to get anything done.
-Believe in the 'set man principle'. Theocracy…
Þ Insight: Structure helps or hinders health! (This is big boys & girls!) J Churchsmart!

1 Cor. 12:28 "And God has appointed these in the church: first apostle, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, (we like all that but some how blink when we read the rest) helps, administrations, varieties of tongues."

-Service/helps and things properly ordered can bring the blessings of God!

3. The leadership understands its role is to equip people for ministry.
-Ephesians 4:11-16 Unhealthy churches don't recruit new people very good.
-Our vision as leaders will determine the future of our churches! Wow! We see what others don't always see—we see the invisible.
-Healthy churches have leaders who become possessed with a cause greater than they are [that is the why of missions!].
-As a pastor my passion is to see our people grow in X. How can I get them to grow in X.

4. There is a desire to grow.
-Acts 2:47 [read text GW]
-Another reason we are committed to Great Commission. Mat. 28:19-20.
-And if we are going to going to grow we have to 'challenge the process.' Andy Stanley has a great teaching on 'Challenging the Process.' He says leaders like change, growth, increase, etc…people like sameness… If we are going to grow, then he says we have to challenge the process, then we change, and then we grow.

5. There is a Biblical commitment to Purity/Holiness.
-Hebrews 12:14 Ron Auch gives an interesting interpretation of this verse.
-One of the diseases of an unhealthy church is that it tolerates known sin.
-We have to gracious deal with known sin. Ö Married couples living together Ö Living Together, A Guide To Counseling Unmarried Couples by Jeff VanGoethem –Kregel Academic & Professional Publishers. Ö Ministries Today Magazine, July/Aug. '05 issue,
www.ministriestoday.com

Insight: Healthy churches practice Matthew 18:15-17

Conclusion: I want to be healthy & have a healthy church, don't you? Guess we could say an unhealthy church has a disease or diseases. 1. No commitment to prayer. 2. Horrible structure & organization. 3. No equipping of the saints. 4. Little desire to change so there can be growth. 5. No real practical commitment to purity/holiness.

-Could call this the 5 diseases of an unhealthy church. Let's pray for healing! I still believe in healing, let's pray for healing!

Application:

What qualities of personal and cooperate health do you need to work on? *

Write down some 'health' goals for this year*:

Recommended readings:
·The Emotionally Healthy Church by Peter Scarzzero – Zondervan Press
·The ABC's of Natural Church Development by Christian A. Schwarz. 32-page booklet for only $2 each. ChurchSmart@compuserve.com Get one for every one of your leaders and have them read it, discuss it, etc. They have LOTS of helpful, simple stuff!
·The Presence-Based Church by Dr. Terry Tekyl – Powerpointpress.com
* Sample of personal & cooperate 'health goals':

MY DETERMINATION GOALS
Philippians 3:10

1. I am determined to know the Lord Jesus intimately.
2. I am determined to be filled & flooded with all of God.
3. I am determined to appropriate all of God's power/grace so I can be continually transformed.
4. I am determined to let Christ make my experience practical.

UAG '06 GOALS

"…I AM WITH YOU … I WILL STRENGTHEN YOU, YES I WILL HELP YOU. I WILL UPHOLD YOU …" Isaiah 41:10

1. Plan sermon themes & team preaching more in advance.
2. Constitution & By Law Changes. Train new deacons & elders.
3. Name change/signs.
4. Real financial health—cash flow—improvements. [a] $ In savings for Jan/June/Oct. [b] Department accountability [c] Raise $300,000 in Fall
5. Finish MA classes and papers.
6. The year of mission's trips!!!!!!!!!
7. Discovering Life is A#1 priority.
8.Choir problems solved.
9. See ISF truly a vibrant & effective ministry!
"Godly patterns are forward, one decision at a time." J. Oswald Sanders

Brisbane, Australia trip

2008-08-28T06:56:00.001-07:00

From: Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Wow, life has been busy. Since my last Blog my wife Bonnie and I have been to Brisbane, Australia and now we are in Branson, MO! Besides all the busyness of what is happening at our beloved UAG church we have been 'hitting the road jack.' (cheese ball, I know).

Anyhow, it was my privilege to minister at the World Tongan Conference in Brisbane and I wanted to attached below a teaching I shared with the precious Tongan people back in the Island country of Tonga in 2004--hope you enjoy it!

Leadership for Change

Tonga – April 2004

Isaiah 43:18-19 "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

The theme of this conference is "Leadership for Change." That is a perfect definition of a healthy church leader—someone who welcomes change, someone who can bring about change, someone who is a change-agent, someone who is FOR change.

[Bonus; Key to healthy churches = healthy church leaders! And that is a combination that causes a church/ministry to grow!]

This is what Jesus Christ did; He brought about great change! And this is what God has called us as leaders to do—bring about change.

1. As leaders we are FOR change.
2. We are not against change. We do not resist change.
3. We recognize the power of change.
4. We understand creating change is part of our divine calling from God.
5. Healthy church leadership does not vote against change but welcomes and prays for change.
Why is 'change' such a part of a leaders calling? Because without change nothing moves forward –it only dies.

-Leaders realize that doing things the same way and expecting different results equals madness.
-We don't change things just to become healthy – when we are healthy we change things! Some people have the idea…

TS: OK, here are some lessons that will help us be the type of leaders that are FOR change and that of course will help us be healthy church leaders and that will produce healthy churches –which is the key to reaching people for Jesus! {and that is what we all want to do!}

1. Leadership FOR change is all about ATTITUDE. Phil2;5NIV
-Attitude is so very important. You are blessed if you really understand this.
-85% of what draws you to a person is their attitude.
-Yet most people are more concerned about their abilities…
-You can have great talent, but if you have a lousy attitude you won't get far in life.
-You might not have not incredible talent, but if you have a great attitude, that will make you succeed in life.

To be a healthy church leader we must realize that:
1. A good attitude in life is your choice.
a. Can't always change situations around you but you can change the way you see things.
b. Some people just have a negative attitude. They will not go far. Higher in any organization the better… In fact the higher you want to go the better of an attitude you must have!

ILLUS: Attitude change is something you control. Like American man who worked in a factory. Had the same sandwich for lunch every day. Started complaining. One of his fellow workers said, "Why don't you tell your wife to change it?" I can't. Why? Cause I always make it! J He could have changed his daily lunch but…

2. Second, you have got to realize you're a. will affect the outcome of what you do more than anything else.
3. Third, it is your attitude that helps you to get along with people. Most important lesson you will ever learn is to get along with people. Just won't go far with a negative attitude.
-Attitude is the MAJOR difference between success & failure.
+I can predict your future in 60 seconds. Not because I'm a physic, but…
^I am first to admit that attitudes don't stay perfect all the time. Got to work at it. I.e. Like the farmer who said the trouble with cows is that they don't stay milked! J
^ Dr. Martin Luther King "When you're a. slips, your view of people begins to get lower, relationships get strained and you become critical and negative." True isn't it?
-Just say, if you are going to be a healthy leader/a leader who is for change your … Attitude will make or break you.

2. Leadership FOR change is all about WORK.
John 17:4 (true Lord's prayer) "I have glorified You on the earth, I have finished the work which You have give Me to do."
a). Do you realize God is glorified thru hard work?
b). What did God design Adam and Eve to do in the garden? "Till/work the earth." We think work only came after the Fall.
c). Healthy ministry is not about waiting around to see what is going to happen. We are called to get up, go to work, make plans, get things done.

ILLUS: Some people think life is all about breaks. Rena Day and practice.
d). Laziness and ministry do not go together.

Takes work to organize an effective meeting. Takes work to pray, to prepare a message, to grow a church, to grow a ministry. It just does not happen.

3. Leadership FOR change is all about FUN (JOY).

2 Cor. 1:24 'helpers of your Joy' 'fellow workers for your joy.'
- Can lose your joy in Xtian service. I have.
- First flower Satan cuts is joy.
a. Joy is a Xtian virtue. Gal. 5:22 If HG is moving in your life, one of evidences will be joy.
b. Joy is what keeps your salvation experience real and simple.

Isa. 12:3 'Therefore w joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.'

c. Joy is our strength. Neh. 8:10
-Not just merely an emotion. It is a force. It can do things!
-I don't know about others pastors, but where I serve I need strength.
-Lose strength and you can't fight. Illus: Knocked out a NCU

d. Rekindle your joy by responding to the Lord's presence. Facts are when we don't serve the Lord with Joy, we serve our enemies. Duet 28: 47-48

e. Joy is sometimes a sacrifice. Ps. 27:6 Therefore I will offer the sacrifice of joy (joyous shouts) in the His tabernacle.`
4. It is all about BALANCE.

Prov. 11:11 "A false balance is an abomination to the Lord."

Lev. 19:36 "You shall have just balance" Measuring tool but…

Avoid ditches. Basically two: Legalism and Liberalism.

-Huge temptation to get out of balance. We are Pentecostal but…

Illus: A car won't run very well if tires are out of balance or your front end is out of alignment. Will wear your tires out.

-This is huge – can't even walk right if you are out of balance.

-Impossible to do effective ministry if…

5. It is all about FAITHFULNESS.
Prov. 28:20 'A faithful man shall ABOUND with blessing.'
-Leadership gurus say it's all about success. Or it's all about faith. I believe the key to success and the key to faith is faithfulness.
"Who can find a faithful man' 'A faithful woman.'

CM Ward "All it takes for a miracle to happen is for you to show up.
Ps. 85:10 "Love & faithfulness meet together."
* If love will be faithful and if you will be faithful your love will grow.

6. It is all about RELATIONSHIPS.

Eccl. 4:11-12 This is what makes a great ministry, a great church.
-Follow Mt. 18 in dealing with strained relationships. Worldwide most don't

7. It is all about STEWARDSHIP.

-Only place in all of Bible where we are told to prove God is in the area of stewardship. Mal. 3:10 'prove me'
-Three things I talk about in pre-martial counseling. In-laws, communication, finances.
-I learned the most about giving in Bible School. EM Clark. Illus. Missions pledge.

8. It is all about PURITY.

First Cor. 6:18 "Flee sexual immorality, commit against own body. Means you destroy God's plan for your life.
-May struggle in many areas but…

9. It is all about the SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES.
-Paul told Titus 1:8 that an overseer/elder/pastor/church leader must be self-controlled, holy & disciplined.
-Door way. My favorite spiritual discipline is praying in tongues. Ro. 8:26 praying according to perfect will of God.
10. It all about GRACE.
-Grace is the bottom line. Active force within giving you the power and. Phil 1:6 Bible definition of grace!
-Faith is what we do, grace is what God does.

11. It is NOT about CONFRONTATION.
-Prov. 20 verse 3, "it is to a man's honor to avoid strife."
-Listened to a tape one time and guy said this and I agree.
-Of course there are times. Apostle Peter in Gal. 2 with Paul.

12. It is not about being the Messiah.
We are to point people to the Messiah. John the Baptist anointing. God spoke to (v. 2), thru (vv. 3-4) and beyond (vv. 15-16) Luke 3

Concl: Leadership FOR change is a healthy leader. A healthy leader produces a healthy church. And a healthy church reaches people for JC and that is what we all want to do.

Application: What has God spoken to you about? In a minute we will write it down. Now we will come and pray…

Avoiding The Dark Side

2008-08-28T06:51:00.001-07:00

From: Thursday, January 25, 2007

{Pardon my French in regards to my mood.} But here they go again--some pious witchhunter from Minnesota sent an email letter to my denominations Lead Pastors (at least in Illinois) slaming Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Church Model, Bill Hybels and others...blah, blah, blah.

I have resigned to the fact that these "we are only ones right and everybody else is wrong" type Christians will be with us until Jesus comes. Even when they die there seems to be new ones popping up all the time! Earl Crepes calls these sicko's "erasers" in his excellent book, Off-Road Disciplines. He calls them this because "they wipe away anything we accomplish with our own lives."

Also, two minister friends of mine have recently co-authored a book titled The Jesus Sensitive Church--one has never been a Lead Pastor and the other one is relatively new at it. For years he traveled full time and like the majority of intinerants they are both experts at what is wrong with the church and what the church needs. I haven't read the book yet because I know it will just make me mad--one of my associate pastors has read part of it and he says, "it will tick you off!"

The sicko from Minnesota I do not know but the two brothers bashing what God is doing I have known for many years. It is so easy for any of us to cross over to the Dark Side. It grieves me to know they have crossed over to the Dark Side. I know I have done it too but I certainly hope I can avoid it in the latter part of my life and ministry.

"Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out." Proverbs. 20:5 NKJV

"Someone's thoughts may be as deep as the ocean, but if you are smart, you will discover them." Proverbs 20:5 CEV

"Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man? The righteous man walks in his integrity: his children are blessed after him" Proverbs 20:6-7 NKJV

Will a faithful and just person walk on the dark side? Obvious answer is 'no.' Yet, there are those who proclaim their own goodness as verse 6 says and the truth is, they are on the dark side—their speech betrays them.

There are those, especially among the Pentecostal ranks who live on the dark side—their lives and words are absolutely negative. One of the things about us Pentecostals, that really bugs me—unless you have friends outside of Pentecost who will be honest with you, you will never see this—

-There are those in our ranks that act very spiritual and generally have a 'prophets complex' but in reality they are not persons of understanding. In fact, often after someone has had a season of success and blessing it seems they move towards the dark side.

Illus: Give you some examples of what I mean: [a] Email from James Sundquist, Director of Rock Salt Publishing and, [b] Charisma article by Steve Hill

This has always been around:

[a] Small groups are leading the church astray.
[b] Different translations have watered down the gospel.
[c] Having prayer meetings with non-Pentecostals is compromise.
[d] Psychology and psycho-therapy is evil and …
[e] Too much education will cause you to lose your fire.
[f] Leaving out Hymns will cause our theology to be shallow.

TS: Here is my response to this kind of stuff:
1. It is hyper-spiritual, which is evidence of huge pride! "He gives more grace…. " James 4:6-8 And what comes before a fall? Pride!

2. It is overly critical—it is really a critical spirit manifested under the guise of spirituality. That is what we call narcissism, which means you see everybody else's weakness but cannot see your own!
-This is the way the Pharisee's were! I have a new scripture, "Jesus Christ the same yesterday…and so are the Pharisees!"
-Full of half-truths and things they believe are true that are not the case.
(i.e.) Rick Warren does not preach repentance! Stupid!

3. It is divisive in nature. Ephesians 4:31-32 LB "Stop being mean, bad-tempered and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you because you belong to Christ."
-What I have noticed is that usually the higher you go in the food change the more positive people are. Reasons why some people never get ahead!

Illus: Just came back from a week at SPN with Jack Hayford! He had nothing bad to say about anybody!!! Everybody is his friend!

4. It borders on witch hunting. We have not been called to hunt witches! Usually these types of people become paranoid and see a witch in every bush. Especially if you are successful and God blesses your ministry the dark side prophets think you are doing something wrong or leaving something out.
-Whether we agree with someone methods or not doesn't mean they are preaching a false gospel. Illus: My son called me. One TV guy bashing Rick Warren's book and the very next week the guy's son bashing the opening of a new church that had 30,000!

-Listen to what Paul said in Phil. 1:15-18 "Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from good will: The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will (continue to) rejoice."

5. It totally ignores the ministry of encouragement. Barnabas and Saul in Acts 9:26-30! Dark side guys in this text were afraid/did not trust him.
-These Dark Side Prophets throw out the baby with the bath water.
"Let's agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help each other with encouraging words don't drag them down by finding fault." Romans 14:19 Message
-Amazing amount of verses that tell us we should encourage one another:

-Heb.3: 13 "but exhort (encourage) one another daily while it is called 'Today.' Lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." NKJV Want you to know encouragement is a weapon in spiritual warfare. We build up what the enemy tries to tear down!

+Some ways we can encourage one another:

A. Give words of affirmation & praise. This is not flattery—you are just acknowledging some godliness you see in someone else.

"I enjoy being with you, it motivates me to spend more time alone with…"

B. Express appreciation. When people express their love & appreciation it builds our own worth and value.

-Thank you for the time you spent preparing that meal… in preparing that lesson! THANK YOU two words that spell power!

C. We can express encouragement thru a caring touch. Not use it as an opportunity for the flesh! Sometimes all that is needed for someone to be encouraged is…. Illus: Clare Doan's mom.

-Discouragement is a tool of the devil and we can defeat with this weapon of warfare—encouragement.

Concl: There seems to be three groups that go down this road to the Dark Side: [a] Young men/women who have a heart for God seemed to often be influenced by these Dark Side Prophets.

-I will warn you that once you go down that road it is hard to turn around.
-All you see is bad – it is easier to be negative than positive!

[b] And there seems to be those who get frustrated for whatever reason and they…

[c] Then there are those who have had good ministries but something happens in their latter days and they develop this 'prophet mentality' that their calling is to protect the faith. What a way to be
remembered! {Sic}

Applic: Articles by Keith Green and Bill Gothard (who is bit like this, sad huh?)

-So what can you do to avoid the Dark Side?
a. Make sure you understand the Ministry of Encouragement.
b. Pray to be used in this great gift!

Bonus: #7. Of course there are times we confront because of our love.
"…If a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted" Galatians 6:1 NIV

-I am not advocating we just accept and affirm everything and everybody just as they are. When wrong is done, we have to …

Insight: We will all error and I chose to error on the side of GRACE!

PRACTIAL KEYS FOR YOUNG MINISTERS TO USE IN MINISTERING THE HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISM IN TODAY’S CULTURE

2008-08-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

“And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, even as the Spirit was giving them to declare.” Acts 2:4 A.S. Worrell Translation

In his footnote on this verse, Dr. Worrell states: “This gracious experience—whether considered as an immersion in the Holy Spirit, or a filling with, or the gift of the Holy Spirit, is the privilege of every true believer, (v. 39), and his duty, (Eph. 5:18).” Yet how do we teach this privilege and duty in our post-Christian culture?

My conviction is that the Lord wants to baptize every believer in the power of the Spirit. For that to happen, He wants to teach us, as He has faithfully done in every age of every culture, how to communicate this wonderful experience in fresh new ways that will reach people instead of turning them off and driving them away.

Let me suggest some practical ways to minister the Holy Spirit baptism in today’s culture:

1. Decide it is a blessing and not a curse. Missional leaders work very hard to connect and communicate with the cultures in which God has placed them. The last thing they want to do is drive people away! Because of that, some develop a real apprehension toward preaching or teaching on the baptism in the Holy Spirit.[1] No one needs to feel condemned; it is a legitimate concern, especially for those who are reaching people from diverse backgrounds.

What I am asking is that you decide in your heart of hearts that the Holy Spirit baptism is biblical and that it is a viable experience for your church today. With some creativity and intentionality, you can see your people come into this life-changing experience without scaring them away or freaking them out.

More and more, younger ministers are walking away from Pentecostal circles because they have become convinced “tongues”[2] was no longer theologically correct. It is too bad there was not some mentor available to help them along the way. In many cases, their struggle is really with past methodologies and not so much with the theology at all. The truth is, everyone that I have known who has walked away spoke in tongues in their own private prayer times, and now instead of leading others into this joyous experience they are robbing others of this great gift. That is grievous and unnecessary.
The Holy Spirit baptism is a valid, biblical experience that Jesus administers Himself,[3] and I am asking, no matter the hang-ups, that with integrity you simply say, “OK, it’s Bible.” This is where we must start. Pentecost is not a cultural thing that turns us off; it is a Jesus thing, a Bible thing, and a relevant thing for today!

2. Be creative with this subject just like you are with everything else! Never has there been a more creative, educated, and talented group of ministers in our history. I love the creativity and innovation of this generation. So be creative in teaching this great truth. You guys and gals can do this—use that God-given creativity and make it fun and powerful! Mark Batterson, pastor at National Community Church in Washington DC says part of being God-like is being creative. I agree. Be God-like in proclaiming the truth of the Holy Spirit baptism.

For example, I used a Pentecost Sunday sermon series written by Ron Bontrager, pastor of Lakeview Christian Center in Indianapolis, IN entitled “Power-Aid.” My young creative ministry team put more than a hundred bottles of Power-Aide on our stages. Each week, drinks were given away, and it was a simple but fun way of dealing with the Holy Spirit baptism. After the third message, we came around the front and worshiped, and many experienced their own prayer language for the first time. It was fun, contemporary, and easy. For weeks after, people e-mailed us and testified that they had received their language while reading their Bibles at home, and one guy while driving to work!

3. Be intentional. Schedule a stand-alone or short series in the spring of the year around Pentecost Sunday. If you will do this instead of ignoring the subject, it will force you to make it work in the culture of your church and community. Consider scheduling a Holy Spirit retreat at the end of your Alpha course, or start a class, a seminar—whatever it takes, but resist the temptation to do nothing. I know of a Lutheran church in St. Paul, MN that teaches on the Holy Spirit baptism through classes, seminars, retreats and all kinds of creative ways—more than most Pentecostal and Charismatic churches do.

Part of missional leadership is doing the things we know are right but would rather not do. For me, it is preaching on money—I don’t like it, but, when I do, people and our church are blessed because of my obedience. Pastoring would be easy if all we had to preach on was grace, but it’s not!

Resist the temptation to ignore this great truth. Resist the subtle temptation to wait until you have this all figured out. Does anyone have it all figured out? It is simply our job as leaders to teach our people and lead the way. We must provide opportunities for growth, and we do that by being intentional. We must make plans and then work those plans like we do with so many things.

4. Avoid the ditches of legalism and liberalism. It is not right to just neglect and log-off in regards to ministering the Holy Spirit baptism to our people. We want what is best for them and do not want our neglect to hinder their walks with God in any way. The truth is, if we just leave out teaching on the Holy Spirit baptism it can lead to criticalness, being judgmental and into the ditch of liberalism. By liberalism I mean out of balance. It is a whole lot better to drive down a road than it is to run off a road and into a ditch. People can get hurt, our vehicles can get damaged and at the very least we can delay the journey for ourselves or someone else. It is good to be reminded that our calling is to faithfully “preach the Word”[4] and of course we want to do that like a good missionary in culturally relevant ways. This wonderful experience of the Holy Spirit baptism will greatly enrich the lives of our people as it has each of us so we need to avoid this ditch of indifference.

We also need to avoid the ditch of legalism. Legalists are never happy regardless of what is said or done and they are certainly out of balance. They equate Pentecost with certain styles of preaching, singing and other methodologies to numerous to mention. There is a spiritual smugness about them and they have a tendency to reject anything they do not understand or is not like them. Somehow a legalist Pentecostal wandered into our church on a day I was teaching on the Holy Spirit baptism. I did so in a conversational way and then had a simple time of worship and prayer around the altars that probably only lasted ten minutes or so. There were around twenty people that morning who began to speak in a prayer language for the very first time including Miss America 2003, Erika Harold! Anyhow, this Pentecostal legalist almost accosted me after the service and said, “There is no way those people were really baptized in the Holy Ghost.” I asked why she felt that way and she actually said, “Because it wasn’t loud enough and there was no real emotion in it.” She was stuck in the ditch of legalism.

In order to stay out of both these ditches we need to remember that none of us can save anyone, so why do we think we can get anyone Holy Spirit filled? In both cases we just teach the Word of God and create the atmosphere, then God does His thing. Just preach salvation, and you will get people saved. Preach Holy Spirit baptism, and you will get Holy Spirit-baptized believers. We get what we preach.

In order to stay out of the ditches you also need to free yourself from the pressure of thinking you always have to have an “altar service.” Train people to be on prayer teams and have them available to pray with people who want to make a public commitment to Jesus and for those who want to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It is not necessary to have a Billy Graham-type appeal to see people saved, and it is not necessary to have a camp meeting-style appeal to see people Holy Spirit baptized. Today’s audiences will not process old methodology, and it may even cause them to freeze up or perhaps walk out.

People do not always respond immediately to a message of salvation. It is the same way with the Holy Spirit baptism. There will not always be an immediate response, but eventually some will respond. We just have to be faithful.

5. Pray your people will be Holy Spirit baptized. There is no real gift of praying people through to the baptism as some think. We just teach God’s Word in creative ways, learn to connect with culture and not to alienate people, and then we just pray our heads off for the Lord to save and baptize people. I want to encourage young pastors/leaders to sincerely and consistently pray: “Jesus, I need you to baptize these people in the Holy Spirit. You said you would, and I am asking you to do it.” Then go ahead and pour out your concerns to Him about people getting weird, demonstrative, and spooky; ask Him to take care of those things for you.

I am in a city with a huge university that has people from every conceivable walk of life coming to our services. Like you, we try to do things with order and excellence. I want people to connect with God through salvation and the Holy Spirit baptism, but I do not want Pentecostal cultural things to chase them away. I have told the Lord that I am not ashamed but that He has to help me make all this work in our setting. In the past, many Pentecostal churches have left out the baptism as they have grown or have regulated it to Sunday or Wednesday nights. With the huge cultural shifts we have seen and with the dissolution of Sunday nights, it is imperative that we learn how to teach this in relevant ways on Sunday mornings, in our youth or young adult meetings and other primary meetings.

6. Admit your fear and do some defragmenting. Paul said to young Timothy, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (fear), but of power, love and sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Just like a computer needs to be defragmented once in a while, so we need to do the same. We need to get rid of junk like fear that slows us down and keeps us from doing what know we should do. We cannot afford to give in to our fears and apprehensions. This I know: desire overcomes fear and intimidation! If we will simply have the desire and ask the Lord to really help us, He will. If we will be faithful, He will be faithful and believers will be Holy Spirit baptized!

You don’t have to lose your mind and put on some kind of gospel freak show to teach the truth on the Holy Spirit baptism. But you do have to be willing “to preach the message, to insist upon proclaiming it (whether the time is right or not), to convince, reproach, and encourage, as you teach with all patience”[5] like you promised to do when you were licensed and/or ordained to full gospel ministry. As men and women of integrity, we have to do what we promised the Lord we would do. We need to be like Jet Li, the warrior in the movie Fearless. His family name was shamed, and he regained honor for his family by defeating the best warriors in the land. We need some young, fearless ministers to show us how to do this in post-Christian culture.

I am not saying you have to preach on the Holy Spirit every week, but you have to be willing to preach it. Perhaps a stand-alone or short series around Pentecost Sunday would be sufficient. If there is no sin in preaching on the great truths of the incarnation and resurrection only around Christmas and Easter, why do some hyper-Pentecostals (who are on spiritual Ritalin) think we’ve lost it if we only deal with this once a year? Like I said, don’t let those legalists ruin it for you! You can mention it in your teaching once in a while and say things like: “Some of you need to search out the claims of the Holy Spirit just like you did the claims of Christ. See if it’s true or not. This is a Bible church, and I promise you I would not teach on it unless it was in the Word. See if God has a prayer language for you.” Of course I believe He does, but the way we say things will either free people or freeze them. As missional leaders, we are trying to connect with and reach people, not run them off!

We also talk about this at the end of prayer meetings when people are around the altar. I will put a quick outline on PowerPoint and go through the basics of Holy Spirit baptism in just a few minutes, and almost every single time there are people who receive for the first time and start praying in a language they have never learned.[6] The atmosphere in a prayer meeting, many of which are at night, seems to be totally different than Sunday mornings, when those exploring or window-shopping Christianity seem to show up. It’s not that I’m embarrassed being Pentecostal or anything like that. It is just a matter of trying to be wise and reach as many people as possible for Christ. After all, that is the primary reason Jesus told us to receive this promise of the Father, that we might be His witnesses.[7]

There are probably more people than we want to admit who get their ideas of Pentecost from movies like The Apostle or the crazy TV evangelists our culture makes fun of. Because of these very real obstacles, I think many simply fear teaching and praying for people to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. De-fragment your fear and go ahead and teach the baptism in a way that does not violate your personality or the culture of your local church. Styles that work at camps, retreats, and conventions don’t usually work on Sunday mornings, and that is OK.

Wrap up

I want to sincerely apologize to our younger generation of ministers/leaders who sometimes feel abandoned. Forgive me and my generation for not being better spiritual fathers. Forgive us for making methodology and programs sacred. And please avoid the mistakes we have made and embrace the baptism with the Holy Spirit. My word to our younger ministers is: “…desire earnestly to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues” (1 Corinthians 14:39 A. S. Worrell Translation).

I used to hear that those baptized in the Holy Spirit had more power and ability to do the works of God. But in many of our communities, the churches really reaching the lost are not Pentecostal or Charismatic churches. That does not negate the truth of the power of the Spirit, but it does show that we have not contextulized to our cultures what the Lord has made available to us.

I love praying in a language I have never learned; it helps me so much. There have been so many times when I have not known what to do and I simply began to pray in the Spirit and the Lord faithfully gave me a word of wisdom, prophecy, or insight to bring healing and help needed to the person or situation. Some of those I personally know and love who are honesty trying to reach the unchurched absolutely they need the Holy Spirit’s fullness to help them. Whether it is Joel Gross in the Minneapolis uptown area, Brad Riley at the University of Colorado in Bolder or Terry Austria at the University of Illinois in Urbana—they each realize without the help and work of the Holy Spirit they cannot reach people in their unique cultures.

The truth is, none of us can afford to leave the Holy Spirit baptism out—we must in veritable ways learn to do things better and de-bunk Pentecostal myths.[8] The baptism with the Holy Spirit truly is a tremendous blessing to everyone who receives—and so I am asking my young minister friends to simply be creative, intentional, stay out the ditches, pray the Lord will baptize your people in His Spirit and do some de-fragmenting of your fears. We all struggle and I know this is a real struggle for many young leaders but please know you are loved, believed in and given leeway to figure things out. Let’s not walk away from each other—let’s embrace one another as we journey together. I am passing the baton to you.

Appendix A

6 Steps to Receive the Holy Spirit Baptism

1. Thirst—Matthew 5:6; Mark 11:24

2. Ask—Matthew 7:7

3. Look to Jesus—Acts 1:8

4. Receive—Galatians 3:14

5. Praise—Psalm 22:3

6. Speak in unknown language (tongues)—Psalm 81:10

[1] I use these terms interchangeably but prefer “Holy Spirit baptism.”
[2] I prefer to use the phrase “speak in a language never learned” because “tongues” has so much emotional and theological baggage associated with it.
[3] Luke 24:49
[4] 2 Timothy 4:2
[5] 2 Timothy 4:2 Good News Translation
[6] See Appendix A for this outline.
[7] Acts 1:4, 8
[8] For a complete discussion, request my paper Ministering the Holy Spirit Baptism in a post-Christian culture.