Category Archives: Community

Oct 12 2011

Hurry, hurry, hurry…

Being in church all my life, and being in the circles I’ve been in, I’ve seen it all. I’ve seen people operate under the anointing of the Holy Spirit in the way the Lord intended, and I’ve seen them turn it into a mockery looking like a circus side show – “Hurry, hurry, hurry, step right up and let our prophet tell your future.”

Honestly, I’ve quit caring about the hoop-lah and the next “exciting time in the Lord we’re going to have at our ‘look how spiritual we are extravaganza.’”  I’ve quit going to those things until I really take the power of the Holy Spirit to the lost.  We’ve (I mean we, as in the Pentecostal church world) turned the demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit into a thrill event for those who should be actually demonstrating it.  People get prayed for to receive the power, then flop over on the floor under a power that God wants us to actually walk in daily. This isn’t for our thrills and amusement. This power is given so that we can reach the lost with it.  The power that is in you – believer who claims to be overflowing with the Holy Ghost – is meant to give you power to be witnesses of Christ! It’s not in you to show off how spiritual you are when you get to church.  This is not in you so you can go become a superstar evangelist!  The superstar is Christ. If we are not pointing to Christ with this, we are pointing to ourselves.

Jesus said “these signs follow those who believe” (mark 16:17) – rather than those who believe following the signs as we are seeing in American churches today. We hear of the stories over and over of supernatural miracles taking place in other countries, yet it is so rare here. Look at the venues these miracles are happening in.  They are not believers conferences and campmeetings.  They are in places where the lost have been gathered together in the masses and are presented the Gospel message. They are in the villages where people haven’t heard of Christ.

This isn’t to say miracles and healings don’t happen where believers gather. Of course when we are sick are to call upon the elders of the church, lay hands on the sick and they will recover. I don’t dispute this.  I’m talking about the circus show we’ve turned the “greater works” Jesus declared we would have into.

I’m reminded of stories of both Charles Finney and Smith Wigglesworth, while minding their own business, having people around them convicted of their sin by just being near them.  They didn’t need a Hammond B-3 or a great worship band like Jesus Culture or an angelic choir singing “just as I am” to generate that atmosphere.  All they had to do is know how to walk with God.  Smith Wigglesworth wouldn’t allow newspapers in his home.  He wanted to hear what God was speaking about the world around him rather than the worlds own interpretation of itself!  Do we really want to walk with God like that?

I wonder if God is tired of our meetings and gatherings where we out-do each other’s spirituality.  Jesus didn’t say “Greater works than these shall you SEE,” He said “Greater works than these shall you DO.“  Let’s take this message and power to those who need it, not to those who already have it.

Oct 4 2011

Rethinking Discipleship

My title may be a little off. I don’t want to “re-think” discipleship. I want to think about discipleship in the way Christ taught us how to do it.

It’s no secret I was raised on a Pentecostal church pew, have attended and served in Assemblies of God churches most of my life, and am heavily influenced by Pentecostal/Charismatic teachings.  In the past few years, however, I’ve been on a journey to ensure that what I believe and practice are truly Biblical in how we interpret them today.  I don’t think in concept those in my circles disagree, however, in practice it’s not happening.

Discipleship is one of these practices.  Over the years I’ve seen a trend where discipleship has been a buzzword that few know anything really about.  The reason few know what it’s about is because few are really doing it.  Discipleship is not Sunday School. Sunday School/small groups/Christian Education (whatever you call it) has an important place, and can be a small part of one’s discipleship, but is not the whole package. We need to be taught the deeper things of the Word, and we need to build community with other believers, but this doesn’t disciple us.

Going back to the Word, in Matthew 28:18-20:

Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”

Jesus didn’t say to get them into our church pews or start a Bible study, He said to personally go out and train everyone you meet.  Teach them how to follow and live for Him!

Discipleship is dirty work.  When Jesus had 12 guys follow him all over Israel, He didn’t do it to have body guards or to have people carry his stuff for Him (although they gladly would have done these things). He did this so that His work on earth didn’t end when He ascended into Heaven.

According to His command, you and I today should have disciples.  We should have people who we are personally teaching by example and demonstration how to walk with God.  We should be teaching them by example how to live by faith, how to have hope. We should be teaching them by example how to grow the fruit of the Spirit.

Sep 9 2008

The funniest thing I’ve ever heard of…

I’m now 33 years old, and have lived in rural communities most of my life.  Why is today the first time I’ve heard of “Cow Patty Bingo?”

I’m at the office working, minding my own business, when Amy (the lady who works customer service) gives me a few community announcements to put on our community bulletin board.  Here’s what I had to put on for all to see:

Now, obviously, we know by the description that cow patty bingo involves the use of cow patties.  What I didn’t know is HOW the cow patties come into “play”.  See, the players mark off a designated area, and create a bunch of 3 foot by 3 foot squares.  They number the squares and sell off tickets with those numbers on them.  Then they turn a willing bovine participant (hopefully not constipated) loose in the fenced off area, and they wait.  What are they waiting on?  A cow patty of course! (they need a cow to produce a cow patty I’m told).  When the cow produces its game piece, a winner is determined by the square it falls on. 

Too bad the name of the game “shooting craps” was already taken when the drunk farmer who came up with this game was looking for a name!

Oh, it’s on youtube too, just so you know I’m telling the truth (pay close attention to what the guy with the camera is saying!)