After being told to stay in Illinois by the Spirit of God and after receiving the Vision from God of the Church he intends to establish in this area (Where prophecy and passion in worship live) I was introduced to a man who had moved to our area to plant a Church. There had been several others. I had met them all. None of them witnessed to my spirit that they were the one I was to partner with. I met Tim Campbell. We had crossed paths before. In Fargo. This man did witness to the Spirit in me. Too many coincidences not to be God. But I was cautious.
I was watching and waiting. Then one night I was with him when he was praying for a man who had a back problem. He was praying in tongues. I immediately heard something in the spirit that said, "He’s the one you are to team up with". So I did. I believed he was sent of God to do this work and bring about the Church of the Vision.
He founded New Life Christian Fellowship of Geneva IL. I became an elder. Hard work, difficult times, but this would mean that people full of the Holy Ghost who live in this area wouldn’t have to drive an hour each way to attend a good Pentecostal work like the promised temple of God of the vision would be. It was at the same time exhilarating and painful. I continued my involvement with Todd. There were personal tensions because of it but I knew my future to fulfill the vision God had given me to pursue was in the Geneva St. Charles area.
I taught in New Life as I had taught in every church we had ever attended. Teaching is a gift I had been anointed with years before. Not just ability, true anointing. I taught the word of God better than I was able to. That’s anointing. I also shared the pulpit in preaching. Better than I am able.
The Church rose. Then began to fall because of personal problems. Tim stepped down. From that time on I operated as Pastor. I learned a lot about leadership and structure. I developed a deep understanding of apostolic leadership during that time.
Divisions in this small body were apparent. People who had been in the church were not prepared to receive me as Pastor. I had been part of them as a member and as an elder. One of them. I learned about the importance of being set apart for ministry in a Church. How important it is to be recognized as such to be truly effective. Anything less leaves you as one of them. This was true in the book of Acts, it’s true now. Moses did it, so should we.
Our church had been founded and funded by the IPHC denomination (International Pentecostal Holiness Church, a sister Denomination of the Assemblies of God with about 3 million members globally, about 10% of which are in the USA). I honored their investment and intent. They were good people with a good heart. To be dishonorable in dealings with them was just wrong.
I made the decision during this time to become credentialed with this organization. Not for any reason except God told me to. I knew it was right, I knew that I would need to be for the future. I’m a big believer in knowing the one who holds the future even if I don’t know the future.
After a year long course of study and testing (which was fortunately made easier by the long detailed study I had made of the Bible in the past decades) I was given credentials as a Licensed Minister of the Gospel under the IPHC. Reverend Gene Redlin. I've probably NEVER written that before. I may not be all that Reverend. But, I am a Minister of the Gospel. Anointed for service, and committed to the call of God he has placed in my life.
In 2002 several painful things happened. We were just coming off the 9-11 in 2001. We were just recovering from the economic fallout as a nation. My business failed. Badly. Nearly bankrupted me. During that time I was connected with Carl Boender of CBMC. Those precious men helped me keep even during a very painful time. At the same time the decision was made to close down the Church. This was painful too. People blamed me. As Pastor they had the right. I wasn’t up to the job. I discovered my gifting during this time. IT WAS NOT THE MINISTRY GIFT OF PASTOR. I have other gifts to give the Church. More on this later.
While it was a very low point it was also a glorious place in God. I discovered new depths of his grace that only being in that place can bring you to. My precious wife Peggy stood right beside me. The power of faith and persistence proved over and over the goodness of God to be sufficient.
Once again, Rodney Howard-Browne’s admonition to me, “You can live like this” was proven true.
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