JESUS SPEAKS OF THE DEMON SPIRIT OF RELIGION AND RELIGIOUS LEADERS POSSESSING THE SPIRIT OF DEMONIC RELIGION.

This morning I taught the men of God Session the teachings of Jesus and regarding False religion. Unfortunately we have many many in the church today who are terminally religious and need to be delivered from Bondage. Take a Look at What Jesus Himself Said about False Religious Leadership:

Jesus recognized the positions of Honor the Religious leaders had:
Matthew 23:2 - Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

He said they demonstrated their real spirit by how much they LOVED to be honored
Mark 12:38 - And in his teaching he said to them, Beware of the scribes, who love to go about in long clothing, and love greetings in the marketplaces,
Mark 12:39 - And the chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honour at feasts:
Luke 20:46 - Beware of the scribes, who like to walk about in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces, and the best seats in the synagogues, and the places of honour at feasts;
Matthew 23:5 - But all their works they do to be seen by men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
Matthew 23:6 - And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,
Matthew 23:7 - And greetings in the markets, and to be called by men, Rabbi.
Luke 11:43 - Woe to you, Pharisees! for you love the best seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the marketplaces.

He identified them as a spirit, even a demon spirit condemned to hell, A snake spirit. WE don’t deal with flesh and blood but with spirits good and evil. A religious spirit is evil.
Matthew 12:34 - You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
Matthew 23:33 - You serpents, you generation of vipers, how can you escape being condemned to hell?
Matthew 23:36 - Truly I say to you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

A Religious spirit is Greedy and crooked
Luke 20:47 - They devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: they shall receive the greater condemnation.
Mark 12:40 - They devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater condemnation.
Matthew 23:14 - [Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: therefore you shall receive the greater condemnation.]

A Religious spirit is contagious like yeast. Avoid it.
Luke 12:1 - In the meantime, when a great crowd of people had gathered, so that they trod upon each other, he began to say first to his disciples, Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
Matthew 15:14 - Let them alone: they are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Mark 8:15 - And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.
Matthew 16:6 - Then Jesus said to them, Take heed, and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

If you feel MORE burdened after you come to a Men of God or to Church you have been in the presence of a religious spirit. RUN!
Matthew 23:4 - For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them upon men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.
Luke 11:46 - And he said, Woe to you also, lawyers! for you load men with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not touch the burdens with one of your fingers.

A Religious Spirit is a case of the blind leading the blind. They don’t know the way and can’t show you.
Matthew 23:13 - But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for you do not go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.
Luke 11:52 - Woe to you, lawyers! for you have taken away the key of knowledge: you did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered.
Matthew 15:`14 …They are blind leaders of the blind. If the blind leads the blind both will fall into the ditch.

A religious spirit makes a big show out of extraordinary evangelism. It’s not evangelism at all, it’s self aggrandizement. Be careful where you send your money.
Matthew 23:15 - Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you cross sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.

A Religious Spirit always looks good on the outside. Jesus cleans us up from the inside out, not from the outside in.
Matthew 23:25 - Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and self-indulgence.
Luke 11:39 - And the Lord said to him, Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
Matthew 23:26 - You blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.
Luke 11:40 - You fools, did not he who made the outside also make the inside?
Luke 11:41 - But rather give what you have within as alms; and, behold, all things are clean for you.
Luke 11:42 - But woe to you, Pharisees! for you tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, but neglect justice and the love of God: these you ought to have done, and not left the others undone.
Matthew 23:27 - Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like whitewashed tombs, which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but within are full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.
Luke 11:44 - Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over unaware.
Matthew 23:28 - Even so you also outwardly appear righteous to men, but within you are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

A religious spirit will teach church tradition as if it were equal with the word of God. If you hear tradition being taught, it’s a religious demon speaking.
Matthew 15:7 - You hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying,
Matthew 15:8 - This people honors me with their lips; but their hearts are far from me.
Matthew 15:9 - But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

The Religious Demon HATES the Apostolic and Prophetic. It will always try to crush the gift in the person who has it, or silence the person who carries it. They want to put to death the prophetic and apostolic.
Luke 11:49 - For this reason also the wisdom of God said, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall kill and persecute,
Matthew 23:34 - Therefore, behold, I send to you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them you shall kill and crucify; and some of them you shall scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city:
Matthew 23:35 - That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berachiah, whom you killed between the temple and the altar.
Luke 11:50 - That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;
Luke 11:51 - From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the temple: truly I say to you, It shall be required of this generation.
Matthew 23:29 - Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you build the tombs of the prophets, and adorn the sepulchers of the righteous,
Matthew 23:30 - And say, If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
Matthew 23:31 - Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves, that you are the sons of those who killed the prophets.
Luke 11:47 - Woe to you! for you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.
Luke 11:48 - Truly you bear witness that you approve of the deeds of your fathers: for they killed them, and you build their tombs.
Matthew 23:32 - Fill up, then, the measure of the sins of your fathers.

Religious Demons should not be argued with, they won’t change, they should be exorcised, kicked out and warned against. We just did!
Matthew 7:6 - Do not give that which is holy to dogs, nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Here in context is everything Jesus had to say to and about those who were possessed of the Religious Demon in Matthew 23:

THEN JESUS said to the multitudes and to His disciples,

The scribes and Pharisees sit on Moses' seat [of authority]. So observe and practice all they tell you; but do not do what they do, for they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy loads, hard to bear, and place them on men's shoulders, but they themselves will not lift a finger to help bear them. They do all their works to be seen of men; for they make wide their phylacteries (small cases enclosing certain Scripture passages, worn during prayer on the left arm and forehead) and make long their fringes [worn by all male Israelites, according to the command] and they take pleasure in and [thus] love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and to be greeted with honor in the marketplaces and to have people call them rabbi. But you are not to be called rabbi (teacher), for you have one Teacher and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone [in the church] on earth father, for you have one Father, Who is in heaven and you must not be called masters (leaders), for you have one Master (Leader), the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant.

Whoever exalts himself [with haughtiness and empty pride] shall be humbled (brought low), and whoever humbles himself [whoever has a modest opinion of himself and behaves accordingly] shall be raised to honor.

But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces; for you neither enter yourselves, nor do you allow those who are about to go in to do so.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you swallow up widows' houses and for a pretense to cover it up make long prayers; therefore you will receive the greater condemnation and the heavier sentence.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you travel over sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes one [a proselyte], you make him doubly as much a child of hell (Gehenna) as you are.

Woe to you, blind guides, who say, If anyone swears by the sanctuary of the temple, it is nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the sanctuary, he is a debtor [bound by his oath]. You blind fools! For which is greater: the gold, or the sanctuary of the temple that has made the gold sacred? You say too, Whoever swears by the altar is not duty bound; but whoever swears by the offering on the altar, his oath is binding. You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar which makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 1And he who swears by the sanctuary of the temple swears by it and by Him Who dwells in it. [I Kings 8:13; Ps. 26:8.] And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by Him Who sits upon it.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you give a tenth of your mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected and omitted the weightier (more important) matters of the Law--right and justice and mercy and fidelity. These you ought [particularly] to have done, without neglecting the others.
You blind guides, filtering out a gnat and gulping down a camel!

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but within they are full of extortion (prey, spoil, plunder) and grasping self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and of the plate, so that the outside may be clean also.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you are like tombs that have been whitewashed, which look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of dead men's bones and everything impure. Just so, you also outwardly seem to people to be just and upright but inside you are full of pretense and lawlessness and iniquity.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, pretenders (hypocrites)! For you build tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, Saying, If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have aided them in shedding the blood of the prophets. Thus you are testifying against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' sins to the brim [so that nothing may be wanting to a full measure]. You serpents! You spawn of vipers! How can you escape the penalty to be suffered in hell (Gehenna)? Because of this, take notice: I am sending you prophets and wise men (interpreters and teachers) and scribes (men learned in the Mosaic Law and the Prophets); some of them you will kill, even crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue and persecute from town to town, So that upon your heads may come all the blood of the righteous (those who correspond to the divine standard of right) shed on earth, from the blood of the righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar [of burnt offering].

Truly I declare to you, all these [evil, calamitous times] will come upon this generation. [II Chron. 36:15, 16.] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, murdering the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a mother fowl gathers her brood under her wings, and you refused! Behold, your house is forsaken and desolate (abandoned and left destitute of God's help). [I Kings 9:7; Jer. 22:5.]

For I declare to you, you will not see Me again until you say, Blessed (magnified in worship, adored, and exalted) is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!


LET HE WHO HAS EARS TO HEAR, HEAR WHAT THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS SAYING

Church Plant Update

I have been asked several times recently by various folks how the Berwyn Church Plant is going.  IT'S GOING VERY WELL. 

 

In the last few weeks we have had the largest services we have had till now, we had our church picnic (which I couldn't attend) with many first time visitors and now we are now about to land in a permanent place.  A Church in a Church Building.  What a concept.

 

Up till now we have been renting the YMCA.  Lots of Churches start out in rented facilities.  Schools, Park District buildings.  

 

So did we.  But a year ago after hearing Conrad Lowe talk of a syndrome happening around the country and in particular in Chicagoland I began to think it could happen for us too.  Here's why:

 

Churches of mainline and non charismatic bent are mostly empty on Sundays and declining.  Not all, but most.  They, in their heyday, were vital parts of aggressive revival movements.  But, the day past them by.  Now those buildings are like a Church in Berwyn we have been talking to.  They could seat 400 if people would come but now only "Worship" 40.  They were a prime candidate for what Dr. Lowe believes can and will happen more and more by an example that inspired our search.

 

Dr. Lowe told of a Presbyterian church, a historical edifice, on the Southside of Chicago that had at one time been a powerhouse.  The Sanctuary seated 700. 50 years ago.  Sunday's worship services had drifted down to 23.  It wasn't a matter of money.  There was several million in endowments in the bank given over the years.  They had a full time staff of 6 pastors including a full time organist.  Nice gig.

 

Finally the Sr Pastor made sense of it all.  He proposed a radical solution.  Let's give it all away.  The church building had long ago been dedicated to the work of God. Turning it into a 7-11 C Store or condos seemed wrong.  So here's what they did:

• There was a growing African American Pentecostal church needing a place.  They just gave them the building gratis.
• They took the several million in endowments and sent it to missions overseas.
• The Sr Pastor and one other stayed on as staff with the new church.  The African American church welcomed the steady hand of the Presbyterian Pastor as they grow.
• The people from the old congregation for the most part dispersed.  A few stuck around and were integrated into the new congregation.

 

Today that building is plumb full on Sundays.  The Joy of the Lord is back and at full volume. 

 

There were a few grumbles from a few people but it's just the sound of a religious spirit groaning in defeat.   A religious demon doesn't mind seeing churches empty as long as it means traditions of men are taught over God's word.  It's always been so.

 

The same wonderful thing is about to happen again.   In Berwyn.  After some negotiation and meeting with the Church leaders we are about to move in and begin to share a wonderful old church building in Berwyn.  Hundred plus years old.  Stained glass and all.  The pastor was enthusiastic about bringing life back to the house of God.  They will still have a traditional service led by the Pastor but we are coming to do the new thing.  There were a few grumbles but everyone had their say.  I think this is going to be very good.

 

This pattern should be happening all across the nation.  I drive thru small towns and see huge empty church buildings kept alive by a handful of enough monied people to scratch by.  God's plan for his church was not to just scratch by. His plan was for a glorious church in victory.  Particularly in Chicagoland.  Thousands of Churches in chicagoland are weak and weakening a little every Sunday.  Mostly empty and in decline. They have no real future.  Meanwhile vital small works are springing up all around in rental places.  They need a place to worship.  There is a marriage ready to happen.  Life can come back to the house of God.  It won't look like they thought it would when the mainline church was started.  There is no way you can put old cloth on new cloth to patch it up.  One will tear the other.  There is no halfway.  It's not both-and, it ultimately must be either-or.  There can be no compromise, stay the old way and die or move into the fullness of God and grow.

 

I was asked, why don't you just come in and join the service that the church is having already?  Merge.  The two could make one larger church.  I have learned the hard way that changing the spiritual climate in a mainline church is much more difficult than anyone imagines.  It takes a lot of heat to overcome the cold.

 

The church living in the building is failing to reach their changing community.  They are old cloth.  They are good people but introducing what needs to happen in ministry, music, manifestations and the miraculous is so far outside the denominational comfort zone they can never make the transition and, more important, it would be a huge suicidal step back from the vision God gave the Pastor of the new Church to try to integrate the denominational elements or do church with one spiritual hand tied behind their back.  A pulled punches church will have no impact. 

 

That's why you can't have both in one house at the same time.  That's why the Old church in Berwyn is doing a good thing.  If God has his way this will become one church.  A merger of the spirit will take place. It will look nothing like the Old Church services ever did.  Oh, one Sunday a month a bunch of the old folks can gather together to remember what it was like when they did it like they did in 1955.  God says in his word, "Behold I do a NEW THING".  IF it's new to God it's really new to you and me.  So, why do we think we have any chance at all doing what we always did and hoping to get better results than the last time we failed.  That's what's happening in Denominational mainline America.  Let's do what we always did and maybe things will get better.  A futile hope.

 

I will give you a report after the first official Sunday we meet in the new Church Building.

 

I hope this renewal will happen everywhere.  It's time to bring the sound of revival back to these empty holy buildings once dedicated with so much faith of their fathers to being a place of renewal once again. 

 

Evenso come Lord Jesus!

I Feel Sad for Him

Even though I have political opposite view from Al Gore particularly on Global Warming I am sad at the arrest of his 24 year old son.  Al Gore the 3rd.  Tipper and He have done the best they know how.  Sometimes it's not enough.  It might be later.  Who knows.

 

I have no joy or triumph over Al Gore's pain in all this.  It could have been me.  It wasn't but it could have been.  I hope and pray for the best for them.  I believe at their core Tipper and Al are decent people.

 

Lots of right wing types are gloating over all this.  I'm not. 

 

On the other hand, who knew that a Prius would go over 100 MPH.

 

Maybe I will look into one of those babies.  Zoom Zoom Zoom.

 

Heck the Buick won't go over 100.  It has a governor that stops it short of 100.  Don't ask me how I know that.  It's none of your business.  It's enough to say that when one visits ND there are broad expanses of real estate with empty highways inviting Old Speedsters to just let's see how fast this thing will really go.  Fast!

44 Years ago May 30

At the 125th of Ellendale we had a class reunion for the class of 1963. 

 

Here are some details that I think are worthwhile thinking about:

 

There were 33 of us that graduated from EHS.

 

25 showed up in Ellendale for the Reunion.

• All 33 of us are still alive.
• All of us are between 61-63 years old.
• The longest married is 42 years.
• Most of us are married to our first wives or husbands.
• The average of those married to first spouse is 38 years.
• Over half are retired.
• 20% are cancer survivors.
• 30% still live within 100 miles of Ellendale.
• 60% went into education (teaching or administration)
• None farm today although most of us grew up on farms.
• Many have been high achievers in their chosen field.
• Only two became business owners. Me and one other.
• They for the most part became successful parents raising kids better than themselves. (It's true for me for sure)

 

A successful reunion.  We came from good stock but we went away.  I'm sure there are sociological meanings in all of the statistics above but I'm not sure what they are.  Too close to the forest to see trees.

 

By the way Karma, we went by the Grotluschen Farm on our way from Oakes to Aberdeen to attend Church at Rod Hall's Church (he's the associate pastor), Aberdeen Christian Fellowship.

 

The Grotluschen Farm looks very nice.  Well kept. Needs Prairie Plants.

 

Church was great.  That Church does a great job.  Nice folks.  Good worship. Excellent preaching. If I lived in Aberdeen it's where I would go to Church. Rich Keller who hales from Ellendale goes there.  Helen who leads worship is from Ellendale. At one time Rod was the Pastor at a Church in Oakes ND.  That's how I got to know him 28 years ago.  It's all tied together.

 

Just a side note.  Hillsong United seems to now be the single source for the canon of worship music in the Church.  That's a good thing.  If Hillsong never existed we'd have nothing to sing in most churches today.  It seems like a worthy thing that this isn't some American group.  We needed to get outside ourselves.

North Dakota in a Rearview Mirror

Due to popular demand I am now going to offer my well founded opinions on what is going on in North Dakota:

 

Everything's fine.  In fact couldn't be better. 

 

Everyone is prospering and happy beyond belief.  Fulfilled, well appointed to challenging places in life.  Finding all the friends and relationships ample and satisfying.

 

Every person with any ambition is well rewarded for the fruit of their efforts.  The standard of living for everyone in North Dakota continues to get better and better.

 

     The future looks so bright everyone wears sunglasses. 

 

Who do you think I'm kidding?  I will only make tangent references to the blog I am keeping on North Dakota. I am also sending links to the entries to legislators who keep in touch with me as well as the economic development folks who still talk to me.  Of course there's good ol Rob Port who allows me to rant away.  My Gubenatorial contact is no longer there.

 

Julie, I only make my observations because they make a difference.  What makes you think I do any less for my Adopted home state of IL?  They hear from me too. 

 

If I thought no one cared, was irritated, gave a darn I wouldn't go to the effort.  Because they do I do. 

 

No one will be forced to read what I write.  I will make reference to the entries.  If it cause frustration and anger perhaps the net result will be to see if there are changes. 

 

Not all change will be improvement, but there can absolutely be no improvement without a change.  Allowing things to remain as they are without challenge means nothing changes for better or worse.

 

Stay tuned, or don't.  The choice is yours.

Snoozin 'n Loozin

Kevin is here.  He and I are bringing me into the 21'st century computerwise.  I'll miss windows 98 and 95 I hardly knew ye.  Being 62 which is 10,000 in computer years this is a huge upgrade to me.

 

I'm off to XP land.  High Speed Internet so I can blog faster. 

 

Kevin has Peggy's computer on the floor all torn apart.  It is a wonder to behold.

 

Today I saw exactly the computer I have been wanting to buy.  $988.

 

Usually it's on sale at $1400.  2 gig hard drive, 200 gig memory.  Dual Processors.  Right up my alley. 

 

I see it, I think about it.  I come back to buy it.  Snoozed and lost.

 

We have a whole month of this to find this deal again.

 

One amusing anecdote.  The guy waiting on us while we were looking at recording dvd units made the comment, "Yea, that one's been out a year, it's obsolete.  We're waiting for the new units to come in."

 

He was about my age.

 

Talk about obsolete. 

Pulling a Line

I never understood what the song meant, Pullin' a line.......

 

I expected it meant that one was doing tedious work.  I don't think it had to do with drug abuse. 

 

BUT,

 

If it had to do with tedium, sitting behind the wheel of the Buick for a total of nearly 30 hours in the last 6 days is Pullin a Line.

 

We are back.  Back from the land of the Dakota.  I have much to say and many observations on what I saw.  I don't think I will do it here.  I am going to do it on another blog.  I will then reference it.  If you think:

I have no right to speak of ND because:

 

• I don't live there
• I can't understand ND because I only lived there 40 years
• I have bias against ND because I live elsewhere and can't possibly know what I'm talking about.

I would say, you are really wrong.  You have been blinded by the night. It's much like the falderal that took place over the comments of a Mr. Kane in a commencement speech out east that called Fargo ND the Armpit of America. 

 

Wow, the armwaving taking place over that one. 

 

When you throw a stone into a flock of chickens the only one that squawks is the one that is hit.  Kane hit.

 

Now we have much irritation and yelling and screaming.  

 

Read the opinion page from Sunday's Fargo Forum?  Yikes!

 

I suspect that his pronouncements hit close to the truth and it caused the amount of denial you see now. 

 

Consider for a moment, what if Kane had said that Champaign IL was the armpit of America or Bloomington IN, or Kalamazoo MI.  All towns not much different from Fargo in size.  There would have been hardly a peep.  Mild sardonic amusement perhaps.  Certainly not the mob defensiveness demonstrated by Fargoites.  The other towns know who they are and are confident in it.  Fargo?

 

Fargo, thou protesteth too much. 

 

More on the poor self image of ND-ites soon.

Quasquicentennial

We are heading for Ellendale North Dakota for the 125th anniversary of the town hoopla this coming weekend.. What is disheartening is I was there for the 75th, for the 100th and now the 125th. I'm planning on skipping the 150th. Or maybe not. I'll still only be 87. Ok, I'll sign up.

But the 175th is out. That's that.

You could play weekend at Bernie's with me I guess.

In any case, I'll be back on Tuesday. Kevin is flying in Tues Night for a month and a week. I'm looking forward to it. We have much technical work to do. He's going to help me get hooked up to high speed. New computers and all that other technical stuff this old Luddite doesn't have.

Tune in on Tuesday. I'll have a full report. And, a controversial opinion.

And, one other thing. I planted some Caragana recently and thought of you. Up till here this was not one of the 97% and now it is.

Justification by Faith may be a False Gospel or Not

I really appreciate Steve Scott. His blog is always interesting. I followed him home (my terminology) from John Armstrong's blog one day and he stuck. If he lived near me we would hang out.

His comment below on the Walking on Water post is great. He said that when the NFL looks more like the scene in heaven described in the book of Revelation than Church does men will stay home from church. He also says Church is for Girls. Provocative? Maybe, but absolutely truthful and honest.

Does the NFL look more like heaven than the Church does? Maybe:

• It's loud in heaven. Very loud. Ditto NFL
• People are up and down and cheer (cry Holy) every time Jesus reveals a little more of his Glory. Ditto NFL
• There is dancing and singing. Ditto NFL
• There is unity in purpose, seeing what will happen next. Ditto NFL
• Heaven is a very colorful place. Ditto NFL
• The focus in Heaven is what is happening and not one another. Ditto NFL
• There is drama and unpredictability in Heaven. Ditto NFL
• AND, the Key player is clothed in very intimidating clothes. John even fell like he was dead when he saw Him. Ditto NFL

Steve might just be right. I won't give you chapter and verse, but if you can find your Bible, you just might look at the book of Revelation and see how much like the NFL heaven really is.

I have attended and do attend a Church which is in fact much like the NFL. Unpredictable, raucous, intense, loud and focused on what was about to happen. We even high five each other. There were times in Fargo when I was certain as the shouts got louder (Oh YES, the worship leader would have us SHOUT and SHOUT to the Lord) that I thought Jesus himself would walk in. In a service in Rockford during a particularly Loud and Raucous time some 15 different men ran to the platform and prayed and shouted to tear down altars of Baal. That was like the NFL.

So, sometimes the Church looks like the NFL. When it does MEN respond. At least this man does. I feel like running a couple laps.

One of the reasons I love what Steve does is his willingness to call a spade a spade. He's fearless. And he asks good questions. He responded to the question of Justification by Faith alone with some clarity. You should read it and ask the question. Even the most Lutheran person I know (that's not always in a good way) Barry Kolb questions if we don't miss it when we quote Ephesians 2:8-9 and don't include 10. We were created for good works. Somehow we just don't do them.

If you really want the truth, Steve and Barry, here it is.

You will get to heaven without doing any works. Justification by faith. The hell or heaven choice is made. Heaven just might seem nearly hell like when you get there if you end up with NO REWARD. Proof text?

2 John 8
If there is a full reward could there be a partial or no reward?

2 Corinth 5:8-10
This was written to people who were bound for heaven. Saved folks. What's that all about.

Heb 6:4
What Judgement is that? Heaven or hell, or is this another.

Phil 3:14
If this is written about Heaven was Paul questioning his salvation? I don't think so. This must be about something more. Something that happens in heaven.

Where the Justification by faith alone theology falls apart is it's emphasis on heaven without the Bema Seat judgement of Christ. We will all stand before the throne of Christ alone and give an account of what we did or didn't do. Wood hay and stubble will make up most of what we did.

Believers will be judged in only two areas:

1. What did you do to build the Kingdom of God on earth while you were alive? Yes this has to do with souls, it also has to do with what it takes to reach souls. I hope that includes the Church but Steve and I are less confident of that all along. Looks like Jesus is going to have to go to another plan.
2. What we did to build and develop our individual lives to serve God. This is not Bible Study although it may include Bible Study. This is finding your gifting and finding a place to exercise your gift. If you aren't using what God gave you he will hold you accountable. If the Pastor of the Church won't allow you to exercise your gift find a different church. Jesus will hold him accountable separately for quenching the Spirit. You are alone accountable for using and developing everything and every opprotunity God gives you. Staying inert and comfortable in your nominal Christianity is wood, hay and stubble. Some people would say that if you don't move on in God you will be judged the most severely and lose all reward.

This is a tough issue and I will write on this more. It's really simple. We are saved by grace and judged by our works. Two different things. Don't miss out. Build the kingdom and build yourself up in your most Holy Faith praying always in the Holy Ghost. Jude 20.

Isn't That Interesting?

I got emails and a couple comments on the post "Walking on Water" below.  It made me think.

 

The content of the post was about what we could do as the church to reach the men in our community.  I expected some vigorous discussions.  Instead, except for an email and comment from John Armstrong, all the comments regarded a throw away PS comment I made at the bottom about something I did long ago when I was very young in the faith.  My first love was great.  I had passion.  I want that passion back.

 

My question is this;  Isn't this exactly the problem we as a church have.  We are arguing about whether or not it's proper or good idea to try or not to walk on water and the main thing that should be the main thing, how do we reach the absent men in our communities goes unanswered.

 

Or maybe in the responses the answer lies.   Could it be that we are so busy discussing theology we no longer meet felt needs or attract men to be Christ Followers.   So they stay in the canoe.

 

Maybe.

Get Out of the Canoe and Walk on Water

Ross Werland said Sunday in the "Q" section of the Chicago Tribune that most men would rather sit in a canoe than in a pew. It was one of those "Why Real Men Don't go to Church" columns.

It's true. The church has abandoned men. Men sit outside and watch. They snicker about what goes on "in there". Men have no interest in being a part of what's going in the over-feminized church of 2007. Here's part of what he said:

Consider that the Barna Group, a Christian research organization, recently issued a report indicating that mothers are better stewards of Christianity than fathers in relation to families.

Further, Barna found, men are more likely to be "unchurched" than women, with males accounting for 55 percent of the category. Unchurched meant "has not attended a Christian church service within the past six months," excluding holidays.

Research also showed that more women pray at least once a week: 89 percent versus 79 percent. I don't know if that includes males praying: "God, please don't let my wife ask me to go to church again this Sunday."

There happen to be a few other religions in this country, so that helps explain why some people are unchurched, but some of it may involve how all this is measured.

The standards for determining that mothers were better Christian energizers involved attending church, praying, reading the Bible, participating in a small group, attending Sunday school and volunteering to help at a church.

I would guess that most of the people who do these things are wonderful Christians, but these acts say nothing about the spiritual reality. In large part, those things simply mean you're a joiner, not more holy.

Later in the article he says:

When my sons were growing up, we held our own brand of religious ceremonies beside a campfire, where spiritual feeling was palpable, and talked in a Christian context about how Native Americans lived so harmoniously with creation and in awe of its architect.

I think my sons now are as unchurched as I am. But they still love to camp. And when one of them called by cell phone the other day and asked me to tell one of the old Indian stories on speaker phone by his campfire, I knew that the great spirit must still be alive.

I may be unchurched, but I think God's voice sounds much clearer in my own back yard.

Ross is being the spiritual leader in his home and his sons are following in their fathers footsteps. There's something wrong here. Those boys may well come to a place in life where the real thing would have far more impact than this aversion to the girlyness of empty religion has brought them. Empty religion may very well cost them the ultimate price.

Contrast that with the meeting I attended Sunday night. About 700 people were there. People from all over the region. To see and hear a relatively famous speaker, John Bevere. He was exciting and effective. Not feminine. A man and his call. A man and his love and family. Hard hitting. Not evangelistic. He focused on the call and mission men carry in their souls and the necessity to find and follow that call. It shook the room. You could feel it. It was more than any canoe ride even in a rapids could produce.

He had an altar call. For salvation. I would not have predicted there would be many men going forward. This was a meeting focused on believers. 40 or 50 people came forward or more accurately rushed the altar. All except 3 were men. Men from teens to men in their 60s.

It was inspiring to see. It was fascinating to think that at the same time men are fleeing the church at large that men are rushing the altar when a suitable challenge involving a courageous act is required. There was nothing namby pamby or feminine about John Bevere's message. In fact it was designed to rattle men's cages.

It did me. It did others. It did Peggy.

Men need to know they are needed to build the kingdom. Not to sit in the pew, pay attention, behave, shut up and tithe (just like mommies treat their little boys, which is how the feminized church treats them); they must know that the mission and purposes of God are tugging at them. They must find what it is God has called every one of them to do and then with an aggressive warrior spirit get out of the canoe and on track to where God calls them.

If we as the church would do what we are called to do we would teach men to get out of the canoe and walk on the water like Jesus did. We don't challenge our men enough to hold them. They are un and underused. They can't contribute as men so they drift away.

That's why they leave the church in droves and go canoeing. It's something they can do. They don't want to join, they want to contribute. Read what Ross said: In large part, those things simply mean you're a joiner, not more holy.


Ross, give me a few weeks, I'll show you how to find real adventure in Jesus. That other, as good as canoeing is, is no substitute for the real thing.

He wants to show you spectacular scenes you never dreamed possible. He'll shock you with his manifested glory. He'll take you to unbelievable peaceful places. He'll commission you in the Army of God. You'll never be the same.

I sent this to him. You should do the same. Ross is open to receiving a "better than a canoe" message. If you are a minister of the Gospel, what would you offer him? How would you make him that offer he can't refuse? Why not make all the men you minister to the same offer? Show them how to walk on water. Treat them like men and not little boys. We serve Father God who made the waters Ross canoes on, not a Mother Church.

Write him at:
rwerland@tribune.com

PS: After I was filled with the Holy Ghost I actually tried walking on water. I sank. I believed I could do it if Jesus did it. I still do! I would rather believe in the miracle power of Jesus and fail then doubt even one thing about who he is in me. Any church, any person, any pastor, any man who doesn't believe in the miraculous isn't being realistic, that means doing everything Jesus did and the Apostles in the book of Acts did. Where is it written we should settle for second best? It's not in your Bible. Everything that happened in the Bible from Genesis to Maps is for today. Anything less is settling. Never settle.

Way Stupid Religion

I'm not against Catholics.

I love the Catholic faith. But they are the harbinger of religion at it's worst.

One such dumb thing is proven by this story.

In short, A man posing as a priest is baptising a baby. The police (Spanish Inquisition) come and arrest him for impersonating a priest.

I understand the whole thing up to a point. But, when I pondering the whole deal, the great commission comes to mind.

"Go ye therefore and make Disciples of all people BAPTISING THEM (but first you must be a priest who went to seminary and who took all the vows) in the name of..........

That's the commission. But we have certainly diluted the whole idea by religion.

I'm glad none of the people I ever baptised before I became a "Minister" ever read this. They would think they weren't saved.

The churches they lead today would be very disappointed.

I guess I made a mistake taking Jesus at his word.

Sprechen Sie Christianize?

BONN, Germany — It was becoming a common annoyance. Curious German tourists were visiting evangelical churches in the U.S., and had no idea what was being said. A German travel agency finally issued a 55-page Evangelical-English Dictionary which sells thousands of copies a month to Germans vacationing in the U.S.

"I think I speak English pretty well," said Lerner Bosch, 33, from Frankfurt. "But I was clueless sitting there in that pew [in a Nazarene church in Minot, North Dakota]. Then my wife handed me the phrase translator and the whole service started making sense."

Bosch found himself in the foyer shaking hands and receiving first-time visitor brochures from greeters. When a man slapped his back and said, "God bless you, brother," Bosch used his phrase translator and responded, "Amen, brother. God bless you." Another woman told him that with Jesus, "whatever you've done is under the blood." Bosch went pale momentarily before looking up the phrase and finding it means "everything's cool, so forget about the past."

"At first I thought she was talking about Germany's history in the World Wars, and I was embarrassed," he said. "Then I realized she was telling me to take it easy. That was much nicer. Without the translator, it could have been a moment of cultural misunderstanding."

Lerner told the woman, "Leave it at the cross," which the book translates as, "Don't sweat it." He also gave her the "hang loose" sign.

"In German schools, they teach you mainstream English, but not this wonderful dialect," said Bosch's wife, Gira, 34.

They are thinking of starting an evangelical English club back in Frankfurt.

"My friends are involved in groups where they dress up in knickers and speak old-style German, but I find this American sub-culture more fascinating," Lerner said. "Some of us in Frankfurt are going to dress up like evangelical church people and use our phrase books." •

Source Lark News

UNDERACHIVEMENT AND FAILURE

In a previous post I mentioned a book "Your Own Worst Enemy" by Dr Ken Christian. You may want to look carefully at his website. One of the things he lists in his book are the indicators that you are an adult underachiever, a person with high potential but high potential derailed by behaviors that defeat near successes. If you take this "Test" and score more than half of these with a yes, you need help.

If you know and love someone who is habitually self defeating in these areas you should help them find the way. I speak from personal experience. I won't mention his name but in the last 2 years this man has gone from bad personal relationships in his family, at odds with his son, business failure, debt, tax problems and generally feeling like a fraud to becoming a confident and capable success. He is about to turn 60. It's not too late to change. He has used this book to identify the behaviors that were keeping him from becoming what he wanted to become. Watching him blossom has been a joy.

When Dr. Christian wrote this book and created this program he developed it for teenagers. What he discovered among baby boomers and even younger people are millions of people stuck in underachievement and failure because they have bad habits never broken. I still think young people should be the focus of this effort. But as my friend Jim proves it's never too late.

Many of the older people will go to their grave with unrealized potential, even if they are very able. High potential failures.

Take the test. Have you developed the habit of being an adult underachiever?

1. Taking shortcuts and doing the minimum possible even with important matters.
2. Spending more time getting ready to work, getting out of work, or getting others to do it, than working.
3. Inconsistent, insufficient effort.
4. A lack of real engagement even in your most important life activities and relationships.
5. Ambivalence in making decisions.
6. Planning, scheming, and talking about things but not following through on them.
7. Difficulties organizing work and organizing your life in general.
8. Difficulties reaching distant goals due to a lack of appropriate planning and persistence.
9. Repeated initial excitement for new ventures, followed by disappointment when the new wears off.
10. False starts and frequent changes in direction and goals due to boredom, and a preference to start something new.
11. Failure to complete important projects, whether pleasant or unpleasant.
12. A tendency to quit things just as you begin to achieve success doing them.
13. Procrastination.
14. A history of being involved with relationships, jobs, or other situations that demand less than your true capabilities and therefore provide less than full satisfaction.
15. Gravitating toward non-traditional occupations in order to avoid traditional structured work schedules or the demands of bosses or supervisors.
16. A history of being stuck in situations that you thought would be temporary.
17. Self-doubt and low or varying self-esteem.
18. Fears that you will not be able to live up to your own expectations or those of others.
19. Recurrent fears of that you are faking it or are a fraud and about to be found out.
20. A paralyzing fear of striving for what you really want because you do not want to be disappointed or fail.
21. Unrealistic notions of what is actually required for success.
22. A history of keeping your options open by postponing serious commitments.
23. Difficulties in appropriately balancing risks and opportunities with an habitual tendency to take unnecessary risks, or to play it too safe, or to alternate between the two strategies.
24. Blaming failures on "bad luck" or other people instead of accepting personal responsibility for them.
25. A feeling that you are socially inadequate and younger than your age and that you have fallen behind your peers in reaching important milestones.
26. A feeling that time is running out and you haven't gotten started.
27. Periods of depression.

Dr. Christian says:
The list is a summary of the characteristics of high-potential people with whom I have worked who fell into habitual patterns that blocked the kind of success they wanted. Your answers can alert you to ways you have limited your possibilities and provide information from which to begin to change your course.

The greater the number of statements to which you said "yes," the more likely it is that you have adopted at least some similar patterns. It is not only by answering the questions above, however, but also in your heart that you know to what degree you may have thus far cheated yourself of a fuller sense of self-realization.

Gene Says:
The underachievers will read this, intend to do something about it and then lose attention, derailed by other things and never follow thru. How many adult underachievers does it take to change a lightbulb? "Wait, I need to run to the store to get a bulb. Maybe I can pick up an oil filter for my car while I'm there. Let's go to a movie while we're out. Look there's a seagull. Hmmm, Why is is dark in here? Oh yea I need to get a lightbulb......."

Shut Down the United Nations

This is not the first time in this blog that I have made that contention.

There is nothing that the UN does that has any value whatsoever. It should be shuttered today, All the corrupt diplomats deported. I'm not the only one who believes this. John Armstrong weighed in on this today.

He's right.

It is a hopeless obsolete bureaucracy.

Farming Lessons

Excerpt from Principled-Centered Leadership by Stephen R. Covey:

The Law of the Farm

 
Procrastinating and cramming don't work on a farm.

 

The cows must be milked daily. Other things must be done in season, according to natural cycles. Natural consequences follow violations, in spite of good intentions. We're subject to natural laws and governing principles--the laws of the farm and harvest.

 
The only thing that endures over time is the law of the farm. According to natural laws and principles, I must prepare the ground, put in the seed, cultivate, weed, and water if I expect to reap a harvest.

 

So also in a marriage, or in helping a teenager through a difficult identity crisis--there is no quick fix, no instantaneous success formula where you can just move in by getting psyched up at some positive mental attitude rally with a bunch of new success formulas.

The law of the harvest governs. Natural laws and principles operate regardless. So get these agricultural principles at the center of your life and your relationships. As you do, your mind-set will change from a scarcity to an abundance mentality.

In the context of the "potato farmer," the abundance mentality ultimately means "more pounds with less peel." And in plain "John Wayne" English, that's the bottom line.

 

 

IF WE ARE GOING TO GET THINGS TO HAPPEN WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING and NOTHING EVER EVER HAPPENS TILL SOMEONE DOES!

 

Power of Proactivity

Now that is something worth thinking about ... there is power in being proactive!

 

It's even a great word to consider. By definition proactive means controlling a situation by causing something to happen rather than waiting to respond to it after it happens. To be proactive means we are in control of our lives.

 

We can choose to take action and take the initiative to make things happen. Isn't that where we want to be .. in control of our time and what we do with it? When we allow conditions around us or circumstance to cause us to become reactive we have chosen to give up control and wait to see what will happen next.

 

Truly effective leaders, parents and partners become aware of the choice they own in every situation and coconsciously put the power of proactivity to work for them. Lets all feel good about taking the initiative to get things done and enjoy the benefits of being a proactive individual.

 

Quotes

 

"It is easier to do a job right than to explain why you didn't."
- Martin Van Buren

"I don't wait for moods. You accomplish nothing if you do that. Your mind must know it has got to get down to work."
- Pearl S. Buck

"Wisdom is wasted, experience is but a memory, and goals are a passing dream without the courage to take action."
- Leaving A Legacy by Jim Paluch

"How does a project get to be a year behind schedule? One day at a time."
- Fred Brooks

"Procrastination is the bad habit of putting off until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday."
- Napoleon Hill

"Anyone can do any amount of work, provided it isn't the work he is supposed to be doing at that moment."
- Robert Benchley

"Success comes to the person who does today what you were thinking about doing tomorrow."
- Unknown

"A good plan implemented today is better than a perfect plan implemented tomorrow."
- George Patton

"Anything worth doing is worth doing now!"
- Ralph Stayer

 

All this comes from a group discussion I was in today regarding the idea of self limiting behavior.  This is a Christian Businessman's Small Group and we were talking of those things that hold us from becoming all that the Destiny of God has for us.  Fear is the way the devil short circuits our destiny.

 

In the end, the discussion was driven by the book we are looking at: 

Your Own Worst Enemy:

Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement

 

If you want to break the bad self defeating habits you have, buy this book and READ it. 

 

Then apply it.  Do something.

 

The saddest most "settling for less" words I heard anyone say in the last week was, "I'm OK with that".  It broke my heart.  We should never be OK with anything than the best God has planned for us.

 

We must have the Spirit of creative discontent.  That's what was there in Genesis 1.  It's alive in you if you know Jesus.  So, do something. 

Last Gasp

When a thing is about to die it makes a last gasp.  That's true in the plant and animal kingdom.  Sometimes it's called a death rattle.

 

I could give you lots of examples.  There are legions of stories of people who the day before they passed away became animated, seemed better, even lucid and then drifted away.

 

Plants that are about to die will often seem to fruit prolifically and people think they will be ok, then they are gone.  An evergreen tree the year before it dies will put out the most pinecones.

 

That's also true of people in jobs that are about to end.  There somehow driven organically is generated an employee last gasp.  They are not actually trying to keep the job.  They are generating activity to justify that when it ends they could have done it.  Making a mark.  You see it even in a lame duck president.  The last year of the administration often includes some bold apolitical action. 

 

Even when a person submitted their own resignation the tendency is to make a legacy mark before they are gone.

 

When I was CEO of the last organization I left (That I didn't own) I tried hard toward the end even when I knew the end was imminent to see to it I had made a mark for good.  I was normal.

 

So, when I see someone doing a death rattle in the waning days of the job they are doing it doesn't surprise or irritate me.

 

It's a natural reaction.  

Open Invite

Attention all friends and relatives who have wanted to visit Chicagoland but never knew why.

 

Now you will.

 

Son Kevin is coming for 5 weeks to see his lonely folks.  Boston holds fewer charms than it has in the past.  Time to get out of town for a few weeks.  He is coming for a Police Concert at Wrigley Field on July 5 (I think) and staying into the second week of August.  I'm looking forward to his visit to the city of wind.

 

Megan and others who have been thinking about coming to the city on the lake to see Millennium park, go to Navy Pier, walk up and down Michigan Avenue, go to the Field Museum, Go to the Shedd Aquarium, to the Planetarium, to the Art Museum and to Ravenna to hear some classy classical music, now's your chance.  Mr. Gene isn't nearly as much fun to squire you around as Mr. Kevin will be. 

 

So, if you thought of doing this but never had a reason why, I'm offering his services.  Take the Amtrak into town.  We'll pick you up at Union Station.  Tickets are cheap.  And you can stay at Mr Gene's House.  Miss Peggy can do hospitality.

 

I'm giving Kevin the car for the duration.  So, come enjoy yourself.

 

Chicago is beautiful this time of year and if you've never seen it in all it's glory you are missing a chance to experience the most beautiful city on the lake.  Ya'll come.

We're too darn hot cold hot cold hot cold.........

It was 85 today in sunny St. Chuck.  It'll be 85 again tomorrow.  Hot enough for ya?  Well enjoy it.  It's short lived. 

 

A real live college professor who has been doing groundbreaking research has published a paper which says the major problem in climate change is this is the final blowoff, the hockey stick, then things are going to cool down, A LOT. 

 

You are gonna need a parka.  By 2020 he says we will be freezing our pitutes off.  Of course if the dummies on the left have their way we will have spent our way into oblivion and imposed all kinds of artificial controls on ourselves none of which will have a jot or tittle to do with the climate.  It's like sacrificing virgins (if you can find any) in Pele's caldron.    Same effect.

 

Of course when the climate cools down a lot the liberal eco-nuts will take all the credit.  It will be like that "Little Boy" on Mad TV.  "LOOK WHAT I CAN DO".

 

On the other hand, in 2020 I'll be 75 years old and laughing up my sleeve.  I don't think I'll have as many people to laugh at. 

 

Don't buy the whole manmade global warming conspiracy.  They are just out to get you and your money. 

 

And don't give away your parka to Goodwill just yet.  You are gonna need it.

 

But by 2020 you won't have ol George W. Bush to kick around any more.  Right now if a mosquito bights a liberal they blame George Bush. 

 

Idiots. 

 

By the way, George W Bush the Magnificent vetoed some embryonic stem cell money bills today.  Thank George and Thank God.  Kill a baby so my eyesight can get better.  That's what this is all about.  And, if you can justify killing babies to save eyesight, you can justify abortion.

 

Stem cell research is about justifying legalized abortion and that's why it's so supported by the Godless left.

 

I am so thankful that we have a man of courage and conviction with a backbone in the White House.  I fear for this country if some spineless wimp (liberal) gets in there next time. 

We already had Jimmy Carter and we are still paying for HIS sins.

More on Church Leadership

In response to the post below that I did on vulnerability for pastors which was driven by a reference to Mark Batterson's blog this comment came in.

 

It came in from "Kev".  Don't know if those are initials or who he is.

 

He references a study conducted by a Todd Hunter.  Is this Kent Hunter's kin?  Kent Hunter owns a consulting firm called "Church Doctor".  Barry Kolb to the left in the links is one of his ad hoc consultants.  In any case I think the information derived from this poll is useful.  Let's take a look.  How does your Pastor measure up.  How do YOU measure up as a Pastor?  I have to agree, most of this is pretty right on.  I will publish this as I got it but there will be a few editorial comments from me which you will see in RED.  It's my darn blog, I can say what I want, can't I?

 

Characteristics Most Associated with Unsuccessful Pastors

OK... small sample size, but VERY interesting results. What are the characteristics most associated with both successful and unsuccessful pastors? Todd Hunter shares his findings from talking to both pastors of successful, growing churches, and pastors of churches that failed...

Characteristics Most Associated with Unsuccessful Pastors

The inability to identify, recruit, train, and deploy workers and leaders.  (95%) I think this is a big one, if you can't pull it together you can't pull it off.

Use of ineffective methods of evangelism, and unwillingness to be ruthless at evaluating the results of those methods. (77%) Won't stop doing it the way we always did.  Buggy Whip mentality.

No clear plan and goals, which results in working hard at wrong things or lack of focus. (77%)  Building a deck rather than painting the house.

No proven record under supervision or authority. (73%) This is the syndrome of a church built out of rebellion will fail.

A nurturer/ enabler/ facilitator rather than an assertive leader and equipper. (68%) Spinelessness and lack of serious gonads is the biggest flaw in Church Leadership in my opinion.  My mentor pastor, Dan Rothwell scared the HELL out of me.  Bobby Knight like.

Failed to adequately research and understand the community in which trying to build a church. (64%) I think this can be a big problem with new church planters.  Where you plant is more important than WHAT you plant.

No local or extra-local support and encouragement from other leaders. (64%) Not being tied into the community and other churches will sink a church or a ministry.  Many church ministry leaders won't even integrate into the church body they are part of and therefore can't get input and leader support.  Lone wolves end up starving.

Unsure about the Holy Spirit's leading for the church. (59%) I'll raise a hackle or two.  I don't think in this day of outpouring you can lead a church successfully without the fullness of the Holy Ghost.  How can you hear from God if he isn't flowing in and thru you?  In my examination I see no evidence that ANY new testament Leaders were NOT filled with the Holy Ghost and spoke in tongues.  Why do we think we are any different?  I see change on the horizon.  I think this is about to change.

Not willing to take responsibility for church growth. (55%) Passing the buck is a sure sign of a weak leader.  Harry Truman was right.  If your church is not growing the buck stops with YOU.  A church will rise no higher than the spiritual altitude of it's leadership. 

Success or failure of church tied to self-image; ego strength problems. (55%) If it's God's program to build the church then it's not up to your or your success or failure in building the church.  Your job is to be faithful and steady.  His job is to bring the souls.  But you will have to work like all get out to get it done. 

Unsure of call. (50%) This one is scary.  If you don't know that you know that you know that you are called to this work you will crumble.  Your call is your anchor.  No matter what happens I was called to do this.  It has much to do with getting over the self image and ego strength problems in the item above.

* Results based on telephone interviews of pastors whose churches had failed. The interviewer, Todd Hunter, had supervised or known the pastors, and could in most instances agree with their evaluation. The numbers in parentheses are the percent who had this problem.

Characteristics Most Associated with Successful Pastors

A hard worker. (100%) Amen.  The work ethic at any church particularly for the pastor is directly correlated to the success or failure of the Church.  Many Pastors I know work less than they were really called to and think it's more than they should.  They have bought in to the play more golf and build your church mentality. 

Proven record under supervision or authority. (95%) They know order and respect it.  I learned that a long time ago.  Pastor's need to hear from God but then they must be certain that what they are hearing is in order.  God told me to preach naked wouldn't be a real word from God.  Someone in supervision or authority should have told him to put some pants on.  If a pastor has no one who can blow the whistle on him he is a loose cannon and will do terrible damage before God takes him out.  Even Billy Graham had a man who could come to him and say, "Dr. Graham, I regret to tell you that you are full of poop again".

If Billy Graham needs such a person, so do you.

Sure of call. (95%) I know that if a person is called you will have to kill him to stop him from doing what God has called him to do.  That's what Jesus was talking about when he said, "You shall receive Power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you that you may be my witnesses".  Witnesses more accurately translated means so called you are ready to be martyred for me. 

Exhibits optimism and faith. (95%) People are attracted by vision and passion.  Tradition and regulation runs people off.

Good social skills, friendly, easily liked. (95%) This is more than a hug or a handshake.  This is a well met person who just likes people.  One of the areas I struggle with.

Takes responsibility for church growth. (95%) Understands that while God builds the house, he can tear it back down.  He must be ready to say when things go badly, "I did this".  Repent and move ahead.  Do something different.  No forward motion happens without taking a step.

Both husband and wife felt called to the church. (90%) I have a pastor friend who's wife at one point said, "I didn't sign up to be a pastor's wife."  That can be a real drag.  Later she DID sign up.  On the other hand the idea that the pastor's wife must be the worship leader, hospitality expert and women's ministry leader is a misapplication many times of gifts that wife doesn't have.  A wife may be called but she doesn't necessarily have the giftings to take on the traditional roles in the church. 

Held values, priorities, and philosophy of denomination. (90%)  We must go home with the one who brought us to the dance.  This has to do with rebellion.  On the other hand, if the values, priorities and philosophy are not the values, priorities and philosophies that the denomination started with then holding to those values is wrong.  Example would be the Episcopal church and it's homosexual bishop.  That may be a value today, but I'll guarantee it didn't start that way.  The ELCA has the same problem.  I don't think Martin Luther would be a Lutheran in most of today's Lutheran Churches.  The values, priorities and philosophies have been distorted and destroyed by denominational misleaders who no longer even recognize what it means to embrace the teachings of Luther.  I am more Lutheran than most Lutherans.  Look at the Methodist Church.  Do you think John Wesley would be part of that?  I don't.

Indigenous of extra-local support from other leaders. (80%) This is a mixed bag.  Some pastors have supposed accountability from "Out THERE".  But, no one knows who there is.  That was part of the Ted Haggard mess.  Who blows the whistle on a pastor who is out of line? Jim Bakker will tell you the same thing.  Who calls foul when things are drifting?  That's why God is raising up the boldness of the Prophet.  The Prophet can and will boldly and bluntly tell you "Thou art the man" even to a king.  They have no fear.  Most church leadership fear the voice of the prophet.  A good pastor Does need the extra local support from secular and from peer leaders who can talk plainly to him.  This is almost NEVER the church board.  Most church boards are yes men who have no authority or power.  Just position.  Fame over faithfulness. 

A strong marriage. (80%) This is so self evident and such a painful thing to talk about I won't take it any further.  According to the denomination of which I am a part, most new church plants we have tried fail because of a weak marriage.  If a pastor goes thru a marriage dissolution his pastorate almost always ends even if the church doesn't want it to.  It's too hard to do alone.

* Results based on telephone interviews of pastors of successful, growing churches. In many instances they had raised up several churches. The numbers in parentheses are the percent who had this strength.

SOURCE: Global South

Things I have recieved in the last few days

I want to share some of the notes I got over that last week of ministry. Feel free to steal whatever you want. Just a little prophetic outpouring.

The test for holy activity is whatever makes your heart beat faster for Jesus. If you do anything; anything and it makes your passion greater for Jesus then it's holy action. Anyone who tells you otherwise is being religious and legalistic.

Christianity is going thru the same changes the buggy whip went through a century ago. There are still some people trying to use the old whip to make things work, but it doesn't work any more. We are abandoning the old whip. Thank God. This is a type of the new wineskin concept.

Many people in ministry are more interested in being famous than faithful. Jesus isn't going to say, "Well done thou good and famous servant" is he?

People no longer follow people because of position or placement. People are attracted to passion. People follow passion. Jesus had passion and people followed him. Nothing has changed. Churches that no longer work have lost passion from the platform in ministry, worship, preaching. Leadership in those kind of churches have become dispassionate and dissolving. Jesus will spew them out. He's begun.

You don't need to have the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and speak in tongues to go to heaven. You can live a nice little normal life without much impact on the world without the Holy Ghost flowing out of you and still end up in heaven. It's like pizza. You can have cheese pizza every day. Someone might say, "wouldn't you like sausage or pepperoni on that"? Many Christians metaphorically say, I don't need that. I am quite happy without sausage or pepperoni. It's OK, there's no condemnation, but why in the world would anyone just eat cheese pizza every day for the rest of their life. There's so much more. Pineapple, sauerkraut, olives, hamburger, green peppers, onions, hot peppers, Canadian Bacon and a dozen other things. God has so much more for the body of Christ. Try it you'll like it.

One sign of a religious spirit in others is when they say, "That's nice for you, but I don't need it". What they are really saying is, "I'm not hungry for any more of God than I have right now". That is resisting the Holy Ghost and quenching the spirit. They have a religious spirit.

We are not to be controlled by a signature when a signature could nullify a bad decision. Roe v Wade, Public Education, Gay Marriage. All we need to do is change the hearts of the signature makers. Protesting won't do it, heart changing will.

Those who exhibit strong self sufficiency are demonstrating weakness in faith. God want us to be confident in HIS sufficiency, not ours.

Fear is man's interference in God's divine plan for our lives. Whatever God wants to do in and thru us is stopped when we have fear.

Choosing friends by their color makes as much sense as choosing my socks by their character.

Jesus was pretty hard on fruitless trees. Figs were cursed and died. Why do we think he will be any easier on the Church that bears his name as he remodels her?

What are the famous last words of an atheist? Oh NO..............

The altar of the Church of Jesus that no longer hears the prophetic call is a barren altar. Nothing is being offered up. The fire has gone out on the altar.

That's all I got this weekend.

You're welcome.