Dear Friends,
It has been some time since I posted on this blog site. The pressures of the preparing, moderating and preaching at the Tennessee State Convention were quite heavy, and that was followed up by the opportunity to preach at the Georgia State Convention the following week.
However, the thing that has kept me from posting for so long was not just those events and the time involved, but also a time of seeking the Will of God for my life, and for the pastoral appointments of so many churches under my charge.
I have been seized by an overwhelming burden for revival in the church. Parts of this burden have been expressed on my Facebook page and also on my Twitter account, but this blog will perhaps help me to share more of that burden without the limitation of character counts required on Facebook and Twitter.
I see numerous indicators of the lack of revival in the church in general, but in our local churches in Tennessee in particular. Let me share a few of the signs that I see:
It has been some time since I posted on this blog site. The pressures of the preparing, moderating and preaching at the Tennessee State Convention were quite heavy, and that was followed up by the opportunity to preach at the Georgia State Convention the following week.
However, the thing that has kept me from posting for so long was not just those events and the time involved, but also a time of seeking the Will of God for my life, and for the pastoral appointments of so many churches under my charge.
I have been seized by an overwhelming burden for revival in the church. Parts of this burden have been expressed on my Facebook page and also on my Twitter account, but this blog will perhaps help me to share more of that burden without the limitation of character counts required on Facebook and Twitter.
I see numerous indicators of the lack of revival in the church in general, but in our local churches in Tennessee in particular. Let me share a few of the signs that I see:
These are only a few of the concerns that have caught hold of me. I will share more as days go on. We are in the very last moments of the last hours of the last days. We don't have time to play church. It is time to wake up and be revived. It is time to seek the Lord!
- There is a loss of the fear of God in many of our congregations. It has been replaced by gimmicks and short-term fixes. People are too quick to "put their two-cents worth in" when it comes to God's work. I personally could care less how something works in the corporate world, for the church is not a corporation it is a living, breathing, moving organism.
- This loss of fear of God causes the church to question everything through the prism of how it "makes us feel." We have become more concerned about our comfort and concern for "feelings" than we are for the truths of God's Word. This has created a politically correct ministry in many places as less-than spiritual followers just don't want to offend. Hear me...the Word of God is the truth, special favors are not available just because you give more money to the church.
- Worship is now worshipped more than God. We sing, sway and dance to the rhythmic beat of the band for an hour and then ask for the preacher to cut his/her sermon short so we can get back to our entertainment and amusement.
- Blessing is preached more than sacrifice. There is ANOTHER GOSPEL that is making its rounds again. It was making it's rounds when I was a young minister and somehow people believe that gain is godliness...nothing could be further from the truth. If this doctrine works then why are Christians across the world martyred for their faith...why do people still starve to death...why do they live on very, very small portions to eat each day? TEST: If it works in the United States and Western Countries, why doesn't it work in the third world nations? ANSWER: THE GOSPEL IS UNIVERSAL!
- Holiness has become something to be studied...not something to be lived. The Scripture clearly tells us there is a difference in the world and the church, but we don't want to accept that.
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