Pentecost Sunday!

Pentecost Sunday this coming Sunday! This is the birthday of the CHURCH and the out pouring of the Holy Spirit! As a Classical Pentecostal this is an exciting part of my spiritual journey every year! Our heritage was a blazing trial to our present, our present must burn as bright if we are to have a future ablaze...

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
Edmond Burke

YouTube - breakfast song

YouTube - breakfast song

New song for all to hear. Enjoy! This makes me look forward to the Rapture!!! No more pancakes...

Our Future Is Still Bright!!!

The historic meeting that just took place in Cleveland, Tn. is going to be one that changes the face of the denomination. However with this change I believe that our greatest days still are ahead of us and not behind us.
We have always been a life giving church and we will always be a life giving church. We have always been a church that loved our children and teens and this new step will not change that! We have taken care of our retired ministers and we will continue to bless them. Our Homes for Children will not go lacking, our missionaries will not be swept under the rug, our widows/widowers will not go without, and our educational facilities will still be on top!
We have some hurdles to jump, bumps in the road to endure, mountains to cross and storms to weather but in a church where "strong men/women still weep" we can go forward. The Holy Spirit is still the Flame that will be a lamp to our feet on this path in this new journey, the Bible is still the light to illuminate our way on these uncharted seas. I have heard some say that we are wrecking our own ship, that we are on the course for failure now but in my heart I still believe that the God of this church has us in the Palm of His Hand. We as a denomination must tighten our boot strings, and as two of our General Overseers have challenged us, march "Forward Together In Changing Times; Like a Mighty Army."
Scripture reminds us in Philippians 1:6, "... he which has begun a good work in you will be faithful to the end..." God is not finished with this church!

"I Dreamed a Dream"

Susan Boyle's time on TV has changed pop culture! She has just shown the world to NEVER JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS COVER! We in the post modern world are superficial and this lady just busted our balloon! I really like the words of the song she sang, "I Dreamed A Dream."

There are times in our lives when the enemy wants to destroy or kill the vision/dream that God has given us. He wants to stop our destiny and destroy the plan that God has in our lives. I still believe that, "God gives us/places within us the desire of out hearts and it is His plan for those to fall into place! I want to challenge everyone who reads this not to allow the enemy to still your dream but to dream on.

"Dream as if you will live forever, live as if you only have today!"

Church of God

There are many things that the COG does that is questionable but there are more things that the COG has right than wrong. I wish we could focus on some of the good things that the COG does instead of all of the things that need fixing. We have a great church, a church that men and women died for, and a church that people have sacrificed for. Some of our men and women have given all they had to support the mission and vision and the purpose of the Church of God. In the April edition of the Evangel I saw pictures of the Church of God in Ethiopia baptizing new converts, I have been been blessed to have visited Kibera, Kenya and the Kibera Kids Center where the Church of God has a beautiful orphanage and are saving children from the horrors of the Kibera Slum. I have traveled to Trinidad and worshipped in COG Youth Camp with Trinidad's next generation of COG leaders as lives are changed. I have ministered, when I was a student at Lee University (a COG University), in the Mount of Olives Church of God in Israel and watched Palestinians worship God with all of there heart. I have been to Youth Camps, Winterfests, preached in churches across this country, worked with Men and Women of Action, passed out food with Operation Compassion, visited with two of the three COG Homes for Children in the United States where children are given a second chance, I have been to the widows center and seen widows lives eased from pain, and the list could go on...But I have said all of that to say this..."WE ARE DOING MORE RIGHT THAN WRONG." We are touching lives across the WORLD yet a handful of people are slamming the church that has mothered them, gave them shelter in storms, fed and clothed them, and educated them. WHY ARE PEOPLE STILL BEATING A DEAD HORSE? Why keep addressing problems that have been addressed like the tithe of tithe, State Offices in the red, etc. This administration has acknowledged the problem and are working on the problems. GIVE IT TIME to come to being. I am offended at those (even those who I consider friends) who call the tithe of tithe dues and taxes. Yes it is more than required by scripture but that has been acknowledged and is being hammered out. Those before us voted this in and it will take time to change it. It is not a due or a tax. It is a tithe and should be given as unto the Lord. After that it is up to the men and women who use this tithe to make sure that they are being good stewards of this money. If not they will stand before God for it and we will stand before God for the way we give it! "God loves a cheerful giver." I am offended at those who laugh and say that it is good news that a state office is going under and that our headquarters loosing $ is great news. That is sick and IMO shows a lack of spiritual maturity. It is never funny when people are struggling! Overseers, YD, EVD, and office staff have families and bills just like you and me. The statements of how funny this is or how great this is just shows a lack of compassion. Needed restructuring is on the way and we will see the first steps of it in September. Dr. Culpepper said he would report the restructuring in Sept. 09 and it would take place in Sept. 10. So why in the world are we still beating the tithe issue, the issue of state office and headquarter uses of the money, etc. This does nothing but stir up discord and give the enemy a place to sow his seeds in our hearts and churches. Let us unite and move forward together in changing times.

Psalm 23

For the past 12 weeks we have been studying the 23rd Psalm on Wednesday nights at church. I have been reading and using Keller's experiences as a shephered to help explain this Psalm in more relevant language. IF you do not have this book you are missing lots of good nuggets on PS. 23. This is a small, very easy read. Every pastor needs this book in their library. We (NWCOG) have loved this book and the study of the Psalm! Must read!!!