The General's Book

If you are a pastor and have not picked up a copy of the General's book then you need to!

This book not only assists the pastor in structuring a church but it is also a fire starter. I could almost see and hear Dr. Culpepper's father as he wails in prayer at the altar of that old country church! I could almost hear the urgency in his voice as he looks at Dr. Culpepper and says,

"Son, you have lost the edge. You began as a pastor with a big dream, but it has been rough. Your heart is beaten up. You're discouraged. You are busy, but not very effective. You have learned to act like a preacher but you're empty. You've lost your burden for lost people. Your prayer life is in trouble. No tears punctuate your preaching. You're not hungry for God like you used to be. You know how to say the right things and push the right buttons; but like Samson who shook himself, you don't know the Spirit is gone. The anointing is not fresh. Your fire has gone out. You have left your first love. You must get the edge back."

What a word. I have felt just like the words that the General's father uttered to him. Empty, busy, not effective, tearless, shaking myself and not finding the Spirit! WOW! I love the transparency of Raymond Culpepper. I pray to God that we the Church of God will rally around one another and help each other through these "pit" times in life. I have been so busy working for God that I failed to simply serve God. To act as a waiter and serve Him with my praise, self discipline, worship, fasting, reading, meditating, etc. As the elder Culpepper said, "you must get the edge back." We as ministers of the Church of God MUST GET THE EDGE BACK. Attitude reflects leadership. If I am not Serving God, (as mentioned earlier) but am always just busy and non effective then I am training God's people to do and be the exact same thing. Therefore we birth a generation that is like those who we can read of in Judges 2:10. "...and there arose a generation after them that did not know the Lord nor the works He had done..." God Have Mercy!!! Help and Forgive as we have grown cold and continue to try to do Your work with our might and power instead of by Your Spirit. Rebirth us that we may become, "Like a Mighty Army!"