Ministry in Postmodernism???

Postmodernism is a term that is being used to describe society. Postmodernism states that there is NO ABSOLUTE TRUTH. Truth is relative and is only what one perceives it to be.

It can be stressful to minister in this type of world. It is here that we see the church begin to implode. We have struggled to be relevant and have struggled evangelize. Churches are closing everyday b/c we have not attacked the situation. If anything we (the church) have fueled the fire of postmodernism with our statements and our workless faith. The world is telling society that God is dead, Postmodernism tells society that God is whatever you want it to be and the church for the past 20yrs or so have said to the world..."God doesn't move like He did in the good old days." We go onto say, "The power of God used to be so real in our churches and in our lives." What is this saying to society? What is this telling the postmodern world??? These statements tell society that they are right! God is dead and God is just whatever...This reminds me of Judges 2:10..."and there arose a generation after this that did not know the Lord and the works that He had done..."

It is "high time" to awake from this sleep that we have been in and be the Church triumphant!! Jesus said, "The gates of Hell will NOT prevail against the Church." We have stood around the Church and have defended it long enough. We must realize that we have not been called to defend the Church but to advance the Church. IT is Christ's job to defend it. He said that Hell would not prevail against it. He has called me and you to "GO INTO ALL THE WORLD AND SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!" You cannot go (advance) and stay (defend) all at the same time. We must tell the world that God still saves, sanctifies, fills with the Spirit, sets free from bondage, delivers, and heals. We must be a church that is full of signs and wonders. We have to tell a world that they can EXPERIENCE the God that we are serving and when they have tasted and see that He is good, they will come back and drink again! We must turn the postmodern question of "Who am I" into "WHOSE AM I"... "For it is in Him that we live and we move and we have our being.." Let us remember that if God be for us who can be against us...

The Lighthouse

In the midst of the waves of life we can be of good cheer b/c the lighthouse still stands.

The storms cannot rage so strong that its power will knock it down, the waves cannot crash and cause it to crumble. The winds will not blow so hard that the lighthouse will fall. This light house is a sure foundation. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is not weakened over time for He is boundless. He does not erode for he is faithful. He will not shift for He is eternal! And it is in Him that we live, and we move and we have our being. Praise the Lord for this Promise. As a child I remember growning up hearing and singing a song and the chorus goes like this...

"So let the storms rage high, the dark clouds rise, they won’t worry me for I’m sheltered safe within the arms of God; He walks with me and naught of Earth can harm me, For I'm sheltered in the arms of God."

Our storms may be overwhelming but we must remember the words of the Psalmist..."When my heart is overwhelmed...lead me to the Rock that is Higher than I."

Happy New Year ~~

For me 2008 was a rough year. One of the hardest I have had in my 30 years of living. Lots of personal situations that I had to work through came my way. During 2008 I had several decisions that were tough. One imparticular, that was one of the hardest of my life, has caused me to sit down and look at the paths that I have traveled and the one that I am on now, through a different lens. However, I do believe in my heart that I made the right decision yet I am to see the fruit of it.

This has been one of the "driest" seasons I have had to endure. Not only because of the drought that has crippled SC but b/c of the droughts I have faced personally. Yet through it all I have felt God's presence and know that rain is on its way. I heard Tim Hill sing a song once and the words have been in my spirit since. This song got me through October, November and December. The words go like this,

"The seed you planted deep has yet to grow. You've wondered when you'll reap the things you sow. How long has it been since rain last touched your ground? You've searched the skies, but then the rain just can't be found.

(chorus) But it will rain again. The fruit will fill the vine. The stalk will bend with wheat. The grapes burst forth with wine. So go into your field, your work is not in vain God promised harvest and I know it will rain.

So lift your head today and see the task. This rain will come your way if you will ask. Go build your barns, my friend prepare to store the grain. The clouds are coming in and I know it will rain."

Christ said, "In this world you will have tribulations; but be of good cheer, for I have overcome this world!"

I have said all of these things to say this. Let 2008 go! Focus on 2009 b/c...It will rain again! Christ in you, the Hope of glory has overcome!!!

Dream on!!!

I loved this blog post from Bishop Isaccs. Instead of writing about it I just thought I would paste it! POWERFUL thoughts that have stirred my spirit!!

Our Need To Dream BIGGER Dreams…Posted by Bishop Bill November 01, 2008 In 1999, I had just gone to North Georgia as State YCE Director and Carl Richardson came to our Winter Prayer Conference to speak. In one of the sessions he made this statement--"In order for you to go where God wants to take you, you must learn to dream bigger dreams and think bigger thoughts than you are thinking right now!" The words so resonated in my spirit that I was lost to the rest of his message and my mind began to wrap around the question--"how does one dream bigger dreams?" Later that day at lunch, I positioned myself near Brother Richardson and posed the question--"how do I dream bigger dreams?" He challenged me to consider spending time with people who I felt thought BIGGER than I did. He also encouraged me to consider possibilities that were beyond my perceptions. Looking back now, I consider those moments some of the pivotal moments of my leadership career.So, here is my question for you... Do you dream BIG dreams about your life, your family, your career, your marriage, your ministry? It is so easy to fall into the trap of settling for status quo--to take the easy road and stay where you are. Remember this, God did not prepare your life for status quo...He is calling you to greater heights and things that are yet still beyond your wildest imaginations! There is a new ministry waiting to be born in your spirit. There is a new plan for revitalizing your marriage if you are willing to take the chance. There is a new strategy for winning your family to Christ but you have to allow you present mindset to change...to grow..to dream! Almost every neat and cool thing you enjoy today was the result of someone dreaming an improbable dream of "what can be!" Sometimes when I fly a commercial airplane and feel the lift of the jet off the ground, I wonder--"did Orville Wright and his brother Wilbur imagine this would be the result of their dreaming?" The list is endless of dreamers who dared to challenge the status quo and consider the possibilities of what could be. There will always be the critics who will ridicule your dreaming and think it is unwise or ill-advised but they are merely distractions...you have to keep dreaming--despite your detractors!Author Jim Collins (Good to Great) recently said in a conference I attended that good leaders need some "white space" time on their calendar without a phone, a PDA, a computer and interruptions. Each leader needs time to dream, to imagine, to think and to consider what could be. In those moments will come the ideas that change your world. He's right and good leaders will have to fight for those moments but we never regret them because our souls were made to dream, to imagine and to consider. Our Creator God is Himself a dream, a person of imagination. I know because I see from my window today the fruits of His imaginative thought--a tree that grows from a seed to heights of more than 25 feet, a squirrel who can leap and jump from limb to limb, the steam that rises from the melting frost which lays upon the grass, etc."When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near." -Michael HammerTake some time this week and make a list of your dreams, those thoughts and imaginations which seem beyond your reach...write them down and tuck them away in your Bible near the verse Matthew 19:26--"With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Dirty Hands!

"He's still working on me. To make me what I ought to be. It took him just a week to make the moon and the stars; the sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be...He's still working on me."

The words of this song still ring in my ears! A song that I learned in Children's Church years ago still hold true. I recently attended the Eastern Campmeeting for the Church of God in SC and The Perry's www.perrysministries.com/2007A/about.html were singing! They sang a song titled "The Potter Knows the Clay" which grabbed my heart strings. I was reminded that "He is the Potter and I am the Clay." While they sang they showed a video. In that video there was a picture of a potter's hands working on clay. In that picture I noticed that His/her hands were very dirty. I have been thinking/chewing on this for a while and I am thankful that His hands are still getting dirty not just in my life but for all of humanity.

I remember from scripture that a crowd was ready to stone a lady who was caught in the act of adultery when Jesus showed up and wrote something in the dirt (His hands got dirty), I am reminded that at the healing of a blind man, Christ spits in the dirt makes a clay and wipes it in the blind man's eyes (His hands got dirty), Jeremiah reminds us that the potter "crushes" the clay at times to start over (His hands get dirty). I could go on and on but I think you get the point. This past Sunday two people came down to the altar and gave their hearts to Christ. The young couple wept and I know that His hands were dirty as He crushed the clay! In my own life the potter still has me spinning me on the wheel and is working on me. The past few months of my life have been difficult (spiritually, emotionally, and mentally). Yet I am convinced that it is just the potter making me, crushing me, and starting over in me that I might be used for His glory. I am open to whatever the potter wants to make out of me as long as He gets the glory. I am seeing some victorious days now and I am thankful that the Potter knows the Clay!

Praise the Lord that His hands still get dirty for humanity and that He is still working on me!!!

GOOOOOOOOOOOOO Cocks!!

This game is the hardest game of the year on me. I grew up in the years before SC was ever in the SEC and have always pulled for the Vols and the Gamecocks. The two teams rarely met on the field prior to Carolina's entrance into the conference. I had the best of both worlds! I could sing Rocky Top and 2001 all at the same time. Then in 1992 South Carolina entered the SEC and I began to have a hard time. I have Tennessee sweat shirts, watches, etc. But I also have Carolina sweat shirts, watches, etc. Last year the Vols beat the Gamecocks in overtime in Knoxville. (Melissa, Nolan and myself were all there) After such a heart breaking loss last year I decided that I was going all out for the Cocks this year! I am forever thankful that I did. Tough game for the VOLS but...Go Cocks. We will wait and see about next year. Prediction...Fulmer's back next year!

The BIG 30~

Today has been my 30th birthday! I thought that I would have a hard time with it but it has not been to bad. Millions have already turned 30 before me and made it! I too will make it! Lots have happened since my last post...Bowden fired at Clemson, Garcia the new QB at USC, Fulmer in the Hotseat at Tennessee, the financial system of the U.S. on a roll-a-coaster, my dad turned 50, and I made butter and butter milk with a widow in my church. Many other events but too many to name!

I took some time this morning to look over my life. I learned that the past 5 years I have been allowing life to live me instead of me living life! That is going to come to an END! I am going to take more time for my family, my friends and for myself. It is TOO easy to allow the ministry and the church become the priority instead of what really matters. I have a great wife, wonderful son, and the best parents and grandparents a man could ask for!!

Yesterday and today has been the the SC Church of God State Ministers meeting. It was really nice to see friends from all over SC that I only get to see a few times a year. These men and women have become like family to me. I truly love our ministry family in SC. Melissa and I are excited to be elected onto the SC Church of God Youth and Christian Education Board again. For the past two years we have served on the Board of Directors of the Church of God Home for Children. We are going to miss serving the students and the Superintendent (Roger and Pam Childers) but look forward to the future. We both love the ministry of the Youth Department and look forward to working with our new youth director and his wife. (Greg and Becky Copley)

I will be blogging tomorrow so check back later. Happy Birthday to Chad Putnam (my brother in law also turning 30) and Debra Perkins Harris (life long friend also turning 30) tomorrow! Pray for a couple of friends of mine Scott and Tyra King as they are going through a rough place in life right now. There baby was born premature and they all need our prayers!

Serving Him...Scottie