Where Are the Martin Luthers?
Did you know that October 31st marked a historical event of mammoth proportions, one that many in the American church will overlook? On this date, an event took place that forever changed the church. On Wednesday, October 31st, 1517, an Augustinian monk named Martin Luther publicly renounced the church's sin and heresy as he pulled out his hammer and nailed his 95 Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. From this act, the Protestant Reformation was birthed. I am quite confident that Martin Luther wasn’t alone in his assessment of the church's gross error and sin. Surely many others...
Done, Done
Have you noticed that while we walk the walk of faith, what we see and hear can often be discouraging? Maybe I am the only one to experience this. If so, this post isn't for you. In the face of opposition, I am reminded of this Andrew Murray quote concerning the definition of faith: “It is the ear which has heard God say what He will do and the eye which has seen Him doing it.” The promises of His Word are yea and amen. (2 Corinthians 1:20). To use a phrase often spoken by my dad, in the eyes of God, these promises are "done, done". Again, I may be writing this solely for me. But if not, let...
Healing TODAY!
Why do we see few people today laying hands upon the sick to minister divine healing? There may be many reasons, but to me, one stands out: fear. I know because I've been there. At one time, the "what ifs" constantly bombarded my mind. What if no one will respond to my appeal for the laying on of hands? What if someone challenges me, saying the ministry of laying on of hands is a thing of the past? What if I lay hands on someone and nothing changes immediately? Doesn't this ministry put an enormous pressure upon me to produce results? Thankfully, those days of wrestling with these tormenting...
Bring Back the Testimonies!
When I grew up in a small South Texas Assemblies of God church, the testimony service was an important part of each gathering. Treva Evans might stand up and tell of a miracle God performed during the past week. Sydney Smith might stand up and dance a Holy Ghost dance as he told about how God had saved a family member. Almost weekly, someone would testify of a healing. Sadly, those days are seemingly long gone. Our time together each week has become so regulated and calculated. At best, the crowds have become so large that our people hear testimonies only sporadically. Or, I hate to suggest...
God Wants to Invade the Nursery/Toddler/Preschool Ministries
I recognize that these weekly (thankfully not weakly) posts are read by individuals from every walk of life, from every type of church, involved in many different types of ministry. As I write each week, I keep this diversity in mind. But this morning, I sensed an urgency to push aside the "every" and "many" to focus on a major need in the church: our nursery and early childhood ministries. Knowing this, don't blow off this post. Read it, then pass it along to those in your local church involved in these vital ministries. One battle that most children’s ministry leaders and workers face is...
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