Tuesday, November 29, 2011

How to Ruin a Relationship

Brokenrelationship
Today I tweeted this: "Had a revelation today about how I've screwed up past relationships and how changing one thing has changed everything. Blog later."

 

I would like to tell you exactly how to ruin a relationship:

  1. Look for the bad in a person. (You will have absolutely no problem finding it.)
  2.  Judge them in your heart for their poor character. 
  3. Tell yourslef how much better you are--so that you feel really good about yourself.
  4. Look for opportunities to tell others about the poor qualities you've found in that person and slip it in like it is no big deal (or even as prayer requests or fake-care comments).
  5. If they agree with your negative sentiments, talk about the other person together-- and be sure to justify what you are doing by saying that you just needed a safe place to vent. 
  6. Make sure you tell your Spouse as well and make an excuse because it is ok to tell your spouse everything in your heart. 
  7. Keep repeating steps 4 & 5.
  8. Find other people that you do not like and repeat steps 1-7 again. 

 

Here is the impact of living like this.  Please read this carefully:

  • You are sinning and the sin produces guilt in your heart.
  • You are being disloyal and harmful to the person and deteriorating their character. 
  • When you see them, you will not be able to look at them in their eyes.  You will shady and shifty.
  • Someting will be "off" in your relationship. 
  • You will be carrying secrets.
  • Trust is lost whether the offense is ever uncovered or not.
  • The person you have bashed gets the vibes you are slinging with your shifty eyes whether they know anything or not.
  • Whether the person you gossiped to is totally trustworthy or not, the person you gossiped about WILL find out one day. Count on it.
  • You become insecure everytime you are with the one your gossiped about.
  • You can forget about any real in depth, life giving stuff happening in the relationship.
  • You have ensured that the relatioship will not last.  It is the beginning of the end. 

 

Sound like I know what I am talking about a tad? Yeah, because I have been there.  Done this.  Got the T-shirt. Ashamed and repentant, Tricia and I comnmited in our hearts when we landed here in Africa 10 months ago, that we would look for the good in people and talk about that and leave the bad to the Lord to work on. And we are currently forming the most honest, authentic and life changing relatioships we have ever had. 

 

Do you struggle with this? You can change. Start today. Call 1-800-shutyourmouth. Or email lookforthegoodinpeople@gmail.com.

 

Seriously, God can heal this in you.  Now.  Starting now. And as he does you will be amazed at the confidence you will walk in as you relate to people with guilt-free eyes and heart.

Monday, November 28, 2011

A Documentary

Several months back we were contacted by a couple in one of our partnering churches.  They are Nathaniel and Alathea Elliott from Grace Bible Church in Lanham, Maryland. They explained how they have a heart for stories, journalism, videos and Africa and that they sensed the Lord asking them to come visit us here. They asked if they could film a documentary on our family (leaving the Pastorate and moving to Africa) and our ministry here in South Africa. After we tried talking them out of it, convinced that our life is not exciting enough for this, they seemed insistent. We agreed and entered into a planning journey. They are coming in March and we are super excited about this opportunity. Watch this video for a glimpse into their hearts.

Sunday, November 27, 2011

A Discipleship Crisis?

Discipleship
I'm sad.  I'm concerned. I'm scared. Here's why.

 

I think we have a discipleship crisis.  Globally, perhaps.

 

Many, many people just are NOT being discipled.  Or discipling others. Africa and much of the west is over-evangelized and under-discipled. 

 

Let me just define what I mean when I use the word "discipleship." I think that someone is discipling you if:

  • You have a meaningful and totally authentic realtionship with someone who focusses on your spirtual growth and followership of Jesus. If there are secrets, it is not real discipleship.   
  • You meet regulalry. Weekly, biweekly or monthly. (Nice when coffee or food is involved.) Meeting less often than once a month will not bear the fruit your life needs.
  • You are challenged, encouraged, confronted and loved on.  
  • You are being coached toward obedience to Jesus and are being held accountable in that obedience.
  • It could be a spiritual Father or Mother or even a mature peer.  But the point is that they care for your soul and the main agenda is Jesus, not small talk. Spirttual more than natural. 

"GO and make disciples of all nations, baptize them and teach them to obey all that I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19-20

"You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach those truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others." 2 Tim. 2:2

Now, let me put in very specific and personal terms:

  • Yesterday I met with a 24 year old who has been a Christian for 10 years.  He has never been discipled one on one.  No one has ever asked about his soul, his heart! Ever. I see major potential in him. When I offered to enter into a discipling relationship, you would have thought I gave him a new car. Broke me.
  • My sister is visiting with us now. She shared with me that in 33 years of being "in the church" no one has ever initiated a discipling relationship with her. (Share this with her permission.)
  • Tricia is being actively discipled and actively discipling another for the first time in her life right now. 
  • One young man that I am currently discipling has held high leadership position in his church for the last 5 years.  Not a single one of the multiple Pastors or Elders in the church have ever discipled him.  God help us. 
  • When I was in the Pastorate, I did not disciple a single person with any long term intentionality in the terms described above. Yes, I am embarassed to admit this.
  • I am not even sure whether I was being discipled myself...through Bible College...and as a Pastor. 

Honestly, almost every single Christian I meet is not being actively discipled....or discipling another. And the efffects are detrimental. I think that true discipleship is the conduit to the gift the world is waiting for....JESUS! 

 

Are you being discipled? Are you discipling others? Is your experience different?  Am I just missing it and sounding an uneccesary alarm? I hope so.  Please tell me your expereince. Comment. 

Thursday, November 24, 2011

I want my Mommy! Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey
It's Thanksgiving morning in Africa.  Well, kinda. It is technically Thanksgiving in America. In Africa, it is just a normal day.  Our neighbors are leaving for the job site. All systems are go.

 

Today is our first meaningful holiday we have been away from family.  We have now lived here in Cape Town for 10.5 months. 

 

Yesterday, Mom sent me an SMS asking me what time we would be getting together to make my pumpkin pie- a tradition we have had for many years. It hit me when I read that. We will not be making our pie this year. I cried. In the grocery store.  Like a fool. I miss my MOMMY!!  

 

I will miss the vibes of this day.  The vibes on Thanksgiving day in America are just special! Crisp air, naked trees, Christmas already in the air, slamming food, Macy's parade, cider, smells, feelings...we miss it.  And I will miss seeing my beautiful sisters come strolling through the doors with their hair and make up all did up and their dishes of food all prepared. And my Brother-- he would be cooking up something domestic and unusual.  He will put a woman on defense. ;-)

 

As much as we will miss, we are also thankful and joyful today.  Thankful that Selah came to visit us.  So awesome!  It has made a massive difference. And we are excited to just go on a day trip to Hermanus and Franschoek.  Google them and be jealous. ;-)

 

And finally, I am thankful that we obediently followed Jesus to this place.  We are precisely where he wants us to be.  And there is not an earthly possession, no holiday, no friend or family member worth cashing that in for.  Will desire for obedience to God to be the main longing of our life....even if it costs and huts some days.  God makes up for it in other beautiful ways! 

 

So, today we are THANKFUL!  And we say to you, Happy Thanksgiving! 

 

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Powerful Spoken Word

I found the way this man used poetic art to be provoking, inspiring and anointed! Check this out. It is worth your time. That's why I put it here.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

600 Sermons

Preaching
Here is an idea I would like to share with you. Forward it to your Pastor.

This idea starts to welcome simple church DNA into established church structures. 

There is a biblical value of church that many of us are sorely missing out on.  Here it is:

We ALL bring something of Jesus when we gather. (I Corinthians 14:26)

God speaks to all of us....the educated and uneducated, rich and poor, fat and skinny, greedy and generous, black and white, short and tall, mean and nice...ours is a living God that speaks to all mankind through His word, His spirit and His people. 

Do you believe that?  If not, there is no need to read on.  If so, you may like this idea.

Here goes.  Follow these 10 steps:

1. Pastor is supposed to preach on Sunday.

2. Instead of preparing a sermon, he prayerfully selects a story from the Bible. Let's say he choses John 10:1-10

3. Pastor prays that God uses it among the church and tells no one what he is planning to do (because people freak out over change).

4. Pastor takes stage to preach, opens Bible and reads passage.

5. Pastor says something like this: "This story is so good!!  When I went to prepare to preach on it, I got totally excited about what the Lord may show each of you from the story. I bet that God has some powerful things to say through you today and we need to hear it."

6. Pastor asks people to place themselves into groups of 4-6 people that they are fairly comfortable with. It is ok to be with your friends and family. (At this point the people will look at you and do nothing for a few seconds and the anxiety in the room will increase 10 fold. This is how you know you are moving in the right direction.)

7. Pastor asks the groups to have two more people read the story again...once for the head and once for the heart.

8. Pastor asks groups to work at the following 3 questions: 1) What do you understand in this passage? 2) What do you not understand in this passage? 3) What will you do to obey what God is saying to you through this passage? OR these 3 questions: 1) What do you notice about God? 2) What do you notice about people like us? 3) What will you do to obey?

9. Ask for a few folks to share something that they heard from someone else, that was very powerful. (Rule: they may NOT share what they said, only what they heard another say.)

10. Pray and Dismiss church.

 

What happens?

  • Some people get mad the Pastor because he made them uncomfortable. Pastor may get some emails being told "preaching is what we pay you for."
  • Some visitors feel weird for a minute cause they don't know anyone. Who cares? At least they know from their first day with you that you all share with each other and listen to each other.  That's what every human longs for. 
  • Iron sharpens iron.
  • People are mutually edified.
  • Everyone shares.
  • Everyone is heard.
  • Scriprure comes alive for people.
  • Some people make new friends.
  • People learn each other's names.
  • The Pastor gives some of his power away.
  • The volume in the room rasies substantially as it buzzes with spiritual dialogue.  So cool!
  • Jesus is glorified.
  • And imagine that the church doing this is about 200 people in size...instead of one long sermon being preached, there are about 600 short sermons being preached by 200 people. How cool is that?

Note: I am not suggesting that you a) do this to tick people off (that is a wrong motivation) or b) do this every week.  But what may start to happen in the church that does this once a month?

I just believe it is time to get people talking.  They have so much to give each other. 

This idea starts to welcome simple church DNA into established church structures. 

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Jesus for President

Jesus-for-president
Last week I fininshed reading "Jesus For President" by Shane Claiborne (website here). Honestly, I am not even going to attempt to review it here in any detail.  Too rich for that and too deep for that.  It would just provoke a bunch of (controversial) conversation among people who have not read the book....which would be far more fun happening between people who actually have read the book.

 

I just want to say that it is one of the best books I have ever read in my life. I wept and worshipped my King multiple times while reading it.  I would frequently have to lay it down and sit in silence and conviction for the flippancy with which I live my life. And I promise you that, for most of you, if you would read this book, you will get a picture of Jesus you have never had before.  And you will probably realize that your theology needs some serious attention and revision.

 

I especially really, really, really reccomend this book to American Christians who like Fox News. And also to anyone who posted gratitude toward veterans on their Facebook wall yesterday (and I am not saying that it was wrong if you did so). Which reminds me....I saw this on Facebook yesterday.  It deeply grieved and saddened me.  If you want to know why, read this book.

Freedom

 

 

 

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Provocative Questions

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10-20-11_question-man
I am coming to believe that there is major power in asking the right questions.  I am also learning that I stink at asking good questions and I want to get better. Proverbs 20:5 tells us that "the purposes of the human heart are deep waters, but those who have insight draw them out."  I yearn to draw things out of the waters of people's hearts. 

 

Here are 10 AWESOME questions to ask an accountability partner each time you meet. Use them regularly with another Jesus follower and I promise you that there will be fruit flowing from it.

 

1. Have you been a testimony this week to the greatness of Jesus with both words and actions? 

2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another this week?

3. Have you been responsible with your finances or have you been consumed with wanting something that does not belong to you?

4. Have you been honoring, understanding, and generous in important relationships this week?

5. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face-to-face?

6. Have you given into an addictive behavior this week? Explain.

7. Have you continued to remain angry toward another?

8. Have you secretly wished for another's misfortune so that you might excel?

9. Have you spent daily time alone with God in prayer and in the Word this week?

10. Have you left anything hidden in answering these questions?

 

Can you imagine what would happen if we all met in pairs, triads or quads and worked through these regularly?  Wow!  HERE is the link for these questions at their original source.  They are called LTG questions. 

 _________________________________


For kicks and grins, here are some more provocative questions that I compiled and weeded through.  You could pick and chose these as the Holy Spirit leads you. 

 

This week....


(Spiritual)

  • Did the Bible live in me this week? Did I give it time to speak to me every day?
  • Am I enjoying prayer?
  • When did I last speak to someone about my faith? 
  • Did I disobey God in anything?
  • Was Christ real to me? 
  • What known sins have I committed since our last meeting?
  • What temptations have I been met with? Were you delivered? If so, how?
  • In what ways did God make his presence known to you since our last Meeting?
  • Which spiritual disciplines did God use to lead you further into holiness of heart and life?
  • Have you sensed any influence or work of the Holy Spirit since our last meeting? 
  • What spiritual gifts did the Spirit enable you to exercise? What was the outcome?
  • What is the condition of your soul? 
  • What sin do you need to confess? 
  • What have you held back from God that you need to surrender? 
  • Is there anything that has dampened your zeal for Christ? 
  • What do you need to ask the Spirit of God to reveal to you that you have not yet understood? 
  • Have you spoken with a non-believer about your faith in Jesus Christ? With Whom?

  

(Relational)

  • Is my conscience clear in how I feel toward and speak of the people in my life?
  • Did I break people’s confidence and share private information I had no right to share?
  • Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I going to do about it? 
  • Is there anyone toward whom I am jealous?
  • Did I give priority time, energy and emotion to my spouse and kids this week?

 

(Sexual)

  • Have I been with a man or woman anywhere this past week that might be seen as compromising? 
  • Have I exposed myself to any sexually explicit material? 
  • Have I commited adultery or fornication this week?
  • Have I crossed any lines that it seems clear Jesus did not want me to?
  • How pure or impure have my thoughts been? 

 

(Financial)

  • Did I pray about the money I spent?
  • Have any of my financial dealings lacked integrity? 
  • Did I buy things that I did not need?
  • Am I currenytly looking to justify a purchase that I know I should not make at this time?
  • What have I given away this week?

 

(Character) 

  • Was I consciously or unconsciously creating the idea that I am better than I am?
  • Was I honest in all my acts or words, or did I exaggerate? 
  • Was I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
  • Was I self conscious, self-pitying, self-absorbed, self-centered or self justified?
  • Did I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy? 
  • Was I defeated in any part of my life? 
  • Was I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful? 
  • Did I grumble and complain? 
  • What fruit of the Spirit would you like to see increase in your life? Which disciplines might be useful in this effort? 
  • What opportunities did God give you to serve others since our last meeting? How did you respond? 
  • Did you encounter injustice to or oppression of others? Were you able to work for justice and peace? 
  • How has the Bible shaped the way you think and live?


(Schedule)

  • Did I get to bed on time and get up on time?
  • How did I spend my spare time?  
  • Have I spent adequate time in Bible Study and Prayer? 
  • Have I given priority time to my family?
  • Did I invest the proper quality / quantity of time in my most important relationships? 

 

HERE is where I gathered most of these questions and sorted through them. This is a compilation of the ones I liked best. 

Sunday, November 6, 2011

My Favorite YouTube Videos & A Porn Warning

Yesterday we had a little party with friends where we all shared our favorite YouTube videos as we watched together and laughed.  Laughter is great!  There should be loads more fun happening in Christian community than there currently is! When is the last time you just had an evening of laugher with fellow Jesus followers? It's good stuff. 

 

Anyway, last night I tweeted that I would share my faves with you on the blog.  Here goes.  After spending lots of time previewing lots of good YouTube videos, these are my list toppers in no particular order.  MOST of them are very clean.  A few could offend the easily offended.  I have chosen to share them anyway.  If you are easily offended, simply do not risk it.  Don't watch any. 

  • David after Dentist   
  • Montgomery Flea Market 
  • Ignatius the Youth Pastor 
  • Hide your kids, hide your wife  
  • Bed Intruder Song 
  • World's tallest man meets worlds smallest man  
  • I'm gonna kick his ask  
  • Kittens. Inspired by kittens    
  • I told my kids I ate their halloween candy 
  • Miss teen south carolina 
  • Funny Video Shower Prank 
  • Weather Graphics 
  • Preacher Beeper  
  • Unicorn After wisdom teeth 
  • Baby Bopping to Single Ladies  
  • Forgot the Blueberries  
  • Sophie Can Walk  (Language warning, but super funny.) 
  • Bizkit the sleep walking dog  
  • Demitri Martin Flip Chart  
  • Boom goes the dynamite    

__________________

And now for the part of the title that caught some of your attention...a PORN WARNING...

Yesterday, while I was spending intentional time searching out the best of the best YouTube videos, I noticed something....

YouTube can be a slippery slope into pornography.  The way it is designed seems to vacuum people into garbage.  You can type "Jesus love you" into the search box and get women half dressed and titles advertising body parts.  It's sad, really.  And as I noticed this (and successfully fought the temptation to click on these enticing titles), I really felt the desire to warn people. Be careful.  You can tell yourself "it's just YouTube" and end up several hours later in a place you do not need to be.  And weeks later, months later, years later in a LIFESTYLE you do not want to be living.

Most of you either look at Porn already or it impacts your life in some other rather direct way.  That can change.  There is help.  Take step 1....stop hiding. Yes, I think that is step 1.  Admit it.   

My Favorite YouTube Videos & A Porn Warning

Yesterday we had a little party with friends where we all shared our favorite YouTube videos as we watched together and laughed.  Laughter is great!  There should be loads more fun happening in Christian community than there currently is! When is the last time you just had an evening of laugher with fellow Jesus followers? It's good stuff. 

 

Anyway, last night I tweeted that I would share my faves with you on the blog.  Here goes.  After spending lots of time previewing lots of good YouTube videos, these are my list toppers in no particular order.  MOST of them are very clean.  A few could offend the easily offended.  I have chosen to share them anyway.  If you are easily offended, simply do not risk it.  Don't watch any. 

  • David after Dentist   
  • Montgomery Flea Market 
  • Ignatius the Youth Pastor 
  • Hide your kids, hide your wife  
  • Bed Intruder Song 
  • World's tallest man meets worlds smallest man  
  • I'm gonna kick his ask  
  • Kittens. Inspired by kittens    
  • I told my kids I ate their halloween candy 
  • Miss teen south carolina 
  • Funny Video Shower Prank 
  • Weather Graphics 
  • Preacher Beeper  
  • Unicorn After wisdom teeth 
  • Baby Bopping to Single Ladies  
  • Forgot the Blueberries  
  • Sophie Can Walk  (Language warning, but super funny.) 
  • Bizkit the sleep walking dog  
  • Demitri Martin Flip Chart  
  • Boom goes the dynamite    

__________________

And now for the part of the title that caught some of your attention...a PORN WARNING...

Yesterday, while I was spending intentional time searching out the best of the best YouTube videos, I noticed something....

YouTube can be a slippery slope into pornography.  The way it is designed seems to vacuum people into garbage.  You can type "Jesus love you" into the search box and get women half dressed and titles advertising body parts.  It's sad, really.  And as I noticed this (and successfully fought the temptation to click on these enticing titles), I really felt the desire to warn people. Be careful.  You can tell yourself "it's just YouTube" and end up several hours later in a place you do not need to be.  And weeks later, months later, years later in a LIFESTYLE you do not want to be living.

Most of you either look at Porn already or it impacts your life in some other rather direct way.  That can change.  There is help.  Take step 1....stop hiding. Yes, I think that is step 1.  Admit it.   

My Favorite YouTube Videos & A Porn Warning

Youtube
Yesterday we had a little party with friends where we all shared our favorite YouTube videos as we watched together and laughed.  Laughter is great!  There should be loads more fun happening in Christian community than there currently is! When is the last time you just had an evening of laugher with fellow Jesus followers? It's good stuff. 

 

Anyway, last night I tweeted that I would share my faves with you on the blog.  Here goes.  After spending lots of time previewing lots of good YouTube videos, these are my list toppers in no particular order.  MOST of them are very clean.  A few could offend the easily offended.  I have chosen to share them anyway.  If you are easily offended, simply do not risk it.  Don't watch any. 

  • David after Dentist   
  • Montgomery Flea Market 
  • Ignatius the Youth Pastor 
  • Hide your kids, hide your wife  
  • Bed Intruder Song 
  • World's tallest man meets worlds smallest man  
  • I'm gonna kick his ask  
  • Kittens. Inspired by kittens    
  • I told my kids I ate their halloween candy 
  • Miss teen south carolina 
  • Funny Video Shower Prank 
  • Weather Graphics 
  • Preacher Beeper  
  • Unicorn After wisdom teeth 
  • Baby Bopping to Single Ladies  
  • Forgot the Blueberries  
  • Sophie Can Walk  (Language warning, but super funny.) 
  • Bizkit the sleep walking dog  
  • Demitri Martin Flip Chart  
  • Boom goes the dynamite    

__________________

And now for the part of the title that caught some of your attention...a PORN WARNING...

Yesterday, while I was spending intentional time searching out the best of the best YouTube videos, I noticed something....

YouTube can be a slippery slope into pornography.  The way it is designed seems to vacuum people into garbage.  You can type "Jesus love you" into the search box and get women half dressed and titles advertising body parts.  It's sad, really.  And as I noticed this (and successfully fought the temptation to click on these enticing titles), I really felt the desire to warn people. Be careful.  You can tell yourself "it's just YouTube" and end up several hours later in a place you do not need to be.  And weeks later, months later, years later in a LIFESTYLE you do not want to be living.

Most of you either look at Porn already or it impacts your life in some other rather direct way.  That can change.  There is help.  Take step 1....stop hiding. Yes, I think that is step 1.  Admit it.   

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Past Time for a Reformation

Ap-pentecostal-churchgoers-dallas-1964-photog-ferd-kaufman
A freind passed this on. I found it so insightful. What do you think? 

 

1. Let’s reform our theology. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. He is God and He is holy. He is not an “it.” He is not a blob, a force, or an innate power. We must stop manipulating Him, commanding Him and throwing Him around.

2. Let’s return to the Bible. The Word of God is the foundation for the Christian experience. Any dramatic experience, no matter how spiritual it seems, must be tested by the Word and the Holy Spirit’s discernment. Visions, dreams, prophecies and encounters with angels must be in line with Scripture. If we don’t test them we could end up spreading deception.

3. It’s time for personal responsibility. We charismatics must stop blaming everything on demons. People are usually the problem.

4. Stop playing games. Spiritual warfare is a reality, but we are not going to win the world to Jesus just by shouting at demonic principalities. We must pray, preach and persevere to see ultimate victory.

5. Stop the foolishness. People who hit, slap or push others during prayer should be asked to sit down until they learn gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit.

6. End all spiritual extortion now. Christian television ministries must cease and desist from all manipulative fundraising tactics. We must stop giving platforms to ministers who make outlandish claims of supernatural financial returns, especially when Scripture is twisted, deadlines are imposed and the poor are exploited.

7. No more Lone Rangers. Those who claim to be ministers of God—whether they are traveling evangelists, local pastors or heads of ministries—must be accountable to other leaders. Any who refuse to submit their lives to godly discipline should be corrected.

8. Expose the creeps. Churches should start doing background checks on traveling ministers. Preachers who have been hiding criminal records, lying about their past marriages, preying on women or refusing to pay child support should be exposed as charlatans and shunned if they do not repent.

9. Stop faking the anointing. God is God, and He does not need our “help” to manifest Himself. That means we don’t sprinkle glitter on ourselves to suggest God’s glory is with us, hide fake jewels on the floor to prove we are anointed or pull chicken feathers out of our sleeves to pretend angels are in the room. This is lying to the Holy Spirit.

10. Let’s return to purity. We’ve had enough scandals. The charismatic church must develop a system for the restoration of fallen ministers. Those who fall morally can be restored, but they must be willing to submit to a process of healing rather than rushing immediately back into the pulpit.

11. We need humility. Ministers who demand celebrity treatment, require lavish salaries, insist on titles or exhibit aloofness from others are guilty of spiritual pride.

12. No more big shots. Apostles are the bondslaves of Christ, and should be the most impeccable models of humility. True apostles do not wield top-down, hierarchical authority over the church. They serve the church from the bottom up as true servants.

13. Never promote gifts at the expense of character. Those who operate in prophecy, healing and miracles must also exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. And while we continue to encourage the gift of tongues, let’s make sure we don’t treat it like some kind of badge of superiority. The world needs to see our love, not our glossolalia.

14. Hold the prophets accountable. Those who refuse to take responsibility for inaccurate statements should not be given platforms. And “prophets” who live immoral lives don’t deserve a public voice.

15. Let’s make the main thing the main thing. The purpose of the Holy Spirit’s anointing is to empower us to reach others. We are at a crossroads today: Either we continue off-course, entertained by our charismatic sideshows, or we throw ourselves into evangelism, church planting, missions, discipleship, and compassionate ministry that helps the poor and fights injustice. Churches that embrace this New Reformation will focus on God’s priorities.

 

Wow!  See the full post HERE