Are We Afraid Of Dying?

 When Kathy died, I did not put Psalm 23 on the eulogy. I put 1 Thessalonians 4:13.

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope."

I wonder if we, even as Pentecostal believers, pray for the sick like those who fear death and dying. We feel the need to visit the dying person, like we will never see them again. We pray earnestly for their healing, like we are afraid of getting sick and dying. Our theology is more Roman Catholic than protestant Pentecostalism. We somehow think that we must pay now to play in Heaven. We think that suffering now guarantees a pain free life in Heaven. This is not Bible doctrine.

We get to Heaven by believing in Jesus Christ. We are saved by faith, not by works, lest anyone think they deserve it.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

According to James chapter 2 we can tell what kind of faith you have by observing how you live. How you treat the dying and the terminally ill tells a lot about what you believe about eternity.

Praying For the Sick and the Dying

 "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins, he said to the paralytic, I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house. Immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went out in the presence of them all, so that all were amazed and glorified God, saying, we never saw anything like this!" Mark 2:10-12

First, I never read in the Gospels that Jesus prayed for healing. He healed people. He did not pray for days or weeks or months, he healed them immediately. He may have ministered a few times but they were healed on the spot. Jesus did not pray for God to heal, but we do.

Second, I wonder if we do a disservice to the terminally ill by praying for their miraculous healing. If they are not healed immediately, maybe we should pray for them for strength to endure the pain and the treatment. These terminally ill people are not getting better, they are dying. Maybe we need to care for them at the end of their lives.

"Then on the seventh day it came to pass that the child died. ...Then his servants said to him, what is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died you arose and ate food." 2Samuel 12:18,21. Even David did not get a miracle for a sick child.

Not every prayer will be answered like we want it to be answered.

"For this thing I besought the Lord three times, that it might depart from me. And He said to me, my grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness...." 2Corinthians 12:8-9

I pray every service that the Lord would heal the sick among us. I also, when it is obvious that someone is dying, pray for them to be strengthened and at peace. Like Kathy, like Bridget, and like I am currently with Steve.

An Idea

 Here's an idea. The world we live in is much different from the world our Fellowship began in. Things that worked back then may or may not work today. The Gospel is the same. Our methods, while similar, might need to adapt to the world we live in.

Our problem is that tradition outweighs innovation. The good is the enemy of the great. We no longer try things to see what will work, we spend great effort to perfect what has been handed down to us. 

Who is responsible for keeping our ministry relevant? I say the tone and the structure and the rules of our church are set by the pastors. So it behooves our pastors to be on top or abreast of the current culture to make sure that our labors are not in vain.

One area where this applies is in regard to the consumer mentality of visitors. You only have one chance to make a first impression. So as long as the folks sitting next to a visitor are cordial, we have done our job. It is up to our pastors to minister in an appealing way. Whether that is style or anointing, that is their responsibility. To make people want to come back a second time is their job, not ours.

If the whole church is cold or aloof or uninterested that is a pastoral failure. 

If a pastor is going to get credit for growth and success he must also take responsibility for the lack of success. 

One final thought on consumer Christians. If we have something they want and need, they will come back, they will commit, and they will in time support. Don't be too quick to cast out the baby with the bath water.

The Real Deal

I can tell tell when music is good or bad, but I cannot tell you why. I can tell you when food is good or bad, but I cannot tell you why. I can tell you when the weather is pleasant or miserable, but I cannot tell you why. In like manner, I can tell when preaching is good or bad, but I cannot tell you why. I can tell when a service is useful or a waste of time, but I cannot tell you why.

When they train people to spot counterfeit currency they have them handle the real currency. That way a fake will jump out at them.

I am at a place in life where I need more than new convert rah rah preaching. I need grace for today more than ever. I need to know that I am welcome and accepted and valued. I need preaching that ministers to me, not just the young guys in the front row.

Conference Thoughts

 Pastor Mitchell used to say that the Prescott Conference was a "People's Conference". In recent years that concept had gotten hard for me to understand. The preaching is focused on pastors. And any benefit the common people would receive was secondary. Maybe back in the olden days when no one was important or polished or very successful we could expect regular folks to be ministered to. Did you know that early on evangelists used to preach the night services like a revival meeting in the conference in Prescott?

One thing I do not understand is why so many people from here feel compelled to go to a conference way over there when it is not for them. Not every ministry is for everybody. That seems obvious to me. I guess others don't see that. Part of growing up is realizing that you are not the focus and that life does not revolve around you.

Living in San Antonio, we have connection to leadership churches but not to Prescott. Prescott did not plant this church. Pastor Rubi is not from Prescott. Just because pastor Mitchell enjoyed ministering here does not make you a Prescott church. I hear little talk about our mother church or where we come from unless pastor Rubi is talking about how he got saved as a teenager a long time ago.

Local or regional conferences fill the need for local folks to get involved and to feel the thrust of our Fellowship. Guys who will never preach in Prescott can preach here in our conference. People who cannot travel to Prescott can attend services here. We have this big new building, why not use it for conference here on a regular basis. 

One final thought. Who are you trying to impress when you go to conference on your honeymoon or your family vacation? Maybe it's time to grow up.

Hosanna!

 My Bible study for today took me to Christ's entry into Jerusalem and the welcome he was given by the crowds of people. They cried out, Hosanna!

The word hosanna is somewhat interesting. This word is only used in the Bible in this unique setting. It is not used anywhere else. The word is the same in Greek and in English. The word is not used in the Old Testament.

Hosanna simply is an exclamation of praise. It is not the same as hallelujah. It is a joyful exclamation. Hosanna used to imply a prayer to God to save and to prosper. This idea is found in Psalm 118:25; "Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity."

But study shows us that this is a unique word for a unique circumstance and that it is used nowhere else in the Bible.

"And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord: blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that comes in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest." Mark 11:9-10

"took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: blessed is the king of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord." John 12:13

It seems that this greeting was reserved for Messiah, the coming King of Israel.

I find Bible study helpful and enriching.

Big Buildings

Remember a time in your church when you could honestly say that we are not about big buildings? As some of the churches in the Fellowship have invested millions of dollars on large buildings it seems that we do care about big buildings now. We say it is for conferences that we need the space.

First, the wisdom that God gave pastor Mitchell in using the circus tents for conference. They cost a fraction of what a new building costs. And no one was ever proud of the tents. Genius on pastor Mitchell's part.

Finally, aren't there convention centers in our cities where we could rent the space to hold our conference services? Who cares about nursery, leave the kids at home. Convention centers would force us to change our format, and God forbid we should ever change.

We could have renovated our old building for a fraction of what our new building cost and used the Alamo Dome for conference services. Instead we have an enormous, sterile building that feels empty most of the time and that sucks up worship like a sponge.

I wonder if we are mature enough to own these big buildings?

Benefit of Church

 Why do we go to church? What benefit do we get from gathering together? Is church just a place to meet with God, like a temple? Is church just a place to hear preaching? Is church an evangelistic service where people get saved?

In a world rocked by loneliness, I see a benefit in gathering as a local church that is focused on the social aspect of assembly.  In a world where people do not have friends and do not know how to make friends, church gives us a pool of potential friends at our fingertips.

I know that what a pastor thinks is important and what the people in the pews think is important is not always the same thing. Pastors are concerned with nickels, noses, and noise. People are concerned with family and friends.

Jesus builds his church with skill and wisdom. He places the members in the body as it pleases Him.

One more thought. Family is nice, but churches can be family based cliques if we are not careful. When is the last time you invested in someone who is not a part of your immediate family?