This weekend we talked about who Francis Chan calls, “The Forgotten God.” It’s a book worth reading!
And just who is the forgotten God? Well, it’s not just God, but rather a member of the Godhead–the missing person of the Trinity–The Holy Spirit. Think about it. How often do we hear sermons preached about the person of the Holy Spirit? I’m ashamed to admit that I can’t even remember the last sermon I preached on Him. And it is “Him” BTW, the Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is an actual person–not an ‘it,’ as some would call Him.
So we talked about Him this weekend–just a start mind you–but it felt good to experience the love and presence of the Holy Ghost (another name for this powerful member of the Godhead) during our time of communion as a church!
- Southbrook Monroe had a block party this past weekend and several members of Southbrook Church witnessed for Jesus throughout. As a result, 8 people gave their lives to Jesus right there at the block party! This NEVER gets old! In fact, it’s even more special when I see our Southbrook family witnessing on their own!! Go God!!
- Many of the families from the block party attended service at our Monroe campus. I even gave a shout out (as promised) on video to James Gorden and his family. Thanks for coming folks! Hope you all enjoyed it and will come back next week!
- October is always a fickle attendance month in the Carolinas–not sure why. But we were pleasantly surprised to see attendance back up–especially on the big race weekend!
- Know what time it is for me right now? Come to think of it–it’s this time for everyone on the East coast–it’s just that the ones with common sense are sleeping right now! Well, it’s 2:30 in the morning and I was so excited about upcoming things @ Southbrook that I just had to get up and blog about them. So here I am–hope it’s comprehensible!
- What God specifically placed on my mind is His Bride–the local church. Churches seem to be under heavy attack–heavier than usual. And what concerns me most is the weak response of so many in countering the barrage that Satan is bringing against us. With such anemic responses to the evil one is it any wonder so many churches are failing?
- I dreamt tonight of a walled city (I’m guessing it represented the Church ‘Big ‘C’) and Satan had come against it with a variety of scary looking siege machines. In my dream he was just pummeling the walls, seeking any way He could to gain access to the city so that He could wreak havoc on God’s people. The walled city seemed to have towers placed at regular intervals and these towers were defended by leaders of the church–some more effectively than others. In my dream (and you’ll have to bear with me–I don’t usually remember dreams, so I’m fairly excited to share with you one I actually do recall) some towers looked to be completely abandoned. At those weak and abandoned towers Satan was hitting the hardest. And the walls were beginning to crumble.
I better take this out of “Mind Dump Mode” for this one–could be long…
Well, I began inquiring of the Lord about these weak towers–what are they and where do we need to be on the lookout. I felt the Lord was telling me to pay close attention to where people seemed to be hurting most @ Southbrook. The following are what I see…
- Marriages. By far this is the biggest concern today in the Church (universal church). The divorce rate for ‘Christians’ looks to exceed that of the world in the next few years if nothing changes. It already equals it! This is why we begin a brand new marriage series called “Heartbreak Warfare,” in 2 weeks. Invite everyone you know–especially those whose marriages could use some strengthening!
- The Family. This is a no brainer. As marriages go, so goes the family. Were already planning a family series for the near future, but we will address many family issues in this upcoming marriage series as well.
- Male Leadership. Sad to say, this has almost become an oxymoron! And it’s certainly politically incorrect to talk about men as leaders in the home. Well, as most of you know, I don’t give a hooping funt (yes, made up. Like it?) about political correctness–what I do care about is the fact that God called men to lead their families and to lead His church and they’re NOT DOING IT! When we don’t do things God’s way all kinds of consequences follow–bad ones. That’s the bad news. But there’s good news on this front. God gave me a burden to help men reengage a couple years ago, and @ Southbrook we began shoring up this tower a long time ago. As a result, 2 trends have developed over the last couple years. Men unwilling to lead have tucked tail and ran (“yes dear”) and men who understand who God called them to be have dug in and reengaged. There’s a mini revival among the men at Southbrook! I’m stoked about that because I know God will honor it–He already has! However; for those men who want to do something great for Jesus and don’t understand why their life is so flat-lined for Christ–check the basics!! Are you being the man of the house or have you abdicated that role to your wife? BTW, all you raw meat eating, wife slapping, womanizing, overgrown boys posing as men (that pretty clear?) I’m not talking about you! You’re pathetic and so far off God’s call for real manliness I would hardly know where to begin with you. Suffice it to say–I’ll address you in another post at another time. No, I’m talking here about men who want to follow God and do great things but honestly find themselves mystified as to why God isn’t using them in a bigger way. I’ve witnessed an epidemic of these dudes over the last year alone. Their family is unhappy (“I don’t wanna go to church! None of my friends are such Jesus freaks!” All my friends go to such and such. We need to go there!” …and on and on and on.) but, rather than lead, they just capitulate. “Yes dear. Ok kids. Whatever you all want.” I’ll tell you what they want dad. They want you to rediscover your spine and lead! Be obedient to the Lord–show them what a godly man looks like and quit making excuses for not being that man!
- Wimpy Christianity. We just dealt with this one in our “Diary of a Wimpy Christian” series. Click here to listen to part one.
- Gypsy Christians. There’s a revived national sport in the Carolinas and every pastor I know is experiencing it. I’m referring of course, to the sport of church hoping. Believers today are increasingly on the move from one church family to another whenever something makes them the least bit uncomfortable or whenever someone challenges their disengaged, wimpy faith. Just as you can nudge a toad and make him jump, all you have to do is poke a little too close to home for some believers and their knee jerk reaction is to hop–hop on over to church XYZ to see if they will just let them sit, stay uninvolved, and tip God every few weeks for the show. It’s perfectly predictable. If we cut and run on marriages that get a little tough, abandon families who make us feel too tied down, and abdicate leadership right and left–naturally, commitment to a local church family will be viewed the same. Sad to say the results will be the same as well.
- Disqualified Church Leaders. What’s up with the rush to get fallen ministers back in the pulpit? This is especially alarming because people don’t even seem to care that pastors are popping up all over the place who have had affairs, been arrested, lead double lives or any number of other gross and ungodly disqualifications. Seriously, over the last few months I’ve seen pastors remain in ministry who have been arrested, fired for embezzlement, had affairs, drug addictions, etc. While it’s true that we are regular men like anyone else–with real struggles and temptations like anyone else–there is a biblical standard for pastors and to God it is no joke! If you’re interested (and few are), you can read about that standard here. I can respect tremendously, any man who admits their struggle and seeks help or takes steps to make sure Satan does not gain a foothold–but once you fall…what’s the rush to get back behind the pulpit? Seriously, is there such a shortage of godly, qualified leaders that we have to get the Swaggarts, Bakers and Haggards back to preaching ASAP? How arrogant can we possibly be? What, do we think God doesn’t notice? That He’s too busy with other things to see you setting up shop again with a fresh, unsuspecting flock of sheep? He’s a holy God, and He does notice. Don’t ever mistake His incredible grace and mercy for tolerance of sin. Big mistake.
Anyway gang, those are the towers most under attack in churches today–at least as I see it. And I for one know well and good that I walk around with a ginormous target on my back. But for the grace of God–there go I. Satan would love to take me down and that is why I covet your prayers. Don’t ever stop lifting me up!
Love you, friends!