Greetings to all who check in on occasion to read my blog.

First...Thanks! It means a lot that you would take the time and value my ramblings. I am honored you would stop by.

Second...I am going to write on my FACEBOOK site for awhile to influence that arena. You are invited to be a "friend" and keep up that way if you would like, but I wanted to let any interested parties know that this site would probably be silent for awhile. I will probably be back, but statistically I can reach even more people this way. Hope you understand...

So, I hope to see you on FACEBOOK...God Bless!

I was recently sent an article from a Legacy member that really hit the mark when it comes to worship and how we approach it. Instead of re-writing it, I decided to let it stand as it was written, for the gentleman did an excellent job in identifying our current cultural challenge in worshiping God. Enjoy!

Pastor Baird…

Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name (Psalm 29:2).

It's Sunday around noonish. As the congregation files out of the sanctuary heading toward the parking lot, listen closely and you will hear it.

It's a common refrain voiced near the exit doors of churches all across this land.

"I didn't get anything out of that today." "I didn't get anything out of the sermon." "I didn't get anything out of that service." "I guess her song was all right, but I didn't get anything out of it."

Sound familiar? Not only have I heard it countless times over these near-fifty years in the ministry, I probably have said it a few times myself.

This is like dry rot in a congregation. Like a termite infestation in the building. Like an epidemic afflicting the people of the Lord, one which we seem helpless to stop.

But let's try. Let's see if we can make a little difference where you and I live, in the churches where we serve and worship. We might not be able to help all of them, but if we bless one or two, it will have been time well spent.

1. You are Not Supposed to 'Get Anything Out of the Service'

Worship is not about you and me. Not about "getting our needs met." Not about a performance from the pastor and singer and choir and musicians. Not in the least.

2. Worship is About the Lord

"Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name." That Psalm 29:2 verse atop our article today is found also in I Chronicles 16:29 and Psalm 96:8.It deserves being looked at closely.

a) We are in church to give. Not to get.

Now, if I am going somewhere to "get," but find out on arriving, I am expected to "give," I am one frustrated fellow. And that is what is happening in the typical church service. People walk out the door frustrated because they didn't "get." The reason they didn't is that they were not there to "get," but to "give."

Someone should have told them.

b) We are giving glory to God. Not to man.

We know that. At least we say we do. How many times have we recited, "...for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory"? And how often have we sung, "Praise God from whom all blessings flow..."?

c) We do so because glory is His right. He is "worthy of worship."

This is the theme of the final book of the Bible. 

"Who is worthy?" (Rev. 5:2) 

"You are worthy...for you were slain, and have redeemed us" (Rev. 5:9). 

"Worthy is the Lamb that was slain" (Rev. 5:12).

 3. Self-centeredness Destroys All Worship

If my focus is on myself when I enter the church--getting my needs met, learning something, hearing a lesson that blesses me, being lifted by the singing--then Christ has no part in it. He becomes my servant, and the pastor (and all the other so-called performers) are there only for me. It's all about me.

We have strayed so far from the biblical concept of worship--giving God His due in all the ways He has commanded--it's a wonder we keep going to church. And it's an even greater wonder that our leaders keep trying to get us to worship.

The poor preacher! Trying to cater to the insatiable hungers of his people, even the best and most godly among them, is an impossible task. One week he gets it right and eats up the accolades. Then, about the time he thinks he has it figured out, the congregation walks out grumbling that they got nothing out of the meal he served today.

The typical congregation in the average church today really does think the service is all about them--getting people saved, learning the Word, receiving inspiration to last another week, having their sins forgiven, taking an offering to provision the Lord's work throughout the world.

Anything wrong with those things? Absolutely not. But if we go to church to do those things, we can do them. But we will not have worshiped.

Warren Wiersbe says, "If you worship because it pays, it will not pay."

4. Evangelism & Discipleship, Giving & Praying, Grow Out of Worship; Not the Other Way Around

The disciples were worshiping on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit filled them and drove them into the streets to bear a witness to the living Christ (Acts 2).

Isaiah was in the Temple worshiping when God appeared to him, forgave his sins, and called him as a prophet to the people (Isaiah 6).

It was in the act of worship that the two distraught disciples had their eyes opened to recognize Jesus at their table (Luke 24).

5. We are to Give Him Worship and Glory in the Ways Scripture Commands

"Give to the Lord the glory due His name and bring an offering." So commands I Chronicles 16:29 and Psalm 96:8.

"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart--these, O God, you will not despise." (Psalm 51:17)

Singing, praise, rejoicing. Praying, offering, humbling, loving. All these are commanded in worship at various places in Scripture.

The Lord Jesus told the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, "Those who worship God must worship in spirit and in truth" (John 4:24). That is, with their inner being, the totality of themselves, their spirit, not just their lips or their bodies going through the motions. And in truth--the revealed truth of how God has prescribed worship to take place. He is not pleased with "just anything" that we claim as worship.

We must balance our worship between spirit (the subjective part: body, soul, emotions) and truth (the objective aspect: all that God has revealed in His word).

6. We Are the Ones Who Decide Whether We Worship upon Entering the House of the Lord

Don't blame the preacher if you don't worship. He can't do it for you.

No one else can eat my food for me, love my cherished ones in my place, or do my worshiping for me.

No pastor can decide or dictate whether we will worship by the quality of his leadership or the power of his sermon. Whether I worship in today's service has absolutely nothing to do with how well he does his job.

I am in charge of this decision. I decide whether I will worship.

When Mary sat before the Lord Jesus, clearly worshiping, He informed a disgruntled Martha that her sister had "chosen the good part," something that "will not be taken away from her" (Luke 10:42). That something special was time spent in worship. Such moments or hours are eternal.

Lest someone point out that Martha could have worshiped in her kitchen by her service for Christ, we do not argue, but simply point out that she was not doing so that day.

7. Remember: Worship is a Verb

And it's an active verb at that.

Worship is something we do, not something done to us.

In the worst of circumstances, I can still worship my God. In the Philippians prison, while their backs were still oozing blood from the beating they'd received, Paul and Silas worshiped (Acts 16:25).

Even if a church has no pastor and has to make do with a stuttering layman or some inept fill-in, I can still bow before the Lord, offer Him my praise, and give Him my all. I can humble before Him and I can bring my offering.

What I cannot do is leave church blaming my failure to worship on the poor singing, the boring sermon, or the noise from the children in the next pew. I am in charge of the decision whether I will worship, and no one else.

Someone has pointed out that ours is the only nation on earth where church members feel they have to have "worshipful architecture" before they can adequately honor the Lord. Millions of Christians across the world seem to worship just fine without any kind of building. Believers in Malawi meet under mango trees, according to retired missionary Mike Canady, and their worship is as anointed as anyone's anywhere. (What? No stained glass!)

Our insistence on worshipful music, worship settings, and worshipful everything are all signs of our disgusting self-centeredness.

It's disgusting because I see it in myself, and do not like it.

No one enjoys a great choir more than I. I love to hear a soloist transport us all into the Throne room by his/her vocal offering in the service. A great testimony of God's grace and power thrills me. And of course, being a preacher, I delight in hearing a sermon that you feel is direct from the heart of God.

But if I require any one or all of those before I can worship, something is vastly wrong with me.

My friends, something is vastly wrong with us today.

Dr. Joe McKeever is a Preacher, Cartoonist, and the Director of Missions for the Baptist Association of Greater New Orleans. Visit him at joemckeever.com/mt.Used with permission.

I just reread the amazing book by Elton Trueblood, "The Incendiary Fellowship". While written in 1967, it still outlines the need for a baptism with "fire" in the church today. His point in simplicity is this...the church needs to be IGNITED again. I would recommend it as standard reading for those committed to an expression of church life that is both passionate, powerful, and focused on God's purpose.

There are some wonderful passages in the Scripture concerning this ignition. Perhaps the best is Luke 12:49; where Christ Himself states, "I came to cast fire upon the earth". I have to agree with Trueblood and say that I believe Jesus meant that He came to ignite something. Something more than an organization or enterprise; but really a movement. He called that movement "The Church".

I have mentioned on other occasions that I have the high honor of being a part of two great national movements involving pastors. One is the Network of Related Pastors (NRP) which focuses on relationship and "fathering" men and women in the ministry. The second is The Remnant Movement which focuses on integrity, character, and the restoration of credibility behind the pulpit. Both groups fit each other's purposes well and both groups give me a national breadth of awareness that is absolutely priceless.

On the same day there were two words which came forth that fit together so well that it deserves repeating (forgive my synopsis and generalization for space sake). The first report was a general observation by those qualified to report that there is a hunger in the earth for people to know and experience more of the things of the Spirit. This would include things like: The laying on of hands, deliverance, spiritual language (tongues), and the gifts of the Spirit. We seem to be on the forefront of a genuine hunger in the earth to embrace and understand these things again in the life of the church. The second report is one I have touched on numerous occasions and that is the last two decade approach of being "embarrassed" by the activity of the Holy Spirit. The overall ministerial philosophy that seeks to put anything unusual or uncontrollable in another ministry forum besides Sunday morning. The reason for this, as was taught to us, was due to the lack of credibility the next generation has seen in the lives and ministry of many full-gospel / Pentecostal pastors and leaders. The two lessons seem diametrically different, but in truth are paradoxically tied together.

It is true that the silliness of much of what we have seen in the Charismatic world has turned a generation back to its denominational safety nets. Between gross distortions of the prosperity message and the immorality of its leaders at the most visible levels, who can really blame a generation for "checking out". Who can blame the next generation pastors for putting all that stuff "in the closet and let's just focus on reaching the lost and bridging the gap through seeker-sensitive methods". If I was exposed to a constant three-ring religious circus for years, who knows where I would have landed. That doesn't make pushing the Holy Spirit away right...it just gives me a sense of empathy for those who have.

That being said, the good news is that there is a hunger for a genuine expression of the living Lord in our midst and wherever there is hunger for the Presence of God there is the possibility of renewal, revival, and awakening.

BUT THERE NEEDS TO BE AN IGNITION!

There needs to be the fire of the Holy Spirit dropped on all these hungry hearts who desire to see Him move in power. That was really the recipe for the Day of Pentecost. There were 120 hungry hearts seeking God for ignition. When the moment came, one of the accompanying signs were "cloven tongues of fire". Could that have been God's sign that He was "igniting" them for His purposes? I tend to think...yes!

I have always been committed to giving the Holy Spirit room in every service and forum we present at Legacy Church. I have always thought that I have done my best to be sensitive to His direction and desire for whatever service we were in. I really believe that we are living in days when pastors from all over the nation (including this one) are going to have to pray for even greater sensitivity and responsiveness to the moving of the Spirit. There is a window that is opening that I sense is the beginning of a mighty outpouring to ignite God's people again for the Harvest. I have no clue as to what it may look like, but I can tell that the Lord is doing something to prepare my heart and my discernment for such a moment. As you think to pray for your pastor and your church, ask the Lord to help them to recognize the moment of His manifestation and welcome it. I want the real deal this time!

Let me end with a great hymn by Trueblood himself that we can use as our prayer:

Thou, whose purpose is to kindle:

Now ignite us with Thy fire;

While the earth awaits Thy burning

With Thy passion us inspire.

Overcome our sinful calmness,

Rouse us with redemptive shame;

Baptize with Thy fiery Spirit,

Crown our lives with tongues of flame.

Thou, Who, in Thy Holy Gospel,

Wills that man should truly live:

Make us sense our share of failure,

Our tranquility forgive.

Teach us courage as we struggle

In all liberating strife;

Lift the smallness of our vision,

By Thine own abundant life.

Thou, who still a sword delivers,

Rather than a placid peace:

With Thy sharpened Word disturb us,

From complacency, release!

Save us now from satisfaction,

When we privately are free,

Yet are undisturbed in spirit,

By our brother's misery.

May it be so...

Pastor

If only it were true...

That would make things much easier. No need to evangelize. No need to preach. No need to disciple, train, and send. No need to send missionaries. No need to raise money to support those who would respond to the call to go. No need to start more churches. No need to read your Bible because it would be full of lies because of this subject. No need to take Jesus seriously because He missed it on the Rich man and Lazarus. Frankly, if Hell is not real and everyone gets to go to "heaven" (if we are even sure that is real), then we might as well close the doors on all the churches and go home.

If only it were true...

C.S. Lewis once was told of a gravestone inscription that read, "Here lies an atheist - all dressed up and nowhere to go". Lewis quietly replied, "I bet he wishes that were so".

You see, without going into total apologetic mode and proving by the preponderance of the Biblical evidence that Jesus and the other writers of Scripture were talking about a real place, can I just say that intuitively I believe that such a place HAS to exist. It has to exist because I believe that evil and wickedness must face its final justice and judgment. I have a hard time buying into the notion that Adolph Hitler gets a pass on the 6 million Jews he was directly guilty of exterminating. I have a hard time believing that Joseph Stalin gets his "heaven ticket" stamped after sending over 10 million to death camps in Siberia. I have a hard time believing that the pilots of those planes on 9/11 get a handshake from St. Peter as they stroll into the celestial city. Do I have to go on? Do we really think that every unrepentant child molester, murderer, serial killer, and despot gets an automatic pass?

In a national poll conducted several years ago by USA TODAY it was found that 67% of American adults said they believed in hell but less than 25% believed they would go there. However, 25% believed they had friends that would be there. The Barna research Group did a recent study and found that 25% of those who call themselves "born-again" Christians said that ALL people are eventually saved or accepted by God and it doesn't matter what religious faith you follow because they all teach the same thing and an even larger percentage (40%) indicate that they believe Christians and Muslims worship the same God. That's right...I said 40% of those describing themselves as "born-again". I will save you from the rest of the statistics on other important truths...it gets worse.

Now perhaps you can understand why I feel like discipleship is of paramount importance in our church and every church that seeks fidelity to God and the Scriptures. Whether you believe Hell to be unfashionable or not...it is all too real.

Let me simply leave you with this...

God wants no one in hell. I repeat...no one. He does not send people there any more than an earthly judge capriciously sends people to prison. People go there because of CHOICES they have made. Don't blame God. He is like the man on the side of the road waving frantically to keep you from driving off the cliff and when you choose to ignore him, you then blame him for the cliff and your destruction instead of your choice to heed the warning. This whole theological argument over hell is really the natural landing place of a culture that refuses to take personal responsibility for any of their choices...even eternal ones. God is holy, perfect, just...as well as merciful, kind, and loving. He sent His son, Jesus Christ that whosoever believes in Him would not have to go to such a place.

Personally, I am glad our society is wrestling with the question of Hell. Perhaps in the midst of all the intellectual bantering the Holy Spirit might have a place to reach into the hearts of some and answer the question on the cover of TIME magazine. Last time I read the Bible...I can count on the Holy Spirit leading them straight to Jesus.

Planting a Cross

Pastor Baird

Most folks don't know this but my wife has 2 degrees in theology. What makes that great is that by and large she is more Biblically knowledgeable than most church goers and it makes for great late night conversations when there is little to watch on the TV. For years we have had some of the most interesting theological discussions sitting around the living room. We have often said that one of the reasons our marriage has grown over 29 years is that we always have something to talk about.

Our last conversation was over the concept of consistency in our beliefs and then ultimately our actions. It is amazing how much of people's belief system exists that is theologically inconsistent and therefore causes them as a believer to live inconsistently as well. She came up with a great phrase...SITUATIONAL THEOLOGY. (A close cousin of situational ethics)

Case in point: There is a valid scriptural doctrine of the security of the believer, however many people have developed it this way...My family member (son, daughter, dad, mom, or favorite aunt) passed away unexpectedly in a state of practicing rebellion. Since I cannot imagine them in hell I have decided to ignore certain passages of Scripture concerning this and only focus on the ones that seem to justify what I want. That is called...SITUATIONAL THEOLOGY.

Or how about what Charismatics have done for years by emphasizing PROSPERITY and BLESSING, but ignoring SACRIFICE and SIMPLICITY? Or emphasizing the NOW aspect of the Kingdom in neglect of the THEN aspect of the Kingdom? Or how it is all about blessing ME in neglect of the passages that call us to reach out to ONE ANOTHER? Or the passages of personal WEALTH and POSITION to the neglect of being POOR IN SPIRIT and a SERVANT? It is called...SITUATIONAL THEOLOGY.

Situational theology is when we adapt, change, amend, ignore, or otherwise overlook what we know to be true because the situation we are in is more conveniently handled or understood by compromising the precept. We all have probably tried to doing it on occasion. Hopefully, most of us found ourselves convicted by the Holy Spirit and got back on the right track. It's an easy thing to slip into because of the carnal heart. We have to constantly monitor our scope of selfishness, but monitor it we must.

Some years ago now I found myself as a Pastor slipping into situational theology. I found myself reading "around" certain passages that were challenging, abrupt, hard, or even corrective. When you are enjoying what many called success or favor, you don't want to do anything to mess that up (like you had anything to do with it any way). So, you parse every word carefully and make sure you don't rub any listener wrong and after awhile you carefully avoid any subject that could "mess up the momentum". Find that hard to believe? You shouldn't...it is done regularly by many servants of God. Even the servants of Lord are subject to deception due to the carnal heart. Sometimes we avoid the correction or conviction by saying, "We aren't called to talk on that subject" or "That's just not my personality or anointing", but really we are just avoiding what is inconvenient for the moment. In Ezekiel's day, the prophet prophesied against shepherds and prophets who spoke "flattering divination" and "false vision". These were genuine prophets and shepherds of Yahweh, but they had slowly amended their ministry to only include the things people liked to hear. Don't misunderstand this point...they were using the Scripture...but only parts of it. That is called...SITUATIONAL THEOLOGY.

I am not sure that anyone can claim perfection in application when it comes to the whole counsel of God, but I do think we need to ask ourselves on occasion whether or not we are in good faith attempting it. I can clearly remember the day so many years ago when I was literally looking at myself in a mirror and the words came out of my mouth, "What have you become?" I saw a preacher who was more concerned with his earthly success and reception, than with God's endorsement and affirmation. It was a turning point. I believe the Bible calls that...repentance. You see, you cannot have true Divine blessing unless you are willing to follow all the Divine pattern (Bible). We cannot compartmentalize what we like and don't like. We either take it all...or leave it. I don't see much room for negotiation with the Almighty.

You may have heard the old saying, "It takes one to know one". The reason I can write on this is because I can so clearly see it operating in the people and pastors of American Christianity. Saying that is not judgmental...it is simple observation. It doesn't mean that EVERYONE has this malady, it simply says that we are being conveniently ignorant if we believe that situational theology is not around and that it doesn't happen.

The answer? Maybe it is waking up tomorrow morning and spending some time in the mirror and taking a long candid  look at yourself and asking the question, "What have I become?" Perhaps you will sense the affirmation of the Lord (Praise God!); but if by chance you sense Him unveiling something a tad bit inconsistent...why not own up to it and get back to everything you know to do. There is something amazingly peaceful when you embrace the whole thing.

Planting a Cross

Pastor Baird

I was recently at a Ministers Conference where the vast majority of attendees were of the Pentecostal / Charismatic persuasion. The main speaker was a well-known Baptist gentleman who had some amazing things to share over the 3 days we were there. The most interesting moment, however, is when he stood on the last night and preached out of Acts 2 on missions and explained to us (Pentecostals) what was "really" going on in Acts 2 when they all "spoke with other tongues". I have to admit...I either admire his confidence to approach the subject or he just had some sort of audacity to try to untangle all of us on our view of tongues. Of course, his view was the typical evangelical view that they were speaking in "known languages"...(long sigh!)

I have written below a quick apologetic and hopefully an understandable article about this subject. Lots more could be said, I know, but for those who wonder why I land like I do and how I untangle certain things with regards to spiritual language, perhaps this will be a starting place. I call it: PUBLIC GIFT vs. PRIVATE PRAYER...
 

The most common confusion when dealing with Christians who are unfamiliar with “tongues” is to untangle the TWO aspects of spiritual language as it is taught in the Scriptures. The two manifestations of tongues are usually referred to as “prayer language” and the “gift of tongues”. One of these is used for the personal and most often private devotional use of tongues and the other is for the public gift of speaking in tongues. Many believers are confused about this and confuse the two.

I Corinthians 12:10, tells us that there is a “gift” of tongues that the Holy Spirit releases as He wills (12:11). This expression of spiritual language is to bless, help, and potentially direct the Church as a “word from the Lord” (much the same way a prophetic word would be released). I Corinthians 14:5, 14-15; instructs us that there is a tongue that can be used to pray to the Lord and that benefits the believer personally (14:4, Jude 20). These TWO elements are defined in I Corinthians 14:2, 21. In v.2, we see that there is a tongue which speaks TO GOD (prayer language). In v.21, we see a tongue that GOD SPEAKS TO US (public gift). The key to chapters 12 and 14 is to begin to see how Paul directs the usage of each and where is he talking about the prayer language in distinction from the public gift.

Many people mix this up and do not wrestle with certain concepts. For instance:

1. Why does Paul seem to both encourage and restrict the usage of tongues? (14:5, 14:19; 14:39)

2. Why does he seem to say that he uses this language in worship and prayer, yet also seems to say it causes confusion? (14:15, 14:23)

3. Why does he seem to limit its use and yet says it is a sign for unbelievers; yet seems to release it as well? (14:19, 14:22, 14:39)

As you can see, there appears to be contradictory information about the use of tongues. Is the Bible contradictory? Of course not, the only explanation is that Paul is distinguishing the use of a personal, devotional prayer language and a public use.

Now practically, it can all “sound” the same. However, there is a spiritually discernable difference between the two. You cannot evaluate the difference between the two with your natural mind or senses (I Corinthians 2:11-14). Remember, this is SPIRITUAL LANGUAGE that flows out of your spirit (inner man) and cannot be judged by the natural mind alone.

I personally believe that Paul used I Corinthians 14 to begin to untangle the confusion that was beginning to arise in Corinth concerning these two usages. I will try to walk through these verses and provide the commentary as I have come to understand it:

V.1> Obviously, love is the object of our greatest pursuit. Everything is done in love and is meaningless without it. However, we are told to PURSUE spiritual gifts (including tongues).

V.2> This is about the prayer language because you are speaking TO GOD and not men. No one should understand you because it wasn’t directed to men for their benefit.

V.3> When we speak TO PEOPLE, we should use preaching or prophecy in words which they understand.

V.4> Prayer language “builds up” and strengthens the individual (Jude 20). Of course, no one else understands it. That is why prophecy (preaching) builds up the church because all will understand that.

V.5> Paul is glad for the expression of tongues and says that he wishes it for all. However, your personal prayer language edifies only you and not others; therefore it is even better when we build up the rest of the body through prophecy. The exception is when the public gift is exercised and INTERPRETED so the entire church can be built up as it is when there is preaching.

V.V.6-9> Paul reemphasizes the point that if we were to look at EACH OTHER and talk to EACH OTHER and speak in tongues, that would be fruitless. It would “spitting sounds in the wind” or as he says, “a trumpet with an uncertain sound”. So we should speak in a language of understanding TO EACH OTHER, in order that we might be helped.

V.10> But Paul reminds his readers that there are ALL KINDS OF LANGUAGE (known and unknown / natural and spiritual). He says that all are significant.

V. 11-13> Paul illustrates the need for understanding again and states that if a person has the “GIFT” of tongues to be used by God TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE, then it must be interpreted BY THE PERSON WHO GIVES THE PUBLIC TONGUE.

V.V.14-15> Paul states that he is able, by an act of the “will” to release his spirit (inner man) and PRAY in tongues and he doesn’t understand all that he is saying. SO…he practices both praying and singing in the spirit as he wills. (NOTICE: The gift of tongues in public is as God wills. The personal devotional tongue is released as Paul wills.)

V.V.16-19> Uninterpreted public tongues (GOD SPEAKING TO PEOPLE) is worthless. However, this has nothing to do with personal prayer language (YOU SPEAKING TO GOD). Please note VERSE 28! Paul says if there is no interpreter then the person with the public tongue is to be silent (in giving the public tongue) and “speak to himself and TO GOD”. (This means he is allowed the use of his devotional, personal tongue in the church.)

SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT TONGUES THROUGH THE YEARS

1. In the  years of Legacy’s existence we have had only four or five manifestations of the public tongue. Four were on target and were interpreted by the people who released it at the appropriate time. There was a great sense of order. On one occasion there was a release that was of the flesh. (How do you know? It is spiritually discerned and obvious.) That tongue was publicly corrected.

2. Can there be demonic tongues? Yes, I experienced this while in Russia that people would speak in an “unknown tongue” before they would accept Jesus into their life. You could sense the attempt to detour you from the prime purpose of receiving Jesus and your discernment was instantly piqued. Again, these things are spiritually appraised. It took Paul “many days” to discern the spirit of the girl who had a demon spirit in Acts 16:16. The enemy likes to counterfeit legitimate things to keep believers confused.

3. I believe people can be Baptized with the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues. For me it is not THE evidence, but should be an anticipated aspect of the Spirit-filled life.

4. Tongues is not “irrational” speech, it is “transrational” speech. It does not violate the mind, but rather transcends the mind. It is the language of another realm. It is the language of the inner man.

5. I can pray in the spirit at will. I cannot give a public tongue at will. One is a choice on my part as God is moving in me. The other is a sovereign unction that comes as the Spirit wills it. Personally, I have never been used in giving a public tongue although I pray in the spirit regularly.

REFUTING COUNTER-ARGUMENTS

1. “We never read that Jesus spoke in tongues”. That is true. It is also true that we never read that Jesus ever went to the bathroom. Jesus never said the word “trinity”, “rapture”, or “original sin”; yet we embrace the thought that He was “for” these concepts. An argument from silence proves nothing.

2. I Corinthians 13: 8 states that “tongues have ceased”. That is true in reference to what is the “perfect” thing (v.10). Cessasionists believe that the “perfect” thing is the canonization of Scripture. Many, many people believe it to be the 2^nd coming of Christ.

3. Tongues are “known languages” as is demonstrated in the book of Acts. Not exactly. If you read carefully the Bible tells us that the disciples were ALL speaking in tongues (GLOSSALALEO) and they were thought of as “drunk”. The Bible also says the crowd was “confused”. Why? Slurred speech perhaps. Giddy? Interestingly, their tongues were not interpreted but we are told the crowd “heard” in their own language (DIALECTOS). They were perplexed and amazed in the crowd. (Have you ever been amazed at someone who speaks in your language? Probably not.) Something more was happening here. I believe they were speaking in spiritual language (unknown tongue) and the miracle was that they “heard” (or received revelation) from God Himself.

4. People can fake this. Yes they can. But the presence of a fake only reinforces the genuine article. You cannot “fake” what doesn’t exist. Furthermore, if a “fake” means to avoid something then we would have to avoid loving people because people “fake” love. People “fake” Christianity. There are “fake” preachers and teachers, yet that does not deter us from the real thing.

CONCLUSION

The bottom line on either point concerning public and private tongues is that Paul said (14:39) that we were not to forbid the speaking in tongues. There is an old aphorism that went something like this: Abuse and misuse does not equal disuse. People can criticize the Pentecostal / Charismatic movement for lots of good reasons (believe me, I have and do). However, this is not a movement issue, this is a Biblical issue. Current research indicates that there are over 537 MILLION Christians who testify about the personal use of tongues. I realize that numbers do not necessarily reflect truth, but that seems to be a significant number of people who adhere to this very ORTHODOX and historical doctrinal view.

I have decided to enter the fray of a subject where in our current church culture it seems that even angels fear to tread (or at least pastors) and that is the subject of the Christian and the use of alcoholic beverages.

I know…I know…You really don’t want to hear it and you probably already know where I am headed, but I ask you for your indulgence and patience for just a few moments before you start your dissertation on the Christian’s freedom, not putting my convictions on you, and of course; Paul telling Timothy it’s OK to use wine. Will you at least hear me out and then you can go back to dealing with your stomach issue as you sip your wine cooler?

I confess…I am disappointed. The truth is that for the last several years I have been storing a notebook full of personal anecdotal tales about the use of alcohol in Christians’ lives. If I may, let me give you just a thimble full of what I have accumulated (The names were changed to protect the embarrassed):

1. Sitting with a group of pastors at a meal as one tells the story of being on a foreign field and drinking so much at dinner before service that night that he was drunk when he went to the pulpit. He laughingly concluded that it was “the best sermon he had ever preached”. I watched as the table laughed along with him.

2. The Pastor on Facebook who brazenly posts pictures of a dinner party where he and his guests are freely shown drinking.

3. The Christian family, I personally know, who post their pictures on Facebook showing their inebriated state while on vacation.

4. The Pastor and wife who routinely hide their liquor cabinet when their Bishop comes to their church or members who are “weaker believers” visit their home.

5. The church leader who was called to an emergency meeting at the church, but comes in drunk as he was sitting at home in privacy crossing the lines of supposed moderation where no one could really see.

6. The Overseer of a Christian Ministerial Fellowship who proudly posts on his blog site that he enjoys a “great steak and a good glass of wine” and reports in his blog when he has found one.

7. The Pastor at a meal who reflected easily to me, “This generation just doesn’t get the no-drinking rules of former generations. There is no sense making an issue out of it. It just alienates them”.

8. The cell group of a local church that meets in a bar at Happy Hour so they can study the Word and unwind with a beer or glass of white wine.

9. The church musicians who regularly play at the bar and imbibe on Saturday night until they are “buzzed” and “blasted”, only to play the praises of God in the sanctuary on Sunday morning.

10. The church member who desires leadership in your church but is aggravated over your alcohol abstinence policy for leadership and begrudgingly accepts the conviction only to hide his private imbibing at home until he is corrected and leaves your church to become an "elder" at another church down the street and is allowed to drink freely.

I guess I will stop there. The notebook is rather full and I suspect you are getting my point. Is it proper for a Christian to drink alcohol? Is it a sin? Is it just a matter of conscience? Is it to be left to only those the Holy Spirit convicts? What does the totality of Scripture say on the subject?

Let me start by acknowledging a couple of things:

1. I was raised up ostensibly in the holiness movement so I probably do have a built in bias and conviction on this subject. That neither makes my conclusions wrong or right, it simply tells you something about how I was taught. I will at least disclose it to you.

2. Christians have differed on this subject all through history and yes; I know that Luther had a few beers at the local tavern as he talked theology with his students. I also know that Spurgeon smoked a pipe and C.S. Lewis liked cigars. I also saw a catholic priest once down a couple of bourbons and waters. I am not sure what all that proves, except that I recognize that Christian people have differed on this subject.

3. I understand that true moderation with regards to alcohol may not be a heaven or hell question. I understand that the disciples and Jesus drank wine that had some level of alcohol content in it. I am confident all of them made it to heaven; so please don't give me the tired phrase of, "You're judging me and I know what the Bible says about judging". The whole purpose of this article is to apply the WHOLE BIBLE to our current culture accurately.

There are basically THREE positions Christians have taken on this subject:

1. PROHIBITIONISTS– These people believe that drinking alcohol for any reason at any time is morally wrong and should be absolutely prohibited. We tried this as a nation in the 1920’s and it just escalated crime. Of course, God hates sin and I can assure you that the fruit of drunkenness and lack of self-restraint is highly problematic with regards to Kingdom living, but we have to admit that he allows the possibility of sin to exist. Even in the garden, the fruit of vine was there to tempt. We may not appreciate that fact, but God allowed it to be so.

2. ABSTENTIONISTS– These people believe that the wise and prudent position is to abstain from the use of alcoholic beverages based on its destructive character and degenerating effects it has on a Christian’s testimony (not to mention more than a few Scriptures that can be used to clearly underscore God’s disapproval of it). This is where I land.

3. MODERATIONISTS– These people, in the precise biblical framework, believe that alcohol can be consumed in moderation provided it is not abused to the point of drunkenness. (Of course, is that practically possible? They would say, “Yes”.) I know a gentleman who is thoroughly convinced that he can hold a Budweiser in one hand and his Bible in the other hand, and still proclaim he is a Christian. If this person was standing on the corner with a few friends drinking a beer and you saw them, how would you distinguish who was the Christian and who wasn’t? Perhaps wait and see which one is bowing their head and gives thanks for the beer. (Just kidding…I am messing with some of you!)

There is no question that the Bible clearly condemns drunkenness and the practice of it jeopardizes one’s salvation or questions whether one has truly been converted at all (depending on whether you like Calvin or Arminius). To justify drunkenness is simply being ignorant of the overwhelming Scripture to the contrary. I will say again…the PRACTICE OF DRUNKENNESS IS FORBIDDEN IN SCRIPTURE.

But…the question remains, why abstinence? Why do I as a Pastor both PRACTICE AND PREACH that this area is one Christians need to consider abstaining in? I have come up with at least 23 reasons for me:

1. I have found 75 warnings in the Scripture condemning both the USE of alcohol and the state of drunkenness. There are more Scriptures addressing this topic than the subjects of lying, adultery, swearing, cheating, hypocrisy, pride, and even blasphemy.

2. As a pastor I have listened to church members lament the destruction alcohol has brought to their households and families and grieve over the testimony their brothers and sisters in Christ leave them as they drink with carelessness before their eyes and the eyes of their children. In other words, drinkers are blowing their testimony with many whether they care or not.

3. Despite the “so-called” beneficial effects of moderate alcohol use, it is equally substantiated that alcohol kills brain cells and delays our thinking, reactions, and self-control. As a Christian I desire to remain on the alert “in season and out of season” and alcohol is counter-productive to that end.

4. Because in Bible times the average person did not strap themselves and their children into large metal boxes weighing a couple of tons and propel themselves inside those boxes at speeds regularly beyond 100 feet per second within a few feet of other people doing the same thing; therefore, the stakes of risking impaired judgment by alcohol use back then is nowhere near the same as we face today. Alcohol has the potential to greatly impair my reaction time and my discernment. It is not wise to put it in my system and operate heavy machinery which includes driving a car.

5. Because so many choose to operate their lives and their automobiles in an inebriated state and cause over 60,000 deaths a year on our nation’s roads, I do not want to be a part of something that has caused so much pain and heart-ache for so many people.

6. The alcohol industry promotes responsible use of the beverages publicly, however privately they lobby for lax laws concerning the use of their product. I refuse to support with my money an industry that practices such blatant hypocrisy.

7. I recognize that a person who never takes a drink of alcohol will never become an alcoholic. I believe the loving thing to do is to model abstinence myself and not lead people to their destruction.

8. Alcohol use has been linked to: Brain damage, addiction, blurred vision, slurred speech, bleeding throat, heart disease, stomach ulcers, liver damage (failure), intestinal cancer and ulcers, impotency, and osteoporosis. I choose to be healthy.

9. As a Christian I have the Holy Spirit and do not need “wine to gladden the heart”.

10. When Paul told Timothy to consume wine for his stomach ailment, one can only assume (accurately) Timothy practiced abstinence.

11. Timothy followed and imitated Paul in the faith; therefore we can assume accurately that Paul practiced abstinence as well.

12. Any alcoholic beverage over the 8%-12% proof category today would be in total violation of what was available in biblical times. Therefore, mixed drinks, margaritas, pina coladas, vodka, bourbon, gin, rum, whiskey, and the like would all easily fall under the prohibition of “strong drink” in the Scripture. We are fooling ourselves if we think our social drinking of mixed drinks is somehow condoned by God.

13. The alcohol content of biblical wine was so low that often people would have to drink and purge in order for the stomach to handle the volume of wine it would take to get drunk. The drinking of wine in the Bible was alcoholically far less than the wine and beer we have today. In fact, in biblical times they often mixed the wine with water diluting it even more. To suggest what we do today is the same thing Jesus and His disciples did is basically comparing apples and oranges.

14. Alcohol is a factor in so much crime, domestic violence, and as an entry drug to illicit drug use, it seems prudent to avoid it.

15. Nowhere in the Bible is abstaining from alcohol use frowned upon or looked upon in an unfavorable way. People who abstained from wine where commended and shown in a positive light over and over again in the Scriptures.

16. I am a parent and someday a grandparent and I plan to model that a life that is free from alcohol is more fun, rewarding, and joy-filled.

17. I do not want to be tempted to run to anything except the Lord in stress-filled times. Jesus is not nearly the crutch alcohol is to most people.

18. As a Pastor (and to be candid a Christian) I am committed to demonstrating a testimony that is as much as possible offense free and clear. People will not point to me drinking a beer and use that as an excuse to avoid the claims of the Gospel.

19. People who try to avoid the issue by comparing the moderate use of alcohol vs. the sin of drunkenness as the same as the eating of food vs. gluttony do not get the real issue. People who don’t drink alcohol don’t have to die of thirst; yet people who don’t eat will die from abstaining from food. I find this argument for drinking to be intellectual deficient.

20. I believe alcoholism is a sin and not a disease. You cannot “catch” the sin of alcoholism if you never touch it in the first place.

21. Why would I ignore the warnings from Scripture concerning its use if I wanted to live a life above the status quo?

22. Any time God called His people to a higher or more circumscribed walk with Him, especially with those that would be leaders and influencers, invariably He put an alcohol prohibition on their lives. Christians are to be “salt and light”.

23. If pastors and people feel that it is right to drink (even moderately) then they should clearly disclose this to their friends, congregants, and watching world. If everything we do is to be done for the glory of God, then it should be done proudly and without secrecy. For many, their secrecy betrays the inner working of the Holy Spirit which is convicting them of their action. I choose to live free from conviction and any judgment.

There you have it…

I seriously doubt too many minds have been changed since the beginning of this article. I “get” the era we are currently living in and I understand that for many 21^st century Christians, and especially the Charismatic version, they will find the few verses that seem to indicate moderate use as being approved by God and then twist those verses to party this weekend and they will go on their merry way. Their connection to alcohol is really stronger than their commitment to reach people and be an example to them. Don’t confuse them with any facts or searching statements concerning their example. They are “free”. They have a “verse”. They won’t be “burdened” by others convictions. “If God told you that…fine, but He hasn’t spoken to me about this.” "You're judging me again". The list goes on ad nauseam.

For me…it’s disappointing.

It has truly become the Corinthian mess where we are more committed to our own liberty than we are to whether our brothers and sisters stumble over our witness. For me, it simply is another indicator of our American self-centeredness. We want, what we want, when we want it, and we want it judgment free.

I remember many years ago being away at a conference with my wife and as we were headed back to the hotel late after eating dinner one night and we bumped into another pastor “attendee” exiting the bar with a cocktail in his hand to go back to his room. He was "out of town" and could freely partake without any repercussion of a potential church member catching him. It was as if the conviction he had in his home state was now suspended because he had crossed the state line.

I just shook my head. I find myself still shaking it a lot today. On rare occasions I may teach or say something about this in my sermons, but I understand that in America, by and large, it falls on deaf ears and seared consciences. On occasion I wonder if I am just the last of an archaic model of ministry; or, am I to be a voice that God might use to usher in His Glory because we take holiness seriously? I have to admit, I get tired of watching people flock to those ministries where their personal liberty is rarely if ever challenged.

I have decided that I am going to keep my perspective on alcohol. Somehow I don't think me stopping by a neighborhood bar after a tough day of ministry to pop a "cold one" would really be advantageous in my witness to a watching world. I suspect it would either be used to justify other's abuse of drinking or to illustrate Christian's inconsistencies and hypocrisies. Either way, it isn't worth it to me. My conviction has served me well for nearly 34 years now. I have no regrets. I personally don’t feel like I have missed a thing (except perhaps a hangover or two, not to mention vomiting, blood poisoning, etc.). In fact, the Bible tells me that God has always used peculiar and uncommon people.  

That’s good to remember…I can qualify for that.

This is going to be a long blog...be forewarned!

I have been asked by a few about the swirl around Rob Bell, Pastor of Mars Hill Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan and general pot stirrer to the Body of Christ. He is becoming famous (or perhaps I sould say infamous) concerning his elusive theological views on Hell and what is known as universalism (which means when it all shakes out, everyone gets to go to heaven).

Where does a Bible believing person even start with that?

Pastor Bell is a part of what has been defined as the "Emergent Church Movement" (google it and research it for yourself for it would take too long to add that here as well.) To be short...truth is emerging and in no way can be said to be absolute. I know...that is troubling...and heretical. In my mind, it is the logical and expected conclusion to seeker-sensitive philosophy gone crazy, which is ostensibly, "give the people what they want". Who wouldn't want a ticket to heaven that could get stamped by Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, Allah, the tree, a cow, or yourself? It makes the Cross avoidable. That, my friends, is not Biblical.

He has written a new book which is trendy and becoming popular and I thought I would simply give you a "head's up" and let you read a review which I believe does an excellent job in critquing his premise and outcome. For those of you who are adverse to theological discussion then you should stop reading here. But if you want to keep sharp on the current "fad" in Christian heretical preaching, you may want to read on.

Love Wins - A Review of Rob Bell's New Book
by: Tim Challies

Questions matter. They can help you to grow deeper in your knowledge of the truth and your love for God—especially when you’re dealing with the harder doctrines of the Christian faith. But questions can also be used to obscure the truth. They can be used to lead away just as easily as they can be used to lead toward. Ask Eve.

Enter Rob Bell, a man who has spent much of the last seven years asking questions in his sometimes thought-provoking and often frustrating fashion. And when he’s done asking, no matter what answers he puts forward, it seems we’re only left with more questions. This trend continues in his new book, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived, where Bell poses what might be his most controversial question yet:

Does a loving God really send people to hell for all eternity?

The questions you probably want answers to as you read this review are these: Is it true that Rob Bell teaches that hell doesn’t exist? Is it true that Rob Bell believes no one goes to hell? You’ll just need to keep reading because, frankly, the answers aren’t that easy to come by.

How he asks the question is just as important as the question itself. “Has God created billions of people over thousands of years only to select a few to go to heaven and everyone else to suffer forever in hell? Is this acceptable to God? How is this ‘good news’?” They say that the person who frames the debate is going to win the debate. That is especially true when the debate is framed in this way, through these particular questions. You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. No offense, and no pun intended.

The Toxic Subversion Of Jesus’ Message

Bell begins the book with surprising forthrightness: Jesus’ story has been hijacked by a number of different stories that Jesus has no interest in telling. “The plot has been lost, and it’s time to reclaim it.” (Preface, vi)

A staggering number of people have been taught that a select few Christians will spend forever in a peaceful, joyous place called heaven, while the rest of humanity spends forever in torment and punishment in hell with no chance for anything better…. This is misguided and toxic and ultimately subverts the contagious spread of Jesus’ message of love, peace, forgiveness, and joy that our world desperately needs to hear. (ibid)

You may want to read that again.

It really says that. And it really means what you think it means. Though it takes time for that to become clear.

Heaven Is A Place On Earth—and We Are Making It

Bell frames much of the book around time and place, around what the Bible means when it speaks of the when and where of heaven and hell. He points to Revelation 21, citing that the heavenly city, the New Jerusalem, is coming down to the new earth. He also affirms that heaven is a real place where God’s will alone is done and that at present, heaven and earth are not yet one (pp. 42-43). These are points that few Christians could seriously question.

His argument progresses to this: Because heaven will eventually come to earth, if we’re to take heaven seriously, we must take the suffering that exists in the world seriously now. Therefore, we are called to participate “now in the life of the age to come. That’s what happens when the future is dragged into the present” (p. 45). In light of this, humanity’s role within creation is redefined so that we are not so much stewards as we are God’s partners, “participating in the ongoing creation and joy of the world” (p. 180), and engaging in creating a new social order with Jesus (p. 77). This language of partnering and participating is frequently applied by Bell to causes of social justice.

But what about hell? Is hell a future reality or a present one? Is it an earthly reality or one that exists elsewhere?

Hell appears to be more about what we do to each other than what we’ve done to God. Bell reads Jesus’ warnings of divine punishment as addressing only the temporal, rather than both the temporal and the eternal. These warnings were for the religious leaders of the day, and had very little to do with some other reality or some other time, he argues (pp. 82-83). Instead, hell is “a word that refers to the big, wide, terrible evil that comes from the secrets hidden deep without our hearts all the way to the massive, society-wide collapse and chaos that comes when we fail to live in God’s world God’s way” (p. 95). There’s no fire and no wrath, at least, none that is extrinsic to us.

Does Rob Bell deny the existence of hell? He would say no. We would say yes. He affirms, but only after redefining. And that’s just a clever form of denial.

Exegetical Gymnastics

Understanding what Bell truly believes and what he is truly seeking to teach can be a battle. The reader will find himself following many rabbit trails and arriving at several dead ends. It seems that where Bell’s arguments begin to break down, he simply walks away instead of pursuing consistency and logic. This book could not stand the rigors of cross-examination. It has little cohesion, little internal strength.

The reader will also find broad statements offered as fact. “At the center of the Christian tradition since the first church has been the insistence that history is not tragic, hell is not forever, and love, in the end, wins.” Is that true? It is easy to say, but can it be proven? Again and again Bell turns to the original languages but he quotes no commentaries, points to no sources. He says things like “‘forever’ is not really a category the biblical writers used.” But he offers no proof. Again, it is easy to say, but can it be proven? Can it be proven from a legitimate source?

Throughout the book he engages in what can best be described as exegetical gymnastics, particularly in dealing with the Greek word aion, a small word that is crucial to his arguments.

While this word is commonly translated as “eternal” or “everlasting,” Bell argues that it can also mean “age” or “period of time,” or even “intensity of experience.” Using this approach, he briefly argues from the parable of the sheep and the goats (Matt. 25:31-46) that eternal punishment isn’t eternal, but rather an intense period of pruning.

Now here’s the thing: aion and aionos definitely can mean “age” or “period of time,” they also mean “eternal.” The word’s context helps us to determine its meaning. So if we assume that these words primarily mean “age” or “period of time,” what happens when we apply that definition to John 3:16 where aionos is used?

For God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have life for a period of time.

Not as encouraging, is it? While Bell might argue here that “life abundant” might be a better fit (playing on the “intensity of experience” angle and tying it to John 10:10), at the end of the day, we’re left with an approach that gives more credence to living your best life now than it does to worshipping Jesus.

The Good News Is Better Than This

Throughout the book, there are a number of points where we would agree with Bell, particularly when he identifies some of the goofy things that people have concocted to make God’s absolute sovereignty palpable. But his answers are equally unsatisfying. Even his good critiques are simply a bridge to bad conclusions.

As he makes his case, Bell seems to delight in being obtuse, creating caricatures of opposing views that lack logic and compassion. He paints himself as the victim of the hateful, toxic, venomous denizens of certain corners of the Internet that believe “the highest form of allegiance to their God is to attack, defame, and slander others who don’t articulate matters of faith as they do” (p. 185).

Thus, Rob Bell appoints himself a martyr for his cause, and anyone who disagrees with him is preemptively silenced. It’s a useful technique, that, but hardly a fair one. Meanwhile he acts as if those who hold to the belief that, in Bell’s words, “we get this life and only this life to believe in Jesus,” a view passionately held to by the vast majority of Christians throughout history, are blowing smoke rather than dealing honestly with the Scriptures. He subtly redefines the questions and answers, and in doing so, also shifts the battle lines.

As he moves those lines, he moves closer and closer to outright blasphemy. Turning on 1 Timothy 2 (where Paul states that God desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth) Bell reflects on a traditional (orthodox) view of hell and asks:

How great is God?
Great enough to achieve what God sets out to do,
or kind of great,
medium great,
great most of the time,
but in this,
the fate of billions of people,
not totally great.
sort of great.
a little great.

A God who would allow people to go to hell is not a great God, according to Bell, and the traditional belief that He would is “devastating … psychologically crushing … terrifying and traumatizing and unbearable” (pp. 136-7).

God is at best sort of great, a little great—great for saving some, but evil for allowing others to perish. Dangerous words, those. It is a fearful thing to ascribe evil to God.

So what of the gospel? Where is the gospel and what is the gospel? Ultimately, what Bell offers in this book is a gospel with no purpose. In his understanding of the Bible, people are essentially good, although we certainly do sin, and are completely free to choose or not choose to love God on our own terms. Even then he seems to believe that most people, given enough time and opportunity, will turn to God.

In This Is Love

If Love Wins accurately represents Bell’s views on heaven and hell (at least if our understanding of the book accurately represents his views on heaven and hell), it reveals him as a proponent of a kind of Christian Universalism. He would deny the label as he tends to deny any label. But if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, well, you know how it goes.

As soon as the door is opened to Muslims. Hindus, Buddhists, and Baptists from Cleveland, many Christians become very uneasy, saying that then Jesus doesn’t matter anymore, the cross is irrelevant, it doesn’t matter what you believe, and so forth.

Not true.
Absolutely, unequivocally, unalterably not true.

What Jesus does is declare that he,
and he alone,
is saving everybody.

And then he leaves the door way, way open. Creating all sorts of possibilities. He is as narrow as himself and as wide as the universe.

…

People come to Jesus in all sorts of ways.

…

Sometimes people use his name;
other times they don’t.

…

Some people have so much baggage with regard to the name “Jesus” that when they encounter the mystery present in all of creation—grace, peace, love, acceptance, healing, forgiveness—the last thing they are inclined to name it is “Jesus.”

…

What we see Jesus doing again and again—in the midst of constant reminders about the seriousness of following him living like him, and trusting him—is widening the scope and expanse of his saving work.

That is what we know as universalism. And it is cause for mourning.

Christians do not need more confusion. They need clarity. They need teachers who are willing to deal honestly with what the Bible says, no matter how hard that truth is. And let’s be honest—many truths are very, very hard to swallow.

Love does win, but not the kind of love that Bell talks about in this book. The love he describes is one that is founded solely on the idea that the primary object of God’s love is man; indeed, the whole story, he writes, can be summed up in these words: “For God so loved the world.” But this doesn’t hold a candle to the altogether amazing love of God as actually shown in the Bible. The God who “shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8), who acts on our behalf not so much because His love for us is great, but because He is great (Isaiah 48:9, Ezekiel 20:9,14,22,44, 36:22; John 17:1-5).

That’s the kind of love that wins. That’s the kind of love that motivates us to love our neighbors enough to compel them to flee from the wrath to come. And our love for people means nothing if we do not first and foremost love God enough to be honest about Him.

This review was co-written with my friend Aaron Armstrong who writes at Blogging Theologically. All quotes are taken from an Advance Reading Copy of the manuscript that was provided specifically for review purposes; they will be verified against a final bound copy of Love Wins following the book’s release.

My oldest son on occasion has called me a phrase that is common among his generation of ministers...he says I am, "old school". What that means is that my mentality, at times, is more reflective of 1990 rather than 2011. This is usually in reference with regards to my "style" and "taste" in ministry presentation. To be perfectly honest, he is right at times. I don't instantly "get" the needs, wants, and desires of "generation-y" (as they are now called). I am still trying to figure out my own generation most of the time. I don't personally need all the technology, lights, and ambiance this generation seems to love and connects to, but I understand that to reach them that these things can have a place. I also know that my wardrobe dates me as I am still probably more comfortable in a suit and tie from the pulpit rather than a pair of $200 jeans and an untucked shirt with my sleeves rolled up; however, I am learning to change and adapt in these areas. I want to be relevant and reach this culture and really...who wants to be known as "old school"?

That being said...some things were never meant to change.

I started thinking the other day, whatever happened...

...To people who truly got converted and their whole life was radically and forever changed? Unlike today where we tout our bumper stickers that say, "I'm not perfect, just forgiven" and live ostensibly the same life after meeting Jesus as we had before we met Him.

...To the testimonies of being delivered from alcohol and drugs? Unlike today where I have been told that this generation doesn't "get" the need to let things like these drop off their lives and that certain vices of days gone by are now socially acceptable. (I noticed the other day, being a church history buff, that every awakening and revival had as a distinguishing mark the closing of bars and taverns in the region. Today, many small group ministries meet in these places for "discipleship". Am I the only one that deems that strange? Perhaps that small group will have to change venues in case of awakening.)

...To modesty for women and manners for men? Unlike today where our words and our bodies are presented in highly sexualized and suggestive ways. Between our Facebook postings and our text messaging, the boundaries of proper relationship have deteriorated to the point that we need a new Nehemiah to rebuild those old walls again in the church. I wish I could say that it was the "world" which does this, but there are a lot of people who say they love Jesus that have never considered the circumscribed life.

...To avoiding movies, media, and television shows that profane God and solicit unrighteousness in our minds and actions? Unlike today where we will import it into our homes through computers, cable pay per-view, and satellite dishes. We will even pay $10.00 on Saturday night to watch and hear things on movie screens that God forbids in His Word and then lift our hands on Sunday morning and sing, "You are my everything, oh Lord". Is that only strange to me?

...To correcting our kids, teaching them respect, and following things through? Unlike today where we have our kids calling the shots in our homes and in all their choices and we wonder why there is a generation out of control.

...To the stigma of living together before you are married? Unlike today where we find more and more couples (yes, in and out of the church) trying a few years together under the same roof to be sure they are "sexually compatible" (Because we all know that this alone is the basis for a good relationship {sarcasm} don't we?). There is no comprehension of covenant and the need for it in a relationship.

...To church attendance and church life trumping other activities because we had a great sense of the eternal? Unlike today where even the smallest and most insignificant of options can pull us away from corporate life as believers. Even schools, that once would navigate around Sundays and Wednesdays, no longer see the need to respect those days.

The list could go one, but you get the point...whatever happened?

I know my son well enough to know that his modernity has only to do with ministry style and presentation. He sees the dysfunction as well in his ministry. It is not localized to just our region, but it is the virus in the American church.

I am working and doing my best to remain relevant in this culture. I really want to be a voice that can reach this generation with the truth of the Gospel. But I have decided that instead of sinking to everyone else's level, perhaps I can lovingly help pull a generation up to another level in devotion towards God.

I guess if that makes me a religious relic or a dinosaur...then so be it. I will put on my jeans, untuck my shirt, and turn on the intelligent lighting and declare the whole counsel of God to this generation.

Some things never change.

Planting a Cross

Pastor Baird

It has been awhile since I have bogged, mostly due to a lingering illness, however I have to admit that there has been precious little to get motivated to comment and opine over recently. UNTIL...last night!

I listened to the President's State of the Union Address and I have a few things I want to chime in with regards to the things he chose to talk about. I listened to some of the respondents and have read a couple of people I respect greatly with regards to their Christian viewpoint and there are a couple of things that I feel should have been addressed in this important speech.

1. Don't you think, Mr. President, that someone should talk about the terrorist threat of radical Islam? Within days of your speech, over 30 people were killed and 180 injured at the Moscow airport due to radical Islam. How long can we keep our corporate head's in the sand with regards to the link between terrorism and this religion? Why are you so reluctant to call on the carpet the nations that harbor and support these crazy people? Why won't you call out moderate Muslim voices and tell them it is time to crank up the pressure and deal with these crazy elements, even if it is only through words and press releases? How many senseless deaths must occur in the name of Allah before it crosses the threshold of our supposed tolerance and we say, "enough is enough"?

Your #1 constitutional duty, Mr. President, is to PROTECT us from this global threat. The Sputnik moment you referred to in your speech is not the continual funding of an educational system that needs more money like an obese person needs a free pass to a buffet; but rather a corporate rallying cry that deals with this deception and error once and for all!

2. You made sure you took the time to rub the repeal of, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", in the faces of the military and the citizenry; but I want to ask you if you really feel like that is the most pressing issue of our day? You affirm the overturning of thousands of years of traditional marriage structure with little thought of the residual effects it produces or the cans it will open, yet you say nothing about traditional families, marriage, or the need for stability. Why won't you stand up for the FAMILY as we have defined it for centuries? Why won't you look at the American community and tell them to quit divorcing, quit procreating out of wedlock, and start thinking about things beyond themselves?

You have what has been called, "a bully pulpit", Mr. President. You have a certain moral authority to preach to the nation the things we need to hear and be reminded. Yes, the economy is of concern and there is no doubt that there are health care issues that need untangled; but you refuse to say the hard thing to the population concerning sacrifice and just old-fashioned issues of right and wrong. You want to be the most popular person in America rather than the Leader of the Free World! You have squandered again a moment where you could have redefined your leadership and brought this nation back to the place where it would be poised for greatness again. Instead, the incremental sliding into the abyss has only continued.

3. You are to be applauded on your impassioned appeal to the most helpless amongst us. I too, am concerned over human rights in China and the Sudan. You sound quite tough when you address these nations and there continued lawless acts against humanity. But if that is your position, then why do you refuse to speak out against the current American genocide of abortion? The more we know scientifically and biologically only confirms the validity of the baby's humanity in the mother's womb. tearing up babies in the womb is a bad thing, Mr. President. It is a blight on our nation in this century as slavery was in the 19th century. Something is wrong when over 75% of abortion providers are found in inner city and minority communities and black women disproportionately abort at 5 times the rate of a white women.

You are an advocate of "big government" and feel like government should step into our live in almost any and every area, but in this one instance you choose to be a libertarian. Unfortunately, Mr. President, you are being politically schizophrenic. I am so incredibly disappointed at this point.

I continually watch these events, hoping that one day a leader will rise to the lectern and call us as a nation to the things that really matter. I have learned to live with the disappointment that in all likelihood that will never happen. However, it has reminded me that the real answer does not lie in the halls of Washington DC, but rather the halls of the House of God. So if there is anything I can say thanks to you for, Mr. President, it is this: You have provided the atmosphere for the Lord and His people to be a shining light in the midst of the Washington morass.

God Bless you Mr. President and my prayer is that your eyes will be unveiled to the real need of this hour.

An article came out in the NOVEMBER CHARISMA magazine that I recently wrote a review concerning how to be less crazy in a charismatic church. I appreciate Charisma printing about 1/8 of the review and I genuinely consider it an honor that they would print that much of an unpublished pastor. However, a couple of important point were edited out and so I am going to post the whole review for those interested.

REVIEW OF ARTICLE, "How to be Charismatic without being Crazy", by GREG SURRATT; CHARISMA MAGAZINE, November 2010.

As a pastor in the same region as the author of the above article, I read with interest the insight he offers in regards to Charismatic churches. His thoughts solicited some ideas that I thought might be a worthy review of the article and additional thoughts for the churches he addresses.

First, let me say that I agree with much of the analysis part of the article. I too, am frustrated and embarrassed by the hypocrisies, inconsistencies, and fabrications of the charismatic movement. After pastoring people for 27 years, I can share my own horror stories of embarrassing moments watching people act and minister in bizarre ways claiming that it was "the Lord". The greatest singular criticism we face as a movement is the one that looks askance at us and says, "You all are just too weird for me", and never gives us the chance to demonstrate true faith. I also appreciated Greg's testimony and was genuinely encouraged by reading it and finding out the journey he has walked and the issues he has faced that has led him to his "church life" conclusions and ultimately raising up a large and influential church.

Having said that, I do have some critiques that I believe would add to the discussion the article solicits. My hope is that this can be understood in the light of what Greg mentioned as "healthy debate" (p.44). My greatest concern is that somehow I become an apologist for doing church "the crazy way" or be seen as one who is simply anchored to the old way of doing things. Nothing could be further from the truth. Just as I would affirm that Greg is not trying to coral the Holy Spirit; I am not trying to advocate for a three ring circus either.

My critiques would be the following:

1. I think Greg has fallen into the ditch many a philosopher has found by analyzing the landscape accurately, but answering it with faulty solutions. Critique is somewhat easy because human nature can always "pick at specks" in other's eyes or even the churches practices. The hard part is a solution. The word "crazy", for example, is a slippery concept. No one wants to be thought of as "crazy", yet there are a lot of "crazy" things that happen to believers now, through history, and in the Bible. In fact, most of the times God moved in Scripture supernaturally it tended to look "crazy" to the natural mind. Even the Acts 15 illustration that was used to support the notion of moving the church to a more "seeker-friendly" environment left out one important point. These new gentile believers in Antioch were not only uncircumcised which was a doctrinal debate, but they were spontaneous, edgy, outrageous, and passionate in their worship expressions and practices (by first century standards) in contrast to what was normal for Jerusalem. You would have a hard time labeling Antioch as "seeker-sensitive". Translation: They looked "crazy" to a lot of people. There is also no doubt that the Corinthian church was crossing lines of decorum because Paul had to bring correction to it (I Cor. 12-14). Yet, even in his correction, he never stifled the work of the Holy Spirit in their midst, but affirmed it. However, I wonder how many seeker churches would he have to correct the other way? I can assure you that few "seeker" churches today would even find it necessary to deal with those chapters because they are nowhere near that expression. Perhaps a better title for the article would have been, "How to be Charismatic without being Carnal?"

2. The definition of "seeker-sensitive" fascinated me. It was defined as, "thinking more about our neighbors than ourselves" (p.43). That is certainly a good thing as well as a Kingdom value. I would hope that is a value in every professing Christian's life. However, the real question should be, "WHO are we to be thinking about when it comes to worship; God, or our neighbor?" I know a church the size and scope of Seacoast has wrestled with and heard ALL the debate about philosophy of worship. I personally "get" the point that the sheer size and influence of Seacoast seems to affirm the current measuring stick of success and therefore tends to validate its philosophy. However, I would challenge again the philosophy of church worship that gathers strictly for the "non-believer". We are not there to appease a sense of tradition or comfort for the non-believer. In fact, if God shows up and conviction in hearts manifests, it will get real uncomfortable. You see the problem with "seeker-sensitive" philosophies is that they tend to want to "manage" or "handle" the work of the Holy Spirit in such a way as to not offend the senses of man. We literally want to be the Holy Spirit's agent and Public Relations director so no one gets challenged. Now I have no problem acknowledging that people make "decisions" in that environment, but the real question is, "Are they truly converted?" Without the transforming presence of God, what remains is religious activity.

3. The end of the article it was mentioned that "'Easy' is not a dirty word. Why do we think it's more spiritual to make it difficult for seekers." (p.45) You are right to an extent. Any man-made hoop that we require a seeker to jump through just for difficulty's sake is out of bounds. However, the word "easy" is only found 4 times in Scripture (3 if you use a modern version). Again, no one I know would argue for the complex. Salvation is by grace through faith and is so easy that a child can comprehend it. I will even go one step further and declare that Jesus' "yoke is easy and His burden is light" (Matt.11:30), which I understand to mean that His ways will not crush a person but ultimately liberate me (Gal. 5:1). Having said that, I checked and found over 45 references to the faith being "hard". This does not count the teachings on the "wide and narrow paths" (Matt.7:13-14), or "taking up your cross" (Lk.9:23-25), or even "counting the cost" (Lk.14:26-31) to name but a few. Understanding and the initial response to salvation is "easy" in the sense that we exercise child-like faith, but obedience and walking that out is indeed "hard" and at times costly. It does believers no service to leave the impression (as many in the seeker movement do) that Christianity is "easy-believism". This, along with a faulty instruction of eternal security is leaving people with the false impression that they are spiritually OK, when in fact they are not. Demons "believe" in God and are orthodox in their beliefs (James 2:19), but that intellectual assent will not "save" them. Salvation is certainly free and easy; but at the same time costs everything and is to be worked out in fear and trembling.

Contrary to what people might think, I actually have a tremendous respect and admiration for what Greg and Seacoast have accomplished. I too, like Greg, have been disillusioned by much of the Charismatic silliness. I have pondered on more occasions than I can count just how "edgy" and "crazy" a church should be. As I read the article I had to wonder if the experiences of Greg's past somehow "clouded" his solutions for today. I, personally, have come to this conclusion; I cannot allow my disappointments to turn into disillusionment and become the basis or foundation of my church life philosophy. As pastors, we all will stand before God and answer for ourselves what it is we did when it came to shepherding His sheep. It is not mine to judge Greg and his conclusions, however, it is mine to enter into a "healthy debate" and see if we can find the truth.

I believe that one of the greatest mistakes pastors make in our current era is to embrace the trendy and not see the eternal. It is easier to rest a ministry on management theory with occasional Scripture sprinkled in than it is to rest it on the whole counsel of God. No pastor wants to be "seeker-alienating". No pastor likes seeing people walk out the door. However, every pastor needs to remind himself (herself) that this is God's House and HE needs to be the most comfortable Person there.

KEVIN R. BAIRD; D.Min.

Senior Pastor - Legacy Church

1401 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.

Charleston, South Carolina

(843) 766-1787

www.legacychurchsc.org

I just received word that a pastor I greatly respected while studying for the ministry passed away. His name was W.E. McCumber. He was a pastor, author, college professor, and editor for a Christian magazine. I loved his wit and insight. He will be greatly missed by many on this earth, but angels are rejoicing that another saint has crossed the finish line. I ran across a short editorial he wrote about those who feel like they no longer need or trust "organized" church life. It was so thoughtful I thought it worthy of a repeat on this blog. We will miss you Brother Bill!

I am weary of hearing persons, from teens to thirty-somethings, say, “I believe in Jesus, but I don’t need the church. I don’t like or trust organized religion.”

Okay, let’s talk about Christians who reject the churches. Let’s talk about firm believers in disorganized Christianity.

Let’s begin by admitting freely that the organized churches are woefully imperfect. That’s mainly because they are comprised of imperfect people, imperfect people like all you guys and gals who are just as imperfect, yet make theirs an excuse to ignore or scorn the churches.

The organized churches have founded more clinics, hospitals, colleges and universities than disorganized Christians. Indeed, has any group of anti-church believers founded even one?

The organized churches have mounted relief campaigns and invested millions of dollars in helping disaster victims around the world. Have you anti-church, anti-organization critics ever matched the churches’ compassionate ministries? You know you haven’t and we know you haven’t.

The Jesus you claim to follow “radically” went to the synagogues weekly to worship with other people. It was His “custom,” according to scripture. Some of those other people were hate-filled hypocrites, but that did not become an excuse for Jesus to absent himself from organized religion.

The Bible you claim to believe says, “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another…” The Bible, speaking of public worship, says, “Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” You don’t have order without organization.

If you could take over the churches and impose your own notions of Christian worship and work upon them, you would immediately favor organized religion. What’s really bugging many, perhaps most, of you is your inability to sell your opinions to the churches.

Most of you found Christ through the ministries of organized Christianity. Many of you were reared by parents who were faithful members of the very churches you now belittle. If it were not for centuries of organized churches doing organized missions Christianity would have vanished long ago. You may despise and ridicule your heritage, but without it you wouldn’t even be today’s rebellious, misshaped and disorganized version of it.

Organized Christianity began with the organizing efforts of Jesus and His first apostles. They worked lovingly with misfits, ignoramuses and hypocrites, but they never shucked the task and posed as superior Christians.

Private Christianity, churchless Christianity, is not found in Scripture. Christ formed individual believers into a community of worshippers and workers. He believed in organized Christianity. He founded it.

Come on, lose the attitude and gain a family.

HAVE MERCY!!!!

We are half way through December, 10 days to Christmas, 16 days to 2011, and time is slipping away. It feels to me like there is so much going on and not enough time to promote things and share things...SO, I am going to point everyone to the blog site and trust the information is getting out there. Please read the following and take special note of all the upcoming events.

1. Legacy Church and Pastors Kevin and Tracie Baird are now on FACEBOOK. I realize that FB is not for everyone, but it has been a great means of communicating on a consistent basis. I also realize that technology carries with it the good and the bad. (I have heard sermons against FB already and I "get" why many pastors would feel that way.) People abuse things that I really think God meant to be a means to spread the Gospel. So, if you can't handle and protect yourself on the internet and especially FB, then you can still get your announcements weekly at Legacy. For those of you who like up to the minute reports I invite you to "like" Legacy Church and "friend" either of the Pastors. (Be sure you let them know who you are if you are not a regular attendee of the church)

2. Praise God! We, as a church, now own 4 pieces of residential property and homes in Dillon, SC. These properties were donated to us to sell and ONE of these properties has a contract on it and is headed towards closing soon. Please pray that the other 3 will sell quickly and be a blessing for both buyer and the church. These properties represent tens of thousands of dollars to develop our new land and church site south of the city. This is only the beginning of God financing His new HOUSE!

3. Christmas schedule is as follows:

Wednesday, December 22 - Candlelight Service, 6:30pm, followed by an all-church Christmas fellowship at 7:30pm (Coffee and Dessert)

No Service on Christmas Eve. (If you like those services, there are many downtown churches which do a phenomenal job that night. Expand your borders and try one.)

Offices will be closed the week of December 27-31. (There will be NO MID-WEEK SERVICE ON THAT WEDNESDAY NIGHT, 29th)

4. VERTICAL SERVICE, December 31 (FRIDAY), 7:00pm to 9:00pm. We will be:

Praising God

Worshiping

Interceding

Receiving Communion

Planting a special financial seed for 2011 (So bring a good offering to plant)

Setting the tone for a NEW YEAR!

5. NEW MEMBERS CLASSES START - January 2, 2011 (Sunday) at 9:00am in the Pastor's Office

6. THE ALL CHURCH 21-DAY FAST BEGINS MONDAY MORNING, January 3, 2011. Pastor Baird will be sharing more on this in the upcoming services.

7. NETWORK OF RELATED PASTORS (NRP) National Conference at Legacy Church, February 7-9, 2011 (Monday through Wednesday). ALL THREE NIGHT SERVICES ARE OPEN TO THE CHURCH AND TO THE PUBLIC. (To attend the conference during the day you must register at http://www.nrpastors.com and pay the registration fee.)

WOW!!!!

Lots going on and that is why I needed to get it out there and hopefully on your calendar. 2011 should be a great year and I believe it will be the year that the Lord will take us to another level and we will see promises fulfilled like never before. Link your faith with mine and let's believe that together!

Pastor Baird

I have been thinking lately (which has been known to be a dangerous thing) about the dynamics of that first Christmas season and all the incredible transition and revelation that was at work in the earth during that time. I am especially thinking about the relationship of John the Baptist as the forerunner to his cousin and Messiah, Jesus.

If I were to ask the question, "Was the ministry of John necessary before the revelation of the Messiah?", I suspect most people would quickly respond, "Of course". If I were to ask "why?", I suspect most people would pause longer and say anything from, "Well, it was foretold in the Scriptures" to "That was just the way God ordered it". Both answers have a place, but I think there was something deeper at work.

For most people John and Jesus contrast one another. In their perspective, John was the rough voice that confronted people with their sin and at times with great severity told them to repent or perish. Conversely, Jesus is viewed as the compassionate voice offering hope and redemption. It's fascinating that people never accuse you of not acting like John, but they will regularly point out that perhaps an attitude or action was not like Jesus. Oh, and let's not forget the bracelet, WWJD (What Would Jesus Do), and how we are to be reminded about the qualities of Christ by looking at our wrists on a regular basis.

And yet... God sent a forerunner to "prepare the way of the Lord". Maybe this is the Scriptural foundation for "good cop - bad cop", that we see on all the police dramas on television. There has to be a reason that Jesus needed a forerunner and there has to be a reason it was someone like John.

Let me take a stab at it.

I believe that before a person gets a revelation of grace they may need to get a revelation of sin and before they can embrace a relationship with Jesus they have to embrace the need of repentance. For me, John is the spiritual "plow" that tills the soil of men's hearts to receive the promise of redemption and hope. Something needed to happen to ancient Israel that would awaken it's soul and shatter it's blindness to it's true internal state. Jesus Himself would later say of Israel, "You worship Me with your lips, but your heart is far from me" (Matthew 15:8-9). I hope you heard what the Messiah was saying. He said, "You WORSHIP...but your HEART is not right".

Even in the 1st century there was plenty of worship going on. The problem was not with finding a place to worship or participating in worship...the problem was men's hearts. John was the Divine wake-up call to soften those hard hearts to hear the Word of the Lord. John came to prepare what would otherwise may not have been ready for the unveiling of the Messiah. I guess you could say that God was giving every hearer every opportunity to receive GOOD NEWS. The question was (and is), "Will you prepare your heart?".

We are living, in many ways, in days that are much like the 1st century. Granted, we have eclipsed that culture with our technology and scientific progress, but we are much the same when we evaluate our spiritual condition and state. We live in a time with lots of WORSHIP...but our HEARTS are not right. We have great religious systems and lots of religious activity, but that has never been the issue. The issue is the heart. And I very much believe TWO important things:

1. Jesus is coming again. (Sooner rather than later)

2. The Spirit of Jesus (The Holy Spirit) is wanting to "come" and manifest powerfully before #1 happens.

If this is true (and I believe it is), then perhaps God is again releasing a prophetic voice in the earth to "prepare the way of the Lord". Perhaps there is a prophetic anointing manifesting in these days, much like an Elijah or a John, that will soften the hearts of the masses for the unveiling of the Messiah. Perhaps the messages will cut closer and the Word will hit at another level in order to prepare us for the moving of the Spirit in a dramatic and powerful way. Perhaps the church needs to be shook out of its religion and once again have its heart "plowed" to get back in relationship. That really isn't that far-fetched when you read about the Laodicean church in Revelation 3. They thought they had it all, when in reality they had nothing and Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock..." (Revelation 3:20).

Like I said...I am just thinking. I wonder if there might not be some voices in this hour that are being used by God to prepare the way, to rattle our religion, and to unveil our eyes. I have an inkling there are and they are needed in much the same way John was needed. My exhortation is to receive them because Jesus is getting ready to ring our door bell again soon.

Planting a Cross,

Pastor Baird

From One Pastor To Another

AN OPEN LETTER TO EVERY "SEEKER-SENSITIVE" CHURCH PASTOR

There is something I need to say. I understand that in saying it I will be labeled everything from "jealous" and "competitive" to "critical" and "mean-spirited", but I have decided to risk the mislabeling and just go ahead and say some things that are on a lot of pastor's minds about your friendly neighborhood "seeker-sensitive" church. You know the one. It's the behemoth that everyone knows about and has probably attended at one time or another. It's the one in seemingly every urban area that claims thousands in attendance at its main campus or one of its franchise locations. It's the one, we are told, that is reaching the "unchurched" and the "unclaimed" in our respective cities and regions. It's the one that many pastors have lots of significant questions about, but rarely feel comfortable articulating those questions because they don't want to look small or archaic in their questioning, much less appearing to lack a "team spirit" in Kingdom matters. So, we keep on smiling and say nothing.

I have decided that it is possible to keep the smile, but I have a couple of things I would like to say and feel like I can do it in a good spirit. First, by way of affirmation:

1. I appreciate the way you consistently attempt to reach our culture and find creative ways to present Jesus in people's lives. Your use of technology and illustrated messages have certainly opened the door to finding ways to crack the communication barriers in people's lives. I have personally hijacked a number of ideas from your wealth of creativity.

2. Your sense of excellence and polished presentation also speaks well of not only your church, but of the Lord whom you serve. There is always a sense of professionalism in your circles and that always leads people to a sense of confidence in what your are attempting to do. I can easily see why your members find it easy to invite their friends and neighbors to your services.

3. I do believe there are people who are legitimately receiving Jesus as Savior and Lord in your services and through your ministry. I personally have met some of your members who give glowing testimonies to that experience and your church being the conduit through which that salvation experience happened. Their "fruits" certainly demonstrate the inward spiritual reality.

However, I live in your city and pastor a church as well. It is certainly not as large as yours is, numerically speaking, but we too have an important place at the Kingdom table when it comes to reaching and discipling our city. And as a pastor in the same city I feel like I have a Kingdom responsibility to gently remind you of some important Biblical precepts that we all must endeavor to embrace. I feel this is especially true for you because, as Jesus said, "To whom much is given, much is required" (LUKE 12:48) Your size and influence has given you much notoriety and many accolades, for which I too can rejoice with you, but along with the visibility and influence comes much responsibility. It is this area of responsibility you may need to take heed, lest you fall.

1. YOU NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR FIDELITY TO YOUR VISION TO THE LARGER BODY OF CHRIST IN YOUR CITY.

You say your vision is "Turning irreligious people into fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ". To synopsize even further you say that you are doing church for "the unchurched". As pastors in your community we gladly cheer you on in that God-goal! What pastor in his right mind wouldn't want people to come to know Jesus and avoid the reality of Hell. The problem arises when suddenly your church is not primarily reaching the "unchurched", but rather marketing to those in my church. I chuckle because now the leaders in your ministerial ranks are calling that reaching the "re-churched" (Whatever that means). I may not be as "savvy" as you are in organizational leadership and managerial theory, but I "get" what you are doing. It is causing a fracture that is rarely verbalized because most of us "out here" don't want to be labeled with things mentioned above or become your next illustration on You-Tube or television.

The saddest part of this is that I have had pastors from these "seeker churches" tell me that I must not be doing as good a job pastoring (or leading) as I need to be doing. Actually, the opposite is true. Many times I am applying correct Biblical discipline on a believer's life or teaching them the whole counsel of God and the moment that believer "feels the heat" they can jump ship to the big "seeker church" and find themselves plugged-in relatively quickly. You call that "empowering people" through your "free market" ecclesiology. I call that "enabling rebellion" and simply giving the customer what they want. There is no sense of responsibility on your part to help that person clean up their past or deal with their issues. They are emboldened through your philosophy to continue to live in ways contrary to the Word of God. And whether you would recognize this or not, you are contributing to the overall atmosphere of spiritual leavening that is taking place in America through compromised believers who are never challenged or forced to take spiritual responsibility for their actions.

2. YOU NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR SOUND DOCTRINE IN YOUR RANKS.

The famous quote by Luther is most often used on most "seeker church" web sites which goes something like this: "In essentials - unity; in nonessentials - liberty; in all things - charity (love)". I too, believe Luther had a point; however, I am amazed at how few things seem to be essential to you. While Luther did make the above comment, he also had a lot to say about erroneous doctrine and practices as well. Since you know Luther so well you probably remember his little skirmish with the Roman Catholic Church and their lack of sound doctrine. Too bad those quotes aren't found on your web site. You have a responsibility to teach people "sound doctrine". The word "sound" doesn't mean "perfect" or even "errorless", but rather "healthy". I agree that the Word has to be relevant and good people can disagree on certain points of non-essential doctrine, but somewhere in your ranks there are some significant "dots not getting connected" between basic essential doctrine and one's life. The people hear heart-warming devotional nuggets, but they are not translating it into everyday life with Jesus as King over all they are and all they have. They are entertained in wholesome ways and left with some moral exhortation in your services, but is this really changing the spiritual landscape you claim to be addressing?

Now generally one might say, "What business or concern is that of yours? They aren't attending your church so worry about your own flock." Normally, I would agree; but your flock fellowships with my flock out there in the world. My flock attends your city-wide events and rubs shoulders with your flock. My youth will attend your bigger youth events. I am not so naive to think that my flock is not as blemished as yours, but I can say without reservation that the uncircumscribed lives that seem prevalent amongst your ranks and the license by which they live is at best a mystery to the rest of us. No, please don't think me to be a legalist. I have lived among those in days past who were legitimate legalists and I have been graciously delivered. I know the true difference. I am talking about Christianity 101 which includes sexual purity, sobriety, integrity, and the like. There is a general feeling "out here" that a person can go to your church and pretty much live any way they want to. You have a responsibility to at least address that on occasion from your pulpit because your silence seems to be tacit approval and also tends to splash on the rest of us as well. Because of your size and influence, we all get labeled to some extent. The world tends to paint things with a broad brush and the rest of us can get swept into that perspective unintentionally. That may not be fair in your mind or it might not even be a concern, but that is the way it is seen in the culture you claim to be attuned to.

3. YOU NEED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SYNERGISM YOU ESPOUSE AND THE ACCOMODATION YOU PRACTICE WHICH DILUTES CHRISTIANITY'S WITNESS.

I hear much from your ranks about "broadening the circle of love" and tearing down "artificial barriers" which alienate people from the gospel. Who could argue with that proposition? In fact, you have become an expert in using lines like that to hold at bay any criticism concerning your philosophy. After all, do any of us really want to construct barriers or not be loving? It is very slick indeed, worthy of our best politicians. The problem is that Christianity does have boundaries and at times does choose sides. The issue is that the church is to be God's voice in the earth and at times to challenge the ways of this world; sometimes the ways of our people. The church is not building coalitions of groups in order to have a majority to exercise influence, but rather we speak with Divine authority on the basis of God's Word and it produces its own influence.

When was the last time from the pulpit you spoke on issues like abortion, homosexuality, promiscuity, or any of the great value issues of our day? When do concepts like repentance, consecration, sanctification, and a circumscribed life ever come across the teaching radar? Which leads me to this question, "Are you a protestant or a catholic church?" Can you keep your Catholicism and just go along for the ride at your church praying to Mary, lighting candles to Saints, genuflecting at crosses, and believing the bread and cup are the literal body and blood of our Lord? Is there ever a moment these things can be addressed? These questions are not mean-spirited or out of bounds when some of your most famous pastors in "seeker-sensitive" ranks have equivocated on the exclusiveness of Christ on national television talk shows or allowed Muslim clerics to speak from their pulpits. When does accomodation become compromise? You like the influence and visibility your size affords, but will you accept the responsibility?

Again, it would really be none of my business if it were not for the fact that when your disillusioned members walk through my doors they are jolted to find out that there is more to Christianity than they had originally been led to believe. In fact, it usually takes a year to "detox" them off the philosophy of your movement in order to once again get them to embrace the comprehensive requirements of the gospel. They are usually experts in marketing and business leadership principles, but they are woefully ignorant to the concepts of comprehensive Christianity and what it means to simply say, "Jesus is Lord of my life". Perhaps that is why one of the fathers of your movement, Bill Hybels, had the courage to say recently concerning his discipleship philosophy, "We were wrong". It seems to me that if the church in our region is to be "on the same team" as you espouse, then this would be of interest to you.

Perhaps this is the point where I can stop and say, "Enough said". My intention (and I can assure you it has gone before the Lord) was not so much to ventilate but rather exhort. If you could only see, my "seeker-sensitive" pastor friend, the possibility you hold in shaping and changing the spiritual landscape of our region, you would understand my motives. The trophy is not reserved for those who have the most bodies in seats, but rather did we "disciple nations" and "teach them to observe all that (Jesus) commanded" (Matthew 28:19-20). The trophy is not being on the largest list or fastest growing list, but the FAITHFUL list. I will be the first to admit that I would love to be your size and have your budget, but not for the reasons you might think. I believe the survival of our civilization as we have known it is at stake. I understand that Christianity has survived no matter what the dominant cultural philosophy has been, but it survived because Christians understood the totality of God's Word and were prepared for whatever the sacrifice or commitment entailed. I have healthy, Godly concerns and questions that you and your ecclesiology have not grasped in its fullest context.

I will pray for you. I will continue to support you where I can and yes, even learn on occasion. My hope is that you too will think about what I have shared. Perhaps out of this God can be glorified and His Kingdom can come and His Will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. Remember...to whom much is given, much is required.

Respectfully,

The Pastor down the Street

(Who is constantly picking things out of his own eyes too!)

I haven't had time to blog in what seems to me to be ages. Sorry to those of you who tune in regularly. I have the best of intentions, but you know what road is paved with those don't you?

I just got back from Pittsburgh, PA; after spending a few days with some men at a BAND OF BROTHERS CONFERENCE hosted by Word and Worship Church of North Braddock, PA and supported by the NETWORK OF RELATED PASTORS (NRP) which our church is a part. I also got to hang around the church on Sunday to preach at one of their campuses and that night, with Pastor Rod Aguillard, spoke prophetically over numbers of their local leaders and people. It was "off the chart" as they say, with the prophetic word coming as sharp, detailed, and direct as I have experienced in a long time. That was encouraging for everyone. Thanks to pastors Rick and Natalie Paladin for being first class hosts in a world class church.

The conference was a rallying cry for the men of the church and this nation to prepare for cultural war and transformation. This is not the jihad of the Muslims, but rather the spiritual warfare and confrontation the Bible teaches us to enter into against the powers and principalities of the air. While our problems certainly stem from people and power brokers making bad decisions, we understand that there is a spirit behind all of this which we call...the devil.

Every message was "spot on" and built on the one previous. It amazes me how no one coordinates their message with another, yet each one is like part 2, 3, 4, etc. I guess that means the Holy Spirit was involved in what was being shared.

It was also encouraging to see these 200 men from these churches (30 churches represented) passionately worshiping God and shouting "amen". We need that zealous spirit to again rekindle the passion for righteousness in all our men. We have a lot of great guys who love the Lord, but we need to stir up the zeal again and get hungry for the things of God. I believe some of that happened.

The most dramatic moment for me was the trip on Saturday morning to the Pittsburgh Planned Parenthood Building in downtown Pittsburgh along with about 100 men. This abortion mill kills approximately 20 babies a day. As Pastor Keith Tucci exhorted us, it is "the gates of hell". One hundred men at 6:00 am drove to downtown Pittsburgh and simply prayed at the doorstep of hell. We lined up, down the sidewalks and across the street and spent about one hour doing spiritual warfare against the powers of darkness. There is nothing pretty about what is going on and you can sense the evil. Ironically, right next door to the abortion mill is a gay bar which had unmentionable posters displayed concerning what goes on inside. One of their special nights is called, "Sin till you win". I will leave it at that. It is true, is it not, the spirits of darkness love to congregate together.

As workers of the abortion mill came to work, you could see by how they entered quickly and secretly that there was shame associated with their work. This is not a compassionate act they are involved with. Let there be no doubt, this is big business. The sad part is that there is more regulation on our church to remove an oak tree than there is to extinguish the life of a baby. While I am not sure our direct act saved any lives this day, I did find it interesting that while we were standing there a mini-van drove by and then spun its tires and sped off in another direction. When I saw that my hope was that a mom changed her mind and decided to choose life.

All the time we were praying, Pastor Keith Tucci paced back and forth in the provided zone that was marked for protestors on the street. He paced in front of us all who were lined up there to pray exhorting us and preaching to us that there was never a greater illustration of the proclamation of the gospel to the poor and innocent than what was going on at that moment. He reminded me of a general keeping the troops focused. It looked like the scene in BRAVEHEART when William Wallace rode back and forth on horseback exhorting the troops to fight.

At the end, we all raised our arms up on the streets of downtown Pittsburgh and cried out a war shout for God to bring the "high place" of child sacrifice down, to tear out its stronghold, and dry up its resources. It was an amazing sound to hear 100 male voices crying out in downtown Pittsburgh. The police eventually showed up, but by that time we were in our cars preparing to go back to the conference. I suspect they got a call thinking we were going to stage a "take-over" or something. They were driving a van in case of arrests I guess. Bottom line, this was purely a spiritual confrontation.

That took one hour. I don't know if any babies were saved that day. My hope is that there was a residual effect of the anointing and all day long as women walked down the sidewalk to this place they felt strangely compelled to just keep walking. I shake my head to consider how careful we are in America in protecting animals, trees, and the environment; but find it strangely acceptable to extinguish life like this. It isn't about health really...it's about convenience.

This is just the beginning for the men of Legacy. There is a CAUSE in this nation that awaits us. I am believing for 100 men to join our ranks quickly, for our time is running short. I will say more in the future, but at least this can keep you caught up.

Planting a Cross,

Pastor

Pray for me, as I am going to Pittsburgh, PA to participate in a great conference called, BAND OF BROTHERS.

Looking forward to a great time of fellowship, networking, and resourcing.

Taking a few of the guys with me to "spy" out the land in order to prepare for a BUS LOAD of men in the future to participate with this great event.

Keep praying for all the needs and ministry we are doing in the life of Legacy. Prayer is making the difference and you can tell the brassy heavens are beginning to open.

Love you all!
See you soon!

Pastor Baird

For those of you that perhaps were not at Legacy Church this past Sunday, I was able to give a brief report on my trip to Columbia, SC, and the Conference I attended called The South Carolina Renewal Project associated with the American Family Association (Don Wildmon, President). It was a great 24 hour time period of inspiration and instruction about the need our country has in this hour to return to its Biblical and moral foundations. Special speakers were like: Congressman Bob McEwen from Ohio, Pastor Larry Stockstill from Baton Rouge, Historian David Barton, and Speaker Newt Gingrich. There was also an assortment of attorneys and other pastors helping us understand better our role and limits in challenging our culture.

Pastor Stockstill, of course, challenged the 560 pastors attending to get their "houses in order". He mentioned personal character issues that still plague the ministry and how can we challenge a culture spinning morally out of control when our lives may be just as out of order. He reported on a meeting he attended with notable pastors from all across our nation and the tone amongst them is of great concern. We have just a short window of opportunity to begin to recover from the different onslaughts we have faced as a church and nation before it could conceivably be too late.

Congressman McEwen shared a great speech about simple economics and our country's slide towards socialism. This man impressed me (and as a politician, that is saying something). He reminded us that there are only TWO systems of economic: The Kingdom of God and Babylon. We all know that Babylon will ultimately collapse and that in the church we must make the Scriptural teaching of Biblical economics a priority to help the people with the impending collapse.

David Barton is an historian that intricately knows and understands the Christian foundations of our nation. As many of you know, I too, am well read in this area, but he is the absolute best when it comes to sharing the details and the behind the scenes stories of our great nation. There is absolutely no doubt that the USA was founded by Christians and is linked to Biblical covenant precepts. The evidence is overwhelming. I could spend pages sharing with you the stories he told about our early founders and leaders in this great nation. It was awesome.

Newt Gingrich is a smart guy as well. He is an historian and puts much of our current crisis and issues in an historical context that makes a lot of sense. I was impressed by his renewed passion for our country and the hour in which we live. He mentioned that the culture war we now face is no longer on just one front: secularism. Now we have another battle front called, Islam. Is it not amazing to you that an atheistic secularism would align itself with a religion of any sort. The truth is that these two philosophical fronts are doing their best to eliminate every vestige of Christianity. As difficult as it may be to believe, right now in Michigan there is a young Iranian Christian girl who is under indictment in a US COURT OF LAW for witnessing to a Muslim. Yes, you read that right. She may go to jail for witnessing to a Muslim. Do you know that at this very moment chaplains in the US military must have all their public prayers approved before saying them? What kind of intrusion is that by government in the affairs of religion. Last time I read the 1st amendment, there was to be no restriction of the "free exercise" of a person's faith. Folks, things are turned upside down and now is the time for us to turn things upside down again so they will be right side up!

I will confess that listening to the reports made me slightly discouraged and greatly concerned. However, there was a rumble in that room of pastors. I could sense a spiritual momentum starting to arise. I really believe that there is a "spiritual" tea-party about ready to explode in the land. I honestly believe that God is about ready to do something powerful to give our nation one more chance to aright itself. It is more than just politics, it is a spiritual battle that we must engage in through prayer, fasting, and declaration of our beliefs. The attorneys that were there clearly spelled out what churches can and cannot do. To be candid, aside from giving money to candidates, we can say almost anything without fear of reprisal. The problem is...will we? I was encouraged to see the ADF attorneys that were present told us that if we are challenged by the IRS or the any government agency, that they are anxious to go to court to secure the rights that should have always been ours. We need not feel alone in this battle.

When the conference was over, I know that over 500 pastors were loosed back into the state of South Carolina different people. I believe there is a roar from the men of women of God you will soon hear. God willing, this is the beginning of the greatest revival our nation will have ever experienced.

Planting a Cross, running a race, keeping the faith...

Pastor

What is government? In most people's minds it turns to Washington DC, their state capital, or the realm of civil government. The secularist has done their job well because even in the church that is where most of our minds drift. To be Biblical, government starts nowhere near the political arena. In fact, government, rightly understood, simply means order and exercising of authority.

Government does not start with others, but rather it starts with God and then moves to ourselves. When the Bible speaks of government, in the singular, it refers to the rule and reign of Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6-7). If Jesus is indeed Lord of all, then He is the Author of all order and authority. There can be no person, institution, or civil authority out of the scope of His reign. No institution is independent of His ways and precepts. The minute any person, group, or organization rejects the ways of God, it has put itself in peril.

God set up government from the earliest moments in the book of Genesis. It is called "self-government". The first order that should come to anyone's life, is the order of self-control and responsibility. This means that as individuals we recognize the ways and rule of the Lord and implement that order into our lives. That order is God-centered. It is not perpetuated by selfishness, unrestraint, and disrespect for your fellow man. It is the ability to live life in such a way that respects the design of the Creator in the creation. This self-government is from THE HEART. Someone who cannot self-govern themselves must be FORCED by law to obey lest they trample on the rights of others by their selfish pursuits. (This is why Civil Governments are established)

However, no society or nation will ever work properly until we understand that we must first govern ourselves in our pursuits and passions before we can ever assume to govern peoples and nations. To deny self-government is to abdicate personal responsibility. No nation will last for long when we lose the moral imperative to live well because we want to and not just because we have to. Freedom is not the ability to do only what the carnal heart dictates, but rather true freedom is the ability to live abundantly under the hand of God Who has established His boundaries in order to make life peaceful and joyful.

So, if government starts with the individual and God desires to be King first, over individuals lives, what can we begin to see as we consider what needs to happen in our country?

1. Larger and larger Civil government is not the answer to our problems in America. We must find ways to reduce the size of Civil Government in order to put the responsibility of order and authority back on the individual. Again, this is not to say that there is not a place for Civil Government (We will eventually talk about that), but it starts in our hearts. People need to feel the burden for personal responsibility again and not be lulled into the deception that Civil Government can fulfill all their wants and desires in life. It is their choice to be governed by God or not and the repercussion of that choice needs to be felt. (We will also visit the topic of compassion later as well)

2. The next level of government is FAMILY. The family must be valued and strengthened in every way possible and certainly not harmed or undermined. That is why marriage is to be esteemed (between one man and one woman), divorce is to be avoided if possible, and abortion needs to be stopped. Anything that assaults the family needs to be avoided and challenged. Family is our first level of support and structure in difficult times.

3. Certain precepts begin to develop as we see the unfolding of government even in these early stages. We see power and responsibility being invested in the individual. That is why Jesus instructed people in His day and not civil institutions. Never do we see Jesus addressing Rome, Pilate or Herod and tell them they lacked compassion or needed to start a new program to "help" everyone. No, instead He looked at people and said, "YOU show compassion, YOU put the Samaritan in the hotel, YOU go the extra mile, YOU give up your cloak." (Again, we will show you the place for proper civil help, but get this in your system first) The principle emerges that government works best when it can be distilled down to the individual and family.

I will stop there today and promise you that I will come back to the concepts of anarchy and radical individualism (selfishness) as well. But allow the Lord to start building in you the concepts so as a Christian you will not be led astray by rhetoric on either side of the political spectrum. We are just getting started!

Pastor Baird

Before our very eyes we are watching the beginning stages of a philosophical collapse in our nation. We are watching the fruit of secularism and humanism bring us to the place of moral and economic ruin as a nation. We have mortgaged our futures financially and weakened the pillars of morality that have kept us protected and ordered. My voice, along with hundreds of voices more famous than mine, have reminded us that a republic like ours has only lasted a couple of hundred years historically and we have just about run out the clock. For me to review the evidence would be redundant. However, the greater question on my mind currently is, "If humanism and secularism are doomed to failure, then what will replace it?"

The fact is that some belief system, some ideology will make up the foundations and structures of every civilization. Civilizations are not neutral. Some philosophical viewpoint will eventually prevail in every nation and whatever that ideology is it will define our culture and the institutions of that culture. If you don't believe me, just look at a nation, any nation, and begin to study its economic system, judicial pronouncements, educational goals, and even tax policy and you will begin to understand what it values and venerates. Look at a nation's music, media, and hobbies and you will begin to see the fruit of what that nation worships. I have said it before and will say it again, "There is no such thing as neutral". Everyone, even nations, serves and worships something. The question is what that "something" is going to be.

I have been told that Islam has a 100 year plan to over-throw the USA by whatever means available. I have no way to prove that statement except to say that whether it is externally by terrorism or internally by politics, you can see the strategy unfolding fairly well. You see, Muslims understand that if secularism and humanism fails in the west, then something will prevail. In their mind that should be Islam. They understand that there is no such thing as neutral. Some ideology will eventually prevail.

I believe that there was a time that America could be called a "Christian Nation". I know that there is a tremendous debate over that statement. By making that statement I am not suggesting that everyone in America was a Christian or that those who professed to be Christian were consistent in their beliefs. I mean to say that a Christian "worldview" prevailed in the colonies, states, and even through half of the 20th century. Even those who held views outside orthodox Christian thought had a deep respect for the philosophical foundations of our nation. However, in the recent historical past we have all seen the erosion of those values. Today our values seem to rest on what is "common sense", but the problem is our common, corporate sense has been twisted by our carnal hearts and now a deep relativism exists that causes us to do the same as Israel did centuries ago when it was said in Scripture, "that everyone did what was right in their own eyes".

I deeply believe that Christians need to awaken to the hour in which they live. If we do not arise and attempt to steer this nation back to its founding roots, we will find ourselves in an America that we will not recognize. The key is no longer selling ourselves to one of the two political parties that uses us for elections and then discards us when they come to power. Many Christians feel, as do I, that they have been used solely for political purposes, and they are right. I remember personally the "Reagan Revolution" of the 1980's where we were told that America could be turned back to God and cultural change could and would happen. I listened to the rhetoric that spoke to my values and convictions as a Christian and thought "this is it". I became incredibly disappointed. The truth is that abortion is still the law of the land, homosexuality is not only tolerated but venerated, and any vestige of Christianity and its symbols or precepts have been pushed out of our nation's view. We have been promised "change" every election cycle, but the change that has occurred is nowhere near the heart of God.

I lay this out again because I have decided to use this blog to try to train Christians to once again "occupy" until He (Jesus) comes. We have to pierce through the political garbage of the republicans and democrats and begin to embrace what God says again about nations and how they are to operate. The Scripture must be our guide and not the party platform of our favorite party. If Jesus is LORD OF ALL, then He has something to say about the character and value of a nation. Nothing is out of the scope of His reign.

Check into this blog frequently because I am going to do my best to write about the Scriptural place of government, what is a Biblical foreign policy, how should poverty be addressed through the Scriptures, national defense issues, private property issues, Biblical economics, financing the state (taxes), justice and law (including the use of prisons), and the most important issue in my mind...education. Christians need to be "Christian" and Scriptural when they look at their nation and the leaders of that nation. If we do not take the time to re-educate ourselves in this regard, the very real possibility of living under Islamic Sharia is on the minds of millions of Muslims.

I understand, it seems impossible to even consider that could ever happen. I am sure there was a day when the Romans were convinced they could never fall either; but it happened. America is not exempt from the laws and commands of God. If Jesus tarries, I want to be sure I do my part to be "salt and light" in this great nation.

PLANTING A CROSS

Pastor

A.W. Tozer is one of my favorite writers. The way he writes and turns a phrase is captivating to me. He also was a man who was years ahead of his time in his writing. He spoke to issues that are as relevant today as they were 70 years ago. Tozer was best known for writing short essays that had tremendous spiritual "punch". I have a book which is a compilation of those essays and I can read them almost like a daily devotional.

The article this morning was on complacent Christianity. He declared it to be the "scandal" of the church (probably still is). Tozer reminded his readers that the weight of all of Scripture is against such things. The Scripture, inspired by the Holy Spirit is constantly exhorting us "to go on", "to press ahead", and "to not look back". He recommended 5 things to those who desired to begin to make progress again in their walk with God. I thought them to be so simple and relevant that they bear putting them before our eyes again.

1. Strive to get beyond mere pensive longing (wishful thinking). Set your face like a flint and begin to put your life in order. Every man is as holy as he really wants to be. But the "want" must be all-compelling. Tie up the loose ends of your life. Begin to tithe; institute family prayer; pay up your debts as far as possible and make some frank arrangement with every creditor you cannot pay immediately; make restitution as far as you can; set aside time to pray and search the Scriptures; surrender wholly to the will of God. You will be surprised and delighted with the results.

2. Put away every un-Christian habit from you. If other Christians practice it without compunction, God may be calling you to come nearer to Him than these other Christians care to come. Remember the words, "Others may, you cannot". Do not condemn or criticize, but seek a better way. God will honor you.

3. Get Christ himself in the focus of your heart and keep Him there continually. Only in Christ will you find complete fulfillment. In Him you may be united to the Godhead in conscious, vital awareness. Remember that all of God is accessible to you through Christ. Cultivate His knowledge above everything else on earth.

4. Throw your heart open to the Holy Spirit and invite Him to fill you. He will do it. Let no one interpret the Scriptures for you in such a way as to rule out the Father's gift of the Holy Spirit. Every man is as full of the Spirit as he wants to be. Make your heart a vacuum and the Spirit will rush to fill it. Nowhere in the Scriptures nor in Christian biography was anyone filled with the Spirit who did not know that they had been, and nowhere was anyone filled who did not know when. And no one was filled gradually.

5. Be hard on yourself and easy on others. Carry your own cross but never lay one on the back of another. Begin to practice the Presence of God. Cultivate the fellowship of the Triune God by prayer, humility, obedience and self-abnegation.

Not a bad list. In fact, it is probably a great starting place for those desiring to get back on target with God to implement in their life. I encourage you to do exactly that. If you are on target, then stay the course. If you find yourself off target, then it is a great moment to get back where you know you need to be. These are powerful days of the moving of God's Spirit...don't find yourself coasting when God is causing His people to conquer!

Planting a Cross
Pastor Baird

Before I get to the point of this blog I just want to announce to everyone that the next TWO Sundays at 9:00am in DISCOVERY CLASS, I will be teaching on Spiritual Language (Tongues). Of all the gifts of the Spirit this one can really light up a discussion. Most people aren't so much against the possibility of a Spiritual language as much as they are confused, untaught, and have seen the questionable. I believe there is a legitimate use and practice of this gift. If you want to slip into the 9:00am class, you are invited to do so.

Also, this weekend we will be receiving Communion and I think I have some interesting insight to share with everyone. I am going to continue our series: EMBRACE THE GRACE, but the emphasis in the message will be Communion and we will be receiving the Lord's Supper at the end of service.

I tell you this because as I was reading I Corinthians 11, where Paul speaks about what he received from the Lord, I was struck with a thought that I will elaborate in greater detail this Sunday. The thought was concerning v.30, where he explains why many are "weak, sick, and literally dying". Apparently, not receiving the communion meal appropriately could have dire consequences. However, the question arises that if indeed that is the case, then why do we not see the correlation today? And beyond that if we are handling the communion table well then why do we not see healings, miracles, and supernatural moments?

I will give you that answer Sunday, but I want to leave you with just one precept that I believe is a Scriptural one which we find over and over again in the Bible. It will be important as I answer that question later. I call it this:

BEHIND EVERY DEAD, FAMILIAR, RELIGIOUS ACT OR RITUAL THERE WAS ONCE DIVINE LIFE AND GLORY.

Let that settle in for just a moment.

Think about all the religious ritual and acts in the Bible that once had incredible power associated with them, but now they are relics of familiarity that mean little and contain even less power. Think about how God established the tabernacle, the temple, the sacrificial system, and all the protocol of these things and He would show up so powerfully in His glory that the Bible tells us on several occasions that "the priests were unable to stand". Yet now, these things are lifeless. There was a time Moses had to wear a veil to keep the children of Israel from being alienated from the glory of God; yet when the glory lifted, he (Moses) kept the veil. The veil became unneeded, yet Moses kept it intact without the accompanying glory.

I have often wondered if today in the church we keep things intact, but never realize that the glory is no longer upon those things we do. Let's take for example...communion. We do this out of obedience to Scripture and we know this to be something that is important, but do we really "get" that there is a glory that may be missing? Have we kept the ritual intact, but lost the glory? And beyond that again, can the glory be recaptured? Perhaps if it was then v.30 would make a whole lot more sense. To be candid, I have participated in many a communion service where I was obedient to the ritual, but I can't say I sensed any glory. I would very much like to change that.

This Sunday we will be receiving the elements again at the Table of the Lord. I am dedicating a whole message (which I have never done to my knowledge) to restoring the grace and glory upon the table. I have been sensing in greater measure the glory and presence of God in our worship and in our services. I want to believe that this time when we gather at the Table, there will be an unexpected power that is awaiting us as we partake. Would it not be just like the Lord to take something as ritualistic as the Communion Supper and turn into a revival moment? I won't "make" anything happen, but I believe that as we pray and prepare our hearts this week that something can come to life like never before.

May it be so Lord!

Pastor

I had a gentleman stop by the church to do some service for us recently and we were able to stop for just a moment and talk about where he went to church. Instantly, the defenses came up as he explained that he hadn’t been to church in years and every time he has gone the preacher only talks about “money”.

“I hate going to church. It’s all about the money”, he said.

He has a point. I watched a Christian television station raise money recently and I too, was embarrassed. My embarrassment was not that they needed donations to run the ministry, but really the gimmicks and sheer silliness of how they went about it. Sorry, I just don’t buy into the Holy Spirit saying to give $58.16, because of Isaiah 58:16. That seems to smack of John Tetsel (see Luther for more information).

I too, hate that every time he went into the house of God he felt like he heard an over emphasis on finances. That might turn me off as well, especially in light of the fact that in our circles there tends to be an emphasis on prosperity. I agreed with him that there is more to the Gospel than money…much more. I did my best to diffuse his obvious offense at churches and (mostly) TV preachers who may spend inordinate amounts of time on the subject and I think he left our conversation a little more open to the truth of the Gospel. Jesus is concerned more about his soul than his pocketbook at this point.

However, having said that can we also agree that in order to have a “church”, money factors into the equation somewhere? Can we also agree that if money is a major issue in most of our lives, then it should not surprise us that perhaps God would have something to say about it? I mean last time I looked people enjoyed coming to a place that had heating and air conditioning. They didn’t mind having a roof over their head as the rains fell torrentially last Sunday. They kind of enjoyed the chairs they sat on and the rooms that were used to help train their kids.

I agree, it’s not all about the money, but it takes money to provide much of what we do as ministry. Now let me also say at this point that I believe churches should be great stewards of the resources God provides through His people, but bottom line, it takes finances to run the church. We should handle our finances in church scripturally, effectively and efficiently and do everything we can to operate above reproach, but to say that we should never mention money is neither Biblical nor practical. My feeling is that if every other arenas of life can speak about the dollars…the church should as well.

The church talking about money neither surprises God nor concerns Him. In fact, much of the reason Jesus speaks about finances is because it is it has such a control on our life. Jesus said it had a spirit on it called “mammon”. And for our finances to work, that spirit must be broken through appropriate giving and use. Finances indicate where are heart loyalty’s reside and what we ultimately trust. These are eternal issues.

I hope this gentleman comes to our church someday. I told him (jokingly) that I will pray that the day he decides to come will not be the day I have to raise money for our building project. He laughed endearingly as well. The conversation ended well but it reminded me that it is very important we do things integrally and above reproach before a watching world. The world may never understand or like how we handle the finances in the Kingdom of God, but we should not be the stumbling block through silliness and gimmicks. I believe what Hudson Taylor said so many years ago when he saw financial miracles by the hundreds…

“God’s will done God’s way will never lack God’s resource; for where God guides, He provides”.

May you do just that Lord as we continue to plant a Cross!

Pastor

I have decided to throw out my opinion on this whole same-sex marriage deal that is finding its way on the front of our newspapers and in the middle of media discussion. I have watched the following...

-The people of California vote for Proposition 8, stating that marriage is between a man and a woman.

- The Federal Court reverse that decision stating that same-sex marriages can happen in California.

-Another court put a hold on any change until this has been appealed probably to the Supreme Court.

Can I just say that the reason the courts are finding this so hard to deal with is because they have decided to reflect the current culture, rather than reflect the constitution. They have decided to be affected by politics rather than be an anchor of truth. The court has decided to reflect the modern aptitude for twisting reality to whatever a person's personal viewpoint may be. Why is it that society seems, at least at this point in most states, to be smarter than our highly educated courts?

I have thought long and hard about what public policy should be on this issue. I realize that my views of sin and Scripture easily inform me of what should be right and wrong, but how are these arguments to be made to an ever increasing secular and post-Christian culture? Well, I want to take a stab at it.

What about marriage? Why not let two men or two women get married? Can't we just say that we now have a better idea than civilization's teachers have had up to now, namely, that anything goes providing it is a "loving, committed, and respectful" relationship that glorifies diversity?

NOPE! Reality overshadows the voices who might like for us all to think that way. You can say up is down if you like, or you can call a duck a cow, or you can say red is green. I guess that is your right in a democratic society. However, just because you say it a lot, doesn't make it reality. You can think whatever you want, but something has to distinguish fantasy from reality.

I am going to say it...THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GAY MARRIAGE. There...I said it. Why can I say that? Because the whole of human history has acknowledged that marriage exists for purposes no gay relationship can satisfy.

What might those purposes be? Let me take a stab at that as well:

1. How about the blending of the relationship between the only two human types there are: MALE and FEMALE. The man and woman go together...physically, emotionally, and psychologically. I mean, I am sorry if that hurts people's feelings, but that is the nature of reality. You can't make reality dance to every whim we might have as a society.

2. What about launching the human race into the future? No gay relationship can do that. I know we read about gay couples raising children, but not their own. What I mean is, not as a unified couple. Someone outside their relationship had to do the biological lifting one of the partners couldn't do. Yes, a gay couple can raise kids, but let's be honest; nature suggests strongly that the biology of a mom and dad procreating and then tending to the fruit of that union is how reality works. Reality speaks to these issues if we just open up our eyes.

I know what many say. It's the trendy response now in supposed intellectual circles. Let me respond to that too:

1. "But they are born that way". REALLY? Show me the "gay" gene or strand of DNA and your argument would hold a lot more power for me. It has already been demonstrated that 2 identical twins have turned out heterosexual and homosexual, yet both have identical genetic traits. That is powerful evidence concerning environment and/or trauma that has turned normal sexual drive and response in another direction.

2. Oh, and by the way, where does the bisexual issues fit in to all this, "I was born this way", argument? Is there a "confused" gene lurking in some people somewhere? What about the "experimentation". How can you say, "I was born this way", if there is that much ambiguity.

3. "What if they somehow prove that people are born that way"? Listen, I would still be opposed to "gay" marriage. How many men feel as if they are "born" to have sex with every female they see? How many people would say they feel a "tug" towards multiple marriage partners, kids, animals, or any other perverse thing? A "feeling" cannot be the standard we implement public policy on. There are lots of "feelings" in a human being that are not beneficial to follow.

We are doing our best as a culture to circumvent God's ways. Perhaps the day will come when homosexual marriages will be allowed. I believe we do that to our own peril. I believe it says something that cannot be sustained by reality. I know I can quote the verses that settle all of this for me, but my concern is that in an ever secularized nation that we are not only no longer listening to the wisdom of the Bible, but we are embracing fantasy as reality. God help us.

Planting a Cross

Pastor

Special Thanks to Dr. Ron Johnson and William Murchison (Syndicated Columnist) for helpful commentary.

I recently received this synopsis about the relationship between church and state and I thought it to be so relevant and pertinent, that I wanted to pass it on to you. Bonhoeffer was a dissenter to Nazi Germany during WW2 and actually left America to go back to his homeland and contend against this evil regime. He struggled, at times, with concepts of authority and civil disobedience, but ultimately developed a rationale for disobedience to evil civil authority. I will make some remarks as you read the synopsis:

Four Points of Relationship of Church to the State

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

      1. Governments are established by God for the preservation of order within city, state or a nation.   Therefore, the church has no fundamental quarrel with the state being the state in its duty and right to restrain evil even by the use of force

This is an affirmation of Romans 13:1-7, which states that all authority is derived from God and is used by Him for the purposes stated above.

       2. However, the church must  continually ask the state whether its actions are legitimate; that the states actions are based on law and order to restrain evil and not to cause lawlessness and disorder.

The church exercises this mandate by proper appeal and respect. The church is not the state in its authority, but much like Nathan was to David and Samuel was to Saul; we have the prophetic responsibility to question the actions of our government. For example, abortion is not "restraining evil" and promoting order, but rather perpetrating an evil on the unborn. Homosexual legislation that legalizes marriage as a right is a promotion of anarchy clearly defined in the Scriptures as wrong. Socialism, or the government control of private citizens property and business, is clearly against the mandate of Scripture. The government has also abdicated its role of defending its borders, which is another responsibility. These current issues are not just a political issue, but there are Scriptural precepts that are being violated.

      3.   Thirdly, the church has an unconditional obligation to the victims of a state out of divine order.  (Referred particularly to Jews - The Bible says, “Do good to all men.”)

      Again, we are advocates of "life" as the church. The killing of the unborn must stop in our nation.

      4.   Finally, at times it is necessary for the church to take direct action against the state to stop it from perpetrating evil.

      Note:  This is permitted only when the church sees its very existence and freedoms threatened by the state, and when the state ceases to be the state defined by God. America is not God. It must yield and be conformed into the image and mandate God has called every nation to.

      Note: In our nation, we have moved into this arena:  to be a voice of righteousness against the lawlessness and disorder of the state and to begin to take actions as the Holy Spirit directs. This is, of course, non-violent, but none the less important. We are currently seeing more and more of our freedoms eroding away and we have a Scriptural obligation to be a voice that challenges that erosion in the governmental arena. This is not a partisan, political action by the church, but rather a Scriptural mandate given to us by the Lord. Both political parties have been negligent in this regard.

P.S.  This discourse taken from ““Bonhoeffer:  Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy” by Eric Metaxas,  pg. 153.

There are moments I need to be reminded of certain things and I thought that this would be a good one to post. It's not original with me, but it sums some things up that are good to remember...

“Let It Go”

by T.D. Jakes

“There are people who can walk away from you. And hear me when I tell you this! When people can walk away from you: let them walk. I don't want you to try to talk another person into staying with you, loving you, calling you, caring about you, coming to see you, staying attached to you. I mean hang up the phone.

When people can walk away from you let them walk. Your destiny is never tied to anybody that left.

The Bible said that, they came out from us that it might be made manifest that they were not for us. For had they been of us, no doubt they would have continued with us. [1 John 2:19]

People leave you because they are not joined to you and if they are not joined to you, you can't make them stay.

LET THEM GO.

And it doesn't mean that they are a bad person.  It just means that their part in the story is over. And you've got to know when people's part in your story is over so that you don't keep trying to raise the dead. You've got to know when it's dead.

You've got to know when it's over. Let me tell you something. I've got the gift of good-bye. It's the tenth spiritual gift, I believe in good-bye. It's not that I'm hateful, it's that I'm faithful, and I know whatever God means for me to have He'll give it to me. And if it takes too much sweat, I don't need it. Stop begging people to stay.

LET THEM GO!!

If you are holding on to something that doesn't belong to you and was never intended for your life, then you need to......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to past hurts and pains......

LET IT GO!!!

If someone can't treat you right, love you back, and see your worth.....

LET IT GO!!!

If someone has angered you.....

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to some thoughts of evil and revenge......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are involved in a wrong relationship or addiction......

LET IT GO!!!

If you are holding on to a job that no longer meets your needs or talents............

LET IT GO!!!

If you have a bad attitude.......

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep judging others to make yourself feel better......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're stuck in the past, and God is trying to take you to a new level in Him.....

LET IT GO!!!

If you are struggling with the healing of a broken relationship.....

LET IT GO!!!

If you keep trying to help someone who won't even try to help themselves......

LET IT GO!!!

If you're feeling depressed and stressed.........

LET IT GO!!!

If there is a particular situation that you are so used to handling yourself and God is saying "take your hands off of it," then you need to ......

LET IT GO!!!

Let the past be the past. Forget the former things. GOD is doing a new thing!!!

LET IT GO!!!

Get Right or Get Left ....think about it, and then .

LET IT GO!!!

‘The Battle is the Lord's!’ “

I recently received a prophetic word via the email from a prophet for whom I have great respect. He has spoken over me and the church before and the word of the Lord came to pass, not exactly as I originally thought, but none the less came to pass. According to the email, he was praying for our church and city after reading a facebook post and the Spirit of the Lord spoke to him about both Legacy and Charleston. I am printing it again exactly as I received it with only a few grammatical adjustments for clarity:

LEGACY

I will leave a legacy behind you for others to speak about in years to come. The Bridegroom is planning a secret encounter for you. He said, I have seen your preparation. Many of you have made your lamps ready, trimmed and burning. I have heard your worship, intercession, and cries as my children in Egypt cried to me. I will come and deliver you from your burdens. I will release My Bride from Her chains of oppression. Yet, some of you are standing afar back, looking and wondering. You know something is in the air but you are fearful to prepare your lamp. Now is the time to fill up on my Spirit. Fill up your lamps with oil now. Draw away to the secret place and prepare yourself. The allurement of Egypt has dirtied your garment and your lamp is sitting on the shelf dirty and neglected. Oh, you are going through the routine but your heart is far from Me. Turn now, change your thinking or I will catch you by surprise. Legacy, I have loved you as no other in Charleston because you have loved and sought Me, but there are 3 fellowships that I am lighting their wicks even now. Do not make assumptions; they will be of a different tribe with different customs, but a heart for Me. You will know them when you see them because their heart is as your heart. WATCH, FOR IN AN HOUR YOU THINK NOT I WILL ATTEND THE BALL. In an unexpected gathering I will appear. When I appear many who are not ready will flee but fear not for I have prepared a people that I will call out of darkness to your light.   AUGUST 2, 2010

CHARLESTON

The enemy is coming to you as a mighty army. Your generations of iniquity have risen up before you and even now the enemy is marching your way with mighty weapons of war. Yet, I have loved you and established My Army as secret agents among you. I speak to My Army in your streets to arise now, make your plans, and gather your weapons of war. For I Myself, as a Mighty Man of War, will fight with you. Gideon’s, gather your pitcher, your torch, and your shofar. Watch Me and when I break My pitcher, break yours and sound your shofar but (and) I will awake this city with a mighty roar from My Army. The fuse has been lit. The plan has been activated and I will reclaim My city. I AM COMING AND MY ARMY WITH ME.   AUGUST 2, 2010

The end of the email said that he sensed that these events are not months away, but rather weeks and perhaps days. My friend also mentioned that the atmosphere of Charleston has been made pregnant with our praise. I am not sure I am prepared to make a full commentary on this word, but I wanted to release it and say this as a beginning:

I know this man to be a credible prophet and I believe we are to take seriously the word of the Lord and to heed the prophetic voice as the Scripture instructs us and as I have instructed you.

I see a word of encouragement for some and a word of exhortation to others to prepare. I know my lamp is lit and I am hungry for God to move. You may be as well. If you are one looking from “afar back” then perhaps you should make that a matter of prayer.

I am a watchman on the wall of this city and state. I believe it only prudent to pass along those things that would keep the people aware. I will not carry the blood of people’s souls by remaining silent or stealth.

There is incredible promise and possibility in this word. I so want God to send His Spirit and renew us again and in turn, touch our city.

I am going to let this “bake” in me for awhile, but I believe the Lord has something for us to hear. I am sure I will have some thoughts about how it is assimilated into our body, but I believe it to be important for you to hear as well. If God is speaking prophetically, then you can count on the fact that His glory is near (Psalm 29).

Planting a Cross

Pastor

Little do you know that this is the second attempt at posting this blog. I don't know if that means God is wanting me to refine my comments or the enemy is working in my software, but here I go again. I know I have lapsed in my usual consistent blogging, but as many of you know I was away for 12 days and vacation causes work to pile up, so I am just now getting my nose above water. I believe that this week I am going to wrap up our current series on SATURATION and I sense the leading of the Lord to begin something along the same lines called, EMBRACE THE GRACE: Really Understanding God's favor. The reason I sense this probably has to do with several things I observe at large. I am noticing more and more pastors preaching on the subject of God's grace, especially from the perspective of some new books that are out there in the marketplace. Nothing wrong with that, but I am hearing some things about favor and grace that may need some tweaking from the Scriptures, lest we are led to some wrong and potentially damaging conclusions. I have also been reading about Hezekiah, the reformer king of Judah, who had a tremendous impact through God's grace and favor to restore the southern kingdom back to it's intended state in the will of God (see 2 Chronicles 29-32). As you might recall, Hezekiah grew up in the worst of households, yet was able to overcome that environment and be a nation changer. We need Hezekiah's today who will overcome their culture and determine to be used of God for nation changing exploits.

Having said that, I noticed that Hezekiah was not without his issues as well. Despite all the wonderful things that can be said about him we find toward the end of his reign a verse that caused me to pause and reflect:

But Hezekiah did not repay according to the favor shown him, for his heart was lifted up; therefore wrath was looming over him and over Judah and Jerusalem.  2 Chronicles 32:25

Despite having been used for national revival, we now find Hezekiah grieving God. How could this be? What in the world happened to him? The next verse tells us...'the pride of his heart". Hezekiah had enjoyed the favor and grace for so long that he became presumptuous in it and started to believe his own press. He began to think that all the good things that had taken place were really due to him. I am sure he had numerous people and many voices telling him that he was incredibly successful and the nation was lucky to have him as a ruler. The greatest battle Hezekiah faced was not with the people, or with his enemies, but rather with himself. And unfortunately, that was the battle he lost.

I started to think of how often that scenario repeats itself in the lives of God's people. A leader, or for that matter the average person, responds to God's call to follow Him and do His will. The person knows in the beginning that they have little to offer the Lord, but the Lord uses them greatly anyway. His favor and grace cause them to arise and do something extraordinary. At first, things usually stay pure, but slowly something happens. For Hezekiah it shows up when the Babylonian envoys show up and want a tour of all the marvelous things he has done (32:31). Hezekiah, apparently, takes a little too much of the credit for all the achievements and the size of his armory. The Scripture tells us that God used this moment to "test" what was in Hezekiah's heart. What God found was a lot of pride.

I believe in favor and grace. They are found in the Bible and of course, I believe the Bible. However, I am beginning to understand even more clearly that as much as I need these two things they can also become a snare to me if I do not keep my heart right. That's what happens to many people whom God promotes with finances, homes, position, and visibility. He gives them influence for Kingdom purpose, but somewhere along the way they lose sight of that and it becomes all about them and what they have created. The favor God wanted them to enjoy for His purposes has become the snare for their humiliation. I have seen this happen in humble pastors whom God has raised up to national prominence, only to be embarrassed by national scandal as they presumed upon His grace. I have seen it happen in poor and homeless people who through obedience to God's Word and hard work have pulled themselves out of their poverty to enjoy great wealth, only to see their life crash because they could not handle the success that favor brought them. I always remember R.T. Kendall's famous line that said, "The worst thing that can happen to a man is to succeed before he is ready". That is called the snare of favor.

How is the snare dealt with?

Then Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart, he and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the wrath of the Lord did not come upon them in the days of Hezekiah. (32:26)

God will always resist the proud, but He will give His grace to the humble (James 4:6). The greatest threat to a true moving of God's Spirit with the accompanying favor and grace is when we get full of ourselves and refuse to stay humble. Our greatest enemy is really our own heart. For many people, we have become like Saul who despite starting out humble ended his life by building monuments to himself. The Bible tells us that if we will humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God that He in turn would exalt in due season (I Peter 5:6). I want to exhort all the readers out in cyberspace to remember to stay humble and avoid the snare. Better to remain humble than experience humiliation.  

Still Planting a Cross
Pastor

Those of you who have hung around me and this ministry for any length of time know that one of the "life" messages we proclaim (and hopefully demonstrate consistently) is the one called Spiritual Authority. Perhaps those who have had the greatest rebellion and motive issues are most qualified to teach on this subject. It takes great revelation to really embrace the Lord's view of authority. That's why we spend 10 weeks on the subject in School of Ministry. A person needs to "soak" in the revelation and not just get a quick 30 minute message. It is one of the reasons why God is not working in and through His Church because we really have no conception of how God works in our lives through Romans 13:1-7.

I mention this because I have been recently smitten and quickened by the Holy Spirit about why we (and me in particular) seem to have little authority when it comes to speaking to the world concerning the issues we are facing in our nation. The church and it's pastors are almost treated like an aged grandparent. The world smiles at us and acknowledges a superficial respect, but pays no attention and does not heed the things we are saying. I know Jesus Christ is not only THE answer but has solutions through His Word to everything we are facing. So, why won't they listen?

I suspect some of it is due to their own spiritual blindness and hardened hearts. I can certainly write some of it off to pride and arrogance. I suspect the god of this world (devil) has also veiled and confused their minds. All of these things contribute to our being overlooked by those whom we wish to make our opinions known. However, I believe another reason and perhaps the most important reason currently is because we do not know how to interact and respond to authority. Let me get practical.

I am a conservative person; both theologically and politically. I tend to vote that direction and I know I handle the Scriptures that way as well. I confess, I was not thrilled when Barak Obama won the presidency, but I can state emphatically and genuinely that I hoped this would heal our racial divide and I sincerely prayed that he would succeed and in turn this nation would be blessed. I tried to keep my perspective clean and "give the guy a chance". Believe me when I say, I have no glee to see our nation collapse for any reason. I turned off my favorite talk radio "heads" to keep my spirit right and I can stand before God with clean hands and a pure heart and say, "I prayed for those in authority" (I Timothy 2:2).

Having said that, I have some deep concerns with where this President, Congress, and  Supreme Court is leading us. No matter what your political stripe may be, the final umpire in my life is the Word of God. I will hold it before a republican or a democrat and I have been equally concerned over both political parties and their overall character deficiencies and lack of moral direction. Many Christians are just like me. They too have great concerns. The issues of federally approved abortion providers, cancellation of prayer observances, capitulation to Muslim pressures, the alienating of Israel, the stifling of religious speech and the list could go on. These things lead me to believe that my freedoms as a Christian are slowly eroding away. I know there are Representatives in Congress who are very concerned with things that are going on behind the scenes in these regards. We have reason to lift our voices.

Our problem is that when we lift our voice, the sound is dishonorable and disrespectful. Don't misunderstand  what I am saying, the government is obviously out of touch with reality in both realms. I understand why we feel like we need to holler, yell, criticize, sneer, and some even cuss. But I want to remind you that God's Will still has to be implemented God's way. The end does not justify the means even if the end looks to be a more godly outcome. That is why Paul told us to "give honor to whom honor is due" (Romans 13:7) and Peter said, "Honor the King" (I Peter 2:17). Remember, these environments the apostles were living in were much more hostile than ours is now. And I felt like the Holy Spirit told me that if I would learn to honor (not necessarily agree with policies) that I would earn the right to speak before kings and rulers.

I am reminded of the story of Daniel when confronted with Darius' decree to pray to the false gods of Persia that he quietly resisted and kept obeying the one true God (Yahweh). This was a hostile envornment to a Jewish believer. When discovered, Daniel was thrown into the lion's den where he experienced a mighty miracle of God's protection as the Lord closed the mouths of the lions. When the King came to check on Daniel's state in the morning and looked in the den, Daniel was able to still say, "Long live the King!' Can you believe that??? Daniel was thrown to the lions by this King and he still honored him by speaking "life" over him. That gave Daniel authority, unprecedented authority, in the Persian realm. And you may know the rest of the story, Daniel was given a significant position and he was vindicated before his accusers; but it started because he knew the concepts of authority.

I too believe that God's Spirit needs to blow across our land. I too believe that our leaders in many ways are corrupt and far from God. I believe that something needs to change or something is going to fall. However, can I just suggest that as we challenge our nations leaders instead of taking on the spirit of talk radio and professional "criticizers", that we instead take on the Spirit of God and be sure as we call for reformation and revival that we are pleasing God and doing it HIS WAY! If we obey His Word and endeavor to honor God as we challenge the forces of darkness, I believe we will be granted an authority in our culture that can bring about lasting change.

I believe Revival is on God's mind...let it be on our mind as well!

Pastor

I am starting a new sermon series this week entitled, SATURATION: What Our Nation and Lives Really Need. The subject matter will be on the subject of revival and the place of God's Presence. I recently picked up a book given to me several months ago from a minister friend entitled, REVIVAL, by Brian H. Edwards. I have read numerous books on this subject and my graduate degrees are all in the area of church history (which, of course, would include revivals), yet this was the first time in a long time my spiritual pulse had been quickened to our need for His Presence in an awesome way. Don't get me wrong, I have always desired His Presence; but it is different when you know you are getting "hungry and thirsty" for Him in a way that was not previously there. It is a scholarly read, but worth the effort if one desires to see how God has moved and may move again amongst His people.

I believe our nation is in a state where the proper cultural circumstances are manifesting that God could come and bring to us true revival. We are quickly exhausting ourselves with problems that are proving to be insurmountable in the wisdom of man. Our answers are going to have to come from another location. If the church understands this season and moves to implement His precepts for revival, then we very well could see an outpouring of His Presence.

Ah!!! But there lies the problem. Do we as believers really want God to move in our midst in revival? Do we really desire to see Him move in an unprecedented way? Are we up to the demands and commitments His Presence will press upon us? I guess I could say, are we ready for the potential "untidiness" of His Presence? The answers to those question will remain unanswered for the moment, but I can say that something needs to happen for our nation to survive...and it needs to happen quickly.

As a nation we have reached a very low ebb spiritually and therefore morally. The church has very little effect on people's lives anymore. The masses hardly know we even exist. To cover our ineffectiveness, we have tried many things and alternate routes to reach people. We try to provide excitement and activity in order to keep congregations focused on promises and our production. We go to conferences to learn about better and more efficient leadership. All of which has its place in context. The problem is that our minds have been taken off the reality of our one glaring shortcoming...where is the Presence of God?

You see, I believe the answer to our personal and national issues really can come from a "saturation" of the Presence of God. In His Presence we will find joy, peace, hope, revelation, solutions, direction, and every other need we may have to live life abundantly in Him. In the next weeks (perhaps the whole summer) I want to teach and talk about the concept of "revival". After all, if you don't know what it really is how can you effectively pray for it? How do you know if you really want it?

Years ago, I was a part of a group that was on the brink of an outpouring. We labored in prayer for years, but when the moment came we missed the moment God had for us. I don't plan on missing that moment again. I am convinced that if God's people really understood what was at stake and what was possible in Him, that they would gladly embrace the outpouring of His presence. These have been great days at the church, but the water-mark is not how great the worship or preaching might be, but rather was His Presence in our midst? I want a sense of His Presence more than anything.

You won't want to miss this summer at Legacy. It could be the summer you'll never forget. It could be the summer God comes back to His house in a powerful way!

Planting A Cross

Pastor

 I just got back from an exciting road trip from the upstate of South Carolina where Tracie and I were able to encourage and hopefully build up a great church in Clinton, SC. Our primary purpose was to teach on and demonstrate the prophetic ministry. Now as a pastor, most of my energy is reserved for my local church and I admit that I am a tad biased about Legacy and the great people who call it home; but I was buzzed at the opportunity to blow the dust off the prophetic pipes and move prophetically in that congregation. I don't prophesy a lot in my own congregation (whether right or wrong) because I tend to know a lot about them in the natural (that makes sense doesn't it?). I don't want to defile the gift by the impure mixture of familiarity and flesh. If I do prophesy in Legacy Church, you can rest assured I feel a greater compulsion of the Spirit.

Having said that, I began to think about those folks in Clinton and even some of you that read this blog and may be asking yourself, "How do I handle a prophetic word? Or for that matter, how do I handle the subjective voice of God that may come to me through prayer, prophesy, dreams, or vision?" Well let me give you a few hints so that you can stay on target and not get off track through incorrect understanding or interpretation:

1. Hopefully your "word" was recorded or written in a journal so you could evaluate it later. Sometimes what we "hear" and was actually said is different when you look at it later. You want to be sure you have an accurate record of what exactly God has said to you before you act on anything.

2. Do people of wisdom and sound counsel confirm the "word". Do your spiritual authorities and those you trust have a sense of confirmation of what was spoken? (Proverbs 11:14; 12:15; 15:22; 19:20) The Bible tells us that there is wisdom in counsel, so sometimes people of experience and maturity can give us helpful insight; especially YOUR PASTOR!

3. Did the "word" witness to your spirit? I don't mean that it made sense to your mind, but did your heart seem to resonate with what God was saying (Romans 8:16). Start to divide your soul and spirit so you can be sure you are hearing what God is saying and not what you want or think was being said.

4. Don't do what you don't have peace to do. If for no other reason than you need to have strong faith to move into new areas. Also, the peace of God plays the role of an umpire in our life as well. But remember, we are talking about peace in your heart and not necessarily "peace of mind". God will blow your mind at times as you can still have peace in your heart!

5. Wait for God's timing and don't force things to happen. If you have to "make it happen" then odds are that you are in the flesh. God isn't asking you to kick down doors. Wait on the Lord and He will open doors for you at the right time and right place.

6. If your "word" involves more than you then there should be unity. If the prophesy was about something that affects your family or marriage, then you should allow those people the opportunity to sense God and His peace as well. Dragging others along is never healthy and will be more of an anchor to you than a help.

7. You will have to mix your faith with what was spoken to you. God is sovereign and can do anything He wants, but He has decided to link His activity with His people's faith. Abraham received a promised inheritance, but only after he moved forward in faith believing God when he could not see everything working out (Hebrews 11:8). We are still required to trust God and believe Him for great things as we move forward.

These suggestions are just starting places when it comes to handling the voice of the Lord. I want to encourage you to believe in the reality and power of His voice, but at the same time I want you to use the Scriptures to evaluate and measure all that was said to you. God is indeed speaking in our generation if we have ears to hear. I believe there is a prophetic wind that is blowing to prepare the way of the Lord again. I am excited to see what He will do in our midst! Don't miss his voice!

PSALM 29:3-9, THE GOD OF GLORY THUNDERS!

Pastor 

I am writing this blog because I know the nature of my pastoral / prophetic calling is being expanded and blossoming in recent days. I don't know where it will ultimately end or how it will ultimately look, but I know that along with my "normal" pastoral duties I am growing ever more concerned about other pastors and their lives. I have the rare privilege of being on 2 national phone calls with pastors from all over the United States and I am listening to their challenges, needs, and vision and I am both encouraged and concerned.

I am encouraged because I am finding scores of pastors who are credible and integral witnesses of the ministry. They have healthy local churches as well as families and are doing a solid work for the Lord. Sometimes the news makes it appear like ministers are falling like flies everywhere, but let me just say that there are hundreds of "eagles" who are representing their Lord well in their calling.

I am concerned because between my personal knowledge of ministerial failures and also reading the statistics I am seeing a trend that needs to be addressed. It really is true that if the Enemy can strike the shepherd, then the sheep can be scattered. I suspect that is why we see as many high profile failures as we have seen in the past decade. Let me open your eyes to some statistics I have just found:

1. 1500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their church.

2. 4000 churches start every year but over 7000 churches close.

3. 50% of pastors' marriages fail.

4. 80% of pastors and 84% of their wives feel unqualified and discouraged in their roles as ministers.

5. 50% of pastors say they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

6. 80% of all Bible School graduates who enter ministry will leave it within 5 years.

7. 85% of pastors say their greatest problem is they are sick and tied of dealing with problem people, disgruntled members, and uncooperative leaders.

8. 70% of pastors feel grossly underpaid.

9. 100% of pastors have a pastor friend who has left the ministry.

10. 71% of pastors battle depression.

11. 38% of pastors have been divorced or are in a divorce proceeding.

12. 81% of pastors feel that they are not being resourced or helped in being a successful pastor.

13. 77% of pastors felt like their marriage was "on the rocks".

14. 75% of pastors feel poorly trained to manage their church.

15. 72% of pastors state they only study the Bible when they are preparing for a lesson or sermon. (Only 38% had a devotional time)

16. 80% of adult children of pastors have had to seek professional help for their experience as a pastor's child.

17. 70% of all pastors do not have a close friend, confidant, or mentor.

18. 80% of pastors spend less than 10 minutes a day in prayer.

19. 30% of pastors have had an inappropriate sexual encounter. (However, 70% have been faithful!)

20. 23% said they were content and happy in the ministry.

Can you see my concern?

The good news is that Tracie and I can say truthfully that these are the best days we have ever experienced in ministry and our relationship and our family is in great shape. And while that may be a great personal testimony can I also say that Tracie and I are not surprised one bit by those statistics. While it is shocking to see it in "black and white", I know it to be true on so many levels. My heart does not look at that list in judgment, but rather compassion and heartache. Of course, there is redemption and even restoration in many cases of ministerial failure and fall-out, but wouldn't it be good to get ahead of the statistics?

What can you as a church member do?

1. Pray for your pastor and all the shepherds of our nation. Pray that they are refreshed and that their voices will again be the sound that leads this nation back to godliness and righteousness.
2. Love and be a joy to your pastor. A pastor knows that a part of the call is fighting with the devil; but don't you fight with him (them) too. You be the low maintenance person whom the pastor will reflect upon with fondness!
3. Honor and defend your leader. Be one of the "mighty men or women" in the church. Be faithful and loyal and it will pay dividends before the face of God.

What can other pastors do?

1. I believe every pastor needs a pastor. I mean a "real" one; not just one on paper. This should be a mutual trusting relationship where you both can talk safely and openly. A place where you can be prayed for and not worry that you will be the fuel of gossip. Pastors lives can be lonely and isolated and WE NEED EACH OTHER!
2. Find a group of pastors you can relate to with the same spirit as was mentioned above. We need friends in the ministry and help on occasion. We need people we can bounce things off of who understand the inner workings of the role of pastor.
3. Fall in love with Jesus again and the Bible. Make some time to read His Word in order to hear His voice and not just get your next lesson. If a message comes out of that...great; but the point is to receive.
4. PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. This is when we are strengthened and built up. It would be even better if you had your spouse and other appropriate pastors praying in agreement with you as well. You know the old saying, "The family that prays together, stays together".

I know these are challenging days in America, but if we can get our act together as pastors the I believe God is willing to turn our nation around. Whatever part, however large or small, I may get to play; I want to be a part of the answer and not the problem.

STILL PLANTING A CROSS

Pastor Baird

At 211 degrees, water is hot.

At 212 degrees, it boils. And with boiling water comes steam. And steam can power a locomotive.

I picked up a little book, one that would be called a personal "success" book, that spoke about the difference a little extra effort can produce in a person's life. Take for example, the one degree between 211 and 212 can mean the difference between something that is only hot and the power to move tons of steel. That one degree is the difference between ordinary and extraordinary. The book is full of illustrations of what happens when a person puts forth just a little more energy to their endeavor. For instance:

The average margin of victory for the last 25 years in all major golf tournaments combined was less than 3 strokes.

The margin between a gold and silver medal in the Olympics in the men's 800 meter was 0.71 seconds. In the men's long jump, 28 centimeters. In the women's 800 meter, 0.13 seconds.

The average margin of victory for the past 10 years at the Daytona 500 was 1.54 seconds. The prize money between first and second was less than half the winners.

If you spent an extra hour each day studying in your chosen field, you will be a national expert in that field in 5 years or less.

212 degrees really represents your enthusiasm, passion, commitment, and extra energy toward a goal. It really is about perseverance and tenacity. It is about pressing on when others decide to pull up short. It is a mind-set and attitude that separates the ordinary from the extraordinary. To be honest, it's not about money or earthly success; but rather your personal excellence. It's about distinguishing yourself in the midst of mediocrity and average.

I believe that is a Biblical principle. I believe we are to give our best to every Kingdom endeavor. Jesus told us we were to love the Lord our God, "with all our heart, soul, mind and strength". I have to believe that means we are to have the 212 attitude. Let me ask...are there some spiritual things that could use a little more energy? Are there some things you could put some more passion, enthusiasm, and persistence to with regards to the Kingdom? I suspect if we looked the answer would be "yes".

 The catch phrase of the book is this: Maybe it's time to turn up the heat!

I want to encourage you as the summer begins, to turn up the heat!

It is easy to get that vacation mentality when the summer hits. I too, am looking forward to some time away this summer; but I need to be sure my spiritual passion doesn't take a vacation. Decide now to keep your focus and energy high this summer with regards to the things of God. Don't let the summer take you backwards, but let it move you forwards spiritually. I believe God can do some great things in our church even through the summer if we keep that 212 mentality. There may be no better time to get to DISCOVERY classes, CONNECT groups, WEDNESDAY BIBLE study, or even intercessory prayer times. I believe it is time to not only be "hot" for the things of God, but provide a little steam to move the work forward. (I know, the Holy Spirit is the steam, but you need to cooperate with what He desires to ignite inside of you.)

I am believing for a "hot" summer in more ways than the natural weather. Remember...OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE (Hebrews 12:29).

Planting a Cross,

Pastor 

I just ran across a blog site that quoted one of my favorite writers of recent times, A.W. Tozer. The blog article that referenced Tozer had to do with current church culture's ability to "switch" the Cross that is being presented in much of the preaching and teaching we are hearing today. Tozer wrote his article in the mid-20th century, but what he writes seems to be almost prophetic in nature to what I see on numerous fronts in church life. I want to quote that section of Tozer that I found so interesting and if you'll allow me, I will clean up some of his ambiguity and theological referencing so you can get the full impact of what he was saying.

"Unannounced and mostly undetected there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences are fundamental.

From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique - a new type of meeting and a new type of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before.

The old cross would have no treaty with the world. For pride, the flesh, and the carnal nature it meant the end of the journey. The old cross carried a death sentence to these things in a person's life. The new cross however, is not really opposed to these human traits; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood in a new and trendy way, it is oceans of fun and enjoyment. The new cross lets the flesh live without interference. The motivation of the carnal nature is left unchanged, the flesh still lives for it's own pleasure...

The new cross encourages a new and entirely different approach to the Christian life. The preacher no longer speaks of contrasts to the world, but rather similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing the hearers that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same things the world does, only at a higher level...

The new cross does not slay the flesh, it merely redirects it. It points the person into a happier way of living and saves his pride and self-respect. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross.

The old cross is a symbol of death...the human race is under the death sentence of sin. There is no negotiation and there is no escape. God cannot approve of any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may be defined in our current era or beautiful they may appear in the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life.

That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The grain of wheat must fall into the ground and die.

God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death...Let us not seek to negotiate with God and set our terms, but rather let us bow our heads before the stroke of God's displeasure and acknowledge ourselves under that death sentence. It is then and there that the power which raised Christ from the dead will raise us up to a new life alongside Christ."

As I have often said, Jesus didn't come to put a new set of clothes on the same old person; but rather create a brand new person that could only exist in Him. I certainly believe in every generation God gives insight and revelation to apply His Word in people's present circumstances in a way that is relevant and applicable; but at the end of the day no matter what century we live in the cross must do it's work in our very nature.

I am partial to contemporary Christian music. I enjoy the sound being a musician myself. But I remember the old hymn which sums it up so well:

On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross;
the emblem of suffering and shame;
and I love that old cross where the dearest and best
for a world of lost sinners was slain.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
has a wondrous attraction for me;
for the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
to bear it on dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
a wondrous beauty I see;
for 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
to pardon and sanctify me.

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
its shame and reproach gladly bear;
then He'll call me some day to my home far away,
where His glory forever I'll share.

SO I'LL CHERISH THE OLD RUGGED CROSS,
TILL MY TROPHIES AT LAST I LAY DOWN;
I WILL CLING TO THE OLD RUGGED CROSS,
AND EXCHANGE IT SOME DAY FOR A CROWN

Planting a Cross,

Pastor

I suspect most of you have heard of the new grass roots movement called the "tea party". The hope of these people is to bring the country back to fiscal sanity and constitutional boundaries. You may or may not have a political affinity with that movement, but I want you to know about another reformation movement that I believe many of you would want to encourage and perhaps know a little more about. It is not about moving political parties left or right, but rather moving the hand of God to bring revival and restoration to our nation.

As many of you know I have the privilege of being a part of a national conference call and movement called "Remnant". Its mission is basically to restore integrity and character back to the nation's pulpits and through that begin to see revival fires burn in the hearts of people and our nation. I don't have to take much space reminding you that both are in sad disarray. This week I listened to a report from our leader, Pastor Larry Stockstill concerning a great meeting of pastors he was with in Ohio. Along with him was the well known presidential candidate and Fox news commentator, Mike Huckabee. Huckabee spoke on the criticalness of the hour we are living in and what needs to begin to happen in order for our nation to find it's way back to the place of blessing and stability. I want to synopsize those points as they were shared with me:

1. The answer is not coming from the White House or Congress. It must start in the pulpits and churches of America where truth can once again be delivered and lives can be transformed at the deepest level.

2. Ninety percent of most state's budgets are to "educate, medicate, and incarcerate" the populace. People are lacking self-control. It takes 60-80 thousand dollars a year to incarcerate a juvenile and that would more than cover room and board at a notable college. Our financial problems are really spiritual problems that unless they addressed quickly will cause our nation to bankrupt.

3. Pastors are the key component in the turning around of our nation. They must return to declaring the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth if we expect to see people radically changed and challenged.

Of course, we all know how well truth goes over these days.

That is why we must intercede for boldness in America's pulpits and receptivity in the pews of the churches. We don't have time to be cute and cuddly. Our very civilization is crumbling around us and the hour glass is running short.

As dire a picture as we seem to see at times there is hope!

1. God is still all-powerful and He can take the impossible and turn it into the possible.
2. God had and still has a plan for America if we will commit to prayer and intercession to see it manifest.
3. There are pastors all over America right now mobilizing to be salt and light for that end.
4. There is a hunger in America for the "real deal" church and Christian community.

Personally, I am glad I do not have to wait until the next election to see real transformation take place. I believe we have come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Join with me in recommitting your life in the things that really matter and will last for eternity. I am excited about what God is doing behind the scenes. You get excited too!

Planting a Cross

Pastor

The Bible is a book of reversals. Old things become new, the dead come to life, and the lost are found. Even those who were the vilest of sinners are now empowered by grace to become the virgin bride of Jesus Christ. ~ FRANCIS FRANGIPANE

Everyone knows what it is like to experience a reversal. In most instances our reversals have to do with an investment gone wrong or a set back from where we had anticipated being or landing. For me, a reversal was linked to the negative. Something was moving along nicely and then suddenly - Bam! - a reversal and I found myself in a difficult situation. In fact, we usually blame the devil for most of the reversals in our life and indeed, in these instances, he can be an instigator of those happenings. However, sometimes life has a way of throwing us curve balls that we weren't expecting.

I recently ran across the quote above from Frangipane and it reminded me that Jesus is Lord of the true reversal. All of my brokenness, failure, and spiritual death He reversed (and still reverses). He is the only One Who can take a seemingly impossible situation of despair and turn it around for His good and glory. He has done it too many times to count and illustrate, but every now and then we need a reminder. Jesus turned the tables on death, hell, and the grave. He turned the tables on sickness, bondages, and oppression. He is a Master at moving through the ruins of life and raising out of it something beautiful. Can I be so bold to say, He delights in doing that!

I am continually amazed at the depth of discouragement and despair many people live in. I don't wish to minimize anyone's circumstances because I recognize that many people are at a place of great pain. By all natural and outward logic they have every right to despair, throw in the towel, and give up. By all earthly measurements, they have experienced a negative reversal and there is no way back. I want you to remember that we are in the "Good News" business. Jesus came to be the reversor of reversals. He came to put aright what was made wrong. He came to stake claim on that which was stolen. He made public display of all powers and principalities (COLOSSIANS 2:15) in His power to correct a universe that was marred by the effects of sin. He came to live in us so that "greater is He Who is in us than he that is in the world" (I JOHN 4:4).

What needs a divine reversal in your life today?

I believe the Lord would like to do something powerful for you if you would let Him. I believe He very much would like to distinguish himself in a people who would open up to His ways in order for a reversal to take place. Think about people like Joseph who experienced injustice from brothers, slavery, rejection, more injustice, prison, and broken promises; yet allowed God to refine him and he experienced a great divine reversal. Think of David, the least of his household who had a dysfunctional family, a jealous king try to kill him, life in a cave, and being thought of as a fugitive; yet allowed God to refine him and he experienced a great divine reversal. The list goes on: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Peter, Paul, and many others through the centuries. You can be a part of that list as well. God is no respector of persons. What He did for others; He will do for you!

Why not this week:

1. Ask God for a divine reversal.

2. Repent for the things that got you into this current condition and get right with the One who will reverse it.

3. Open your life up for correction, refinement, and instruction so you can learn what you need to in order to never be at this place again.

4. Promise to give HIM all the credit (and follow through) when your day of reversal comes.

There is an open heaven over us. Don't miss your moment. Seize your season. Things are starting to turn around!

Planting a Cross,

Pastor

My parents live in the midwest, Kansas to be exact, and as most people know that is the general area known as "tornado alley". Every spring tornados show up in varying strength and frequency, because that area of the country is in the perfect location for cold air and hot air to collide and cause twisters. If you have been watching the news I am sure you have seen that along with tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, and oil spills; there has been an increase in the ferocity of the spring twisters. Numbers of people have lost their lives added to the number who were lost in the other calamities that were mentioned. Seems like we are indeed living in an "odd" time with regards to the weather. I know that it is trendy now to attribute it all to "global warming" (or cooling) and use each of these disasters as another piece of evidence that man has messed the planet up. Can I just say, while I have my doubts on global warming, I do agree that man has generally messed things up. You see there are both spiritual and natural repercussions with regards to our neglect of God and our unrighteous ways. Things reverberate through the spiritual realm only to manifest in the natural realm. I know, the media and the intellectuals will laugh at that last statement, but I believe it to be true. You cannot fly in the face of God and spit at Him without eventually it hitting you in the face.

The Bible tells us some interesting things about the ways of God. There is not nearly as much "chance" as some might suspect. God is ruling over everything and stands unchallenged in all things whether they be in heaven or on earth (EPHESIANS 1:11, COLOSSIANS 1:15-17). What we have watched on our television screens with high definition clarity is God trying to talk to us about our lives, direction, and His place in all of that. Consider what the Bible says about how God controls what goes on around us:

He rules the hearts of kings and leaders - Proverbs 21:1
He determines all authority - Romans 13:1
He sets up and disposes of rulers - Daniel 2:21
He determines where men live - Acts 17:26
He determines the times set for men - Acts 17:27
He controls the weather - Psalm 147:8, 15-18; 148:8
He controls the times and seasons - Daniel 2:21
He controls the animals - Psalm 8:6-8, Isaiah 50:11
He creates disaster - Isaiah 45:7
He does as He pleases with the peoples of the earth - Daniel 4:35
He determines the outcomes of wars - Proverbs 21:31

Quite a list, huh?

When I consider the time we have spent as a nation running from the goodness of God, I am amazed at the patience and long-suffering nature of the Lord. He truly is unwilling that any should perish and desires that all turn to Him. However, as I have often said, while God is long-suffering, this does not mean He is "eternally-suffering". There is a point when even the patience of God wears out. The Bible is replete with stories reminding us that there is a day of reckoning and all of us will face a just and holy God. His mercy endures for generations...yes! But don't be presumptuous with it. Even God has His limits.

I guess the recent outbreak of tornados has made me ponder again if we have pushed the lines of God's mercy and brought ourselves to the place where we have forced Him to lift His hand of protection off our nation? How long can we capitulate to false Gods and spurn the true God without there being a reverberation? I will never forget a sermon I heard years ago from Leonard Ravenhill entitled, "Sodom had no Bible". He mentioned all the chances God gave Sodom to repent and turn back to Him, but they refused. The day of reckoning came and the city was destroyed. But what would God do to a nation that had His Word and His clear direction, solutions, and answers and yet still refuses to honor Him and serve Him? If He does not eventually deal with America, He would have to apologize to Sodom.

I wonder if God is trying to get our attention? I wonder if He is trying to call us back again to himself through the pain of affliction? Could it be that these wars, disasters, and rulers are only symptoms of something much more important and deeper? I tend to think so. My feeling is that we need less financial stimulus and more spiritual stimulus. Rather than chasing the almighty dollar it is time to practice what the dollar says on it: In God We Trust.

Forecastors are telling us that this hurricane season could be busier than usual. My instincts tell me that they may be right this time. I want to encourage you to join with me in interceeding that God will find His covenant of "salty" Christians in order to aleviate the ever increasing issues we are facing as a nation. Pray that the church arises and that the passion of revival consumes her in order for one more generation to have a shot at proclaiming the gospel. We can debate over the issue of whether God causes or allows some things, but the bottom line is that we need Him to cover our lives and this nation as we appear to be navigating some perilous times. The irony and paradox is, that despite what is happening in our nation, there is a window of His favor for us to continue to do the work of the ministry. I am grateful, humbled, and appreciative to the Lord for that paradox. These are amazing, miraculous days. I hope each one that reads this will take the time to hear HIS voice as well. The earth is groaning (ROMANS 8:19-21).

Still Planting a Cross,

Pastor

I'll be honest. I haven't been overly inspired lately to blog and so instead of just rambling along I decided to wait until I felt a "breeze" of inspiration. I believe I got it.

All through the years of Legacy I have, on occasion, received input, criticism, suggestions, and questions about the length of time we take in our worship of God on Sunday morning. Sometimes it is even more direct as it relates to the amount of time I take in the teaching / preaching of God's Word. For those of you who may not "watch your watch" (that phrase seemed weird), I will give you a quick breakdown of a typical Sunday morning:

30 minutes of Praise and Worship (Including public prayer and ministry)
5 minutes of Welcome and Video greetings
5 minutes of Praise reports from the Congregation
5 minutes of Announcements concerning the week
5 minutes of Offering exhortation and actually receiving the offering.
45-55 minutes of teaching and preaching
5-10 minutes of invitation and ministry (Altar time)

So, you can do the math and on most occasions it is relatively easy to press the two hour mark in our Sunday morning gathering. I can assure you that I often and regularly review how we can streamline service to make the most out of every minute we have together as a corporate body. I "get" the point that we all live busy lives, can only sit for so long, and need to be at important places. I understand that this is the 21st century and we all have stuff to do, places to go, and people to see. But will you let me put some things out there and let you see into the mind of a pastor who really wants God to be first and a people to be blessed?

I grew up going to a main line denominational church which for me meant one hour in a worship service and one hour at youth group. So, even in a more traditional setting I grew up with about TWO hours of worship and input. However, when I joined the ranks of evangelicals, I found something that was interesting. They took their Christianity seriously. Many of you will be able to identify with this list:

60 minutes Sunday School
75 minutes Morning Worship (about 45 minutes was preaching)
90 minutes Sunday night Service (again, about 45 minutes was preaching)
60 minutes Youth Group
60 Minutes Wednesday night (about 30 minutes of Bible Study)

Now lets add all this up. It looks to be just short of 6 hours a week (if you consider drive time and fellowship, it definitely hits that mark). That was considered "normal". Amazing isn't it? Let's add up just the "teaching" time. I can find about 4 hours represented on this list. Now I recognize that there is no amount of time that can be considered "minimal or maximum", but it just gave me some perspective as to what I always considered normal and grew up experiencing.

But lets look at this another way. Is two hours (maximum on most occasions) really a lot when it's not too long to sit in a theater watching a movie? How many Christians sit in front of a TV or a Nintendo for two hours easily? What about sporting events that last over two hours? What about hobbies (golf and hunting)? What about the amount of time we spend in a car daily? Are you seeing my point? If God is first, then it would seem to me that our worship and instruction would at least attempt to reflect that priority.

Having said that, however, there really is another strain of thought that moves through my mind and spirit and it is, "What would God expect?" I have begun to evaluate things from the perspective of what is "healthy and proper" and not necessarily convenient and expedient. Let me try to explain.

Is it really possible to press into the Presence of God in less than 30 minutes? Can we do that express lane? Does He have to show up because we sing for 12 minutes? Isn't the whole point of worship to solicit His Presence? Isn't coming to church all about experiencing Him in a corporate setting and not just checking off our religious duty list for that week? Do you see what I am saying? I am not suggesting that there isn't a moment you bring singing and worship to a close and move on, but we need to take the time to shake the week off our lives and press into the Presence of God. That takes some time.

I know we have to greet people who are visiting and remind the congregation of events and opportunities. These things are fairly standard. But I also believe there is value in sharing the victories of what has happened in the church and in individual's lives. It builds all of our faith. It makes us root for each other and encourage one another. It causes us to lift our eyes beyond ourselves and rejoice for our brothers and sisters. I personally LIKE to hear what is going on in people's lives and be encouraged by a victory that is going on in "team" Legacy. It shows us in very real and personal ways that God is doing incredible things in our midst.

Now we get to the teaching time. Yes, I can take anywhere from 50-60 minutes. But can I be honest? In our church there is no traditional Sunday School. Some people, at any given time, are going through DISCOVERY classes, but for most of us all we get is Sunday morning and no Sunday night (by the way, I like not having Sunday night and I think everyone else does too.). I have approximately one hour to teach most of the congregation God's Word to last them one week. That is one hour in 168 hours of a week. I just do not believe it is "healthy" to give the people a short devotional and think they can spiritually survive the week they are about to face. The congregation needs solid Biblical precept taught to them to experience victory in a meaningful and consistent way. Doesn't it make sense that a pastor who was concerned about people's spiritual "health" might think in those terms?

I want Legacy to grow and thrive and be a large church as much as any pastor would want that for their church. Size has it's place and I am believing for and we are experiencing consistent growth. God is sending us people and I know many of you are reaching out to your friends and family. Numbers are people for whom Christ died and we want to reach as many as we possibly can. However, when God expands in even larger ways this greater influence, I want to make sure as pastor that the environment they grow in is healthy so they can truly flourish. Yes, we will go longer than some of the more "trendier" churches in our current era. They need to do what God has called them to do and we will bless them and affirm their place in the Kingdom. However, we are who we are as well in the Kingdom. I personally believe that we have struck a good balance and God is honoring His Will for our church.

Hope that trip through my brain was as enlightening for you as it was helpful for me! Love you all!

Planting a CROSS

Pastor Baird

This is tax week. Taxes, they say, are like death...it's inevitable. I have just completed mine because I always owe and I wait until the due date in order to use my own money for as long as I can before I obey the command "to render unto Caesar what is Caesar's". This is year I will pay almost double what I paid last year, despite the fact of not increasing our household income one dime. I have to scratch my head and wonder about that. I know I am not in the category of what the government declares as "rich"; yet here I stare at my tax obligation. I would be lying if I didn't say that it aggravated me to no end.

You might wonder, "What spiritual insight could come from blogging about taxes"? (You mean besides "self-control" because of my irritation?) Several, to be candid.

First, the Bible tells us that civil government has a responsibility to provide certain services for their citizens; most notably, defense and protection of their God given rights. In order to do that, taxes can be appropriately levied. I have mentioned before that the tax burden Scripture teaches should not exceed 20% of one's income. Well, you can already see that a problem is arising with that percentage.

Second, taxes are about control. Whatever government wishes to control, it taxes and regulates. That is why I am vehemently against any tax laws or consideration applied toward the church. The church has a first amendment freedom which requires that government stays out of it's affairs, but beyond that, the government cannot usurp authority over God and His commands concerning His Houses of worship. If the government is allowed to tax the church we are ostensibly saying that government is over God. I suspect the Lord will take a dim view of that.

Third, (appropriate) taxes remind us of our respect and responsibility towards authority as we have learned it in Romans 13. It is an opportunity to put into practice what we say we believe in a very tangible way.

Having said all of that I still hate high taxes like the rest of America. I think I pay way too much and I would like to see some things scaled back. I will continue to practice obedience, but I am believing that the Lord is going to do some things in the not too distant future to begin to put aright what seems to be so wrong. Do it Lord!

Until then, looks like I am going to be eating at home this week.

Planting a Cross

Pastor

Greetings! (Especially to Legacy attenders and all the folks that connect by blog or i-tunes)

The Scripture says that "we have not because we ask not..."; so after prayer and thoughtful meditation I am going to share something that I want you to pray about and perhaps participate in. As you know, we are planting a Cross and walking by faith. We are doing no "faith pledges" or other gimmicky things to solicit money or run the church budget. I have determined to believe that a church can go forward in the Will of God abundantly through the faithful people who obey God in the tithe and offering, as well as the sacrifice of the saints to do even greater things that He has called us to. I believe God is interested in being our Jehovah-Jireh (God our provider) in these days when we are told this economy is being crippled by a recession. The church is not subject to recessions because we function in His Kingdom. I walk by faith in those truths even as I am constantly being challenged through the media outlets who do their best to keep us in fear.

Having said all of that I feel led to challenge us all to be sure we are staying sensitive and attuned to the Holy Spirit with regards to our finances and where we are at and where we need to be as a church moving forward in vision. I would normally share all of this in morning worship service, but realizing that this Sunday is Easter Sunday and there can be more guests worshiping with us, I did not want to leave them with the feeling that all we talk about is "money". You and I both know that is simply not true, but there are times we must keep the congregation up to date and put our requests "out there" for prayer and possible answers that may be sitting under our own noses.

I told you that last year was our greatest financial year in Legacy history (Go God!). That was incredibly encouraging. On that basis, I believed that we could expand some of the ministry areas and do some things that had been put on hold (like new office equipment, meager raises for some of the staff, potential technology upgrades, etc.) as well as push ahead on raising money to tend to our property and "Plant a Cross". The report is after the first quarter that we are running in our budget only a few thousand dollars behind of where we were last year. That could be easily made up through this month. However, I also had the Charleston Fire Inspector come through our building and he informed me that I was going to have to change some things to conform to code in our building. This renovation will cost a couple of thousand of dollars which to be candid, wasn't in the budget. Here is what I am asking members, attenders, blog readers, and i-tune listeners to do:

1. Please put these needs before the Lord in prayer. The Scripture says that our "needs" are met already in Christ Jesus. I believe God wants and wills to meet these needs that are in His House.

2. What might the Lord say to you about being a part of meeting this need and getting everything up to date? Could it be that He might challenge you to plant seed or release finance that He could use to open things up for you as it blesses the ministry at Legacy Church. Like I said, I am just asking. If you are not able, then I still need your prayer agreement to believe that God will open that door of resource to us.

3. If you are not an official member or attender of Legacy Church, but you keep tabs on us through the website media, could you pray and ask God as well about your part of helping this ministry? Let me be clear, your tithe goes TO YOUR LOCAL CHURCH (storehouse). However, I do believe God moves on people's hearts to give offerings in amazing, providential ways. Maybe you are one of those people. I have some tremendous miracle stories through the years of just that happening.

Again, thanks for letting me share. We are in a healthy place as a church and have an open heaven over the ministry. Together, we will continue to believe God until every promise He has spoken we shall see with our eyes!

Love you all.

Pastor

"In answer to your inquiry, I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, forgiveness without repentance, salvation without regeneration, politics without God, and heaven without hell". - WILLIAM BOOTH (Founder of the Salvation Army, 1829-1916)

Sounds like he hit that prophecy "nail" right on the head!

When I was saved at age 18, all I knew was that I had run into something that totally rearranged my life and thinking in a split instant. I was changed, converted, transformed, and internally impacted to never be the same again. It was a "Damascus Road" experience, a two-nostril alert, and a never to be forgotten moment. That was my introduction to Jesus Christ and the power of His Kingdom. I realize that not all conversions are as dramatic. I laugh as I read the testimony of C.S. Lewis who said that he was converted on a motorcycle ride with a friend. He writes that when he got into the sidecar he did not believe in Jesus as the Savior, but when he arrived at his destination he did. C.S. Lewis became one of the most prolific Christian writers of the 20th century. He was most assuredly converted. (Although I have often wondered what kind of motorcycle ride he had that day.)

Our current church era reflects the concerns of William Booth doesn't it? For many churches there is no longer any need to emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit. You rarely hear Him mentioned any more in Sunday morning services. And let's not forget the Cross and the associated stigma that comes when we emphasize the power and the foolishness of God's choice of a Cross, yet it is the way to forgiveness and relationship with the Father. I am saddened that so many today preach what has become known as "easy-believeism". A short prayer, repeat after me, and sign a card; you are good to go. Really? We have substituted the concept of conversion with decision. We have lots of decisions for Christ, but are we really seeing conversions? Even Billy Graham, the patriarch of modern evangelism once said that only 3% of the people walking to the front of his meetings follow through on a true commitment to Jesus Christ. Oh, and let's not forget our politicians who have overseen the destructive trend of our courts slowly remove the place of God in our nation's discourse. And finally, when was the last time you heard a good old sermon on Hell? I know, I know...Hell messages are tough to market to a crowd who has "itching ears" and are searching for teachers who will tell them only pleasing things.

To be a true disciple has its challenges doesn't it? 

I guess the good news in all of this is that I know historically that the Church has thrived spiritually when it was planted in a challenging time. Times like these tend to help people get off the fence of passivity and lukewarmness and begin again to fan the flames of fervency in their faith. Times like these are when the Spirit of the Lord moves in unprecedented ways because "where sin abounds, grace does more abound." William Booth also prophesied of an unprecedented revival that would occur at the same time as the features that were mentioned above. That is my focus and hope.

Of this I am confident, Jesus will have the last Word. The church will not leave with it's tail between it's legs or in an impotent state. God will arise in the midst of His people and He will have His say. The glory of His latter house will be greater than the former. These days may have unique challenges, but they are not without His unique answers and solutions. Be encouraged this Resurrection season. God is in the resurrection business and He is planning another great comeback in His church. That's the place and the team I want to be a part of. You go God!!! The fields are ripe for harvest, pour out Your Spirit, O' Lord, and may we be empowerd by another Pentecostal outpouring that will shake our city and region!

Planting a Cross

Pastor 

I have mentioned before that Christianity was persecuted in the first 3 centuries of its existence, not because the early church was worshiping another god along with hundreds of other deities that the Roman culture acknowledged, but rather it claimed to be worshiping the ONE TRUE GOD - Jesus Christ. The problem most people have with Christianity is that we preach exclusivity. Jesus isn't just a way, He is THE way. Jesus isn't just a god, He is THE God. When you start challenging the claims of every false deity with the claims of Jesus, you just watch people's temperature rise. Jesus wasn't just a good philosopher or teacher, He was either the very Son of God or He was a lunatic. You can't patronize Jesus that way.

This week is the Passion week where Christ willingly enters into the suffering that will set people free if they accept His sacrifice for their sins. It is the reason for our very existence as born-again people. It culminates in the death, burial and then resurrection of Jesus which we celebrate this Sunday. Easter is always a big day and I am sure that this one will be no exception. I am anticipating an over-the-top celebration with the family of God and I am looking forward to seeing everyone together in church. Come expecting great things on this special day and start even now praying that God will touch hearts in a special way.

PLANTING A CROSS

Pastor

WARNING: This blog is intended to engage the brain. Please be advised to put your thinking cap on.

Beware that anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. - COLOSSIANS 2:8

Foundation is everything. You can have the largest, tallest, and most phenomenal building known to man and without a proper foundation it can collapse. It can look good on the outside, but if what holds it up and together is faulty it is only time before it collapses. The parable of the two houses that Jesus teaches concerning the house on the rock and the one on the sand is applicable at this point. Both houses look good on the outside, but when the storm comes with wind, rain, and floods; everyone sees if what the owners built on will survive.

Today in America, God is using the storms of recession, national debt, partisanship, natural disaster, and general unrest to expose our foundations. My personal opinion is that we have a short amount of time and a brief opening of a window to get our foundations in order if we as a people and a nation are to stand for another generation. The Scripture is clear that He will "shake all that can be shaken in order that the things which cannot be shaken shall remain". (Hebrews 12:27)

Through the recent debates on stimulus packages and health care I have listened carefully to the arguments that have come from both sides of the political spectrum. These arguments are replayed every day on talk radio and the cable news network ad nauseum. The summation of the battle lines are the philosophies of the size and scope of our government; big government vs. small government. The purpose of this blog is not to chime in on which may be better. I have admitted on numerous occasions that I tend to be conservative in both my theology and my politics. I admit that I "generally" see conservative political principle in the Scripture. I also recognize that my liberal friends tend to see "progressive" principles in the Scripture. The problem I am starting to see is not so much who wins the argument over these political philosophies, but rather what will our foundation be? IF THE FOUNDATIONS ARE DESTROYED, WHAT CAN THE RIGHTEOUS DO? (Psalm 11:6)

I have noticed lately on the conservative media outlets that a philosopher by the name of Ayn Rand has been quoted and mentioned extensively. I have heard on multiple occasions that parents are encouraging their very young children (teenagers mostly) to read her two most famous books, The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged. Her "think tank" in Washington DC, is consistently looked to as a commentator on limited government, individual rights, and unfettered capitalism. While these concepts may indeed be the best way for a society to operate, my concern is that we lay a foundation that reflects God's order and not men's order.

I first ran into the writings of Ayn Rand in graduate school as I was studying the philosophical challenges to the Christian faith. Her philosophy is called "objectivism" and it is basically a foundation that states that all of life should be built on reason, reward, and objectivity. A professor mentioned to us that of the many philosophers we would read, she would be the most addictive and compelling. I have to agree. Her arguments, if not thought through, seem logical and solid. Her arguments also led her to atheism and the renouncement of anything metaphysical (spiritual). She would call us Christians...fools and delusional. She embraces the concept that every person should be selfish. For it is out of that selfishness that we pursue our happiness, dreams, and ultimate satisfaction. In fact, we should always follow reason and never think or act contrary to logic. I know...it's not what we teach. However, for many libertarians and economic conservatives, she is the foundation of laissez-faire capitalism and the free enterprise system.

My intent is not so much to critique Rand again, for there are "holes" in her thought process, but rather to remind you that our foundation must be Jesus Christ and the authority of God's Word. Just as I am concerned over President Obama's foundation concerning socialism and Karl Marx; we conservatives need to be ever vigilant over the foundation of objectivism and Ayn Rand. Just because talk radio and FOX news venerate the precepts of objectivism, doesn't mean we swallow that any more than we would socialism. The only thing I swallow whole is the SCRIPTURE. The Scripture teaches me the principles of compassion and responsibility and who, where and when those values are to be implemented. The talk radio celebrities are not the prophets that God is raising up in this hour. The Lord is looking for men and women who know His Word and our filled with His Spirit and can call a nation back to it's Godly foundations.

Capitalism may be a good economic system, but it will not change people's hearts. The answer to America's problems is not found in a government philosophy, it is found in a Person named Jesus. The Lord can turn the problems of a nation around in a day. We don't have to wait for the next election or the one after that. Government is not the answer and it is not almighty, it is time we knocked at the door of heaven and asked God to help us restore the foundations of our nation.

So whether you consider yourself liberal, progressive, conservative, or libertarian; I encourage you to consider your foundations. There are still storms ahead and I suspect a few more shakings as well. Now is the time to get our houses and foundations in order. Governments come and go, but our God will reign forever! Stand on His unshakeable Kingdom.

Still Planting a Cross,

Pastor

I rarely watch C-Span, but last night I took the time to watch our government at work without the commentary chatter that is on the normal cable news networks. I decided to watch some of the process "unfiltered"; after all, maybe I was only getting part of the story by listening to my favorite news commentators. I listened to the so-called "debate", which was little more than mini speeches concerning an already decided voice on the subject. I did have to chuckle as I watched the "distinguished gentleman from such and such a state yield 45 seconds to the distinguished gentleman from another state". What can you really say in 45 seconds that is little more than a sound bite for You Tube or the nightly news?

For those of you who know me, you already know that I tend to be conservative in both my theology and my politics. I am conservative politically because I feel "generally" that Biblical precept is best represented in much of what we label conservative. I know that my liberal friends tend to think that Jesus was equally committed to the poor and the outcast and that is best represented in a "progressive" political view. The problem is that Jesus never commissioned the government to do the work of His Kingdom. Most of all, He never advocated that our compassion and benevolence be forced upon us by the government. Do I think people who are poor deserve to be compassionately cared for, fed, helped, and generally be given a "hand-up" out of their difficulties? The answer is "yes". However, Jesus was never an enabler and He never advocated an unaccountable compassion which underwrites people who cheat, steal, refuse to work, and generally are lazy and undisciplined. Paul would later write the very words, "Let him who refuses to work, not eat"! In our current culture I suppose Paul would be deemed uncompassionate.

The underlying problem we are facing as a nation is that we have discovered we can vote ourselves money and benefits out of the treasury. We have decided that everything we "want" has now become everything we "need". Get ready for government dispensed cars, cell phones, TV's (HDTV, of course), cable, computers, Internet service and the like. Can I not make a case that I NEED electricity and the big bad power companies are overcharging; therefore, the government needs to take it over? Why is it that we never think to turn our thermostats down? Instead, we want everything to be "fair" and if someone has more then they need then they need to be forced to cut back or I need to be underwritten to catch up. AARGH!!!

To make matters worse, I listened to the speeches by both parties and heard more Scripture quoted than at a revival meeting to prove their points. Isn't it good to know that Washington, DC, has so many spiritual people reading their Bibles and doing their devotions. I know I feel better (heavy sarcasm!). What must God think as He sees His Word being manipulated by people who read it only to justify their self-will. If God ever groans, then I can assure you He is at the moment.

Our Declaration of Independence is really the document that defines the nature of our Republic. It declares that we have the RIGHT to: LIFE, LIBERTY, and the PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS (not the guarantee of finding it). People make choices and unfortunately through this new law, we will be underwriting people's poor choices. Sure, do some people need and deserve compassion? Absolutely! But do you think it wise (much less Christian) to underwrite everyone with insurance who abuses their body through the practice of various and sundry sins and evils? Am I really required to help someone who chooses to abuse their liver, lungs, and heart with known behaviors that destroy these organs early by giving them a transplant, when my own household is being responsible? There is good news and bad news with freedom; you are free to make poor choices about your life, but I shouldn't be enslaved to underwrite the repercussions of it. We are circumventing God's law of sowing and reaping. We can only do this to our own detriment.

This is another example of the government desiring to replace God and the place of His Church in the earth. God's people were called to be compassionate, but that compassion comes with accountability. People are turning to government because they know that they can live like they want and everyone else gets to pay for the problems they have created.

Let there be no mistake, I get frustrated with medical costs, insurance games, and the practice of health care in America as much as the next guy. However, my discernment is telling me that this is only the beginning of attempting to force us all to underwrite things we know to be a violation of our conscience. There is coming a day when good, Christian citizens are going to have to seriously consider at what point they must "obey God rather than man" (Acts 5:29). The effects of last night have done nothing but divide us more and put us on a collision course with an even greater contest in the future. They may be popping the champagne corks in Washington over this legislative victory, but I fear they have "popped another cork" called "Pandora's Box". These are most unusual days we are living in. I have to believe that revival is right around the corner.

Planting a Cross

Pastor 

I am not an expert in the origins of holidays, but I know enough church history to be able to tell you that the person we honor today as "St. Patrick" is not who people think he is. He is considered the first apostle to Ireland and went there as a Christian missionary in the mid 5th century. I use the term "went" there loosely as he was actually captured as a slave and sold into slavery. His father was a priest (the days before celibacy) and so Patrick grew up in what then would have been known as a Christian family. History tells us that before his capture, young Patrick was not all that religious or spiritual. However, enslavement markedly strengthened his faith (Hmmm?). He eventually escaped Ireland and returned to England only to be called by God to go back and be a missionary to a predominately druid nation.

His first convert was a guy name Dichu who gave Patrick his barn for the first church. Eventually this barn became a monastery and it is the location Patrick died. Patrick was known for his ministry of evangelism and it was accompanied by some notable signs and wonders. One such story is told that all fires in the nation were to be extinguished and then renewed from the "sacred" fire of a druid king. When Patrick's fire was attempted to be extinguished, it refused to go out. It symbolized the dominance of the fire of God. Patrick was also known for banishing all the snakes of Ireland which symbolized the sign of the Pagan priests of that time. He is also credited with using the shamrock, a "three-leaf clover" to teach the precept of the Trinity in response to the Arian heresy that was popular as well.

I tell you all of this to underscore this thought: Why are we (as a society) getting drunk over this Christian Missionary? It's not just foolishness, but nearly borders on the blasphemous. We have turned holidays ("holy days") into times to feed our flesh rather than ponder on the sacrifices that were freely expressed by the people we honor. We just don't get it.

I realize that there is no way any of this will change. In fact, most people would think me nuts for even writing about this. I guess I do it simply to underscore the concept of "drifting". Whether it is our personal lives or our cultures perspective, we have to be vigilant to keep from "drifting" away from God and His precepts. There must always be a Christian witness in the land to remind us of those things that are unchangeable in God.

I wish you all a happy St. Patrick's Day, but not for the same reason the rest of the world says it. I trust that you will reflect on your own sacrifices and commitments and refresh them before the Lord today. I know most of the world will be "bellied up to a local bar", but I choose the "new wine" of His Presence. The best part is, the Holy Spirit hangover will forever transform your life!

Planting a Cross

Pastor 

While I was I was away at Remnant Conference last week I listened to a message by Pastor Larry Stockstill on the family and he touched on marriage and children. It was good for me to hear him share some personal stories of both victory and challenges that he has faced in both of these areas. None of us are perfect and like he said, there are times we need to hear a person's prayer request as much as we need to hear their praise report.

I especially enjoyed listening to his remarks in the area of child raising. While two of mine are in the early stages of their adult years, I still have one (Kalyn) who is in the middle of her teenage years and that means I still have some more of my job as a parent to perform. I was encouraged as I listened to find out that a lot of what we do in our household is not only on target, but highly recommended by Pastor Larry. He too, has been blessed by a household of children who love and serve the Lord. That's not to say there haven't been challenges. Hey...we're talking about kids! But there really are things we can do when it comes to guiding, directing, correcting, and affirming our kids to give them the best chances possible of a great future in the center of God's Will.

Parents tend to think that children are given by God in sort of a capricious manner where some get "good ones" and others get "tough ones". The Bible tells us that we are to "Train a child up in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it". The key word is TRAIN. Notice it did not say we are to simply "pray for a compliant one". I believe prayer works and is crucial in child rearing, but truth is that parents need to get on with the training aspect. I have said this a thousand times and will say it again that Tracie has been the best and deserves the majority of the credit for the blessing my kids have been to us. Did she pray...YES; but boy did she train as well! Let me suggest some things for all the parents out there who want to be better trainers:

1. ATTENTION- Each child should get at least 15 minutes a day of attention. Doesn't sound like a lot does it? Did you know that the national average is like a minute?! Kids need your attention and if you don't find ways of giving them positive attention, they will do things to get your negative attention.

2. DISCIPLINE- Kids need to know their boundaries and the consequences for breaking those boundaries. The problem is that most parents are more merciful than God. The Lord established the law of sowing and reaping which was meant to help us understand that there are consequences to our bad behavior. Many parents interrupt this law by becoming their children's "bail out plan" whenever they need to feel a consequence. Kids need to hear the word "no" from you, because they will certainly hear it from police, bosses, judges, teachers, and others. As parents we are raising them to be PLEASING TO GOD.

3. HABITS- Your kids need habits to be successful. Try some things like...chores, punctuality, manners, time management, respect ("yes mam, no sir"), and a sense of order in their life. Do you make them pick up toys at home or at a guests house? Do you make them sit still at home and when you eat out? I made (and make) my kids go to school (even if they have a sniffle), go to church (because that is more important than school), be on time, get up with a good attitude, help when it is cleaning day, learn how to wash dishes and put dishes in dishwasher, take out trash, etc. You are training them for their spouse one day and they will appreciate you handing them off prepared so they won't have to spend thousands in counseling. Their future employers will appreciate you teaching them a work ethic as well, as that will position them for promotion.

4. FRIENDS- Monitor their friends!!! Even their Christian ones! We even go so far as to monitor their dates and potential spouses. Do you really think a teenager or young adult has the relational skills necessary to not need some help in this area? I am shocked by the people some parents let their kids hang around. There is an appropriate place for our kids to reach out to other kids who need Jesus, but you need to be sure you monitor it so you can control who is the influence over whom!

5. AFFECTION- Have you hugged your kids today? Dads, be sure you are the #1 guy in your daughter's life and she won't have to find affection elsewhere.

6. FAIRNESS- Be consistent and fair in your discipline and correction. Let the time fit the crime. Don't give the "death penalty" (joking) over a misdemeanor offense.

The Bible says that children are a blessing from the Lord. I know that mine are definitely that and more. However, that blessing took a lot of work and attention. I encourage you to not give up and keep in the hunt with regards to training. The promise is that one day, there will be a payoff.

PLANTING A CROSS

Pastor

I was reading this morning an account from ACTS 20:17-20; which is often referred to as Paul's farewell address to the Ephesian Church. Paul was going to leave Timothy there to Pastor the church and never see him again. It is, as you begin to read it, an emotional account and recounting of all that they meant to him and all that was accomplished while Paul was amongst them. To be candid, you need to read the whole chapter and listen to Paul as he knows that he will no longer be able to physically and spiritually defend them any more, but they will have to stand on their own "spiritual feet".

THREE times "tears" are mentioned in this chapter. It caught my attention. I guess that is because personally I seem so easily drawn to tears lately. I don't know all that the tears may mean. I am trying to interpret it fully myself. My hope is that a deeper level of brokenness and sensitivity to the Lord is being developed. However, I know the old saying that is often applied to our sons as they are growing up when we tell them, "Big boys don't cry". Tears are not the norm for most men. Most men believe it demonstrates weakness in them. Yet here in this chapter we read 3 times that the men are weeping around Paul and even Paul himself testifies to his own tears. In fact, the last mention of tears in the chapter (v.37) states that they all, "wept freely".

The write of Ecclesiastes tells us that there is a time for everything (3:1-8). In his list he includes, "a time to weep and a time to laugh" (v.4). I wonder if we are not in a season of tears. I think tears communicate something to God that perhaps no words could ever articulate. Maybe there are seasons when tears are the language that God hears the best. I started to think about tears and what they can communicate:

1. Humility

2. Brokenness

3. Repentance

4. Softness of heart

5. Deep joy

6. Compassion

7. God's Presence

God is looking, I believe, for genuine tears. He rebukes the priests in Malachi's time for weeping and yet dealing treacherously with Him and their families. He finally tells them that their tears, "He regards no more". I guess that is what we call "crocodile tears". God is looking for tears that match the heart. He is looking especially for men who will be broken over their own selfishness and sin. He is looking for men who will be broken over the state of their nation and their families. God is looking to find those who would admit they are weak, for the Scripture tells us that when we are weak...HE is strong. I honestly am beginning to believe that true revival will have far more tears than shouts.

As we enter the season of The Passion of Christ, I am reminded that as Jesus was preparing to enter the city of Jerusalem for the last week of His earthly life He stopped on a hill and looked at the city and wept. His heart was moved at that moment for God's Will for all the people of that city and it "leaked" from His face. I know of no greater man than Jesus, so I guess it is OK for big boys to cry. My prayer is that our faces "leak" even more in these days.

Planting A Cross

Pastor 

I just finished reading an article on the Internet that states that this generation of young adults (20's-30's) would classify themselves as spiritual or religious, but don't want to be associated with anything "organized" by way of church, defined fellowship, or denomination. Basically, if you believe the article and poll, this generation is not interested in conservative politics or the need to link together for greater Kingdom advancement. Now I will state that if the perspective "out there" is that a conservative understanding of the Bible and being theologically conservative equals being politically conservative, I too might reject church life. Unfortunately, the republican party and conservative Christianity has at times been too closely aligned and the lines of the two have been blurred. The Church should never assign itself to a political party because I believe that we together are to be a prophetic voice to government. Sometimes that may please republicans and sometimes that may please democrats. The bottom line is...are we pleasing God?

My perspective is that I am to call both parties (or ALL parties) to a Scriptural perspective and an obedience to God's ways. That is what prophets did in the Old Testament. I see prophets calling to account evil kings and kings who were said, "to have a heart after God". The Church is not a special interest group or a political action committee. We are the Body of Christ commanded to be salt and light to a decaying and dying world. Republicans are not the answer. Democrats are not the answer. Only the CROSS is the answer! We critique, in a right spirit, President Obama when he is pursuing things that violate the commands of God. In like manner, we critique republican leadership when they are pursuing wrong things in the light of God's Word. This generation needs to see and hear the prophetic voice again in the pulpits and people who make up the church. The reason they are drifting away is because they see the inconsistencies and even hypocrisy we carry when we let things slide because it's our favorite party, while we cry "godless" to the other party. You don't have to be too smart to see the problem. That being said, I do believe that this generation is looking for a righteous cause to be linked up to and I believe that it can be the church's finest hour in reaching out to them and mobilizing them in greater Kingdom purpose.

We are seeing with our very eyes that crumbling of the "kingdoms of this world". We are running swiftly into an era that is going to show us that answers and solutions are not in the halls of government, but rather in the ways of God. People are seeing and sensing anarchy just on the horizon and there is great concern and even a sense of "revolution" in the air. Don't let this bring fear or anxiety to you. This is the moment that God can use to demonstrate His powerful ways through His people and His Church. We know that Jesus is the answer, but the only way most people come to that conclusion is when all their other options have failed them. It is not enough to look at bad legislation or evil policies and simply yell at and say, "Bad, bad". It is time to put our own houses in order and demonstrate the reality of God's Kingdom in our lives and in the Church by walking in peace, joy, hope, and true freedom. Believe me, people will notice what is happening in you when everything else is falling apart.

Isaiah 61 says that "gross darkness" would cover the earth, but in the midst of that darkness a "light" would arise. That light would draw "kings and princes" to it's rising. I believe we are that light. I believe the Church is that light. I believe where sin abounds, grace does even more abound! It is time to put everything in order. The glory is getting ready to fall from an open heaven. It's a time to thank God you can be a part of His Church. The answer really is just around the corner!

Planting a Cross

Pastor 

 This past Sunday, our Pastor preached a message called "I Did Not Come To Build A Steeple, But To Plant A Cross". It was an amazing word, an amazing service, and I believe an amazing beginning to something new and great in the life of Legacy Church.  After the message, it made me start to think about all the stories and people God used in His Word to accomplish His Will in uncommon ways. 

Well, when I was reading today I came across one of those stories. It is a story that we all have heard before, The Fall Of Jericho. Now, we all the know this story but today when I read it, I saw it in a totally new way then I had ever seen it before. Now we all know how the story goes, The Lord tells Joshua and the Israelites to walk around the city seven times and the walls will fall down and the city will be theirs. Well, I don't want to talk about the marching, the horns blowing, or even the walls falling down. I want to focus on the very beginning of the story.

Joshua 6:1-2 "Now the gates of Jericho were tightly shut because the people were afraid of the Israelites. No one was allowed to go out or in. But the Lord said..."

Now, Jericho wasn't just some city with some walls around it. Jericho was known for it's walls!! It is said that the walls were wide enough to have two chariots ride side by side on top of the walls. Now, if he walls were that wide, i can only imagine how high they were. That had to be pretty intimidating for the Israelites to come and see. Most of them were probably thinking of how are we going to get inside this city, let alone win the battle. I can see the men discussing between themselves what battle strategy is Joshua going to use and how they are going to clear the walls and take the city. Just then, Joshua walks up and says that they are going to march around the city for seven days and on the seventh day the walls win fall and we will take the city. Can you imagine what all Joshua heard after he said that. But I can see Joshua walking back slowly away from the crowd, as they plead with him to change his mind and other yell to do the same, and say to them, "But the Lord Said."  

What I am trying to say with this story is that no matter what huge issue or insurmountable problem you may face you can look at it and say, “But the Lord said.” The Lord said, “I am more than a conquer.” The Lord said, “No weapon formed against me shall prosper.” The Lord said, “I am the head and not the tail, above and not below.” The Lord said, “the enemy comes at me one way but scatters in seven.” The Lord says, ”I have crushed Satan beneath my feet.” The Lord said, “ I am a Co-heir in Christ.” The Lord said, “ All things are possible through Christ who strengthens me.”  The Lord has spoken countless blessing over his people. In 1 Corinthians 10:13, Paul tells us that God will not allow any temptation to come before us that we can not handle. What I see in that is that we are destined to win. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation to win, overcome, and complete and issue, problem, or obstacle that comes our way. In 1 Timothy 4: 12, it tells us to be examples in what we say, how we live, in our faith, in our love, and in our purity. The only way to accomplish that task is to know that we are people destined to win in Christ and know what he has said about us.

I hope this blessed you as much as it blessed me. I am excited to see what the Lord has planned for Legacy church in the future and no matter what happens I know I can stand on what the Lord said.

AMEN (SO BE IT!)

Pastor Tyler

I have used this blog on numerous occasions to talk about the way Scripture and culture intersect. I believe in comprehensive Christianity which means that the Bible was designed to be a blue print or handbook on how life (and nations) are supposed to be designed and ultimately work. Scripture tells us that nations will be blessed as they honor the Lord and His precepts. It also tells us that if foundations are destroyed, the nation will soon crumble as well. There are so many current cracks in our foundation that it is sometimes difficult to know where to start. I decided today to weigh into health care and the current debate that is happening in our Congress.

It sounds almost anti-Christian to suggest that you are against the government intervention into our health care system. Let me start by saying, I believe in compassion. I believe that people should have the ability to access health care in a compassionate and sensible way. I believe that I (and probably most of you) pay incredibly too much in regards to the health care we access. So, as an American citizen I have certain thoughts on how that might best come about in a sensible way. However, my Christianity trumps my citizenship and I must first synthesize what is going on through the lens of Scripture.

1. Jesus calls us to be compassionate but no where in the Bible does He give that mandate to Rome, Pilate, Herod, or for that matter the government of Israel. True, He tells the nation to be compassionate with the poor and the outcast, but this was never remotely designed to be a "forced" compliance through taxation policies. He gives that mandate to the church and to His people. The ethical exhortation was designed to be a heart mandate, not a legislative one. Having said that, I believe that as a nation we should have certain "safety nets" that can assist people when they are struggling, but what we currently have now in America is no where near the system that God had prescribed for the nation of Israel even in the Old Testament. Israel was told what they were to do as a civil nation and as a religious people. Perhaps in America we would have more money for compassionate things like health care if we weren't spending billions on bail outs and stupid ear marks on things that government has no business in. We currently can't even consider doing this because of all the other foolish decisions we have made as a nation with regards to our finances. God wanted Israel to demonstrate compassion, but in America we have pursued the concept of greed to the point we can no longer afford even having the discussion on this point.

2. Jesus never authorizes us to underwrite sin. Today in USA TODAY we are told that federally subsidized abortions are still within the current health care bill. That means you and I as taxpayers will be underwriting people's abortions. That also brings up the place of our tax dollars being used to bring health care to those people whose lifestyle choices have caused them to be more at risk because they chose detrimental and even sinful things throughout their life. Again, I want to demonstrate compassion to people, but if a person has chose to destroy their body through poor (even sinful) choices, am I required or forced to deal with it? If people choose to abort their babies, then am I required or forced as a believer to underwrite it? At what point does my conscience to God's laws and convictions trump what my nation tells me are it's laws and convictions?

Now we come to ACTS 5:29. Peter and John are told by the Sanhedrin that they can no longer preach or teach in the name of Jesus (Notice, they can teach...just not in the name of Jesus). They respond by saying the famous words, "We must obey God rather than men". They obviously were disobeying authority (which is something we are told not to do - Romans 13:1-6), but the question arises, when is it OK to do that? ANSWER - When you are asked to violate a precept of God's Word. I am very concerned on what will be a part of this health care discussion. I sense we may be heading into a season where we are going to have to decide what we can and cannot do before the Lord. My heart is to submit to authority in the earth that God has placed to keep peace and order. However, when that authority says I must disobey God, then that is the moment I must practice what I preach. Daniel was told to pray to the image and eat food that was defiling, but he chose to obey God instead and the Lord upheld him. I too, want to keep a submitted spirit and do everything I can to be a model citizen, however, my first allegiance is to my Lord.

Be praying with me as our nation's leaders will be debating and discussing these very things. We all should want to be good citizens and provide a good testimony to our friends and neighbors, but this should be done without compromise. I do not want to think about what I will do should my conscience be violated in this area. I want to believe that God will intervene and I won't have to cross that bridge. However, now is the time to set your face like flint and be resolute in your convictions of what it means to serve the Lord. We will believe for the best, but I am praying that God will give us strength if indeed the worst is to come. Either way...to God be the Glory!

PLANTING A CROSS

Pastor 

I understand Matthew 7 is where Jesus tells us that we are not to judge others. I also know that of all the verses in the Bible it seems like these are the verses that everyone wants to quote especially when they are doing things in their personal life that they want no accountability for. Jesus tells me that "by the same measure" I judge, I will be judged also. Fair enough. It would be hypocritical to raise others to a standard that you yourself were unwilling to uphold. It also tends to make a person just a tad bit more merciful when you realize that "there but for the grace of God go I". So, as usual, Jesus was incredibly insightful when He reminds us to be careful how we evaluate other people's lives, challenges, and even sins. How we measure is being measured back to us.

That being said, can I just be honest?

I am frustrated at some level. I don't want to be this loveless, graceless pharisee who throws people under the bus at the first sign of imperfection in their life; but at the same time, when do we "graciously" say that as a movement we need to step up to the plate and live what we preach before a watching world? Is that really judging? Is it really too much to expect from people who say that God "lives in them" and they can "do all things through Christ who strengthens me" to be a little more circumscribed in their walk? I know that every fellowship and denomination has their issues with integrity and character in their ranks. Pentecostal / Charismatic churches are not the only ones who have these issues, but unfortunately it seems like we get more than our fair share of media coverage. Perhaps if we have been entrusted with the message of the "full gospel" and the present moving of the Holy Spirit, then the expectation on our lives is even greater. After all, "to whom much is given, much is required"?

This little therapy session for me was generated by the news that Benny Hinn (his wife more correctly) is getting a divorce. The documents state that there are "irreconcilable differences" and from what the news sources say, this caught Benny by surprise, as they were supposedly working on their issues. I don't know what to make of all of this. I know enough and have enough experience to say that I will wait to hear all the story before any blame is assigned. To be candid, when a marriage breaks down it is never just one person's fault. There is usually a percentage to be assigned to each participant even if it is 95% on one person's part to 5% on the other person's part. I do want to go on record and say this, that just because a well-known minister of the gospel struggles in his relationship that doesn't impugn the truth of what he preaches. I was at a Benny Hinn crusade nearly 20 years ago and I also heard him minister a little over a year ago as well. At the crusade 20 years ago I was able to be back stage and see first hand all the things that went on. I can tell you first hand that people came to that Healing Meeting in ambulances, unable to move from the gurney they were lying on, and I SAW THEM get up and walk out. That wasn't fake or fabricated. It was real. I also saw the power of God move through the room in unprecedented ways even at the meeting a year ago. I can tell you that this man has been used by God in some amazing ways.

That being said, it is sad to hear of the struggle that he and his wife are now facing. It is most certainly sad for them personally and it is sad for the church at large. Like it or not, it diminishes our authority to speak into the culture and only reinforces what many people think about us anyway. I know (and you should too) that the VAST MAJORITY of pastors and ministers are credible and integral. However, when a highly visible one sinks, we all tend to sink a little bit.

As I was listening this week to the Tiger Wood's apology, I heard him speak about how he felt like the "rules didn't apply to him". A part of his therapy was to acknowledge, not only his wrong behavior, but his wrong thinking that somehow he didn't have to walk within the same boundaries as the rest of us. I hope he really gets that lesson. God really is "no respector of persons". After hearing that it reminded me of some things we all need to do to keep ourselves focused and on target so we might be good finishers for the sake of the Gospel.

1. Live transparently. That doesn't mean we need to hear all the details, but your life in public should be real close to your life in private. If we live honestly, there is less to have to cover and hide.

2. Everyone needs a pastor. I hope Benny and his wife have someone they can really look to as a covering and counselor in their life. It reminds me that connection is vital, especially in the storms of life. Sometimes people try to connect in the storm and that can be hard. Connect in the good times, so when the tough times come the bouncing around may be minimal.

3. Pray for those over you in the Lord. Don't be quick to judge, critique, and throw your 2-cents in. Just pray. Weep for those who weep. Practice some compassion. We are still in the redemption business and reconciliation is God's highest desire.

4. Hold fast the truth of God's Word. Messengers will always disappoint us on some occasion. That does not diminish the truth of God's Word or even their insight to it. Messengers should do their part in living well, but we all need to keep our eyes on Jesus who is "the Author and Finisher" of our faith.

We don't take our cues from the enemy, but when he is so easily seen as he has been in recent days it can only mean that God is up to something big.

Still running for the prize...

Pastor   

 I just want to take a moment to talk about God's Voice. Around Legacy we call it the "prophetic word". It's not the same as Scripture (which is infallible), but we do tend to take it seriously because the Scripture tells to do exactly that. Those of you who know me well, know that I don't play around with the phrase, "The Lord told me". The reason is because I think we should mean what we say. There are a lot of folks who use that phrase and to be candid it means little more than, "I really want to do this, but want to seem spiritual as I say it". Otherwise, how can God tell you one week to do one thing and then the next week do something else? I have seen it more times than I can count. The truth is...they hadn't heard from God.

Gratefully, that scenario is becoming less and less a feature of our culture here at Legacy. We seem to getting a handle on the difference between "His voice" and our "whims". Having said that, I have also been around the block enough to know that when God opens up the heavens and begins to move and speak legitimately in our midst, people get excited and sometimes forget what I like to call, protocol. Spiritual protocol is when we endeavor to minister to one another with a sense of spiritual order, Scriptural soundness, and pastoral authority. Hey, I think it's great when people start hearing the voice of the Lord. That's what it's all about. You NEED to hear His voice and sense His direction and guidance. That is what a relationship with the Lord is all about. But let me give you some pastoral guidance that can keep you out of ditches and keep you on target without feeling too corralled.

1. Hear from God for yourself for awhile before you start hearing for others.

Granted, we all want to be an encouragement to someone else and sometimes we feel like we have the exact thing that needs to be said and we say it as a "Thus saith the Lord". Can I suggest you be careful when you do that? People hear the phrase, "God told me to tell you", and take that real seriously. You better know it's God and not just an opinion you may have on their situation. Perhaps you might deliver it in a little less authoritative way by saying something like, "You know, pray about what I am going to say because it could be the Lord speaking to you". That tends to be a better way to present something and it puts the responsibility on the hearer as it should be. Along with that, make sure you have a track record of hearing from God for yourself and you are bearing the fruit of that in your life as well. Nothing worse than hearing a "thus saith the Lord", from a person whose life is a train wreck. I have been in the prophetic ministry for 20 years and I have a few experiences and built some credibility to be able to say things perhaps a little stronger than the average person. Doesn't make me any better or more spiritual, it is just a track record. If you learn some protocol, God will raise you up and trust you with even more.

2. Remember that no matter what someone shares with you, you are responsible to hear for yourself.

Ultimately, my life is my life. If someone gives me a prophetic word, I have to be responsible with it and not shift blame to the deliverer for my obedience or lack of obedience to it. Most words confirm things rather than give us new direction. If you hear something new, wait for God to give you another form of confirmation to it. If you hear something that seems out of order, then trust your "discerner", reject it, and move forward. If that was the Lord, He will speak to you again. He is not trying to trip you up. YOU need to be spiritually responsible for your own life and decisions and press into God for your direction yourself.

3. Pick up a Protocol Brochure at Legacy and see how we handle this area.

We are a Full-Gospel Church that believes in the present moving of the Holy Spirit. Tracie and I, as well as the leadership team, have a lot of years of experience in this area. Your spiritual well-being is a priority to us and we can help you if you take the time to see what the Scripture says about this whole area. I really do believe that the heavens are opening and there is a new season upon us that is bringing a fresh sense of His presence.

Don't forget...

THIS SUNDAY WILL BE OFF THE CHART PHENOMENAL. YOU WILL REGRET IT IF YOU MISS IT!

Love You ALL!
Pastor

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Morbi ultrices, tortor vel cons equat venenatis, diam dolor pretium odio, fermentum sollicitudin tellus turpis a ante. Vestibulum elit est, rhoncus id consequat quis, facilisis quis magna. Aenean pellentesque, sem sodales elementum volutpat, neque risus auctor quam, in malesuada mi ipsum eu velit. Pellentesque aliquet mauris non tortor vehicula dapibus. Donec mauris dui, varius at tincidunt et, iaculis ac libero. Cras ac mi risus, eget pretium dui. Nulla facilisi. Morbi nulla orci, aliquet sed volutpat eu, volutpat sed urna. Phasellus congue risus ut dui porta fermentum. Nam dolor quam, rhoncus ac tristique vitae, placerat id arcu. Nulla eu tellus urna. Nunc et felis mauris. Etiam blandit mi a augue ullamcorper ut suscipit metus adipiscing. Quisque scelerisque lorem ut tellus dignissim dictum. Sed ut tortor vel eros sagittis vestibulum. Sed nunc diam, posuere egestas blandit vitae, condimentum sed metus. Mauris ac neque est. Donec in odio nunc.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris vel libero vel mauris luctus laoreet. Proin enim sapien, varius vel sodales in, auctor pretium velit. Donec aliquam faucibus tortor, sit amet bibendum eros porttitor id. Donec et lobortis neque. Suspendisse potenti. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin mattis facilisis purus vel pretium. Integer metus turpis, elementum at aliquam at, vehicula eu diam. Phasellus laoreet nisl in sem molestie tempor. Donec convallis, purus congue tristique vulputate, ante risus dictum arcu, quis aliquet ligula nibh viverra risus. Fusce posuere rhoncus augue vitae porttitor. Praesent semper, tellus in euismod tempus, elit quam pulvinar leo, sed luctus leo libero ac lacus. Cras nunc metus, porta vitae cursus nec, gravida non libero. Curabitur fringilla neque id lectus condimentum interdum. Nunc nisl nisl, tincidunt nec rutrum eu, posuere vitae diam. Ut congue, nisi ac euismod scelerisque, nibh lacus tempor tortor, id sodales dolor eros ac lacus. Maecenas lectus elit, mattis id elementum et, bibendum vitae magna. Fusce malesuada tortor ac mauris suscipit imperdiet.

Quisque a nunc sapien, sit amet ullamcorper ante. Suspendisse potenti. Donec vehicula augue quis ipsum luctus porta. Fusce dignissim ligula non metus pretium tincidunt. Sed gravida, massa eu euismod malesuada, enim libero convallis velit, at auctor metus arcu a erat. Maecenas molestie fringilla lacinia. Cras nulla nisl, malesuada eget malesuada vitae, iaculis egestas elit. Quisque vel est quis diam tincidunt auctor in non metus. Suspendisse nec ipsum sem, ac adipiscing dolor. Fusce nec magna massa, in luctus sem. Nullam eget ipsum mauris, non sagittis urna. Sed odio urna, rutrum et condimentum malesuada, ornare at augue. Morbi suscipit arcu sed ipsum iaculis ut ornare dolor dignissim.

Morbi ultrices, tortor vel consequat venenatis, diam dolor pretium odio, fermentum sollicitudin tellus turpis a ante. Vestibulum elit est, rhoncus id consequat quis, facilisis quis magna. Aenean pellentesque, sem sodales elementum volutpat, neque risus auctor quam, in malesuada mi ipsum eu velit. Pellentesque aliquet mauris non tortor vehicula dapibus. Donec mauris dui, varius at tincidunt et, iaculis ac libero. Cras ac mi risus, eget pretium dui. Nulla facilisi. Morbi nulla orci, aliquet sed volutpat eu, volutpat sed urna. Phasellus congue risus ut dui porta fermentum. Nam dolor quam, rhoncus ac tristique vitae, placerat id arcu. Nulla eu tellus urna. Nunc et felis mauris. Etiam blandit mi a augue ullamcorper ut suscipit metus adipiscing. Quisque scelerisque lorem ut tellus dignissim dictum. Sed ut tortor vel eros sagittis vestibulum. Sed nunc diam, posuere egestas blandit vitae, condimentum sed metus. Mauris ac neque est. Donec in odio nunc.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris vel libero vel mauris luctus laoreet. Proin enim sapien, varius vel sodales in, auctor pretium velit. Donec aliquam faucibus tortor, sit amet bibendum eros porttitor id. Donec et lobortis neque. Suspendisse potenti. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin mattis facilisis purus vel pretium. Integer metus turpis, elementum at aliquam at, vehicula eu diam. Phasellus laoreet nisl in sem molestie tempor. Donec convallis, purus congue tristique vulputate, ante risus dictum arcu, quis aliquet ligula nibh viverra risus. Fusce posuere rhoncus augue vitae porttitor. Praesent semper, tellus in euismod tempus, elit quam pulvinar leo, sed luctus leo libero ac lacus. Cras nunc metus, porta vitae cursus nec, gravida non libero. Curabitur fringilla neque id lectus condimentum interdum. Nunc nisl nisl, tincidunt nec rutrum eu, posuere vitae diam. Ut congue, nisi ac euismod scelerisque, nibh lacus tempor tortor, id sodales dolor eros ac lacus. Maecenas lectus elit, mattis id elementum et, bibendum vitae magna. Fusce malesuada tortor ac mauris suscipit imperdiet.

Quisque a nunc sapien, sit amet ullamcorper ante. Suspendisse potenti. Donec vehicula augue quis ipsum luctus porta. Fusce dignissim ligula non metus pretium tincidunt. Sed gravida, massa eu euismod malesuada, enim libero convallis velit, at auctor metus arcu a erat. Maecenas molestie fringilla lacinia. Cras nulla nisl, malesuada eget malesuada vitae, iaculis egestas elit. Quisque vel est quis diam tincidunt auctor in non metus. Suspendisse nec ipsum sem, ac adipiscing dolor. Fusce nec magna massa, in luctus sem. Nullam eget ipsum mauris, non sagittis urna. Sed odio urna, rutrum et condimentum malesuada, ornare at augue. Morbi suscipit arcu sed ipsum iaculis ut ornare dolor dignissim.

Morbi ultrices, tortor vel cons equat venenatis, diam dolor pretium odio, fermentum sollicitudin tellus turpis a ante. Vestibulum elit est, rhoncus id consequat quis, facilisis quis magna. Aenean pellentesque, sem sodales elementum volutpat, neque risus auctor quam, in malesuada mi ipsum eu velit. Pellentesque aliquet mauris non tortor vehicula dapibus. Donec mauris dui, varius at tincidunt et, iaculis ac libero. Cras ac mi risus, eget pretium dui. Nulla facilisi. Morbi nulla orci, aliquet sed volutpat eu, volutpat sed urna. Phasellus congue risus ut dui porta fermentum. Nam dolor quam, rhoncus ac tristique vitae, placerat id arcu. Nulla eu tellus urna. Nunc et felis mauris. Etiam blandit mi a augue ullamcorper ut suscipit metus adipiscing. Quisque scelerisque lorem ut tellus dignissim dictum. Sed ut tortor vel eros sagittis vestibulum. Sed nunc diam, posuere egestas blandit vitae, condimentum sed metus. Mauris ac neque est. Donec in odio nunc.Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Mauris vel libero vel mauris luctus laoreet. Proin enim sapien, varius vel sodales in, auctor pretium velit. Donec aliquam faucibus tortor, sit amet bibendum eros porttitor id. Donec et lobortis neque. Suspendisse potenti. In hac habitasse platea dictumst. Proin mattis facilisis purus vel pretium. Integer metus turpis, elementum at aliquam at, vehicula eu diam. Phasellus laoreet nisl in sem molestie tempor. Donec convallis, purus congue tristique vulputate, ante risus dictum arcu, quis aliquet ligula nibh viverra risus. Fusce posuere rhoncus augue vitae porttitor. Praesent semper, tellus in euismod tempus, elit quam pulvinar leo, sed luctus leo libero ac lacus. Cras nunc metus, porta vitae cursus nec, gravida non libero. Curabitur fringilla neque id lectus condimentum interdum. Nunc nisl nisl, tincidunt nec rutrum eu, posuere vitae diam. Ut congue, nisi ac euismod scelerisque, nibh lacus tempor tortor, id sodales dolor eros ac lacus. Maecenas lectus elit, mattis id elementum et, bibendum vitae magna. Fusce malesuada tortor ac mauris suscipit imperdiet.

Quisque a nunc sapien, sit amet ullamcorper ante. Suspendisse potenti. Donec vehicula augue quis ipsum luctus porta. Fusce dignissim ligula non metus pretium tincidunt. Sed gravida, massa eu euismod malesuada, enim libero convallis velit, at auctor metus arcu a erat. Maecenas molestie fringilla lacinia. Cras nulla nisl, malesuada eget malesuada vitae, iaculis egestas elit. Quisque vel est quis diam tincidunt auctor in non metus. Suspendisse nec ipsum sem, ac adipiscing dolor. Fusce nec magna massa, in luctus sem. Nullam eget ipsum mauris, non sagittis urna. Sed odio urna, rutrum et condimentum malesuada, ornare at augue. Morbi suscipit arcu sed ipsum iaculis ut ornare dolor dignissim.

Morbi ultrices, tortor vel consequat venenatis, diam dolor pretium odio, fermentum sollicitudin tellus turpis a ante. Vestibulum elit est, rhoncus id consequat quis, facilisis quis magna. Aenean pellentesque, sem sodales elementum volutpat, neque risus auctor quam, in malesuada mi ipsum eu velit. Pellentesque aliquet mauris non tortor vehicula dapibus. Donec mauris dui, varius at tincidunt et, iaculis ac libero. Cras ac mi risus, eget pretium dui. Nulla facilisi. Morbi nulla orci, aliquet sed volutpat eu, volutpat sed urna. Phasellus congue risus ut dui porta fermentum. Nam dolor quam, rhoncus ac tristique vitae, placerat id arcu. Nulla eu tellus urna. Nunc et felis mauris. Etiam blandit mi a augue ullamcorper ut suscipit metus adipiscing. Quisque scelerisque lorem ut tellus dignissim dictum. Sed ut tortor vel eros sagittis vestibulum. Sed nunc diam, posuere egestas blandit vitae, condimentum sed metus. Mauris ac neque est. Donec in odio nunc.

 Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Nam est nulla, convallis at euismod vel, bibendum at diam. Mauris commodo mi eget urna interdum lobortis. Sed sollicitudin neque ut mauris pellentesque volutpat. Nam tristique congue leo quis vulputate. Mauris vel felis vel nulla luctus venenatis. Fusce cursus arcu eget lacus molestie tincidunt euismod justo porttitor. In ut lacinia metus. Nulla porttitor nisl sit amet erat suscipit interdum. Donec facilisis dictum fermentum. In pretium ultricies neque sed luctus. Proin dignissim luctus justo, eget fringilla ligula condimentum sed. Nulla facilisi. Nam at dui at lectus pretium elementum. Aliquam feugiat dui ipsum, nec consequat mauris. Mauris justo enim, mollis sodales blandit eget, pellentesque ut elit. Fusce viverra, turpis eu feugiat posuere, orci risus convallis sapien, quis volutpat dui odio eget metus. Ut varius egestas mauris, ut iaculis elit accumsan in.