What Is Church?

Have you ever truly paid attention in a pentecostal church service? No, I'm not talking about simply listening to the man of GOD teach or preach; I'm asking if you've ever truly observed and absorbed the actions, order, worship, and possibly even the sermon content of what we call church. If you have, have you ever noticed that the vast majority of our church services are centered around people who are already saved?

How do you define church?

Did GOD call us to have church or to be the Church?

Wasn't the foolishness of preaching given for the saving of the lost? If so, when did it morph into saint maintenance? Or—more importantly—when did going to church become more important than building a personal, intimate relationship with GOD?

There may be many reasons for the purpose-shift that seemingly has taken place in the Community, but it is my opinion that for too long we have ignored what Jesus actually said when He handed out the keys to the Kingdom in Matthew 16:13-20. Let's look specifically at verse 18:

And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 

When this Text is translated into English the word church is always used as the translation of the koine Greek word that Jesus actually spoke, which was ekklesia. Ekklesia can be translated as a church, or group of religious believers, but it translates more accurately into community, a gathering of individuals, committed to a common cause, theme, mission or goal. By the context, both in subject and geography, we can see that Jesus' words usage was not referring to a religious group, but rather a communal body. Jesus spoke these words while He and the twelve were visiting Caesarea Philippi; which was a community establish by the Caesar Philip, and was dedicated to the worship of Caesar as the son of god.

Jesus was not establishing another religious movement, He was establishing a community of believers who were to be dedicated to His Mission and Purpose.

So, getting back to the reason for the purpose shift, I believe that for too long we have focused on being religious rather than being communal. We want to build our churches rather than His Kingdom. We are dedicated to creeds established on conference floors rather than in the mouth of GOD. Because we've shifted away from His Purpose, we have focused on our religion. We have focused on us. Therefore, why wouldn't our church services be centered on us and the maintaining of ourselves?

In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus gave His Community His Mission: go make disciples, teach and baptize. He never said go build cathedrals, tabernacles or mini-franchises all over the globe. He never instructed us to gather together and go through rituals that have their root in spin-offs of Roman cath holos, that demand that everyone, everywhere adhere to same structure and methodology.

We do ourselves a great disservice when we force the under-shepherd to preach to us (we who claim salvation). I've searched the Text, but I can't find one place where the 1st Century Community was instructed to preach to those who had been Spirit-baptized. Now, I'm not saying it's not there, I just can't find it. What I have found is many instances of deep teaching to the Community. But every instance of preaching I've found is to the unregenerate.

Who do we preach to on a regular basis?

Why are our sermons filled with pentecostal colloquialisms with which many a guest have no connection?

Why is there so much tongue-talking in our gatherings, when Paul specifically taught us not to babble in tongues in public?

Why are the vast majority of our song choices horizontal rather than vertical?

Why do we go to church so that we can connect with GOD, yet throughout the week we have little or no interaction with Him whatsoever?

Why are we so fixated with that old tyme religion? (Yes, I spelled the word that way on purpose). What took place in the 1st Century wasn't a religious happening, it was a GOD-happening. Our obsession with the early 1900s is stealing our focus away from GOD's Mission, to reach the lost. Not to put another butt on the pew (or chair), but to lead another hungry soul to Christ.

Honestly ask and answer these questions:

1. If what we've been given truly is everything we say it is, then why are so many of us leaving?
2. If what we've been given will truly change lives, how come many of those who are Spirit-baptized in our services do not stay for more than a few weeks?

The attrition in the Apostolic Movement is real.

Within the last three months I have heard the statement, "I go to church, then I go home and watch [insert the name of your favorite mega-preacher] so I can get fed," at least a dozen times. Look around. Be honest. Don't blame it on the economy. Place the blame where it belongs: in our own laps. We are the problem.

I know, I know, there are some who are already beginning the rip campaign. But you are the ones who truly need to ask the question. If it's so great, then why?

The truth is, what we've been entrusted with is the greatest gift GOD ever gave humanity. The problem is not with the gift, the problem is with us. We've stopped sharing the gift and have begun spreading a religion based on the gift.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not bashing anyone. No, wait. That's not true. I'm bashing myself. I'm the problem. I've focused more on pentecostalism than on discipleship. I've been more concerned about building a church than growing His Kingdom. This blog post is self-medication that is awaking me to the realization that I have shifted away from the Missio Dei and into denominational religion.

What is church?

Church is not a religious gathering in which ceremonial worship is conducted according to the rites passed down from Azusa or the subsequent, myriad denominations. At least it's not supposed to be. Church is the assembling of ourselves together with people of like precious faith, who have come together to worship GOD in both Spirit and in Truth, to create an atmosphere in which GOD can begin to prick the hearts of the unbelievers, so that when they hear the Word of GOD preached with anointing they repent of their sins and are filled with the Spirit of GOD.

For too many of us, church has become either our social connection or our spiritual all-you-can-eat buffet. We come and shake hands with those in the congregation who we can actually stomach for more than five minutes, then we find our seat (the same seat we've sat in for years, passed down from our forefathers who held that patch of ground when we still sat in pews) and settle in for our me-fest, in which the worship leader can only sing songs that remind us of when were young, and the preacher can only preach sermons that challenge our spiritual intellect (an intellect not from study, but from countless repetition of the Text throughout the years). All the while we're ignoring those to whom Jesus Commissioned us.

Church is not about us, it is about the lost.

Steven Furtick made the statement that if you received the baptism of the Spirit last Sunday then that was the last service that Elevation Church was about you.

No, I don't agree with everything that he preaches or does. But I do agree with this. We may not like it, but he's right. It may make us very uncomfortable, but it is still truth. It's biblical. It's not a truth found in our manuals or fellowship articles, but it is a Truth found within the very Character of the Text. It is a truth that dates all the way back to GOD's covenant with Abram: I will bless you so that you can bless every nation in the world. GOD hasn't entrusted us with this awesome treasure so that we will build walls of protection that block the world's path to Truth. GOD's Mission is for us to take this treasure—in our jars of clay—beyond our walls to the hurt, hungry and lost world that surrounds us.

Yes, I want to be seeker-friendly (and with that I am forever damned by those who will completely miss my point). I want anyone who is seeking GOD to know that I won't get in their way, but rather I will take their hand and lead them into His Presence. No, I don't want to be like the world, nor adhere to the thought process of humanism, but I also don't want to be so heavenly minded that I'm no earthly good. No, I won't be so pentecostal that I'm afraid to get the stench of sin on my lily white robes that I use to conceal the rake, putrid, decaying rot that is my true underbelly.

Jesus took the twelve to the other side. The other side is where the sinners lived. The other side is that uncomfortable place where we're surrounded by prostitutes, drug addicts, spouse abusers, homosexuals, child molesters, murderers…

That is where Jesus ministered.

Are we ready to go?

And—when we get there—are we ready for church?

A New Year

Well, you knew it was coming. Everyone else is jotting down, blogging, tweeting, Facebooking (does MySpace still exist?) their thoughts on the new year, new decade, etc., so I figured that I needed to join in the fray.


Over the past eight years I've developed a personal practice of self-examination and reflection at the close of each year. This introspection has served to force me to face some ugly truths about myself, as well as stretch my spirit to new levels of relationship with GOD. In closing out 2009, my internal spirit-walk found many an area that requires adjustment, but also some areas in which I feel as though I've gained some ground. The most significant of these is in my trust level for GOD.


See, I've often said that I trust GOD, but the truth be told, I was lying to myself and anyone who bothered to listen. It's next to impossible to trust someone who you do not know. I'll be the first to admit that I know very little about GOD, but I am learning more about Him every day. I think this is what is meant by relationship.


In terms of relationship, 2009 was a record year for advancement. I've grown more close to GOD than I've ever been up to now. I'm also learning to trust Him. One of my favorite serendipitous moments of 2009 is the discovery that He was taking care of me and my family, even when we forgot to ask. I remember only praying for GOD to provide for our needs twice throughout the entire year, but we never went without food, we always had a roof over our head, a car to drive, friends… and so much more. It was almost as if He knew what we needed (image that—what with Him being GOD and all). In looking back I realized just how much GOD knew about me this past year, and how much I had learned about Him.


We're getting past the awkward phase.


You know that phase in dating when you're too nervous to eat in front of each other… where you're not quite sure if they'll still want to date you if they see you eat a salad. That's the phase that I'm realizing that I'm moving out of in my relationship with GOD. I've realized that He loves me. That's it, nothing else profound, He just loves me. Yes, He knows all the junk about me. And for those of you wondering, yes He knows about that too. It's like He's saying, go ahead, eat that salad with your mouth open, I love you for who you are not how together you act.


In light of this beautiful illumination, bring on 2010. If I learned all this last year, imagine what I'm going to learn this year. I can't wait to move to deeper relationship with GOD; in fact, I'm anticipating some major advancements in that department.


I have but one resolution for 2010. Actually, call it a declaration. Here goes: less of me, more of Him.


This is going to be a great year.

Clear — Sold Out in the first year

Thanks to everyone who purchased Clear. Also, thanks for all the texts, emails, DMs and Facebook quotes. I'm honored that GOD has used my verbiage to minister to so many people. We are in our second order of product, and the orders keep coming in.


Plans for 2010 are to complete the audio version of the book. I am also about 3/4 finished with a new believers study guide to accompany the relationship aspects of the book. I hope to release this sometime in the spring.


Please continue to recommend the book to your family and friends. There are many individuals who are searching for more in GOD, true transparency is the key.


GOD bless, and have a great Christmas and New Year!

Rage Against the Machine

I was recently party to a conversation between a few individuals from varying ilk within the Apostolic Movement. Everyone involved seemed to have their own opinions as to the current status of the Movement and subsequent reasons for the attrition that is becoming all the more prevalent.

I’ve never been known to run from a good argument.

The conversation had it’s genesis in and around the subject of individuals talking about their journey, or seeking GOD, or any other such statement. I got the distinct impression that these types of expressions—in the opinions of those conversing—are not appropriate for an Apostolic. One participant made the statement, “This ain’t no journey. We’ve arrived! We are here!”

Hmmmmmmmm.

To assume that we are not on a journey to salvation is a total denial of 2 Peter 1:5-11 where the apostle provides us with a list of godly characteristics that should be added to our faith. This Text demonstrates that there is more to salvation than simply receiving the faith. Throughout Paul’s letters to the 1st Century Community we find him admonishing the new believers to move toward spiritual maturity; another example of growth, or a journey—if you will.

This also brings to mind another question: if we’ve arrived, or we are here, does that mean that we should no longer hope on Christ’s appearing? Is this really all there is? Is Spirit-baptism the epitome of our relationship with GOD. Does the fact that we’ve arrived mean that we shouldn’t seek a relationship with GOD at all? If so, why then is the underlying theme of the entire Text GOD’s plan to return humanity to right relationship with Him?

Another statement that simply made no sense to me was, “All these people who just want to analyze Scripture. Just listen to your pastor!”

Again, what?

Where in the Text does it say to blindly follow men called by GOD? This same individual denied that Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:14-16 applied to anyone other than Timothy. This is yet another example of cherry picking Text to fit a personal credenda. Don’t get me wrong, I am not espousing a practice of ignoring GOD-delegated authority. However, if GOD had intended that we simply blindly follow the instructions handed down by preachers, He would have never given us access beyond the veil; there would have been no need to move away from Judaism, and grace would have been pointless.

Pastors are gifts given by GOD for the perfecting of the saints until we all come to the unity of the faith, not for us to check our brains at the altar once Spirit-baptized. GOD’s mission is not for His people to connect with Him through an intermediary; He wants to relate with us Himself. Why else would He make comparison after comparison of His relationship with His Bride to that of a husband and wife. Saying that the only way that we should interact with GOD is through our pastor is the same as saying that the only way a husband and wife should be intimate is by listening to someone else talk about intimacy. At some point you have to get up off the couch and get into the bedroom and let the relating begin. Yes, our pastors are integral, but they are not the determiner of our personal relationships with our GOD. How can we know the voice of our Shepherd if we only listen to the under-shepherd?

The sad thing is that this thinking is more the norm in the Apostolic Movement than not. It’s time to wake up and realize that this mindset is one of the primary causes of the attrition that we are experiencing, not a collective of compromise. In fact, if more time was spent teaching the laity to personally interact with GOD regularly, and if there were more personal interaction with GOD, there would be less compromise. The flip side is that many of our pulpits would become silent because too many of our preachers don’t have a clue how to preach or teach to people who are truly knowledgeable of the Text. Take away the clothesline and introduce real-life principles and far too many are left speechless and sadly ignorant of true Christianity.

Do you want to hear true holiness teaching? Here goes: talk to GOD, daily. Read His Word, daily. Honestly seek (yeah, I said it) GOD and ask Him to illuminate His Word, His Character, His Mission to you, daily. Ask Him to guide your footsteps, and to check you when you’re moving away from Him, daily. Die, daily. Fall in love with Him, daily. Do all of this and you won’t need someone standing behind a pulpit telling you the length of your shirt sleeves, or some other standard that is more based on denominationalism than on actual Text.

We can no longer complacently sit on the sideline with our collective head in the sands of our credenda-driven pathos, simply willing to accept the status quo. Now is the time for us to rage against the machine of religion and denominationalism that is choking the life out of the followers of the Apostolic Faith. We need to accept the fact that we don’t have all of Truth, but have been given a glimpse of Him, but won’t see much more until we return to Him. We need to stop converting people to pentecostalism and begin truly discipling them to GOD.

The time has come to rage, rage against the attrition; rage against the ignorance; rage against the lack of intimacy. Not against people, against mindsets.

There’s more that GOD desires for His people to do. Are we ready?

L'Chaim [repost from NoNegativityNow.com]

I was asked recently to write an article for nonegativitynow.com, which was an extreme honor. This is one of my favorite websites, and I encourage you to check it out often. There are great writers (myself excluded) and and lot of whatnot that will help you in your walk with GOD. 

l’chaim

Have you ever noticed those people who go through life devoid of true interaction with anything other than themselves? These sad individuals are constantly surrounded in a shroud of negativity that clouds their judgement and blocks meaningful connections. I was once one such sorry soul, but a life-changing event positively altered my existence; I discovered GOD.

Now, I know what you're thinking, here he goes on some lame conversion story, but you'd be wrong. While I had known about GOD for my entire life, had even claimed to be filled with GOD, I existed empty, void, negative. The god I knew was only full of judgement, but the GOD I discovered called me to a deep intimate relationship. It was (and is) amazing. I was almost like GOD turned to me and (in a Joey Tribbiani voice) said, "How you doin'?" I was hooked.

The most amazing thing about this relationship with GOD is, the negativity has disappeared. Where I was once judgmental, I now extend mercy. Where I once pulled away from interaction with other people, I now embrace new friends and acquaintances. All because of intimacy with GOD.

In my opinion the reason that so many so-call "Christians" live such negative lives, is because they haven't discovered the difference between existence and life. The Jews have a phrase they use when toasting a drink, "la chaim," which simply means "to life." However, this phrase doesn't simply indicate a toast to life, it indicates a conscience choice of life over existence. We exist when we absorb but never give out. The only time we truly live is when we give out of ourselves. To choose life we have to give life. For example, the money in our wallets exists, but when we take that existing money and give it to someone in need, we are giving life to them, thus altering the money from mere existence to life.

To truly live we have to spill ourselves out to the world in which we live. It is physiologically impossible for you to stay depressed when you are helping someone else. The giving of ourselves gets our focus off of us and onto others. When we stop focusing on ourselves it is easy to let go of our negativity. Could this be the "more abundant life" that Jesus talked about; a life dedicated to giving to others?

Think about it, GOD gave so that we could live. This is GOD's character. When we discover GOD, we discover the power of giving ourselves away. When we give ourselves away, we release the negativity of simply existing. When we choose life, we choose GOD.

I chose GOD and He changed everything about me. No, this is not a product nor cure-all that "you too" can receive by sending in your check or money order for $19.95 to some obscure address in White Plains, NY. This is a choice that you have to make: either to live without GOD, or to be intimate with Him.

I dare you to try it.

I dare you to try GOD.

The king is Dead, Long Live the KING

Who or what is distracting you from GOD’s mission? Have you ever really thought about it, or is this a subject that makes you uncomfortable?

We’ve all read Isaiah 6 and seen the transformation in the prophet’s life when the king died. But, have you ever truly dug into this Text to find the personal application? There is much Truth here. 

Uzziah was a king anointed by GOD. There were a lot of positives from his reign, but all his good was overshadowed by the fact that he overstepped his boundaries. He died a leper because he lost sight of what GOD wanted him to be.

In the beginning of chapter 6 we see that Uzziah has just died and that Isaiah sees GOD, sees himself, then hears GOD’s missional call. The dynamic of Uzziah’s personality, and his personal interaction with Isaiah, both served to distract Isaiah from his call to be a prophet. Isaiah couldn’t see GOD nor hear His voice because of Uzziah. We’ve all heard this subject preached time and again, how we need to examine our lives and find the things that distract us from GOD. All of these sermons are well and good, however, I believe there is a deeper Truth to be found in the story of Uzziah and Isaiah. My thoughts will no doubt damn me further into the nether regions of the pentecostal waste bin, but oh well; such is life.

Sure, we can allow things, hobbies, work, school, habits, etc. to distract us from GOD, but it is also possible for people—anointed people—to distract us from the Missio Dei. Because of the acute ministry worship in modern Pentecostalism, anointed men of GOD can become distractions from the Commission that is given to every believer. Often times people are too distracted by the dynamics of their pastor’s preaching, or his personality, or his credenda, or the mission statement of their local congregation… to truly see GOD and hear His voice for themselves.

Ask yourself this question: are you so enamored with the pastoral staff or ministry team of your local community that you can’t hear GOD’s voice for yourself? Do you wait to hear instruction from the pulpit before you’ll proceed to fulfill the Commission? Do you run your burdens past committee prior to you embarking on a mission-walk? Does the organizational structure of your local community or your denomination dictate GOD’s will in your life? Be honest. Answering yes to any of these questions, and feeling the subsequent pain of realization, doesn’t mean that you’re not submitted to GOD’s delegated authority. It simply means that you’re finally willing to be honest with GOD and yourself.

GOD never called His Community to build small mini-franchises all over the world. He never called us to build our own kingdoms, nor to serve a man’s vision. He called us to fulfill His mission. We all need a pastor. Pastors are GOD-called men who have been given the responsibilities of an under-shepherd. But far too often we forget that GOD also called each one of us, individually. In our attempts to submit we allow ourselves to become distracted from GOD.

GOD is calling. Are you listening to your king, or are can you hear GOD’s voice? 

When Uzziah died, Isaiah finally saw GOD and heard His voice, but he also saw himself. We need to allow our Uzziahs to die so that all the distractions are gone from our lives and we can see GOD, see ourselves and hear again His Call. Isaiah didn’t receive a vision until he first saw GOD and then himself.

There is a lot of talk today about worldview. It has become a buzz word of christianity. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with a worldview. In fact, more of us should work to develop a godly worldview. However, it is impossible to have a godly worldview until we first see GOD, then ourselves. Then and only then will we receive vision. Then and only then will we truly see understand GOD’s mission.

As a man who has been called by GOD to be a minister to His Community, I have to ask myself the questions: am I a distraction to the people I serve? Is my personal credenda blocking their path to GOD’s mission in their lives? Am I demanding subservience to me when I should be teaching true discipleship? Have I become like Uzziah; a GOD-anointed man bound for banishment and leprosy because I think too highly of myself? How many people in my local community aren’t fulfilling the Commission because of me?

This is not a call to rebellion, rather it is a call to true submission. Submission to GOD by all of us; from the oldest patriarch to the newest believer. Let’s let our Uzziahs die so that we can see GOD, see ourselves and hear GOD’s voice. Let this be our credo: the king is dead, long live the King.

The Call

I’ve recently been focusing a lot on the Call that GOD placed in my life. This was not something that I sought out, nor—to be honest—even wanted. Yet, despite my myriad efforts to disqualify myself, GOD still wanted me.

Thing that I’ve had the most trouble accepting this in the fact that this Call came from GOD, not man. I kept looking to man for affirmation for something with which they had no connection. Add to this the fact that I felt completely unworthy of the Call, and you can see my predicament.

How often, do you think, do we advance or quash GOD’s process so that it can fit into our system?

A friend of mine was called to be a preacher several years back, but not one door has ever opened to him. He’s come to me often asking what he needs to do with this call to preach. He tells me that he never feels an overwhelming burden to share something. When he hears sermons or lessons, he never sees himself in that position, thus his extreme discomfort with the calling. I asked him how he knew he was called to preach. He responded that a preacher walked up to him at the end of an altar service and said, “GOD’s calling you to preach, so start acting like a preacher.” 

How does a preacher act? Aren’t we all called to go make disciples? Does acting like a preacher involve over-spiritualizing life, or wearing suites all the time, or using so much hair spray held over from the 70s that your coiffure could be used as a foundation for a small house? How does one act like a preacher.

After much conversation, my friend finally admitted that he had never heard from GOD that he was called to a pulpit ministry. Since he’s stopped trying to fit into a man-created mold his walk with GOD has flourished, and he’s actually reaching people, and he never sets foot in the pulpit. The well-intentioned preacher maker was correct about one thing: GOD was calling my friend, but not to fill a pulpit. GOD was calling him to be a disciple maker.

The Call to be a minister is not a Call to a hierarchy of ϋber-spiritual leaders, rather it is a Call to be a servant to the Community of Christ and to the rest of the world. GOD never called us to a pedestal, He called us to serve. Methinks that far too often we misuse the Text that admonishes to give honor to whom honor is due. This is not a commandment for the congregation to wait on the ministry hand and foot. This is a commandment to acknowledge that anointing flows down. It is perfectly natural for the laity to want to honor the authorities that GOD has delegated above them, but those to whom He has delegated authority must never allow ourselves to be placed above the people who we are to serve.

It is impossible to serve someone while at the same time lording over them.

I thank GOD that He saw fit to Call me to His ministry. I thank GOD that He Called me to be a servant. Lord, help me to be humble as I serve Your Community and the world in which I live. Help me to lead in the same way that You led, from within, not from above.