The World As We Know It

There is a country song by Mark Wills entitled “19-something”, in which he talks about growing up in the 1970’s and 1980’s and all of the nostalgia that defined that era.  I was born in the mid 70’s, so I can’t really identify with a lot of what he’s saying as much as the “40 something” crowd would.  But when he gets to the verse about the 80’s, something in me clicks.  Memories flood through my mind.  He mentions that “a space shuttle fell out of the sky and the whole world cried”, referencing the Space Shuttle Challenger.  This week marked the 25^th anniversary of the Challenger tragedy, and just last night I was telling my son about where I was when it happened, ( this very thing reminding me of times my grandpa would tell me where he was when he heard about Pearl Harbor, Kennedy, etc…).  I had stayed home sick from school that day, and my grandma’s black and white TV was interrupted by breaking news about the shuttle disaster.  These sorts of things mark a young man, not as a detriment, or a building block, but simply marked… a point of reference that I will forever point to.  Mark Wills references Pac-Man, Star Wars, Elvis, baseball cards, bell bottoms, 8 track tapes, skating rinks, black Trans Ams, big hair and parachute pants, to name a few.  All of these things stir memories for anyone who can remember back that far.  Pastor Paul Mooney made a statement once that “the music that you will consider the greatest music is that which was popular when you were about 15 years old.”  I thought about this and was astonished to find how true I find this to be. They say smell triggers memory more than any other sense.  I would argue that music is a close second.  My extent of secular music listening extends only to smooth jazz and Bossa Nova, but I will hear songs occasionally from my teen years and think “they don’t make music like that anymore.”  I really feel this way, but I have to acknowledge that much of it is misplaced nostalgia.  I wouldn’t want to go back, but those years were an incredible time in my life.  It’s easy for me to say the world was a better place then because I had little responsibility or forethought of life, you spend those years living in the moment.  I often wonder if this is the reason why those who are seasoned in years look back fondly at the 40’s and 50’s with yearning to go back.  The golden era, they say looking back at an Ozzie and Harriet, Leave it to Beaver generation. I wonder if they yearn for those days not because Andy Griffeth was sheriff, but because it reminds them of a life much simpler as a kid, as a teenager, as a young adult.  A time of their first car, their first kiss, their first fill in the blank.   I will be the first to admit that there is certainly an enormous appeal to that era.  I myself am almost infatuated with the history of the post war generation.  1945-1965 had to have been a great time to live in.  Or was it?  It certainly was if you were white.  I seriously doubt very many blacks or other minorities look back to the 50’s and think “I wish I could have lived back then.”  The 1940’s were one of the darkest decades in the world’s history.  Yes, I am drawn to the Kennedy era cool, the fashion, the style, the naïve optimism. But I also know that the chaos of the late 60’s, the rebellion, the rape of traditional values, did not occur overnight.  While Ozzie and Harriet were living happily ever after, the seeds of our destruction were being sown.  They came to fruition in the late 60’s, the growth fueled by an unpopular and very political war.  Fortunately for America, the nonsense of this movement was paralyzed by the fact that a lack of drive was the nature of the beast for the average hippie.  Within a few short years the thrust of the movement had died.  It was a failed social experiment, one that future generations should study with trepidation.

 

The fact is that the world as we knew it is much, much different.  I’m not saying it’s all negative.  From a glass half full perspective, I see good in the world that did not exist as a whole a few short years ago.  We live in one of the few nations on this planet that gives absolute opportunity for anyone to be anything they desire to be, provided they are willing to pay the price.  I firmly believe that ANYONE with a desire to be a millionaire could do so.  There are much loftier goals in life to aspire than to make money however, and all of those goals are possible, if you are willing to pay the price.  We are a free people… free to worship as we choose, free to express ourselves, free to live anyway we choose.  With this freedom comes a great deal of inefficiency and laziness, but out of it also arises greatness.

 

Technology has dramatically changed the world as we know it.  We by default think of computers and the internet, but other things have greatly improved because of technology.  The average Ford or Chevy has more luxury that a Lincoln or BMW had just a few years ago.  Technology has shrunk the world, it has leveled the playing field, the earth truly is flat.  Yes, you too can have Grey Poupon.  Mom & Pop retailers can compete head to head with a big box store, and the lone dissenting voice can have the same platform as the masses.  The internet has become the great equalizer.  I highly recommend the Jeff Jarvis book “What Would Google Do.”  It will open your eyes as it has mine to the revolution that is the internet.  In many, many ways this connectivity has created choices, options, and variety.  We have only begun to scratch the surface on what this connected lifestyle will do to and for society.  For the first time in modern history, such economic principles as ‘supply and demand’ are being called into question by a whole new set of marketing rules that for the first time are being made possible because of this linked up world.  Of course these principles will always have their place, but companies are making fortunes not only ignoring them but hedging their bets against these concepts.  It’s a mad mad world, and only those who are on the leading edge of the curve are qualified to profit in it.

 

On the other hand, technology certainly has its limits.  I am a huge critic of Facebook and social networking.  Not so much that I have a problem with it as much as I don’t “get it” on the same scale that the rest of the world does.  I have a theory that Facebook thrives off of two base principles of humanity.  One, that people are narcissistic, that is they LOVE to talk about themselves. And two, that people that voyeurs, they love peeking inside the lives of other people.  It is this 2^nd concept that explains the addiction to it, people are nosey.  They are voyeurs, peering unnoticed into the lives of those closest to them.  I know this because like you I do it also.  I have no desire to have a page of my own, to post my latest farmers market find, but I do enjoy looking through the peephole to see a glimpse of those who I already connect with on a regular basis.  The thought however occurs to me that all I see through that peephole is what that person wants to show… nothing is truly discovered.  Facebook allows people to project an image of themselves that may or may not be true.  I am highly entertained by all of the people who are constantly spouting Scripture or some wise axiom or motivational quote when in reality I have never seen this person be so positive in person.  The social network isn’t evil, it isn’t wrong, it is simply one dimensional.  My greatest issue with all of this is that it is a substitute.  People are substituting screen and keyboard and widgets in place of viable, warm, human relationships.  I decided sometime ago that in the big picture of life I would pursue three things.  First, relationships.  A relationship with Christ first, then with family, then with a lost and dying world.  Second, I would pursue beauty.  Whether it be art or music or nature, I would look for beauty in this dark world.  And third, (the one that has never defined me), I would pursue adventure.  A spontaneous road trip, a road less traveled, a new experience, or a new way of doing things..  None of these things can be accomplished through technology.  Does it have it place? Absolutely. Can it solve our fundamental challenges in life?  Never. The World As We Knew It is dead.  Somewhere in our lifetime we crossed a threshold, a point of no return.  The knowledge of man has changed our society, our world, our lives.  There’s no going back, so embrace the positive, repel the negative, and through God’s grace live a fulfilling life through authentic relationships, beauty, and adventure.

(In a future post I will address technology and its role, potential, and limitations in the church today. )

The Purpose of the Church

I have spent a lot of time in my ministry preaching, teaching, and talking about the purpose of the church. Rick Warren wrote a book in 1995 entitled “The Purpose Driven Church”.  While I don’t agree with much of Warren’s doctrine, he had a lot of great stuff to say in the book.  However it has been Carlton Coon who has influenced my thinking about the purpose of the Church.  Bro. Coon is the Home Missions Director of the United Pentecostal Church.  Much of my perspective on our purpose I attribute to his insight.  You can find much of his material and webcast’s at homemissionsdivision.com. We as Apostolic Pentecostals can become so caught up in the emotional aspect of “having church” that we forget about why we are having church.  I love a powerful church service where there is a demonstration of the Holy Ghost, but “feeling God” is not why we exist.  We have purpose.  We are the body of Jesus Christ.  Our purpose is to be a factory where we produce quality saints.  The ultimate purpose of the Church is to evangelize the lost and then make disciples of those who have been converted.  We are to take people, regardless of their experience and knowledge of God, and develop them into a mature, solid saint.  This is accomplished through preaching, teaching, prayer, fellowship, involvement, training, and ministry. From a ministry standpoint, we should be looking at all the people in our churches, and asking ourselves how we can take them to a higher level.  Everyone on the pew is different, and their needs are different.  This is the reason why we must have a variety of ministries available in our church.   When I look out and see a person who has come to a church service for the first time, I don’t think to myself “they need a class on advanced Biblical Theology.”  Of course not, I think to myself we need to love that person, and teach them the gospel of Jesus Christ, the death, burial, and resurrection.  They need to hear about repentance, baptism in Jesus name, and the Holy Ghost.  I’m simply trying to take them to a higher place than they are currently at.  It’s called discipleship, and it is our purpose as a Church.  On the other hand, there may be a seasoned saint who has been in the Church for 30 years.  I still must ask myself how I can help that person reach a higher, deeper place in God than they’ve ever been.  Most people find a comfortable plateau in their walk with God and build their lives at that level and die at that level.  It doesn’t mean they’re not saved, salvation is by grace, not works.  But it does mean that they’ve missed out on experiences with God.  They’ve missed out on opportunities to be used by God.  It’s our calling to help them continue to grow.  Again, we’re simply trying to take people to a higher level.  It’s still called discipleship.  Our churches are filled with people at every level of progress in their walk with God.  Ministers, our business is not buildings or dollars or positions or status.  Our business is people.  I think it is noteworthy that in the ministry of Jesus Christ, He seemed to have the greatest impact when He was dealing with people one on one.  I believe in preaching to the masses, and will continue to do so.  I am believing God for mass evangelism.  I pray we see the day in North America where thousands receive the Holy Ghost. As I write this over 700 hundred people received the baptism of the Holy Ghost in St. Louis just a few hours ago.  That thrills me, it is part of the endtime revival and I pray it will continue in even greater measure.   But it will always be the case in our individual ministries that we will have some of our greatest successes when we deal with people one on one.  God help us to learn to connect with people, learn how to truly minister to people as Jesus did.  There is nothing more unique than people. Remember that every person that comes to God does so with a lifetime of stories and successes and hurts.  They look like just another person at the altar to us, but they are a unique person, unlike anyone we’ve ever dealt with or prayed with before.  This is why we must be led of the Holy Ghost.  We must be sensitive to HIS Spirit and be able to discern people.  We must operate in the Gifts when we deal with people.  We need discernment, and we need the Word of Wisdom.  But it can be done, and be done successfully.  It’s our business, it’s our calling, it’s our passion.  Make discipleship your priority, and you will build a Church.  It won’t be fancy, it won’t be flashy, it won’t be talked about at conferences, but it will build a Church, person by person. I pray God baptize us all with a fresh anointing of strength and understanding for a final thrust of revival before He comes.

God Bless,

jre