Deep Fry

As I prepped for last week’s LEGACYouth message, I couldn't help but tap into some insight, thanks to the Stan Mosier workshops in Monteagle last week. Stan's talk centered on the relationship among conformity, reformation, and transformation - each word containing Hebrew and/or Greek significance with respect to spiritual development. Below are some of the notes taken during the workshops... Conform : to fashion self according to; abide by the same pattern, based from schema (Greek for shape). Conformation may come from information. Romans 12:2 (Amplified Bible) “ Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].” To conform...

A stern yearn for God’s power to be known presses me, as I bid on right words to express my heart… Recently, I read an article that stirred my hatred for narrow-minded deception. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article1072638.ece The author, perhaps blinded by bias and partiality, declared prayer to have a neutral effect on the sick. Though he refrained from a bigoted attack, his approached carried a lifelessness that managed a potent sting. The study at the center of discussion carried a $2.4 million price tag and involved a staged experiment exploring connections between theology and science. Three congregations participated: St. Paul’s Monastery in St. Paul, Silent Unity in Kansas City, and the Community of Teresian Carmelites in Worcester, Massachusetts. Now, trust me, folks. I understand the wisdom in steering clear of selective venting. I dare not challenge the quality of spiritual fervor in these Christian hubs, though I won’t deny my internal...

Five Ways to Grow Faith in 2010-11 1) Expand your world. Expand your territory. Psalms 119:32 - “I run in the path of your commands for you have set my heart free.” (NIV) - “I will pursue your commands, for you expand my understanding.” (NLT) - “I will run the course of your commandments, for you shall enlarge my heart.” (NKJV) Chasing God’s heart and yielding to His authority produces true freedom, which ultimately leads to a divine broadening of our understanding/thinking. By submitting to His boundaries, fixed in love, yet abounding in purpose, our hearts can encounter holy development. A stagnant heart suggests either an embracing of obduracy or a false contentment in merely walking the course. Satan desires us to remain content on merely “wanting to go” – the reciprocal of an Isaiah 6:8 heart. Territory in the Bible often refers to land, nations, physical measures of influence, etc. We see this in numerous occasions, including Job 12:23, Exodus 34:24, and Deute...

Draft for Pentecostal Ecclesiology thesis (Footnotes not included) INTRODUCTION Across denominational lines, the dynamic relationship between discipleship and evangelism has generated much debate. Most Pentecostal groups have recognized the connection, only to partially bridge the gap between the two emphases. Spiritual leadership in the Western Church has understood the Scriptural significance of discipleship and evangelism, but through misinterpretations and skewed application, she has failed to penetrate cultural gates by balancing these mandates. One of the critical problems of the missional church has been the muddling of discipleship and evangelism priorities. On the other hand, we see the tendency for certain Pentecostal circles to place greater incentive on evangelism over discipleship. All churches should deliberately examine the question of how the relationship between discipleship and evangelism is supposed to work, concerning its eschatological purpose and its orderly...

Whether within a church, business, or at the epicenter of one's personal life, understanding the difference between mission and vision is imperative. Today's Gate leader/staff retreat touched a bit on the comparison, thus signaling the research guru to come out of the shell temporarily. Vision , in essence, is not measured by what is achieved as compared to what is eternal. V. Vision "always is." It's the happy place, a source of refuge and firm foundation. The vision should NEVER change. Contrarily, the mission is the means the vision is carried out. A mission should be allowed breathing room to transform according to newness of vision, as it certifies to what is real by God's standards. The mission WILL often change. So attempting to find permanent criteria to a mission statement could open the door to future discouragement. The reality is often times the methods of carrying out vision require tweaking or refining down the road; however, this does not...