what do you do when God says ‘no’?

Difficult time this week for several in our church family, as a long vigil of intercessory prayer on behalf of someone we love ended in death….. despite so many seeming answers to prayer along the way…..despite so many intercessors believing together…..despite prophetic words…..despite apparent breakthroughs at different points over the five-month struggle.

Last Sunday I talked a bit about the Shunnamite woman and how we sometimes want something so bad that we’re afraid to believe for it, because the disappointment of not receiving would be too difficult to handle. But this was different…we were believing….we were praying… we were expecting.

This much I know: we don’t know. As believers, we will not always have the answer to every situation that life throws at us. But we can trust.

My wife has pointed out to me that that’s really what faith is all about – not just believing God for what we want to receive, but trusting Him even when we don’t receive.

It probably doesn’t make it any easier for us, but it’s the genuine comfort that I know we can stand upon. His grace really is sufficient, and it really is made perfect in our weakness. So keep trusting Him, regardless…..

relevance v. boredom

Twice this week I came face to face with the importance for pastors and churches to be relevant – obviously, not at the expense of the message (which never changes), but in our methods (which must be updated lest we become obsolete).

Both of my ‘encounters’ were in religious settings – and what’s truly sad is that both presentations were, no doubt, quite effective in their day. But that day has long since passed us by, and try as I might, even as a ‘man of the cloth’, I found myself fighting sleep and stifling yawns.

I sometimes think the cardinal sin of churches and preachers is to take the most incredible message of GOOD NEWS ever given to the world and present it in such an outdated, culturally ilrelevant way that our hearers tune us out. What do you think?

As for me and CLC, I never wanna be guilty….

Sunday afternoon reflections…

Wow. WOW! What a 17th anniversary party we had! Last night’s concert/CD release with Crystal Petrovic was just a terrific evening of great music, and then today…..what can I say? I preached myself hoarse in the first service, but ya’ll pulled it out of me again at 11:15 anyway.

The anointing that I sensed in the House, and especially on the word that awakened me at 4am this morning, “I see wagons coming” – well, you just had to be here. And that choir! Israel Houghton may have just written “The Blessing of Abraham” and recorded it recently, but nobody does it better than you guys!

It’s been a long time since I had this much fun in church. Don’t you dare miss this next couple of weekends – we’re ‘getting the how out’ of CLC and declaring that ‘what God said, He will do!’

Stake your claim this week!

Love-Hate relationships

Well, I’m finally home – just 39 hours after my journey began in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, I walked into my own house again. As I reflected on the last 12 days, I realized what love-hate relationships are:

* I hate the whole process involved in boarding a plane – the extra security checks since 9/11, the standing in lines, the confusion of not knowing where to go in strange airports, the waiting around the gate, the often-rude airline agents, but… I love meeting new people at my destination and seeing the incredible diversity of The Church of Jesus Christ and feeling a part of that universal Body of Christ!

* I hate how I feel with jetlag, not enough rest from the long flights in cramped seats, and the whole travel experience to get to an overseas conference, but…..I love being overseas and connecting with national pastors and leaders, most of whom have had little in the way of formal Bible training and who are so hungry for teaching they literally pull it out of me!

* I hate being a ‘spoiled American’, but that’s the best way to describe my adjustment to the myriad of inconveniences, like not having a shower head in the hotel bathroom and being forced to bathe with one of those little handheld deals (told you I’m spoiled) but….I love meeting and interacting with the national pastors and leaders and sharing meals and good conversation with them, learning from them and getting stretched beyond my little world!

* I hate saying ‘goodbye’ to newly-aquired international friends and packing overstuffed suitcases with the extra gifts and stuff that always seem to accompany any trip…but I love knowing that I’m going to be back home with Chris and my family and friends (I’m always ready to leave about a day or two before the trip actually ends)!

* I hate airline delays, missed flights, airport workers who think their uniform gives them a right to make life miserable for everyone else, and sometimes seemingly “I don’t give a rip, I’m just collecting a paycheck” airline employees, but…I love getting into my seat for that final flight and knowing the next time I disembark, I’ll be seeing Chris!

* I hate waiting at baggage claim (it’s always the worst part of the trip for me), but….I love coming home to Jasper and Pedro’s ecstatic greeting at my back door!

Well, that’s my list….how ’bout you? Any love-hate relationships in your life? Oh, one more….I’d hate for you to miss this weekend and our 17th anniversary celebration, but….I’d love to see you at CLC personally, ’cause it’s gonna be a weekend to remember, as we “Claim our Stake and Stake our Claim on our incredible inheritance!

Headed HOME…..changed!

In about an hour, I begin the trip to Jo’burg to catch my flight HOME, and I’m ready! I left Chicago 11 days ago hoping to have an impact on the pastors and leaders in the two conferences sponsored by Reconciliation! Ministries, but as I head back today I realized that I am the one who’s been changed by my experience in South Africa.

Truly I was impacted by the pastors and leaders that I met in both Witbank and Pietermaritzburg, and I will not soon forget their passion and hunger for the things of God. It was a real joy to share with them from the Word and from my pastoral experience. But what has changed with me is the result of new relationships with the fellow team members of Reconciliation! and our leader, Bishop Joseph Garlington.

From the time my wife and I chose to leave our former denomination over 13 years ago, we have longed for genuine relationships with other pastors – because we were in affect walking away from over 20 years of relationships with people we had loved and served with – to enter a new world of ‘nondenominationalism’. I certainly don’t have any regrets about that decision at all, but I can’t tell you how good it feels to finally be connected with a network of like-minded pastors. More than that, I began to build some genuine friendships with pastors from Kalamazoo, Detroit, Cincinnati, Shreveport, Knoxville, Atlanta and New Jersey.

Most importantly, after hearing Bishop Garlington’s message about ministry sons, I’m coming home with a new father – my love for Bishop and his wife has grown even greater than before. My goal is to raise up genuine sons at CLC so that together we can do what God has called us to do in the greater Chicagoland region, and in the nations!

Can’t wait to see you all this weekend – it’s gonna be GOOD!

ANTICIPATION…..

Ever been to Disneyworld and heard the little song, “Imagination”? (I’m sure there must be other words in the lyrics as well, but all I ever remember is that one word over and over again.). That’s the tune stuck in my head this morning, except the word is ‘Anticipation’!

Now part of that is no doubt because I’m anticipating my return from South Africa tomorrow. Those who know me well know that I don’t do long trips well, and after 10 days away from Chris….well, let’s just say I’m already anticipating being back home in her arms! These back-to-back pastor’s conferences in Witbank and Pietermaritzburg have truly been blessed, but I’m ready to be home!

But I’m also anticipating our 17th Anniversary weekend at CLC this Saturday with a great CD debut concert with our own Crystal Petrovic, followed by two great celebrations on Sunday at 9 and 11:15 a.m.! I’m truly anticipating that God is going to meet with us in a significant way, and I hope you’ll come expecting with me….can’t wait to see you all again!

Do you love YOUR pastor?

That’s not an insecure preacher fishin’ for a compliment. It’s just my honest musing after tonight’s service at the Reconciliation Ministries Conference in South Africa. See, in January I asked Bishop Joseph Garlington to be MY pastor (even pastors need to be pastored), and as he ministered tonight I was moved to tears of gratitude that he is MY pastor! As I reflected afterwards, I knew I needed to express that to him, and I did.

That’s what made me wonder – do other folks feel that way? I hope so…..’Cause it sure is a good feeling!

enjoy your work?

If you're a carpenter, do you look at your work at the end of the day with a smile at what you've made? If you're an office worker, do you have a feeling of satisfaction when you see the pile on your desk grow smaller and smaller?

Boy, I realized this morning after teaching about 40 hungry pastors and leaders at this conference in South Africa about "Kingdom Finances" just how much I receive while teaching God's Word. They were so eager for the information they just pulled it out of me, and I felt so good when it was over – fulfilled!

But there's no place like home and no people like CLC – can't wait to share the Word with you this Sunday! Don't you dare miss our 17th anniversary!!!

receiving the Holy Spirit in South Africa…

Last night was one of the most incredible experiences I’ve ever had! At the opening service of the second Pastor’s conference we’re doing – this one in Pietermartitzburg (about an hour from Durban) Bishop Joseph Garlington preached about the gift of tongues and the Holy Spirit baptism. He gave the simplest explanation that I’ve ever heard, with clear, logical, specific instructions for anyone who wanted to receive, and about 50 people came forward. What happened next is what was so incredible….as I watched and prayed with them, each person received and began speaking in tongues as easily and gently as I have ever seen – almost all of them were actually speaking before I could even lay hands on them. Absolutely awesome!!!

I’ve been in meetings overseas where more people received (sometimes hundreds or even over a thousand in one service), but I’ve never seen it so easy and I’ve never seen everyone filled – but it happened in Pietermartitzburg last night at City Harvest Church!

prophetic words in South Africa!

On the closing service in Witbank, Bishop Joseph Garlington called my daughter Jen (who actually picked me up at Jo'burg and spent the first week here with me) to the front and proceeded to minister to her. In a matter of minutes, she received prophetic ministry from four other seasoned prophetic ministers from the Reconciliation! Ministries network, and each one was incredibly timely and specific! I was moved to tears by the words she received for her future, and amazed at our God again – at the very season we're emphasizing prophetic words at CLC, He demonstrates to me here in South Africa that He knows our name and the plans He has for us. Can't wait to get home this weekend and share in our 17th Anniversary Celebration – I'm telling you now – you don't want to miss the opportunity to "Claim Your Stake and Stake Your Claim!"

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