Month: July 2014

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A Pastor’s View of the State of the Church

This morning, Sharon and I leave for the 75th International General Assembly of the Church of God in Orlando. As I prayed this morning I found most of my prayers dedicated to the state of the Church of God. I admit that what follows are the reflections of a single pastor. But I have more than three decades of service to the church as pastor, missionary evangelist, and service on regional and national denominational boards.

If fear that we are caught in a spiral of missional self-destruction for which we are all responsible.

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Why Stand Firm against Homosexuality, but Surrender to Divorce?

As the Church of God International Assembly convenes in Orlando on July 29, the agenda before the General Council demonstrates a disjointed biblical hermeneutic. It also demonstrates how the culture provokes the church to action, and inaction. I refer to agenda items 30 and 44. Item 30 concerns divorced and remarried applicants for ministry. Item 44 concerns homosexual marriage.

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Visionaries and Dreamers

“It will come about after this that I will pour out My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions” (Joel 2:28).

I must admit frustration. I often hear that my generation needs to move aside and make way for the millennials. I’m told that I’m a dreamer and the millennials are visionaries. I guess that means I’m tired and sleepy? Certainly not!

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More Reflections on “State Overseers Qualifications Report”

Warning – this blog entry concerns an agenda item for the Church of God International General Assembly in Orlando. It most likely will be of little interest to many readers.   (-:

As the presenter of the primary motion, I am disappointed with the report. The agenda recommendations from the committee are not germane to the primary motion. In fact, the report does not address the primary motion, but summarily dismisses it as a “mere prequalifier.” Think of that – ten years of pastoral experience is but a “mere prequalifier.”

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If I’ve got the Spirit, Why Do I Need Training?

This is a common question among Pentecostals. In fact, many Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians will gladly acclaim an inspired and gifted preacher who falls short on knowledge of the Word. This may sound somewhat patronizing, but it may be that Pentecostals would prefer to feel the Word, rather than think about the Word. I’m not opposed to feeling the Word. The preached Word of God should provoke a range of emotional responses from lamentation to rejoicing. But, the authenticity of the emotional responses should correspond to the veracity of the preached word.

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