October 08, 2006
|
subscribe, view past issues and Get the Book
Pass the Open View Test Howard - This past week I had the opportunity to interview another great example of a King moving in the Kingdom. The formal version will be up next week and I'll link to it and tell you more about Howard's exploits. He is an engineer that has been using his vacation and personal finances to do crusade meetings for people that have never heard the gospel in Costa Rica, South America, and India. Natural evangelist! Here's a phrase I wrote from our phone conversation.
Waiting for permission from the Church - We could write that paragraph and hit 95% of all the Kings I've ever met. Sadly, many more are still sitting in the pews waiting for others to recognize their gifting and help them get started in ministry. It's not the pastor's fault - After a few decades (Howard is 53) many get a little "tude" and start to think it will never happen... and, if you keep waiting it never will! See, it's not really the pastor's responsibility to tell you what and when regarding your ministry. If you can't figure that out on your own, between you and God, then you're really not ready. I do wish we could stop the "bait and switch" phenomenon that currently goes on. We do preach that ministries should be matured and sent - it's just that they seldom are. I think most pastors are wearied by all the initiatives eager beavers throw their way for decisions or funding. God's asking you to get the direction, make the decision, and bring the resources down out of heaven. Pass the test - The open view of God is simply this; God has left part of the future open for you to play a role in determining. Neither God nor your pastor are going to spell out every detail for you. It's decision time and you get to decide when you're ready to come off the bench (pew) and get in the game. Odds are good that your "game" is not even inside your local church. It's probably in the market place. Odds are even better that no one else is going to fund your ministry - especially not the local church where financing the building, staff, and missions commitments have already consumed 110% of the offerings. Where does that leave you? - Out in the cold? Actually, it leaves right in the will of God. When you're willing to take the initiative you find an entrepreneurial anointing to multiply the resources and a door of ministry wide open in the marketplace. Kings are called to full-time ministry; anointed to multiply finances and convert money into ministry. Life after testing - Men and women find their ministry expression in their marketplace vocation and take the presence and the power of God with them. Their deepest heart's desires find expression in their entrepreneurial pursuit. They come alive. In fact, "life" starts when we start doing the things God created us to do. Get it?... Entrepreneurial expression leads to prosperity, which leads to life. Our cup overflows and ministry is the result (helping others through the same process). That 40 hour ministry is the one that will expand the Kingdom and reach the world. Can you see that it's spiritual to be entrepreneurial? He's the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (all businessmen). The Church is there to equip us until we "pass the test." Ministry is in the Kingdom. When we're saved we're translated into the Kingdom of God. We're equipped for ministry in the church, and then we "work" or minister in the Kingdom.
Take the test! It's open book and open view.
Life is an adventure. People are a blessing. God is amazing. We're winning.
Love, John & Harold (are dancing - Join us)
Yakima Conference We're in Yakima, WA November 10-11 for a Releasing Kings Conference. Friday night is a dinner with the local Full Gospel Businessmen and Saturday morning the meeting is 9AM-1PM at Shiloh Christian Center (112 N Pierce Ave).
____________________________________________________________________ You can get your copy of Releasing Kings for Ministry in the Marketplace at 1-800-308-5837 (or) |