All this Emotion

[NotforSale]

I have been pastoring for about 13 years. I was introduced to the Apostolic faith while in the Marine Corps, 30 years ago. The experience was beyond words and my testimony is genuine. I still serve the Lord today and love His Word beyond measure.

I've been married 28 years, raising 3 children in the Church. Through the years I have seen many falicies within religion and the Apostolic movement. I do love our message, but not always our means to deliver it. I don't feel my concepts are the result of that dreaded word, compromise, but an honest evaluation of the Church and God's Word.

Coming from the Catholic faith, spending 18 years in this organization and seeing the indescribable failure within the ministry, I feel it is wise to take a closer look at our own patterns and understand where we are going. We are human and can fail just like anybody else. We cannot rest upon the cynical idea that we can't fall like others. Even amongst our own ranks, we have seen the worst of the worst.

I have pleaded in prayer for understanding regarding our "hype" to get people excited about serving God in fullness. Our services and Conferences can be places where emotional drunkeness satisfies for the moment, but when reality strikes, we are left in the quandry of confusion and little strength. The fruit is a saved soul on Sunday night, but the rest of the week is nothing but a real world with real problems.

Looking at the Scripture, never do we find Jesus teaching to a crowd with all of this hype. Screaming, yelling, rolling on the ground, patting preachers on the back, all of this seems to point a direction not leading to God Himself. Pretty soon people don't come to church for anything but their "fix". I have family members and church members who have been injured at an altar call. Preachers shaking their head while praying for them, then losing their balance and fallling to the ground, hitting their head, is not God.

Sometimes crowds can be so loud, you can't hear what the preacher is saying and people are saying amen to something they can't even comprehend.

My burden is to draw nearer to Him and His ways, not the Apostolic church ways. We need to stop comparing church to a football game and remember, Church is a place that is sacred. Hoping pews and going into a frenzy won't save anybody. I think we need to take a closer look at the Word for direct guidence on proper Church order and conduct.

It's so funny how we criticize others on practice or form in their Faith, but then we do things that totally contradict sound doctrine. We must be cautious about this, because this leads to the worship of man. Coming to church is based on the fact, "Who can move me?". The Big Name Evangelist, or the Biggest Church, or where the Choir sings the best, that's where to go.

I've heard it said, if Jesus walked down the streets of our cities, most Apostolics would miss him. He was born in a manger (rejected) and died by his own (rejected). His life was always in question because he chose the low road.

God doesn't fill Apostolics; He fills those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. He sees the man who smites his breast with honesty about his sinful condition and need for help. Duty is the guide to complete integrity with God, not feeling. We must learn to go, even if we don't want to go.