I would like to report to you my dear friend, that our church has had some of its most red hot services in the last month. God has blessed beyond belief...
That has little if anything to do with this thread, other than you point out some truth... as it relates to this thread, the beard is not an issue in any amount in our local assembly. thank God....
How's your family doing?
Keeping you all in prayer my brother.
In Jesus name.
__________________ "all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed."
~Declaration of Independence
I was having this discussion with my wife last night, (not specifically beards, but more along the lines of church traditions that we hold as biblical absolutes). The problem isn't the beards, the problem is with the mindset that says we can't change!
I was talking about how church folks in general and apostolics especially are against changing anything. Changing the lights, changing the pulpit (gasp), trading pews for chairs (liberals!) is usually met with cries of compromise and rhetoric about holding on to the "old paths".
She immediately accused me of compromise on things like dress standards etc. To that point in the conversation, I hadn't brought up dress standards at all. And that is the problem. Pennycostals hear the word change, and they immediately correlate it with "letting down standards" or compromising the message.
I told her, I'm not advocating changing the message. I'm saying we should look at changing the methods. Paul said, I have become all things to all people in order to try and save some!
I don't know what you guys are seeing, but in my local church we are LOSING this generation. I believe the biggest problem is that in rejecting any change within the conservative apostolic movement, we are not becoming all things to all people. In rejecting social media, we are rejecting the BIGGEST medium teenagers use today. In rejecting any change in service structure, we are telling the next generation they have to worship just like grandpa did. The truth is, this generation doesn't do ANYTHING like grandpa did anymore.
I was having this discussion with my wife last night, (not specifically beards, but more along the lines of church traditions that we hold as biblical absolutes). The problem isn't the beards, the problem is with the mindset that says we can't change!
I was talking about how church folks in general and apostolics especially are against changing anything. Changing the lights, changing the pulpit (gasp), trading pews for chairs (liberals!) is usually met with cries of compromise and rhetoric about holding on to the "old paths".
She immediately accused me of compromise on things like dress standards etc. To that point in the conversation, I hadn't brought up dress standards at all. And that is the problem. Pennycostals hear the word change, and they immediately correlate it with "letting down standards" or compromising the message.
I told her, I'm not advocating changing the message. I'm saying we should look at changing the methods. Paul said, I have become all things to all people in order to try and save some!
I don't know what you guys are seeing, but in my local church we are LOSING this generation. I believe the biggest problem is that in rejecting any change within the conservative apostolic movement, we are not becoming all things to all people. In rejecting social media, we are rejecting the BIGGEST medium teenagers use today. In rejecting any change in service structure, we are telling the next generation they have to worship just like grandpa did. The truth is, this generation doesn't do ANYTHING like grandpa did anymore.
This is an important issue and also a slippery slope, I watched a UC church circle the drain when it let down standards in the hope of trying to save the youth group we were losing. I don't have answers but like your wife, it's one of my biggest concerns.
The other being, how do we make course corrections without becoming worldly and lost in entertainment forgetting the prayer closet.
We need to focus first on saving our families, and then on reaching the lost. If we save 30 people and our kids die lost, what is that worth?
__________________
Are you worried about what 2026 will bring?
I think it will bring flowers. why?
because i'm planting flowers 🌹
This is an important issue and also a slippery slope, I watched a UC church circle the drain when it let down standards in the hope of trying to save the youth group we were losing. I don't have answers but like your wife, it's one of my biggest concerns.
The other being, how do we make course corrections without becoming worldly and lost in entertainment forgetting the prayer closet.
We need to focus first on saving our families, and then on reaching the lost. If we save 30 people and our kids die lost, what is that worth?
I do not want to come across the wrong way with this... first off I do know what you mean by the word "we". If you lead 30 people to salvation that's awesome! But to ask if our kids die lost what is it worth??? Ask those 30 people!!! Our kids have their own salvation to work out! Do you not love thy neighbor as thyself??
I do not want to come across the wrong way with this... first off I do know what you mean by the word "we". If you lead 30 people to salvation that's awesome! But to ask if our kids die lost what is it worth??? Ask those 30 people!!! Our kids have their own salvation to work out! Do you not love thy neighbor as thyself??
I have won many families, many who still are in contact with me and thank me for teaching them home bible studies and such.
But I almost lost my son while I was so busy in church ministry, teaching home bible studies, visitation follow up, bus ministry, teaching Sunday School. Involved with the Youth Group. When he walked away from church I felt like I was going to die. I feel like I was gone more than I should have been reaching others and somehow missed seeing what my own child needed.
Now I feel like the first priority needs to be securing our children, and then reaching the lost.
If you don't agree that is fine.
__________________
Are you worried about what 2026 will bring?
I think it will bring flowers. why?
because i'm planting flowers 🌹
I have won many families, many who still are in contact with me and thank me for teaching them home bible studies and such.
But I almost lost my son while I was so busy in church ministry, teaching home bible studies, visitation follow up, bus ministry, teaching Sunday School. Involved with the Youth Group. When he walked away from church I felt like I was going to die. I feel like I was gone more than I should have been reaching others and somehow missed seeing what my own child needed.
Now I feel like the first priority needs to be securing our children, and then reaching the lost.
If you don't agree that is fine.
The mindset for many is church first, family second. Strong churches don't make for strong families. Strong families make strong churches.
I have won many families, many who still are in contact with me and thank me for teaching them home bible studies and such.
But I almost lost my son while I was so busy in church ministry, teaching home bible studies, visitation follow up, bus ministry, teaching Sunday School. Involved with the Youth Group. When he walked away from church I felt like I was going to die. I feel like I was gone more than I should have been reaching others and somehow missed seeing what my own child needed.
Now I feel like the first priority needs to be securing our children, and then reaching the lost.
If you don't agree that is fine.
I agree with "children'' being a priority. However it is impossible to "secure" them as they become adults.
This is an important issue and also a slippery slope, I watched a UC church circle the drain when it let down standards in the hope of trying to save the youth group we were losing. I don't have answers but like your wife, it's one of my biggest concerns.
The other being, how do we make course corrections without becoming worldly and lost in entertainment forgetting the prayer closet.
We need to focus first on saving our families, and then on reaching the lost. If we save 30 people and our kids die lost, what is that worth?
Again, I'm not advocating changing dress standards. I don't think teens mind holiness standards if we're honest with them about the reason for standards.
It's not about changing standards, it's about the Church staying relevant!
Hybrid Mode
