RKS Upclose

[Cindy]

Originally Posted by tv1a

The upci is a point of common reference between the blog's author and myself. The fact there was huge blow up about tv advertising is one piece of solid evidence that there was a faction in the organization which did not believe the mantra the whole gospel to the whole world.

There's God's way, then there's the upci's way. Those who don't do it the upci way are usually on the receiving of the criticism from the self righteous know it alls. Look how much criticism the Manguns have taken about the revival God has poured out in Alexandria. I can't believe someone would take issue with Micky Mangun singing the National Anthem at an event.

I know a district official who couldn't keep a new convert in his church even if he tried. Yet he is more than willing to criticize the church 20 miles down the road for being charismatic. He should than his lucky stars he got our sickly sheep. About the only thing they are good for is a good offering. They don't do much soul-winning. They are too busy tearing down the preacher to do so.

While there are exceptions to the rule, the upci is still largely made up of all talk and no action type of people who easily criticized the successful. Thank God there is a generation rising to the occassion which understands the mandate GOD has given them. They are not afraid to take the church to the next level. I'm glad I'm in a upci church that moving forward.

You are kind of tearing down the UPCI yourself, and that would include the preachers.

[Scott Hutchinson]

This is a great piece,the author done a great job,I don't think he is taking jabs at the UPCI,since the author is a member of the org,he could write what he wrote and be justified in doing so since he belongs to the org.

[Pressing-On]

Excellent!!!

[CC1]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Sunday, February 10, 2008
Posted by Pastor R Kent Smith at 5:22 PM

Yesterday I Wept

The Saturdays of my first ten years in Conroe were spent in the harvest…

God blessed and I have not done much of that the last seven…

Pastoral duty called and I did not have time for such things…

Oh, we would have campaigns and blitz and I would lead the charge…

I have bought thousands of info tapes and given them away...

I have printed hundreds of thousands of pieces of literature...

Websites, yellow page ads, news paper ads, etc

Bicycles, mp3 players, backpacks, candy and who knows what else have been given away by this ministry...

In a container on our parking lot is nearly 10,000 bottles of water we are giving away....

I am certain without research, but I have signed checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars we have sent out for the souls....

But yesterday I wept…

For Tracie and I spent the afternoon in the harvest…

And I felt for the first time in years the actual weight of burden for people I did not know…

Oh, preacher man I know we all have burdens for our cities, communities and churches…

But I felt the emotion of the impossibility of the depravity of those addicted and helpless….

I felt the helplessness of the children of those same addicts…

My years in jail ministry taught me to be hard and the ones there had done the crime so they had to serve the time…

But little children locked behind flimsy doors protected by fearful parents or guardians who are afraid for the kids to sit on the front porch…

And then there were the street smart ones…

The urchins for lack of a better word…

I wept over a group of twelve and thirteen year old little girls who are already living the promiscuous life their mommas taught them…

I wept as I watched the police cruiser stop and the officers begin beating on a door…

I wept over Tracie’s little friend Destiny who was so sad this week…

We took her to lunch and she was so sad and refused to talk….

Yeah…

Kent and Tracie took the little urchin named Destiny to lunch…

The successful pastor and his trophy wife were sitting at a picnic table with a little girl who had not eaten in a day or so…

Or had a bath…

And I wept…

My heart literally rose in my throat as I considered the hopeless future these young ones have …

Without a savior…

I wept…

Is my current emotion somewhat similar to what Jesus felt that day he looked over Jerusalem?

My emotion was for a neighborhood….

His, a world…

Yesterday I wept…

Oh, I always cry at the Home Missions service at General Conference…

I am ashamed that it has been years since I wept for souls…

This morning, is was Prime Time Pastor Hour…

Music was good…

Church nicely full…

Several visiting families…

All teams hitting on all cylinders….

Pastor was feeling and looking good…

But then…

Tracie comes through the front door with a little string of urchins who only have one hope…

And I wept….

Preachers….

We have our fine suits…

Fine houses…

Fine automobiles…

Fine churches…

Magazine offices…

Designer services…

Hobbies, friends and portfolios

All so nice…

We have all wept for the success of our ministries…

We have wept for the success of our careers…

How long since we truly wept over those that we really are their only hope…

Yesterday I wept…

Today it continues…

I hope it never stops…

Powerful reminder of the havest field and the times we live in. I just flew in from Los Angeles tonight and while there was once again reminded of just how many people are alien to a relationship with God or even any real knowledge of Him.

[rkentsmith]

Thanks folks

[COOPER]

Is Conroe,Tx. a mean city like New York?

[rkentsmith]

Originally Posted by COOPER

Is Conroe,Tx. a mean city like New York?

Conroe cannot begin to equal NYC.....

However we do have an area that is quite ethnic and a drug culture and gangs took over....

Our mayor created a coalition of pastors and civic leaders to deal with the gangs and that has gone pretty good....

However the drug traffic has slowed little and it is quite violent.....

A white face after dark is rare.....

But God has given us grace and we go in HIS name

[Neck]

Originally Posted by rkentsmith

Check out my latest blog.... www.rkentsmith.blogspot.com

Emotion?

[tv1a]

Most upci preachers won't back up the rhetoric of reaching the lost. They automatically slam doors shut which God attempts to open. They go as far as to try to limit others attempt to use different methodolgies.

Originally Posted by cneasttx

You are kind of tearing down the UPCI yourself, and that would include the preachers.

[rkentsmith]

Originally Posted by Neckstadt

Emotion?

Yup...

Even used the word....

You know something my brother....

I do not think I have ever seen a single post from you that was not hypercritical or negative or bitter or something.....

Blessings