30th May, 2008
Being Real In Life
Walking in the newness of the Spirit is certainly the formula for living “real”. The Word declares that if we are going to have a spiritual life we need to walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:25) Just walking in the Spirit is quite different than walking with the Spirit! Both are needed to complete the empowerment for a holy lifestyle. So many people attend groups and churches with the attitude of walking with the Spirit. Walking with the Spirit is necessary and really important in keeping in step with your purpose in life. When one walks “in” the Spirit there is a “bound” relationship that expresses trust and reliance. So to be spiritual there must be a relationship that trusts what the Spirit is declaring into the heart. This area of trust or portion of trust embraces “faith” and holds on the the “hope” that is set before each individual. It is really unique to be in relationship with the Holy Spirit! Jesus placed His whole declaration in John 14-16 on the promise of the coming Holy Spirit. The necessity expressed of the importance of His presence on this earth was never negated by any words or prayers of Jesus of Nazareth. He consistently impressed upon His disciples the “need” and the “source” of communication that the Holy Spirit would represent to them. That is why the importance of walking “in” the Spirit cannot be set aside or placed as frivolous in the hearts of mankind. Even the love that represents who we are and designates in whom we represent is placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. (Romans 5:5) Keep in step with Him but also more importantly walk in Him so your “life” can be the “real” thing!
Best
Dennis
Posted at 11:36 pm | Comment (0)
29th May, 2008
Stepping Into The Change
Well, change happened tonight at the Central Coast Church. Only time will tell if the people are willing to go forward and mature into a “life” giving church that goes beyond the traditions of men. A new beginning has been offered and opportunity has knocked at the door! Will anyone answer who is in there? It is time to come out and tell the community about Jesus and his great love.
Again, it is time to seize the opportunity to become a 21st Century church that reaches into the community and instills life.
Best
Dennis
Posted at 10:53 pm | Comment (0)
28th May, 2008
Changes Are Here: Change Can Be Good
This week has been a great week for change in the ministry. Still waiting for the outcome of all the changes that are going on! The prayers that have been spoken will bring about the change the Lord wants for the Santa Cruz Church and the Central Coast Church. I hope that it is alright to embrace what is happening and trust the outcome before it gets here. Yes, I know that it is alright! That is what “faith” describes in us: The ability to trust before, during and after the spiritual changes happen.
Best
Dennis
Posted at 11:16 pm | Comment (0)
27th May, 2008
Determining The Blog Temperature
What temperature is determined by the blog that is written? There are so many bloggers out there now it has become a blog readers heaven! The difficulty comes when blogs become “cold” topics. Topics that seem to be going nowhere and are not “hot” topics for the present day. Keeping up with the temperature in blogging can be quite the task. It seems to me that different groups set up “discussions” and wait for the response of the readers. So the temperature depends on the readers not the bloggers.
Best
Dennis
Posted at 10:21 pm | Comment (0)
25th May, 2008
Here I Am Again
This time I want to stay on some really important subjects! One of them is when we try to change something we often do not consider the root or roots that feed what needs to be changed. When you are expecting to influence people in your church with a new and innovative idea you come against odds that don’t make any sense! These odds are being fed by the root. To bring change to the landscape of your church you need to explore how to dig up the roots without destroying the good that has been planted. One other factor or option to consider is what is feeding the root. Where is it getting it’s nourishment from? This is the way that is best in de-rooting because if you cut off the nourishment the root will die and so will the sphere of negative influence.
In the Church there are many roots that have entangled themselves around great people who wish to do good but have been literally strangled by the negative root or influence around them. Lately with all the discussion of “change” needed for the Church there has been mention only of surface change. We need to get to the root and see if it can be nourished to become a catalyst for change. If not, then it needs to be de-rooted by lack of nourishment. So change can come about and have a lasting influence in your church
Best
Dennis
Posted at 9:50 pm | Comment (0)
21st May, 2008
Taking A Break
I have been lagging on my blogging this week. Feelin’ a bit laid back so I will continue real soon. Bunch goin’ on and I need the break right now!
Best
Dennis
Posted at 11:10 pm | Comment (0)
15th May, 2008
Casting Pearls
When seeking to help another, one must exercise care to do what would be appreciated and beneficial. Mentoring is just what is being related to here. Casting the pearls or the “holy”things of God, sacred if you must, should not be cast out to those that cannot and will not understand them.
“Do not give that which is holy (the sacred thing) to the dogs, and do not throw your pearls before hogs, lest they trample upon them with their feet and turn and tear you in pieces. ” (Matthew 7:6, AMP)
Mentoring was never intended to just throw out knowledge that has been learned from God into the atmosphere where it can be trampled under foot. The process of mentoring is for the growth of individuals that tend to generation to generation. If someone cannot value what you have to teach, then do not give them the depth nor the riches of mentoring. They will use the teaching to manifest their own selfish interests and in turn could very well mentor someone deceitfully. Of course, we must teach and preach the Word in all areas that are open to us but be careful not to just throw out such depth that the unholy or carnally minded can use the precious promises of the Word to their own advantage.
Mentor those who wish to learn and apply what they have learned into the lives of others. In turn they also will pour into others and so on. The Word of the Lord is what brings change to the lives of the hearers. But if the ears are clogged with jealousies and doubt then what has been sown will fall on stony ground.
Best
Dennis
All Scriptures used in this blog post are from The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
Posted at 10:23 pm | Comment (0)
14th May, 2008
Listening And Learning
The best way to learn is to listen. You can learn also by interaction with adamant objects or with other human beings. Sometimes the other human can act like an adamant object and not even realize it. Come to think about it, they may realize it, and then the definition would be just plain stubborn. In the process of mentoring there is always give and take or if you will, give and receive. Jesus spent His life on this earth giving to men He chose. These disciples, many times did not receive what He was trying to implant in their hearts and minds. They were trying not to listen with spiritual ears and listen only with carnal ears. Ears that desire to be first and sit close! They saw with eyes that lacked the appropriate faith to embrace the supernatural when the miraculous made its case. Similar to the case of the women who had an issue of blood for those many years (Matthew 9:20). When she broke through the crowd, no one noticed but Jesus. When asked who was the one who touched Him, the response was no one touched you! Jesus knew that some one did because of the issue that left His body. The anointing which proceeded into the woman whose issue was blood not anointing. Instead of listening and learning or watching and seeing the disciples were absolutely dumbfounded over this case of healing. Everyone that wants to learn must be able to hear and see just what the Lord is teaching. More to come….
Best
Dennis
Posted at 11:06 pm | Comment (0)
13th May, 2008
Pouring What You Are Into Someone Else
Paul when writing to Timothy wrote a few words that have had an enormous impact on people who desire to learn. Yes, people who learn want to share what they have learned to others that they may learn also.
Paul wrote: “And the [instructions] which you have heard from me along with many witnesses, transmit and entrust [as a deposit] to reliable and faithful men who will be competent and qualified to teach others also. ” (2 Timothy 2:2, AMP)
This is truly a scriptural definition of mentoring. Today in this society we need to pour our lives into competent people. The “key” to this scripture is not so much the one that is teaching but the one receiving the teaching must be competent. Yes, the teacher must have a good character, implacable reputation and a great testimony throughout the community. We should never pour water into a bucket with holes or sand in a bag that has no closed bottom. Mentoring is truly an art form of communication and a tool of education that must never be set aside. More to come….
Best
Dennis
All Scripture in this blog post is from The amplified Bible, containing the amplified Old Testament and the amplified New Testament. 1987. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.
Posted at 9:26 pm | Comment (0)
12th May, 2008
Where Are The Mentors?
Where are all the young ministers that have scope and gumption to work in the harvest fields of the 21st Century? I suppose one could say that they are out to pasture and not very interested in what they see or hear today. Maybe though, there are not any mentors willing to teach them the “steps” of ministry. Could it be that the mentors today have no idea on how to approach this modern society with its complexities and social injustices? Is the Church going through “mentor” withdrawals? Could this be the reason so many blogs are seeking the response to questions that center around what the Church should be and is not today?
It seems to me that when I look across the horizon of Church growth there is not the established line of growth that has been written down in the rolls. There is quite the opposite. A mass shrinkage of “pearls” and “jewels” that could be polished and cut into gems fro the King!
The vertical scope is not changed. It is the Church looking up to Him and Him looking down to us. The Church is worshiping in the manner of “performance” and “pleasure” and the Lord is seeking truth and spirit. Somehow the horizontal has been pitted with competitive approaches and attitudes which has blinded the scope of evangelism in America and her Churches.
That is why we need mentors to return to simply mentoring! Learning and teaching how to reach this complex society. The “human” being today has the basic physiological make up and psychological attributes as always but now with added intricacies. More emotion and certainly wanting more than a shallow answer to life’s myths and uncertainties. For example, they want to know who Jesus is not who started this “Church” building program or denomination. They could care less about that! It getting to know who He is and what He is all about. You know what? That takes mentoring and nurturing to bring someone along that path. There are so many choices in society today that it is like churches can be compared to restaurants! Which style and which decoration could be inviting the next guest?
Good Bible truths and some rockin’ acoustical music with a little added salsa just may be the flavor for you! However, do not forget that mentoring is not about anything else but teaching the truth about who Jesus is and designing an attitude with gratitude that Christ does care. More to come….
Just a thought
Dennis
Posted at 9:22 pm | Comment (0)