24th August, 2008
Today: A Mark To Remember
Today, was a mark from God that we will never forget. We birthed a new prayer meeting which will take precedence over every traditional setting in the Central Coast Church. Church will not be in any way traditional there at all. We will pray and continue to pray each week on Sunday till the Lord states ‘not to’. No more struggles in continuing in traditional church application and method. From now on it is prayer in power, worshipful prayer and praise!
We are going to go on a Forty Day fast starting in September for the Bay Area to be freed from the evilness that is so present.
This is so exciting!!! Send me all your prayer requests and we will pray for them and more.
Remember, prayer moves the hand of God!
Best
Dennis
Posted at 9:37 pm | Comment (0)
29th April, 2008
What If? Can The?
Right now, as you read this, I am in a “What If” moment. You could also say it is a “Can The” moment. What if there were no denominations? What if the Church of God was not a centralized form of government? What if we could exist without all the “stuff” that denominations persist on pushing on all its members. What if we had leaders that led and were not wealthy land owners? What if we really were building the Kingdom of God instead holding on to land too say we have a church in that town. What if we were able to see that “dead” and “broken” churches may not come back to where they “were”? Can the people survive without an attachment to the denomination? Can the leaders come to the conclusion that we are really frustrated with being addressed as though we do not get it? Can the pastors throughout America continue in ministry outside the Church of God? Can the leaders really turn the “pyramid” paradigm upside down? Can the General Assembly make a difference in the local church anymore?
What if I decided to just turn in my membership and just pastor? Can the people I lead understand my decision?
This is quite a post and I realize it! When I look at what is reaching to me in the need of the poor and the disenfranchised and I see that my hand is empty…I wonder if I should just move on and seek help in another area? I do agree to a degree with Jonathan Stones’ blog The Futurist referring to “the church that just won’t die”. We need to come to the conclusion that change does not mean that we have really changed!
My Heart To Yours
Dennis
Posted at 10:54 pm | Comment (1)
9th March, 2008
Concerned About Church Growth
Lately, I have been deeply pondering the decline of church growth in America. Not only in the denomination or movement, as some would like to characterize it as, that I serve but the Church as a whole. I am still trying to mentally calculate the negative news blogs on USA, CNN, The Onion and others. Just what is happening to the faith in people who have attended churches and decided to stop going is not some surface bruise. There is a real problem with relationships and trust. There are deep wounds in the faith of those deciding to change the way they worship. Not by any means do I think going to another church is wrong! However when the decline grows past the thimble measurement to a vast media conduit that will fed the negative and not give a solution to the problem at hand. This problem or cataclysm is not something we should wait for to be over, such as, the changing housing market or the upswing of a new government embarking on a “savior” roll. The people of and for the Church need to apprehend this and contain the crisis till a solution is at hand. Now how can this be solved? Let’s look at how it cannot be solved first: It cannot be solved by ignoring the decline of church growth. It cannot be solved by the riddle “it is just for season.” Certainly it will never be solved by forming a committee of people who already are part of the predicament. I hope that no one believes that we should wait and “vote” in new leaders at any upcoming Assemblies. Even though I would like to point to other negative solution finders, one that comes to mind is what is going on right now. That is, everywhere I look, there are heads in the sand and what should be behind, is showing itself. This is not a struggle for power nor position this is an ardent and crucial moment in the history of the Church. The approach we have been taking is causing a lack of trust in leadership and in the church as a whole. Here in California, the Church of God is suffering and certainly not growing. The population is growing, the cultural affect on society is changing and the social levels are becoming more distant than ever before. Social hostility is on the increase and unemployment is also escalating. Fear is gripping families everywhere along with doubt that there is a elucidation that can really determine the future of the church. My observations of this only details more to me that we, those of us that our talking, noticing and truly burdened, must pray in the “turn about” of the shocking events that are happening to the Church in America. Live like Christ, with integrity, purity, honesty, and with motives that will bring glory to God. I hope that many read this and desire to talk about this!
My Heart To Yours
Dennis
Posted at 11:07 pm | Comment (0)
12th October, 2007
What I Wrestle Against
Do you ever feel like your struggling? I know I do more than I would like to admit. Sometimes I just want to give up and give in to the struggle. Sometimes I cannot even point to the subject of what I am struggling with or against.
Paul’s writings in Ephesians comes alive in my spirit:
“For we are not wrestling with flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere. ” (Ephesians 6:12, AMP)
These past few days I have been really struggling (wrestling) in my heart and mind. Someone once said..”That means something good is about to happen”. Well, I hope so because it has been a tough couple of days. The answer is knowing how to struggle by putting on the whole armor of God: Ephesians 6:13-18.
I realize that the people I minister to are demon possessed and worship false gods on a daily basis. I serve in a New Age capitol and metaphysical spiritual web of deception by the enemy. But I struggle (wrestle) on and through. So, like Paul, I may be able to speak the truth to the lost: so please pray for me!
“And [pray] also for me, that [freedom of] utterance may be given me, that I may open my mouth to proclaim boldly the mystery of the good news (the Gospel), ” (Ephesians 6:19, AMP)
The Lord has given me a task, vision, desire, passion and mission to bring the Gospel to this dark city. That is why I fight so hard! I must remember that my weapons are spiritual:
“For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of strongholds, ” (2 Corinthians 10:4, AMP)
I am struggling right now even as I type this journal. This is a tough one this time!
I must always remember that: prayer moves the Hand of God.
Peace
Dennis
Posted at 11:39 pm | Comment (1)