In the process of thanking God for all he has done for us this year, my mind has turned to 2013 and a theme for the year. I've presented several of my ideas to the Lord for our banner hanging on the front of the building, but nothing seemed to muster a response from him. Currently I'm thinking of the old song for a theme: "Burdens Are Lifted At Calvary." I've also recommended "The Healing Place," "Healing the Wounded Heart," "The Year of Revival," and even "A Season of Prayer." Nothing seems to grab God's attention, so I know I've not landed on it yet.
However, seeking God for next year has given me several other directions. I am talking with our Children's Ministries Director about taking our ministry into the Elementary School in September of 2013 with either adopting a class of providing needed supplies. We are hoping it will open at door for us to build our Sunday Morning Children's Church and start a new Calvary Kids Club on Wednesday nights. We are just now tossing around ideas, so pray the Lord gives us direction.
Of course, the new Prayer Tower will become a central ministry of Calvary in 2013. We will dedicate it with daily offerings of prayer during the National Week of Prayer, January 6th through the 12th at 6:00 P. M. nightly. We will announce a new prayer hotline and begin setting up a prayer ministry to pray daily over the needs of our community, and for revival to come to Calvary.
There is a real expectancy in the air for revival in 2013. I am convinced it is not just a natural wishing it would happen, but a God directed course of prayer and fasting that will usher in what God has planned for us. This attitude has already begun in our personal prayer lives and is spilling out into our public prayers in church and in the tower. All historically powerful revivals have been birthed in prayer, not by man's desire, but by God's leading. God is leading us down this same path and you can see the road signs all along the way.
I am impressed in my spirit that this revival has a specific focus — our sons and our daughters. When I say this I mean those that were raised in the church here at Calvary, but who are no longer serving the Lord or attending church at all. I know that others will be touched, and many more saved, but this revival will be one of restoration of our families to serve the Lord.
There have been long standing conflicts and undercurrents at Calvary that have finally been dealt with. However, many of our children were raised under these influences and it has affected their spiritual lives and hindered them from seeing the love of God manifested through his people. Now, however, we are dealing with this woundedness. No longer will Calvary hurt, but it will heal. No longer will it shame, but it will save. No longer will it compromise, but it will correct. We will fulfill our purpose as a church in this community and reach the next generation for the Lord.
The process of refining and restoring has been difficult. Even additional people were hurt along the way. I pray the Lord will soften their hearts with understanding and forgiveness. We will work even harder to create ministries at Calvary known for their uncompromising compassion and dedication to healing the hurting. We will also work harder to define our mission as a church.
The Assemblies of God, as a whole, has much of this work done for us. As an Assemblies of God church, we will move more to the center of these organizational mandates as restructuring continues. One mistake many churches make is to not stay within the distinctive doctrines that caused their growth in the first place. We are a Pentecostal church. Even within our walls we have people who want the baptism in the Holy Spirit and are unable to receive it. Our District Superintendent, Don Gifford, will be coming this year to address this problem and lead us deeper into the work of the Holy Spirit.
Another thought for the banner that strikes me, even as I write this blog, is "Building Through the Power of the Spirit." God is taking us from a season of dismantling everything to a time of putting it back together in the right order.
Decently and in Order
One of the greatest reasons we had to take everything apart is for inspection. Let's say that Calvary is the engine of a airplane — like a passenger jet. After so many hours of use, the maintenance men take it out of the aircraft and completely dismantle it. They inspect every piece. They test every piece. They replace any piece that seems questionable. Why? Because that airplane is carrying people to a destination. They want to make sure that everyone arrives safely.
As a church, we must know that there are no cracks in the foundation that will give out when we build a new church on top of it. Great pressure is on the churches of America today. If we are going to be among the growing churches of this decade, we must make sure everything is operating properly. Most churches do not decline because of the lack of prayer or the absence of biblical preaching. They fall because of improper order that does not honor God and his work among them.
The leadership of Calvary is dedicated more that ever to provide quality oversight among our members. We need to train, test, and place proven leaders in ministry here. I believe God has them in our midst. We should not have to reach out to other places to find the leadership we need. God has put Calvary together as a complete body. Part of the theme of this year will be discovery. Our new people need to discover their gifts and use them to minister life to the body.
“10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others,
faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
11 If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God.
If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides,
so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ.
To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.”
1 Peter 4:10, 11
We should greatly heed the admonition of the scriptures to keep our house in order. We should seek of do everything decently. As Romans 12:17 tells us, “Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of all men.” This includes how we act in the church and how we live in our community.
“Let all things be done decently and in order.”
1 Corinthians 14:40
May God cause the people of Calvary to be known as decent people. May we live orderly lives and do what is right all the time. May our reputation precede us as people who live in the fear of God and honor those around them. Which brings up another theme, "Honoring God and Man." Let us be decent people, living orderly lives, which fulfills that end.