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EDITORIAL BY P. DANIEL BUFORD
Transitions he little boy peered intently at the dust on the hardwood floor under his bed and then asked his mother: “Is it true we were made from dust and when we die we go back to dust?” “Yes,” replied his mother. “Why do you ask?” “Because someone under my bed is either coming or going.” Yes, I know; it is an old, well-worn story, but humor me a bit. We are always either coming or going. We are always experiencing transition. Change is a constant in everyone’s life. While Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8), human beings are always in a state of flux. Much of life’s frustration finds its source in these times of transition. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, transition is a “passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another.” The passages from one stage to another are not always positive or forward. Sometimes we experience a downturn, a down-sizing, a reversal of fortunes, or a turn for the worse. Even in these transitions, “we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” Romans 8:28). Sometimes in the midst of our troubles and in our limited understanding we may lament with Job, “O that God would just hide me in the grave and keep me secret until His wrath be passed. If only He would appoint for me a set time and remember me.” (See Job 14:13.) Job questioned God, asking, “If a man die, shall he live again?” Then he continued with a hope-filled observation and determination: “All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” (Job 14:14). Paul wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). That “going up yonder” transition of the child of God is a gain; it is an upward change. In I Corinthians 15, Paul wrote of the
resurrection of the dead, using several comparisons: It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. What a change; what a transition! As believers in Jesus Christ and His resurrection, we are waiting, eager for our change to come. And the mystery of it is that we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In just the twinkling of an eye, when the final trumpet sounds, the dead in Christ shall be raised incorruptible, and the living believers shall be changed. Our corruptible will have to put on incorruption, and our mortal will have to put on immortality. When this glorious change takes place, the written saying will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” We will then ask the important question: “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?” We will realize the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but we will exultantly declare, “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” With this hope and promise in mind, we can follow Paul’s admonition to remain steadfast, unmoveable, and always to be abounding in the work of the Lord because we know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary also defines transition as “a musical modulation.” Gospel choirs modulate, raising the pitch or key of the song during the course of the presentation. Not only does modulation add variety, but it can actually add a sense of anticipation and excitement. With each key change the choir members’ voices are raised in pitch and volume and the congregation can feel the heightened anticipation as the choir director leads toward the climax
of the song. Our final “key change” will lead us to Him for whom we’ve waited in eager anticipation. James Weldon Johnson (1871-1928) described the change in “Go Down, Death,” a funeral sermon written in the presentation style of the honored black minister of his era. A portion of it follows: And God said: Go down, Death, go down, Go down to Savannah, Georgia, Down in Yamacraw, And find Sister Caroline. She’s borne the burden and heat of the day, She’s labored long in my vineyard, And she’s tired— She’s weary— Go down, Death, and bring her to me. Weep not—weep not, She is not dead; She’s resting in the bosom of Jesus. Paul wanted us to know about the change that will occur to those who “sleep in Jesus,” not wanting us to be ignorant concerning them. We who are alive need not sorrow about those who sleep in Jesus, for God will bring them with Him. We rejoice in Paul’s triumphant declaration of our glorious transition: For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord (I Thessalonians 4:16-18). Whether we are coming or going we can be comforted with these wonderful words—we shall be changed to be forever with the Lord. P. Daniel Buford is the editor of the Pentecostal Herald.
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Fundamental Doctrine The basic and fundamental doctrine of this organization shall be the Bible standard of full salvation, which is repentance, baptism in water by immersion in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and the baptism of the Holy Ghost with the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. We shall endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit until we all come into the unity of the faith, at the same time admonishing all brethren that they shall not contend for their different views to the disunity of the body.
The One True God
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PRODUCTION MANAGER Larry Craig PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Jina Crain CREATIVE DIRECTOR Abraham LaVoi DESIGN SUPERVISOR Tim Cummings GRAPHIC DESIGN Tim Burk, Dennis Fiorini EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kelly Middleton COPY EDITOR Patricia Bollmann
The Pentecostal Herald (USPS-427-240) is published monthly by the United Pentecostal Church International, 8855 Dunn Road., Hazelwood, MO 63042-2299. It is the official publication of the United Pentecostal Church International. Periodicals postage paid at Hazelwood, Missouri, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pentecostal Herald, 8855 Dunn Road, Hazelwood, MO 63042-2299. ©2015 UNITED PENTECOSTAL CHURCH INTERNATIONAL.
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PENTECOSTAL HERALD EDITOR P. Daniel Buford EDITOR IN CHIEF Robin Johnston ASSOCIATE EDITOR P. Daniel Buford ASSOCIATE EDITOR Lee Ann Alexander
VOL. 91, NO. 2.
We believe in the one ever-living, eternal God: infinite in power, holy in nature, attributes, and purpose; and possessing absolute, indivisible deity. This one true God has revealed Himself as Father; through His Son, in redemption; and as the Holy Spirit, by emanation (I Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; II Corinthians 5:19; Joel 2:28).
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GENERAL OFFICIALS
GENERAL EXECUTIVE PRESBYTERS
GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT David K. Bernard* ASSISTANT GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT Stan O. Gleason* ASSISTANT GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT Paul D. Mooney* GENERAL SECRETARY-TREASURER Jerry Jones* DIRECTOR OF GLOBAL MISSIONS Bruce A. Howell* DIRECTOR OF NORTH AMERICAN MISSIONS Carlton L. Coon Sr.* EDITOR IN CHIEF Robin Johnston GENERAL SUNDAY SCHOOL DIRECTOR Steve L. Cannon GENERAL YOUTH DIRECTOR Michael Ensey SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION Dan Batchelor
Gary Gleason* Aaron Soto* Kevin Borders* Kevin Cox* Keith Sjostrand* Philip Harrelson* Ronnie Mullings* Darrell Johns* Raymond Woodward*
GENERAL PRESBYTERS
J.R. Blackshear, Ernest Breithaupt, W.L. Clayton, B.S. Cole, Daniel Garlitz, Arless Glass, John Grant, Tommy Hudson, David Johnson, James Kelley, Carrol D. Kennedy, Carl Lagow, Roger Lewis, R.J. McIntyre, John D. Mean, James Merrick, Ronnie Mullings, Paul Price, Paul Reynolds, David Robinson, J.M. Russell, Harry Scism, Scotty Teets, T.F. Tenney, B.J. Thomas, Wayne Trout, G.L. Vittitow, Ted Wagner, David O. Walters, R.D. Whalen * Member of the Executive Board
Dennis L. Anderson, Elvin Anthony, G. Terry Brewer, Ronald L. Brown, Steven Carnahan, Steve D. Carrington, Brent Coltharp, Mike Conn, Carlton L. Coon Sr., Kevin Cox, Jack Cunningham, Steven D. D’Amico, J. Stanley Davidson, Devon Dawson, Dean M. Dickinson, Andrew Dillon, Daniel Fleming, Jesus B. Fortaleza, Edward Goddard, Scott Graham, Percel T. Graves, Ken Gurley, John W. Hanson, Arthur E. Hodges III, Gary Hogan, Jerry T. Holt, David Hudson, Wayne Huntley, Darrell Johns, J. Mark Jordan, Ron Lichtle, Arnold MacLauchlan, Daniel McAllister, Richard McGriffin, Scott D. Marshall, Matthew Martin, Mark Morgan, Arthur Naylor, Trevor Neil, Gordon Parrish, Kevin Prince, David D. Puckett, John E. Putnam, Stephen P. Spite, Jay Stirneman, Rick Stoops, Robert Stroup, David Tipton Jr., Jerry Tipton, David Trammell, Marney Turpin, C. Patton Williams, Raymond Woodson Sr., Chester Wright
HONORARY PRESBYTERS
Scan the QR code on your mobile device to visit pentecostalherald.com.
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[ LIFE TRANSITIONS ] 8 From “Boo” to “I Do”
Columns
3 | Editorial
P. Daniel Buford
7 | The General Superintendent Speaks
David K. Bernard
23 | Multicultural Ministries Anita Sargeant
26 | Schedule of 2015 District Conferences & Camp Meetings 27 | Faith & Culture Eugene Wilson
31 | Feedback Steve L Cannon
50 | Last Word
Robin Johnston
Pentecostal
10 Global Transitioning
Life
31 | A Human’s Description of God
Judy Bentley
14 Travel Advisory for
Older Models
16
LaJoyce Martin
16 Adjusting to Divorce
Jill Fierge
20 “Will You Go Away, Too?”
Ashley Griffith
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24 Re-feathering the Nest
James and Jean Boatman
28 Seasons of Life
Harold Jaco Jr.
32 Wisdom in Times of Transition
35 | Sunday School
Sarah Hudspeth
Janae Nash
46 I Want my Wife Back
Nancy Norris
48 Hospice—Crossing the Bar:
Lessons I’ve Learned as a Hospice Chaplain
Melvin Reddy
Caylie Williams
36 | Men on a Mission
Kent W. Elliott
41 | Changing Seasons
28
Deonna Wadsworth
42 | Police Brutality Donald L. Rogers
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THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT SPEAKS BY DAVID K. BERNARD
Send he purpose of the United Pentecostal Church International is to carry “the whole gospel to the whole world by the whole church.” To emphasize this mission, for 2014 the UPCI chose the theme “Advancing His Kingdom.” We thereby reminded ourselves that our mission is not to promote our own agenda or increase our own kingdom but to advance God’s kingdom. Jesus set the example in His earthly ministry. “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people” (Matthew 9:35). He advanced God’s kingdom by teaching the people, preaching the good news, and ministering to human needs. He proclaimed God’s kingdom both in word and in power. As Jesus traveled and ministered to the people, their spiritual needs affected Him deeply. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Consequently, He gave to His disciples His only prayer request: “Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). In other words, if God’s kingdom is to advance then workers must go forth. If the church is to gather a harvest of souls, then it must send laborers into the field. By presenting this thought as a prayer request, Jesus revealed that God is ultimately the one who sends but also that we must be involved in the process. He knew if we would pray for God to send laborers then we would develop a burden to see the request fulfilled.
Soon, this burden would prompt us to take an active role—by seeking, training, releasing, and supporting laborers and also by becoming laborers ourselves. As the church, we will work with God to send out laborers. In reality, every one of us will become a worker in the harvest. Paul likewise explained the importance of sending gospel workers. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent?” (Romans 10:13-15). When Jesus and His disciples were
From these words we learn at least five important lessons. (1) We find true meaning and satisfaction in life when we fulfill God’s purpose to share the good news with others. (2) The time to work for the harvest is now. (3) There is work for everyone. While we have different gifts, callings, and functions, God needs every available worker for the harvest. (4) To accomplish God’s purpose we must work together. (5) When we do, we will be rewarded and we will rejoice together. In short, to advance God’s kingdom we must partner with God to send workers into the harvest. For this reason, in 2015 the theme of the United Pentecostal Church International is “Send!” This one-word theme serves a dual role. In fulfillment of Christ’s instructions, it is an appeal to God: “Lord, please send workers into the harvest so that Your purpose for humanity may prevail and many souls may come into Your kingdom.” At the same time it is a command to the church to empower, release, and sponsor qualified workers. When Isaiah personally encountered God, saw His glory, and heard His purpose to send a witness to the people, the prophet found his own purpose and accepted God’s call. (See Isaiah 6:8.) May we respond as he did: “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”
“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest” (Matthew 9:37-38). traveling through Samaria they stopped by a well, and Jesus sent the disciples into a nearby town to buy food. While they were gone, a Samaritan woman came to the well, and Jesus told her about the living water He could give her. By the end of the conversation, she received the revelation that He was the Messiah, and she hurried back to the town to share the good news. In the meantime, the disciples returned with food and urged Jesus to eat. Jesus replied, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. Do you not say, ‘There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps’” (John 4:34-37, NKJV).
David K. Bernard is the general superintendent of the United Pentecostal Church International.
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
From “Boo” to “I Do” the Transition into Marriage SARAH HUDSPETH
he transition into marriage is one of the most exciting events to have taken place in my life thus far. Beginning a new life with my God-given best friend has already proven to be an adventure just within these first few months of our life together. Looking back on our engagement, I remember being warned about the gamut of adjustments we would both have to make. It often seemed as if I should be reluctantly stepping into marriage biting my fingernails in fear there would be some catastrophe involved with committing my life to my husband, as if it was doomed for unhappiness and a whirlwind of problems. However, that has not been the case as of yet, and I do not see any looming danger or red flags popping up anywhere to tell me otherwise. Granted, we have been married only a few months now, and may still be in the “honeymoon phase” as some say, but we have settled into this new life together with all the ease we originally expected. I am not naïve enough to think this happened by chance because I have seen others struggle through the transition into marriage; some have had success, and sadly, others have given up the fight. It is only by the grace of God that we have had a smooth transition into marriage, but God’s grace was at work long before it was time for us to take those steps down the aisle. Just as anything else significant and worth having, marriage takes proper preparation. As I am only a newlywed, I do not claim to be an expert in any way, shape, or form. However, I cannot be completely dismissed because I have dating experience, both failure and success. I have learned that treating a dating relationship as if it is a marriage is a dangerous path to all sorts of destruction. Without boundaries, it is hard 8
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to know where one’s territory ends and the other’s begins. Respect for the dating partner begins to diminish and trust starts crumbling left and right. However, boundaries protect the individual and the relationship as a whole. It lays the proper foundation for growing and ultimately marriage, and provides room for excitement when the transition into marriage does arrive. Dating is not marriage—point blank—and Jordan and I were careful not to treat it as such. We were serious in dating, both openly stating that we would not be dating unless we saw the other fit for marriage. We were realistic and open about our expectations in the relationship; neither of us wanted to date for recreational purposes, but rather we were dating for marriage. Dating for marriage and dating like you’re married are two completely different animals; please don’t get the two confused. We had to be conscientious not to rush our dating relationship and make the lines between dating and marriage dotted when they were clearly bold, double, neon-yellow lines not to be crossed until we were given the right signal. Even when we knew we would be married, we did not give each other the same rights due to a spouse. This pitfall would have short-circuited our relationship and cheated us out of multiple blessings for which we are now thankful. Once one boundary is crossed, the lines seem to get farther and farther from where they were originally intended to be. Just to clarify, setting boundaries in dating goes much farther than the physical aspects of a relationship. We had to be intentional in allowing time with other friends, appreciative of different hobbies and schedules, understanding with various life events present and past, and respectful for our individual walks with God. Boundaries are essential because the more you compromise now, the less you have to look forward to later spiritually, emotionally, and physically. I have
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noticed in my personal life, as well as witnessing the lives of others, that the transition into marriage is always the smoothest when it is actually a transition. Dating is not marriage; it is nowhere near the equivalent of marriage, and it was never intended to be. However, the enemy has blurred the lines of what belongs inside the bounds of holy matrimony. When we allow ourselves to offer the same treatment to a dating partner that we would devote to a spouse, we are fooling ourselves if we think we are not in dangerous territory. Far too many of our young people treat his or her significant other as the beall, end-all, number-one supreme being ... you get the picture. All to often we place someone on a pedestal and give far too much attention to them way too soon. Your dating partner is not your spouse until you have taken the proper steps to be deemed husband and wife. I firmly believe the strength of our marriage was founded in our dating relationship. While dating is not marriage, it is true that a dating relationship affects marriage. Thankfully, we felt impressed to be highly proactive in keeping our relationship healthy and God-pleasing from the very beginning. We met with our spiritual authority to request his guidance,
prayer, and a relationship of accountability to him. Under his guidance, we were given Boundaries in Dating to read and implement into our relationship. We continued to build on this foundation with prayer and fasting together, and it has proven to be highly beneficial in the long run. Do not get me wrong, we are human and things were difficult at times, but God has kept us and allowed us to be victorious over many of the woes of dating that ultimately end a relationship or hinder success later in marriage. It is undoubtedly because of the grace of God and the boundaries He helped us to set in our dating relationship that has blessed our journey thus far. When we are first and foremost devoted to God and then to each other, our relationships have the strongest foundation possible. But if our priority to God gets derailed, nothing else will work. Sarah Hudspeth is a recent graduate of Urshan College and a newlywed wife to Jordan Hudspeth. Together they serve the Hyphen group at The Life Center in St. Petersburg, Florida.
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
Global Transitioning JUDY BENTLEY
stepped up to the customs desk at Kennedy Airport in New York City. The sign read, “For American citizens only.” I shoved my American passport toward the customs officer. He looked at my passport, then looked up at me and smiled. “Welcome home,” he said as he stamped my bulging passport. Then he started whistling a happy little tune while he finished registering my arrival. I contemplated giving the man a bear hug, but restrained myself. I calmly replied, “Thank you, sir. It’s great to be here.” At that moment I was once again suffering from the very real symptoms of culture shock. The mental, emotional, and physical adjustments we experienced as missionaries to the countries of the former Soviet Union were profound. It’s something we don’t talk about on 10
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our fund-raising jaunts across America, but behind every victory story we tell, there is a plethora of less-than-perfect living conditions to be endured. In addition to being anointed of God, surely global missionaries must be the most flexible and adaptable people I know. The Bentleys solved the mental adjustments we were required to make by calling each day “an adventure into the unknown.” We were never disappointed. With every adventure, there was an opportunity to meet people who had never seen an American before and many who had never touched a Bible. That opportunity far outweighed the frustrations of an unpredictable lifestyle. Every mishap—and there were many—became a part of the stories I was writing in my mind. After all, without conflict
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there is no story worth telling. Some of the mishaps I discarded immediately because I could find absolutely no moral to the story. The other stories I recorded and published for posterity. Now concerning the customs agent in New York City. He was making some serious mistakes according to Russian protocol. First of all, a customs agent never smiles, and he would immediately be fired for whistling. Russian culture says whistling indoors supposedly brings financial bad luck. Then, customs agents are never to treat people as human beings. Snarling is acceptable, but smiling is a no-no. This man was breaking all the rules to which I had reluctantly become adjusted. I remember getting my picture taken one day by a Russian photographer when I was applying for a new visa. He looked at
me and scowled. “Don’t smile!” he barked. “Yes, I want to smile,” I insisted. “I look old and ugly when I’m not smiling.” He refused to take my picture. Then he and my driver got into a furious discussion about the issue. “It’s my money and my picture,” I said, forgetting the fact that in Russia the customer is always wrong. I decided to stand my ground on this one. It was definitely a matter of pride. Eventually I won the battle. The man took my smiling picture, grabbed my rubles, and scowled some more. I left the dingy little room smiling to myself and adding one more story to my collection. Our work in the countries of the former Soviet Union was not about convenience and luxury living. It was about the people we touched, the hundreds of Bible studies we taught, FEBRUARY 2015
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Our work in the countries of the former Soviet Union was not about convenience and luxury living. It was about the people we touched, the hundreds of Bible studies we taught, and the hundreds of Bibles we distributed. and the hundreds of Bibles we distributed. It was about telling Bible stories to kids of all ages in public school buildings, and ministering from the platform of places such as Moscow State University and the University of Culture in Belarus. I remember the dinner invitations where people cooked scrumptious meals for us from their meager resources. Many times we would eat off of a coffee table in crowded little apartments. But always there was the moment when we would say, “Before we eat, may we bless the food you have prepared?” Always they would say yes. Those prayers would seem insignificant in an American home, but to a people who had been deprived of the gospel, those were always special moments when we felt the presence of God in a foreign environment. I will also always remember going to the homes of the old “Urshanite saints” in Siberia. Their houses were humble with very low doorways. I had to stoop before entering. Always there was lots of cabbage and carrots and people eager to please us. As we would finish the last bite of food, we would all stand around the table and sing a hymn together. As we left the house, each person would stand by the low threshold and pray a blessing on that home. The prayers were often long and very emotional. The Russian people never were in a hurry when it came to praying. Those homes had no indoor plumbing or comfortable furniture. But as I left those houses, I knew I had been in the presence of God. It was a powerful presence that could never be purchased with rubles or dollars. There were times of great faith and times of doubt. Finding our apartment ransacked by thieves five various times, I finally came to terms with the verse of Scripture, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). In a moment of weariness, I read the wonderful words of Jesus: “Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting” (Luke 18:29-30). After eight years of ministering abroad, my husband and I made the difficult decision to return to America due to my father’s ill health and the loss of his eyesight. It was a somber 12
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decision to make. It would definitely be another huge transition. My husband would be pastoring a church in a place where there were two Apostolic churches in a town of seven thousand people. We had been to a place where there were no church buildings at all except for those of the Orthodox religion. Our furniture, books, and clothing items came out of storage with lots of strange, moldy smells. We would have to start over in the task of furnishing a house. Life is a series of stages and adjustments. I am writing this message in my comfortable American home. Tomorrow I will worship in a beautiful church building and enjoy lively church services. The Word of God will be presented by men and women who are well experienced in preaching the Word. But the people I met in other lands will always be a part of everything I do and every message I deliver. Those people from other lands clung to me and thanked me with great emotion for teaching them the gospel of Jesus and His apostles. They kissed me good-bye first on one cheek and then the other, and then back again a third time for good measure. I felt loved. In return, I will forever be grateful for the lessons I learned from those people. Lessons about loving God in great sincerity and simplicity. Lessons from people who had been deprived of Bibles for many years and had a profound reverence for the Word of God. I look forward to reuniting with those lovely people someday in a perfect place called Heaven. That will indeed be a global transitioning! Judy Bentley has been a part of the United Pentecostal Church since its inception. She is the author of ten books, four of which were written while she and her husband ministered in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The Bentleys are presently ministering at the First Pentecostal Church of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where they enjoy regular visits from their three daughters and son-in-laws and their eleven above-average grandchildren.
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Specific direction, anointed ministry, practical solutions and new inspiration to rise to the challenge of planting, growing and developing churches in the great Northwest.
2015 | 4TH ANNUAL
REVIVAL & GROWTH CONFERENCE MAY 20–22 SEATTLE CONFERENCE SPEAKERS DAVID K. BERNARD CARLTON L. COON SR. SCOTT SISTRUNK STEVE DRURY HIGHLIGHT CHRISTIAN PRISONER FELLOWSHIP CERTIFICATION TRAINING WITH DOUG LETHIN VENUE & LODGING HILTON SEATTLE AIRPORT
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
Travel Advisory for Older Models L A JOYCE MARTIN
didn’t ooze into retirement, ease into it, or even have time to preplan it. It pounced on me three years ago when I was struck with a stroke. That’s when I was sentenced to the electric chair. But wait—it isn’t all bad. Now I can control my ups and downs with two little black buttons. Or I can stay on the level. And I can always put my walker’s best foot forward. Often I get to ride while everyone else walks, thanks to Medicare’s wheelchair. There are no more airplane trips, speaking engagements, deer hunts, or sessions of playing the accordion. But this is all mitigated by not having to iron, mop, or shake peanut brittle pans. Now I have plenty of time to read, write, work crossword puzzles, and talk to God. I don’t have to worry about pulling out my hair over problems; it’s coming out by itself. Oh, sure, we retirees have our transitional trials: Back pains, confused brains, and great fear of fallin’ Walkers and handrails and old bones a-bawlin’; Maalox and nose drops and corn pads for bunions No sugar or spices or food cooked with onions; Heating pads, icepacks, cataracts, and false teeth But these simply keep us from six feet beneath! For all you who are headed my direction, I’ve come up with a travel advisory, a sort of Triple A to make the retirement transition safer for you. Realize that your tread is thinner. You tire quicker. (Shouldn’t the definition of retired be “tired all over again”?) You’ve put lots of miles on your human vehicle’s odometer, so try to avoid life’s potholes and take the corners more slowly. And watch for road hazards that will puncture your soul. Take advantage of the rest areas. God put them there for you. Pull off the busy turnpike and take a break. You’ve driven hard for miles. Enjoy the green pastures and still waters. Let the traffic whiz by while you rest your heart, mind, and body. Then travel on at your own slower pace, observing stop, yield, and caution signs. Don’t expect the new sporty tires to fit. Face it. You can no longer keep up with the younger generation. A Corvette has more horsepower than your Model A. Give them room to go and grow. Cheer them on as they speed past! Everyone has a place in the kingdom of God—even retirees. Listed in the Scriptures are the names of twenty-one icons who lived beyond one hundred years of age, paragons of wisdom, maturity, spiritual beauty, fruitfulness, and strong 14
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faith. The phrase “good old age” is mentioned several times. Losing traction is normal with age. Do you feel you’re spinning your wheels? You’re more easily frustrated, huh? It takes more effort to make decisions and to keep yourself going? Hello, retiree! You are normal, believe it or not. Just remember to stay off slick surfaces and out of the mud so you don’t become a nervous wreck. Stop at a service station often. It takes extra lubrication to keep the gears of a high-mileage car from grinding. Don’t chance blowing the engine by neglecting to add oil frequently by times of devotion. And watch that gas gauge of the Holy Spirit too. We can’t afford to run out of fuel this close to Home. There may be detours. So you planned to buy a new pair of shoes with padded insoles out of this month’s Social Security check? But, lo, the hot water heater went out, taking your funds with it. Just put on an extra pair of socks and drive on. Roadblocks and switchbacks are all a part of the retirement journey. Make up your mind to enjoy the side road scenery. It’s a decision only you can make, but it will make the trip more tolerable. Travel on God’s credit card. Someone was discussing finances the other day. “Money is just filthy lucre,” he said. Out went my hand. “Put some here,” I quipped, “and I’ll wash my hand later!” We may lose much of our self-sufficiency on this trip, but we always have God’s credit card at our disposal. His Word promises: “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory.” Notice that He didn’t say, “The day you retire, I retire too.” As we reach retirement, we realize more surely God’s sufficiency. We have a Master card. Stay in close touch with the Chief Mechanic. He’ll even come to give you a tow if you need it! Frequent checkups and proper maintenance will keep us running until we can trade this old rattletrap for a brand-new body. Just think—new shock absorbers! Someone labeled the stages of life as spills, drills, bills, ills, pills, and wills. But when I cross the second hill and see my mansion just over the hilltop, all my “ills” will end with one great thrill!
LaJoyce Martin has been writing for over thirty-five years with over one-hundred titles to her credit. She and her husband, V. Elroy Martin, pastor the United Pentecostal Church in Morris, Oklahoma. Her most recent book, Once Upon a Lifetime: A Sortabiography, is available through the Pentecostal Publishing House.
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
Adjusting to Divorce
“
JILL FIERGE
o have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.” These familiar words are spoken as vows in thousands of wedding ceremonies every year. Before God, couples make a commitment as they enter into a covenant relationship with each other. They promise to never part. But then something happens and one or both members of this covenant choose to leave. Author and director of Family Formation Studies at Focus on the Family, Glenn T. Stanton, states, “The projection of a marriage starting out today ending in divorce is 41 to 43 percent.” Unfortunately, these statistics also hold true for marriages between believers. The church is not exempt from the reality of divorce, and just like divorce in society at large, divorce among church members leaves in its wake a path of (usually unpleasant) change. The lives of both parties involved in the divorce, and especially the lives of their children, are forever altered. Being aware of these changes and having a plan to deal with them can make the transitions and healing after divorce less traumatic. It is this writer’s prayer that the following information can help the reader who is facing this awful experience.
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Divorce causes grief similar to loss due to death. Experts compare the feelings after divorce to the grief experienced due to loss of a spouse through death. Divorce has been described as one of the most profoundly painful experiences a human can survive. As couples separate and divorce, individuals may feel grief patterns such as shock, denial, anger, and finally, acceptance as they grapple with the death of their marriage. Often this grief is not linear; a person may not pass through each step in the grief cycle in some well-defined order. Sometimes the grief is cyclical, a sort of “twosteps forward, one step back” dance. Each individual’s length of grieving is different, and the most important aspect may not be how long one takes to grieve, but rather ensuring there is continual progress through the grief. It is extremely unhealthy to remain in one stage of grief, effectively shutting down and “dying” in that stage. There will be freeze points (or events that cause a cessation of forward motion, emotionally and/or mentally) along this journey to healing. A simple trip to a grocery store, a walk in a familiar place, or a meal at a favorite restaurant may result in almost debilitating waves of grief as memories are relived. As one transitions through this grief, it is helpful to share those memories with God in prayer. One must be careful not simply to internalize the grief and carry this burden alone. Speak candidly with the Lord about your pain; He will be near to help. “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Divorce creates a loss of identity. God
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orchestrated marriage as two becoming one. In a long-term marriage, it is not uncommon for a couple’s identities to be so interwoven that they struggle to know who they are when separated. The shared structural support of the married couple—friends, ministries, occupations, family—has all been radically changed and sometimes lost. An individual may feel his or her identity has been stripped away. Simple things, like checking the “divorced” box on a form instead of “married” can be agonizing as the reality of this new identity takes hold. If an individual was involved in ministry with her spouse, she may question her role in the Kingdom. The divorced individual may be bombarded with uncertainty. “Can God still use me?” Additionally, the divorced individual may not yet feel he fits in the singles category, yet can no longer be in the marrieds category either. This realization compounds feelings of isolation and loss.
It is vitally important that the individual suffering in the aftermath of divorce quickly reaffirm his identity in Christ. When a tidal wave of rejection threatens to overwhelm, the anchor of one’s identity can be firmly placed in the solid rock of Christ Jesus. He determines one’s value. I Peter 1:18-19 assures us of this fact: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Divorce frequently brings financial stress. It is estimated divorcing individuals would need a 39 percent increase in income to maintain the same standard of living they had prior to divorce. In Should I Keep Trying to Work It Out, Tamara Fackrell and Alan Hawkins state, “One in five women will fall into poverty as a result of divorce and three out of four
A decision must be made: Will I forever be known as “the divorced one” or will I now understand my individual place as a child of God with a unique ministry of my own? As the individual draws closer to God, she can find her distinctive identity in Him. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Many suddenly-singles experience an identity crisis. A decision must be made: Will I forever be known as “the divorced one” or will I now understand my individual place as a child of God with a unique ministry of my own? As the individual draws closer to God, she can find her distinctive identity in Him. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Divorce may cause feelings of rejection, low self-esteem, and worthlessness. Regardless of the reason for the divorce, feelings of rejection are common. A person may deal with depression as a result of the failure of the marriage, experiencing a period of tremendous self-doubt. It is not uncommon to wrestle with such questions as: What is wrong with me? Am I broken? Why am I unlovable? Why am I such a failure? 18
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divorced mothers don’t receive full child support for their children.” While people are grappling with the emotional fallout from their divorce, they may also be under considerable financial stress. The suddenly-single may now deal with budgets, bank accounts, investments, and bills, which heretofore were handled by the other party. If an individual is experiencing this financial crunch and feels ill-equipped to make financial decisions, no matter how minor, she need not let embarrassment prevent her from asking for help. Perhaps someone from the local church who is more experienced in finances can give counsel during this time. A previously stay-at-home mother may find herself forced to reenter the workforce. Securing someone savvy in the business world to help draft a professional resume is a wise move. Networking with knowledgeable professionals in
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a particular field, coupled with seeking godly counsel, will be beneficial in an individual’s quest to find gainful employment. The Scripture reminds us, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety” (Proverbs 11:14). With all the financial stress divorce brings, one must resist the urge to neglect tithes and offerings. Now is not the time to get stingy with God. Remain faithful during this time and prove the Lord! Malachi 3:10 declares, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” These financial disciplines can be an example to your children to learn valuable lessons in faithfulness to God. Divorce may cause debilitating fear. The many changes divorce brings can also bring overwhelming feelings of fear. Will I be able to provide for my children? Will my children’s faith be shattered? Will I learn to navigate life alone? With so many unknowns a child of God must find Scripture passages that can help strengthen faith in the Lord. Finding biblical truths and promises to copy and leave in conspicuous places around one’s home can bring hope to a wounded spirit. Commit these verses to memory. Read them aloud often. Ask God to scribe them on the tables of your heart. Be encouraged with such verses as I John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love,” and II Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Divorce is not an event with a clear beginning and ending. The aftermath of the divorce may be felt for years. Individuals who have suffered through divorce must be very intentional in bringing every thought captive. (See II Corinthians 10:5.) The enemy of our soul can wreak havoc with our mind. Continuous “what ifs” or “if onlys” are counterproductive. Keys to combating these troubling mindsets can be found in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.” And we need never forget the value of protecting our mind with the helmet of salvation. An individual will find that not giving place to the devil or his self-defeating lies is made easy by following the Philippians 4:8 principle: “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are
just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Divorce brings uncertainty. The divorced person can make it a point to seek out truths that never change from God’s Word. She can remind God she intends to remain faithful to Him. The day my divorce was final, I drove directly from the courthouse to the church house. I walked straight to the altar and knelt. In the midst of the upheaval of family, the loss of my home, uncertainty in my future, and emotional duress it was important to me to reaffirm my commitment to God. After twenty-six years of marriage, everything was changing. But one thing remained stable. I dedicated my life once again to God, assuring Him I was not going anywhere. He alone has the keys to eternal life. He has always been my Rock and Fortress, and I have no doubt He will continue to be so. A favorite verse of Scripture is Psalm 3:3, “But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.” In the midst of the devastation that is divorce, one can be confident God will take a horrible situation and bring good from it. (See Romans 8:28.) Those who have walked the lonely and sometimes shameful path of divorce often testify of an increased intimacy in their walk with God and renewed compassion and patience for others. This is because they are now able to minister to hurting people in a way only the wounded can. Just because someone is divorced does not mean his life is over. God never ceased to have a purpose and divine order for the individual, and He truly will bring beauty from the ashes of the individual’s life “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3). Jill Fierge uses the pain of her trial as a balm for the pain of others. This is her beauty for ashes. Jill has found being a single mother to Drake, Brock, Jessamy, and Stormy to be a most challenging but rewarding life. Jill is grateful she and her kids are family at The Sanctuary of Hazelwood, Missouri.
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
“Will You Go Away, Too?” The College Transition ASHLEY GRIFFITH
e are all aware of the statistics—over threequarters of the teenagers in our youth groups today will not be serving God at the conclusion of their college education. It is during this transition into young adulthood that most young people lose their faith. I myself almost became a part of that statistic. This article explores the likely reason why. “Does this offend you?” It was a rhetorical question posed by Jesus in John 6 to His large crowd of followers. He knew His message shocked them. He was not oblivious to the fact that as He spoke, the throng had begun to murmur. Even the chosen twelve were taken aback. Perhaps during a pause when Jesus was preparing His next statement, one of them spoke up on behalf of the others. “This is a difficult message,” he said. “Even we can barely stand hearing it.” To this point, the large majority of Jesus’ followers did not actually believe He was the long-awaited Messiah, yet this pivotal message was one of the first times Jesus explicitly and publicly made this claim. “What if at this moment,” Jesus responded, “I ascended back to Heaven from whence I came? Would you find this difficult too?” Because Jesus’ claims and behavior were trespassing the boundaries of a widely accepted theology and general understanding of who He was, “many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66, NKJV). * * * * * 20
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“Blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” Jesus directed this statement to someone even closer to Him than His disciples: His cousin John the Baptist. Miraculously born just six months before Jesus to a barren woman named Elisabeth, John was prophetically destined to pave the way for Jesus, the Messiah, a calling he undertook with utmost commitment and rigor. In fulfilling this purpose, though, John found himself locked in prison, persecuted for making outrageous claims, knowing he had very little chance of release. Graver still, he faced an imminent and unjust death at the hands of a heathen king, and perhaps for the first time, John felt doubt. Is Jesus really the Messiah, the One we have been waiting for? I am about to die for this claim. Is it even true? The events of John’s life in response to his faithfulness trespassed the boundaries of his expectations for how his life should unfold. * * * * * My book, More Than a Conqueror, is the result of a challenging four years at a secular university. Looking back, my struggle was not necessarily that I continually encountered philosophies and worldviews that contradicted my own. Nor did I struggle with my Christian commitment; I had every intention of continuing my walk with God. My struggle was with God Himself. He did not act toward me as I thought He should. Life did not meet the great expectations I had for it. Throughout those four years, I experienced a series of awful roommates and was expressly informed by an important voice that my efforts toward campus ministry would fail (and, in all honesty, they did). The cost of gas finally breached two dollars a gallon, and for some reason that filled me with dread (probably because I was broke). Despite finally finding a dynamic church
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and becoming a part of an amazing youth group, I experienced the drama and heart wrench of a church split as a result of infidelity. I learned that one of my closest church friends had not only been violated as a child but was now living a homosexual lifestyle. The continual barrage of humanistic teaching, convincing arguments against the existence of God, persistent doubt, and a sense of failure eating up my zest for life all culminated in the deepest sense of loneliness and desertion imaginable. God had surely forsaken me. I cried out to Him, but He had gone silent. In short, I became offended at God. I was hurt, angry, and upset. God’s behavior toward me and life’s events in general trespassed the boundaries of what I thought was acceptable, proper, and deserved. * * * * * With university almost ten years behind me, I now have the luxury of hindsight. Heading off to college is one of life’s first major transitions, and perhaps it is the bumpiest. Inexperience coupled with brand-new independence, adult-like responsibility, the pressure to make large, important decisions, and naïve, optimistic expectations is a breeding ground for cynicism at the hands of inevitable disappointment. The majority of young people with a Christian upbringing desert God at this time in life. “Many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” I would like to pose a question to young adults heading to college in the hope it will give them a perspective and an advantage: Do you believe in God? Or do you believe in your beliefs about God? Life, never mind your college years, will challenge your understanding of God, and in your early twenties much of that knowledge is given to you and not yet acquired by yourselves through hardship. Finally on your own, God Himself will seem to change the rules. Young adult, I ask you, where does your com-
mitment lie? In God Himself? Or in your ideas as to how He should behave? What if the trials and disappointments, which blindside us and create doubt, have been divinely permitted in order to burn away our personal creeds, which are so inaccurate and immature at times? We will feel as though we are losing God, but actually, He is clearing away the clutter so we can see Him better. Most of the multitude turned away because they did not fully believe (John 6:64). Their commitment was conditional; their belief was provisional. Jesus had to proceed on their terms or not at all. They thought it was faithfulness, but it was actually pride. We outgrow our clothes; we must also outgrow our immature theologies. We limit God when we refuse to revise our understanding of Him. In the face of offense from God Himself, when Jesus turns to you as He turned to the Twelve and asks, “Will you go away too?” how will you answer? In what do you place your faith? Let us be like headstrong Peter. No doubt as flummoxed as the next disciple, he humbly said in a beautiful demonstration of faith, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. . . . We have come to believe and know that You are the Christ” (John 6:68, 69, NKJV).
Ashley Griffith received her bachelor degree in English from Ohio State University (2005) and a master’s degree in literature from the University of Essex (2009). She enjoys reading, cooking, and traveling with her husband. She also loves assisting with RedLife campus ministry at Miami University and spending time with college students.
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MULTICULTURAL MINISTRIES BY ANITA SARGEANT
Exponential Revival with Multicultural Ministries ore than ever before North America is considered the melting pot of the world. The second North American Multicultural Summit was held at the Sanctuary United Pentecostal Church in Hazelwood, Missouri, in June 2014. Various ethnic groups from the United States and Canada gathered to combine efforts to reach the lost world from within our borders. No longer is it necessary to travel to foreign lands to reach other cultures. They have come to us. Our continent has been blessed by God because many of the inhabitants embraced His laws and endeavored to live by them. Other nations, following ungodly principles, have struggled to survive. Much of the world looks to us in awe because of our technology and affluence. Just as the early 1700s found thousands of immigrants traveling to these shores in search of peace and a better lifestyle, so in this age the immigration continues. Multicultural Ministries endeavors to embrace foreign students and immigrants so that as they attend school, learn new jobs, and better their lifestyle they will also learn about Jesus Christ. Thousands are repenting, being baptized in Jesus’ wonderful name, and being filled with the Holy Ghost. They are enthusiastic new converts who have found what they’ve been looking for. Those who return to their countries remain connected to our churches here through social media and become evangelists over there. The 2014 Multicultural Summit brought a powerful awareness of opportunities brushing our fingertips. With English being the prevailing language of the world, many are eager to learn and it is easy to offer English lessons, friendship, and of course the salvation plan according to Acts 2:38. Immigrants who arrive on our shores are helped by organizations such as World Relief. These organizations are actively pursuing volunteers
who will join them in working to naturalize these immigrants. If church members volunteer to do this work, we can fill our churches, and we can—through the immigrants—embrace the world, reaching the nations with this precious gospel. End-time revival is a must as we look for the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Those who embraced the new birth in the first century turned their world upside down. It is exciting to feel that same fire burning in our souls as we reach for the lost souls of our century. The social media of this age makes it almost effortless to reach farther than we ever dreamed possible just a few short years ago. In years past we printed literature to be shipped overseas and then distributed it; later we bought printers and began to print literature overseas in many locations and in many languages; today, people around the world read from screens. Websites, Twitter, Facebook, and other social media connectors send messages in rapid fire around the world. Multicultural Ministries has developed a website, www.globaltracts.com, where hungry souls from around the world can search the Scriptures in their own languages and find answers to their most urgent needs. As we reach for others who speak a language we do not understand, we can point them in the right direction. Even though we do not know the language well enough to explain, the website can help them find the God we know and love. Recently, a Facebook friend whom I have been working with and who lives in another country, called on the phone and asked that we pray with her ailing father. “He doesn’t know English,” she explained, “but if you will just pray with Him and speak with tongues I believe he will be healed.” Modern methods make this kind of evangelism possible. The 2014 Multicultural Summit embraced various facets with combined sessions
and breakout sessions to facilitate training. Those who have succeeded in reaching immigrants, foreign students, deaf, and others provided powerfully anointed tools to those who attended. The general sessions motivated us to become more involved, to overcome the strangeness and the difficulty we face when dealing with unfamiliar ethnic groups. The anointing transmitted by the leadership and the vision cast to embrace the world as we labor within our borders catapulted us as a body of believers into powerful times of prayer and dedication and commitment. The weeping and the heart-wrenching burdens we contracted around the altars attached themselves. Our lives have been changed and we will never be the same. The irritation we once felt while deciphering the broken English spoken by those who are reaching in our direction has been changed into the excitement of a new horizon full of opportunity to reach a lost and dying world. As we accept the challenge to take advantage of the influx of foreign students and immigrants, compassion floods our souls and gives us hope that through Jesus Christ we can make a difference. Let’s turn our world upside down with the gospel of Jesus Christ!
Anita Sargeant, a graduate of Jackson College of Ministries, has promoted Apostolic literature for Pentecostal Publishing House, Hazelwood, Missouri since 2000, has authored several books, is a licensed minister with United Pentecostal Church International, and attends Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church in O’Fallon, Missouri.
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
Re-feathering the Nest J A M E S A N D J E A N B O AT M A N
orning coffee time gave us the joy of watching the birds building their nest in the yaupon bush outside our kitchen window. Flight after flight, twig after twig, and day after day the painstaking work continued until the nest was complete. Next came their patient attention to the eggs necessary to bring life to the nest. Then the pace slowed and activity was minimized as the parents stayed close to the nest. Soon, little heads were popping up over the edge of the nest while the mama and papa were gathering breakfast for their young. Constant attention was now focused on the activity of the nest. Every chirp was heard; every danger was warded off; every need was supplied. The days passed swiftly. The nest was filled with the sounds of life. Within days the nest became uncomfortably full. Change was imminent. The nest was never intended to be permanent. The day to fly had come. After careful observation, the little birds were pushed out of their nest into a whole new adventure of life. They were made to fly, to live freely, to mature, and to be on their own. They only needed encouragement. The mama bird stayed close all day watching her young, making sure they were safe, chirping encouragement and comfort to them, teaching them to hop, to fly, and to rest. Again and again they repeated the process: hop, fly, and rest until they were confident, comfortable, and committed. The nest was now empty. The babies were gone. And Mom and Pop took their liberty too. The empty nest would remain attached to the branches of the yaupon bush, but the birds on wings of confidence were to experience new and far more rewarding heights. Together they all flew away into a beautiful new world of clear blue sky. The sky is the limit for those who fly on the wings of maturity and purpose. An empty-nest syndrome is identified as a feeling of grief, sadness, loneliness, or depression parents or guardians 24
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may feel when their children leave home for the first time to live on their own or to attend a college or university. It is not considered a medical condition. It is a feeling that can and should be prevented by the parents through the understanding of the purpose and principles of maturity and independence. In reality, the home, unlike a bird’s nest, should never be considered empty. Rather, it should ever be a place of continual growth and happiness with an understanding of the stages of life. Birds have nests and foxes have holes, but people have homes. Homes are not built on feelings alone but on conscious thoughts of permanency to meet the changing situations of human life. Most birds seldom, if ever, return to their nests, but people find homes to be permanent sanctuaries of strength and peace. A sign in a retail store read, “Home is where you are always welcome, always comfortable, and forever loved.� It is a secure place of laughter and life, of love and peace, a place of food, fellowship, and fun. It should be the central source of information and instruction, of inspiration and example, where sensible solutions to life and times are concluded on the basis of religious faith and biblical truth. The heart of the home, the kitchen table and the living room fireplace, is where bonds of love and understanding are established for life. If little or no time is spent in the home, there is no reason to return. If there are no memories to draw children back and no history to relive, there will be no longings to go home. The home must be strong enough to accept the changes of life and refurbish itself to meet the new challenges. It is a living organism, never to be considered as an empty nest. The home may not always be as active as when the children were young, but it should be a place where children will want to return often. It is the stabilizer of the family unit, a source of continuing joy, peace, and comfort. And in times of trouble it is a place of refuge. There are many positive considerations one can take to prevent the feelings of emptiness: 1. Make the home comfortable, warm, and inviting. 2. Make the home a place of hospitality, open to family, guests, and friends.
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3. Anticipate the day when children will leave the home. Plan for it. Embrace it. Guide it. If you have done your best as a parent, you can feel confident that your children will do well, accomplish much, and excel in things you were unable to accomplish. Celebrate with them. 4. Children should always have a key to the home. They should always feel welcome. 5. Express love often with laughter and uplifting words. Words fitly spoken are golden. 6. Memories are created early in life. Make them meaningful, plentiful, and pleasant. 7. Provide an open discussion of daily life without criticism. 8. Mix variety with stability. Encounter trouble with truth. Teach principles that dictate practice. 9. Observe and listen carefully; speak softly and think before you act or speak. 10. It is normal for children to leave home. Make it pleasant. Keep communication and information flowing to them, even if their response is sparse. Greet every homecoming with an increased expectancy of joy, for nothing warms the heart and home more than the return of the children and grandchildren. While prevention is always better than cure, sometimes the absence of preventive actions results in negative feelings. In these post-prevention situations, there are still things you can do to dissipate the empty-nest feelings: 1. Take advantage of the empty nest to make new friends, travel, or do things you never had the time to do before. 2. Strengthen your network with your friends and your children’s friends. Invite new people into your life and home. When the children marry, become close friends with their in-laws. Invite their new family and friends into your home occasionally. 3. Keep communications open with your children concerning life at home with family and friends. 4. Create special times for the family and inform the children of special events in the community or church that are of keen interest to them. Plan homecomings, holidays, and
special days that include them without being demanding. Don’t claim every holiday as exclusively yours, but rather alternate them between the families. 5. Visit the children in their new environment. Take some pictures to display in your home. It brings the children’s new role into the old home. 6. Do volunteer work in your church, community, hospital, or club. When you reach out to others, you receive more than you give. 7. Keep in touch through social media, letters, cards, and calls. 8. Change yourself. Move on in your own life and accept your new role. Read and refresh your soul. 9. Remember that feelings are not physical and can be countered with the Holy Spirit, who is the Comforter. Pray for the Lord to keep the children safe and to comfort you. 10. After the children leave, maintaining a place called home is a priority for the parents. Hang out the welcome sign. Make their visits special occasions. Cook their special foods; catch up on the activities of their lives. Play and pray, laugh and reminisce together. It is the best medicine. Remember what Jesus said, “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). Heaven is a permanent place being prepared for you. As much as possible, prepare your home to be a bit of Heaven on Earth. The simple solution to the empty-nest feeling is to decide the nest will never be empty. Determine early on to keep the home continually comfortable, ready for change, and full of happiness. If and when the nest ever becomes empty, simply re-feather it to secure the future with fullness. James and Jean Boatman have been pastor and wife at First Pentecostal Church of Kilgore, Texas, since 1982. They have two children and six grandchildren. Their children have been out of the home for more than two decades.
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Schedule of 2015 District Conferences & Camp Meetings January 29-30 February 5-6 February 6-7 February 13-14 February 26-27 March 18-20 March 18-20 March 20-21 March 20-21 March 24-26 March 26-27 March 26-27 March 26-28 April 8-10 April 9-10 April 9-11 April 9-11 April 10-11 April 15-17 April 16-17 April 16-17 April 16-17 April 16-18 April 17-18 April 22-24 April 22-24 April 23-24 April 27-28 April 30 – May 1 April 30 – May 1 April 30 – May 1 April 30 – May 2 April 30 – May 2 May 1-2 May 4-6 May 6-7 May 7-8 May 7-9 May 13-15 May 14-15 May 21-22 June 8-11 June 8-12 June 11-12 June 12 June 12-13 June 13 June 15-21 June 16-19 June 16-19 June 17-19 26
South Texas District Valley camp meeting Georgia District conference Southern California District conference Hawaii District conference Florida District conference Louisiana District conference South Texas District Austin - San Antonio camp meeting Central Canadian District conference Quebec District conference Wisconsin District conference Oklahoma District conference North Dakota District conference Minnesota District conference Arizona District conference Massachusetts-Rhode Island District conference Washington District spring conference New Hampshire-Vermont District conference New Jersey Metro District conference Rocky Mountain District conference Maine District conference Tennessee District conference Texas District conference North Carolina District conference Alabama District conference Canadian Plains District conference South Texas District conference Texico District conference Mississippi District conference New York District conference Idaho District conference Ohio District conference New Jersey-Delaware District conference Pennsylvania District conference Nebraska District conference Atlantic District conference Nova Scotia District conference Connecticut District conference Colorado District conference West Virginia District conference Michigan District conference New York Metro District conference South Dakota District camp meeting Texas District camp meeting South Carolina District camp meeting South Dakota District conference South Carolina District conference Maryland-Washington DC District conference Minnesota camp meeting Alabama camp meeting Kentucky District camp meeting Kansas District camp meeting
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June 17-19 June 17-19 June 17-19 June 18-20 June 19 June 22-26 June 23 June 23-26 June 24-26 June 26 June 28 – July 3 June 30 – July 1 June 30 – July 3 June 30 – July 3 July 1-5 July 6 July 6-10 July 6-10 July 6-12 July 7-8 July 7-10 July 7-10 July 8-10 July 12-17 July 13-14 July 13-17 July 14 July 14-15 July 14-17 July 15 July 15-17 July 15-17 July 15-17 July 15-17 July 15-17 July 16-18 July 20-21 July 20-24 July 21-24 July 22-24 July 25 July 27-28 July 27-31 July 27-31 July 27-31 July 28-31 July 29-31 August 11-14 August 12-14 August 26-28
North Carolina District camp meeting South Carolina District camp meeting South Texas District Houston camp meeting Hawaii District camp meeting Kentucky District conference Maine District camp meeting Kansas District conference Alaska-Yukon District camp meeting Colorado District camp meeting Alaska-Yukon District conference New Hampshire-Vermont District camp meeting Ontario District conference Georgia District camp meeting Louisiana District camp meeting Atlantic District camp meeting Indiana District conference Central Canadian District camp meeting North Dakota District camp meeting Nova Scotia District camp meeting Arkansas District conference Arkansas District camp meeting Mississippi District camp meeting Florida District camp meeting Pennsylvania District camp meeting Illinois District conference Illinois District camp meeting Virginia District conference Missouri District conference Iowa District convention Iowa District conference Idaho District camp meeting Massachusetts-Rhode Island District camp meeting Missouri District camp meeting Virginia District camp meeting Washington District summer conference South Texas District Spanish camp meeting British Columbia District conference British Columbia District camp meeting Texico District camp meeting Quebec District camp meeting Oregon District conference Western District conference Ohio District camp meeting Oklahoma District camp meeting Western District camp meeting Michigan District camp meeting Tennessee District camp meeting Canadian Plains District camp meeting Connecticut District camp meeting South Texas District Victoria Corpus Christi camp meeting
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FAITH & CULTURE BY EUGENE WILSON
A Response to Persecution (Part 1) ecently the mayor of the city of Houston, Texas, issued subpoenas demanding that a group of pastors turn over any sermons addressing homosexuality, gender identity, or Annise Parker, the city’s first openly lesbian mayor. Debate exists as to the intent of the city’s actions. Some view it is an infringement of the First Amendment. Others disagree. Todd Starnes, host of Fox News & Commentary, in an article, “City of Houston Demands Pastors Turn Over Sermons,” believes the action of the city officials is an attempt to silence America’s pastors. He quotes Steve Riggle, one of the pastors issued a subpoena, as stating, “This is an attempt to chill pastors from speaking to the cultural issues of the day.” Riggle continues, “The mayor would like to silence our voice.” Starnes maintains that what happened in Houston is what he predicted in his book, God Less American, would happen. He states, “I predicted that the government would one day try to silence American pastors. I warned that under the guise of ‘tolerance and diversity’ elected officials would attempt to deconstruct religious liberty.” Although the subpoenas were later withdrawn, similar events are likely to occur again, and increasingly so. While such actions taken by the city of Houston are not considered an extreme form of persecution, many indeed see it as persecution against Christians in America. It would appear they might be right. A Biblical Response So what should our reaction be? The Bible offers an answer. Insights into dealing with persecution can be gleaned from Peter’s letter written to the “strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia,
Asia, and Bithynia.” These believers were facing persecution—namely verbal—however, things were about to get worse. Thus Peter offered a word of instruction that is applicable today. This is the context of his letter. It was the summer of AD 64. For nine straight days, a huge fire swept through Rome and destroyed almost everything. The emperor at the time was Nero. He was a psychotic, wicked man known for killing anyone he had the slightest suspicion of betraying him, including his mother and likely his stepbrother, Britannicus. Nero wanted to rebuild the city of Rome, and according to some, was willing to do so at any cost, even if it required having the city burnt. Others maintain that Nero was not responsible for setting the city on fire, but was pleased with it. The fire, however, resulted in an all-time high of resentment from the general population against Nero. Needing a scapegoat, Nero chose the Christians. He blamed the fire on those who were preaching about fire—the fire of Pentecost and the coming day in which the world would be destroyed by fire. Thus Nero sought to kill Christians. William Barclay, drawing from the writings of Roman historian Tacitus, states, Nero rolled the Christians in pitch, set light to them and used them as living torches to light his gardens. He sewed them in the skins of wild animals and set his hunting dogs on them to tear them limb from limb while they were still alive. Peter most likely wrote his letter toward the end of that year, just after persecution began in Rome. Although the severity of the persecution had yet to reach his readers, it was quickly moving in their direction. Things
were going to get worse, and Peter wanted the “strangers” to respond appropriately. Many things about dealing with persecution can be gleaned from Peter’s letter. I will address one insight here, and another one in next month’s column. Expect It Peter wrote, “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you” (I Peter 4:12). Peter’s “think it not strange” is not strange. It is a message found elsewhere in Scripture. For example, Jesus said, “The world hates Me, and they are going to hate you.” (See John 15 and 16.) John said, “Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you” (I John 3:13, NKJV). And Paul said, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12). John MacArthur, in “The Fiery Trial,” states, “Godly lives lived in an ungodly world confront that world, and we become a kind of unwelcome conscience that is distasteful.” Regardless of how kind and nice we are to others, we will never entirely escape the possibility of a negative reaction toward us. By simply living right, MacArthur states, we “become a conscience to an evil world which does not welcome such a conscience.” We should not be surprised when facing persecution. We should not be caught off guard. We should not be bewildered or shocked. It is inevitable. It is a byproduct of righteous living. Thus, the righteous should expect it. Eugene Wilson is an ordained minister, leadership consultant, and coach. He and his wife live in Dallas, Texas..
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
Seasons of Life HAROLD JACO JR.
hroughout the pages of Scripture we are reminded that life follows patterns or seasons. Paul, in II Timothy 4:2, admonishes us to be instant “in season, out of season.” By this we can deduce that life will have seasons of contrast that will open up doors in one and close them in others. Oh how contrary this is to our desire for smooth, uninterrupted, predictable lifestyles! It is not that way at all. Like a frigid snowstorm blowing in upon us without any announcement, so can come the changes of life’s seasons. Though this sounds ominous, it is important to remember the Lord is always on our side. The change of seasons is often much the same in our lives. We begin with the joy and excitement of youthful discovery and ambition. Life is a tapestry upon which we endeavor to weave our ambitious goals and ideals in glowing colors. From the beginning of our walk with God, we are fitted into each of life’s seasons. We find that perfect partner for our life and know this is the right one; so we plunge into the season of matrimony with our “I do’s” and prayers for God’s blessings on our home. If it is a wisely chosen partner, we can expect to live out our lives in this partnership. Our spouse is there in every decision, choice, and circumstance. Then come the adjustments! Our decision is not the final word until we consult our spouse. We must consider someone else in the choices of life from this point on. Sometimes we plan a family, and sometimes we have a family without plans. In either case, we are faced with another 28
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adjustment in our lives. Children change our lives for as long as we live on this planet. From the diapers and powder days until they have their own families, we are affected by them. From children to grandchildren to great-grandchildren, we face adjustments all along the way. Life does not leave us much time to be the person we planned to be. Instead we are busy being the person we must be. Our life’s work is a very necessary season. Some people are cut out for one kind of employment, while others equally as intelligent are unsuited to the same field of labor. Full of hope, we enter that field for which we are most fitted. Then comes the pursuit of opportunities for advancement. Somehow we must learn to balance our time spent on the job with the time we spend with our families. Decisions, decisions! No matter how great an opportunity may appear, it is important to stay committed to our family and our service to the Lord above all else. Sometimes these pressures of early family life may cause stress and fracture to our home life. Let us point out that happiness, which many feel is an elusive phantom, is actually a decision more than a result of circumstances. No matter how difficult life becomes, we must decide to have happiness in our lives and work together toward the goal. With the help of the Lord, we can do this! Then the kids go off to school or marry and have their own families. What a pressure on our lives when we see the end of our parenting season, no matter what the results may seem to be. Changing directions is not an easy thing. We must find renewed strength for life in the Lord and know He is our com-
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fort. Our spouse must become more important to us than ever before, for he or she seems to be all we have left in this world. Retirement! Did someone say retirement? What happened to all those good years? We worked and labored. We tried to save toward a nest egg for the time of retirement; but things just kept coming up. And now we have to make changes. Disease, sickness, and other maladies of life can leave us unable to do what we have done in the past. They seem to destroy all we had hoped to be and become. As a pastor, I tried to speak words of comfort to those who had lost a spouse. But the fact is, until we have gone through that valley, we cannot know the depth of grief that accompanies this loss. Nothing in this world can fill this emptiness. Now, more than ever, we must put our trust and hope in the Lord and deal with the passing of the most personal season of our lives. “What will I do with the rest of my life?” echoes through the darkness of sleepless nights. The answer to this seems evasive. But we can be assured that we do not face it alone. The One who has walked with us all this way will be there for us all the rest of the way. Life has not been what we intended it to be, but we must make the best of what is left to us. A pastor serving a congregation feels the great impact of the conclusion of his pastoral career. How do we retire from a calling that is given by God? The moment when the retirement letter is read to the church is like a funeral, both for the congregation and the pastor who is acknowledging that another season of his life is coming to a conclusion. The comfort we need has to come from the Lord, and we are reminded we are just labor-
ers together with the Lord along the journey. He who called us is committed to keep us through every season of life. As we age, there’s a heightened awareness that we have walked with the Lord as Enoch did; we have arrived at a place closer to His home than to ours. The curtain is near closing on our lives. The final acts of life seem so much less consequential than the earlier years when we stood in our strength to fulfill the calling that burned in our hearts. The most difficult time is when we are unable to do for ourselves and must rely on others to help. We have always been the one who helped others. Now as we hear the screech of the rusty hinges of this final season of life closing its immutable door upon us, we must find peace in the help of the Lord. As we wrap the garments of our earthly existence around us to shelter from the chill of life, let us realize that we need Him more every day. Acts 17:28 reminds us, “For in Him we live, and move, and have our being.” Regardless of your season—the spring of youth, the summer of strength, the autumn of prime, or the winter of conclusion—we must be instant in season and out of season as we follow the Lord. Harold Jaco Jr. served for thirty-four years as a pastor; two years as a Bible College president and fifteen years as district secretary of Tennessee. He is now semi-retired, and adjusting to his new home in Hazelwood, Missouri, while attending The Sanctuary of Hazelwood.
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Global Missions
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is proud to introduce four missionary families appointed at the 2014 General Conference.
Zachary and Jennifer Sportsman Burkina Faso
Jonathan and Monica Parker Phillipines
Joshua and Christene Moreno Greece
Mitch and Jutta Sayers Germany
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[ P E N T E CO S TA L L I F E ]
A Human’s Description of God C AY L I E W I L L I A M S
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s humans it is hard, even impossible, to find the words to describe God. But we try, using the words that are available to us. We will fully understand our God only when we get to Heaven. The bridge of the worshipful song, “Here in Your Presence,” simply says, “Wonderful, beautiful, glorious, matchless in every way.” Every time I hear this song I feel overwhelmed by God’s presence. A human songwriter tried to describe God with the words that were available. This is what those words mean to me. My God is wonderful. He is wonderful in the way that He has never let me walk alone; He has always been there to pick up the broken pieces of my life. He is wonderful in the way that every time I have fallen or run away from Him, He is there with open arms, waiting for me to come back. My God is beautiful. He is beautiful in the way of His creations: everything from trees to animals, and yes, even to me.
He is beautiful in the way that He loves me. The Creator of the entire universe knows everything I am going to say, do, or think before I do it, and He knows me better than I know myself; that is overwhelmingly beautiful. My God is glorious. He is glorious in the way that at the mention of His name everything has to obey. Everything feels the power of His name and His presence is glorious. My God is matchless in every way. He is matchless in that there is nothing in Heaven or on Earth that can compare to the overwhelming presence we know as God. He is matchless in every way! There are more words we can use to describe God, but these words in particular have a way of speaking everything I feel toward God. They have a way of humanly trying to describe a supernatural God, Someone who is indescribable. Caylie Williams is a student at Urshan College.
[FEEDBACK] Today I read the editorial by Simeon Young Sr. from the October 2014 issue entitled “FirstRate Seconds.” It is truly amazing to me how he pens his thoughts. I enjoy all the articles, but some of them just really jump out at me; this was one of those. Awesome job as always, but this one really meant a lot to me. —Paula Zavala Send letters for possible publication to: pbuford@upci.org or kmiddleton@upci.org,or Pentecostal Herald 8855 Dunn Road / Hazelwood, MO 63042-2299. Letters may be edited for style, grammar, punctuation, or length. 861610 Oct Herald bigger type.indd 1
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
Wisdom in Times of Transition JANAE NASH
wo rights don’t make a wrong. Nor will you avoid doing one thing wrong just because you do two things right. Chances are, your life will—and already does—consist of a balance between the choices you deem as solid and those you are a little less apt to look back upon with admiration. My life also hangs in said balance of choices. Some things I am able to recall with gratitude because I can see God’s grace swimming through the memories. Other choices I know were not exactly what God would have had for me Himself, but I still feel redemption in those decisions because they have become life teachers to me. When I first came to college, I did some things right, and I did some things wrong. I’ll tell you two rights and one wrong. Not too long ago, my eyes were opened to a concept 32
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I wish I had adopted years ago, and it is simply this: Carry it upstream. A river flows. Its current is constant, consistent; it is never confused as to which direction it is pulling its contents. So when you find yourself in a river, you better know what you’re doing. Otherwise, you will gently embrace that go-withthe-flow mentality. The good thing about going with the flow is that nothing is set. But the bad thing about going with the flow is that nothing is set. When you are able to carry something upstream, it means you settle something ahead of time instead of having a haphazard run-in with it and frantically trying to figure out what to do in the moment. The reason I made the right call on these first two decisions is I successfully carried my intentions and convictions upstream and planted them there. I left no room for improvisation, so by the time the situations reached me, the
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decisions were essentially already made. It was just a matter of following through with what I had previously set. First, there was church. Before I moved away from home, I considered the churches that were in the area where I would be moving. I talked to my pastor about it, not just asking to appease him or anyone else, but truly seeking his guidance. As it turned out, he had good friends who pastored not too far from where I would be attending school. He told me that without question he wanted me to go there. I trusted my pastor, so I heeded his advice and went to that church. I quickly found out there could not be a better church for me to attend. I found people who could relate with where I was in life, but they were an outside source of confidence and friendship. It was everything I needed, and my church attendance made my college experience. Up to this point, it would
only have been half as fulfilling as it has been without faithfulness to and involvement in one church. It is one thing to have a student body or even just a small group of friends to cling to, but being intimately connected to a group outside of your everyday surroundings creates a sort of escape from that. It keeps things in a realistic balance, whereas spending all of your time knit to one segment of the populace just tends to rein in your thoughts, vision, and feelings to be narrow and void of relatability. When you make yourself accountable to a mentor or pastor or pastor’s wife, you have just picked up a key that can open countless doors in your life, and it can lock all the wrong ones too. We’re holding the same coin here, but now let’s look on the opposite side. Making yourself accountable and being faithful to one particular church is so important, but it does not make FEBRUARY 2015
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Everything you learn needs to go through the filter of prayer. Who would know better what you need to believe than the One who created everything you see and experience? up for all of the time you spend outside of that community. This walks hand-in-hand with the principle that you can’t expect one Sunday service to keep you nourished in grace the rest of the week. Without your own time spent with God, you become famished, weak, and burdened. But here’s the real kicker: You could potentially make it that way, but the problem is that then you are just getting by. There are no leftovers; there is no overflow in which you can operate to be a blessing to others. With this in mind, before you ever even step on that campus, you need to make up your mind what type of friends you are going to have. Carry it upstream. Yes, you will love everyone with whom you come in contact. But you will not tie yourself to them in intimate relationships. Some smart guy once said, “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future.” This is sobering; your future quickly becomes your present without warning. Before you know it, you are living futuristically. The people you are with on a dayto-day basis will take the lump of clay that you are and put more fingerprints on you than you ever realized they could. Be choosy about whose fingerprints you allow to be on your life because those fingerprints are what everyone else will see. You want them to scream redemption and righteousness, as opposed to the multitude of other things that fingerprints can relay. And here is the point at which I faltered. Knowledge is a beautiful thing; it is empowering, and it has the potential to magnify your witness and your testimony. But no one knows God like God does. Never assume that knowledge replaces your need for communication and relationship with God. And the only reason I say this is because I have been in the middle of this madness we call pride so many times in the past two and one-half years of my life. The thing we so easily forget is that knowledge does not equal relationship. I can know as much as I want about someone. I can ask his family, friends, and coworkers all of the questions and find out all of the facts and characteristics, but at the end of the day, all of that means nothing. It’s all just a bunch of speculation and secondhand knowledge. And it’s not that those people are wrong about him; but to you, it’s just a bunch of facts on lined paper—all the structure without the shape; the theory without practicality. Everything you learn needs to go through the filter of prayer. Who would know better what you need to believe than the One who created everything you see and experience? Instead of being consistent in this, I replaced the relationship 34
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with the knowledge, and in doing so, I made assumptions about God’s character and His Word, and that was a dangerous business in which to get involved. I started basing my own convictions on the groundwork of knowledge instead of the leading of the Spirit. The danger in this is that every bit of knowledge relayed to you by human sources is given through that human being’s own personal worldview, and oftentimes, that skews the information. This is not a warning to be skeptical of everyone’s words and presentation of facts, but to simply use wisdom and discernment in what you allow yourself to adopt into your own belief system. In all things, pray. One of my very good friends and mentors wrote something to me just days before I began my freshman year, and it laid a groundwork for which I am so very thankful. He said, “Success feels great, but failure is where we find the largest opportunity for personal development and growth. Learn to cherish shortcoming as a catalyst for growth, and you will have the most rewarding and expanding college and life experience possible.” Never be afraid to step out and do something if failure is a possibility. If nothing else, you will learn what doesn’t work, and your efforts will be that much more effective. This is how I have had to look at my downfalls throughout college. I did not use wisdom in the area of knowledge, but through God’s sufficient grace, I am able now to look back on that mistake as a teacher of mine, and I cherish the wisdom gleaned from it. I will be the first to admit that I am not the wisest, most experienced Christian there is. On a daily basis, I am constantly finding more things I need to work on and keep in check. But the encouraging thing is that it gives me proof that I am walking in the right direction; the closer you get to the Light, the more clearly you will be able to see your own shortcomings. Ponder these things before or in the midst of your transition into college. Be faithful to the house of God; it will keep you. Choose your friends wisely; they will mold you. And always be drawing closer to God; He will give you wisdom as you walk and face decisions along the way. Janae Nash is a student at Urshan College.
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SUNDAY SCHOOL BY STEVE L. CANNON
Save Our Children Crusades he final Sunday School Save Our Children Crusades for 2014 were held in the Quebec District. Much prayer and work went into this final SOC crusade of the year. Special thanks go to Pastor Paul Graham and Quebec Sunday School Director Benji Terrible in Montreal, Canada. It was a week to remember. The first SOC crusade service started with an altar worker’s seminar, instructing the adults on how to pray with children. This was given in English and French. There were over forty people present with zeal and desire to see children filled with the Holy Ghost. The service started with worship and praise, then guest evangelist Brent Randall began to minister. When the service con-
cluded on Friday night, fifty-two had been filled with the Holy Ghost and three were baptized in Jesus’ name! Iranian Pastor Reza Dheghani videoed the Friday service, then went home and translated the words into the Iranian language. On the Internet on Saturday, Pastor Reza showed his congregation the service in their own language. Five people were filled with the Holy Ghost while watching the SOC children’s crusade in the country of Turkey! With services on Sunday in English, French, and Spanish there were sixteen more people filled with the Holy Ghost at Saint Laurent United Pentecostal Church in St. Laurent, Quebec. The SOC crusades produced seventy-three filled with the Holy
Ghost in three days! Your Save Our Children offerings are reaching around the world to save children and adults! The yearly total of Spirit-filled individuals for the SOC crusades ended at 897. The General Sunday School Division has fourteen weeks of SOC Children’s Crusades planned for 2015. Pray for success in 2015! Our SOC goal is $1.4 million—another record goal. Thanks for your commitment and spirit. We look forward to another banner year in the General Sunday School Division.
Steve Cannon is the General Sunday School director.
2015 SOC Children’s Crusades Guam and Micronesian Islands Arizona February 24–March 1 Arkansas March 24-29 Oklahoma April 14-19 Virginia April 21-26 Illinois May 12-17 Wisconsin June 2-7
Vickie Oliver Tim and Yvonne Rimmer Pat Wehlage Tim and Yvonne Rimmer Phil Wagoner Pat Wehlage Phil Wagoner
Hawaii Michigan Texas Colorado Atlantic Nova Scotia
June 16-30 August 11-16 August 25-30 September 1-6 November 3-8 November 10-15
Trent Sheerin (two weeks) Tim and Debbee O’Brien Bruce and Jami Borlik Pat Wehlage Tim and Yvonne Rimmer Tim and Yvonne Rimmer
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Men on a Mission K E N T W. E L L I O T T
ast spring a group of fifteen men from Faith Tabernacle, Manchester, Connecticut, took a missions trip to Guatemala. It was the fourth such trip for the “Men of Faith.” On previous trips, our men were privileged to work on the Bible school in Guatemala City and assist with the installation of a new roof on a church in the mountains. During our most recent trip, we assisted with the construction of their new orphanage. Many groups from all over North America have contributed time to the construction of H.O.M.E. (Home, Orphans, Ministry, Education). Wow, it’s been an incredible mission! Fifteen men of Faith set out on a mission to help make a difference for the many orphans who are in desperate need of a home. What many of our men didn’t realize is that what they would take home would be far greater than what they would leave behind. Yes, we hung doors, built a full kitchen for one of the houses, and completed many other miscellaneous tasks. The work was fulfilling, but these tasks were not the most valuable part of the mission. What we built will soon need to be repaired or changed but what we brought back home will always be in our hearts—a heartbeat for missions. I will never forget that bus ride back to the airport to return home. Tears began to fill the eyes of grown men. After a full week of early mornings and late nights we were eager to see our families, but it was with mixed emotions because of the tremendous need we were leaving behind. These men were so thankful to God for the experiences they shared during the week. For some of our men, it was their very first experience with any type of missions work, let alone on foreign soil. They began to share with me how their lives would never be the same. They expressed how the material possessions they owned meant nothing compared to the mission they had just completed. One by one, men began to speak with faith about what they could accomplish together and how this would only be the beginning of their journey for missions. 36
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For Faith Tabernacle, these missions trips are strategic. Exposing members to the mission field during weekly service plants a seed and births a burden. However, experiencing the mission field on foreign soil changes lives. Every nail hammered, every door hung, every piece of wood cut, and every broom pushed represents more than a construction project. Men become Kingdom-minded and begin to look beyond the home front. Beyond the construction site, our men connected in a whole new way. The dinners in the evening provided a place for us to laugh, talk, and begin to form a closer bond with each other. Conversations around the table were focused on how we could help change the world instead of how we could add to our already material-driven culture. Men who already had a love for God now came home with the heartbeat of God: missions. These men left for a missions trip but they came home on a mission. Here are a few of their stories: Jose Rosario: “In April 2014, I went on my first missions trip to Guatemala with a group of great men. I went thinking we were just going to help build a dormitory for children living in the streets of Guatemala City. Let me tell you, I was so wrong to think this was just going to be a trip to lend a helping hand. “While on this trip, I began to realize how much I take life for granted and also how blessed I am. I was informed that at any given time there are as many as ten thousand people living in the city dump. We took a trip to the city dump and when I saw men, women, and children rummaging through the garbage trying to find food or anything they could use my heart broke into pieces. In this country we go to restaurants and don’t think twice about it when we have leftovers. We just say, ‘I’m good; you can take it away,’ and that food is discarded. Yet so many people live and survive on the leftovers of Guatemala’s dump. They see a garbage truck coming and run to it like it’s about to drop a treasure at their feet. It made me think how spoiled we are having so much and others having so little. We should be grateful for what we have and stop thinking about what we don’t have. “As a father, I can’t picture myself and my family living like that. I have everything a person needs to live a happy life. God has blessed me with a good job, a nice home, a beautiful 38
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family, and yet I still find reasons to complain about my life. “When I returned home, the first thing I did was fall to my knees and ask God for forgiveness. Then I hugged my wife and children and told them how much I love them and how blessed I am to have them in my life. I then thanked God for giving me the opportunity to go on this missions trip because it was a lifechanging experience for me. This trip made me a better man, better father, better husband, and a better person overall. “I made a promise to God that I was going to be that better person, but above all I committed to Him that I am going to live and serve Him for the rest of my life. If there is anything He would ask of me I am willing to fulfill my purpose and to keep this promise.” James Steele: “Ephesians 4: 11-16 came flooding into my mind as I worked alongside my brothers who too had made a spiritual investment by volunteering their time and energy to be a part of this remarkable trip to Guatemala. Although the Scripture passage references the spiritual offices given to saints for the work of ministry in the church, I couldn’t help but think that Paul wanted to explain the inspiring power of saints working together for one common purpose. I saw brothers falling into their respective roles demonstrating that everyone had something to contribute to the work at hand as ‘every joint supplieth.’ “From the moment I stepped off the plane, I realized that the body of Christ was already at work, starting with the warm welcome and strong words of encouragement we received from the hosting pastor; to the women who cooked our meals; to the shuttle driver who brought us safely from the hotel to the worksite every day; to the men taking measurements and cutting the wood for cabinets, door frames, and shelving; and to the crews cleaning up the construction debris. “What a life-changing experience! God illustrated the beauty and power of His people working together for a purpose. I realized that emotions and circumstances couldn’t dictate whether I choose to serve God. All I can do is bring what God has given me, my talent and ability, and allow Him to use it for something magnificent, blessing others and glorifying Himself. In this instance, God was creating loving families, hot meals, and safe housing for the beautiful children of Guatemala City.” If you are a pastor and want to impact your men with the gospel, expose them to the full commission of God: the command to go into all the world! (See Mark 16:15.) This will set your men on a mission! Kent W. Elliott is the pastor of Faith Tabernacle in Manchester, Connecticut.
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[ P E N T E CO S TA L L I F E ]
Changing Seasons D E O N N A WA D S WO R T H
love the sunshine! I love spring, and I love summer. If it could be spring and summer year round, I would be content. At least I think I would. I complained as I sat looking at the rain coming down so forcefully the other day while at work. It was so gloomy outside. Yesterday another light shower fell, but this time I could see the sun and white clouds in the distance. We need the rain. Without it everything would wither and die. It is the same way in the seasons of life. We need those storms that blow into our life. It may seem as though we’re going to be blown away by the force of the wind as the pelting rain stings our skin, but it is causing us to dig our roots deeper into Christ. It is in those times we find our shelter under the shadow of His wings and learn to trust Him more fully. At other times, He sends a light shower that refreshes our soul as we see light and hope peeking up beyond the rain clouds. We also need the autumn seasons when things are changing. Old things are dying off, but then the cold begins to come as winter moves in. It feels as if everything is dead and barren. The icy sting of bitter cold cuts straight through to the bone as snow begins to cover the ground. Everything becomes ice covered, and at times we can’t feel anything because we’re numb with cold. As the long winter seems to linger, the more we wonder if we’ll survive. We feel forsaken, desolate, and alone at times. We need that season of dying off to self and to old ways,
to things that shouldn’t be in our life. It’s in that season we realize we are hopeless without Christ. It’s in that season we realize how much we need Him. We do not need to give up in that season; spring is coming. Just when we think everything within us is dead, hope and life will begin to bud and spring forth as God creates a new thing in us. Each season has a purpose. Just as changing seasons are necessary in life, so are they necessary to keep balance, health, and well-being in our spiritual life. I don’t welcome fall because I know winter will soon follow. I’d prefer the warmth of summer’s sunshine and seeing the flowers continue to bloom, but I know I also need the season for things to die off that shouldn’t be in my life. It’s painful, sometimes brutal, but what follows makes it all worthwhile as we once again begin to see the things God is cultivating within us bloom and blossom as spring returns. No matter what season you may be in right now, hold on and endure with patience. A new season is coming! God is working in you, and when He is finished, you will trade beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that you may be called a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord (Isaiah 61:3). Deonna Wadsworth graduated from Apostolic Bible Institute and is a minister’s widow who attends the Pentecostals of Alexandria.
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Police Brutality DONALD L. ROGERS
s a black minister and father of five adult children, I am weighing in on the highly volatile subject of police brutality in America. As an African American pastor, I feel our voices need to be heard in this troubled hour for our country. There are two opposing sides representing a racial divide both in secular and religious America. USA Today (August 15, 2014) reported that between 2006 and 2012 there was an average of ninety-six black people who were killed by white police officers each year. In 2011 there were over four thousand officers charged with committing a violent crime and one out of three was actually convicted. Clearly our country has an issue concerning brutality that many minority Americans feel is being ignored. As a man of color, I, along with my sons, have witnessed firsthand racial profiling by law enforcement officials. Conversely, what the media fails to report is out of the seven hundred thousand police officers in America and the thirteen million arrests made each year, there are many good police officers who put their lives in harm’s way for all races of people every single day. The media fails to report that in many instances (not all) where a black person is shot, there were preceding circumstances where the officer felt his life was in danger. The media reports the sensationalism of the black person dying but often not with responsible journalism that captures the full story of a shooting. My question to the black religious community is this: Where are the ministers that should be coming out publicly to denounce 42
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"I taught my four sons to hold a respect for the law at all times."
people swearing, yelling, and physically fighting a law enforcement official? Have we forgotten the real message in all of this, to place the responsibility back on the parents and the extended family for teaching fundamental respect for authority? I taught my four sons to hold a respect for the law at all times. There are systems and processes in place to deal with the minority of bad police officers and the police corruption that sometimes goes on. Where are the religious leaders who should be telling their community not to burn down or deface property as a response to possible police brutality? Are these not the tenets of Biblebased values? I understand the true anger that many black Americans feel, especially the parents who have lost their children because of the excessive force of a police officer. However, we as parents and leaders of the home must look at our own value system and ask some painful questions. Are we preparing our children for dealing with institutional racism? Are we preparing our children for dealing with inevitable injustices? This is a part of life for every color of skin. Should we remove the entire police department of a city and blame all seven hundred thousand police officers across America? If we do, who will be there to protect the angry black citizen when a burglar breaks into his or her home? Most likely a white officer will show up to put her or his life on the line to serve and protect. I challenge black America to sit down for discussions between clergy, associations, and our law enforcement community and demonstrate to our children how to intelligently solve entrenched issues of institutional racism. We must leave a legacy behind that clearly speaks to our children of how to face difficult challenges in a melting-pot country. The media will paint a picture of the rapid killing of blacks throughout America by white police officers. The statistics do not bear this out, even 44
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though one wrongful death is one too many. We have come a long way in race relationships in America, and we still have a long way to go. However, we should not allow irresponsible media reporting and a minority of bad police officers to dictate our race relationships with each other. It is time to go back to traditional family values. This means training the children to respect all authority and the human life of one’s neighbor. This means to diffuse an officer’s rudeness with a yes sir and a no ma’am with a proper tone of voice. Why not invite the police force to the inner city churches for real grassroots discussions? This might prove far more effective than some sermons if the minister fails to model to the sheep respect for authority in his own life. Romans 13:1 says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.” This includes corrupted police officers that are in authority. If we discontinue teaching our children to believe and honor our elected officials from the president down to the mayor in our city government, then we ourselves will face the same rebellion by the hands of our own children. Donald L. Rogers, a UPCI minister, pastors the Pentecostals of Wisconsin, which has an accredited Christian school, Victory Christian Academy. He serves as the district prayer coordinator for Wisconsin. He has been married to Van for thirty-three years and has five adult children and four grandchildren.
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C O N G R E S S Y O U T H A M E R I C A N
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
I Want my Wife Back NANCY NORRIS
“ want my wife back,” said Dave. “I want her smiles and laughter again. I need her help at the church. I feel like I am all alone.” The counselor turned to Nancy, who sat next to Dave. “Is that how you see it?” “I’ll tell you one thing,” said Nancy passionately. “A person who loses his son shouldn’t go on with his life as if nothing happened!” Dave countered, “And if someone is going to be a pastor’s wife, then she ought to act like one.” Sometimes events happen that rock our world to such an extent that nothing will ever be the same. It is not “if” this will happen. It is only a question of “when” and “how” such events will occur. When Dave and I suffered the loss of our only son, we were going through a number of other transitions at the same time. These crises were so intense and sustained that we couldn’t get through it by ourselves. We needed help in understanding that life would never be “normal” again, at least not “normal” in the way we had defined it. Certainly, not all of life transitions are negative. But even when opportunities arise to do new things we want to do, often, embracing the new requires leaving old things behind. Moving from one thing to another can be scary. Part of getting to the new normal is to acknowledge and even grieve over the things life has taken from us. If we leave one job to 46
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go to another, we have left something of ourselves behind. If we move from one ministry to another or from one city to another, there is always disruption. Life sometimes requires us to leave friends, family, and loved ones. In order for real change to happen, something inside of us has to shift. For me, the process of “letting go” of the old and “embracing” the new was difficult, to say the least. Some have called this awkward space the “neutral zone,” but believe me when I tell you there is nothing neutral about it. I act out when I don’t like what life brings. That in-between place can be pretty painful. When her father died, Clara had a choice to make. He had tried to convince her that she should help the soldiers who were suffering in the Civil War. Despite the fact that almost no one believed that the battlefield was a place for women and that she as a single woman was challenged constantly, it was Clara Barton who forever changed the world by doing what she could do, eventually founding the Red Cross. When a young woman was widowed she decided to give her service to the Lord’s work and spent decades doing what she could do around the Temple. God was with her, and though at times she must have wondered if her life counted, in the course of her service God spoke to her and through her. It was only a young couple carrying a baby, but the Lord spoke through her and she prophesied that it was this baby who was
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the Messiah and who would change the world (Luke 2:36-39). When a young girl was orphaned and found herself thousands of miles from home, it didn’t seem possible that anything positive could result from her tragedy. Yet that girl would one day save her people (Esther 4:14). It is not uncommon for major disruptions in life to redesign your world so that in a certain way you become a different person. It may be that your schedule is different, your friends are different, and your everyday world is completely changed. Sometimes these things happen because of choices we have made. Other times, life brings unexpected and unpleasant surprises. When our son, Nathaniel, died, Dave and I both experienced crises in different ways. Neither of us was ever the same again. The world was different. I’ve got to admit that leaning into my new reality led me to some serious God issues: Why did God allow . . . or why couldn’t God make things easier . . . or why do I hurt so much? Yet God is big enough to handle our questions. Those questions are legitimate and God is not mad at us for asking, though He doesn’t always give quick answers. It is hard to describe just how life was different. I found that what I had deemed to be most important things in life had shifted. Sometimes this was subtle and sometimes this was pretty glaring. Ministry felt different. I felt closer to those who had lost loved ones and started working with those who were
grieving. Nathaniel had had special needs, so after he passed away I chose to work at a school for children with disabilities. While I became less tolerant for people who act like they have it all together, I was more open to those who are hurting. Dave did not get his wife back. That wasn’t an option. One simply can’t go back. We didn’t get that choice. There were some things about that loss, though, that we did get to choose. We got to choose whether or not to trust God for the future. We got to choose to explore options and discover a new focus. We got to choose whether or not to live with change. Acceptance starts slowly. It is a seed in the heart and the mind, one watered with faith and gratitude. In my own life, sometimes this seed got watered and sometimes it didn’t. Eventually, God helped me to discover renewed purpose. He can do the same for you. Nancy Norris will celebrate forty years of marriage to her husband, Dave, in June. She is an adjunct instructor at Urshan College. Nancy and Dave wrote Sweet Pain, a book about the loss of their son, Nathaniel. It is available through the Pentecostal Publishing House.
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[LIFE TRANSITIONS]
Hospice— Crossing the Bar: Lessons I’ve Learned as a Hospice Chaplain
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ome of the greatest life lessons I have learned have come from my experiences as a hospice chaplain. The individuals under my care have taught me that in the end what matters most are these three questions: How well did you live? How well did you love? How well did you learn to let go? I have the privilege of providing companionship and support for people during their last days. In these relationships, my patients have been incredible teachers. I wish everyone could experience the power of deep, unguarded sharing of the soul that takes place in such encounters. There are fears to be lost, courage to be found, and lessons to be learned. Through these discussions, three inevitable questions are frequent points of focus. What Is Next? The power of the Lord is very evident here. Those who have faith seem to find peace, whereas others often struggle with letting go. Conversations address what will happen in the coming days, or what the family or patient may feel during this time. The family often question whether or not there will be pain or discomfort at the final stages of their loved one’s life. My role is to help the patient and family members accept the present diagnosis and seek to make peace with unresolved issues or family concerns. Will My Family Be All Right when I Leave? Often, a patient needs permission from his or her family to let go. Reassurance is needed that the family will be all right after his or her passing. Family and friends will deeply miss their loved one, and there will certainly be feelings of
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grief, but they will be all right. To this end, I encourage open dialogue between the patient and family members to communicate how they will survive without their loved one. This is also a time for the family to receive blessing from the patient, to give the family courage to live well after their loved one passes away. For those who have a relationship with God, it is much easier to have faith for the future. Was I Significant in this Life? The close of one’s life is typically a time of deep personal reflection on how he or she lived. Even those with little or no faith wrestle with the importance of relationships. There is often pain from unresolved conflicts with loved ones, and regret that comes from a self-serving life. A patient once told me, “I regret the times when my priorities were money and possessions. I was so selfish. I was so caught up with my success that I almost lost my family.” When asked what he felt good about, he shared, “When I found God, that changed everything. With God’s help, I changed my priorities and my relationships.” For those who never make those realizations and readjustments of life priorities, questions of true significance can be devastating to address at the end of life. Love is where we start to ask those big spiritual questions and ultimately where those questions end. I have seen many expressions of love: A husband gently washing his wife’s face with a cool washcloth because she is too weak to take care of herself. A daughter patiently feeding pudding to her mother, a woman who has not recognized her for years. A wife arranging the pillow under the head of her husband who is unable to communicate because he has slipped into a deep sleep. The meaning of love rings out loudly in these acts of kindness offered at the weakest points of life. Since God is love, then we learn about God when we see love in action.
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Much sadder are situations in which patients are facing the end of their life without the love and support of family. Patients have shared what it feels like to grow up knowing they were utterly unwanted by their parents. They tell me what it is like to be the target of someone’s rage. They express their deep sorrow over abandoning their children. They cannot forgive themselves for allowing their drinking to destroy their family, or for failing to care for those who needed them. Even in these cases, I am amazed at the strength of the human soul. People who did not receive love in their families understand that they should have been loved. People who did not give love often realize what they should have done, and now must work toward resolution and healing. When love is imperfect or a family is destructive, there is something else that can be learned: forgiveness. The spiritual work of being human is learning how to love and how to forgive. We should learn from those who are dying that the best way to reflect God is by loving each other wholly and forgiving each other fully. Just as each of us longs to be loved and forgiven by those closest to us at the end of our lives, so we ought to freely forgive and love every day, to avoid a lifetime of regrets. Working through the emotional components of end-oflife issues is very complex; however, physical suffering is still especially difficult to endure, both for the patient and for the family. In The Way of the Heart, Henri Nouwen puts it this way:
Of all the non-verbal modes of communicating with those who are suffering, one of the most profound I have discovered is silence. Ministry is sitting with a sufferer and not running away at the moment it feels uncomfortable. Love and understanding allow me to provide the ministry of presence, fighting my own fears that might cause me to spurt out some pithy phrase to fill the silence. Holding a hand or simply smiling back at the patient—these acts of love have incredible value for the individual, and, amazingly, for me as well. This is communication at the deepest, rawest human level, providing connection and care when words are unable to be heard or understood. The final hours of life offer family and friends an opportunity to be present as their loved one transitions from this life to the life to come. In these moments, I have encouraged the people gathered around the bedside to share meaningful stories, and express their love through words, tears, and touch. The family must also give permission for the individual to be at peace, assuring the patient that they will band together to support each other in the coming days. From those about to cross over, I have learned that power, position, or possessions are unimportant at the end of life. Being a hospice chaplain has taught me that it is not about how much we have gained, but how much we have given. Life’s goal is not how well we were served, but how well we served others.
Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to the place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.
Melvin Reddy is a full-time hospice chaplain who has served the greater Austin area for seven years. He and his wife, Lisa, pastor The Sanctuary Church in Cedar Park, Texas, and have one precious son, Jude.
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LAST WORD BY ROBIN JOHNSTON
Reclaiming Discipleship hen I was a young aspiring writer attempting to learn the craft, I poured through the pages of the Writer’s Digest looking for tips to improve my chances of getting published. I remember seeing fullpage ads from the Kimberly Clark Corporation asking writers to be sure to use the phrase “facial tissue” instead of “Kleenex” and ads from the Xerox Corporation reminding writers to use the word “photocopy” instead of “Xerox.” At first it seemed counterintuitive. Why wouldn’t a corporation want their brand name to be synonymous with a certain kind of product? But I came to realize that these corporations were afraid they would lose their brand name if they allowed it to be used wrongly. They wanted to reclaim their brands. Although nobody holds a trademark to the word discipleship, it still needs to be reclaimed to its original and full meaning. In much of our church culture it has become what we call the truncated process of the assimilation of new believers into the church. Often in the contemporary church it means a class lasting from two weeks to six months where new converts learn the basics of the faith. If the church is to become all God intended her to be, then the discipleship process must be reclaimed. Although we often associate the idea of disciples and discipleship with the ministry of Jesus Christ, it did not originate with Him. At the time of His public ministry, similar practices were occurring within the wider GrecoRoman world and one can even find some parallels in the Old Testament. But like He did with so many things, Jesus took the existing practices and significantly altered them. He invited 50
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His sacrificial death secured our eternal destination. However, He is not only interested in the end of time and eternal life, He is also interested in the here and now. He is interested in us becoming like Him. a number of men from various backgrounds to join in His public ministry. By doing so they became attached to Him. This attachment is the first phase in the discipleship process. Sadly, all too often churches think it is the only phase. Discipleship has come to mean that short period of time when new believers become attached to Jesus. Sometimes it means the time period during which they become attached to the church. They learn to belong—to fit in. But discipleship is more than learning how to be a good church member. In calling Simon Peter and others to leave their fishing nets and follow Him, Jesus had more in mind than mere attachment to Him; He wanted to radically alter their lives. He wanted them to live with new purpose and new vision. He wanted them to live like Him. He didn’t call them to die like Him—there was need of only one death on the Cross. Only Jesus could purchase our salvation, and thanks be to God, He did! Living like Jesus does not earn our salvation. His sacrificial death secured our eternal destination. However, He is not only interested in the end of time and eternal life, He is also interested in the here and now. He is interested in us becoming like Him. This discipleship phase of becoming like Him takes time, lots of time. It truly is a lifelong process. Some have suggested that the reason
it took forty years for the children of Israel to reach the Promised Land after their exodus from Egypt was because it took that long to turn slaves into soldiers. Although the Christian life is frontloaded with change—our new birth brings radical and immediate change—more subtle yet equally important change takes time. Paul witnessed this in the Galatian church. They were struggling with the vision that Christ had for the church to be one people, free from Jewish cultural restrictions. In his letter to that church he pleaded with them to let “Christ be formed in you” (Galatians 4:19). You get the sense that this change was difficult and took time and repeated instructions before they mastered the concept. It took them out of their comfort zone. The twenty-first century brings its own challenges to the discipleship process. Regardless of what they are, we know that spiritual formation is a primary task of the church. Discipleship needs to be reclaimed as the process of being formed into His image. Robin Johnston is the editor in chief and publisher of the United Pentecostal Church International.
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