When Your Now Doesn't Look Like Your Vision

What do we do when we know we have seen our vision for our future, but it doesn't look like our now?

God grants a vision of your future and then begins the process of getting you ready to step into that picture, because when He gives it you are not ready to step into it.

The picture or vision God shows is to show you who and what He wants you to be, not who and what you are now. Remember faith calls things that are not as though they were. So, He speaks into your now to begin a process to take you to what and where He has for you.

So many of us get a correct vision but do not understand timing and preparation. We see it and expect that we will immediately walk into it. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Character development and process is what makes us ready to step into the picture that we have seen. Though the vision tarry, wait for it. Why? Because it is for an appointed time. What appointed time?

When you have been through the process required to step into it. What you do and how you yield during the process; determines the length of time between receiving the promise and the manifestation of the promise.

RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION???

I had a great conversation with a ministry colleague last night that was deep on many levels. This Scripture was brought to my remembrance through what this friend shared.

“For the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” James 1:20 NASB

This reminds us to see what spirit we are of or are acting from. What is the fruit of what we are doing? Acting out of anger…is that the fruit of the spirit…or is that the fruit of the flesh?

“Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Galatians 5:19-21 NASB

Notice that outbursts of anger are deeds of the flesh NASB, works of the flesh NKJV & KJV.

Is it possible that much of our “Quote on Quote” “Righteous Indignation” is just our way to cover for our Outburst of Anger? (work or deed of the flesh)

Perhaps we all need to go back and allow God to work His Character in us afresh and anew. Perhaps we all need to really develop the fruit (singular, not plural) of the spirit (it is NOT fruits of the spirit, but, fruit of the spirit) in our lives.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23 NASB

The fruit of the spirit is self-control, not outburst of anger…which are we doing? There is a lot of action displayed by many on social media as well as in person, that wreaks of flesh…not spirit.

The next time your ire or dander get up…stop and ask yourself, is this a work of the flesh or fruit of the spirit? Is this an outburst of anger or self-control?

Just maybe…our Righteous Indignation isn’t so Righteous after all!

Protocol & Delegated Authority

Two of the biggest needs in the church today is for a clear understanding of both Protocol & Delegated Authority. Much of what occurs in our Meetings, Fellowships, Networks, and Churches lacks proper Biblically Balanced Submission and is clearly out of order because of these foundations are not understood.

Let me first deal with Protocol. Webster defines Protocol as: "A system of rules that explain the correct conduct and procedures to be followed in formal situations." I teach about Protocol quite often when teaching on Prophetic Ministry. Every church or ministry has their own Protocol. There are general Biblical guidelines for how things are supposed to function and operate…but not specifics. Each church or ministry Set-Man or Set-Woman must determine what the rules of correct conduct and procedures will be for the work they are set over.

It is up to all the followers to play the game we played as kids in school: “Follow The Leader”. Quite often, folks get used to a Protocol in the house where they fellowship on a regular basis. Then they go visit another work that has a different Protocol. If said person begins to operate the way they do in the ministry they normally attend in the other work with the different Protocol; then they are out of order because they are not submitting to the Protocol of that house they are currently in.

It does not matter what you normally do, it is your job to submit to the house you are in and follow the Protocol that has been set out by the Set-Man or Set-Woman. You also cannot get upset at another Man or Woman of God if they have a different Protocol to the one you are used to. If we understood this we would have less folks out of order and less folks with their nose bent out of shape. (I hope you understand my expression)

Now let me deal with Delegated Authority. The Free Dictionary defines Delegated Authority as: "The action by which a commander assigns part of his or her authority commensurate with the assigned task to a subordinate commander. While ultimate responsibility cannot be relinquished, delegation of authority carries with it the imposition of a measure of responsibility. The extent of the authority delegated must be clearly stated." The church totally operates by this principle.

Jesus is the Head of the Church and as such is the Final Authority and ultimate holder of authority. He delegates or gives a measure or a part of His authority to a Set-Man or Set-Woman in a church or ministry. Then that Set-Man or Set-Woman in turn will delegate authority to various staff members, department heads, and leaders. Closely related to Delegated Authority is the understanding of Spheres of Authority. Allow me to illustrate the difference between the two from my life and my role as a Set-Man in a local fellowship.

My Mother and Father who are both Apostles, happen to be members of the local fellowship that I am the Set-Man of, it is their home church when they are not out on the road ministering. When we are not in church, they are Mom & Dad and I submit to their authority as both my Natural and Spiritual Parents. But once we come into the church, they tell everyone that Michael is the Set-Man and what he says goes. In fact, this past Sunday morning when my Dad spoke he got up and said the boss said to speak now and that we would do the announcements and offering after he spoke. He said this because I whispered to him to go and speak now. Now they are still my parents, but in the church, they are submitted to my sphere of Authority as the Set-Man.

Now let me contrast that with Delegate Authority. In the church that I am Set-Man of, I have an Associate Minister who I have been friends with for some 25 or so years. He is really the one with the Pastor’s Heart and is the most gifted Psalmist I have ever met. When I turn a service over to him to either speak or lead worship, I am no longer in authority because I have Delegated my Authority to him. Once he is exercising that Delegated Authority, if someone wants to share or say something, they need to go to Pastor Mike, not to me, because he is operating in authority at that moment. Both Spheres of Authority and Delegated Authority are critical for us to understand and walk in.

If we could get these simple things right…oh how much better things would flow. Imagine how much less strife we would have in Ecclesia if these things were understood and practiced. Let us make this our goal that we understand and walk in Protocol and Delegated Authority.

Restoration & Convergence

I woke up with two Words on my heart & mind this morning: Restoration & Convergence.

Restoration is defined as - the action of returning something to a former owner, place, or condition, or the act or process of returning something to its original condition by repairing it, cleaning it, etc. the act of bringing back something that existed before, or the act of returning something that was stolen or taken.

Convergence is defined as - when two or more things come together to form a new whole, or two or more things coming together, joining together, or evolving into one, or to come together and unite in a common interest or focus. An example would be many streams converging into one river. Related words would be: combination, connection, or culmination.

I began to think of these two words in relation to where the church has been, where we are now, and what lies just ahead:

Many in the church have been crying and believing for the church to live in the power demonstrated in the book of Acts. Many have prophesied that it was coming; even in our time right now on the earth. I also fully expect this to be fulfilled in our day, but not because we have prayed some magic prayers or made some magic confessions, but rather because: The church has been going through a period of Restoration.

What we fail to realize is that God has been quite busy over the last 70 years or so bringing the church through Restoration whether we have realized it or not. Sometimes looking back over recent history gives us some perspective. If we can see where we have been and what God has taken us through we can see where we are going.

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins.” Mark 2:22 NKJV

For us to walk in what the book of Acts walked in, we must look like the book of Acts in our structure. God will not waste the New Wine if the current Wineskin can’t hold it! So, God has been taking us through a Period of Restoration through different moves and emphases starting with the Voice of Healing Revival in the late 40’s – early 50’s.

With each restoration move of God a different Ministry Manifestation or Expression has also been Restored to the Church. The one constant throughout church history has been the function of the Pastor, but the rest of the Ascension Gifts in Ephesians 4:11 were not seen or known to be among the church.

·         In the late 40’s – the mid 50’s God restored the Office of Evangelist with the Voice of Healing Revival. AA Allen, Oral Roberts, William Branham, Jack Coe etc.

·         In the 70’s God restored the Office of the Teacher with the Word of Faith movement. Kenneth E. Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, Charles Capps, Fred Price etc.

·         In the Late 80’s – mid 90’s God restored the Office of the Prophet. Bill Hamon, Chuck Pierce, James Goll, Cindy Jacobs etc.

·         In the mid 90’s – the 200’s God restored the Office of the Apostle. C. Peter Wagner, Che Ahn, John Kelly, Jonas Clark, etc.

Many times, throughout church history, we have been like the disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration, declaring that it is good for us to be here and desiring to build a tabernacle and camp there. The thing about God is that He does not camp, He moves. From the very beginning in Genesis we see the Holy Spirit moving over the face of the deep. In the Old Testament when the Pillar of Cloud Moved…they had to move; when the Pillar of Fire Moved…they had to move.

Well God moved from the Voice of Healing, through the Charismatic Renewal, into the Word of Faith Movement. Then into the Prophetic and finally the Apostolic. The problem is many have stopped at different moves along the way and camped while God moved on. He was busy working the Restoration of all Things!

“Therefore, repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time.” Acts 3: 19-21 NASB

This brings us to where we are right now. God has restored the wineskin so that we can hold what the Book of Acts held. All the Ascension Gifts are not only in operation, but now in many circles, are fully accepted. It is time for the Convergence! It is time for all these moves of restoration to come together in one Major, Mighty Move of God!

For those of us who did not camp, but kept on moving through the various moves of Restoration we have come to a time that James Goll called: “The Convergence Of The Ages”. We have reached the time in History where all the Ministry Gifts have been Restored. We have reached the time in History where all the Moves of God have wrought their Manifestations and done their Work.

In likening Convergence to a Culmination, we must realize that everything God does has as intended purpose, nothing is haphazard or by chance. He has been working all along through these last 70 years or so to bring us to this point in time, where we could have a wineskin like the book of Acts and therefore hold the Demonstrations of the Book of Acts. The Restoration is complete and it is time for all the Restoration Moves to be in Manifestation at once and all the Ministries to Operate and Flow as One…Convergence has come!

Why Either/Or When God Intended Both

This morning I read a post on social media that said something to the effect that we needed to have Preachers that were Passionate more than Polished. I understand the sentiment that the person was getting at, yet my thought was why do we have to settle for either Passionate or Polished? Why can’t we have Preachers that are both Passionate and Polished? If we think about it…was Jesus not a Polished Preacher? Was Paul not a Polished Preacher? It is not either/or that we need, it is both that we need! We need Preachers that are both Passionate and Polished!

I believe we set ourselves up for failure by making us choose between two things in an either/or situation when God intended that we have both. Here are two more examples that most will be able to relate to:

Teaching or Preaching – another example of this failed ideology of either/or is about Teaching and Preaching. Some stress the importance of Teaching which is for Education, while others stress the importance of Preaching which is for Motivation. Again, why must we choose one or the other? Why can’t we have both? If all we have is Teaching, we have folks that know what to do, but no motivation to do it. If all we have is Preaching, we have folks that are motivated to do something, but have no clue what they are to do. If we have a balance of both we have folks that know what to do and are motivated to do it.

The Word or The Spirit – this is another example of this failed ideology of either/or. Some folks want to stress The Word! Just give me the Word brother, just give me the Word. All we need is the Word. There are others who stress how much we need a move of the Spirit. We just need to allow for a move of the Holy Spirit. We just need to have manifestations. Again, why are we choosing between two things as if we can only have one or the other when God intended that we have both the Teaching & Preaching of the Word accompanied by the Moving & Manifestations of the Spirit? Just the Word, Word, Word leads to dry Christianity. Just the Manifestations of the Spirit leads to flakey Christianity. It is not either/or we need…it is both we need!

We need to stop this either/or mentality in the Church! God is not making us choose! Why are we making us choose? He intended that we be both Passionate & Polished, He intended that we have both Teaching & Preaching of the Word, He intended that we have the Teaching & Preaching of the Word as well as the Moving & Manifestations of the Spirit. Let us take everything that God has for us!

Witnesses Of The Resurrection

As we are in both the Easter and Passover seasons right now, like many my thoughts get very reflective towards the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. This past Wednesday night at our midweek service, I was meditating on these things and was drawn to this Scripture:

“And with great power the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And great grace was upon them all.” Acts 4:33 NKJV (emphasis mine)

The fact struck me the Apostles gave witness not to just Jesus, but to the resurrection of Jesus. Secondly, they did so with great power. Why would great power be needed to bear witness to the resurrection? Let us really simplify this text and boil it down to two basic points: WORDS & WORKS.

In our text, it states they gave witness. Other translations use the word testimony or testify. The Greek word used in this text is Strong’s # 3142 and really is better-translated testimony. The English dictionary defines testimony as:

·         A declaration or affirmation of fact or truth.

·         Any evidence in support of a fact.

·         A public declaration regarding a religious experience.

In other words, the apostles spoke about not just Jesus, but about the resurrection of Jesus.

“He looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that HE WAS NEITHER ABANDONED TO HADES, NOR DID His flesh SUFFER DECAY. This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.” Acts 2: 31 & 32 NASB (Peter’s sermon on the Day of Pentecost) (emphasis mine)

"So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." Acts 26: 22 & 23 NASB (Paul before King Agrippa while in prison) (emphasis mine)

We must declare the resurrection, because without the resurrection we are just another religion…but, Jesus has risen and is alive forevermore. Telling folks about the goodness of Jesus and His miracles is not enough; it is His resurrection that is the anchor of our faith and the hope of our resurrection.

“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” 1 Corinthians 15: 14-17 NASB (emphasis mine)

In our text, it states that the witness the Apostles gave was with GREAT POWER.

The word for power used in our text in the Greek is Strong’s #1411, a word which many of us are quite familiar with, it is the word Dunamis. Dunamis is defined in the concordance as:

·         Inherent power.

·         Power for performing miracles.

Paul uses this same Greek word – Dunamis in Philippians 3:10 where he speaks about the Power of the Resurrection.

“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” Philippians 3:10 NASB (emphasis mine)

The apostles not only testified or spoke about the resurrection; they demonstrated it by the power to perform miracles.

“At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's portico. And all the more believers in the Lord, multitudes of men and women, were constantly added to their number, to such an extent that they even carried the sick out into the streets and laid them on cots and pallets, so that when Peter came by at least his shadow might fall on any one of them. Also, the people from the cities in the vicinity of Jerusalem were coming together, bringing people who were sick or afflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all being healed.” Acts 5: 12, 14-16 NASB (emphasis mine)

“God was performing extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were even carried from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out.” Acts 19: 11 & 12 NASB (emphasis mine)

From these simple thoughts, we can draw the conclusion that to be a witness of the resurrection we must tell it and show it, or like the old kindergarten game we played in school: ‘SHOW AND TELL’. This is a concept the New Testament bears out quite well.

“For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me, resulting in the obedience of the Gentiles by word and deed, in the power of signs and wonders, in the power of the Spirit; so that from Jerusalem and round about as far as Illyricum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.” Romans 15: 18 & 19 NASB (emphasis mine)

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2: 1, 2, 4 & 5 NASB (emphasis mine)

Hindrances To The Manifestation Of The Five-Fold Ministry

I read a post by a minister friend the other day on Facebook that I fully agree with: “Five-fold Ministry offices of Ephesians 4:11-13 exist but very rarely operate as a team, let's believe for the creation of these this year.” However, after reading this statement it really made me think: “Why don’t we see them operate as a team?”

I believe one would be hard pressed to find a Pentecostal, Charismatic, Word of Faith, Deliverance, Apostolic or Prophetic Believer that did not believe in the Five-fold Ministry or Ascension Gifts of Christ for the Church today. With so many streams of the Ecclesia believing in their existence: “Why is it we do not see the full manifestation of them?” I have several thoughts along that line that I would like to share from what I have witnessed over the last 35 years in the Body of Christ.

I can recall back in the hay day of the Word of Faith movement back in the early 1980’s that Rev. Kenneth E. (Dad) Hagin taught on the Five-fold Ministry Gifts. Many Ministers from many camps or streams have taught these gifts ever since; yet my minister friend still needed to make the post on Facebook that I quoted to start this Blog some 35 years later. This Ought Not Be!

When I was growing up my Father was a Pastor of a local church. Shortly after I was married in 1982 and moved to Tulsa to attend Rhema Bible Training College, he left the Pastorate and started operating as a Missionary/Evangelist, yet many stilled referred to him as a Pastor. After some years, he received his Doctorate of Divinity and moved to Trinidad to operate predominantly as a Teacher and Administrator as the President of a Bible College, yet some still referred to him as a Pastor. Several more years passed and he and my Mom began to be recognized by many in the Body of Christ in certain circles or streams as Apostles; yet some still to this day refer to them as Pastors.

My own experience in ministry is somewhat different yet the same as well. I started in ministry operating in the Office of the Evangelist, yet some called me Pastor. After some 25 years or so God began to transition me into the Office of the Prophet, and to my surprise, folks began to call me Prophet. In March of 2016 after about 16 years of functioning as a Prophet, I was commissioned as an Apostle by my pears. Folks began to call me Apostle. Then God had me step into the role as the ‘Set Man’ or ‘Senior Leader’ of a local church, and guess what folks are calling me? You guessed it…Pastor!

How can this be? Could it be that with all our teaching on the Five-fold Ministry Gifts, folks still do not understand them? Are we not as smart as we think we are? Here are some of the Hindrances to their Manifestation as a Team as I see them:

Calling Everybody Pastor: We have this tendency in the church that if somebody is a preacher or minister they are automatically called Pastor, even if they aren’t. If you are the ‘Set Man’ or ‘Set Woman’ of a local church than you are a Pastor, even if you are not.

False Humility: We have people who are Apostles or Prophets who are afraid to refer to themselves as God has called, appointed, and anointed them; so, they refer to themselves as Pastors as if they are being humble. Apostle Paul said: “I magnify mine office” and “I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle.”

Apostles & Prophets Are Super Saints: Many have this thought that if one is an Apostle or Prophet, they must be some sort of Super Saint, always walking in the anointing and power of God never having a flesh moment and we just could not attain to that. Nothing could be further from the truth! Peter and Paul were Apostles that clearly had flaws and issues that are not hidden in Scripture. Moses and Elijah were two the greatest Prophets yet they also had flaws and issues a plenty, which Scripture also reveals. If all of them did so will Apostles and Prophets today.

Tradition: Jesus in speaking to the religious leaders of His day said: “…making the word of God of no effect through your tradition.” The Traditions that we hold onto…how we have always done it…how it has always been…impedes the progress and the manifestation of ‘Current Truth’ even though we want to experience it and know it is so.

Envy & Jealousy: Ministers that are insecure in their own calling, are threatened by others in other offices leading them to envy and jealousy of their Brothers & Sisters. This behavior is destructive and leads to the belittling of others and their calling; while making, themselves feel equal and adequate. This is nothing more than the enemy’s comparison trap which must be avoided at all costs.

Poor Understanding Of The New Testament Pattern: For all our teaching, you would think that folks would understand what Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 12:28 about FIRST APOSTLES, SECOND PROPHETS; but alas that is still not the case. Pastors are hardly mentioned at all in the New Testament and Apostles are mentioned repeatedly. Yet we see an abundance of Pastors, or those called Pastors (who might not be Pastors) and very few Apostles. Somehow, we have it reversed and are out of order as far as the New Testament Pattern goes. The New Testament Church was meant to be APOSTOLIC; NOT PASTORAL!

Lack Of Honor: A quote by a Man of God I greatly admire and honor comes to mind: “What you Honor you draw to you; what you Dishonor you repel from you.” Because we have not learned to Honor one another’s gifts and anointing(s) we are repelling each other’s gifts and anointing(s). If you don’t Honor my gift, you repel my gift; if I don’t Honor your gift, I repel your gift. With us acting like that please tell me: How can we be a Team?

Our goal is to see the Five-fold Ministry Gifts or Offices flow as a Team. My Minister friend said: “Let us believe for the creation of these this year.” I say: “Let us remove these Hindrances and watch them Manifest!”

What Leaders Need To Know

I recently read a post in one of the Ministry Groups on Facebook that I am a member of by a Minister Friend. He was starting some new training for those that would be going into leadership and wanted to know what things we felt were important for leaders to know. Right away several things came to my mind and this Blog is the result of that discussion.

Ministerial Ethics & Integrity:

If there is something that is sorely missing in the church today ethics and integrity are certainly among them. I am constantly amazed by Ministers and Leaders who I thought would know better, but don’t, and act with such a lack of ethics and integrity. There are just some things that you do not do as a Minister or Leader, but it seems many are not aware of what they are. Here are some of the things one should not do:

1.      Do not steal sheep.

2.      Do not encroach into another’s anointing or office.

3.      Do not usurp another’s authority.

Here are some things to do:

1.      Always submit to God ordained and delegated authority.

2.      Always respect and honor another’s office or calling.

3.      Always respect another’s sphere of influence.

I remember years ago, hearing a Man of God say: “Every traveling Minister should spend a year or two as the ‘Set Man’ in a local church; and every ‘Set Man’ should spend a year or two in traveling ministry; that way each would understand the other’s function and would know how to treat the other and what to do and what to not do.” I believe there is Great Wisdom in that.

Submission & Authority:

It should be readily understood and accepted that one can only exercise authority to the degree that they are under authority. That was one the greatest truths I learned when I was in Bible school. Jesus was amazed at the understanding of authority by the Centurion, because he said I am a man that is under authority and I have men that are under me; I say to this man go and he goes, and to this man come and he comes. I wish folks in the church understood this simple principle. As my Father put it in his message recently: "People who cannot follow, will never be allowed to lead."

The Differences Between The Classifications Of Gifts In The New Testament:

The New Testament is clear that there are three different lists of gifts; and yet many times folks approach the various types of gifts with statements like: “Well gifts are gifts.” That is quite ludicrous to say the least. Logic like that is like saying: “Well sports are sports.” Now you know as well as I do that baseball is a sport, football is a sport, and basketball is a sport; but they are nowhere near the same. Each sport is played differently and has different rules that govern it. So, it is with the gifts in the New Testament. The three groups of gifts are known as:

1.      Motivation – found in Romans chapter 12. These are the primary motivations of one’s life that drives them and really what makes them tick.

2.      Manifestation – found in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. These are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit which are manifestations that are given for the common good and operate as the Spirit wills.

3.      Ministry – found in Ephesians chapter 4. These are also referred to as the ascension gifts or the five-fold ministry gifts and are designed as equipping gifts so that the body be not tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and come to a place of maturity.

It should be evident that these three categories of gifts are not the same and have different intended purposes, yet it is amazing how many current leaders do not understand these differences.

Practical Ministries:

I can recall when I first enrolled in Rhema Bible Training College in September of 1982 and taking Rev. Kenneth Hagin Jr.’s class called “Practical Ministries”. It was one of the most foundational and important classes I took at Rhema. It underscored what I already knew from growing up in a Pastor’s home. “So many have delusions of grandeur that the Ministry is nothing but: Preaching, Praying and Prophesying…that you will live in camp-meeting and revival 24/7.” Kenneth Hagin Jr. said. Nothing could be further from the truth!

I can still hear him standing before us as he addressed first year Bible school students with his Texas drawl: “All right…you want to know how to spell Ministry? W-O-R-K! That’s how you spell ministry!” We need to learn that there is a lot of behind the scenes work that needs to be done that nobody sees. Folks just see what is done in public. That is the easy part. The tedious part is what is done behind the scenes…that is the real work.

There is no way that I can cover all the things that leaders need to know in one blog without turning it into a book. We could speak of overcoming rejection; observing and keeping proper boundaries and being adaptable, able to change; but time and space do not allow. I trust these simple thoughts will be of help to both prospective leaders and current leaders as well as the Body of Christ at large.