Ministry Today

Wagner: Don't Give an Inch to Satan

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Written by C. Peter Wagner

I can still remember prophecy teachers who tacked rows of charts and diagrams on the church wall and explained spell-binding details of the past, present and future. I cut my spiritual teeth on the Scofield Bible and devoured Hal Lindsey’s The Late Great Planet Earth. My seminary professors instructed me in pre-tribulationism and premillenialism. I quickly categorized anyone who disagreed as a “liberal.”

Now I look back on those days with a strange combination of regret and amusement. How is it that I was so wrong for so long? As I analyze my change, I can sum it up by admitting that I simply did not understand the kingdom of God.

Let me explain what I mean by starting with the Great Commission. The Great Commission has been central to my life. I committed myself to missions the night I was saved when I was 19. I spent my first 16 years of ministry as a field missionary and the next 30 as a professor of missions.

Did You Miss This in the News?

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Written by Charisma Staff

Check out some links below to recent stories from Charisma News that you'll find interesting and informative. You can also sign up to receive stories on your smart phone by signing up for the free Charisma News app by clicking here.

• Elementary School Sensors 'God' in Student's Veteran's Day Poem
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• Prison Minister: Lindsay Lohan Needs Faith-Based Regeneration
• Evangelist, Pioneer Mary Ellen Strong Passes at 91

The Devil Is in the Details

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Written by Eugene Reeves

I once heard a sermon titled, "The Devil Is in the Details." Recently, I learned that saying is actually derived from an exact opposite quote, "God is in the details."

This more positive statement is attributed most often to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a German-born architect. But the quotation didn't originate with him; it goes back more than a thousand years.

I believe it's especially significant that the phrase comes from the architectural community. This group understands that their ability to receive divine assistance with their work is enhanced by the more strategic, focused and committed they are. The level of creativity and craftsmanship invested in their work often makes the finished product breathtaking. Think about the beauty of the Sistine Chapel. It's easy to understand the full meaning of this great architectural proverb.

It's gratifying to know that God wants to be with me in the details of my ministry as well. Sometimes it seems like "the devil" has been in my inbox for years. No matter how many times I rebuke and send him away, the next week he shows up again.

The Wineskin Workers

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Written by Paul Manwaring

Effective administration ensures the best outpouring of the Holy Spirit

Administration’s time has come. These words still echo in my head two years after first hearing them in the form of a prophetic word. That word would cause me to fully embrace and value my gift of administration, as well as encourage others to do the same.

Administration is often misunderstood to be about typing, filing and clerical work. To study administration is to study how to lead and manage change. Administration is leadership. Misunderstanding, devaluing or disowning this gift is a huge mistake, particularly at this moment in history. We live in the days of the greatest change and opportunity this world has ever seen. The corporate world has grasped this and has stewarded increase with great skill, creativity and hard work.

At the same time, the church is hesitant to embrace the very gift that will enable it to carry out the God-given assignment of stewarding increase, change and transformation. 

Are You Pastoring Your City?

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Written by Jim Hennesy

Four ways to mobilize your church into political and marketplace influence

Serving a city involves accepting responsibility for spiritual climate beyond your congregation. As pastor of a local church, my awakening occurred when Holy Spirit whispered, “I want you to pastor this city.”

The implications of that simple directive radically redirected ministry philosophy and tangibly shifted our community to become a city where our mayor now boldly announces “Jesus is Lord in Cedar Hill, Texas.” The practical effect of activism requires pastors and churches to consider themselves partners, even owners (generators) of community values.

For example, when a business prospers or a neighborhood improves, I celebrate as though the title were in my name. When a business closes its doors or the school system struggles, I mourn. Our partnership with political leaders, business owners, school officials and citizen’s groups provides unparalleled treasure and opportunity for “kingdom to come, here, now” in cities across America.

Volunteers that Stick

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Written by Jim Wideman

Twenty ways to recruit the greatest team of helpers on the planet.