Ministry Today

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.

• Atheists Try to Short-CIrcuit Tree-Lighting Ceremony in Last-Minute Attack on Christmas
• The Queen James Bible and 'Homophobic' Interpretations
• Mayans Unmoved by 2012 'Armageddon' Hysteria
• Woman Conceived by Rape Launches Choices4Life
• Religious Freedom Wins in Nonprofits' Obamacare Lawsuits

Are You Called to Serve Another Man’s Ministry?

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Written by Greg Mauro

I will forever remember as though we were standing there now, as you read these words.

The place: The walking bridge connecting the student parking lot to the bustling campus of Oral Roberts University, where the grandiose buildings and space age architecture were a daily reminder to the thousands of us students of Dr. Oral Roberts' charge to “Make no small plans here.”

The time: 25 years ago.

The experience: A life-changing encounter that would set the course for my spiritual future in ways I would never have imagined when I woke up almost late for class that beautiful spring morning in Tulsa.

With a mere six weeks remaining before graduation, and with a dream in my heart far bigger than myself, I was ready to go from this incredible place of preparation to be used by God to fulfill the Great Commission and reach our world for Christ.

Relevant Messages Require Transparency

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Written by Ron Carpenter

Recently, I’ve been “reinventing” myself and re-evaluating my methods after 22 years of pastoring the same church. I come from a deep heritage of Pentecostal preachers, where fiery, Holy Ghost, sweat-filled sermons are the cure-all. Don’t get me wrong, the Bible makes it clear in Romans 10:14, “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?” (NASB). But is the gospel really communicated only through me? And does effective communication rely only on my preparation and my delivery?

Not long ago, I was challenged on this by a very successful pastor who attended one of our services. He told me, “You muscle everything! Everything that has to be communicated, you communicate by yourself, in the pulpit, with no support.” He said that at his church, the messages are communicated by everyone from staff to parking lot attendants and by multiple vehicles such as T-shirts (on the parking attendants), video screens and banners. His insights really opened my eyes, and I immediately began reallocating funds to staff these areas of support.

Since then, I’ve discovered some key principles for effective communication, which center less on me and more on the people I’m teaching. Here’s what I’ve learned about driving home a relevant message: 

Communicating a relevant message requires me knowing and caring about my audience.I think back to Ezekiel and his charge from God to communicate His Word to the exiles at Tel Aviv. Scripture says he went to them “in the heat of my spirit” (Ezek. 3:14, NKJV). In other words, Ezekielthought he had all the answers. But once he arrived there, he “sat among them for seven days—deeply distressed” (v. 15, NIV). He began to get a heart for those to whom God had sent Him. Have you studied your audience? Are you acquainted with their needs, hurts and passions? To be relevant to people, we must care about them. This is the key to relevancy. 

Communicating a relevant message requires me thinking about everyone who’s listening.I had the honor of speaking at Ed Young Jr.’s C3 Conference this year, where Ed talked about the “three chairs” we as pastors must keep in mind. The first chair, he said, is occupied by the visitor who has no knowledge of the gospel. The second chair is occupied by the new believer. The third chair seats the seasoned Christian. We must prepare our messages in such a way that we keep all three chairs in the front of our minds. 

Communicating a relevant message requires transparency.Recently, I stood in the pulpit with tears running down my face and spoke honestly of our family’s struggle with our oldest son’s drug addiction. Afterward, thousands of teenagers responded to the altar call and accepted Jesus as their Savior. And we heard from many parents who, feeling like failures because of their children’s lifestyle decisions, were freed of guilt. It was one of the most transparent days of my life. I gave my congregation insight into my real pain. “Getting real” allows us to become touchable and makes our faith more authentic. 

No one living in our culture today would argue that this is a different day. People are bombarded with information. But when it comes down to it, communicating a relevant message reflects our heart for God and for people. May we always have a heart that thinks first about those we’re teaching and allow that to shape how we communicate an eternity-altering story.

Ron Carpenter is senior pastor at Redemption World Outreach Center in Greenville, S.C. Connect at RonCarpenter.com.

Models of Learning

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Written by John Chasteen

To reach a new generation, we have to change the way we teach

AG's George O. Wood Offers Post-Election Insights on Church Duties

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Written by George O. Wood

George O. Wood, general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, is speaking out about the presidential elections in a new online video designed to offer guidance for Christians.

Wood, who recorded the video prior to Election Day, explains that no matter who won the election, the president now leads a country that is in the midst of multiple sharp social and economic challenges domestically and severe tensions internationally.

Using an acrostic gleaned from Jeremiah 29:7, Wood spells out a P.E.A.C.E. plan for how the Assemblies of God can influence the nation in a godly direction—including Prayer, Evangelism, Action for the common good, Civility and Example.

After encouraging routine fervent prayer for leaders, Wood takes time to clearly state that although being politically active is important, it is not to be a Christian's priority: "The mission of the church is to 'make disciples of all nations' (Matthew 28:19), not to 'win an elections in all voting precincts.'" He goes on to encourage Christians to be known as soul-winners and discipleship-makers.

Your Appointment Still Awaits You

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Written by Francis Frangipane

In spite of escalating turmoil in our world, and failed hopes for presidential elections in the USA, there still remains one last, great outpouring of mercy before the time of the end (see Matt. 24:14; Acts 2:17). This supernatural season is not something for which we must beg God.

No, its coming has been predetermined. It is the “appointed time” of the Lord.

As most know, an “appointed time” is an open display of the sovereignty and power of God, whether it is in calling a person or calling a nation. In it we discover with absolute certainty that nothing is impossible for God. It is a season when God fulfills the hopes and dreams of His people.

As it is written, “But You, O Lord, abide forever, and Your name to all generations. You will arise and have compassion on Zion; for it is time to be gracious to her, for the appointed time has come” (Ps. 102:12-13).