Kids in Church

Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had enough of his antics.

“You’re not supposed to talk out loud in church.“

“Why? Who’s going to stop me?“ Joel asked.

Angie pointed to the back of the church and said, “See that man standing by the door? He’s the husher.“

The first wave of the Pentecostal revival, began in 1901 in Topeka, Kansas, gained a strong following in Galena, Kansas, mushroomed into thousands in Houston, Texas, spread to many towns in Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois, exploded in the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles, found thousands of converts in Canada, and spread to mission fields around the world.

Most denominational leaders reacted negatively to the Pentecostal revival. Phineas Bresee, a pastor at Los Angeles in 1906 and a general superintendent of the recently formed Pentecostal Church of the Nazarene, wrote of the meeting on the Azusa Street: “Locally it is of small account, being insignificant both in number and influence.  Instead of being the greatest movement of the times, as represented - in Los Angeles, at least - it is of small moment. It has had, and has now, upon the religious laugh of the city, about as much influence as a pebble thrown into the sea; bull what little influence it has had seems to have been mostly harmful, instead of beneficial.“

Many Pentecostal pioneers met more than verbal hostility as they evangelized.  How would Goss wrote: some workers were attacked, some were beaten, some had bones broken, some were jailed, some were made to leave town, some were rotten egg,ed and some were shot at. we were stoned, but at least we were not ‘sawn asunder’. Church services were disturbed by roughnecks for many years.  Tents, buildings, and sometimes residences where burned; drinking water was poisoned, and windows were broken.  We were sometimes threatened by angry mobs or by raging individuals when some member of their family had been converted.  Often we had no protection.“

Now, people have little or no hesitation in attending our church services, and many of them receive the infilling of the Spirit and are baptized in Jesus name.  The Pentecostal movement has grown to be the third force in Christianity with a worldwide constituency of more than 400 million people who profess to be a part of the Charismatic/Pentecostal movement.  This is about one fourth of all professing Christians in the world.

The United Pentecostal Church International has reached a worldwide constituency of more than 2 million, and this number is growing rapidly.  Each year, tens of thousands receive the Holy Ghost and are baptized in Jesus’ name in United Pentecostal churches located in more than 130 nations.  But we are not content with our efforts or success.  Leaders, Pastors, and laity across our fellowship are praying, preaching, giving, and evangelizing their communities, districts, and nations.

This is our day of revival.  The pioneers of this century left us with the message and example in reaching their generation, and we must rise to the challenge of reaching ours.  On the day of Pentecost, Peter’s message caused many to ask, “what shall we do?“  Peter answered, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins’s, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.“ (Acts 2:38).

Our answer to our generation must be the same as given by Peter.

J.L. Hall
The Pentecostal Herald

We will not be having a Christmas Sunday morning service so that you may spend time with your families.

We will be having our normal Sunday evening service at 6:30 pm. Please come visit us.

Did you know?
As you walk up the steps to the building that houses the US Supreme Court you can see near the top of the Building a row of the world’s law givers; each is facing one lawgiver and the middle who is facing forward with a full frontal view - Moses, who is holding the 10 Commandments.

Did you know?
As you enter the Supreme Court courtroom.  The two huge oak doors have the 10 Commandments engraved on the lower portion of each door.

Did you know?
Inside the courtroom, on the wall directly above where the Supreme Court judges sit, is a display of the 10 Commandments.

Did you know?
There are Bible verses etched in stone all over the federal buildings and monuments in Washington, DC.

Did you know?
James Madison, the fourth president, the father of our Constitution, said: “we have staked the whole of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government, upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the 10 Commandments of God.“

Did you know?
Patrick Henry, patriot and founding father of our country, said: “it cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists but by Christians, not all religions but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.“

Did you know?
Every session of Congress begins with a prayer offer by preacher, whose salary has been paid by the taxpayers in 1777.

Did you know?
52 of the 55 founders of the Constitution were members of the established churches in the colonies.

Did you know?
Thomas Jefferson worried that the courts would overstepped their authority and instead of interpreting the law all, would begin making law, does create an oligarchy—the rule a few over many.

Did you know?
The very first Supreme Court justice, John Jay, said: “Americans should it select and prefer Christians as their rulers.“

How, then, have we forgotten to the point that everything we have done for 220 years and this country is now suddenly wrong and unconstitutional?

It takes courage to stand up for what you believe. I did not know there were any of you left. My wife grew up believing the way you do. So did my mother.

During the fall semester of 2003 at the University of Houston. I decided to major in psychology with a minor in theology. My first theological class, Bible and Western Culture, was taught by the dean of religion who, after receiving his doctorate from Rice University, taught at another local university before coming to the University of Houston. Only later would I discover that he was a Church of Christ minister with a Oneness background.

Halfway through the semester, the professor made a condescending comment about the strict upbringing forced upon his wife during her childhood. She was raised in a pastor’s home, and each year her father wrote a note stating that she could not participate in gym class because she did not believe in wearing pants. The class erupted in laughter and derision. Immediately following this outburst, he dismissed the class. I felt such indignation. I purposed that in the next class I would stand up and speak up.

The topic of the next class was Ezekiel’s vision of wheels (Ezekiel 1:15-21). He finished his lecture early, and for the first time in the class, he asked if anyone had questions. I raised my hand. At that moment, I felt an indescribable strength infusing me.

“Sir,“ I said, “I do not have a question, but I do have a comment.“ The class all turned to stare at me. The instructor told me to continue.

“In the last class, you told how your wife was not allowed to wear pants because of her beliefs. The tone of your voice and this class’s response to your statement offended me. I am a Pentecostal and my father also wrote notes for me asking that I not be forced to participate in certain activities because of the dress required.“

The class was as silent as I had ever heard it. I plunged on.

“I do not appreciate my beliefs being presented in so patronizing a manner - especially in a religious studies class.“

“So,“ the professor responded, “you don’t wear pants?“

I shook my head no. He then asked why I believed it was wrong. I gave the response I had been taught in Sunday school: “Because in Deuteronomy 22:5, it instructs believers not to confuse the genders by their dress.“ I went on to explain that for thousands of years of human history, no woman wore pants, and that until World War II, such dress was not common even in the twentieth century.

The professor looked upset. He dismissed the class. Another Pentecostal girl walked up to me and we stepped out together. She confessed amazement that I had stood up to the professor - but I viewed it more as standing up for God!

I called my father and he warned me that one of three things would happen. First, the professor would find some aberrant, historical instance of women wearing pants. Or he would come “loaded for bear” and would try to disprove my understanding of the passage in Deuteronomy. Or he might apologize.

My being human, I assumed the worst. the next few days were filled with surfing Apostolic Web sites and reading Bible studies about modesty. I prayed, too. I prayed a lot!

I walked into the next class feeling prepared but very nervous. The strength I had felt when I stood and spoke now seemed gone. I said a silent prayer as the professor walked into the class. He went to the lectern and stood quietly. He assumed the same posture until the entire class had assembled, and then he asked someone to close the doors.

“I have an apology to make,“ he said. “In the last class, I was so shocked when a young lady spoke that I didn’t know what to say. I owe this young lady an apology.“
A friend of mine was taping this class; otherwise I would not have remembered what was said. I sat in awed silence as God’s presence entered that classroom.

“It takes courage to stand up for what you believe,“ the professor continued. “Today, I want to explain to everyone here why she believes what she believes.“ Looking directly at me he said, “I am sorry. I did not know there were any of you left.“

Gazed around the room, he explained, “My wife grew up believing the same way you do. As a matter of fact, so did my mother.“ His tone dropped and his words became filled with emotion.

“I was nine years old when my family changed churches. The new church allowed women to wear makeup. My mother had never put on any makeup, but because of the pressures of the ladies in the new church, she felt she should try to fit in. I remember standing at the bathroom door, watching her at the vanity trying to apply makeup for the first time. She was crying so hard that the mascara kept running down her cheeks.

“I did not know what to do,“ the professor continued his story. “She did not want to wear the stuff, but she felt the need to fit in.“ He paused for a while as he struggled to hold back his own tears.

“This young lady,“ he said speaking of me, “does not wear makeup because the Bible teaches that humans should not seek to alter their appearance. She also wears skirts because the Bible says for women not to wear that which pertains to a man. Nowhere in Scripture does it speak of women wearing pants. She doesn’t cut her hair because the Bible says that a woman’s hair is her glory and that it should be uncut.“

He looked at me for agreement. With tears running down my face, I nodded at him. He continued on, describing not just the point about which I disagreed with him, but all the other distinctions of the Pentecostal faith. “She also believes that in order to be saved, you must repent of your sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus, and be filled with the Holy Ghost. She believes in one God - not a trinity.“

He grew quiet again. “How do I know this? My family is all Pentecostal; I know everything she believes.“

This went on for about an hour. Then he dismissed the class. I walked up to him after class and thanked him. “Don’t thank me,“ he said. “I was wrong. I admire you for standing up for what you believe. That’s a tough thing to do.“ He went on to describe his family’s history in Pentecost. As the Lord would have it, one of his relatives was my father’s mentor in the ministry.

“It’s a small world,“ my professor said as he turned and left the classroom. I left encouraged. For the rest of the semester, the professor seemed to find occasions to speak of the phenomena of Pentecost. He described how third-world countries were swiftly converting to Pentecostalism. He told how the Pentecostal doctrine gave the hopeless hope of a much better day to come.

The next semester, I was disappointed that I would not have this same professor. Yet, when I showed up for one of my courses, there he was! The instructor planned for the class had some last minute changes, and he was filling in. I felt that God had permitted this to happen.

In the opening class, he spoke about the gift of tongues. He told the class that rather than having him explain it, it would be best to have a “tongue-talker” explain it. For forty-five minutes, he permitted me to answer questions about speaking in tongues and to explain the difference between the initial gift of the Holy Ghost and the additional gifts of the Spirit.

The Pentecostal Herald
T’Neil Gurley

The most destructive habit - worry

The greatest joy - giving

The greatest loss - loss of self-respect

The most satisfying work - helping others

The ugliest personality trait - selfishness

The most endangered species - dedicated leaders

Our greatest natural resource - our youth

The greatest problem to overcome - fear

The most effective sleeping pill - peace of mind

The most crippling failure disease - excuses

The most powerful force in life - love

The most dangerous pariah - a gossiper

The world’s most incredible computer - the brain

The worst thing to be without - hope

The deadliest weapon - the tongue

The two most power-filled words - I can

The greatest asset - faith

The most worthless emotion - self-pity

The most beautiful attire - a smile

The most prized possession - integrity

The most powerful channel of communication - prayer

The most contagious spirit - enthusiasm

The most important thing in life - GOD

The November fellowship rally in Morrison has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.

If we struggle with a lack of self-love and self-worth, the solution is not to focus all our attention on loving ourselves.

We live in a culture that worships at the feet of individualism. Our self-centeredness isolates us. George Gallup Jr., referring to American isolationism, wrote: “We are physically detached form each other. We change places of residence frequently. One survey revealed that seven in ten do not know their neighbors. As many as one-third of Americans admit to frequent periods of loneliness, which is a key factor in the high suicide rate among the elderly” (The Search for Significance, Robert McGee, p.33).

In the beginning we were whole, complete. We were secure in a sure of the love and acceptance of God. We were in right relationship with God and man. Then Satan, that great deceiver, came. He sold eve a cheap imitation of the real self-worth and wholeness she already had by telling her she could be like God. He sold her this formula for self-worth: “Self-Worth = Performance + Others’ Opinions” (The Search for Significance, Robert McGee).

The tragedy is that she believed him. The greater tragedy is that Adam went along with it even though he knew better. And the greatest tragedy is that people today are still buying the cheap imitation of what God has provided freely. The opportunity to received God’s provision is here, but we still feel like failures: rejected, unworthy of love, and hopeless. How can we overcome these insecurities?

The song says it best: “He’s already provided; everything you need He’s already provided.“ Jesus alone has overcome all things: He alone is able to overcome our fears, hurts, and insecurities. He Himself has shown us the way.

Paul, writing to the Philippians, stated of Christ that “He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form” (Philippians 2:7 NLT). Jesus overcame Satan and the world by making Himself nothing. Our ability to overcome insecurities begins with admitting that we are nothing - without Him. (See John 15:5) Third, all I have is His; I have nothing without Him. Through Jesus Christ we have worth, can do all things and have access to all the resources of heaven and search. How can we be insecure when we are dead to self and alive to Christ?

Robert McGee writes in his book The Search for Significance that there are four basic ways that our insecurities reveal themselves. The Performance Trap, which is the fear of failure, finds its answer in justification (I have been granted the righteousness of Christ). The Approval Addict, who fears rejection, finds acceptance because of reconciliation (I have been forgiven and have an intimate relationship with God). Those who play the Blame Game, constantly feeling unworthy of love, find peace through propitiation (Christ’s death satisfied the wrath of God; therefore, I am loved deeply by God). Finally, our shame is overcome by regeneration (I am a new creature in Christ).

Our significance begins with right relationship with God. We are restored but there is still something missing. The second part of the answer to overcoming insecurities is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27 NLT). Jesus put it another way: “Do for others what you would like them to do for you. this is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12, NLT).

Randy Frazee became the pastor of a church in the Dallas/FortWorth area in 1990. When he became pastor, the church was in severe decline, having lost over two-thirds of its membership. In just ten years the congregation had recovered and grown to five times the size it was in 1990. How was this possible? In his book The Connecting Church, Randy Frazee said: “If we struggle with a lack of self-love and self-worth, the solution is not to focus all our attention on loving ourselves. Jesus might even have chuckled at such a foreign suggestion. Instead, as we pursue the love of God and then turn and pour the substance of the love of God contained within us onto others, it brings meaning, significance, and contentment to our life.“

We must have community. We must belong! We can do this by spending time with our families, both natural and spiritual. It is important to eat together, talk together, and play together because God did not crate is to be loners. He made us so that He Himself would have someone to love, someone to share life with. are we not made in His image? We need each other.

We are to be the family of God. Brothers and sisters for real! We need to be bonded together, and that will not happen by accident. In our culture of isolationism and individualism, we had better make up our minds to get in the process of becoming one family under God. It cannot just be another thing on our to-do list. Loving the Lord and loving others has to become our list!

God has called us friends. Our sense of security is not found in what we feel; instated, if we will listen, He will reveal His unconditional love to us. We are connected. we belong. The Cross compels us to believed. In the end, it is not about me. I am nothing, can do nothing, and have nothing without Him. There is no room left for insecurity because it is all about Him, His people, and His purpose.

I sued to ask God to help me.
Then I asked if I might help him.
I ended up asking Him to do His work thorough me.

Jeff Tracy
The Pentecostal Herald