Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Confrontation and Cleansing
David Cannistraci pastor of GateWay City Church in San Jose, California, believes that the church must confront the glaring issues that are rotting the charismatic family tree.
David Cannistraci pastor of GateWay City Church in San Jose, California, believes that the church must confront the glaring issues that are rotting the charismatic family tree.
“I love the charismatic church, but we have issues. Our sexual sins, self-promotion and self-indulgence need to be addressed. If we don't get it together, we may lose our ability to influence the lost.
“Confrontation is uncomfortable, but it's essential. We need the spirit of the 81 brave priests who confronted King Uzziah with his sin. They could have kept silent for fear of his authority, but their passion for God and His house required them to speak the truth and stop his madness (see 2 Chr. 26:16-18).
“God is exposing what we have failed to face up to, and unless we clean house, things won't get easier. Any structure that celebrates charisma but is soft on truth and character is a house of cards. It's time to challenge the root issues that are rotting the charismatic family tree. We can't have the power of Pentecost unless we are immersed in holiness and cleansed by the fear of the Lord.
“Our hope lies in another son of David who stands ready to cleanse and restore us. Jesus loves the church and gave His life to have a glorious bride without spot or wrinkle (see Eph. 5:26-27). He's ready to remove our shame and cleanse us in this season. If we'll respond, the renewal we need will come: "'A fountain will be opened to the house of David ... to cleanse them from sin and impurity'" (Zech. 13:1, NIV).
“Many are prophesying that 2008 will be better than 2007, and I'm convinced they're right-on—if we'll get tough on sin and start telling one another the truth.”
Congregation Donates More Than $200,000 to Tornado-Damaged Church
Last Sunday a church destroyed by a tornado just two months ago unexpectedly received enough money from a neighboring congregation to rebuild their facility. Thirty members of Fernvale Community Church in Fernvale, Tenn., were meeting in a temporary sanctuary when 400 members of Grace Center in Franklin, Tenn., walked into the service and presented the congregation with a $203,408 offering collected that morning. Grace Center members knew only that the funds would be given to a person or group in need. “It’s hard to believe people would do so much for others. It makes me cry just thinking about it,” member Thomas Taylor told Charisma. The 77-year-old said he had been “devastated” when he saw that the small church his grandfather helped build in 1885 had been ripped apart by a tornado on Feb. 5. “It looked like a war zone,” he said. “It worried me whether we’d be able to build it back.” Church officials believe the donated money will allow the church to rebuild according to new construction codes. “Settling the fact that we can build the church has made me realize how powerful God is,” said Ann Lee, board secretary of the non-denominational Fernvale church. Before presenting the check, Grace Center senior pastor Jeff Dollar told the teary-eyed Fernvale group: “We are with you. We have a message for you --God has not forgotten you.” The two groups then took communion together. Plans are under way for both congregations to join together in the groundbreaking ceremony of the new building. “It was the purest act of giving I have ever witnessed,” said Chris Dupré, assistant pastor of Grace Center. --- Renee DeLoriea in Franklin, TN
Missions In Japan
A 68-year-old grandmother from California is working to "set the table for revival" in a nation where less than 1 percent of the population is believed to be Christian. LaVonne Hira has traveled 18 times to the Far East nation, where she has helped plant churches, preached in local congregations and ministers through relational evangelism. Once married to a man of Japanese descent, Hira believes God grafted her into his family to help them fulfill a call to spread the gospel in Japan. Although she never knows how she'll pay for her missions work, Hira says during each of her 18 visits she has flown with first-class tickets and returned with more money than she left with. While in Japan, Hira often reads her Bible aloud while riding around on the nation's bullet trains. "By doing so, she has read the entire Bible to the nation of Japan several times over," says Steven Kaylor, senior pastor at Hope Church near Tokyo. She also prays regularly for the salvation of the imperial family. "She is definitely one of God's secret weapons to Japan," Kaylor adds, "and only eternity will reveal the full impact of her life in this nation." -Mary Hudson
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Interpreting the Times
What does it look like when God, who transcends time, steps into our lives to connect with us? Can He extend our horizon and give us a glimpse of the future? These are just some of the questions that Chuck Pierce addresses as he tackles the subject of time, specifically as it relates to God and our relationship with Him.
Jesus the Model
The earthly life of Jesus stands unique in human history as the pattern for all Christians. Discover your greatest challenge and your ultimate fulfillment when you learn to live by the life principles He modeled.
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