The Answers you May not Want to Hear! MARK H. STEVENS, M.

Min

WHY IS MY CHURCH DYING The Answers You May Not Want to Hear All Scriptures From the KJV Mark H. Stevens, M.Min

Crowned-Warrior Publishing Co. Jan.2004 chaplainstevens@gmail.com All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or copied in any form or otherwise by any means, except for brief quotations embodied in critcal articles or reviews, without permission from the publisher or the author. Editor Stephanie R. Stevens

Table of Contents Introduction Answer # 1 The Emphasis of Evangelism and Discipleship Answer #2 Holiness IS NOT isolation! Answer #3 Fear of The Hip-Hop Generation Answer #4 Let the women PREACH! Answer #5 More prayerless talk Answer #6 Sexual Impurity Answer #7 Feed the Poor! Answer #8 Racism Kills! Answer #9 OJT Preacher Answer #10 Open the Door Pastor! Answer #11 Demons have to go! Answer #12 Where are the men?

Introduction
America has thousands of churches! There are some in Cathedrals, Small Chapels, Storefronts, Private Homes and Warehouses. Some of these churches are denominational and some are not, some are traditional and some are very unique, and finally some are growing and unfortunately MANY are DYING! There are a lot of churches, ministries, and Christian Centers that are on life support spiritually. Why? I believe the question is on the hearts and minds of many Pastors and church members, and the answer is availableBUT can we handle the TRUTH? The truth is something most Christians avoid like the plague! Why? I think we (Christians) would rather blame the devil for things that are really our fault and responsibility. Is the devil our enemy? Of course he is! But WE reap what WE sow. The church preaches a lot about sowing and reaping, especially when it comes to money and wealth. If you read the verses in Malachi about tithes, read carefully! It wasnt the people God was rebuking, IT WAS THE PRIEST! But many churches lay this on the members and yet they dont practice what they preach. Tithes in the Old Testament were not JUST for the priest! The Levites, The Strangers (homeless), The Widows, and the Fatherless ALL benefited from the tithe. Local churches are supposed to make an impact on the communities they are in by GIVING back, (Matt. 5:14-16) Sinners should have to even confess and admit that the Church in their community makes a difference in the neighborhood! I want to give you ten answers to the QUESTION! Why is my church dying! Hold on to your hats the answers may shake up your traditional thinkingand make you THINK! It is not a sin to think outside of the box of traditionit is a sin to stay ineffective. There is nothing wrong with having a storefront church! But if after 20 years your storefront church still has the same 12 members, you need to padlock the door and admit your church is dead! Saints should beget saints, we were saved to lead others to salvation in Jesus Christ!

My prayer is that this small book will make you mad enough to do something!

ANSWER NUMBER ONE If the Pastor doesnt emphasize evangelism and discipleship, YOUR CHURCH WILL DIE! I was in church one Sunday and one of the old Missionaries was leading the early morning prayer, she cried loud and shook the rafters as she prayed. She said at one point Lord send the sinner man into this church! It was uttered with the utmost sincerity and piety, but she was very much wrong! God doesnt send sinners to church! He expects US to bring people to Jesus Christ! Jesus told His disciples to pray for laborers for the sole purpose of harvesting LOST SOULS! Too many pastors expect their churches to be like magnets and sinners will just come to church! We must invite sinners to Jesus first and foremost, and we must also invite people to our place of worship. It is not enough to have a nice edifice! Churches HAVE to aggressively share the Gospel of Jesus in their communities AND minister to its poor. This is the primary reason Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the church, so we could preach the Gospel and make disciples (students). Too often pastors want everyone to embrace and support HIS vision, but he forgets that others vision (purpose) helps support the church as well. Every Pastor NEEDS an EVANGELIST in their church to bring people to Christ so the PASTOR can nurture them, The TEACHER make them disciples and helps them go from milk to meat. The PROPHET inspires people to press into the perfect will of God. It is not a prophets job to see new cars in your future!

We have merchandised the anointing so much, that church is 90% business and 10% actual ministry! You would be amazed at the professed Christians (to include clergy), that dont actively win souls. There is more emphasis on raising money in our churches than there is winning souls! And it is killing our churches. Yes some of the money preaching churches have large numbers! I have visited many of them and they have one thing in common, they keep the congregation hostage by telling them if they dont give they wont be blessed! So everyone is waiting for the sanctified lottery with God! Outreach is not popular because there is no payoff to the carnal minded clergyman and their churches. You cant get a speaker offering for witnessing and preaching on the street. The modern day preacher looks at street preachers like they are buffoons or unlearned simpletons with no real credentials. Well I beg to differ! In this wicked generation we need some modern day John the Baptist! I have won more souls on the street than I have from a walnut stained pulpit. We have to get back to the basics and fulfill the Great Commission! If pastors stressed soul winning as much as they stress giving and honoring themselves maybe our churches would be filled with committed Christian converts. You may think I am being hard on pastors but I have to be because in our modern system of church government, it is the pastors that call the shots! Whatever the shepherd feeds the sheep is what they get. You want soul-winners? Then preach soul winning! I was once affiliated with the Navigators Ministry while stationed in Washington, DC. They are the models of what EVERY church SHOULD be about! Navigators prime directive is to win the lost and disciple them so they can in turn win souls and make more disciples! We would go out with our Jesus T-shirts and tracts and make the devil mad! The devil could care less about you wearing a Gucci suit or a designer dress and hat to church. But he gets mad when you bring a lost soul to Jesus Christ first and second to church. I thank God for my mentors in Christ! There was a preacher named Ike Sierson, whom I met while stationed Kunsan AB in Korea. I used go out with him on Soul Patrols. He taught me the importance of soul
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winning and what it cost! Ike was not a popular guy mind you, I have seen so-called Christians call him a fanatic and a trouble- maker. But no one won souls like this guy! Why? 1. He was dedicated to the cause 2. He didnt care what people thought about him 3. He realized that was the most important purpose a believer has. By the time I went back to Korea for a second tour, I had become just like Ike! I lead teams of saints out every Friday and Saturday night downtown. We preached on corners, handed out tracts, and witnessed like Jesus was coming back that night! My pastor then was Elder Herman Platt. Elder Platt like Ike had a burden for the lost and loved outreach. But I learned a different lesson from Elder Platt! He taught me the importance of intercessory prayer and the need to depend on the leading of the Holy Spirit. Pastors! Please make soul winning and intercession a priority in your churches before it is too late! You are planted in that community for the primary reason of winning the lost. God is tired of the Sunday fashion shows the lack of concern for sinners and the poor, and the preaching of prosperity over the preaching of the Gospel. If you are a Pastor of a church and your membership is decreasing through the years of ministering, then look back and ask, What have I been preaching? Well I am not a prophet or a gambler, but Ill bet you havent been teaching soul winning! If you have ministers in your charge and care, make those lazy rascals go on the street and preach and stop giving them a designated Sunday! I believe a TRUE preacher called of God will preach ANYWHERE! I have never in all my life seen so many sorry excuses for preachers as I have recently. Everyone wants to go full-time ministry! That means live off of the saints! I was full-time in the Air Force overseas! What the church really needs is ministry minded saints that take every opportunity to win a lost soul to Christ. You can do that at work, in the laundry mat, at the golf course, or on a street corner. Jesus was full-time! He preached to the woman at the well, In the wilderness, in the Temple, and even on a boat. Of course I realize very large ministries may need a paid staff. The storefront church on Martin Luther King Blvd. however does not. Jesus told the disciples freely you received, freely you give. That means the things of God are

not for sale! Sure it is nice when someone blesses you, but we don't do it for the blessing! Jesus set the example for ALL ministers to follow, and that is preach the Gospel for FREE. The gift of salvation was NEVER meant to be earned of purchased. Salvation is the most important message we can preach, yet it has been replaced with prosperity and happy syrupy sermonettes that won't get anyone SAVED. If the last words Jesus said centered around winning souls then THAT must be the most important thing Jesus had to say. Paul further emphasized it by saying, "Woe unto ME if I preach NOT The Gospel". Paul knew his calling to win the lost was the prime directive of Jesus to His ministers. Preachers today are more concerned about receiving honor and honorariums than seeing souls saved. Oh how it must break God's heart to see his representatives MISREPRESENT HIM! Jesus was a humble servant that came and ministered to the poor, the sick, and the lost. We MUST follow Jesus example and be soul-winners in a lost and dying world. Pastors have to teach soul-winning to the congregations, NOT just to increase numbers, but to also stir up gifts in the assembly of God. Spiritual gifts are activated when we do ministry, in particular soulwinning. The Gifts of the Spirit are not for show, they are for WORK. Every one of the Gifts are primarily given so we can win the lost and help them get filled with the Holy Ghost and make them disciples of Christ. (Acts 1:8) It grieves the Lord when he sees ministers become hirelings with no concern for lost souls. Too many churches are showcases or museums built to display the egos of the leaders. Churches named after men and women with their pictures plastered everywhere. Jesus was so low-key and humble when He did His fathers business. Jesus favorite title was "Son of Man". Jesus was God in the Flesh yet He carried himself as a lowly servant. It amazes me when I meet ministers for the first time and they introduce themselves as "Apostle" or "Evangelist", Jesus didn't even do that, in fact he called his disciples friends. Some ministers today are so high minded they won't even talk to you, you have to go through their "administrative assistant" or "armour bearer". And we think God is pleased with our foolishness? Freely you received...freely you give. Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!
1Co 9:16

If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
1Co 9:17

30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise. (Prov. 11)

ANSWER NUMBER TWO: Holiness doesnt mean isolation! One problem with mans denominational teaching is that HOLINESS in many churches and groups means stay away from them sinners! The only way sinners can see Jesus Christ is through the Church (The Body of Christ). The local church is a part of the larger body of blood washed believers. Sinners can only see the light of Jesus Christ through US. Now I am not saying Christians should go to bars and nightclubsBUT we do have to interact with sinners! Jesus went to places where people congregate. I remember many of my fellow preachers telling saints they shouldnt go to bowling alleys, teens shouldnt play sports, and saints dont go swimming! These are in some peoples minds what holiness is all about! True holiness means we are set apart for Gods use and purposes. Gods highest purpose is that we influence people to accept Christ! I dont think you can do that locked up in your church 7 days a week with black suits, long wool skirts, and doilies on your head! I used to witness on the streets of Song Tan City in Korea, there were nothing but bars, nightclubs, and whorehouses in this sin filled town. Many professed Spirit-filled Christians would warn me about going downtown. They would tell me it was dangerous and that there was too much temptation
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there. I believe the awesome power of the Holy Ghost is MORE than enough to protect us while we minister to sinners! I have led prostitutes, Moslems, drug addicts, and drunks to Jesus Christ in some pretty dangerous places. The Holy Spirit was given to us to insulate us from the World, much like an astronauts suit protects him on the Moon. If you stand up in church and brag about how Spirit-filled you are in one breath, and in the next you say you are scared to be around sinners, guess what? You might not be as Spirit-filled as you may think. The Holy Spirit is not just for shouting and speaking in tongues! He is the third person of the Godhead. His job is to bring glory to Jesus the Messiah. We need Him to help us live a sanctified life, and our sanctification is so we can win sinners. Sinners are supposed to be drawn by the Christ IN US! Greater is He (The Godhead see I John 5:7) that is in us, than He (The Enemy) that is in the world! We are walking Temples of God! Remember the Old Testament Temple? Gods presence would fill the Temple as the people of God offered sacrifice unto God. Well today Jesus is our once and for all sacrifice. Holiness churches are locking themselves in just like the Amish and the Mennonites. We are supposed to be an influence on the world. You cannot influence someone you are avoiding. Jesus was out in the workplace, in the marketplace, in the wilderness, in the mountains, in the Temple, and yes in the company of prostitutes and tax collectors. Jesus did NOT sin while hanging out with sinnersand you dont have to either. The power of the Holy Ghost is MORE than enough to help you stay saved (Jude 24 and Romans 8:32) We can believe God for new cars, healing, new jobs, and house but we dont believe He can keep us saved in an evil world! Daniel and the 3 Hebrew boys WERE NOT Spirit-filled, yet they resisted the world and influenced those around them! We have a MUCH BETTER covenant than they did! Jesus EXPECTS us to mingle with sinners from day to day, and influence THEM! Stop being a coward and GO into the highways and hedges! No one in your community will get saved because you go to Mt. Zion AME Baptist Fire Baptized Primitive Holy Nazarene COGIC every Sunday. They will get saved if you talk to them about Jesus and become a part of their lives! True holiness makes us interact and become a part of the lost lives. The Holy Spirit we brag about having was given to us to help us be lights in a dark world. We are not
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supposed to run from sinners, rather run to them with the love of Jesus Christ. Stop worrying about sinners rubbing off on you, We are the Salt of the Earth! When I was in the Air Force stationed in Korea, I was invited to a Super Bowl party by a co-worker, he wasn't saved and none of the guys at the party were either, my Christian friends scolded me and said I shouldn't go because they were going to be drinking and cursing. I learned early in my Christian walk that the Holy Ghost is NOT traditional nor does He think like us. I went to the party, and most of them knew I was a saved deacon. I didn't act snobbish are pious, I simply drank my coke and enjoyed the game. By halftime most of them were asking me questions about the Bible and the Lord. I kept the answers simple and invited them to Bible study. That Tuesday 8 of the 15 brothers showed up for Bible study. My Christian friends had nothing to say to me anymore. True holiness is fearless and confrontational, we are supposed to stand in the midst of evil and be a beacon. How can evil men and women be converted and saved unless WE lead them to Christ Jesus? One of the first things I noticed after I got filled with the Holy Ghost was an indument of courage. I always thought I was a pretty brave guy, but the power of the Holy Spirit is like steroids for the soul. I have preached on street corners, prisons, mental institutions, overseas in Muslim countries, and anywhere the Holy Ghost leads me.

ANSWER NUMBER THREE: You are afraid of the long hair, dreadlocks, tattoos, Baggy Jeans and nose rings! Yes there are saved Hip-Hoppers and Gen-Xers! A great number of the youth of America today all have one of these five things in common! We traditional saints have got to get over it! I asked a group of ministers at a conference this question, What would you do if
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a young man came to your church and professed his faith in Jesus Christ, but had dreadlocks? Well they frowned a little and said dreadlocks! My point is this, I am not a big fan of dreadlocks, but what does that have to do with a young mans walk with Christ? We focus on the wrong thing sometimes. I know Christians with dreadlocks, long hair, and nose rings. And none of them belong to traditional churches! Why? Because they are not accepted! If Jesus accepted them, who are you to say, You cannot be a Christian with a dread-locks! I have a friend that used to be a Hells Angel biker, he is now a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He ministers primarily to other bikers. He still has long hair, tattooed arms, and yes he still rides a bike! The difference is that he has a new heart and renewed mind! God delivered him from drugs, sex, and alcohol! He doesnt curse anymore! He reads the Word daily! And he prays more than many of my black suited fellow preachers. Unfortunately he would not accepted in many traditional churches. Jesus chose fisherman, zealots, prostitutes, lepers and tax collectors as disciples! These were not the cream of Israels spiritual crop! God doesnt judge the outward appearanceHe judges the heart. There was a Judge in the Old Testament named Jephtah. He was the eighth judge of Israel (Judg 10:6-12:7; 1 Sam 12:11; Heb 11:32). The son of a harlot, his brothers drove him from the paternal home. He made a name for himself by his prowess and gathered about him a band of men without employment, like David's men (1 Sam 22:2). He was a Godfearing man, with a high sense of justice and of the sacredness of vows made to God. At the time of his expulsion by his brothers, Israel had been for many years under bondage to the Ammonites. We have a generation of Jephtahs today! Young people look different, yes they do! But they also have a hunger for God without all of the religious trappings our generation put up with. Most young people today WANT to do ministry. They want to visit the sick and feed the hungryBut they dont want to be in church 7 days a week doing nothing. Todays generation is fast paced and hungry for truth. I teach Theology, Apologetics, and Evangelism in a local Bible Institute. The Generation X students are eager to hit the street and practice what they learn, while the older students just want to get through another semester and get
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their Certificate of completion. I took 13 students out on the street instead of having a regular evangelism class. The young Hip-Hop saints were like sharks in water. I purposely took them in an area were Muslims congregate! All of the Apologetics training was being put to the test. The point I am making is this, the young saints are more comfortable around sinners because the older ones have been in seclusion. The younger saints wear the baggy jeans and football jerseys yet love Jesus as much as the older ones. The young Hip-Hoppers are needed in our churches! They like Jephtah know how to fight, but we reject them just as he was rejected. I was one of the rejected ones in my family too. Like Jephtah I was born out of wedlock. Jepthah could do something his snooty family could not do...that is fight the enemy without fear. Our youth today are fearless too, they just need to be saved and filled with the Holy Ghost. (I Samuel 16:7)

ANSWER NUMBER FOUR: You dont realize women have a place in ministry! Women are to serve at our sides. This is slowly changing in many churches, but too many treat women like second class citizens in ministry. First let me preface this by saying I do believe God DID call men to lead. However lead doesnt mean women should be excluded from being leaders within a ministry of church. Women bring something to the church that men lack, that is adoration and love for the presence of God. I believe the first man and woman (Adam) were supposed to labor side by side. Under the new covenant this principal should be restored fully. If a woman can serve in combat in the natural why can she do so spiritually. She has the same Holy Ghost power a man doesAMEN? Amen!

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Men bring an analytical and hard edge needed to lead but women bring detail and compassion equally needed in running a ministry or church. Men need to be men, and women need to be women! If you are a woman preacher, DONT act like a MAN! You can be feminine and preach the Gospel! The prophetess Deborah understood this principal; she was Gods mouthpiece! Yet she did not try to be a leader in the traditional sense, Barak was to lead the people. Barak was unsure because he had no dealings with God and no confidence in God, but thank God for Deborah! Another example is King Josiah! Josiah reformed Judah, he caused the people to repent of their sins, but when he needed a Word from God he wasnt afraid to ask for a womans help. (Huldah, the prophetess) Pastors put your ego on hold and use the women for things other than frying chicken! In many cases the Lord uses women more prophetically than men, why? I believe it is because women are more prone to prayer and worship than men. God inhabits the praises of His people! This why the stories in the bible that involve great faith often center on a woman. Women accompanied Jesus just like men did, Women followed Jesus just like men did, and they ministered to Jesus needs BETTER than His own disciples did. The women stayed attuned to what Jesus needed more than what they could get from Jesus. This is the core of what worship is. Worship is simply adoring and honoring God for who God is. Women do that much better than men! If your church is a mausoleum on Sunday, then your church will die. Pastors choose people that love to worship God as your praise leaders, not necessarily the best singer! Whitney Houston can sing, but I would choose a woman full of Gods Spirit and love that couldnt carry a note over her. Notice who led the praises as the Children of Israel crossed the Red SeaMiriam! A woman is prone to praise more than a man. Men can be cold and analytical so much that it hinders worship. I have seen large church meetings where the pulpit is full of sour faced Elders and Bishops that wont shout, lift their hands, or stand up. Guess what T HAT CHURCH WILL DIE! (Hannah, Mary, The Syrophenician Woman)

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ANSWER NUMBER FIVE: Your church doesnt pray enough! An hour one day a week isnt cutting it! But we have Prayer and Bible Band every week! Thats what some of you are thinking! Most church prayer meetings are pathetic! The pastor and his family show up, most saints avoid prayer meetings like the plague! A real prayer meeting involves EVERYONE! Not just the Pastor leading it! While stationed in Korea I went to a prayer retreat and I noticed that Koreans pray a looooong time! Most prayed 2 to 3 hours while the Americans gave out in 20 to 30 minutes! Why? We dont realize how powerful prayer is! We pray in the midst of disaster, Koreans pray to avert disaster. We also dont pray in the Spirit enough! We brag about how we spoke in tongues 25 years ago when we received the Holy Ghost, but we never pray in tongues anymore! Praying in tongues not only strengthens you spiritually, but when you pray in tongues you are praying Gods perfect will over your life and situation. (Jude 20 and Romans 8:26-28) The devil is wrecking havoc in your church because you dont use the weapons of your warfare. (Ephesians 6:18) The prayer ministry in your church is the strength of your church! No prayer, No Power! Little Prayer, Little Power! Much Prayer, Much Power! The keys of the kingdom are very simple but powerful tools that bring people in through "the door" of Jesus' sacrifice. They are the Name of Jesus, the Power of God, the Holy Spirit, Prayer, Faith, and the Word of God and Love. All of these are "mighty in God, to the pulling down of strong holds" (2 Corinthians 10:4). With these "keys" we can "loose and bind" things in both heaven and on earth (Matthew 16:19). Using them properly we can bring many into the Kingdom of God.

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ANSWER NUMBER SIX: If you dont address sexual immorality in your church, it will die! Sexual sin destroyed Israel and its killing our churches! The children of Israel were lured away from their relationship with the Lord by sexual sin. God constantly warned Israel not to intermarry and fornicate with the heathen nations around them. Sexual intercourse unites the parties involved emotionally; this is called a SOUL TIE. This is why married couples are not truly married until they have sexual intercourse; it is the consummation of the marriage. When sex takes place between unmarried people they are still emotionally tied to one another, this is why Israel backslid and followed the gods of other nations. The church is modern Israel! The devil uses the SAME tactics today! That is why pornography is a 90 billion dollar a year industry! Too many pastors have 1st ladies and 2nd ladies on the side! Too many choir directors are sweeter than the morning danish! Too many women in church are being used by Satan to help tempt men to sin! I wont leave out anyone because there is enough blame to go around WE MUST REPENT! Solomon was the worlds wisest man in the world, he was anointed by God to lead the mightiest kingdom on earth, yet he threw it all away because his desire for women. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines, and the scripture say he LOVED THEM ALL! Satan knows that woman was created for man. God created woman not only to be a companion, but also as a helper and advisor. Satan always perverts what God creates. Remember King Ahab? He was Israels most wicked king, guess were he got all of his advice? His wife Jezebel! When a man has a woman in his life that loves God and loves him he has a great treasure. In the reverse if Satan manipulates a woman in anyway the man is in trouble. I was a Correction Officer and I met a preacher in
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jail that had fell in love with a woman that had a drug problem. He tried to rehabilitate her but in stead she caused him to fall back into his previous lifestyle which was filled with drug usage and bondage. How could such a thing happen? Well before I give you my thoughts just think about David. David loved God probably more than any human that ever lived did, and he fell prey to sexual temptation. We often try and pick apart the scenario that led up to the fall of David. Yes there were many factors. 1. David should have been on the battlefield. 2. David was away from the Ark of the Covenant, which was the very presence of God. 3. David was alone, a lack of accountability since the priest and the prophets were also on the field of battle. 4. The reason we all overlook and we dont want to deal withBATHSHEBA WAS BEAUTIFUL! I am sure David had seen other women that looked beautiful, but the devil made sure that David would see one that would cause his libido to go into overload. All men have specifics when it comes to a woman. Some men like skinny women, some men like athletic women and some men (ahem) like voluptuous women. The devil knows your fleshly desires because the weapons of HIS warfare all deal with our FLESH (I Cor. 10:13). If you like a thick, light-skinned girl, with gray eyes and pretty legs then guess what, The devil will send her your way! If darkskinned girls with wide hips, and large breast are your thing well the devil knows that too.

ANSWER NUMBER SEVEN: If you are in a poor areaYou have to feed them more than the Word! Ignoring them is NOT pleasing to God. If you witness to a man that hasnt eaten in over 24 hours without giving him a sandwich, chances are you wont reach that man for Jesus Christ! Jesus fed the 5,000 not so He could show off and impress people! He realized that sending them away in the middle of nowhere without food
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could be hazardous to their health. He was not just concerned with them hearing the Word; He was concerned about their well being also. Too many of us go to church in our big cars and SUVs on full stomachs and sit next to someone whose stomach is empty. God forbid! We are often the miracle someone needs! You may not think you are rich, but $20 to some people might be a miracle! We spend money on newspapers, coffee, and bagels every morning on our way to work, and some people sleep on the morning paper and eat the left over bagel you threw away because it was not toasted to perfection for you! The 12 disciples wanted to send the 5,000 away, so do most churches in America. We call the homeless lazy and say they must pull themselves up by the bootstraps! That is Republicanism not Christianity talking! Some people are one missing payday from being homeless. I am a disabled veteran and I know from personal experience, only the grace of God keeps some of us from sleeping in the street! Another hard fact is that there are Christian homeless people! For that matter Jesus was born in a homeless situation! The Bible says When you give to the poor, it is like lending to God. (James 2:5; Leviticus 19:15; Galatians 2:10)

ANSWER NUMBER EIGHT: If you are a racist, your church will die. (Yes Black folks can be racist TOO!) Dr. Martin Luther King said that Sunday morning was the most segregated day of the week, and sadly enough it still is nearly 40 years later. We have made good strides in the area of race relations in America, but some of the demons still persist. We have two types of racism in America: The racism of superiority and the racism of bitterness. Even though white people dont own blacks anymore and we arent lynched with great frequency anymore, and we dont have to sit in the back of the bus anymore, many whites still feel superior to blacks! This feeling of superiority played itself out publicly when
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Kenneth Hagin Jr. said he would not want his daughter to marry outside of her race, yet it is OK for thousands of Black folks to support their ministry with their GREEN dollars! But we arent good enough to marry their daughters. This publicity caused quite uproar in the Word of Faith Community. Fredrick K. Price confronted the Hagins about this comment, but they did not retract or reject their feelings or comments. Now black folks are guilty of the sin of racism / bitterness! We allow their actions and attitudes towards us; make us feel justified in our hatred of them. This is equally wrong because we are guilty of unforgiveness and hatred. The real miracle of salvation through Jesus Christ is not just that our sins are forgiven and we go to heaven, but that we are new creatures in Christ, Well lets start acting like it! God is a spirit, not a skin tone or a nationality! Both sides have to repent of these feelings and attitudes. Remember Pentecost? There were people of every race and nation at the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings unity! If there is no racial harmony in your church, I doubt if the Holy Spirit is there either.

ANSWER NUMBER NINE: Preachers need REAL classroom training as well as OJT (On the Job Training) in order to be effective ministers. Unqualified preachers are killing churches! In too many of our churches (I am talking to Black folks) we have the ancient slave mentality that says, I dont need to go to school to be a preacher, I got the anointing! Well during the days of slavery and Jim Crow we didnt have an opportunity to go to Seminary or Bible Colleges. My grandfather was a deacon and his brother was a pastor back in the days when folks only got a grade school education and had to quit because they had to help pick tobacco. My forefathers made due the best they could under harsh circumstances. Now there is NO excuse for a preacher not getting formal training! You may not be able to afford
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Harvard or Princeton Theological Seminary, but every denomination should have a local Bible school. Most churches today have their own Bible Institutes or Schools. When you accepted the call to preach you also accepted the call to discipleship (training). Jesus spent 3 years training His disciples for ministry. He taught them how to pray, how to cast out devils, how to lay hands on the sick, how to carry themselves, and how to make more disciples. I am disgusted at how easy it is to be ordained in our churches. Just because a brother or sister can testify loud or run their mouth doesnt mean they are called to preach! If they are called they will be willing to be trained BEFORE being given a piece of paper ordaining them. Remember this, if the preacher is ignorant and unlearned, then the people will be too! The gospel preacher must devote
his (or her) life to purity of doctrine. Paul warned Timothy to avoid fables and old wives tales. Its very easy for preachers to get involved in the flavor of the month teachings.

ANSWER NUMBER TEN: Pastors have to be more accessible and be willing to mentor others towards being a successor. You are called to pour into the life of others.

Paul mentored Timothy and Titus like sons in the faith, and they looked to Paul like a father. Elisha learned at the feet of Elijah and went on to be a greater prophet of God. Jonathan was the rightful heir to Israels throne but he forsook that to mentor and befriend young David. My first two Pastors were instrumental in helping shape me into the man I am now!
The Necessity of Training and Delegation (Acts 6:3-4; Ex. 18:1f; 1 Tim. 4:6, 11-16; 2 Tim. 2:2, 15)

Facing the limitations of one man, the necessity of priorities, and the giftedness of the body of Christ naturally leads to the importance of training and delegation. Neither Moses, following neither Jethros
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advice, nor the apostles ignored the legitimate needs of the people, but neither did they allow themselves to be distracted from the primary needs of the people and the priorities of the Word. It becomes important, therefore, for pastors to train the body of saints in the basics of the Word and delegate various aspects of ministry to other members of the body according to their gifts and the Lords leading in each believers life. Too often a pastor tries to be a one-man show; the church will always suffer under this kind of leadership! Usually this stems from insecurity and jealousy on the pastors part. If you are the Pastor NO ONE can take that away from you! You must be secure in your office; you need other ministers help! The Pastor needs an evangelist to bring lost souls to be fed, Teachers have to be there to help disciple saints, and prophets need to bring a Word in season. There is no caste system in ministry! The Five-fold ministries are inter-dependant not INDEPENDENT from each other. Pastors are important, but they cant function without an evangelist. Prophets are intriguing and exciting but they are kept in line by the ministry of the teacher, Teachers defend BIBLE doctrine NOT church traditions! Apostles are needed to keep the Gospel message spread in areas that are void of the churches presence and influence. Foreign Missionaries and church planters are the true Apostles of the 21st Century. (Acts 6:4-7; I Tim. 1:2; I Tim. 4:6-12)

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ANSWER NUMBER ELEVEN: Sometimes you HAVE to cast some devils out! Avoiding demon possessed people wont make them go away! We see in Jesus' ministry some dramatic examples of exorcism, casting out of demons. But let's not be nave. People who have lived under a demonic delusion or obsession for a significant period of their lives need a period of recovery, even though the root demonic cause of the problem has been dealt with. Let me explain. In order for a person to live with the demonic delusion or obsession, he is forced to develop a whole series of coping mechanisms that aren't appropriate to the free and open life of a Christian. These coping mechanisms must be gradually unlearned. They didn't develop overnight and they seldom disappear overnight. I believe that counseling by skilled, trained, and committed Christian counselors, pastors, or laypersons can be extremely helpful to help delivered people experience full recovery. The Body of Christ is not a place where we are to judge our recovering brothers and sisters, but to love and encourage and bear with them. The church is supposed to be a supportive, loving environment where people -- including you and me, my friend -- can find full healing from sin and deception, and their entrapping consequences. Demonization and Healing We see in scripture that some illnesses Jesus healed had their roots in demonic influence: blindness and dumbness (Matthew 9:32-33; 12:22; Luke 11:14), scoliosis (Luke 13:10), seizures (Luke 9:37-48), etc. But it is important for us to recognize that nowhere does the New Testament teach that ALL sickness is of demonically origin. Yes, in one sense sickness is the work of the devil, but not all sickness has a direct demonic cause. When Jesus healed the sick, only sometimes did he cast out a demon to do it. Most of the time it was with a word or the laying on of hands.

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Art By M.H. Stevens

ANSWER NUMBER TWELVE: Men HAVE to be in your church or it will die! Men are seed bearers naturally and spiritually as well. Ministries sprout through men because men are called to leadership! Most Black Pentecostal churches have one thing in common, NO MEN! I have heard black pastors talk about how much more cooperative women are than men are when leading them. I think this is an excuse to not have to deal with the strong personalities of men. Men are born to lead and deal with problems. Many pastors are insecure and dont like
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having strong men in their churches, and that is why their churches are dying! David led Israel primarily due to the fact that he had a forum of Mighty Men! In Davids later years he wrote a chapter of appreciation about the exploits of these men. No great leader can really be great without great MEN following them and also leading WITH them, Moses had Joshua to assist him, and Joshua was not weak or timid! He was a strong man of faith himself! Moses didnt act intimidated by the fact that Joshua was a mighty man of God, Moses appreciated it! The main reason the Nation of Islam is so appealing to Black men is that is speaks to what men appreciateSTRENGTH! Black pastors WAKE UP and realize you need strong men to HELP you lead! There are too many limp wristed weak men in our churches! It is no wonder our sisters are facing a crisis in the area of finding a husband! A man must be discipled to not only grow in Christ, but grow as a leader in the body. (II Samuel 23)

FINAL THOUGHTS I know some will read this and think I am over reacting or overzealous, but remember this one thingSatan wants you to remain ineffective! If your church is stagnant, prayer meetings dead, and the people of God immature thats where the devil wants you to stay! Rise up and decide today to address the question, Why is my Church dying? I think our churches have become clubs, If you dont wear the right clothes and know the right people, you cant ever advance in the Kingdom of Church! It is a shame that many of churches in the inner city are filled with insensitive people that look down on people that dont dress like YOU DO! The fashion show MUST stop! Ministry means servant-hood and caring! If you cant hug a homeless person because you are wearing Gucci or Armani, then you need to go to the altar for some serious prayer!

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Elder Stevens can be reached at chaplainstevens@gmail.com he is available for seminars, revivals, and preaching engagements. Orders for more of these books can be sent to the address below: C.H. Mason Bible Institute of NJ 1st Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction P.O. BOX 1497 Browns Mills, NJ 08015

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