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7 Mountains of Culture

God Power Breaks Out in Colleges. Homeless Drug Addiction People are Saved, Addictions Broken, Got Jobs and Off the Streets. The Jesus Revolution Part 3

God has things right where He wants them to be, right before He does what only He can do, as He so clearly demonstrated in the 1970’s which we’ll share in detail. In today’s landscape, it appears that the ways of godliness, and our nation’s moral compass, has all but been lost. While people are leaving God, and others are choosing atheism and agnosticism, many are losing hope. 50 years ago, it was a similar story in America. Leading up to the 1970’s, America was experiencing what many perceived to be some of its bleakest and darkest days. What many were not aware of was the greatest move of God’s Spirit was about to be poured out upon the nation. Men had their thoughts, BUT GOD!

At the same time, on the campus of Asbury College, the Lord began to deal with the heart of one man to share his testimony of what the Lord had done in his life, and confessing his sin publicly, calling sin as sin. As young man began to confess his sins, SUDDENLY! It seemed to catch everyone by surprise. The Holy Spirit took over a gathering of young people on the campus of Asbury College. It was 1970, and this was the spark that began to ignite the whole nation on fire for a passion and hunger for Jesus Christ. Young people openly shared testimony after testimony of what the Lord was doing and had done in their lives. One woman shares, “I’m thankful that this afternoon, I know, that the Lord saved me. I didn’t think that I could really know or be assured as I feel right now. And I thank the Lord because it’s only Him that could do this for me.” This is so incredibly powerful how God moves in those suddenly moments! It’s so vitally important that this was taking place amidst horrific atrocities taking place in the world and the nation. It’s so important that we not judge things based on what we see or what we think. The Lord is so incredibly outside of our minds and our expectations.

Looking at the realities of present day, we can see that we are not so far removed from the darkened and bleak days that were being experienced in the 1960’s and 1970’s. According to Pew Research, what young people believe today, is drastically different than their elders. “While roughly two-thirds of older adults say they believe in the biblical God, just 49% of those in their 30s and 40s – and just 43% of adults under 30 – say the same. Even with this age gap, an overwhelming majority of the youngest adults continue to believe in God or a higher power…” Now we can get an understanding of why things are happening the way that they are in our nation. When young people are not even wanting to go to church, to learn about true godly authority in Jesus Christ, we cannot be surprised when there is all-out rebellion against all forms of authority. Remember, God is the one that establishes authority and all authority comes through him, as Romans 13:1-5 reveals,

Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience.

When satan wants to stir people up, he causes people to buy into rebellion. Amidst this horrific rebellion and difficult times, Time Magazine dedicated the front cover of their April 8, 1966 magazine asking the question, “Is God Dead?” Hopelessness seemed to cover the nation. 5 years later, God had his own plan in mind. God’s Spirit began touching hundreds of thousands of people across America. It was so powerful, and so suddenly, that Time Magazine dedicated the front cover of their June 21, 1971 Magazine. IT WAS A JESUS REVOLUTION! Days prior, rebellion lined the streets, as every establishment of authority was the enemy. Suddenly, young people lined the front pews of church services. “While the rest of the congregation mumble their amens, the kids punctuate Bisagno’s sermons with yells of “Outta sight, man, bee-yoo-ti-ful.”Almost overnight, after hating the police and throwing rocks at them, some of these same people were declaring their love and support for the police. “Chicago police, we love you!…Jesus loves you!” The drug addicts and drug dealers weren’t selling and taking the drugs, there were passing around boxes to put their drugs INTO to give them to the police. What? They passed a bucket and the young people, at the leading of Jesus, put their drugs in the bucket!!! They were getting free from drug addiction. Their faith in Jesus empowered them to trust Him and His leadership in their lives, trusting Him enough to give up all the drugs they used to distract them from life and life’s responsibilities. THIS IS WHAT GOD DOES! The answer is not legislation. The answer is JESUS!

Young people share mighty and encouraging testimonies of the power of the Holy Ghost in their lives. Young people share their transformational stories of how the Lord delivered them from their sins, addictions, loneliness, and anger. “I was a heroin addict. I prayed to Jesus and I was taken away from my drugs without any withdrawal.” This is so powerful. This young man had been so hurt by life, which we all are. The question is, will we turn to the world’s answers for relief, or will we find refuge and life in Jesus Christ? It’s relieving and helpful when the reality that we all have sinned and fallen short of God’s desire for our lives, becomes your reality, because we understand nothing in this life can wash away our sins like the Blood of Jesus can. It’s so surprising to someone who comes to Jesus that their sin is what caused most of their problems and issues they’ve had in their life and that Jesus can forgive them and restore them.

Where there had been divisions in families, the Lord miraculously brought families together, through healed hearts, instantly after being water baptized. “A freshly dunked teenager, water streaming from her tie-dyed shirt, threw her arms around a woman and cried, “Mother, I love you!” A teen-age drug user who had been suffering from recurring unscheduled trips suddenly screamed, “My flashbacks are gone!” For anyone, who are parents, you deeply understand the pain of watching your children living their lives outside of God’s plan for them, watching them walking blindly into the dark consequences of their own choices. As parents, you can wrap your faith and your heart around this reality, that whatever the problem might be involving your children, God can fix it.

What is so immensely powerful is how people that were living “successful” lives by the world’s standards were aware that it was in vain. They knew that outside of Jesus Christ, it was still empty. As one young woman shares, “right before I had been saved it was better than it had ever been before. Outwardly, everything was together. I had realized all of my dreams and it was then realizing that I realized they were vein, they were empty, there was no satisfaction in them. And I knew it was nothing without God”. You make think your life is going great until the moment that you see Jesus and realize whatever you thought you had, is nothing without Him. She also recognizes how different the atmosphere is when God’s children gather, compared to the intellectuals of the world. “There was no joy when philosophers got together. There was nothing but contention and strife. When the children of God get together it’s gonna be beautiful.” God doesn’t want one person to be lost and spend eternity without Him. Each and everyone of us have to choose whether we want to spend life with Jesus.

The Time Magazine article continued to recount how many drug addicts of the day were witnessed to and reached for Jesus. “You can use drugs after Jesus, but you won’t need them. If you become Christians, this is what has to happen.” Others testified how the Lord empowered them to say no to the devil’s temptations to return to drugs and addiction but decided to flush it all down the toilet! Be encouraged as you realize that much of this movement took place in San Francisco, California and the West Coast. What is taking place in today’s headlines is nothing that is outside the mighty hand of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Don’t be discouraged, depressed, or hopeless when you see the things that are taking place in our world. Completely sane and filled with common sense, bright leaders are being told that they are the ones that are crazy. This is what the devil does. He brings division and accusation. One man, who shared his testimony thought the problem with the world were people who were working, not him. “I thought it was their fault because they were paying taxes and the war [Vietnam War] was going on because everyone was insane in society. And they were accusing me of being insane, and I thought they were insane.” After coming to Jesus, he understood the reality of insanity and that the only answer was Jesus Christ. He continues to share, “I went into Berkely, and when there was a riot there, and I saw long haired people throwing bricks at the police. And I love the police now. I love this country. I love the people in the country.” Just as things are dark today, they were dark and looked hopeless 50 years ago. Truth of the matter is, deception is when you think what you are doing is right, you’re actually wrong. Sounds equally similar to the people with ANTIFA filling the streets today, rioting against the police. Be stirred for a greater hunger to know this same Jesus Christ that touched millions historically, for He is about to do it again in a way that will make past moves of His Spirit look like an appetizer. MORE LORD!

According to Barna.com, since 2000 there has been a catastrophic decline in the number of Christians in America. “In 2000, 45 percent of all those sampled qualified as practicing Christians. That share has consistently declined over the last 19 years. Now, just one in four Americans (25%) is a practicing Christian.” Obviously, when the light is turned off, the darkness is experienced. Instead of screaming at the darkness, light a candle, for as a believer, are the Light of the World. This is why you’re reading this right now, we are shining the light of Jesus upon you. The Barna Research continues to reveal how this decline in Christianity in America has caused an equally proportionate increase in those not acknowledging God, writing, “This shift also contributed to the growth of the atheist / agnostic / none segment, which has nearly doubled in size during this same amount of time (2003: 11% vs. 2018: 21%).” This is staggering. This explains the realities that we are experiencing in our nation today!

While God is pouring out His Spirit upon the nation, people in all areas of society were being touched and transformed by God. One man who was powerfully touched by God, in the 1970’s, was Bill Bright, who was a successful businessman. Time Magazine reported, “The biggest of the straight groups is Campus Crusade for Christ, 20-year-old soul child of former Businessman Bill Bright. He still means business: this year’s budget is $12 million, and by next month he will have 3,000 full-time staffers on 450 campuses”. This is such a powerful reality to understand. Many people who are “in ministry” never got the proper training of how to manage a budget of that size. Imagine how someone with business experience can bless and serve in the ministry! Many people feel defeated thinking that in order to serve the Lord, they have to be standing behind a pulpit on Sunday morning. This is simply not true. The gifts that you have in your life are given to you from the Lord. You can submit those gifts to the Lord for His glory and for His Kingdom!

At the same time, one young Assemblies of God minister, David Wilkerson, was powerfully touched by God. The Lord had moved on his heart to reach gangs in the downtown area of New York. One particular gang member, Nicky Cruz, beat Wilkerson multiple times for sharing the gospel to him. Cruz ended up surrendering his life to the Lord, because of Wilkerson’s persistence, and their story was written in the book, “Cross and the Switchblade”, which has sold 6 million copies. Be encouraged knowing that there is no limit to what God can do. The book would later be turned into a movie starting Pat Boone, Erik Estrada and Jacqueline Giroux.

God sees you right now. It’s no accident or coincidence that you are reading this right now. You are on the heart and mind of God. If you don’t think that you are valuable or that your life has any worth, those are lies from the devil. It’s no surprise that all of Hell may be coming against you. That’s because God has a mighty plan for your life, and the adversary, satan and his demonic forces, who has set himself against God, is wanting to stop it. You can reach out to God, and call out to Him through His Son Jesus Christ right at this very moment and ask Him into your heart as your Lord and Savior. We have to acknowledge that we are sinners, and we need a Savior. Somehow, by His grace and mercies, He does a mighty work in our lives by the power of His transformation. It’s all for His glory. Jesus is not dead. HE’S ALIVE!

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THE WHY? FOR THE CHURCH, IS CHALLENGED BY SIMON SINEK

Watch Full Program! Listen! Simon Sinek, who rose tofame by challenging us to find out our “Why” in our lives, businesses, corporations, and ministries flips it all on its head, in a good way, when he is asked how the COVID-19 lockdowns, and the working from home and the smaller gatherings taking place is having an impact on the church. He calls this an opportunity saying “the purpose of the church is to SPREAD THE GOSPEL!“

The world that we are presently in is a night and day difference compared to where things were two years ago. Many throughout the world were taken by surprise when they found themselves on lockdown, having to live life now solely from their homes. Where many were “going to work” now they are “zooming” into work. One pastor Carey Nieuwhof, recently sat down with Simon Sinek to talk about the changing culture of today and how the Church can respond.

BREAKING THE MOLD

Sinek begins to share about the traditional model of medicine in society. So, look at a medical office. Right? Older generation, you have “your doctor.” That’s my doctor. My doctor is the best doctor. I go to “my doctor.” No matter what it is, if it’s the common cold or something severe, I go to “my doctor.” Right, and I go to this horrible waiting room. Very few people feel recognized or valued in that business model or operational structure of how doctors interact with their patients in that current design. But then, this generation has begun to approach how they view a doctor differently.

Sinek continues, “And then there’s a young generation that says, “I don’t care. For basic medicine? If somebody’s got the right degree, then they probably know how to give me an annual medical check or treat my cold. Right? I don’t need a specialist.” What would that even look like?

Sinek points to a new breakthrough company called ‘OneMedical.’ And so, you have an organization like OneMedical that shows up, where you walk in, and it feels like you’re at Pottery Barn. And it’s beautiful and the doctor doesn’t wear a lab coat; she comes up and says, “Hi. I’m Stacey.” Instead of you know, “I’m doctor whatever.” Right? And the customer service is incredible. And you can call, and you can talk to the doctor, or talk to them virtually, and they reply to your emails within 24 hours. It’s amazing! It’s amazing! Right!?” Simon says.

THINK OUTSIDE “THE BOX”, OR SHOULD WE SAY, THINK OUTSIDE “THE BUILDING”

What we’re now finding out is that how things were always done is not necessarily how things need to be carried out moving forward. This is where Sinek then begins to connect this same application as to how the Church can change their model of thinking in today’s culture. He goes on to say, “And so, I think the Church can learn from that. Which is, the opportunity to spread the Gospel. Nobody said that it has to be done one way. Nobody said it has to be done in one location, at one time, at one, you know, that suits you. And the people who like to schedule their entire day about going to this one location at this one time. Who said? Where is that written that it has to be done that way?”

IT WASN’T ALWAYS LIKE THIS

Carey Nieuwhof responds, “Well in the early Church, it wasn’t. It’s just been that way for a few centuries.” Sinek continues, “There you go. You see, we got used to it, and now we think it’s the way it’s always been. We must begin to think differently. Yes, there may be people that don’t want change and like things the way they are. That is fine for them. What about those who don’t want the old manner of thinking? How can we change the present model of thinking to adapt to our changing world? Sinek begins to share some profound insights of possibilities. “What if people want to worship on their own time frame, in their own location, or in a remote location? Or I want to move from one city to another city, but I want to keep going to the same Church, the same people, with the same community, how come you don’t allow me to do that? And the Church’s opportunity is they’ve forgotten, the responsibility of a Church is not to get people in the pews. THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CHURCH IS TO SPREAD THE GOSPEL. So, take advantage of changing cultures, and changing politics, and changing technologies, and find new ways. That’s existential flex.”

DIVINE OPPORTUNITY

How powerful is that? The purpose of the Church is to spread the Gospel! This unfamiliar environment may have snuck up on the nations of the world, but they definitely didn’t sneak up on God. This is a divine opportunity. This causes us to remember the final words that Jesus made known to His disciples before He ascended back to Heaven when He spoke in Matthew 28:19-20, “THEREFORE GO! and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

MEET MY BUILDING

How can we invite someone to “come” to Church if Believers“are” the Church? We cannot go to what we already are. Yet, it’s the fact that you are the church and the Christ in you draws you to Christ in them. It may look the same to others, but when it’s Christ drawing us together, He is the center of all things and Who we have in common. Many believers, when they want to lead someone to Christ, think about first inviting someone to a building they call “the Church” versus inviting someone themselves to know Jesus. Though they profess to know Christ, they lead the person to a building, never understanding that they are the “Building of God”, that they are the “Temple of God” and God’s Spirit dwells inside of them. They don’t know that they can lead that person, themselves, to Christ. Yet, when they invite them to the building, they expect the building to lead that person to Christ. They lay the burden on one pastor as fifty, a hundred, or one thousand of them look on and see if their pastor will do their job. We are all called to be witnesses for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and the present mold we’ve adapted has lifted that reality from many in the church. When modeling family, gathering as the family of God, everyone knows it’s all our jobs to let everyone know of the Good News of Jesus Christ no matter where or how they meet or what we meet in or meet at. Not only do we know it, we all help each other in leading people to Christ and celebrate together when someone else is born again into the family of God.

TELEPHONE

Many people look at the present model of the Church and wonder why things are the way they are. Maybe you remember the game that many of us may have played together as school children, “telephone.” Gather a few children together and give a message to the first one. Instead of telling every child in the room, tell the first one to your right. Then that child whispers the message to the next child on their right so that the other children cannot hear, and the message is whispered to the next, one by one, until the last child gets the message. Everyone would be giggling with anticipation wondering what the last child heard. Laughter would erupt as the last child shared what they heard, and it was nothing like the first child shared. It is a funny game involving a dozen school children.

Now imagine one specific message that Jesus gave to His disciples 2,000 years ago! Haven’t we done the same thing? Instead of laughing and asking “what was the original word” as children do, we just continue on, besides we’ve got to pay this mortgage payment on this building, right? We can fix this by going back to God’s Word, scripture, instead of depending on what someone told someone, who told someone, who told someone over the past one hundred years. Jesus calls it, “returning to your First Love.”

FREE AT LAST

What God is about to do is so much larger than any building can handle, including mega buildings. For us to be a part of what He is going to do in these last days and with this last days harvest we have to understand that we, as believers, are the building of God. We are called to GO tell others, everyone, everywhere and Jesus will go with us as we do. We must begin to learn how to BE the Church outside of a building in our everyday life. “Free at last, free at last, thank God O’ Mighty, free at last.” Jesus came to set you free to follow Him and to spread the Gospel to those who have not yet heard of Him. This will take place in your neighborhoods, your homes, your workplace, your community, schools, states, nation, and world. What all these have in common, they are not in one building.

YOUR INVITATION

If this is new to you and you have not invited Jesus into your life, YOU CAN! You may have heard about Jesus, but you never knew that Jesus wants you to be a part of His family. You can read more stories about inviting Jesus into our lives and do the same at MeetMyFather.org! What a powerful moment!

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Small is the New Big Phil Robertson, and Kirk Cameron speak on the Church Dynasty and Its Growing Pains into a Better Way

Watch Full Show! Listen!We find out that Kirk Cameron, of the television show, Growing Pains, and Phil Robertson, of the television show, Duck Dynasty and Unashamed, are family, though they are from two different areas of the nation, they both deeply love the Lord as members of God’s family. Cameron comes from the West Coast, and Los Angeles Hollywood from an upbringing of show business, and now is burning as bright as he can by doing all that he can to share the Gospel to the nations through media. In the same way, Robertson has also lived a life that has impacted many and you may have seen him and his family on the show ‘Duck Dynasty,’ running a family business of making duck calls for businesses worldwide. Robertson sees the place where our nation is and how the Gospel has been presented is not working. Some would think “show business” is what they have in common, but we find out it goes way deeper than that as they look deeply into the struggle in America with today’s church.

THE DILEMMA

Cameron and Robertson recently came together to talk about this important dilemma. As Robertson shares, there must be a way that the world hears and learns about the love of Jesus. “You have to show them through the way you behave. God’s people are the ones who are showing the world what Jesus is like. And if we don’t do it, Cameron, where else is it gonna come from? If God’s people are not gonna show the world around us Jesus, who’s going to do it?” This is such an important truth to recognize. This is very important and needs to be addressed. Robertson shares how the model of what this present generation has labeled as “church” is not an effective way to demonstrate the love of Jesus “And it’s hard to show them that two hours Sunday morning inside a church building. You’re not where they are. If whatever time the church doors are open, if I give you four hours out of 168 in a week. And you’re like, what are you doing the other 164 hours?” Robertson says.

“Where you work is where you can point them to Jesus. Where you work, where you play, that’s where you show them.” It’s like we’ve put God into a box, or as Robertson puts it, “We now have God confined to structures with tall steeples in front of them. [I guess you could call that a Church Dynasty?]They’re all in rows. And you really don’t even really know that person right down there.Phil gestures, as if he is looking down a long church pew at its other end. “Hey how ya doing?” “Pretty good.” One time a week. It’s not enough. Not enough.”

This is such a powerful moment to recognize as Cameron and Robertson are eating together, having relationship, talking about Jesus. This is the very way, as Robertson explains, this will be accomplished. “You’ve got to have family structures meeting together in their homes, where they eat. Like this… we’re interacting here… we have to do more of that.”You see, Phil took Kirk fishing, showed him how to clean the fish. They cooked it together and as they enjoyed the meal together, they had this meaningful conversation. That is what Phil was talking about, exactly what they did together. That is how the church should be the church; it’s family.

FAMILY IS A GOD IDEA

It is so important to recognize that as these men are talking about family, family is not a new idea. Family is not an American, or ‘Western Culture’ idea. Family is God’s idea. God is the one who has designed family. Paul wrote to the Church in Ephesus these very words in Ephesians 4:11-16

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Could it be the world is so confused about family because the church is not walking out family? “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, BEING UNDERSTOOD FROM WHAT HAS BEEN MADE, so that people are without excuse.” Romans 1:20 God made the family and calls His church His family. Maybe the world can figure out family when the church has returned to what God says family is?

TRAINING ME UP

These are such amazing words! This is the Spirit of the Lord speaking through the words of Paul. Many people have gotten wrapped up into thinking their Pastor hasn’t done things right, when all the time those complaining are more than likely the very ones that the Pastor is trying to lead and speak truth to, because God has a call and a purpose for each of us and they are training us up to do the ministry. Many people think their pastor is supposed to serve them and do the work of ministry, but, as Paul writes, their job is to train us up to do the work. Instead of learning, growing, and acting on what we learn, many get frustrated with the pastors and run them off, or go find another, while never entering into ministry themselves. It’s an American church culture that needs to be shifted back to what God’s word clearly tells us and what Paul just wrote. Family doesn’t leave family, we grow, mature, get trained up and spread the family; expand it from generation to generation.

We cannot do this by ourselves, on our own. Just like children need someone to help teach them, guide them, help them tie their shoes, help them with their homework, so it is the same in the spiritual sense. We need someone to disciple us, to raise us up when we are first born again. What child is mature? None of them. That is why God created parents to raise children until they reach maturity. We all have a purpose and a calling to be raised up into. The five fold ministry, of which the pastor is one, was given to the church for that very purpose.

NEW BORNS NEED TO BE RAISED

It’s interesting that if you’ve ever visited the beautiful sight of the ocean and the continually crashing waves upon the shoreline, often time you will see children playing on the shore. If you look closely, you will notice that children will rarely ever go deeper than they’re able to have solid footing in the sand. If they do decide to wander into the depths of the waves, they can quickly be swept away. Is this what is happening in this present culture? Never before have we been exposed to so many prophetic words, teachings, messages, at our fingertips. If we’re not careful, we can be ‘blown here and there,’ like Paul is talking about. We must have those in our lives that guide us, that teach us, and direct us to solid ‘footing,’ solid teachings of Christ.

EVERY PART MATTERS

This is God’s design to be walked out and learned within the context of family. It is interesting how the Church is described with these words, ‘Body of Christ.’ Look at our natural bodies. We all have joints that connect one part of our body to the other. How important are your legs for walking? If our legs are important, how important are our joints? Imagine taking out someone’s knee, or their hip. How long would they walk? Not very long. Just like every joint is important to the functioning of the natural body, so every believer and church family being healthy and functioning in their role is vital to the health of the Body of Christ, the spiritual family. No one part of the body is more important than the other.

HEALTHY FAMILIES COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES

Jesus plainly said in Matthew 18:20 that, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Some have understood that a gathering must be a large gathering, and the larger the gathering the greater the impact. It’s actually quite the opposite effect. When you look at some of the largest Church gatherings in America, the local communities around them have the worst social statistics according to Kris Vallotton, except for four or five cities he found in his study. The larger the gathering, the less likely it is that people will recognize the individual responsibility to carry out what Jesus has called them to do. At the end of our lives, we will stand before the Lord and the lives we lived will testify about us, and we will have to give an account to Jesus for that life we lived.

HONOR JESUS’ BRIDE

Regardless of what “part” we may be in the Church, there are other parts of the body, that may be different, but that doesn’t make them any less important. It’s all the Church, each part has equal value. Truth be told, the Church is the “Bride of Christ.” Can you imagine how a man would respond if someone came up and instantly started criticizing his wife? It wouldn’t go well. How do you think the heart of Jesus is being affected if we criticize the Church? We can’t do that, yet there are some people that live their lives specializing in being fault finders of Jesus’ Bride. It’s not our job to discourage the Church, but to lift her up and encourage her. What better way than to relate and live in the fullness of God’s family expectations for His Church. It’s there each has the opportunity to be mutually encouraged.

IF IT DOESN’T WORK IN A CAVE, IT WON’T WORK IN A BUILDING

What is important to understand and begin to ponder, is that we must break the mindset that in order to walk out what Jesus expects of us as His Church, it requires a multi-million-dollar PA system, and building. Greg and Pat speak about their time in Israel and how much smaller things are there and how the places we read about in the Bible were so much smaller. For anybody that has traveled to Israel, you see that everything is small compared to what is described as “normal” in America. If what you do doesn’t work in a cave, or in a coffee shop, then it simply will not work. But, if it does work in a cave or in a coffee shop, or in a living room, it will work in a large building. You may ask why I say “cave.” Well, in some of the first centuries of the church, much was spent under great persecution, they had to secretly meet in caves. Guess what, IT WORKED! Because they lived and thrived in persecution, having to meet in caves, we, the church, are here today.

mEATing

It’s just so special when the Church comes together as family, breaking bread with one another, and spending time together. Instead of a “meeting” I like to call it “mEATing” because we always eat when we meet just like Jesus did. He did it so much, some people wrongly accused Him of being a glutton. Why? Because He ate with those who were His. It’s interesting how much we’re able to learn about people when we eat together. How special a moment is when someone invites you into their home, into their kitchen, and cooks for you. Presently, in many homes in America, people live individualistically. They live separately. They eat separately. They live isolated lives though they are in the same family and same house. If you want to strengthen your family, begin to eat together and pray together.

BLOOD FAMILY

This is how the Lord wants his Church to gather and walk out life together. When we say family, we’re not necessarily talking about natural family, but spiritual family. Jesus said very specifically to make the distinct difference between biological family and natural family when someone interrupted Jesus teaching as Matthew 12:47 states, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” Verses 48-50 reveal Jesus’ clear response, He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”We, who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord are true Blood Family, related through the Blood of Jesus.This doesn’t separate your natural biological family from you, it shows how they are presently not a part of the family of God, if they have not yet accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, but also how they can join the family of God. How they can join the Blood Family!

DYSFUNCTIONAL FAMILY

Even if you have a Christian family, if you weren’t trained up to be family, your understanding of “being family” can still be dysfunctional. To assume the revelation on how “to be a family” drops supernaturally out of the sky because you decide to have a family is ridiculous, yet most people live and decide to have family based on this assumption. Like in all things, we need to “learn” how to be family. It takes a humble man, a humble woman to admit that, but it’s a lot less humbling than that same man and woman going through divorce and their family being ripped apart. We need to see how family is supposed to be through the lens of God’s Word and leadership of His family. It is only by God’s hand and grace that family is held together and God’s Word, scripture, that tells us how God intended family to be.

Faith Mountain Family Mountain VFNtv Programs Vine Seminars WATCH FULL PROGRAM

Super Chickens and the American Church, Part 3; Small is the New Big

With all the things happening and shaking around the world, it is so important to have the strength and importance of the family unit in our homes. So many people are living their lives isolated from those around them and not having relationship in their lives. When we have the close-knit relationships that is found in healthy family, we find that it is much easier to walk it out and be victorious in times of crisis and difficulty.

When we choose not to have family, to have fathers in our lives, we find ourselves having to reach out to law enforcement, or government entities to step into roles that the family is supposed to be. Can the church rise up and support those who decide to walk out family. Truth of the matter is that, communities are made of many different small groups of people, families, who decided to have relationships together. This is the very model that Jesus walked out with His disciples: relationship. The Bible fits our lives when we read it from the context of family. The question is, is what we call the church in America, the Church that Jesus walked out and demonstrated in His life? When you look at the words of John Fenn, you may be shocked to realize the reality. “Christianity started as a relationship in Israel when God came to man. It went to Greece to become a Philosophy; to Rome to become a Religion; to Europe to become a tradition and part of the culture; and then to America to become an Enterprise”. What is so wild to ponder is to ask has the Church become a corporation while corporations are focusing on relationships and family?

Today, when someone says the word ‘church’, one may consider the large structure that has separated the ministry of women, the ministry of men, and the ministry of children, all in separate areas of the structure. While all of this is happening, no one is seeing each other in context of family relationship. When we look at the life of Jesus, we see a stark contrast to what the present demonstration of church seems. Jesus focused His life on pouring into His twelve disciples. Twelve. There is a mindset that says value is size, and if all you focused on was three, you’re not important or valuable. Imagine the impact if we have the focus that Jesus has, focus on relationship, not the “big”. Remember too, family is not our idea, family is God’s idea.

Years ago, Promise Keepers was an organization that reached tens of thousands of men with the Gospel of Jesus Christ to lead their lives, lead their homes, and impact their environments. What resulted with tens of thousands of men filling the Superdome in New Orleans, LA, and the Stand in the Gap huge million man gathering in the Washington D.C. Mall, started with small groups of men. Without the small relationships, there would never have been the large impact years later. One man shares the powerful testimony of how the Lord touched his heart so mightily upon seeing the reality of thousands of men worshipping the Lord. In that instant the Lord turned this man towards his son, and he knew instantly he needed to be more intentional in his son’s life. That is the very essence of Malachi 4:5-6,“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the Lord comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.” This is what God does. God cares about relationship! Imagine the reality of being able to fill the National Mall because of a whole bunch of healthy small families.

This is the very essence of what Margaret Heffernan talked about in a TED Talk during a women’s conference of business leaders. She talks about a study of chickens that was conducted with two groups of chickens over six generations. One group was monitored, and the highest producing chicken, whoever produced the most eggs, was removed from that group and labeled as the “Super Chicken”. The “Super Chickens” were put into their own group and productivity was continually monitored. It’s really easy to study productivity with chickens. All you have to do is count the eggs. After six generations, the original group was still interacting and producing as they normally were. The interesting feedback was the outcome of the group of six Super Chickens. There were only three Super Chickens remaining as the others had been pecked to death.

Heffernan talks about how relationships between each other is the “Social Capital” that helps us in times of difficulty and stress. As Heffernan explains, it is this ‘Social Capital’ that benefits relationships: “Now, this isn’t about chumminess, and it’s no charter for slackers, because people who work this way tend to be kind of scratchy, impatient, absolutely determined to think for themselves because that’s what their contribution is. Conflict is frequent because candor is safe, and that’s how good ideas turn into great ideas. Because no idea is born fully formed. It emerges a little bit as a child is born, kind of messy and confused, but full of possibilities. And, its only through the generous contribution of faith and challenge that they achieve their potential, and that is what social capital supports.” When you have family, you can go through difficult times. You care about people when they care about you. You want their feedback. You can’t have authentic relationships with strangers.

Look at the reality of each of our bodies. If somebody is sick, what does the doctor look at? Our cells in our body? Its amazing that when we have a sickness, like the common cold or the flu, its because our cells have become sick and the doctor gives us medicine to strengthen our cells. The only reason our bodies are able to be healthy is because of the cells being healthy. If we tell ourselves that our cells don’t matter, it’s only a matter of time that the body becomes sick. It’s interesting to realize that of all the words that the New Testament uses to describe the Church, is the “Body of Christ”. How powerful is that!

So many people don’t want family because family takes time. In order to have family, we must deny ourselves. We must give up ourselves, compromise and slow down. When we want to share the Love of God, we have to make that decision on purpose, with intentionality. When you are with another believer, living life together, growing together, crying together, God really moves in that. In those small relationships, God is able to do things that some people would think to be so impossible. In one scenario, two family sized churches came together to meet the needs of the inner-city by starting a school. This can only happen when there is unity. If you are walking with intentionality towards Jesus, you want to have relationships with other people that love Jesus and are walking with Jesus. It’s hard to have relationships if you don’t love people.

This is why Jesus said plainly in Mark 3:24-25 “If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand.” This is the words of Jesus. Unity and agreement is so important, without it destruction is inevitable. A Church is not going to survive without agreement. The agreement that we are walking in is not with each other, but with Jesus Himself. When you get down to a family, you must get serious. It is in these relationships within the context of family that we see each other’s frailties and imperfections. Paul calls this our “clay” in his words in 2 Corinthians 4:7-11 , “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” This is normal. Jesus laid down His life, not for our clay, but for our souls. Since Christ cares about people’s souls, why don’t we?

It is the love of Christ in our lives that empowers us to love those around us. It is this very love that causes and compels us to love one another. In her TED Talk, Heffernan calls this ‘Social Capital’. “Now, we’re not really used to talking about this, talking about talent, about creativity in this way. We’re used to talking about stars. So, I started to wonder, if we start working this way, does that mean no more stars? So I went in and I sat in on the auditions of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and what I saw there really surprised me, because the teachers weren’t looking for individual pyrotechnics. They were looking for what happened between the students, because that’s where the drama is.” This caused Heffernan to go to other industries to find out if this same model was also being experienced. “And, when I talk to producers of hit albums, they say, “oh sure, we have lots of superstars in music. Its just, they don’t last very long. It’s the outstanding collaborators who enjoy the long careers because bringing out the best in others is how they found the best in themselves.” This is where we define success, when we focus on helping others succeed. This is what Jesus looks for. He sees all the intricate ways that we stop to help those around us. Hebrews 6:10 reveals, “For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.” Your success is our success. Our success is your success. Our success together is Kingdom success. As the saying goes, in a rising tide all boats rise. If you want to be a superstar in the Kingdom of God, lay your life down for others. It’s hard to focus on others when you are only living for yourself. Did you know that the Bible talks about “one another” 59 times in the New Testament! That is powerful! Jesus said these words plainly in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.”

In today’s culture, value is size and numbers. But, is that really what Jesus was looking for? Or was Jesus focused on relationships? When we understand how powerful individual relationships are, Kris Vallotton, with Bethel Redding, highlights the opposite effect of our labors if all we focus on is the size of the numbers. “The cities that had the greatest Christian church going population in America, have the worst social statistics, with the exception of five cities.” Did you get that? In other words, the larger the gathering, the smaller the impact on the surrounding area of that gathering. Simply put, Vallotton says it this way, “gathering people and transforming cities are not synonymous. Putting butts in seats does not transform cities”. Vallotton emphasizes his point recalling a horrific tragedy when a woman was murdered in her neighborhood in broad daylight while nearly three dozen witnesses saw what happened. They were watching her murdered, but not one of them did anything to help her, not even call for law enforcement for help. “The more people that view a crime, the less likely they are to actually do something about it. Crowds become murky waters of inaction, and everyone is waiting for someone else to do something.” It’s no different in a large Super C. (Church), most watch what happens thinking and to be frank, hoping someone else will do it.

Greg recalls a time when his pastor, who pastored a 1,200 member church would call for help on a Sunday for someone to raise their hand to help with something that was needed at the church. The church had put up this mountainous Christmas Tree at the local mall to impact the community with with songs of Christ’s birth. The pastor asked for volunteers and it was like pulling teeth. The pastor would call a prayer meeting and 2-3 men would show up. It proved true what Vallotton shared. Think about it, if you are sitting in your house with a family of five and someone asked for help, at least someone would feel it’s the right thing to do! Healthy families always do.

This isn’t the life that Jesus called us to live, just part of a crowd. Jesus calls us to be an actual doer of the Word, not just a hearer. We are called to transform our communities. This is why God led us to create the Vine Seminar to learn “how to BE THE CHURCH” instead of just going to church, to help others learn how to walk out family in Christ. Family isn’t easy, but it is worth it. If you want to be connected to the family of God through His Church, and knowing your call is being related and connected in family, find out more at VineSeminars.org.

Faith Faith Mountain Highlights

Live Every Day Like Its Your Last, Even When Its Your Last

Father’s Day 1995 The Lord Himself did a mighty work when He poured out His presence in Pensacola Florida during the Brownsville Revival that resulted in the nations being reached with mighty testimonies of His Glory and many coming to Salvation through Jesus Christ. Steve Hill was the Evangelist who labored alongside Pastor John Kilpatrick night after night as thousands of souls repented for their sins and wept in the sweet presence of Holy Spirit. Jeri, Steve’s wife was also there night after night responding to the call to grow ever closer to the Lord.

From the moment that Steve and Jeri gave their lives to the Lord, they gave everything they had to give their Yes to Jesus, up until it was Steve’s last day on this Earth. For decades, Steve Hill was an evangelist who gave every breath to reaching the lost, he even preached at his own funeral. Jeri recalled how quickly Steve’s funeral was setup, “he passed on a Sunday and everything was planned by that Friday and it was done very, very quickly”. Jeri reminded Steve that there would be lost people at this funeral, “if you don’t have something prepared at your funeral, I’ll pick something from one of your messages”. And that is just what they did. When people were gathered together, remembering the life of someone who gave it all for Jesus, Steve was sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and the reality that eternity waits us all. Steve Hill quotes Jim Elliot who said, “when it comes time to die, make sure that’s all you have to do”.

Faith Faith Mountain Highlights Third Great Awakening

The Coming Glory of God in the Glory Zone

In a recent conversation, Jeri and Greg talk about the testimonies of the Lord and how the Lord is going to pour out His Spirit in a mighty way again. As Greg shares, the Lord has shown him the nations coming to the Gulf Coast, “The Glory Zone”. “Brownsville was small compared to what I saw”. People who are famous in their nations, were coming to the Gulf Coast just to operate a camera, capturing the Glory of God, willing to do the work of ministry.

As Jeri shares, she’s beginning to see that take place as she is involved with Christ For All Nations. Under the leadership of Daniel Kolenda, Boot Camp Evangelism is raising up Evangelists to go out to the nations. Jeri is involved in this ministry as well as one of their Evangelism Coaches. Daniel Kolenda is launching Nations Church in Orlando, FL. If you are in the Orlando area, it’s time to get connected. Jesus Image with Michael Koulianos is also reaching the nations for Jesus Christ with the Good News of the Gospel reaching out evangelizing. As Jeri explains, “they are letting Holy Spirit overtake them”. She continues, “when you let Holy Spirit overtake you, its letting Him change your mind, because we get our opinions from the world, and so if we get so full of the Word of God it’s changing our mind, it’s changing our will to God’s will, and it’s changing our emotion so that we are not depressed, cast down, beaten up, and discouraged…” This is how we are able to recognize what God is speaking, and how He is leading, “but we are all emotionally in tune with what God wants to do. He wants to be in charge of our mind, our will, and our emotions, our spirit man, and be victorious over the flesh.” Jeri continues to talk about how her relationship with the Lord has changed and developed the more she walks with the Lord, “I’ve been serving Him for 45 years now and it only gets more intense and more exciting. There’s nothing like it in this world.” This is our only moment in time to do something for our Lord and King. This is our only opportunity to do something for God. It’s time to get in and to get involved in what God is doing. Jeri also talks about the ministry that she is involved in, Ryan’s Hope, named after her son who passed away. This ministry is directed towards helping men of all ages needing help in restoration.

This is the beauty of living a life dedicated to the Lord. Even after Steve Hill has gone to be with the Lord, there is still fruit multiplying for the Lord as people are continuing to be touched and reached. Steve has now gone on to be with his First Love, and Jeri continues to serve her First Love. This is our moment to do the same and live a sold-out life knowing that at any moment, our next breath, can be in eternity.

Image courtesy of Bruce Rolff/Shutterstock.com

Faith Mountain Family Mountain Highlights Love Relationships

Remembering The Wonders of The Lord; How Steve and Jeri Hill Met

In a recent conversation, Jeri talks about how the Lord brought the two of them together when they were in Bible School under David Wilkerson. They recall a time when Steve talked about those unforgettable days and how they submitted themselves to godly leadership. “Gwen Wilkerson, David Wilkerson’s wife, came to me and said, ‘Jeri, you may be making the biggest mistake of your life. Jeri may not be the girl for you’”. That wasn’t what Steve wanted to hear. Steve continues, “you know what that caused me to do? PRAY! PRAY! Instead of living in orbit, I got my feet back on solid ground and got on my face. ‘Jesus I’m infatuated with this girl. Get this out of me and speak to me. Speak to me Jesus, I don’t want to make a mistake.” Steve had to know, and asked the Lord, “IS THIS YOU OR NOT? IF IT’S YOU THEN YOU GUIDE EVERY STEP.” This is so important to think about and remember. Steve continues to describe how so many people would not receive that kind of leadership in their lives. “Some of you would never put up with anything like this because you’re snots, you’re stuck up…there’s people that will not receive a word of counsel from nobody.”

After Steve and Jeri decided to move forward in their relationship and date, the direction they received from their leadership was that they could spend 15 minutes a week with each other. Specifically, “you can spend 15 minutes with her but don’t touch her”. So, Steve asked, “can I shake her hand?” “No” was the response he got”. Steve continues, “I happened to get around godly counsel. They told me to behave myself.” For those who would rebel against godly leadership and counsel like this, Steve says, “friend I want to tell you where you’re going. You’re going down the wrong path. With an attitude like that, you ain’t going to make it nowhere with Jesus cause He’s put authorities in your life.” When the time came for Steve to ask Jeri to marry her, he still didn’t know what her hand felt like, or even had a ring to give her.

On one of their short walks together, Steve knew this was the day to ask. But his time was running short, he only had 15 minutes with Jeri. “Jeri, will you marry me?” “How can I say no?” A long drawn out “moooooo” came bellowing out from one of the neighboring cows in the nearby pasture. That was confirmation. 15 minutes was up. “Well, see you later. She goes walking off one way. I mean this is the girl I’m gonna marry. Not even a handshake.” Steve continues to point out what happened during that season of their lives. “We fell in love with each other, not in lust… It’s hard to get to know a girl in the back seat of a car with the windows steamed up and a bunch of heavy panting going on. You’re not going to get very intimate in your spirit with a woman like that and you’re gonna end up marrying the girl AND YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HER!” This is where having godly counsel in your life can guide you to make wise decisions. “So I got around wise counsel that was so contrary to the world’s counsel.” What would the world’s counsel have said? “The world would say ‘shack up with her for a few months man before you marry her’. The world would say, ‘make sure you got some type of marriage agreement before you ever get into this thing.’ It’s a whole lot different with Jesus”. Many people don’t start with God’s values in views or with godly counsel leading the way. It’s hard to unmake a wrong beginning. You got to go back to the start.

Jeri recalls those memorable moments as well as she talks about during those days at Bible School under David Wilkerson, she used to clean the Wilkerson’s home. One day, David Wilkerson asked for a volunteer to clean his car. Steve raised his hand and was cleaning the car. Steve shared with David, “I’m interested in Jeri Larson.” David responded, “you’re getting the best girl on the ranch”. As Jeri explains, “it was growing in my heart, this love for Steve, and I did not want anybody”. Up to this point in her life, Jeri had only experienced dysfunctional relationships and had only planned to be sold out for Jesus and not have any man in her life. “And so for two months I was binding the enemy with this emotion that was happening in my heart. Every time I saw Steve, my heart was beating out of my chest.” Jeri continues to describe how she was fighting, what she thought, was distractions from the enemy, “I would get up three o’clock in the morning and pray till five, binding the enemy that was distracting me in my relationship with Jesus Christ…God was putting it there but I was fighting it.” She even went to her advisor to ask for prayer because her prayers weren’t working. The advisor wanted to know what they were praying about. “Well, somebody is distracting me. My emotions are distracted when I see one of the guys and I need victory over this, and I need a prayer partner. Please help me pray for victory.” After 45 minutes of her advisor insisting on wanting to know who it was, she didn’t say and ended up leaving.

Later in the day, Jeri is approached by Steve in the lunchroom and she is just appalled that he would approach her. GET AWAY FROM ME was what she felt belting out of her spirit towards him. Steve knew something was wrong and followed after Jeri as she walked away. “Jeri! What is going on?” She replied, “nothing God can’t handle.” Steve insisted, “Well tell me what’s going on and I’ll pray for you.” Without missing a beat, Jeri retorted, “you don’t need to know what it is to pray”. Steve immediately went into his prayer closet to pray for Jeri and the Lord spoke to Steve, “she’s fighting love for you”. Come to find out, Steve was waking up at three in the morning, praying to the Lord with hands raised, until five in the morning, thanking God that the Lord was bringing him and Jeri together. Days later Steve and Jeri see each other in the office and Steve says to Jeri, “[the staff] know about us”. As Jeri hears this, she has her own internal dialogue with the Lord, “God, I was praying for deliverance from this. Do I not have a say in my life? Immediately God said to me, ‘No. You don’t have a say. Your say has to be yes.’” So many people can completely understand and empathize with Jeri’s perspective.

So many people have been hurt and wounded by relationships. We can be whole people, in Christ, without needing a relationship with a spouse in order to feel whole. Thinking about her marriage with Steve, Jeri says, “I think what really played a part in how our marriage went, is in Bible School, they told us ‘to give 100% and don’t expect anything in return. If you expect something, you’re going to be disappointed, and if you give 100%, as unto the Lord and you’re doing it unto God, you will receive so much satisfaction in doing it as unto the Lord and not create drama.” Our spouses can never fulfill our lives where only Jesus can be. Jeri continues, “I didn’t look for Steve to fulfill me. I looked to God to fulfill me and use me.” This is what was so beautiful between them in their marriage because they never defined each other by what wasn’t given, or by what couldn’t be given at the time. Jeri continues to point out the decision she made every time Steve walked into the door.

Rewinding the journey back to story of being surrounded by cows and being asked by Steve to marry him, Jeri talks about she wanted to serve the Lord with all that she had, but she knew the decision of marriage was important. “You used to be a heroin addict. I used to be a drug addict and we were lost. If you think for one minute that you are going to go back into drugs, tell me today. Because even though I love you, I don’t want to marry you.” Steve responded to her, “I am going to live for God all the days of my life.” That’s all she needed to hear. As she clapped her hands, she said, “okay let’s do it”. Moments before Jeri was about to walk down the aisle in her wedding, wearing her wedding dress, someone asked her if she was nervous. She kicked off her shoes, twirled and said, “No, I’m excited!”, and then proceeded to put her shoes back on and walked down the aisle.

Faith Faith Mountain Highlights Original Intent of the Church

What does the life of an Evangelist Look Like?

In a recent conversation Jeri Hill talks about the importance of praying for the lost with a broken heart weeping before the Lord. Steve and Jeri continually kept the verse of Psalm 126:6 before them, “Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.” They continually lived their lives with a focus on reaching the lost with the love of Jesus Christ. As Jeri recalls, “going to church every single night, it wasn’t just at Brownsville. We were in church services evangelized. And that’s how we planted every single Church: we evangelized, went out on the streets, told people about Jesus and planted a church by evangelizing.” It’s important to be people focused and to notice those that the Lord has placed right next to us. As Greg describes, “the person next to you is an opportunity, they’re not a problem”.

Jeri recalls one particular teenager that she had witnessed to. “Every single day for six months I witness to this young lady…and I told her that Jesus loved her and had a plan for her life. She was an Argentine Revolutionist. She didn’t want to hear it and for six months she rejected it.” Jeri didn’t let that response stop her. “I began to fast for her, and I wept for her and sometimes I would cry…everyday I wept and wept and wept”. Jeri details how something changed after six months and in a conversation with this young lady that was challenging Jeri, Jeri slammed her hand down on the table, which was a glass table declared boldly, “I believe in Jesus Christ and I believe He died for you and I believe that He has a plan for you and you have to give your life to Jesus Christ.” By this point Jeri was screaming these words at her. This young lady took a couple steps back and simply said, “okay, I believe you now”. This young lady becomes the first female missionary to go to Cameroon, Africa and preaches everywhere she goes. She ended up moving back to the United States and shared with Jeri, “you taught me how to do this. You did it for me, I can do it for somebody else”. Jeri continues to point out how important is not to miss those moments. “You do not know what is going on in a person’s life and what they’ve been crying out. It’s just what we say to people, God is working behind the scenes in people’s lives. He might be giving them dreams. He might be giving them vision of things. He might be speaking to them in audible voices…but what we don’t know what God is doing behind the scenes.”

Greg describes a similar journey when he himself was in the middle of the Brownsville Revival also running a business of his own. He would run his plastics company and leave work everyday, heading to the Brownsville Revival, and tell one of his employees, “God loves you and has a plan for your life”. Day after day the same words. Even after inviting this employee to Revival over and over, this employee would always respond with a kind “no thank you”. Until one day, Greg offers, “If I pay you, will you come?” That was all he needed. This man ended up witnessing what Greg had been trying to share with him all these times, and encountered the love of God, the power of God, and he gave his life to Jesus Christ that very day.

Steve Hill did the same thing each and every day sharing about the love of God, the power of God in his memorable messages. As Jeri describes, “Steve had to prepare a message every single day. He’d get up at eight o’clock in the morning, go over to the office and have a message done, and ready for that evening by two o’clock in the afternoon. Everyday”. Contrary to belief, Steve had never used props before in his messages until he started preaching at the Brownsville Revival. Steve had a powerful message that he would also share with people who been coming to the Brownsville Revival, “don’t come in and hog the sanctuary, leave room for the sinner, go out and evangelize, don’t come every single night we need room for the sinners that are coming”.

What else is additionally important to recognize about the Brownsville Revival is not only how many lives were touched, but also the many lives that were touched during that time that are still faithfully serving the Lord. As Jeri describes, “the other second thing that is the most important is the fruit that remains and is producing fruit…it’s not supposed to stop, we have to pass it on”. As Steve got older, he ended up getting cancer. Not even cancer could stop Steve from bearing good fruit for the Lord. Jeri continues, “during that time he was doing videos for the online school of evangelism because he wanted to leave behind something that would help people to grow in producing more fruit after he was gone”. One of Steve’s last videos was conversation with Peter Wagner talking to the nations.

When you look at the lives of Steve and Jeri, you can clearly see that there is no fear of how people will respond. As Jeri says, “I don’t care what people think about me”. Jeri also shares that “Steve always wanted to be murdered for Jesus”. People may be surprised to know that people came to the Brownsville Revival with weapons hoping to kill someone on the platform. When somebody comes to Jeri’s front door of her house, she isn’t afraid to answer the door. “I don’t run away. There is somebody that is coming to my door that needs to hear about Jesus…they can not walk out the door without me talking about the love of my life.” Jeri also talks about how she uses the many different props from Steve’s past messages from the Brownsville Revival that are displayed around her house that she uses to bring up Jesus to those that visit her home. We can do this very same thing and put things that represent what God has done in our lives around our homes for the purpose of bringing up Jesus to them and telling them that Jesus loves them and has a plan for their lives.

Image courtesy of fizkes/Shutterstock.com

Faith Faith Mountain Glory Stories Highlights

THE GRAVEYARD OF PASTORS! The Power of a Yes Walked Out in Faithfulness?

When we look at the lives of those who labored so faithfully before the Lord, many people want to live that same life. Unfortunately, many people don’t see the price that was continually willing to be paid in order to walk out that life. Truth be told, there is a price to be paid. Jeri recently said, “When [Steve and I] got saved, we did not want to live for ourselves. We wanted it to be totally sold out for [the Lord], for whatever He wanted and to say yes to Him every step of the way”. So, is it really as simple as saying yes? Jeri responds with a resounding yes! She continues to share how the first yes led to more opportunities to say yes to. “When things happened at Brownsville, we had already been in ministry for twenty years. We had been married for 16 years. It’s not something that happens overnight. Show the Lord that you’re faithful in the little things. If He can’t find you faithful in the little things, how can we do something more for Him? We have to be faithful in the smallest of things.”

In a recent conversation with Daniel Day, Jeri recounts the journey that Steve and Jeri walked out being faithful to the Lord when they felt led to share the Gospel in a region that was known as the “Graveyard of Pastors” because every pastor who had ever attempted to go there, ended up leaving. After arriving in this region, Steve and Hill began seeking the Lord for a piece of land. After Steve began a friendly relationship over a period of time playing tennis with a young man named Gustavo, Gustavo said, “I want you to meet my mom”. After Steve was introduced to Gustavo’s mother, she said, “I want you to meet my brother”, who just so happened to be the mayor of the city. The mayor clearly recognized the transformation in his nephew’s life and wanted to help Steve do what he could so the children in the city could be touched and transformed in the same way. Steve responded, “well, I need a piece of land, but I don’t have any money for a piece of land.” The mayor hands Steve a written note and directs him down the hall and who to give the note too. Without looking at the note, Steve obediently hands the note to who he was directed to go to. This person reads the note, pulls down a map, and says, “the mayor says you can take your pick”. Jeri recounts visiting that same location years later after Steve had gone on to be with the Lord, she learned that this original Church gathering had gone on to plant another 25 churches. “That is how it explodes. One person ministering to somebody playing tennis and look how it exploded from that”. The most beautiful testimony of this story is the countless children who were first impacted years ago, are now still faithfully loving on others in the city and planting Churches for the Lord.

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What is the Secret to Revival?

Years before the Brownsville Revival was ever on anyone’s radar, Steve and Jeri were ministering in Argentina under Carlos Annacondia. During one of the many hot and humid days sharing the Gospel in the hot South American sun, Jeri was asked if she wanted to know the secret to revival? Jeri was led to the side of the platform and then the skirt of the platform was pulled away so that Jeri could see what was taking place, under the platform. “You see all of these ladies under there wailing before God, wailing that God would move in people’s lives, that He would transform them. They were weeping for the lost.” These women were under the platform where Carlos Annacondia was preaching. Jeri continues to talk about the conditions all of these women were in, “no air conditioning, hot, everybody’s ”.

As a past guest speaking with Sid Roth ‘It’s Supernatural’, Steve Hill recounts when he was in South America at the height of the Argentine Revival, and the mighty testimonies of what the Lord was doing through the life of Carlos Annacondia. “Went to his crusade, twenty to thirty thousand people out in an open field, bunch a light bulbs just hanging, naked light bulbs hanging everywhere, no big fanfare. Just this man who had authority. He had authority over darkness.”

It wasn’t just the people who were being impacted by the power of God. Steve continued, “as far as the eye could see, people were hit by the power, thrown to the ground. People that were walking down the sidewalks, not even paying attention to him would be thrown to the ground and start shaking under the power.” Steve was overcome with hunger for what Carlos had.

As Steve shared, “Jesus, whatever this man has, Jesus, Peter’s shadow healed the sick, and this is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to that, I want what he has”. Steve highlights the sobering reality of how important hunger is for the things of God. “You better get my friend. If you want be used of God, you gotta have a hunger. You gotta have a craving for that, and I got that.” This is what it’s all about.

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The Bigger the Mountain the Bigger the Testimony

Years before the Brownsville Revival was ever on anyone’s radar, Steve and Jeri were ministering in Chile and Steve was wanting to go to a certain city to share the Gospel. No matter what path or road that Steve attempted to take, he kept encountering obstacles. After exhausting every option he could think of, Steve encountered a local who instructed him to drive the truck on the railroad tracks the 5 miles to get there. Before Steve left the man he was instructed, “you have to pray there isn’t a train coming because I couldn’t tell you when the train comes”. After taking the route of the railroad tracks and not encountering any oncoming trains, Steve and his team was then met with a sleet storm. After all these repeated obstacles Steve turned to his team and shared this encouraging perspective, “for us to be going through all of this, all these obstacles, it must mean that God is really going to move”. The difficulty is proof that God is going to move. How many of us quit in the midst of difficulty? The difference is when we press through.

When Steve was sharing the testimony to Jeri of what the Lord had done when they arrived in the Central area of the city he described how people would be walking by and suddenly just stopped walking when they got close to Steve and his team. They would ask the people why they stopped walking only to hear, “my feet are glued to the cement”. The people could not move. God wasn’t just drawing the people walking by, but also the people driving by. As Jeri shares, “cars would be drawn into the Central Park to see what was going on. Steve would get in one car, lead everybody in the car to Jesus, get out the other side of th e door, go into the next car and lead people to Jesus. He kept doing this over and over and over.” This is the way of life that Steve always lived. As he once shared with Jeri, “It’s not about an easy life, it’s about a dedicated life. It’s about a life. It’s about dying to ourselves so that we can proclaim the Gospel because people are dying in their sin and they need to be rescued”. This is the very truth and reality that we need to be thinking about. People are dying every day. Greg captures the very truth of this reality. “You don’t know that the person next to you might be preaching your funeral tomorrow”. Only God knows that day for all of us.

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Where does Revival Start?

In a recent conversation, Jeri Hill talks about how this awesome, mighty move of God revived all of those who were present and changed lives forever, “we had been set free and that day we got revived”. It’s not about a large gathering being revived, but a single heart. This is the very thing that so many people may have never experienced. As Greg points out, that there are many pastors who don’t have this, “they don’t want to tell people but they’re just dead…they do what you gotta do, they been marrying and burying, they’re digging for message but they’re not digging for God”. There is so much more than religion. This is what people who are in love with Jesus wants the world to know, there is major difference between religion and relationship. If you are that pastor, if you feel completely dry in the things of God, you are not alone. With one touch of God’s glory, you can begin again. There are people that are continuing to testify right now, how God’s glory has touched their life and changed everything!

So many people feel empty and dry in their everyday routine. Greg speaks directly to those hearts, “Don’t quit. Don’t give up. Don’t leave your marriage. Don’t leave your family. There’s nothing out there that’s gonna satisfy you like God is going to satisfy you.” We pray that the Lord would touch your life right now. God has a mighty plan for your life. “Burn all the bridges, all the little things you’ve set up…turn everything over to God and God is going to change your life. It’s not gonna be defined by what you’re presently in. Just don’t worry about all of that. Don’t try to define your future by where you are because it’s going to be so different.” We believe that God would touch you so mightily that revival would stir mightily in your heart and start a fire brand that would continue through your entire community for all to see.

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