Turn AND Burn!

I heard a man say in a message the other day that young men seek significance and old men seek contribution. It is an interesting concept that I have been mulling over ever since I heard it. As a young man I wanted to make my mark. My first pastorate was before my 25th birthday, having only been born again 3 years prior. I set out to change the world--at least my part of it--with all the vigor I could muster. Pastoring in a traditional Pentecostal denomination that was stuck hard in tradition and fading memories of past glory, was hard.

I cared little for what used to be, and even less for worship of a glory that had clearly departed. What summarized the situation best for me was after the general meeting of the group in the mid '80's, a prophetic message, a call if you will, to repent came forth. It was without a doubt God's Word to save us from our present condition. I took this call very serious, very personal, and as a Divine commission from God's heart to mine. I spent coming weeks on my face weeping and crying out for God's mercy. I organized prayer meetings in coming weeks around this theme and we prayed for revival. As a district overseer for 7 or 8 churches we hosted a district convention and I put the transcribed message on the cover of the program. Every speaker was assigned topics on the theme REPENT!

It became an obsession for me. I felt like a terminal patient on total life support who needs a miracle or death is imminent. Perhaps I took it to an extreme and as I am oft to do with my personality, I took it within my own hands to "fix" what was wrong. I just could not understand how people could be so indifferent and apathetic toward this call. After all, almost every church in our state and nationally was on the decline. Church membership was down, people getting saved in our altars was down, people getting filled with the Holy Spirit was down, and every other category was heading down. I remember standing in one of the oldest churches in the state and making the statement, "If we do not get a hold of God and see revival come to OUR generation this church will close its' doors and cease to exist."

That wasn't met with favorably by the older, established crowd. In fact a plan was launched to have me removed from the pulpit. I must say I didn't fight too hard to keep that pulpit. My attitude was more shake the DUST off your feet and move on. And move on I did--but several years later that church building was sold, what people were left died or moved on, and that church no longer exists.

One of the primary leaders in the denomination pulled me aside one day and tried to tactfully call me down from my turn or burn message. When I shared with him the pathology of my mindset he said to me, "Repent? Repent for what? I am not cheating on my wife, I am not slipping out and sinning...I don't need to repent." It was clear this message was intolerable for most and I was warned to let it go or I would "lose" my effectiveness.

But my heart was broken. The call church-wide was being ignored. In a subsequent general meeting one of the most respected ministers in the group, a man who held a high office, preached a watershed message where he dissected this hardness of heart within the group and recalled this message and how it was going unheeded and the ensuing judgment that would result. He shared how in the churches of Asia Jesus sent a call out to the seven churches to repent. In one particular church, Laodecia, he said, "I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish you were cold or hot. But because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spue you from my mouth. Because you say, 'I am rich and I increase, AND HAVE NEED OF NOTHING..."

The words of that overseer that reproved me echoed in my ears. "I don't NEED to repent..." This was clearly one of the single most powerful messages I have ever heard preached. It was courageous, it was accurate, and it was clear. Over the course of time though the church as a whole failed to heed this call. In the next few years it became painfully obvious that we missed God in this call. Thousands of people left our ranks. An entire crop of young preachers left as well leaving a void of leadership. I left myself deciding that working for revolution and reformation was a waste of my time and energy. I am not saying that what I did was what I should have done--only God will reveal it--but it is what I did.

Sometimes I catch myself wondering what if... But I stop because you can't live in the land of what if, we live in the land of what is. Now I am not trying to change the course of a denomination. I am not trying to turn the hearts of a entire movement. I am concentrating on my course, I am focused on my heart and seeing it turned toward the Lord. Today I am not looking for significance. I am trying to make a contribution.

To all the younger men and women of God I would like to contribute to your search for significance. First I encourage you to GO for it! Seek God with ALL your heart, and let Him fill you with a Holy FIRE to turn your world upside down. To make your mark is a goal worth seeking. Just to see this among the youth of our day is heartening. So many have given up there hope for changing the world. So many are disillusioned and discouraged. They have given up the quest for taking nations for the Gospel to having a high score in WARLORDS(forgive me for not knowing the hottest game now).

Reach for it! I have no regrets for having tried. I make no apologies for calling God's people to accountability and responsibility. Along the way I made some people mad, but some are serving God and are making an impact because I cried out. Really I never thought I was saving a denomination, but the people in it. It was not the organization I loved, but the people in it. Many of my friends are still with this church, and I am glad to say that in recent years it is starting to make a comeback. Many of the lifeless traditions have been dropped. Some of the stifling doctrine has been re-evaluated, and the leadership has humbly and hungrily opened up to God's heart for renewal.

"Is there not a cause?" Were the words of David in his youth. At the end of his life it was "How can I leave something behind for my son and my sons son?" There will always be a cause. God is raising up a young generation with a heart to serve him. These are exciting times to be alive. Let God show His strength to YOUR generation by yielding to him. But in the process do YOURSELF a favor--find a older person who can speak into your life the wisdom and council of God, and listen!

This is not to slow you down, or pull you back, or to stifle you in any way. It is to push you beyond, ignite you above, and release you unto your calling. It will help you focus, it will keep you grounded, and it will make you more effectual in your quest to change the world. Every son needs a father, every father needs a son. The most powerful prophetic word to this generation is that God will TURN the hearts of the children to the fathers and the hearts of the fathers to the children. The message is still TURN, but now instead of saying turn OR burn I am saying turn AND burn! Let the fire of the Holy One burn in YOU!

Next blog I want to tell you why this is essential for your success! God bless you, and I am praying for you to make a difference.