Chris Foster

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-15T07:50:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder to everyone that Jesus has everything under control. He is governing the affairs of men and nothing catches him by suprise. The bible declares that he knew the end from the beginning. Allow Jesus to fill you with JOY this Christmas. I love reading Isaiah 9 this time of the year. Be Blessed! Merry Christmas!

Isaiah 9
1 [a]Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

2 The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.
3 You have enlarged the nation
and increased their joy;
they rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest,
as warriors rejoice
when dividing the plunder.
4 For as in the day of Midian’s defeat,
you have shattered
the yoke that burdens them,
the bar across their shoulders,
the rod of their oppressor.
5 Every warrior’s boot used in battle
and every garment rolled in blood
will be destined for burning,
will be fuel for the fire.
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.

The Holy Spirit's Leading

2010-11-29T11:18:00.000-08:00

I was reminded by an email I received today that the Holy Spirit when allowed to can do things way better than we can. I am thankful that when yielded to the Holy Spirit we can be vessels for his use. A few weeks ago while I was preaching I felt compelled to bring up adoption on a Sunday morning. I simply said that I think that every Christian family should consider adoption as an option for their family. I know that not every family will be able to adopt but maybe the Lord would speak to some families to do so. Little did I know there was a family in our congregation considering adoption and were a little discouraged because they were seemingly not getting anywhere in the process. They took my words as encouragement from the Lord to remain steady. God is answering their prayers in big ways. I cannot go into the details but suffice it to say that the very next day God opened a big door in their journey towards adoption. The most rewarding thing about this is I can't take any credit for this at all. The Holy Spirit who knows the mind of God was just talking to one of his children through a yielded vessel. I didn't even know why I was bringing it up. I had a stirring in my heart that I should do so. Thank you Holy Spirit! Blessings!

Prov 16:9

9 In his heart a man plans his course,
but the Lord determines his steps.
NIV

Interesting Flow Chart

2010-11-29T11:15:00.000-08:00

Prayer

2010-09-13T06:27:00.000-07:00

We are 2 weeks into our new series called Metamorphosis. God has been humbling me! I have been reading differently the last few weeks and it is wrecking me. I have decided that along with the Bible I was going to read different chapters from older books. Most of the books that I am reading from would be considered classics. There is just something about the way they were written. For instance this morning I read the chapter "Preachers and Prayer" from the book The Weapon of Prayer by E.M. Bounds. I was challenged and convicted at the same time.

The Challenge

Keep the main things the main things! Prayer is more than something that we do when we are in trouble and are in need of help from God. Prayer should be our priority. I am convinced now more than ever that much of what we do is a cover up for prayerlessness. This is not to say that the things we do have no value but we will not effect the spiritual climate around us without prayer. The more effective I am in my prayer closet the more effective I will be as a Christ follower and minister.

The Conviction

During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.

Jesus is our model! I only have to read scriptures like this to be convicted that I don't pray nearly enough. I also have discovered that while at times I am passionate in prayer I am not sure that those words could be said of me. Jesus the Son of God was heard because of his "reverent submission". His passion and compassion are evident. God did not pass his cries off as emotionalism. Instead the Holy Spirit recorded these words to remind is that prayer is more than a habit it is our life line. MC Hammer's 1990 song titled "Pray" says it all "We got to pray just to make it today."

Don't forget the main thing today. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Detours

2010-07-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday night I shared a message from the life of Samson. Here are some of the lessons that I learned.

1. Stay Humble - In Judges 15:16 Samson gives no glory to God for this amazing feat of strength.

2. Satan is relentless in his pursuit of your destruction. There are 4 different times in chapter 16 that Delilah asks Samson for the source of his strength. Verse 16 illustrates how relentless the enemy is.

Judges 16:16
16 With such nagging she prodded him day after day until he was tired to death.
NIV

3. We are often detoured from our purpose with baby steps not large leaps. Samson was getting closer and closer to the secret of his strength with each temptation.

5 Consequences of a Detour (16:21,22)

1. Loss of Control - "Then the Philistines seized him..." The thing he once controlled is no controlling him.

2. Loss of Vision - "...gouged out his eyes..." When we sin we do not see clearly!

3. Loss of Position - "...and took him down to Gaza." He was in control as a Judge but now he was subject to those he stood in judgement over.

4. Loss of Mobility - "Binding him with Bronze shackles..." Sin restricts while holiness brings freedom.

5. Loss of Status - "...they set him to grinding in the prison." The once famed and feared Samson is not doing the work of a common animal.

This a great quote from Francis Chan:

"You don't need the Holy Spirit if you are merely seeking to live a semi-moral life and attend church regularly. You can find people of all sorts in many religions doing that quite nicely without him. You only need the Holy Spirit's guidance and help if you truly want to follow the Way of Jesus Christ. You only need him if you desire to "obey everything" He commanded and to teach others to do the same."

We need the Holy Spirit to avoid the same mistakes that Samson made. Be a radical for Jesus. Choose to follow in Jesus' footsteps. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

A sobering dose of reality!

2010-04-26T19:25:00.000-07:00

We have had some pretty powerful services lately. I love being a people led by the Spirit of God. No two services are alike. We started a new series called {proof}. We dealt with the stronghold of fear this last Sunday. God did some cool stuff in the lives of people. I left church a little tired but charged up in my spirit. I was reminded today that no matter how much we enjoy church there is still an enormous task to be done. We relish and boast in what God does but we must keep our task before us. It is great to be blessed and enjoy His presence but I read a sobering statistic today.

Here is one thought concerning the Northeast from a study done by the Southern Baptists' on the Great Commission: 83% of people in Northeast are lost. The population of these states (basically Pennsylvania and north) is 55 million. 83% of this population will be in Hell unless we do something.

We had a great Sunday but I am reminded that there are millions in my part of the country that haven't even had a chance to meet Jesus yet. We have to do what it takes to reach those who are lost in our community here in the Northeast. May the love of Jesus COMPEL us. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Taking Invetory

2010-04-21T08:31:00.000-07:00

In the past my wife has worked retail and on a scheduled basis they would take inventory. This would often occur after hours and would usually take place over several days. The purpose is obvious to find out what stock is available in the store. Inventory checks what needs to be replenished, cut back on or to determine what has been stolen. I saw a quick personal inventory test that would be good for all of us to do a couple of times a year. Here are the questions:

1. Is my PACE sustainable? Where do I need to cut back? Where do I need to step it up?

2. Is my PHYSICAL body healthy? Eating habits? Exercise?

3. What are the sources of PRESSURE? What can I do about it? Can I delegate? Do I need to trust God with something? What 'wisdom-steps' do I need to take?

4. Where is there PUSH-BACK from the darkness? We are in a spiritual war? Where is the devil resisting me? What do I need to overcome his attack? Prayer? Fasting? Mobilizing some prayer partners?

Take time to make the necessary changes today. Like everything in our lives it does no good to ask questions in these areas unless you intend on making the changes needed. "Reject Passivity" Blessings!

Pastor Chris

2010-02-03T07:46:00.000-08:00

Have you ever argued with God? There have been times in my life when what God was asking of me seemed too much. I know from experience that I can't realistically win an argument with God. I find solace in the fact that Moses and other men of God wrestled every once in a while with God. My argument was a lot like Moses'. God You can't use me. "I am not a gifter speaker." I was kind of shy maybe even a little wierd. Some would say that hasn't changed. Listen to what Moses said to the God.

WHEN GOD CALLED MOSES: Exodus 4:10-11

But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.” Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

WHEN MOSES OBEYED - AND THINGS GOT WORSE: Exodus 6:12

(Pharaoh ordered Israel to make bricks without straw)

“But Lord!” Moses objected. “My own people won’t listen to me anymore. How can I expect Pharaoh to listen? I’m such a clumsy speaker!

WHEN GOD TELLS MOSES TO SPEAK TO PHARAOH ANYWAY: Exodus 6:30

But Moses argued with the Lord, saying, “I can’t do it! I’m such a clumsy speaker! Why should Pharaoh listen to me?”

Here is the lesson I learned from Moses. As much as some make our abilities the issue they are not. It really is about our capacity. Everything that I have ever done for God required that I first get stretched in my capacity. I wasn't ready 10 years ago to pastor New Life. God first had to stretch me in my capacity to lead before he could release me to do what I am doing now. I know it is trite but "It's not about our ability but our availability." It really is about God working through us. It is His power at work in you that accomplishes great things. If you want God to use you prepare to be stretched. Blessings!

2010-02-01T19:23:00.000-08:00

I know I am going a little video crazy but I love this video. This is the biblical view of Jesus. I know we don't know this Jesus because this Jesus isn't preached very often. I wonder if we had this kind of vision of Jesus if we would live differently? Blessings!

2010-02-01T19:18:00.000-08:00

I have heard a lot of controversy about this comment made by Pat Robertson. What do you think? I will tell you what I think after I hear from you. Blessings!

2010-02-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to give my props to a young man who has continully been a witness for Jesus. In a day and age when many athletes are poor role models Tim Tebow has taken a stand for Jesus. I am praying for him. He is doing a pro life commercial during the Super Bowl sponsored by Focus on the Family. Pro choice supporters can't stand it. Awesome Tim! Blessings!

Go to Bed!

2009-11-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

How many of God's people struggle with a consistent vibrant devotional life? The most given reason that I have heard is the lack of TIME. Here is the deal friends. We all get the same 24 hours in a day. How are you spending your 24? I was reading a blog recently and picked up some math that will help you take the plunge into an early vibrant devotion time with the Lord.

GO TO BED!!!

Do the math. Every one's numbers and times will differ, but here's an example of the thought process:

Time needed to eat breakfast and get ready: 1 hour
Time needed to be with Jesus: 1 hour
Time needed to workout or other responsibility: 30 mins
Time needed for commute: 30 mins
Total time needed in the morning= 3 hours

Time expected at work= 8:30am

8:30am-3hours= 5:30am

Amount of sleep needed= 7.5 hours

Time I need to be asleep= 10:00pm

Time I need to go to bed= 9:45pm

If you are like me and think you are a "night person" and cannot fathom being in bed at 9:45pm try getting up at 5:30am for a week and you will find it much easier to crawl into bed at 9:45pm. Give it a try and see what the Lord does in you. Blessings!

Things are moving really fast!!!

2009-09-04T08:25:00.001-07:00

How many of you feel really far behind?

2009-09-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

What do we walk by on a regular basis?

DC Metro Station on a cold January morning in 2007. The man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time approx. 2 thousand people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After 3 minutes a middle-aged man noticed there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds and then hurried to meet his schedule.

4 minutes later: The violinist received his first dollar: a woman threw the money in the hat and, without stopping, continued to walk.

6 minutes later: A young man leaned against the wall to listen to him, then looked at his watch and started to walk again.

10 minutes later: A 3-year old boy stopped but his mother tugged him along hurriedly. The kid stopped to look at the violinist again, but the mother pushed hard and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. Every parent, without exception, forced their children to move on quickly.

45 minutes: The musician played continuously. Only 6 people stopped and listened for a short while. About 20 gave money but continued to walk at their normal pace. The man collected a total of $32.

1 hour: He finished playing and silence took over. No one noticed. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.

No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world. He played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. Two days before Joshua Bell sold out a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a true story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste and people's priorities.
The questions raised: in a common place environment at an inappropriate hour, do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize talent in an unexpected context?

One possible conclusion reached from this experiment could be this: If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made.... How many other things are we missing?

I saw this friend's blog.

Prayer is Powerful

2009-07-14T18:19:00.000-07:00

Prayer Fails! I heard this atheist on the radio say that statement at least 3 times today. A local talk radio DJ was debating a recent decision of the PA Speaker of the House rejecting a prayer that would be offered in Jesus' name. If this Christian pastor would take out Jesus' name the prayer would be generic and non-offensive and therefore acceptable. This atheist made many other arguments however he believed that prayer fails so why waste time opening in prayer. He made it very clear that the agenda of the atheist movement is to bring their way of life to every aspect of American life. I saw a survey on a buddies blog about prayer that might prove that many Christians believe that prayer fails. I have to admit that I was getting mad at the devil every time I heard that statement today. It is a statement that directly contradicts the Word of God.

James 5:16 "The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness."

I was challenged again today to amp up my prayer life. Nobody will convince me that prayer doesn't work. I have seen way too many answers to prayer. God still moves on behalf of those that love Him and that are faithful to Him. God tells me to pray. Jesus the Son of God prayed and I need to pray.

Numbers 23:19 "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen?"

Who are you going to believe? I choose to believe God! Keep praying friends. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Local Survey Results on Prayer

Top 10 Reasons Christ Followers Gave For Not Praying

10. I don't need to pray, things are going well.
9. I still find "speaking into the air" a little strange.
8. There is still no proof that He actually listens
7. I get bored and distracted too easily.
6. God doesn't want to hear my small requests ... He's too busy.
5. I have guilt over past sin.
4. Afraid that if I give the situation to God, I will not like the outcome.
3. I'm too busy to pray.
2. Not sure I know how to pray.
1. Reason Christ Followers Don't Pray More is they are not sure that their prayers are actually going to make a difference.

http://curtseaburg.typepad.com/my_weblog/2009/01/prayer-survey-results.html

...WITH ONE ACCORD

2009-07-08T19:19:00.000-07:00

Acts 2:1 "Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place." The phrase "all together" in the King James Version is "with one accord". We have begun a renewed prayer emphasis at New Life called "Prayer 24/7". We have nearly every hour of the day covered in prayer. There are still a few slots to be filled but we will have 24 hours a day seven days a week covered in prayer. Leviticus 6:12 says:

"The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out."

I believe that God is drawn to this kind of people. When you and I make our priorities line up with God's priorities we are preparing for a day of Pentecost type out pouring. I hesitate to bring up that comparison because people get weirded out by some of the supernatural that occurred on that first Pentecost. Probably the most powerful moment of Pentecost was when Peter stood up boldly preached Christ and Him crucified. The Bible records:

"So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about three thousand people were added."

This is the most powerful evidence of God moving amongst us. People who were lost now found in the grace of God. To me the other signs and wonders are gravy compared to people coming to Christ. Oh by the way that is what is cool about God you get the "gravy" too. God is generous and pours out abundantly upon his people. The challenge for us is will we pray the price. I believe that we are answering by our actions. Keep praying! You may want to access the prayer module on our sight. Just click the fire button and leave a prayer request or praise report or both. Remember when we work we work but when we pray God works. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Big Dreams!

2009-06-11T18:03:00.000-07:00

Job 8:7
7 Your beginnings will seem humble,
so prosperous will your future be.
NIV

We have a new axiom here at our church, "If you don't do the little things, the big things won't happen." We often look at the big things that others are doing and overlook all that they have done to get where they are. I was thinking about a recent church planting boot camp that I attended. We heard all the great things church planters were doing and we sometimes forget that they worked really hard and did a lot of really small things to get where they are now. Often we never really get to the BIG things God has in store for us because we look past the small beginnings. You have heard it said that a thousand mile journey starts with the first step. Let me ask you something. If God has called you to do something that is God sized, how do you plan on getting the dream done? I am certain that there will be all kinds of small steps you will have to take in your journey. Just a quick word of encouragement. Don't despise the process. You have no idea what you will learn on your way to your God sized dream. I love you guys. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Reflecting

2009-05-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Amy and I are sitting at home tonight relaxing after all our family have left and gone home. We had one of our top three life moments last week. We finalized the adoption of our son Dominic and dedicated him to the Lord. (He comes in just after salvation and marriage by the way.) He is the most fantastic boy on planet earth. Amy and I have been praying most of our marriage for a child and just 2 1/2 months after celebrating our 14th year of marriage we have a son. We have been through many ups and downs in this faith journey but we have found this trite expression to be true "It was worth the wait!" I can't help but ponder all the times that God has brought people into our lives with encouraging promises that God was going to bless us with a child. Like Mary did we treasured and hid those promises in our heart. We are so delighted to be able to declare that "He who promised is faithful." The promise is only as good as the promise giver. I would encourage you by the way hold on to the promises of God, he will not let you down. Thanks to our church family for all your support. We love you. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Taking a Stand!

2009-05-04T18:30:00.000-07:00

I know that in the world of fast paced media the Miss California story is now history. I still cannot believe that no one of real consequence has stood up to Perez Hilton on his behavior. It is one thing to have differing opinions and voice them in a constructive debate, but to see him viciously attack Miss California and go unchecked is inexcusable. I believe that for the Christian this will only increase as we stand for what is right. In a land that claims to be tolerant and believes in the right to free speech, we seem to be the target of the recent rash of intolerance. We can and should expect this kind of treatment, after all Jesus warned us that this would occur. We are told in Romans 12:2 we should not conform to the pattern of this world. We are to be counter culture! We have seen some who claim to be Christian portray a not so kind Jesus. In fact some things that people say in the name of God is nothing more than hatred. God is love and his love knows no limits. If Jesus being the exact representation of God expressed forgiveness and love for the very ones who crucified him, would he expect anything less from us? I don't believe so. I believe we should minister in the opposite spirit of the world. We must love like Jesus loved. He gave himself as proof of his love. We must be willing to do the same. Let's prove to a lost world that the people of God are a people of grace and love. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

MSG ©
biblegateway Rom 12:2

Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

Surprises!

2009-04-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1k08yxu57NA

I was moved by these videos. I almost always root for the underdog.

A really serious video!

2009-04-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9JLJunoxlc&feature=player_embedded

For those of you who have ever played this game you will appreciate this clip. The uniforms are great. I remember the really short shorts. Pistol Pete was a believer by the way. I believe he died while playing a pick up game with Dr. James Dobson. Enjoy!

Pastor Chris

March Madness

2009-04-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me understands that I love basketball. I have played basketball most of my life and love watching college ball especially. The NBA has gotten better with the emerging of some recent stars like Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Dwight Howard however watching the NCAA Tournament is one of the highlights of the sports year. I love watching the fans get radical in support of their respective schools. People do all kinds of things to show their support including looking like a total fool. Some will go to great lengths just to get a perceived edge.

I have sometimes wondered how much we will do for the sake of the gospel. I have sensed the Holy Spirit challenging me to be a man who doesn't care what people think about my devotion to Jesus. Sometimes we are guilty of saving face and defending our reputation. We want a relationship with Jesus that looks pretty and knows all the right people that can help us advance in our agenda. This attitude ultimately leads to pleasing men instead of God. Read what the Apostle Paul said to the Corinthian church:

1 Cor 4:11-13
To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12 We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13 when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
NIV

Did you get that "the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world". Someone needs to get Paul some self-esteem counseling. The truth is we strive too much to get a sterling reputation but do very little to advance the Kingdom of God. I am not talking about becoming a crooked people. I am however talking about taking a stand for Jesus. Sometimes that means people will look down on you and mistreat you. You may even lose some friends that you thought you would have forever. Last night I watched UNC completely dominate Michigan State for an entire game, but the Michigan State fans were loud till the end. That is what I like about the radical fans they are fans till the end. I wonder how many radical til the end kind of people that Jesus has living for him. Remember as we go through this Passion week that Jesus gave everything. He is for you doing the same and remember he wants you to succeed. Give your all, nothing less will do. I Love You! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Phil 2:5-11
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
6 Who, being in very nature a God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
7 but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature b of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
8 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death —
even death on a cross!
9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
NIV

God's Stimulus Bill!

2009-03-10T17:09:00.000-07:00

We have been hearing a lot about the stimulus bill for the economy and there are already talks for another to follow. This I think would be the third one since late last year. I was reminded of the prophetic word given by David Wilkerson some years ago about a coming economic disaster. Many are calling this economy the worse since the Great Depression. There are many voices warning us that we haven't gotten to the bottom yet. In fact I read an excerpt from Wilkerson's prophetic warning of worse things yet to come:

TESTING THE FAITH
Famed pastor predicts imminent catastrophe Best-selling author, Teen Challenge founder, sees 'earth-shattering calamity about to happen'
Posted: March 08, 20093:15 am Eastern© 2009 WorldNetDaily

A respected pastor, best-selling author and founder of a major ministry to teens predicts an imminent "an earth-shattering calamity" centered in New York City that will spread to major urban areas across the country and around the world – part of what he sees as a judgment from God.

David Wilkerson, author of "The Cross and the Switchblade," a book about his ministry to troubled New York street kids that was later made into a movie starring Pat Boone, tells readers of his blog this weekend that he is "compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message" about his prediction.
"An earth-shattering calamity is about to happen," he writes. "It is going to be so frightening, we are all going to tremble – even the godliest among us."
Wilkerson's vision is of fires raging through New York City.
"It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires – such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago," he explains. "There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting – including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written, "If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?"

I believe that God wants to stimulate the Church. I still believe that the answer rests in our dependency on the Holy Spirit. We are a Pentecostal church and we are part of the greatest movement in all of history. It started on the day of Pentecost with the fire baptism of 120 in an upper room and millions upon millions later God is still shaking the world. We need a fresh infusion of the baptism of the H.S. in our lives and our churches. God pour out your Spirit on us again. Forgive us for not hearing your warnings and ignoring your Grace. We need more of you not less of you. Touch our sons and daughters again. Give us dreams and visions! we dare not move forward without your Spirit. We are hungry Lord and realize without your Spirit we destined for a far greater catastrophe than financial ruin. I am committed to bringing the entire church into a fresh baptism. Let's pray for a fresh Pentecost to stimulate a church. Set us ABLAZE Lord. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

2:14 But Peter stood up 25 with the eleven, raised his voice, and addressed them: “You men of Judea 26 and all you who live in Jerusalem, 27 know this 28 and listen carefully to what I say. 2:15 In spite of what you think, these men are not drunk, 29 for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. 30 2:16 But this is what was spoken about through the prophet Joel: 31
2:17 ‘And in the last days 32 it will be,’ God says,
‘that I will pour out my Spirit on all people, 33
and your sons and your daughters will prophesy,
and your young men will see visions,
and your old men will dream dreams.
2:18 Even on my servants, 34 both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 35
2:19 And I will perform wonders in the sky 36 above
and miraculous signs 37 on the earth below,
blood and fire and clouds of smoke.
2:20 The sun will be changed to darkness
and the moon to blood
before the great and glorious 38 day of the Lord comes.
2:21 And then 39 everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 40
2:22 “Men of Israel, 41 listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man clearly attested to you by God with powerful deeds, 42 wonders, and miraculous signs 43 that God performed among you through him, just as you yourselves know

Free from opression!

2009-01-27T11:50:00.000-08:00

PTL! Just a quick announcement to say that we received word that we are proceeding with the adoption process with Dominic. All parental rights were terminated and now it is just a matter of getting a court date for adoption day. This is a miracle for us and we are really excited about what the Lord is doing in our lives. It will be nice to see this process completed. I can't even explain how blessed we feel right now. He deserves all the GLORY!

I would like to talk to you about what Jesus has been doing in my thinking lately. For the last several months I have been weighed down in my spirit. I have wrestled with some thinking and and troubled by some of the stuff going on in our country. Some of the stuff I was wrestling with is important and I have a desire to glorify God in every decision. I believe that one of the major ways the enemy works in our lives is to attack our minds. We are bombarded every day with information that we must process and make decisions on. There is a portion of scripture that has has ministered to me and I believe the Lord has set me free from the oppressive nature of making decisions. I wanted to share the scripture that set me free from this struggle. Asaph struggled to reconcile what was going on around him in light of God's covenant with his chosen people. It seemed that the wicked were getting ahead while the righteous were being mocked.

Ps 73:16-17
16 When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me
17 till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.
NIV

Asaph said in Psalm 73:16 it became oppressive to him. Have you ever been there? Oppressed by the constant nagging thoughts that seem to press in on us. Asaph discovered the solution and God helped me discover this nugget of truth recently. The answer is really quite simple and everyone can do it. Asaph decided to go to the sanctuary of God. You may not be struggling with major decisions but maybe you are feeling weighed down by the thoughts that you have. The best thing you can do is take it to the sanctuary or into the presence of the Lord. He will help you and He will show you what you need in order for you to be at peace in your mind and heart. It helps me to remember that God knows every detail of what is going on all around us. Friends if you find yourself oppressed today, take it to the Lord. You may like me find yourself wrestling less with stuff and having a much more peaceful life. Remember Jesus is Lord! All our answers are found in him. I love you. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Fresh Starts!

2008-12-30T18:25:00.000-08:00

We are nearing the time of the year when people are beginning to think about fresh starts or New Year's resolutions. We set goals and we do our best to hold ourselves accountable only to live under guilt when we break our newly made commitments by the end of January. The other day I was sitting in prayer and thinking about what I can believe God for in 2009. There are so many things that come to my mind but I really want to know the heart of God for my personal life as well as New Life. I got out a notebook and began to write down the impressions that I sensed from the Holy Spirit. Some of them quite frankly scared me. I mean outside of God helping me I could never accomplish these things. They would certainly stretch me. I get really excited thinking about attempting great things for God. I want to encourage you to sit down with a blank sheet of paper and a pen and pray that God would give you God sized dreams for Him. The reason I say God sized is because if you can accomplish your dreams without God then they are too small. I like the Apostle Paul want to run like someone who is going to win the prize. I want to remind you that we are going to win. I am praying for our new year. I love you!

Pastor Chris

Phil 3:12-14
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
NIV

Gearing up for 2009!

2008-12-02T17:32:00.000-08:00

I don't know what it has been like for you but the last three months went by so fast that it seems unreal. We are gearing up for Christmas and I am so excited to celebrate our first Christmas with Dominic. Amy and I were in Babies'R' Us and he gave us a few good ideas for Christmas gifts. The only unfortunate thing is everything he gets needs batteries. I am going to buy stock in a good battery company.

We are getting ready for a new emphasis at New Life Church. The year of 2009 will be the year of the Bible. We are putting out a challenge to our people to read through the Bible in 2009. That's right we are all going to read from cover to cover together. We will be attaching a reading plan to this site so you can follow along if you would like. I will begin preaching through the Bible on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights. It will take several years to preach every book of the Bible. I believe that we are going to have outstanding year. We start off the year with 21 days of prayer and fasting. I believe that we are going to see some outstanding miracles next year. I am asking as many people as possible to join us in our efforts to see God move in Lancaster PA. I believe for that to happen we need to amp up our efforts in prayer and our devotion to the Word of God. I am looking forward to our new year together. Happy Reading! I love you!

Pastor Chris

Ps 119:16
I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
NIV

Learning to Love!

2008-11-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone! I am catching up with my blog again. I just put the little man down for the night after a lot of squirming and fighting his tiredness. He finally gave in and went to sleep. Amy and I are having the time of our lives. God has truly blessed us. I am learning a lot about myself and God. For instance, I thought that I understood our capacity to love until I became a father. My heart has been so enriched and stretched. Today for instance he bounced back and forth between Amy and I kissing us and we laughed together. I am talking those guttural laughs. Our hearts melted. I am so thankful that God loves me. In fact he shows me how to love my family, friends, and yes even my enemies. In Luke 10 there is a great story that Jesus uses to expose our tendencies. If we play the religious part we too will find ourselves walking past the broken and hurting people that walk into painful situations. The story of the Samaritan is supposed to teach us that we must guard against becoming religious and stay sensitive to the needs that are all around us. Religion walks by on the other side while real love and devotion to Christ provokes us to action. The love that we learn from our Heavenly Father cannot sit idly by while someone suffers nearby. I am learning that we haven't even scratched the surface of depth of love of God. I am placing the story as Jesus told it in this blog. Read it and ask yourself the question: Do I love like the Samaritan or do I act religious? Be honest. I love you. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Luke 10:25-37
25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
26 "What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?"
27 He answered: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind' c; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' d"
28 "You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."
29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
30 In reply Jesus said: "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two silver coins e and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'
36 "Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?"
37 The expert in the law replied, "The one who had mercy on him."
Jesus told him, "Go and do likewise."
NIV

Having a great time!

2008-10-24T08:09:00.001-07:00

Amy and I have been so blessed by God! Dominic is incredible! God is teaching me new things all the time. I would like to share a couple of funny stories with you. I learned something while I was playing with Dominic the other day. Did you learn the rule about waiting to go in the pool at least 30 minutes after you eat? I have one that is similar. A parent should wait at least 20 minutes after their child eats before playing with said child. I learned this while playing the other day. I was on my back on the floor and he was in my hands facing me when some of his lunch ended up on my sweater and his hand. He broke out is the cutest grin and I screamed get it off, get it off! This is the lesson I learned. Soap, warm water and cologne can hide the smell of baby vomit. I am starting to accept the fact that I am going to have stuff on my clothes for another year or so.

Here is another story that just made me laugh. Amy, Dominic and I were getting ready for a trip to the mall and we armed the alarm and left the house. I was putting Dominic in the car seat when I hear Amy say "oh I still have my slippers on." That just tickled me! Mommy hasn't been getting a lot of sleep. I am beginning to see why all the parents with small children and newborns are walking around with a glazed look over their eyes. It is because they have not had a consistent night of sleep in a long time.

I have to say that this the most exciting time in my life. I am having a blast and laughing a ton. Thank all of you so much for praying and we are asking you to continue to pray until this process is completed. We are praying that it will not take as long as the stories that we have heard about. The biggest issue right now is that the biological father's rights have to be terminated before we can proceed. We believe that God is working on all the details. Please pray! I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

God is Faithful!

2008-10-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

We had the most incredible day with Dominic! He is a fantastic boy. He played a lot, took three steps with no help, went shopping, and fell asleep tonight with no problem. Probably the funniest thing that happened was at dinner time. Dominic has no problem eating. He loves food and will fit in great with us. We had some friends from the church bring us dinner and they brought us pumpkin cupcakes to celebrate. When he saw those cupcakes he got soooo excited. He made the funniest face and we cracked up. He ate that cupcake in the matter of seconds. I couldn't believe it. I cannot explain how I feel right now but blessed is an understatement. Continue to pray for things to continue to go smoothly. I love you blessings!

Pastor Chris

1 Cor 1:8-9
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.
NIV

PTL!

2008-10-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone! I am so excited to let you know that we are going to be parents. The little guy is being placed in our home for foster care to adopt. We received word on Friday announced it on Sunday and we pick him up tomorrow. We are soooooooooooooooooooo pumped!! We are asking you to continue to pray for us and our new addition that everything will go smoothly. We still have a ton of questions and we are a little nervous. Pray! I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Still Waiting!

2008-09-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

Prov 14:29-30
A patient man has great understanding,
but a quick-tempered man displays folly.
30 A heart at peace gives life to the body,
but envy rots the bones.
NIV

Many have asked me what is going on in the adoption process. We are still waiting. We finished our initial 16 hours of required training on Saturday. I have to tell you that some children have endured terrible things at the hands of "grown ups". We continue to pray. As you can tell from the above scripture that the Lord is teaching us patience. Amy and I are convinced that the Lord has been in this process. We were given a date that things are supposed to proceed forward. We are looking at September 30th. I can't give a lot of details because we do not have many. The biological father has been given opportunity to submit names but his deadline is the end of this month. If he gives names then we have to wait and see if they qualify for kinship care. We feel the best thing that we can do at this point is wait and pray. We are going to be at peace. Waiting can be excruciating so we have decided to just rest in the Lord and be at peace. Life for the body is the result of that kind of living. Continue to pray friends. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Delayed

2008-09-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well folks we have another delay. We heard this morning that we have to wait until they exhaust all options with the biological father before we can be considered. We were being considered for what they call Kinship Care. All that means is we have some form of relationship with the family. In this case the biological mom submitted our name. The law was changed 2 or 3 months ago on what that means. The committee felt like there was not enough relationship there for us to be considered for Kinship Care. It was quite a blow. If there is nobody available on the biological father's side then there is still a possibility that he can be put in our house for foster care to adopt. We are regrouping. We really do believe that the Lord has something in mind for us. We are praying! I love you guys. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Waiting!

2008-09-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to give an update about the adoption process. We received word on Thursday that we have to wait another week before the decision is made. We basically are waiting for the agency to pull the trigger. We are so pumped and it is looking really good at this point. I can tell that Amy is really excited and I must say I am as well. I can't believe that I have to wait another 6 days before the committee will meet. There is such a sense that God is working on our behalf. This waiting stuff is tough. My mom used to say that waiting is good for you. I have learned through this process that when we wait on God He does to work. This is why our strength is renewed. Friends if you are striving today take a break and wait on the Lord. You will find strength in Him I Love You! Blessings

Pastor Chris

Isa 40:31
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
KJV

Change is good if God is in it!

2008-08-29T08:34:00.001-07:00

I am back on track. I have had an eventful month. God has been doing some really cool stuff in my life. I have learned something this month, not all change is bad. I have to say that I like others resist change just to say we changed. I want there to be a purpose behind the change otherwise to me it's just wasted energy. Amy and I are in the process of adoption and our lives have already changed. We have bought a crib and car seat. We painted the future nursery all to get ready for a little boy who needs a home and a set of parents. We are pumped and look forward to the challenges and the rewards that lie ahead. I have already learned something that I have known for sometime. I tend to be selfish with my time and my life. That is about to change dramatically and I am actually really excited. I was reading Isaiah 58 and I think that there is a challenge for all of us in this chapter. I believe that this chapter is all about us using our most valuable resource and tool, our lives. God wants you and I to invest our lives in Kingdom work. Take a moment and read this scripture and ask yourself the question: How much of my life is invested in Kingdom work? If you do not like the answer make the changes needed because, His work demands our all. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Isa 58:6-12
"Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
7 Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter —
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
8 Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness a will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
9 Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

"If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
10 and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
11 The Lord will guide you always;
he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land
and will strengthen your frame.
You will be like a well-watered garden,
like a spring whose waters never fail.
12 Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins
and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.
NIV

Holiness!

2008-08-07T17:52:00.000-07:00

Holiness! This topic has really gripped my heart as of late. We studied Is. 6 this last Sunday and it has been stuck in my spirit for weeks now. The one thing that continues to challenge me is holiness is about character before it is ever about conduct. Fixing someones behavior starts with changing ones heart. We don't need to go back to the days when we have rules about what we can and cannot do. Unfortunately we are known by what we cannot do instead of what are actually doing for the Kingdom. All I know is when I became a believer God began to change my heart which in turn changed the way I lived. God is still in the business of changing hearts and redirecting lives. Holiness flows from a committed life to Jesus Christ. The religious people of Jesus' day thought it was about appearances. I think that we have done the same in our day. They made it about what you do instead of who you are. We do the same thing. Jesus corrected those individuals and there is a word of warning for us:

Matt 23:25-26
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.
NIV

Let's pray for the heart change that we all need! I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Becoming part of the solution!

2008-07-28T18:11:00.000-07:00

I started reading a book recently that has challenged me to be a better man of God. Larry Stockstill (Pastor of Bethany World Prayer Center) has written a book called "The Remnant: Restoring Integrity to American Ministry". I am very moved by the challenge to be part of the solution in ministry leadership. I think that there are times when we all need a call of repentance from a leader who has a strong anointing and high standard of living. I realize that I need the Holy Spirit to help me as do you. God is raising the standard in the church. I would recommend that we read over Jesus' messages to the 7 churches of Asia. His standard is high and so should ours be. Jesus is coming soon! I feel such an urgency in my heart. What will it take for us in America? I wonder how much sin it will take before God has had his limit? Everyday we hear about the depths of depravity in the world but when the church continues to suffer the effects of sinful and fleshly leaders we need an outpouring of the Spirit. I know that I must sound a little bit like a broken record, but God send us a true Holy Spirit led REVIVAL! God start with me. My heart burns with a fire for New Life to experience such a revival. Friends let's agree together for this outpouring. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

God is on the move!

2008-07-21T17:35:00.000-07:00

I am not sure who is actually reading this blog but my apologies for not keeping up with it. I want to say that I had such a refreshing weekend in God. We have been having some really outstanding services as of late. God is on the move! He is really changing lives. There is a deep sense that New Life is on the verge of Revival. We have been praying for a real move of God for quite a while now. We have people praying everyday of the week now. There is a heightened sense of expectation. I want to encourage anyone who is seeking for an outpouring of the Spirit of God, DON'T GIVE UP! God is on the move. If you are hungry for God his eyes are on you.

2 Chron 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.

Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Come Holy Spirit!

2008-07-08T08:12:00.000-07:00

I want to talk with you about the Holy Spirit for a moment. I was just thinking about all that the Holy Spirit has done in my life. He is all that Jesus said He would be in my life. I love to look back and see where the Holy Spirit has brought me from. It really is quite fascinating. I was visiting with some family that are not believers and there is such a sharp contrast in lifestyles. I have had many opportunities to talk with my family about Jesus. I believe that my family will come to Christ. The Holy Spirit has been at work on that for some time now and I believe that I am close to seeing it happen. God has a way of taking the junk in our life and working on us with it. That really excites me! My wife Amy passed this video along to me and it really ministered to me. Take a look at it and tell me what you think. I love you! Blessings!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvDDc5RB6FQ

Pastor Chris

Top Thrill Ride Dragster!

2008-07-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

I want you to know that I absolutely love riding a good roller coaster. I just got back yesterday from Cedar Point and it was a blast. I went with my wife, 2 nieces and the New Life youth ministry. It was a blast. I must admit that I have a harder time recouping from physical activity. I was reminded again why I was done with youth ministry. All the older(35 yrs. was the oldest) people were ready to be done with the park hours before the kids. We had fun though.

I want to talk with you about the Dragster. This roller coaster is a thrill ride. It goes from 0 to 120mph in 3 seconds. At that speed it climbs a 422ft. incline and then goes back down the 422ft. at the same speed of 120mph. The ride is over in less than 30 seconds and the thrill is gone in 35 seconds. I was thinking about how sin is just like that. You get a momentary thrill from it but it is a fleeting thrill. You spend your spiritual equity and then you are left with an empty lonely feeling. Sin separates us from God and when the momentary pleasure is gone we are left to pay the consequences, spiritual death. I want to encourage you today there is no greater thrill than serving Jesus. I have been doing it for nearly half my life now and there is no greater joy. Give Jesus a chance and He will change your life and I promise you it will be for the better. Have a great day in Jesus. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

God Send Your Fire!

2008-06-25T14:25:00.000-07:00

I am getting ready for our Wednesday night prayer meeting and I am believing that God is going to touch our hearts. We are also in the middle of our True Life Camp (VBS). We have a good group of kids coming to the camp. God is up to something at New Life. We had a real powerful sense of the Lord in our services last weekend. I have a great sense that God is going to elevate the level of the Holy Spirit in our church and our community. I have to tell you I have really been challenged by God to step out in faith and believe Him for impossible things. We need a God sized vision for our lives. I am so pumped because when we step out God shows up. I believe that God is attracted to people who take steps of faith. I want to challenge each one of you to take risks in God. Remember when we step out in God it is never really a risk. God is faithful and I have no doubt that we are in store for the greatest days in God that we have ever seen. God send your fire! Love you! Blessings!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUiEiWzrNrQ - Reinhard Bonnke video part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O2g8Z8S60zE - Reinhard Bonnke video part 2

Pastor Chris

All glory to Jesus!

2008-06-15T18:56:00.000-07:00

Today was a great day in the Lord. We had two great services this morning. There were about 12 individuals who felt the Lord speaking to them about a call to full time ministry. I still remember the day that the Lord called me to full time ministry. God has been faithful! It has been a great life of high adventure. I am not saying it has been easy, but I wouldn't change it for anything.

Anyway I have been following a little string of articles about revival. I have a link to an article on Todd Bentley's website defending the revival in Lakeland. I was interested in what some of you think. Here is the link: http://www.freshfire.ca/index.php?Id=1059&pid=993 . I am not interested in bashing anyone. I do not think it is a bad thing to have open conversation about some of the things that are going on in Lakeland. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Saying Good-Bye to a Prince!

2008-06-09T18:11:00.000-07:00

Today was a bitter sweet day. We celebrated the life of Brother Skip Fichtner. We spent a lot of time today laughing and crying. Skip went home to be with the Lord nearly 2 weeks ago now. He died while in Hawaii and arrived back in PA Thursday or Friday of last week. Skip was an incredible man of God. You have seen those shirts that say, "Live your life so the preacher doesn't have to lie at your funeral." We did not have to lie or embellish(not that we would anyway) at all. Skip lived and died well. I believe that Skip was an extraordinary man. He didn't live like everyone else. I believe that he lived a "Christ-like" life. That is really saying something in our culture. He was unashamed about his love of Christ. He loved God, his family, the church, and the lost. He was an evangelist who led many to Christ. I will miss him! We said good-bye to a "Prince" today. I love you! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

General Superintendent George Wood

2008-06-08T19:45:00.000-07:00

I think this article is an excellent guide in discerning what we should and should not allow in our lives. Enjoy!

Statement being issued:
FROM THE GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT

From time to time, the General Council receives inquiries desiring comment on various revivals or ministries held in both Assemblies of God and non-Assemblies of God churches.

Rather than attempting to comment on any specific series of meetings, I feel it would be preferable to provide some Scriptural guidelines for assessment. I have great confidence in the maturity of Assemblies of God pastors and laity to make their own judgments and heed the admonition of the Apostle Paul: Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

The Assemblies of God is irrevocably committed to the inspiration of Scripture, that the Bible provides the assessment tools needed for evaluating doctrine and experience, and is deeply hungry for the continued filling and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

Our former general superintendent, Thomas F. Zimmerman, once compared the Holy Spirit to a mighty river, and the Scriptures to the banks of that river. Brother Zimmerman said that great harm occurs when the river overruns the banks, but that the river does great good when it stays within the banks.

Thus, it is well for us to look at the safeguards the Bible provides in helping us “test everything.” Here are the questions we should always ask.

Is Jesus Christ exalted? The purpose of the Holy Spirit is to testify about Christ; and to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and the judgment to come (John 15:26, 16:8). To the Corinthian church that had become overly enamored with charismatic manifestations, the Apostle Paul reminded them that “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).

Thus, the focus for any lasting revival always must be on Jesus. The Holy Spirit has not come to glorify Himself, or any human or angelic personality.

Is the Word of God proclaimed? Every revival with lasting effect has always been rooted in the preaching of God’s Word. This is in keeping with the spread of the Gospel in the early Church as recorded in Acts.
· Following the first persecution, they “spoke the word of God boldly” (4:31).
· Following the second persecution and flogging, “day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped preaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ” (5:42).
· After the selection of deacons, “the word of God spread” (6:7).
· Resulting from Saul’s persecution of the church, “those who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went” (8:4).
· Samaria “accepted the word of God” (8:14).
· The Gentiles of Cornelius’ household “received the word of God” (11:1).
· Paul and Barnabas preached “the word of God” on their first missionary journey and “the word of God spread through the whole region” (13:46, 49).
· Before departing for their second missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas and many others “taught and preached the word of the Lord” at Antioch (14:35).
· The Holy Spirit kept Paul and Barnabas from “preaching the word in the province of Asia” (16:6).
· The Bereans “received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true” (17:11); Paul “was preaching the word of God at Berea” (17:13).
· At Corinth, “Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God” (18:11).
· Through Paul’s ministry at Ephesus, “all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord” (19:10).
· Paul’s farewell words to the Ephesians elders are: “For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God” (20:27).

It is clear from the above references that great focus was given in the early Church to the preaching of the Word, sometimes also identified as proclaiming the Gospel. This is consistent with the first commitment of the early Church following the day of Pentecost – “they devoted themselves to the apostles’ doctrine . . .” (Acts 2:42).

Thus, a doctrinal test for any revival is whether the content of the preaching is the same as Jesus and the apostles. The Word of God stands over personal viewpoints. Any Biblical revival must “contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints” (Jude 3). If so-called truth is being proclaimed that cannot be found in Scripture, then that proclamation violates the specific announcement of Scripture that the faith “was once for all entrusted” and such a proclamation also deviates from the apostles’ fidelity to preach the Word, and from the early Church’s devotion to the apostles’ doctrine.

The Azusa Revival (1906-1909) unabashedly proclaimed that the sure plumb line of truth was God's revealed and written Word. Elder Seymour and others were criticized sharply for their insistence on "checking everything out with the Word." But, they were unashamed. In fact, Seymour responded to these criticisms in the September, 1907, issue of The Apostolic Faith.

”We are measuring everything by the Word, every experience must measure up with the Bible. Some say that is going too far, but if we have lived too close to the Word, we will settle that with the Lord when we meet Him in the air.

Miraculous manifestations are never the test of a true revival – fidelity to God’s Word is the test. Jesus Himself said there would be many who would do miracles in His name and even cast out demons, but He does not know them (Matthew 7:15-23). Jesus warned that “many false prophets will appear and deceive many people” (Matthew 24:11). Paul warns, “If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing” (1 Timothy 6:3). To the Galatians, Paul writes: “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned (Galatians 1:8). Paul also warns us: “Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connections with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow” (Colossians 2:18-19). Peter warns us that “there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies . . . Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.” (2 Peter 2:1-3).

In summary, the message must always be examined. If the message and the messenger line up with God’s Word, then the revival is on safe Biblical ground and it should and must be embraced. If not, then even though miracles and manifestations occur, it should be avoided.

This raises the question of how can healings and miracles occur if the message and/or messenger are not consistent with Scripture. The attribution for the healings and miracles is the grace of God and his mercy for hurting people.

3. Are persons repenting of sin, and being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit? Repentance has been called the first word of the Gospel because it is the initial response called for by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2), Jesus (Matthew 4:17), the Twelve (Mark 6:12), Jesus after His resurrection (Luke 24:47), Peter (Acts 2:36), and Paul (Acts 26:20). With repentance comes baptism in water and the overwhelming or baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39).

Unless these initiatory events of the Christian life occur, along with the sanctifying work of the Spirit that leads to a holy life – then the miracles, crowds, and enthusiasm will quickly wane.

Of course, there are additional questions that can be raised, but my purpose is to give some starter reflections for those who have honest hearts to “test all things” as Paul admonished. If the above three questions cannot be answered with a resounding yes, then perhaps other questions are unnecessary.

The modern Pentecostal revival is now over 100 years old. Within that revival, there have been some significant centers of activity. For example, the Azusa Street Revival generated a missionary movement whose effects we still see today. The Charismatic Renewal brought refreshing both to Pentecostal and non-Pentecostal believers. However, there have also been some tornadoes that have brought destruction. In other words – there have been good winds and ill winds.

It is our responsibility to maintain a deep hunger for God and to keep our focus on the mission He has given us: to bring glory to God, to evangelize the lost, and to make disciples. We cannot do this on our own. We need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit along with the signs that follow those who believe.

Someone has said that revivals are like child birth. They are messy, but you like the final result. Certainly, every revival has been marked by some elements that would be regarded as extreme. Dr. J. Edwin Orr, who studied and wrote more on the history of revivals than anyone else in Christian history, told me once that revivals are like a cabin on the Maine coast that has been shuttered up for the winter. When the winds begin to blow, the first thing that begins to make noise is all the loose hinges and shutters. And, that may well be the case – so we must be cautious at the initial onset of a revival to let some “loose hinges and shutters” have their freedom – but, ultimately, if the revival is to have enduring fruitfulness, it must be pastored carefully with doctrinal soundness, moral and financial accountability, and care to give publicity to Christ rather than to the revival.

The Azusa Street revival had such enduring fruitfulness precisely because the three questions raised above can be well answered – both then and now: Christ was exalted, the Word of God was the plumb line, and people responded to the Gospel with repentance, and baptism in water and in the Spirit. And, like the early Church, they were full of the Holy Spirit and went everywhere to share the Good News!

Let us keep the prayer of Habakkuk (3:2) in our hearts and on our lips:

LORD, I have heard of your fame;
I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD.
Renew them in our day,
In our time make them known.

Your brother in Christ,
George O. Wood
with the concurrence of the Executive Presbytery of
The General Council of the Assemblies of God

Unity in the Body!

2008-06-03T07:39:00.000-07:00

Here is an article in Charisma about unity in the body as it relates to revival. It seems that there are a lot of people struggling with the manifestations that are occurring in the Lakeland revival. I would say that we need to keep Jesus front and center. It's all about Him. What do you think?

Fire In My Bones by: J. Lee Grady

Wednesday May 28

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An Appeal for Unity in a Divisive Season
The Lakeland Revival has created tensions over doctrine and ministry styles. To avoid a crippling rift in the church we need strong leadership, clear discernment and a lot of love.

Revival is messy. As much as we would love for it to come in a neat and orderly package, history teaches us that outbreaks of the Holy Spirit are often accompanied by holy chaos. There may be conversions and healings in one corner and demonic manifestations in the other. In seasons of revival you can have miracles and mayhem. Holiness and heresy can erupt simultaneously.

When we look at the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, we tend to focus on the positives: Dead people were raised, whole villages were saved and prison doors were opened supernaturally. On the flip side, this same revival season was interrupted by riots, opposed by religious legalists and tainted by false prophets, greedy charlatans and demons masquerading as angels.

Why must revival movements be so muddled? Perhaps it is because imperfect people (as well as sinister devils) get involved. Strange things happen when God’s power touches a sinful earth.

“I am appealing to the elders in our movement. In a desperate moment we need older, seasoned veterans to release the counsel of the Lord.”

When revival hit Wales in 1904, almost an entire nation bowed before Jesus within two years. Yet the weight of God’s presence drove the revival’s humble leader, Evan Roberts, into depression. Meanwhile author Jessie Penn-Lewis, writing in her book War on the Saints, suggested that fleshly manifestations in Welsh prayer meetings had snuffed out the Spirit’s power.

In our nation today thousands have been swept into the current of the Lakeland Revival in Florida, which began in early April in evangelist Todd Bentley’s meetings at Ignited Church. The fervor quickly spread because of God TV’s broadcasts, and today up to 10,000 gather nightly at a venue near the city’s airport. In recent days, people who were touched in Lakeland have started similar meetings in Atlanta, Chicago, Charlotte, N.C. and other cities. Bentley and his colleagues believe this is the beginning of a worldwide healing revival that will cover the globe.

But not everyone in the charismatic/Pentecostal community is convinced. Some say this is the last end-time revival while others maintain it is a demonic counterfeit. Cult-watchers and anti-heresy bloggers post Bentley’s comments on YouTube as evidence of a theological scandal. Revival advocates respond by posting documented evidence of healings. It all begins to resemble a childish competition.

Still others worry that Lakeland represents a questionable mixture of truth and error. Since the initial eruption of the revival, my inbox has been full of messages from charismatic leaders who are concerned about weighty issues as well as trivial ones: Everything from Bentley’s tattoos and body piercings to his claim that he once interviewed the apostle Paul in heaven.

When I wrote an article in mid-May calling for scrutiny of some aspects of the Lakeland Revival, I was labeled a Pharisee and a “religious policeman.” People who said they had been deeply impacted by the Holy Spirit in Lakeland used spiritual threats and harsh terms to tell me that I had become the enemy.

I refuse to go on the defensive, and if I need to retract any statement I’ve ever made about this revival I will. But what these nasty exchanges have shown me is that a divisive spirit is certainly at work in our midst—and we need urgent prayer to short-circuit what the devil wants to do.

When the early church was hit with the issue of Jewish legalism, Paul and Barnabas determined that the answer was to seek the counsel of “the apostles and elders” in Jerusalem (Acts 15:2, NASB). The church was being divided because the legalists were insisting that gentiles be circumcised. But when the elders looked into the matter, the apostle James settled the dispute by issuing this wise ruling:

“Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the gentiles, but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood” (v. 19-20). In other words, James affirmed the gentiles’ access to salvation and overturned the legalists’ bad doctrine.

Based on this biblical example, I am appealing to the elders in our movement. We need to hear from them in this hour. In a desperate moment we need older, seasoned veterans to release the counsel of the Lord.

Today the charismatic movement has become fractured, and opposing camps have formed. On one side there are those in the apostolic camp who tend to emphasize biblical order, proper church government, spiritual warfare and the reformation of society. On the other side are those in the prophetic camp who focus on miracles, healing, mystical experiences and the reclaiming of all the supernatural manifestations of the New Testament.

Both of these camps are contending for valid, biblical truths. We need the prophetic and the apostolic! We need miracles as much as we need healthy church growth and societal change. Yet if we do not have a holy intervention, we could bite and devour one another—and cancel out our collective impact.

A biblical council must include the leaders of both of these camps. And leaders must address all of the difficult issues triggered by the Lakeland Revival. Those include:

1. Biblical guidelines about angels. Some people in the prophetic camp speak of frequent visits to heaven, “third heaven revelations,” and long conversations with angels who use names such as Emma, Promise and Winds of Change. Are these indeed spirits sent from God, or agents of false light?

2. A proper theology of the dead. Some in the prophetic camp claim they have had conversations with dead Christians—including Paul the apostle. Is this within the bounds of Christian experience, or is it necromancy?

3. Pastoral guidance about exotic spiritual manifestations. In some circles in our movement, unusual signs and wonders have been reported in church services—including the sudden appearance of gold dust, feathers, gemstones and oil. At the same time, worshipers are vibrating on the floor, jerking uncontrollably and acting intoxicated. How can we protect people from the abuse of manifestations, and from demonic influence, while at the same time leaving room for genuine encounters with God?

4. Clear guidelines concerning the restoration of fallen ministers. The appearance of one prominent fallen evangelist, Paul Cain, at the Lakeland Revival in May unleashed strong reactions from many sectors of the church. Many people feel unprotected when they sense that church leaders have chosen not to enforce proper discipline for a minister’s unbiblical behavior. In this adulterous generation, how can we draw lines to protect congregations while at the same time offer healing and grace to a repentant preacher?

These are some of the crucial questions we face as a movement. May we proceed with a fresh gift of discernment, while at the same time laying hold of all the blessings that revival will bring us.

2008-05-30T11:42:00.000-07:00

Brother Skip went to be with the Lord Wednesday night as we were praying. This is a victory for our brother. Praise the Lord! The viewing will be held on Sunday, June 8th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at New Life Church. The funeral will be held on Monday, June 9th at 11:00 a.m. (tentative) at New Life Church. Amy and I will be on vacation next week, however I will be blogging and you may feel free to post comments.

Skip

2008-05-28T07:53:00.000-07:00

I was sitting in my office thinking about our brother Skip in Hawaii. He is not doing well and he is far from home. Lee said he was not sure that Skip was going to make it through the night. They purchased a ticket to get Skip home asap. They will leave at 9:30p.m. tonight. Our prayer has been that Skip will not only make the plane home but that he will be healed by the power of God. He has cancer and it has been very aggressive. I believe that God is bigger than the disease in Skip's body. I am learning more about faith and the believers authority in Jesus. I think this is the one area that the A/G movement can learn a lesson from the Rhema movement. Be in prayer for sister Norma and the family as they travel. I also want to encorage you if you would like to leave a testimony on something that God has done in your life to do so. I love you!

Pastor Chris

More Africa Pics

2008-05-23T09:26:00.000-07:00

The crowds at the crusades were huge. It is really amazing how many people pack into such a small area. They stand the entire time. The crusades for the kids were really a lot of fun.

Africa Pics

2008-05-23T09:22:00.000-07:00

Here some pics from a safari I was on and one from the crusade. I was standing right next to that lioness. The only thing separating us is that fence. That was really intense. She was very large. I don't know if you have ever heard a lion roar up close but it will send chills up your spine. The elephant is 17 years old and she will live to be 70 or 80 years old.

Revival In Africa!

2008-05-22T06:02:00.000-07:00

Praise The Lord! I ran out of time yesterday to post so today will have to do. I have been doing a lot of thinking which can be bad at times. Sometimes we can think our way right into a mess. I have been pondering this: What is the most important thing that I have learned from my trip to Africa? I was very moved by a lot of really powerful things. I saw the blind recover their sight. I saw the deaf hear again. There was definitely a ton of excitement. I saw thousands baptized in the Holy Spirit and they received without anyone coaching them. Imagine that! The lesson that provided me with the answer did not happen until we were on our way home. I was sitting on a plane reading a newspaper from Johannesburg, South Africa and I was startled by the scene on the front page. There was a man from Zimbabwe, that took up half of the front page, who had been set on fire. I must admit that my stomach got a little sick. I wanted to throw up. I read the article and it described how brutal human beings can be. The crowd of onlookers laughed as this man was burning alive. My response was not very Christian. I wanted to hurt those people back and then the lesson started. More than the miracles and the demonstration of the power of God is His love for lost humanity. He does not pick and choose who He loves based on our actions. He loves us in spite of what we do. I know this should be elementary, but I must admit that I had fallen into a theology that left out the most evil people. I know that I am a sinner but I have never lit anybody on fire. I began to realize how hardened that I have become. This lesson has startled me. I thought I loved people, but I think that I love people that love me. I know you probably love those who hate you and would set you on fire, but I hesitate at the thought. Isn't this what Jesus really modeled for us. The people who mocked him, beat him, and spat on him are the very people that he loved and died for. This is not the only lesson I learned but I think it is probably the most powerful. The Holy Spirit has exposed me. I am a pastor and I am learning to love people when they least deserve it because that is what Jesus has done for me. It may not be a powerful insight to you but it is life changing for me. I must go. I have staff meeting. I am going to try and put some videos on later. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Back in Lancaster!

2008-05-20T17:24:00.000-07:00

Praise The Lord! We made it home safely. It was really nice to take a hot shower and to shave. I am not going to write a lot tonight. I have been awake for nearly 40 hours. I am going to eat some pizza and go to bed in a couple of hours. It was so good to see Amy at the airport. I really missed her a lot. I cannot wait to share with my New Life family the things that God did in Africa. I want to take a moment and commend Christopher Alam to you. He is such a cool person. God is using Christopher in amazing ways. He is quickly becoming a good friend. I am totally impressed with his team and quality of ministry. I will write a summary for everyone tomorrow. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

The Holy Spirit!

2008-05-20T00:30:00.000-07:00

Praise The Lord! I am a bit behind in my blog. I am catching you up from the UK. We just finished the longest of our flights home (10hours 20minutes). We have a 6 hour layover but it's bearable knowing I will be home soon. I was just thinking that I needed to catch you up on the last 2 nights of the crusade. Saturday night was similar to the other nights with more deaf receiving the hearing and other diseases were healed. I realize how that sounds. Oh hum! More deaf hearing, blind seeing, thousands of salvation, but it really isn't that way. I am just really pumped to tell you about my Sunday here. I think it was the best day for me yet. It started with a church service at Northmead Assembly of God Church with Bishop Joshua H. K. Banda. The church was very warm and friendly. I must tell you God rocked my world. The worship was great and you would not believe how the kids prayed in that service. They start off in the service for worship and then go to their kid's church. Before they go it is customary for the church to have one child pray before their dismissal. They had four volunteer and they prayed with intensity. Brad and I just sat there and cried. It was very very very moving. There was a real depth to their prayer. There would be no I lay me down to sleep stuff. If they represent the future of Africa they are in for some great stuff.

We then ate Lunch with one of the finest people in Zambia. I am not sure how to spell his last name so I will call him Dr. Roger. He has personally led hundreds to Christ. He invited us to dinner and the main course was FISH. Needless to say I ate very fast so I would avoid having to taste it too much. Dr. Roger Is the Chairman of the Finance Bank of Zambia. He is a very kind and generous man with a heart for the prisons of Zambia. He desires to have a pastor on staff at every prison in Zambia. He was very gracious to have Brad and I included in the dinner. May God bless Dr. Roger with more than he could ever dream.

Let me talk with you about the Sunday night crusade. It was Holy Spirit night an boy did He show up. Thousands were baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. I was very blessed to see hundreds of kids receive the baptism. There was no coaching no coaxing people were just hungry for the baptism. I recorded some of that service so I hope we can pull some stuff from it. Friends as Brad and get closer to home I keep asking God the question What's next? All I know is my heart is full. I have a hunger for the greater and deeper things of God. The good news is deep calls unto deep. Love ya! I will see you soon. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

2008-05-17T01:32:00.000-07:00

Praise the Lord! Today is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it. He has done great things. Tonight’s crusade was a blast. The crowd grew again and a ton of people were saved to the glory of God. There were several demon possessed delivered tonight. The amazing thing was they could not stand in the presence of Jesus. Christopher preached a strong message tonight. There is power in the name of Jesus. Devils must submit to the authority in the name of Jesus. Many deaf received their hearing and another blind woman received her sight. Another boy who could not walk without falling was running on the platform. I was so blessed by that. Friends I don’t know if you realize it or not this is book of Acts stuff. There was only one discouraging moment for me. A young boy was brought forward by his sister and he was blind. He did not receive his sight during the healing time so of course she brought him to me. I wanted so badly for him to receive his sight but he had not by the end of the night. I just keep seeing the sister with the look of discouragement on her face. I hope they come back tomorrow and we see him through to his healing. Christopher asked me if I wanted to preach on Sunday at a church and that is like asking if I like to eat. I am not sure what I like to do more. If God opens the door I will walk through it.

I am meeting a lot of really neat people. Today I met an Assemblies of God Missionary to Zambia from Brooklyn New York. He is in his 70’s and he was dancing and praising God like he was in his 20’s. His name is Pastor Mike Santiago. He has been a missionary for over 30 years and he has been to Swaziland, South America, West Africa and Zambia. We also ate dinner tonight at an Indian family’s house and tonight we feasted. We had curry chicken, beef stew, steaks, and sausage with sides like rice, coleslaw and the African version of cornmeal. It was all very good. I have found so many kind people here. They have a great deal of respect for Pastor’s here. I so appreciate the kindness of the people. You can tell there is a genuine love for people in the hearts of the Christians here. Well it is already 1am here and we have a big day tomorrow. We are going on a safari ride today. I will also ride an elephant today. I will get a picture of that. Remember to pray for the crusade on Sunday night it is Holy Ghost night. I pray that the fire of God falls. We have two more nights of crusade and then we start our journey home. I really have to go to bed so I will see you soon. Lots of love! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Jesus Is Awesome!!

2008-05-16T04:17:00.000-07:00

Praise The Lord! The second night of the crusade was bigger than the first. The crowd was huge. People were packed in so tight it was unbelievable. We saw more deaf ears opened. Brad laid hands on a kid who couldn’t hear and when the prayer was over he could hear. I laid hands on a kid who couldn’t walk and the mother got really excited after Christopher prayed for healing to take place. I tried to find out what was going on and all the mother kept telling the boy to do was shake his leg. (the language barrier is difficult) The boy was unable to walk and Jesus touched his leg and he began to run. It was cool. There was this elderly lady who was blind and she was healed. God truly is amazing. All The Glory belongs to Jesus! People kept crowding around us so we could pray for them but the crowds were just too big. The hunger is contagious. People have been coming after God and He hasn't disappointed. I am really impressed with Christopher and his team. They are the real deal. He has 9 team members’ 7 of which Christopher supports through his ministry. The two that are not from Africa raise support to be on the field. They are all like family. It is really neat to be able to spend time with them, but I am starting to miss my own family. Amy has been a trooper and I miss my staff. I am so thankful for New Life’s staff. I am reminded that they are exceptional.

I also wanted to tell you about the kid’s crusade today. First of all Brad and I are a little red. The sun is very hot here in Africa. I am so happy that I am going to come home with a little color. We jumped at the opportunity to help. We both helped with dramas and I got to be in a human video. It was actually a ton of fun. There were better than 500 kids in the heat of the day. It was a little windy. There is very little grass and a whole lot of dust. It gets everywhere including eyes nose and mouth. Very few of the kids had shoes on. Most of them were covered with dirt. One little guy had to have a bath unfortunately for him his bath was right next to the main road in the wide open. We were very moved again as we drove into the crusade sight. My heart breaks that people live in such conditions. I don’t want to paint a lopsided picture. There are some nicer homes but they are far and few between and secured tightly behind gates with security. Crime is a real issue here. It really does make me appreciate what we have at home. I hope to never take it for granted again. There is such potential for us to help with these crusades. I think we should bring some teams over. Christopher thought it was a great idea. We will put some details together on some possible crusades. Well it is very late here and I should get some rest. I love my New Life family! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

2008-05-15T01:57:00.000-07:00

Praise The Lord! We just finished our first crusade with Christopher. Deaf ears were opened. It really was amazing! I think what amazed me the most is how uncomplicated it was. There was one prayer from Christopher and we (pastors and altar workers) laid hands on them. It was not a long drawn out process. I pray that these miracles become a part of our everyday life. I must say that I was moved by the praise. Everyone was dancing. I tried but had no rhythm. Amy wasn’t here to help me clap and move right. We did sit up on the stage so I had no choice but to try. It wasn’t pretty! Christopher threatened to get me up in front of the crowd so I can dance. I am willing to look like a fool for Jesus. I think many times we are a little too dignified in America.

I cannot even begin to describe the sights we saw on the way to the crusade tonight. My words fail me in trying to describe the living conditions that we passed through to get to the crusade site. We really shouldn’t get to complain ever again. The amazing thing is thousands showed up to hear the Gospel preached. They stood the entire time. They were packed in nice and tight and they paid attention. Christopher’s team here is an amazing group of people. They work tirelessly to pull off these crusades. I have to say that their equipment is starting to wear out. I hope that we can help with that. It is amazing to see what our money accomplishes when it is in the Lord’s hands. I cannot put a number on those that gave their hearts to the Lord tonight, but it was a lot. Brad and I jumped in tonight and laid our hands on the sick. It was a little hard because we couldn’t understand each other very well, but the Lord knew what we were asking for. We could however sense the great need of those that came forward. Brad and I are going to help with the Kid’s Crusade tomorrow afternoon. That is going to be fun. The kids here are like kids everywhere. They want to be loved and accepted.

Let’s talk about some lighter issues. Let me talk to you about food. For those who are keeping track I had a steak with an egg on it and fries for lunch today. They do have other food but I found something that I like. I did try pizza for dinner it was good, but I like our pizza at home better. The Coca-Cola here is awesome. It tastes different. I think that it has less carbonation in it or something. They sell them in glass bottles with the caps you have to pry off. GREAT STUFF! Oh, by the way gas is nearly $8 a gallon here. It is almost midnight here so I am heading to bed. It will be early Thursday before you get this. I love and miss you guys very much! Blessings!

Pastor Chris

2008-05-14T02:44:00.000-07:00

Praise The Lord! We found a wireless cafe. High speed is not so high speed here. We have to pay for usage but it is well worth it to stay connected with you. It is 5:30 am your time and we have been up for quite awhile now. God is really touching my heart. I have been so moved by this experience already. We finally got settled in last night. We had to change hotels because of the distance to the crusades at night. We are staying downtown Lusaka. Last night brad and I went out for a walk but it was pretty quiet. There are however armed guards on patrol all around. When I say armed I mean machine guns. I must admit I really enjoy the comforts of home. I am afraid that I am not allowed to take very many pictures so I may only be able to give to words.

The food here is different but good. We had our first dinner last night and anyone who knows me I had Minute steak and potato(french fries but not fried) Brad had sweet and sour chicken . They served the steak with an egg on it. Yummy! Our meal together cost 100,000 Kwacha or about $30. Not bad that included a 17% service charge. Learning the money system has been fun too. We exchanged some money Yesterday and we had 1.2 million Kwacha. Pretty impressive ha. it will probably be the only time in my life when I can say that I am a millionaire.

We start our first crusade tonight and I can't wait. I feel like I am about to explode with anticipation. Jesus is AWESOME! I wish I could explain what it is like here. There is so much poverty all around. There are homes that have no electricity, running water or sewage systems. Christopher said in the rural areas it can be as high as 70% of the homes. One of the things that God is touching my heart about is how much we love or don't love people. I believe Jesus loves the Zambian people. There can be no debating that. The question is how much am I willing to love the Zambian people? I am praying that God helps us love people like He does. Love certainly involves sacrifice. How much are we willing to love Lancaster? I hope our answer is as much as Jesus does. I will try and write more later. I love you guys very much. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Getting Ready For The Second Leg

2008-05-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

This waiting stuff is delightful. We have been hanging out here at the airport that is disguised as a mall. Brad and I were walking around and our dollar doesn't go very far here. The exchange rate is at $1.85. It takes almost double our money to buy anything including food. A chicken strip sandwich and a coke $22. You read that one right. I have been having fun with Brad he is a really cool guy. I think we are both ready to get going on this 11 hour flight. I am going to take a couple of sleep aids. I feel like I could sleep 11 hours without them. I just received word from Christopher Alam that the last night of his latest crusade was awesome. They had thousands filled with the Holy Ghost. Even now I am fighting back tears thinking about what God wants to do at New Life. God send revival to us! We love you Jesus. I pray your fire would burn hot in our hearts. I am very moved as I write. I better move on before God messes me up right here in the airport. (a long pause)I think it is too late! Thank you Jesus! I love you all very much! I keep hearing the Lord say tell my people to ask me for whatever they have need of and I will provide. Be bold because He is ABLE!

Oh yeah I almost forgot we had a fire alarm go off in the airport and we had to evacuate. There was a sea of people standing at the emergency exit but nobody left. It reminded me of how desensitised we can become to warning signs in our lives. Be alert! Be vigilant! I have to run. I will catch you up tommorrow morning. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

We are in London!

2008-05-12T03:30:00.000-07:00

We landed in London about an hour ago. It is 6:30 a.m. at home we are 5 hours ahead of you. The flight went well but I did not sleep a wink. Brad was able to get a little and I stress the word "little". I am dragging a little bit but the adrenaline is still pumping. The London airport is busy and laid out a little weird. We had to take a 10 minute shuttle to get to the terminal that we leave from. We were kind of pumped about the possibility of staying at a Yotel here at the airport but they are in a different terminal. I didn't misspeak they are called "Yotels". They are mini rooms that you can rent by the hour and get a nap and a shower. I could really use a shower right now. I am going to try and find a place to rest I will try to write more later. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

Getting Ready for Africa

2008-05-10T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is my official start to blogging for my Africa trip. This is however my first attempt at maintaining a blog. I am packing and thinking about what God may do in my life on this trip. I really think that He has something wonderful in store for me and Brad Chivington. I have been really open to the Holy Spirit in preparation for this trip. I can't say that I am very thrilled about the flying but it is such a privilege to be able to go. I am pumped! I want God to wreck me. God is already moving in a mighty way through Christopher Alam. Thousands have already come to Christ in this last week of Crusades. There have been signs and wonders. We serve an awesome Savior! To my family at New Life I hope you join me on my journey. I look forward to sharing with you some amazing experiences. Blessings!

Pastor Chris

May 7 2008

2008-05-07T13:04:00.000-07:00

Hey this is a test.