Wednesday, February 15, 2011

“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!  So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.  You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.”  Revelation 3:15-18

Lakewood Church, located in Houston, Texas, is home of the largest church in America. At 40,000 members strong, this church is colossal in size as their services take place in the Compaq Center, the former home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets. At front and center in this church is pastor, Joel Osteen, who’s church services are broadcast on television each week, reaching 7 million people on a weekly basis. At face value, most would assume that this is a church we should emulate and a model of what a church should look like. Sadly, though, this is exactly what the American church is doing. Why is this a problem? A second glance at Lakewood reveals the ugly side of fame, success, and popularity. It comes at a steep price…

In 1999, Joel took over the church for his father after his sudden death. He had only preached one sermon in his life and never attended a Christian seminary school. Joel Osteen has since gone on to write several New York best-sellers including, “Your Best Life Now”, “Become a Better You”, and “It’s Your Time.” Just to attend this church an admission price at Lakewood Church, a fee of $10 is required. The church earns about $50 million a in revenue each year!  Osteen, himself, makes an estimated same amount, $50 million a year, in total earnings.  

Osteen preaches a very misleading, muddled message of hope, positive living, and self help. At face value, there seems to be nothing wrong with his message, but digging deeper the flaw of his teachings is poisoning his church. Yes he mentions God’s salvation, His grace, mercy, and love. But his messages aim to boost the self-ego his audience and turning the focus on their lives instead of Jesus Christ. There is no cross to be found inside Lakewood Church to ensure that no one is offended in order to “remove any stumbling blocks for those who are unsaved will be more comfortable“ as Osteen points out. The cross as a stumbling block to the Christian faith? To make them more comfortable? Osteen never preaches on sin, judgment, Hell, repentance, righteousness, or holiness in order to remain positive and upbeat while promoting how to become wealthy and prosperous.  Pastor John McArthur comments:

“Joel Osteen is a pagan religionist, a legalist, and a quasi-pantheist…He is a mouthpiece for Satan, he’s an agent for Satan. How do I know that? Because he offers all the things that the unregenerate heart already wants…this is a false Christianity from Hell.”

Sadly, Lakewood church has become a model of teaching and of the Christian worldview the American church has taken hold of. Many seeking the Christian faith are being misled into thinking that Christianity is about what they can get out of life and what God can do for them. Why are thousands, if not millions of people being led astray of this false Gospel promoted by Joel Osteen? It’s because they like what they hear. As we read in  2 Timothy 4:3, “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” If this is the largest church in America, shouldn’t we be a little concerned about the state of the American church itself?

Self-examination is a practice that is often overlooked and ignored in our society. We don’t want to look under the surface because we’re afraid of what we may find. But, the key to fixing any deep rooted problem, addiction, or sinful habit is admitting that you have a problem. A solid example of this is seen in the Twelve Step Program in  Alcohol Anonymous.  Before a problem can be addressed and corrected, one needs to uncover it first and admit it’s there. In the same way, the church needs to take a step back and examine itself for where she currently stands. This is not to blast and ridicule the church. Nor is it pass judgment on its leaders. Instead, a self-examination helps us see how far we’ve fallen, what needs to be addressed, and how to restore and revive the body of Christ to where she needs to be. Let’s take a look at the seven core problems that the church is currently facing:

Emphasis on Entertainment

Christianity is rapidly becoming a form of marketing. Jesus is no more than an icon to sell things and seen as a mere novel and ideal concept–a brand over a person to follow. From music, books, movies, to t-shirts—Christianity is sold to the general masses as hip, cool, and in-style. A solid example is the WWJD bracklets of the past decade that grew into popular culture awareness. Also bands and worship leaders sell excitement and adrenaline pumping entertainment as their calling card–not the pursuit of giving your all for Christ. Our churches are full of comfort and contentment. They’re bigger, fancier, and more luxurious than ever. Gyms, theaters, libraries, cafes are all being built to accommodate and make our church buildings more attractive than ever. Multi-million dollar churches or what is other known as “mega” churches have become largely popular across America. “After all, why shouldn’t we make ourselves comfortable?”, we reason. Meanwhile, the message of the gospel in answering the call to reach the lost and hurting is often forsaken at the hefty price of theses accommodations. We’ve become very self-absorbed into our own little world, inside our church buildings, to see the larger picture. The picture that is tainted with sin, brokenness, and despair. A world in desperate need of hope, love, and salvation.

Culture Creatures

The church is dangerously blending itself with Western society. The gap between the church and unbelievers isn’t so big anymore and there’s almost no difference at all. It is a sad reflection of the moral depravity of its society. Pastors and youth ministers are exposed on a very frequent basis for adultery, soliciting prostitutes, or downloading pornography on their church computers. The divorce rate in the church is nearly identical to that of the national average. Drug use and alcoholism among church teens is common. And as we see with pastor Joel Osteen, many church leaders are reluctant to preach against sin for fear of offending people because they’ll be seen as judgmental. As a result, many churches are being led by people who have grievously sinned and no longer have any moral authority to speak against the sin the church is engaging itself in. All of these issues have led to churches splitting and communities being weakened with the hostility between its neighbors. Many unbelievers are being put off by this and it’s driving many would be seekers away from the Gospel. This is undoubtedly a serious problem we are faced with as a church.  

Cotton Candy Philosophy

The “wealth and health” gospel is nothing new, but has caught the craze of the American public recently due to the poor economy and job market.  Joel Osteen and other popular preachers today are cashing in this, giving the church what their itching ears want to hear. It’s a cotton candy filling of our souls. It tastes sweet, looks good, but leaves us unfilled. The truth has been twisted so much that a growing number of Christians believe that God exists solely to give them the life they want, full of blessings, pleasures, and happiness. Instead of getting a solid foundation of the entire Christian worldview we getting one partial, half-truths, and it’s leaving us with no backbone or structure. We’ve become cardboard Christians who are swept away, battered, and bruised each time a gust of wind from the storms of life come our way. We’re unprepared, weak, and fragile because we’ve bought into the lie that God exists for our benefit.  Instead of eternity minded, we’re focused on the here and now. Throwing out any message of suffering, pain, and heartbreak and instead exchanging it for a lie of false hope. Filling ourselves with spiritual “junk food” and ignoring our need for the “vegetables, fruits, and nutrients” that our souls so desperately need.

Worship Wars

Many churches are being divided because there is a great debate on which type of worship is correct. Is it hymnals, contemporary, or modern? New King James Version or the Message translation? Civil wars rage within the church on the right translation of the Bible, over traditions, teaching styles, and everything in between. Churches spilt, members abandon their faith, and non-believers are turned off by the chaos of our complaining and discontentment over seemingly trivial matters. Another often overlooked problem is our view of worship in of itself. Worship is much more than just music or the services we hold each Sunday morning. It’s a lifestyle that encompasses every aspect of our lives. The call of every Christian in response to God’s amazing grace. Is it any wonder then why so many outside the church shake their heads and mock Christianity because we ourselves can’t even seem to get along and join in unity together?

For more on this topic, “Read Worship Wars: Where We’ve Gone Wrong”  

Busyness Over Biblical Base Building

It’s becoming a disturbing trend on the growing number of believers who are biblically illiterate. This is simply mind-blogging considering there are a vast amount of translations, study bibles, and resources to present the gospel than ever before in human history. Most can say they have multiple Bibles that they own, but they’re left on a shelf untouched collecting dust. This is a sad state of irony we are in. Often it’s our schedules that put to blame. Things like television, texting, the internet, and videogames have taken the place of the spending time with God. Without a solid foundation the church is cracking at the seams; becoming a much easier target for the enemy. Thus we are prone to accept the world’s teachings on what’s right and wrong distorting our judgment.

Also there is a growing tendency among many modern pastors to teach rather than preach, or instruct rather than exhort. The trend of PowerPoint presentations and outlines in sermons are now used to maintain interest. Now the success of a sermon is based on whether or not they filled in all of the blanks of their outlines rather than if they have making life changes. Another disturbing trend is projection of Scripture on large screens in front of the auditorium or stage. This is done so that those who bring their Bibles don’t have to feel awkward because Scriptural text is conveniently displayed right in front of them. What’s the problem with this you ask? This has led to church members no longer feeling the need to being their Bibles to church. Instead they’ve given into laziness and are simply not be nourished with the Word. Putting all of these growing trends together and the church has become weak and malnourished.

Passive Praying Vs. Purpose-Driven Participant

Being an active participant in the body of Christ is lost among the church today. Churches grade their level of success by numbers. For example: how much they made in offerings each week, the number of people who attended on a given Sunday, or new members that joined the church. Being a Christian is seen as a duty and nothing more than something to do each Sunday morning. By Sunday afternoon it’s off to watch football, play golf, and go back into our comfortable, easy lifestyles. Instead of serving our communities, offering a help hand, serving others with love; we choose the easy way out by saying we’ll pray for someone or just throwing money in offering to keep ourselves from feeling guilty. It’s not that these practices are wrong, it’s just our priorities are mixed up. We’re complacent with where we are in life and don’t want to push ourselves into something that’s uncomfortable, risky, and dangerous. Serving the community, going to third world countries, giving to the poor, and giving up your time for others is often viewed for the missionaries, church leaders, and “Super” Christians. Our busy lives full of pleasure, comfort, and ease are often put before living a life of selfless sacrifice. After all, someone else will address the problems of the world, right? We buy into the lie not we’re incapable of contributing to the cause of Christ and that we’re not qualified. Thus apathy, ignorance, and indifference result. And the world is left in utter darkness.

Tolerance Over Truth

Postmodernism, secular humanism, and evolution have crept into our teachings, culture, society, and schools and become accepted as truth. What’s even worse is that many believers accept these as truths without question and add them into the correct Biblical worldview. This has created weak convictions for the faith and a very confused, weak, and lost generation with no foundation to build on. Without a solid ground of truth, the church cannot intellectually reach people in need of Christ or live lives of clarity, passion, and purpose. Many Christians today are led astray by false teachings and worldviews because they aren’t being fed the truth. The media, tabloids, the internet, social media, gossip, peers, and politicians feed anti-Christian viewpoints that seep into our way of thinking choking out the gospel message. Truth is the foundation of Christianity and a proper worldview built upon the Bible must be at the forefront of our faith.

Still with me? The list above is not exhaustive by any means, but gives a broad overview of the state of the church today; especially here in America. I can imagine by now you’re feeling quite a bit of sadness at how lost out situation seems. Or perhaps anger at how critical of what these statements claim. What’s the point, you ask? What do we need to take away from all of this?

First, that we do indeed need a revival. Not in individual churches, such as Lakewood or other mega-churches, but as a whole. As the body of Christ. We need to approach our predicament as broken people, not perfect people. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) This includes everyone within the church–it’s members, deacons, ministers, and pastors. Also we need to come with heavy hearts and ask God for forgiveness and to seek His face. To turn from our sins in repentance. “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) Finally, cling to hope. Not in ourselves, in our church programs, ministries, or leaders. To God’s unfailing faithfulness to us. His promises He makes to us found in His Word. That He and He alone can restore, redeem, and revive our homes, communities, churches, nation, and lives. This is where we need to start…

Next week we’ll get a full picture of the what our response should be in light of the current state of our nation and church. In the meantime, continue to pray for our schools, cities, communities, and churches.

To Be Continued…..

Future Features:

This was yet another painful and difficult blog to write. My purpose was not to blast and criticize the church. Or to promote a view that the church is lost without hope. On the contrary, I want to be clear that the reason for writing this blog is to help you see where we currently stand, shed light on our many problems, and show why we need a revival. Next week, in Part 3, we’ll finally begin looking at how we can address our current state as a nation and as the Body of Christ. This will conclude the short mini-series of the overall 9-part series. First, we’ll look at how our response should be in regards to our current situation and also what it shouldn’t be. Then we’ll begin looking at what a revival is and the many misconceptions pertaining to it. Again, we need to be in constant prayer for our nations, communities, schools, and churches. All revivals begin with earnest prayer by those who are humble in sprit and willing to repent of their sinful ways. Have a great week and God Bless.

Sources:

Henry & Richard Blackaby, and Claude King, Fresh Encounter. B&H Publishing Group, Nashville, Tennessee, 2009, Pages 29-32, 34-35

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-Step_Program

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_Osteen

http://www.av1611.org/osteen.html

http://www.forgottenword.org/osteen.html

http://michaelcmurphy.hubpages.com/hub/The-Top-10-Megachurches-in-America-in-2010

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Here is an overview of the new navigation, features, and content for this website. If you have any questions, please submit them in the Contact Us Page.  Thanks!

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An in-depth look into SHOUT IT Ministries, the objectives, the principles, and the many unique ministries that make up SHOUT IT Ministries as a whole.

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This is where you’ll located each week’s new Enduring Echo, which is a Weekly Blog that has been re-edited with new content. Each new Enduring Echo can be located by seraching for the link in red font.

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Here is where you’ll locate the newest Profile. Profiles 2010-2011 is where you’ll locate the older Profiles that have been published previously. Progressing Portraits are Profiles that have been re-edited with new up to date information and content.

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Shout Out is short for the ministry of Shout Out to the Silver Screen. The main link will direct you to the Taking Care of the Characters page. Beneath this page is several more pages on the many different features of this ministry. In mid-May of 2012, this ministry will be moving to its very own website. Don’t worry, though, you’ll still be able to get to this new website directly from the navigation bar. Stay tuned for more information…

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Here you’ll locate the SPECIAL ministry. For more information about this ministry read the Blueprint.

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Kaleidoscope is short for the ministry, Kyle’s Kaleidoscope. For more information about this ministry read the Blueprint. Beneath it is, Kaleidoscope 2010, which is where you can locate the old journal entries of 2010 and very soon to be all of 2011 as well.

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RAW is short for the ministry, Reckless Abandon Worship. For more information about this ministry read the Blueprint. Beneath it is the RAW Reviews section.

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Wending is short for the ministry Wending the Way. There is no current Blueprint for this ministry. Expect on to be added within the next month or two.

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For the first time during the short life of http://www.shoutitforlife.com there will be ads included on this website. A few things to keep in mind: 1) These ads will be Christian oriented and in no way promote offensive products or services 2) These ads will always be on the right panel and nowhere else on the site to avoid cluttering the site and drawing away from your attention to your time spent with SHOUT IT Ministries. So what does this mean for you? Basically, if you’re interested in one of ads, feel free to click on it to learn more about that product or service. Or ignore them. It’s as simple as that.

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Other New Features:

You May Also Like

This feature is posted at the very bottom of each Weekly Blog. It includes three blogs that are related or have been written recently with a picture and the blog’s title.

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There’s more coming!

That about wraps up the tour for the new navigation and features of this website. Keep in mind that many more changes will be coming in the next few months. You’ll be notified of them as they happen and this blog itself will be updated when necessary. If you have any questions or comments, feel free submit them on our Contact Page. Now that the tour is over, why don’t you make yourself comfortable, stay for awhile, and make the most of your time spent with SHOUT IT Ministries? Remember you are welcome back at any time and there are no fees! Thank you for your support and your loyalty readership here at SHOUT IT Ministries. God Bless you!

Sunday, January 29, 2011

“God’s time for revival is the very darkest hour, when everything seems hopeless. It is always the Lord’s way to go to the very worst cases to manifest His glory.” Andrew Gih

“As long as we are content to live without revival, we will.” Leonard Ravenhill

It was nicknamed the “unsinkable ship” by admirers and the men who crafted it’s majestic formation in the year 1912. The RMS Titanic, the largest passenger steamship in the world, at that time, was a marvel to behold and boasted some of the most advanced technologies and features the world had ever seen.  For the 2,223 people on board its maiden voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to in New York City it was a trip of a lifetime. They were in the lap of luxury and the envy of their peers. But a mere four days later, 1,517 people were dead on the morning of April 15, 1912. The Titanic had hit an iceberg, split in two, and sank into the North Atlantic Ocean. Turns out the “unsinkable ship” was sinkable after all.

The results of this infamous maritime disaster is one of the most documented disasters in recorded history. It has produced countless documentaries, books, and has been a coveted area where many archeologists and treasure hunters have coveted to research and uncover it’s valuables. The media frenzy over the famous victims that were lost and the recent discovery of the wreck have only added to legend of the Titanic. The term “titanic” is now common place in reference to collapses in sports and in the media alike. In 1997 James Cameron’s movie, Titanic, captured the tragic event becoming one of the top grossing movies ever made.

This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic and there’s a wave of media coverage upcoming, new books to hit the shelves , and special documentaries about to hit the airwaves.  Since that tragic day, we have come a long ways in improving maritime law ensuring passenger’s safety and ensure that this type of disaster cannot happen again. But sadly, history is indeed repeating itself. No, I am not referring to a shipwreck that is about to occur; rather a nation is about to sink. A nation that is sinking into decay and despair. That nation is the United States of America in the 21st century.

America is entering its darkest days. This may seem over the top and perhaps pessimistic, but the truth is sometimes hard to hear. What I am referencing goes behind politics, government laws, or our current leaders running the nation. It’s the moral and spiritual standing of our nation. The evidence is simply overwhelming that something is wrong.  Horribly wrong. This is not new information to most people. But our downward spiral is now at an all-time high and there seems to be no end in sight. How so?  Let’s look just a broad overview of our nation as a whole. What we find is utterly distrubing….

The desegregation  of the American family is quite alarming. Every one of two marriages end in divorce and this rate is growing from year to year. The new “norm” is kids who have grown up now live in a dysfunctional family with no father or mother. Adultery is seen as exciting and a common everyday occurrence. Human life is now disregarded to personal choice ever since the 1973 Roe v. Wade court decision that made abortion legal. A genocide of 50 million unborn babies has resulted in the United States alone. Homosexuality is being made legal in several states and those who speak up against the alternative lifestyle are seen as narrow-minded and judgmental. Television and popular media are flooded with messages promoting these now accepted lifestyles.

Our economy continues to and the unemployment rate is about 13.1 million people, nearly 8.5% of all Americans are without jobs. Our national debt is a whopping $15 trillion dollars and the state of welfare is exploding. Gas prices are skyrocketing causing a vast increase in food prices. Buisnesses are going under at an alarming rate and the stability of the Stock Market is all over the place.

The rise of pornography is disturbing to say the least.  As of 2007, $2.84 billion dollars was made in the industry in the United States alone. 260 new sites went online each day in the United States. And these stats was 5 years ago. Safe-sex” is now the accepted teaching in schools leading towards unwanted pregnancies, STDS, and millions of teenagers lives in shambles.  80% of new diseases are STDS and there are currently 1.2 million adults that are living with AIDS. “Living together” before marriage is an accepted practice and those who save their virginity for marriage are seen as old fashioned outcasts. 

The media of our society is extremely hostile towards Christianity. Jesus Christ’s name is only used in reference to a swear word and is common place in most movies today.  Tolerance is now the excuse for showing any lewd, dark, disguising, and mindless depravity on television and movies.  Rated “R” movies and crude sitcoms run the gambit across the nation. Music that promotes immoral behavior and hateful thinking are rampant. Magazine racks in every grocery store across the nation promote gossip and immoral sexual lifestyles. Our arts and culture have fallen in the abyss of mindless depravity and utter darkness.

Materialism is the obsession of Americans and is a self-proclaimed birthright. Americans currently have a $672 billion dollar debt in credit cards alone starting in 2012. Happiness is equated with getting more things, have the latest gadgets, and being successful in your job. The innovation of technology in cell phones, computers, cars, and televisions has raised the notion that we can’t live without the latest fads. Commercials, magazine and newspaper ads, billboards all constantly bombard us that “you deserve this…” and “you need this…” We are also a nation of waste. It is estimated that we waste 160 to 295 billion pounds of food alone each year.

Our society can’t get enough of leisure, entertainment, and pleasure. Professional athletes make millions, some even hundreds of millions of dollars in salaries. Sports athletes, music artists, and models are seen as celebrities and worshipped by millions of devout fans. Most are conceited, living immoral lifestyles, and serving as horrible role models for the next generation. Gambling addiction is a rampant  problem that is most notably seen in the highly popular “Sin City” of Las Vegas. Millions upon millions of dollars are spent in the gambling industry each year as more and more of country embraces it’s lifestyle.  Along with gambling, Americans are addicted to other leisure activities such as video games, golf, and amusement parks. We’re so accustomed  to pleasure that we’ve become numb to it and it no longer brings us what we desire.

Take one look around a public store, resturant, or shopping center and you’ll bound to see it. The state of obesity is found around every corner. 30.6% of Americans are overweight; by far the most of any nation in the world. The country of Mexico is next with a percentage of 24.2%. Americans today now spend $60 billion a year on weight loss programs and other health related products every year! These statistics are disturbing and keep pointing to the fact that we have lost any sense of self-control and are consumed with our wealthy state. Alcoholism is an epidemic  problem among teens and young people as well as the amount of drunk driving homicides.  Illegal drug use such as marijuana are at the highest peak since 1981 according to a recent study as 1 of every 15 students are said to have smoked pot.  We are a nation that is not only physically ill, but emotionally as well.

Our society is increasingly embracing a self-centered me-first attitude. My needs, wants, desires above everyone else. It’s the me-society. Just look at the popular icons in our nation—MySpace, ITunes and YouTube. We’re ungrateful and greedy for more never getting quite enough. Politeness is a thing of the past, now if our demands our met we complain, grow bitter, and cold towards others. Impatience is seen everywhere—on the freeway, supermarket, and our rush to the altar.

Most would admit they love technology and how easy it makes their everyday life. Everything is done with computers and high-tech gadgets these days. But with these advances in technology we’re slowly being separated from relationships, from people, and interaction with others. Self-checkout lanes, automatic teller machines(ATMS), online shopping centers, e-mail–the list is endless. Although none of these things are necessarily a bad thing; they are also making it easier and easier for Americans to carry through life by on their own terms with no dependence for others. There used to be a time when everybody knew their neighbors well and relied on each other for support. Now, it’s common place not to even know who you’re living next door to. Thus, we’ve warped into what we could call the “Isolation Nation.”

Finally, America is lost on moral values, the Christian faith, and their purpose in life. Although 80% of Americans claim to be Christian, we are far from a “Christian nation” today. Secular Humanism is crept into middle schools and high schools across the country promoting atheistic ideals and  evolutionism. The Ten commandments has been banned from schools. Prayer and Bibles in many cases too. Now, even the “In God we Trust” motto and Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is under fierce attack by our nation’s leaders. We’ve become a one nation over God. A shifting shadow of what we once were.

The current United States of America and the Titanic have much in common. Both were seen as prestigious, “one of a kind”, full of splendor, wonder, and might. The Titanic was considered by some to be “unsinkable” and America has often been viewed as “invincible” with its military might and many accomplishments throughout its history. A general sense of arrogance was the attitude aboard the Titanic–of pride in themselves and the general census of the American people believe it is their birthright to have everything handed to them. That’s it’s all about them. The arrogance of the Titanic led to a vast shortage of lifejackets and boats in their state of emergency. Today in the United States, many are without “lifejackets”,convincing themselves that everything is fine and they can save themselves. Lastly, those on the Titanic thought they had a ticket to paradise, New York City. Instead, their trip to paradise took a detour to the dark depths of the ocean; to their death. Here in America, most are convinced that they’re good enough, headed towards God’s paradise of Heaven. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. We’re sinking fast.

We’ve hit so many icebergs as a nation over our two hundred plus years as nation and also bounced back. But this current wreckage we find ourselves in is beginning to sink our “ship” once and for all. Decay is everywhere. Despair is so easily embraced. What do we do?  Panic seems like the most reasonable option. What do we do?  There is only one answer–Jesus Christ. A revival of His love, mercy, grace, and power that only He can bring us back from the depths of the darkness, decay, and despair all around us. Throughout the history of God’s people, and in our early nation’s history, revival brought healing and restoration to our land. It can again if we choose to repent and turn from our sinful ways.  May the passage we find in Psalm 85:6-9 become the prayer for our nation:

“Will you not revive us again,
that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your unfailing love, LORD,
and grant us your salvation.

I will listen to what God the LORD says;
He promises peace to His people, His faithful servants—
but let them not turn to folly. 

Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him,
that His glory may dwell in our land.”

We are in our darkest hour as a nation. We all have a choice to make.  To ignore, contribute, and let fear take hold of us—or choose to embrace hope, change, and the God of our fathers. Our nation was built upon the Christian worldview, moral values, and Word of God. There is still time, but the eleventh hour is about to strike midnight. Our ship is still afloat, but without God there’s no way of stopping its final destination into the depths of destruction. We will look at what a revival is, how to experience one, and more in the coming weeks. First, though, there is sadly more bad news to come…

What about that state of the church? Where are we currently? We’ll take a look in the next entry.

To Be Continued…. Click here for Part 2

Future Features:

This was a painful and gut wrecking blog entry to write. I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of hurt and sadness for the how lost we are here in the United States of America. The purpose of this blog was not to bash Americans, our leaders, government, or promote being unpatriotic towards our nation. It was to give a broad overview of our desperate need for a nation-wide revival here in America. Please take this to heart as you read this blog.

There will be no Radiant Reflection questions or Can You Hear Me Now? challenge until Part 3 of this series, Arising to Your Awakeing. The first 3 parts of these series are linked together as an introduction mini-series to why we need a revival in America. Next week we’re examining another tough subject that hits close to home just as much as this blog does. We’ll be looking at the state of the church here in America and throughout much of the wealthy nations of the world. The only thing I ask for you now is earnest prayer. As we will discover later on, prayer is a vital and key component of any revival throughout history. Pray for our nation, our leaders, our schools, society, and churches.

Have a great day and God Bless you.

Sources:

http://www.naturalnews.com/033885_food_waste_America.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titantic

http://christianfaithinamerica.com/2010/05/29/what-ever-happened-to-the-christian-worldview/

http://www.avert.org/america.htm

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/hea_obe-health-obesity

http://techcrunch.com/2007/05/12/internet-pornography-stats/

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/united-states/unemployment-rate

http://www.worldometers.info/weight-loss/

http://www.canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/43910

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/teen-ya/story/2011-12-14/Survey-Teen-pot-use-rises-alcohol-use-declines/51907984/1

http://prolifeaction.org/faq/abortion.php

Thursday, January 12, 2012

I find it hard to believe, but it’s a brand new year and SHOUT IT Ministries is entering its 3rd full year online already here at www.shoutitforlife.com! I have determined to make it a habit to write “introductory” blogs a few times a year just to keep everyone on the same page on what’s coming, what to expect, and the changes that are occurring. This ministry has come a long way since the first blog was written back on November 14, 2009. That being said, there is much hard work to do, things to learn, and new experiences yet to be discovered along the way. I’m excited for this upcoming year as I have deemed this year as the “year of the dream” for SHOUT IT Ministries. Why? Let’s take a look:

For starters, this ministry itself is dream that God has given to me that I have been blessed to build from the ground up. It’s been quite a learning process filled with trials and mistakes–but I’ve grown immensely the past few years in my walk with Christ thanks to this ministry. SHOUT IT Ministries allows me to use my God-given creativity, writing talent, and unique voice to reach thousands of people around the clock–it’s incredibly exciting!! Over the course of time, I have come to name SHOUT IT Ministries simply as “the dream” and I truly believe that I am called to minister to people around the globe through this website.  The year 2012 hopefully is another fruitful year for this ministry!

Weekly Blogs

This year the Weekly Blogs will be made up of three specific series.  First, in late January through early April we’ll be looking at the series, Arising to your Awakening, which will be on Spiritual Awakening. This series I believe is highly important to where we are currently today as a nation (here in the United States) and as a body of Christ as a whole. A sense of urgency is an absolute must and the time to take action is NOW! As a result of going through this series I hope we feel inspired to dream of a brighter future of the world and begin to make it a reality in the present day.

In mid-to-late April we’ll begin a EPIC series on Hell, Heaven, the afterlife, and eternity in the series, Eternity Matters.  Why do I call this series epic? Because unlike any series we’ll gone through before there will be multiple blogs written on a week-to-week basis. We’re going to cover the topic of Hell, Heaven, and eternity from every angle with incredible detail. This is not a series that will scratch the surface, but give you a clear picture of the life to come; so we can dream in wonder of the hope we find in our future with Christ.  

Finally, in the shorter series, The Eternal Perspective, we’ll discover how to take what we just learned and apply it to our lives in early November up to the holiday season. Basically, this is a follow-up series that ties in directly to what you learned from mid-April through October. All in all, expect anywhere from 40-50 weekly blogs combined for these two series! The blogs will be much more condense and focused in on one particular subject matter instead of a broad overview.

Profiles

Many changes are being implemented to the Profiles ministry starting in 2012 that can be read about here: Profiles Blueprint. Also starting this year the previous Profiles written will be re-edited with current information/content, new photos, and videos. A new one will be reedited each month. They will be called: Progressing Portraits.  As for this year’s Profiles, we’ll be looking many unique individuals that fit in the theme of dreams. For example, we’ll start with Tim Tebow, who had a dream to play in the NFL, and is currently living out his dream. Also we’ll look at Matthew Barnett who founded the Dream Center in Los Angeles and Eric and Leslie Ludy’s dream of getting married.  Finally, we’ll take a closer look at the “dreams/visions” of Heaven that pastor Don Piper and 4-year Colton Burpo had as well. Here is the official list for 2012:

• Tim Tebow (Late January)
• Eric and Leslie Ludy (February)
• Beth Moore (March)
• Akiane Kramarik/Colton Burpo (April)
• Hillsong Music (May)
• Kirk Cameron (June)
• Don Piper (July)
• Matthew Barnett (August)
• Drew Brees (September)
• Rebecca St. James (October)
• JRR Tolkein (November)
• Mother Teresa (December)

Shout Out to the Silver Screen

From January through mid-May this ministry will be in work behind the scenes. This ministry will have a new location, it’s own webpage, separate from www.shoutitforlife.com.  This is to organize the information better, present the material in a more appealing manner, and not clutter the many ministries together on one site. As time goes along more ministries will be moved to their own sites but for now, Shout Out to the Silver Screen, will be the only seperate ministry. Expect the lanuch of this site around mid-May.

What will we be looking at as a case study over the late spring-fall season? The epic and highly popular Harry Potter movies. There is a ton of material to cover (8 movies) so unlike the Toy Story movies, it is impossible to cover everything in detail. This being said there is a wealth of fascinating allegories from these stories that directly relate to the Christian worldview. We’ll first go over why Harry Potter is not promoting witchcraft or evil practices and worthy of our time. Then we’ll discover the legacy, characters, music score, quotes, DVD features, and most importantly the Real of the Reel.

In mid-November through mid-December we’ll do our first case study of a theme–dreams! The movies we’ll look at include: Dead Poets Society, Up, It’s a Wonderful Life,  and The Rookie. Each movie will be covered in a Real of the Reel blog as we uncover different spiritual truths about dreams.  

Truth’s Transformation

This ministry was finally re-launched and is entering its first full year that it’s up and running. Although we wouldn’t be addressing dreams in this particular ministry, we’ll still be addressing major foundational truths that every Christian needs to be equipped with. From late January through April our focus will continue to be on Fight for What’s Right which addresses the Christian worldview. We’ll then progress to learning about discovering our identity in the principle, Find Your Fit, and conclude the year with how to overcome and conquer your fears in the principle, Face Your Fears. For more information read the recently revised Blueprint.

SPECIAL

Similar to Truth’s Transformation, this ministry was re-launched in mid-November and is entering its first full year.  We’ll continue to look at Establishing your Identity from late January through the month of April. Then we’ll being a broad overview of calling in Embracing Your Calling with Enthusiasm from May to August. Then starting in September a new  section will  be launched called, Dream Journey, that will help you discover and fulfill your dreams. In our main course study we’ll look at the fundamental role of vision in carrying out your dreams, in Enlarge your Vision to Excellence. For more information read the recently revised Blueprint.

Kyle’s Kaleidoscope/RAW/Wending the Way

Both RAW and Wending the Way will be entering their first full year as part of SHOUT IT Ministries. As I mentioned before these ministries are the “perspective” ministries each carrying a unique voice on the Christian worldview. Inspiration and revelation will continue to be the driving force behind them. On average expect one to two new entries for each ministry every month.

Weekly Content

This year marks the first year for many weekly features including the Sound Bites ministry, the Enduring Echoes entries, and the Loud and Hear/Surround Sound updates. Continue to expect these features to be updated on a weekly basis and for a new Sound Bite each and every day.

The Re-Launch!

On Monday, January 23rd this site will be re-launched with a brand new look along with new navigation and features!  And this is just the beginning of many new features and exciting additions coming to www.shoutitforlife.com! Another noteworthy addition is that starting very soon (date yet to be determined) you’ll be able to sign up and receive a weekly newsletter!  All of these features and additions will be slowly be inserted in the next few months as time goes along. You will be notified beforehand of all these changes, so you don’t become overwhelmed or confused with your time spend with SHOUT IT Ministries. Stay tuned!!

In Summary

I realize that I just gave you a ton of new information to take in. If you didn’t quite understand something or feel a tad bit overwhelmed–don’t worry. After each new blog in the Future Features section, in the Loud and Hear section, and through the  social media of Facebook and Twitter you’ll be notified what’s upcoming each and every week.  I look forward to spending time with you throughout this year and the many years to come! If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or proposals please contact us on our Contact Page.   Inspire to dream big in 2012! God Bless.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

“Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.” John Keating, Dead Poets Society

In the 1989 classic movie, Dead Poets Society, we are introduced to an English teacher who is unorthodox teaching methods compared to the norm at the school of Weldon Academy. This English teacher John Keating, who is played by Robin Williams, teaches the boys a new phrase. This phrase is, “Carpe diem,” a Latin term that refers to seizing the day. Living life to the fullest. The boys are inspired and they secretly revive a school literary club, the “Dead Poets Society.” As time goes along the boys are faced with the expectations of who others expect them to be instead of trying to pursue their dreams. Simply living for the status quo instead. The main character, Neil Perry, has incredible pressure to become a doctor like his father, but wants to become an actor. There is a much tension between the two and turmoil begins to mount.

The results of this conflict are tragic, but the movie carries many important messages of life. (We’ll get a full look at this movie in the ministry, Shout Out to the Silver Screen, as we cover the “theme of dreams” in the holiday season of 2012.) Be Yourself. Dare to be different. Don’t be afraid to dream. Make the most of your life. Leave a lasting legacy. Above all, the phrase that stands out and makes the movie most memorable is, “Carpe Diem. Seize the day.” This is also the message of the season of summer for our souls. This is life–make the most the time you’ve been given. We get a glimpse of what life is meant to be. Free from the burdens of yesterday, full of laughter, joy, play, wonder, warmth, and love. Summer is a shadow of things to come, of the promise of what is yet to be–Heaven. Spring is like an appetizer, but the main course, the full feast of the never-ending holiday is summer. In summer, night and mourning flee away. Death is a feeble opponent that poses no threat. We see this clearly in the calendar season we call summer as well.

Summer is celebrated more than any other season. It marks the end of a long school year and of unbridled joy. The days are long and full of brilliant sunlight. We’re at our healthiest and strongest in summer. It’s easier to rise in the morning. Life is all around us in full harmony echoing the heart of our Creator. Plants and trees are at full bloom thriving in the environment. Our senses are at their highest peak. We feel the soft cut grass as we run through a park. Hear the chirping of birds. See the bright yellow dandelions and fireflies glow ever so gracefully at night. Taste the sweet sugar of watermelon and rich barbecue pork. Smell the fresh scent of strawberries and the aroma of freshly cut grass. We want summer to last forever. We never grow tired of it. When we’re caught in another season, we can’t help but long for it, crave it, thirst for another chance to embrace it fully and grab hold of its endless wonders.

The season of the soul of summer mirrors these traits. We feel most alive in this season, closer to God, and enjoy the company of loved ones more than ever. We thrive at what we are meant to do and who we are meant to be. Joy, contentment, and love overflow daily from our cup of life. We keep receiving more and more. It’s easy to nourish ourselves, warm ourselves, and refresh ourselves. The main characteristic of summer is–flow. It’s effortless. Everything comes easier, is easier to enjoy, the problems are few and far between, and there are few sacrifices demanded from us. Energy is easy to find. What’s not to like? There are many beneficial activities to partake in summer, but more than any other season there are precautions that must be put into practice. Lastly, there is also work to be done. Let’s first take a look at the activities.

The first activity seems obvious and it’s hard to guess–enjoy. It seems like a natural response and no doubt should be. It’s a time pursue your wildest dreams at full force. Use your imagination and pursue the possibilities. Play with a childlike wonder. Savoring every moment God has given you. A time of no worries where we simply need not be guilty about being carefree. Summer is a time when God delights in our joy. We all have a choice, though, to sit back and do nothing or enjoy it. But there are times when we do need to sit back and relax in summer as well.

Just like the activities of summer on our calendar, summer of the soul needs to invoke leisure. This is a time to rest and take delight in God’s presence. Slow down and spend time with your family, friends, and people you haven’t seen in awhile. As A.W. Tozer describes: “Those who are in Christ share with [God] all the riches of limitless time and endless years. God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which He must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves. For those outside of Christ, time is a devouring beast; before the sons of the New creations, time crouches and purrs and licks their hands.” By being still we are reawakened to the wonder and beauty of the world around us and to the One who created it all. We can draw closer to God and are able to hear Him more clearly.  In Psalm 46:10 we read: “Be still and know that I am God.” Summer is a time during the calendar year we’re most likely to take a vacation and get away from it all. This needs to be our response when we are in the spiritual season of summer too–to get away from it all, rest in His presence, and take delight in who He is.

Another main activity of summer is living without worries. Winter is when we walk by faith and not by sight. Summer our faith is right before our eyes and becomes a living testimony because it is deeply felt within us. We’re walking in the light, we can see, and bask in His glory. It is a time to rejoice! “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4) Joy is all around us and it’s a time where thanksgiving needs to be plentiful. And more than in any other season–it should be almost a natural inclination  to do so. Everything is at its best now—we are full healthy, our marriage is thriving, our job is fruitful and invigorating, our dreams are passionately being pursued, and every bite of life is delicious. Thank God daily, often, and with everything you do. Never forget that this season is a gift from the Giver of life: “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

The final activity of summer of note here is abounding in fruit. In summer, we are given more than most of us have the capacity to hold. “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Ephesians 3:20, NLT) A danger of this is to take it all for granted and keep demanding more,  thus taking on the mindset of a consumer. Becoming addicted to pleasure but never pleased. It’s what Mark Buchanan describes as the “cult of the next thing.” To truly abound in the fruit that God freely provides we must learn contentment. It is not a time to hoard our wealth and stock our barns with blessings. Instead it’s a time of thanks and of giving out of those rich blessings. To share the fruit. The great irony of it all–the more you give away, the richer you become.

Just like in the summer time where we take precautions not to get burnt or dehydrated– there is a strong warning that come with the spiritual season of summer. Beware of droughts. Summers can become hot and dry for our souls. We need to soak things down more than this season than any other. Mark Buchanan writes, “You and I hold the glory of God in clay jars. We hold it, but thinly. We dry out quickly. We need a continues inpouring of the Spirit and a deep saturation in the Word.”  We cannot neglect spiritual disciplines such as spending time in the Word and prayer. So heed this warning–happy times are both a gift and a curse. In the summer the sun shines all the time. And nothing is hidden from its heat. The only remedy for the incoming drought is water. Water that provides life to our souls is the Word. By spending time with God. Drink Him in and soak in the life that only He can provide.

Although summer is full of fun and laughter–there is work to be done too. Summer is a time to gather firstfruits. “A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace.”  (Proverbs 10:5, NLT) Just as summer produces the first crops of the season and farmers gather them for the harvest;  we should do so spiritually. We need to be wise and harvest God’s best for us. By giving God your best it means not holding anything back from Him. Ask questions such as: “Do I enjoy my time with God? Are my attitudes, actions, and thoughts shaped by His Word?, Do I seek God’s kingdom first and trust Him for my needs? ”  Simply learn to give God your best and watch as you reap God’s best for you in return.

The other main activity of work is being fruitful, but bears a warning. Don’t mistake busyness with production. Have you ever gone on a vacation and when you got home needed a vacation from that vacation you just were on?  We often confuse leafiness with fruitfulness. Why did Jesus curse the fig tree? (Matthew 21:19) To illustrate that the nation of Israel was confusing their spiritually busyness with production and in the process tainting their worship of God. It is also a strong visual reminder to us that an abundance of leafiness means nothing. It’s by our fruit that we’re known. In summer we are often so full of energy with so much vibrancy that we lose our focus. We say yes to anything that peaks our interest and lose sight what’s truly important among the branches of all the stuff in our life. The answer–learn to say that simple word–”no.” Choose wisely on what you do and how you spend your time. Choose God’s best and what will benefit you the most in your walk with Christ.

When summer comes–seize the day.  There is no better time than now to live life with a reckless abandon with no regrets, no fear, no worries. Enjoy and savor every moment. Be thankful and worship God, the giver of all the perfect gifts you receive.  Take delight in His presence. Take heed of being burnt, though, from the heat summer brings. Gather fristfruits and bear much fruit. Choose God’s best always.

Summer is a foretaste of the brilliance and beauty of Heaven. A shadow of the perfection that awaits all of creation. It is what Heaven will be like in its final form. If you’re currently experiencing summer, know that it will come to an end at some point here on earth. All summers do. But not to fret. Soon we’ll all take part in the great adventure where “The term is over: the holidays have begun. The dream is ended: this is the morning” as C.S. Lewis wrote in the closing chapter of The Last Battle. But why wait for the term to end when it’s right before you? Right here, right now. Let us not forget these words: “Carpe diem. Seize the day.”

Radiant Reflection: This week we learned about the season of Summer. Answer these questions to help you apply the practices and principles we just covered:

1) What to you like most about the calendar season of summer? What activities and events to you enjoy?

2) How does the calendar season of summer mirror that of our souls? What’s different?

3) What are some of the activities we need to partake in during the summer? What are some of the practical ways you can place these activities into our spiritual walk with Christ?

4) What are the precautions that must be taken in consideration with summer? Why is this the case?

5) What type of work should be take part in when being in the spiritual season of summer? What is the warning that comes with being fruitful?

Can You Hear Me Now?: If you want a more complete picture of the spiritual season of Summer–pick up a copy of the book, Spiritual Rhythm, by Mark Buchanan. As our calendar year turns to winter–remember that the spiritual season of summer is possible at any point of the year. Seize the day and this holiday season for all it’s worth. Take delight and bask in the wonder and joy that Christmas brings. Make sure to find time for rest and reflection. Lastly, resolve to make 2012 a year where each day you give your all. Choose God’s best for your life. And make the phrase, “Carpe diem” your battle cry!

Future Features: We’ve reached the end of this series and the calendar year. There is only one more piece of new content yet to be added–the final Real of the Reel blog on the Toy Story trilogy set to be added tomorrow. After tomorrow, the next month will be used to celebrate the holidays, rest, and prepare for the upcoming year for SHOUT IT Ministries. There will be a brand new Weekly Blog series on Spiritual Awakening, along with all the other ministries starting up again in mid-to-late January. Also there will be a complete overhaul of design and navigation of this site that will take place in the re-launch of this site! The official date has yet to be determined. Stay tuned for further updates and a blog entry that will highlight all the information you need as we embark on the upcoming new year. I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! God Bless you and your family! See you back here in January of 2012!

Sources:

Mark Buchanan, Spiritual Rhythm, Zondervan. Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2010. Pages 112-114, 124-127, 128, 130-132, 134-136, 139-140

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Poets_Society