Part 1: The Collapse of the Church Culture.

Written by Maurice Goulet


Part 1: The Collapse ofrepparttar Church Culture. By Maurice Goulet

Having traveledrepparttar 126785 four corners of this country, I have witnessed firsthand,repparttar 126786 imminent demise andrepparttar 126787 collapse ofrepparttar 126788 unique culture in North America that has come to be called church. This church culture has become confused with biblical Christianity, both insiderepparttar 126789 church and out. A growing number of people are leavingrepparttar 126790 institutional church for a new reason. They are not leaving because they have lost faith. They are leavingrepparttar 126791 church to preserve their faith. Not only do we not need God to explainrepparttar 126792 universe, we don't need Jesus Christ to operaterepparttar 126793 church. It’s written inrepparttar 126794 word that inrepparttar 126795 last days of this age Christ is outside ofrepparttar 126796 Church knocking and looking for anyone who is willing to let him in. Many operate like giant machines, with church leaders serving as mechanics. The Lord doesn't have to show up to get done what's being done. People no longer wantrepparttar 126797 powerless God ofrepparttar 126798 modern church.

Some are asking, how Do We Do Church Better? Allrepparttar 126799 effort to fixrepparttar 126800 church missesrepparttar 126801 point. You can buildrepparttar 126802 perfect church and they still won't come. People are not looking for a great church. Most ofrepparttar 126803 growth of mega churches represents people transferring from small fishing boats to cruise ships. The real question should be, how Do We Deconvert from Churchianity to Christianity?

I have observed that there is a spiritual awakening occurring in America. However, it is not informed by Christian theology, and it's not happening inrepparttar 126804 church. God is pulling end runs aroundrepparttar 126805 institutional North American church to get to people inrepparttar 126806 streets. God is still inviting us to join him on this quest, but it isrepparttar 126807 invitation to be part of a movement, not a religious club.

The Church Growth Movement that began inrepparttar 126808 1970’s had both some things that were right and some things that were wrong. Here's one ofrepparttar 126809 wrong things: Unfortunately, it fell victim to an idol as old asrepparttar 126810 Tower of Babel,repparttar 126811 belief that we arerepparttar 126812 architects ofrepparttar 126813 work of Christ. As a result, we haverepparttar 126814 best churches men can build, but are still waiting forrepparttar 126815 church that only Jesus Christ can get credit for. I say this because I hearrepparttar 126816 wrong question asked frequently. How Do We Grow This Church? How Do We Get Them to Come to Us?

In their quest to be attractive to potential congregants, churches added staff, added programs, added buildings (including full health clubs), all to improve their market position. And it worked! A study released in 2002 found that one-half of churchgoers attended churches inrepparttar 126817 top 10 percent of church size.

Keep in mind all of this has been done with what results? Diminishing returns! In other words, overall church attendance continues to decline. We can keep on this track just to watch even more dismal results, or, we can change our focus to: How Do We Transform Our Community? How Do We Hitrepparttar 126818 Streets withrepparttar 126819 Gospel? The Pharisees' evangelism strategy sounds eerily familiar. Their approach to sharing God was, "Come and get it”. Jesus' evangelism strategy directly challengedrepparttar 126820 Pharisees' approach. Instead of "Come and get it" it was "Go get'em".

Jesus' strategy was to go where people were already hanging out. This is why he went to weddings, parties, and religious feast day celebrations. Takingrepparttar 126821 gospel torepparttar 126822 streets means we need church where people are already hanging out. We need a church in every mall, every Wal-Mart super center, every Barnes and Noble.

Bottom line: we've got to takerepparttar 126823 gospel torepparttar 126824 streets. This isrepparttar 126825 only appropriate mission response torepparttar 126826 collapse ofrepparttar 126827 church culture. I am not talking about short forays into ports off ofrepparttar 126828 cruise ship. I am speaking of an intentional 24/7 church presence inrepparttar 126829 community.

Michael Jordan: The Sleeping Giant

Written by Gloria Minatti


There has been so much controversy surroundingrepparttar private life ofrepparttar 126784 imagerepparttar 126785 public has set up as one ofrepparttar 126786 greatest conglomerates inrepparttar 126787 world. I am sure that even this story will add torepparttar 126788 scrutiny that is already vibrating in his life, but I have always believed in truth, and at times truth sets you free. My actions and words concerning Michael have been misunderstood and misconstrued. Not only from my own peers, but from his associates as well. I have been told in so many words that that my presence in his life is not welcomed. I was even pulled aside on my former job because of an untruth that I was following Mr. Jordan around as he worked out in a gym in Washington DC. I was threatened byrepparttar 126789 gym’s management and human resource staff that if I didn’t stay away from him that I would be fired onrepparttar 126790 spot. I had to literally sign a paper stating that I would remain aloof from Mr. Jordan while he was present inrepparttar 126791 gym. I questioned an associate of his aboutrepparttar 126792 matter, and in turn was told that he nor Mr. Jordan had anything to do with it. I was very offended when he told me that Mr. Jordan didn’t even know my last name, and that I was insignificant to him. That was very disconcerting to sayrepparttar 126793 least, when in all my interactions with Michael I have always been respectful and courteous. I am bringing this forth, not because of any vendetta or to receive an apology, but hopefully this will openrepparttar 126794 heart of Michael Jordan,repparttar 126795 man I met and spoke with in 1998. The man that humbled himself inrepparttar 126796 presence ofrepparttar 126797 Lord, and acknowledged His Word to him that day.

I was told by Mr. Jordan that he respected and trusted me, and in no uncertain terms would he ever do anything to hurt me intentionally. I cannot honestly say that this has beenrepparttar 126798 case. I do not expect him to answer to my every whim, but I do expect him to be a man of honor, of integrity. A man is only as good as his word, and Mr. Jordan has shown that his word means nothing. I knowrepparttar 126799 power of God, and I have witnessed in my ministeringrepparttar 126800 Word of God for 18 yearsrepparttar 126801 tremendous impact on people thatrepparttar 126802 anointing has. I know He is able to changerepparttar 126803 heart of any man or woman, so I do not questionrepparttar 126804 Word that was spoken to Michael in 1998, and since then.

The actions of a man or woman do not dictate to God what He will or will not do, can or cannot perform in one’s life. I have debated in my heart many times about tellingrepparttar 126805 whole story behind our meeting and interactions since then. Of course many will take my motive wrong for doing so, but I cannot please people when I am striving to please God. There is nothing negative that can be said fromrepparttar 126806 subject at hand except for I trusted when I shouldn’t have. As was said of Madame Guyon, a great woman of God ofrepparttar 126807 16th century, “Her only crime was that of loving God.”

It is my only fault, if it can be labeled as such, that I love God so much that I left asiderepparttar 126808 persecution that I would receive, andrepparttar 126809 misconstrued ideas of a man that need what I have to offer to bring himrepparttar 126810 Word of God, to bring him life. As with anything great, it takes great pain to bring forth. This wasn’t an easy task, nor will it get easier with time. I have set my face as a flint for what I know is right and true, and I know that one day God will take out Michael’s stony heart and make it pliable for His use. In time, he will understand all that I have done has been out of pure love,repparttar 126811 unconditional love that God has for every man, woman, boy and girl. Sorepparttar 126812 story begins…. I met Michael in a little restaurant in Chicago in April 1998. It was a divine meeting for it was not planned by either of us, but it would truly be a day we would never forget. At first glance there was a tremendous surge of energy between us. Most would say that this was attraction, but I beg to differ because this was an energy unknown by either of us. We would like to blame it onrepparttar 126813 flesh,repparttar 126814 bodily function, butrepparttar 126815 Lord brought us together totally by His Spirit to perform a miraculous feat. His plan was to bring a divine, holy union ofrepparttar 126816 representation of Solomon andrepparttar 126817 mysterious Shulamite. This was not natural, therefore it was beyond reasoning, but Mr. Jordan was a reasoning, rational man. Surely there was a rational explanation forrepparttar 126818 meeting, for God would not dangle anything before him that would be a hindrance torepparttar 126819 man.

As we talked for at least 45 minutes, we stared in each other's eyes as if we had known each other all our lives. We were comfortable and at rest with each other, and Mr. Jordan listened intently as I shared with himrepparttar 126820 things God had revealed to me concerning Him inrepparttar 126821 past year. He agreed withrepparttar 126822 things I said, and even wanted to hear more. I didn't pay attention atrepparttar 126823 time torepparttar 126824 reason for his interest, only that he was willing to allow me to speak, and he was willing to listen. He had people waiting for him, some recognizable faces fromrepparttar 126825 media. I told him that I didn't want to keep him from his meeting withrepparttar 126826 reporters, and he assured me that it was okay. I continued to speak when he put out his hand. I then realized that he wanted me to place my hand in his, and so I did. With this gesture God began to do something, and we both felt it all through us. We began to vibrate as if volts of electricity were pulsating through us. It was an experience I would never forget because it wasn'trepparttar 126827 idea of sitting next to him, orrepparttar 126828 fact that we were holding hands that made this occur. It was a pure act of God, for He promised me that He would confirm everything He showed me and told me up until that point.

Michael and I hadn't seen or spoken to one another for three years following that first meeting. Then God spoke to me in prayer, and told me that now wasrepparttar 126829 time for Michael to come to Washington, DC. I told Michael in 1998 that he would come to DC, and that God would then reveal to him part two ofrepparttar 126830 Word that was spoken to him. He would only know this by going through me, therefore he was to seek for me with all his heart, so that he may find me. When he finds me, then he finds God. He that finds his soul, finds a good thing, and obtains favor ofrepparttar 126831 Lord. This is symbolic of Jesus saying, "When you see me, you seerepparttar 126832 Father." This is why God uses people, so that He may show Himself. God is a Spirit, He is invisible, so He must make it so He is able to be experienced by mankind. But why me? God knew Michael wouldn't receiverepparttar 126833 Word from no one else. It was preordained fromrepparttar 126834 foundation ofrepparttar 126835 world that at that specific time in space we would meet.

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