Photo Album Updates
Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 2:46 pm by Grayson B. KentCategory: Updates
The following albums have been added or updated:
Click the album titles above to browse the galleries, or browse the main album page.
Becoming a Global Believer
Thursday, July 19, 2007 at 2:41 pm by Grayson B. KentCategory: Updates, Theology
After a major delay in my schedule due to an overwhelming June workload, I have returned to the blogging world. This post will be short because its purpose is to simply announce the publication of a new writing.
As noted in my previous post, one of the project assignments in the Foundations of World Missions and Evangelism course was to compile a sermon/teaching series on the principles of becoming a missions/evangelistic minded believer. Becoming a Global Believer is the culmination of this project. It has been posted in the writing section of my website as a study course for anyone to review. It can be directly downloaded in PDF format by following this link.
Foreward: The following material is provided to assist believers in pursuing an understanding of missions ministry. Each reader or student is encouraged to consider the material with a humble and prayerful attitude. Allow God to speak to you concerning your role in the fulfillment of the Great Commission. Lessons three and four are provided with the intent to promote critical thinking and discussion for the purpose of recognizing the opportunities and weaknesses within a local church and individual context.
This document is Copyright (c) 2007 - Grayson B. Kent - All Rights Reserved
Apologies and Updates
Saturday, June 2, 2007 at 1:19 pm by Grayson B. KentCategory: Personal
After an extended hiatus, I have returned. I know that I promised for a regular blog update; however, life demands did not allow for such in the month of May. Hopefully, with summer now upon us, I can now honor my word. I apologize for my slothfulness in posting!
May began with a hectic school schedule. With three online classes ending in such a compressed time frame, most of my time was devoted to accomplishing the work set before me – especially with BTI looming over the horizon. As far as I know, I did well in all three classes. All of the grades that were returned to me were “A”; yet, I have been unable to access my final grades. The big project which I was attempting to complete was the Becoming a Global Believer series that I was to accomplish. From what I gathered, the professor was impressed with my work. I will be uploading it to the writings section of the website upon making some minor corrections. An update announcing this document’s availability will be posted later.
Aside from school considerations, May was overwhelmed with Bible Training Institute. What a wonderful BTI we had this year! This year marked my fourth year, and I took the Leadership and Pastoral Development course. The Lord has truly been dealing with me in the previous two months, and He opened so much understanding to me during my participation in BTI. I will be sure to share some of this on the blog as time progresses. However, what most of y’all care about is the pictures. Yes, I do have pictures, and they will be available sometime in the near future. Continue to check my website and the General Headquarters website for updates.
In other news I came through my minor surgery on this past Tuesday with no problems. (For those who don’t know, I had a cyst removed from my neck.) The stitches have been very painful (most aggravating). If all goes well, they will be removed next Thursday.
Finally, I ask that everybody keep me in their prayers this week as I finalize the CPMA program for the FL/GA Regional Convention. I refuse to accept anything less that God’s will for the CPMA this year. Also, continue to remember Bro Kramer (our overseer) as he finds the mind of God concerning the regional appointments.
Practicing the Spirit of Pentecost
Thursday, May 3, 2007 at 3:30 pm by Grayson B. KentCategory: Theology
The following writing was originally produced as an assignment for my Foundations of World Missions and Evangelism class at Church of God Theological Seminary. Many points illustrated in this writing were gathered from the previous writings concerning the Azusa Street Revival. A PDF version of this writing can be downloaded in the writings section of my website.
The fundamental concepts of missions and evangelism are not unique to the New Testament and the grace dispensation. An account of the Old Testament reveals that God had a unique purpose for the church in the wilderness, as they were to be an example to all people of God’s governance on earth. As they recognized and followed God’s will, they experienced prosperity; however, upon forsaking the experience with God in favor of human reasoning, they suffered at the hands of their enemies. Today, the Body of Christ, commissioned with Christ’s command to “teach all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20), cannot prosper in Her efforts to reap the fields of harvest without first recognizing the importance of an experience of the divine nature from Heaven.
The Church is to be the salt and light of the earth (Matthew 5:13-14). Peter reminds the church that She is a royal priesthood and a holy nation (1st Peter 2:9). She, like Israel, is an example to all people of God’s governance on earth. These characteristics of the Church are prominently revealed through Christ’s commission to the Church. It is clear that His desire is that the Church be notably displayed to the world in vigorous service for the benefit of His kingdom. In order to accomplish these assignments, the Church must not only recognize its purpose in ministry but also the plan for ministry.
Just as Christ provided His church with the proper message of ministry, He also provided Her with the effective tools and procedure for ministry. The Spirit of God, in cooperation with the Word of God, dictates to the Church the qualities of effective evangelism and ministry. The Spirit does not replace the Word, nor can the Word be effective without the Spirit. The basic ministry of the Church is held in place and continue to progress as they are balanced by the Word and Spirit. This model of Christian ministry is reflected in William Seymour’s (pastor of the Azusa Street Mission) exposition on proper evangelism. Like the Church in the New Testament, the Church of the latter days cannot effectively complete its task without having a strong center. Each member must get a divine understanding of the Word and a divine encounter with the Spirit in order to be properly used of God in the fulfillment of the Commission.
There is no limitation to the amount of writing that could be produced on the importance of the Word in connection with effective evangelism; howbeit, that is not within the scope of this article. It is essential, however, to reiterate that a fundamental understanding of the Scripture is necessary for the proper administration within the Body (1st Corinthians 14:40), spiritual formation of Her members (Ephesians 4:13), and making the mystery known to all nations (Ephesians 3:9, 5:32). This includes accepting the Bible as the Word of God with the New Testament being the rule of faith, practice, government, and discipline above any (and all) man-made creeds of faith commitment. God is not pleased with anything less than the rightly dividing of His Word as it is revealed by the Holy Ghost.
A proper understanding of the Word is not alone sufficient enough to constitute effective ministry as displayed in the New Testament Scripture. Upon His death, burial, and resurrection, Jesus continued for approximately forty days ministering to His disciples prior to giving His Church the Great Commission and ascending to Heaven. It is essential to recognize that the disciples already possessed an understanding of the Word as Christ taught them; however, they were yet to have a divine experience with the Spirit. Christ promised His Church the soon-coming gift of the Holy Ghost (John 14:16-26) prior to His presentation of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). In fact, He even commanded that they tarry in Jerusalem for the experience of the Spirit prior to beginning the journey to fulfill the commission. Had the experience of the Spirit not been as equally important as the Word in ministry, the disciples could have ministered while tarrying. However, Christ knew that the Holy Ghost would give the disciples power and anointing to more effectively fulfill the Great Commission.
Evangelism: The Heartbeat of the Church by Robert Strong recognizes that the Christian should never forget the necessity of the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Ghost when pursuing missionary and ministerial endeavors. Christ refers to His disciples as the branches and Himself as the vine (John 15:5). The analogy with nature is a clear indication that fruit of our labor cannot be borne of the branches unless there is a true connection with the vine. While Christ is not currently residing on earth to allow for us a physical connection to Him, we do have a spiritual connection to Heaven by virtue of the Holy Ghost.
Many followers of Christ have the zeal to work for the Lord through the ministry of missions and evangelism; however, zeal, alone, is not what brings forth effective and successful evangelism. Without sensitivity to the Spirit, directed by the leading of the Holy Ghost, zeal lacks spiritual inspiration. “…[The] inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding…” (Job 32:8). Along with a pressing zeal to fulfill the work of the Lord, the sincere Christian will seek spiritual formation by paying the price for the anointing of the Holy Ghost. The anointing of the Holy Ghost is often compared with actual anointing (olive) oil in the Bible. As the olive oil was not cheap, often times, the believer must pay a sacrificial price to progress to the place in God in which the inspiration and anointing is received. We, as sincere ministers of the gospel, must recognize the place God is calling us to and strive to achieve His call. David Cho’s Prayer that Brings Revival suggests that there are elements of petition, devotion, and intercession that are required in order to bring forth the inspiration and anointing that are needed in today’s Church.
When we have a connection to the Head of the Church through the Holy Ghost, we have obtained access to unlimited power and authority to walk in the Spirit for the fulfillment of the Great Commission. The prophet Joel first prophesied of the Holy Ghost hundreds of years before His actual arrival by recognizing the anointing that would come with the outpouring of God’s spirit. William Seymour, recognizing this anointing for ministry, encouraged the believers at the Azusa Street revival not to go forth from the revival speaking of the great experiences they had received, but rather to fulfill the commission and “try to get people saved.” Seymour believed that the gift of the Holy Ghost was not solely another step toward the process of Christian formation; He believed that it was truly the power for Christian service.
Ultimately, this writing is to encourage all of us to seek to put the Spirit of Pentecost into practice. The blessing of the Holy Ghost was given for the power for service in God’s Church. While laying the foundation of what brings forth the inspiration and anointing of the Holy Ghost, it is necessary to briefly describe the vast benefits that comes with a Holy Ghost led ministry. As The Church of God of the New Testament walked in power and authority, so will we, the Church of the final dispensation of time, walk in all power and authority of the Spirit. The book of Acts records that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is associated with cloven tongues as of fire (Acts 2:2-4). Leonard Ravenhill’s Why Revival Tarries suggests that fire, by its very nature, begets more fire. Fire can never make ice, nor can a cold-hearted believer burn with the zeal and inspiration for evangelistic endeavors. Prayer-less, inspiration-less, and ministers without the anointing of the Spirit cannot produce warriors of the faith; however, one spark of fire from one minister can set the world on fire. It is necessary to remember that one small candle can be the source of an all-consuming fire. It is our duty to pursue the Spirit and walk worthy of the vocation by which we are called in order to fulfill an anointed ministry as commanded by our Lord and Savior.
As we have entered the twenty-first century, commonly recognized as the century of the Lord’s second coming, we must grasp a strong vision for the Church’s purpose in these final days or years. It is the purpose of the Body of Christ to prepare for the inflow (John 10:16, Jeremiah 50:5) and present all members, joined together by covenant, perfect before the Lord (Colossians 1:28). With these daunting tasks (in the eyes of the flesh) ahead for the Church, we must cease looking through the eyes of the flesh and begin to look through the Spirit as we put the Spirit of Pentecost into practice!
Youth Convention
Tuesday, May 1, 2007 at 12:04 pm by Grayson B. KentCategory: Announcements
The Florida/Georgia Regional Youth Convention was rescheduled for this upcoming weekend (May 5th). It will be held at the Cedar Crossing church beginning at 9:00 A.M. Everybody is invited to attend.