Church Attendance: An Indication of a Serious Problem

If you haven't checked church attendance stats recently you may be in for a shock or a laugh or possibly both. While the subject of church attendance isn't actually funny the reality of the situation is. Here's what I mean: Close to 40% of Americans claim that they attend church regularly. Actual statistics, however, indicate otherwise. This means that of the 40% that claim to attend church regularly - many (almost half) are, um, well...They're lying.  Or maybe they're confused; perhaps some think they are attending church when they really aren't.  Either way, there's a problem. If a Christian is lying then they aren't a really a Christian. If a Christian thinks they are attending church regularly and they aren't they may indeed be in need of prayer - or a reality check. Or both.

Church attendance (weekly) in France and the U.K. is around 12%. In the U.K., however, attendance seems to be dropping about 1% a year.  Several northern European nations have regular church attendance below 5%. Perhaps more surprising is the statistic that in many nations the percentage of people who NEVER attend church is greater than the percentage of people who do regularly attend.

I am Pentecostal by heritage. At its best - a good Pentecostal church is hard to beat.  Sadly, a good Pentecostal church is quite challenging to find. Revival is rare, miracles are uncommon, finding people that are still receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit is unusual... And this is in Pentecostal churches. Many churches with lesser emphasis on the miraculous must be suffering from dreary nothingness. I recall reading of one pastor who was fanatical about having live foliage and flowers in his church building. When pressed for a reason he finally admitted, "It's so I can say that everything in here is not dead!"

I still believe that America needs revival in a great, transforming way. I believe that we need more services like 'the Toronto blessing' and more revivals like Brownwood, Texas experienced in the mid '90's. More repentance, more baptisms - both of water and Spirit.  

When we become willing to let God revive us - we will find that church attendance will skyrocket. Revival, you see, heals all. 

A final word... I'm told that in the U.K. many years ago ministers came together for what was called the Keswick week. It was a week of prayer and ministry; together many ministers banded together to seek a revival from God. During the course of one meeting, a spectacular move of the Holy Spirit occurred. It did not come as some of the ministers wanted, however, and the actions of a few that experienced the power of God were mocked and quenched. The ministers at Keswick week mocked the birth of what they had gathered for! We must be careful that when God moves we accept with grateful hearts what God is doing in our midst.

If we do not experience revival in our churches soon our dwindling attendance may prevent us from experiencing meaningful revival at all.  

For more information on Jonathan please visit his little spot on the web, JonathanMilam.com

Ministry in the Wilderness

The nation of Israel, when failing God shortly after their miraculous exodus from Israel, found themselves mandated to spend 40 years wandering...Simply wandering; following the same dreary paths over the same terrain for 40 years. Essentially, all they were doing was waiting for a doubt-filled generation to die off. Major bummer; massive waste of time.

When pastors find themselves leaving one church and seeking another church to pastor it has been aptly called 'The Wilderness of the Candidate'.  The term 'wilderness' is used specifically to illustrate the difficult, trying aspect of one pastor searching (with no clear road map) for one church that has needs calling for their specific strengths. The challenge of this task, a hopeful pastor seeking a corresponding needy church, cannot be overstated. Whle rarely lasting 40 years (as did the original wilderness wandering) the time spent finding a church to shepherd can seem to last forever.

Many ministers, in fact a great majority of ministers living today, are existing in a 'wilderness' situation, the length and challenge of which are so great that at times the burning, consuming, motivating desire to minister dwindles and often dies completely.  The agony and frustration of unfulfilled ministry is not only life threatening (nerves can fail, health may vanish, marriages and even families can crumble) but the core calling of a minister may come into question and ministry, as a life goal, may even be lost or abandoned.

If the church today was as powerful and successful as God planned then the challenge of finding the ideal place for for a displaced minister might be of minor importance.  The truth, however, is that the church today is NOT successful and one major reason is that many minister are not fulfilling their calling - they are lost in a wilderness. Reality would indicate that the church today is reeling in a wilderness of free-falling failure while its ministers are stumbling in a wilderness of confusion.

Frankly, I'm not surprised.  For years I have believed and shared that the greatest abuse in the American church is the unwillingness to make proper use of God-called ministers. Our lack of Apostolic methodology has resulted in a lack of Apostolic success.

Cities were turned 'upside down' in the New Testament - and this description was made by those who were NOT Christians. When an unbeliever acknowledges the power of a church to alter a city one is experiencing a genuine revival. Revival on this order is what we are NOT having in the U.S. - but we desperately need it.

The American church can have revival any time it wants. But the American church won't have revival until it will claim its ministers from the wilderness. Prayer is key; it always was and still is. We need prayer that God will open doors in churches for ministers to minister. Singular ministry, where one man essentially controls one church (rather the norm in America today in many churches) is unbiblical and is largely responsible for the failure of the American church today. When Samaria needed the Holy Spirit they didn't call for only for Peter: They called for Peter AND John.  Jesus didn't send ANY of his disciples out one by one; he sent them out two by two. And this didn't mean husband and wife; a husband and wife equal one in biblical perspective.

We need multiple ministers working together in every church; this is the will of God and was consistently the method used in new testament, biblical ministry.  Until we have this as a common practice in America - America won't see the revival she needs. 

The thought above is my heart on ministry: We need revival. As one many said, 'We need a weeping revival, a reaping revival and a sweeping revival'. I agree. But it won't happen until we have redeemed many ministers from the wilderness.

For more information on Jonathan please visit his little spot on the web, JonathanMilam.com

How Long Until the Rapture?

While we don't know the day or the hour of God's actions (Matthew 24:36), He has given us insight into the 'End Times', as many call the days we live in.  

Matthew chapter 24 is devoted almost totally to key points signifying the last days (also detailed in Mark 13 and Luke 21).  Most of the book of Revelation, while often veiled in unusual terminology, offers additional insight and several portions of the book of Daniel also offer details about the last days - our time.  

If we have all this information, then how might we be mere weeks from the rapture of the church and hear so little about it?  Perhaps one reason is that so many have falsely cried 'Rapture Now!' through the years that the cry, 'Jesus is coming soon!' isn't nearly so shocking or novel as one would expect.  Also, while we have many verses detailing the last days, many of them are 'veiled' and hard to understand.  

Here's what I understand that concerns me right now...  I understand that Israel and the Palestinians are working on a peace treaty that is supposed to be concluded within a short time. If this is the important 'covenant' that is referred to in prophecy, then this would also herald the opening of the first four seals of Revelation 6 (in which 1/4 of the world population may die) and the rise of the Anti-Christ... And all this could begin in just weeks!  

What should we do?

We should pray!!  We should pray for our selves; that we are understanding and compassionate and, above all, that we are ready to meet God.  We should pray for our family and friends; that they may see the peril of these last days, anchor themselves in the church and live wisely.  We should pray for our leaders; both those in the Church and in Government.  We should pray for Jerusalem; for those who pray for her are promised peace (Psalm 122:6).  And lastly, we should pray because we love God and prayer is the lifeline of the soul.  :) 

What else can we do?  We should diligently apply ourselves to studying the Word of God, sharing the word of God, and to ever more (and more) intense prayer.  When Paul said, 'Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving' (Col. 4:2), he was giving great advice; prayer is best when it is continued!  

Understanding the endtime, our time - this time, is a great opportunity to reach our world with a message that is ultimately relevant and captivating and we will understand our times much better if we are a seriously praying people.  May God bless you as you use prophecy to reach those who need God or may seem cold to Him.  Prophecy, as one man said, is like reading tomorrow's newspaper today - it's riveting! 

Do we really have a very short time until the rapture of the Church?  Perhaps not; it could be 4 weeks.  Or two.  Or 52...  But this much I am sure of: We are living in perilous times (2 Timothy 3:1-5) and we need to turn to the Word of God and prayer as never before.  We most definitely are living in the last days and we need to be prepared for God to use us for the harvest of the world.  

For additional details about prophecy, keep in touch!  I also find Irvin Baxter, www.endtime.com, to be a great source for prophetic understanding.    

For more information on Jonathan please visit his little spot on the web, JonathanMilam.com

A Bible Passage That Really Bothers Me!

     There are passages in the Bible that impact me so completely that I marvel.  One of these is a story from Jesus' ministry - it's a story of worship, adoration, faith and sensitivity.  Frankly, I'm not real comfortable with this story because it speaks to me so completely, so thoroughly (and the church today as a whole, I think) that I feel a need to change... Maybe you'll want to change, too.

     The story is found in Luke 7:36; it's about a good churchgoer and a woman with a bad reputation.  Setting: Simon, a Pharisee (the 'good churchgoer') has invited Jesus into his home for a meal.  While intrigued by Jesus' reputation (His miracles, teachings, etc.), Simon isn't quite sure if Jesus is the real deal - he figures a little private time will tell the tale.  So Jesus comes into Simon's home and isn't treated the best; certain opportunities for respect were withheld pending later approval.  Then a woman comes into the room - and she goes way beyond protocol in showing her admiration and love for Jesus: But remember; she has a bad reputation.  Meanwhile, Simon is observing Jesus calmly receiving the highly unusual, loving adoration of this sinful woman ("...her sins, which are many...") and he thinks, '...if Jesus was really all that - he wouldn't take this kind of worship from this woman!'  

     Now the story is really driven home by Jesus!  'Simon, he says, 'you haven't been the best host.  You didn't offer me several courtesies that you could have.  This woman (bad reputation and all) has done far more than any would have expected (she did even more than you should have) - so she gets her sins forgiven.  And her faith gets her saved.'  And Jesus just might have added, 'You get nothing because you did so little - and with such a pious attitude'.     

     Ouch!  The application really hurts!!  I've left some church services (this is where we usually 'host Jesus', right?) and felt like I received so little.  In retrospect, I didn't give a lot in those services, either.  Like Simon, when I come to observe it seems I won't leave with much gained.  And what of the woman in this story?  If you look at the passage her worship (that's how we treat Jesus in public) was extravagant - and so was her blessing!  This isn't the only time we see this in the Bible but notice: Unusually strong worship often equals unusually strong blessing.

     In public worship (I find this story to be such a good example) should we follow the dictate of common courtesy; nothing extravagant, nothing unusual, nothing out of the ordinary?  After all the Bible does say, "Let everything be done decently and in order."  Or should our worship be heartfelt, vibrant and solely concerned with giving Jesus our best?  I guess it depends if you want the blessing of Simon or the woman.  Simon's treatment of Jesus was a bit cool but certainly defensible (by some) and he didn't get much from it.  The woman (out of the ordinary, way beyond the norm, almost never duplicated) got a blessing that was so far above the norm that, well, her her blessing matched her actions; both were extraordinary!

     Are you tired of leaving church the same as you came?  Do you go to church sick and leave the same way?  Do you go to church depressed and leave the same way?  Do you go to church bored and leave the same way?  Simon didn't get much from his encounter with Jesus, either.  The woman, on the other hand (and "...she was a sinner..."), had her sins forgiven and was saved!    

     Maybe it's time we examine ourselves; if we offer Jesus little like Simon we'll get little in return.  If we offer new and sacrificial, heart-felt adoration to Jesus - we'll get new and better blessings: That's what this story is here to tell us.  Who needs to be extravagant in their worship?  Only those who have been received something from God - and that is every one of us!

     I remember a man (a well-off businessman, actually) once telling me of a church service he attended.  He was late (from his work) and as he entered the church the presence of God really overwhelmed him.  He stopped just inside the sanctuary (extended prayer was going on) and he bowed his head.  Then he felt this wasn't enough so he knelt humbly in the aisle on his knees.  And then he said he heard a voice say simply to him, 'Lower'.  And so he prostrated himself completely on the floor of that church - he laid down in the aisle way.  We may examine that and say, 'That's a bit much - laying fully on the floor in the aisle way of church when a service is going on!'  That's just the attitude that Simon would take in our Bible story.  Have you ever noticed the 'four and twenty elders' in the book of revelation?  Almost every time they're mentioned (every time but one, I believe) they are 'falling on their face (laying down)' before the Lord.  Yes; they are in Heaven.  But maybe it's time to incorporate a little more heavenly worship in our services?  Maybe it's time we break out of our usual worship and find an unusual blessing?  Just praise Him according to what He's worth as the Psalmist said we should that would mean give Jesus your best because that's what He's worth; yes, give Him your best!  

     I recall preaching in Houston once; afterward there was a good time of prayer around the altar.  As I was walking around praying for people this guy stood up and greeted me.  My first response was, "What a mess!" - he really looked strange.  He was crying, and I mean crying hard.  Tears had run down his cheeks and his eyes were red, his face was puffy and then he said, "Jon - that was a great message!"  And my first thought was, 'Does this guy know me?'  He was an old friend I hadn't seen in years and years; he was a really cool guy - tall, good looking, reserved - but now he's crying, his face is splotchy; he's a mess.  And he tells me, 'I really wound up far from God; but He's forgiven me!  I'm part of the church again!'  Simon would probably say, 'You look a mess; clean your face up and quit crying, man up!'  But our Bible story tells it like is; to whom much is forgiven - much is owed.  My friend felt like God had forgiven him of great sin and his worship and devotion to God, at least that night, was first rate.  Like the Bible story, 'to whom much was forgiven much was owed'; and  my friend was paying up.    

     So now you know why this Bible passage really bothers me; because I find in it a need to make serious improvement in my worship.  It makes me want to leave my comfort zone and host Jesus with new and startling, heartfelt love even if others watch in disdain (this would be a complete application of our Bible passage).  It makes me want to go the second mile, to ignore others around me doing less and to give nothing less than my best to Jesus - because He is worthy.  Perhaps, like the woman in the story, this passage will make us do what others around us should be doing themselves: Hosting Jesus to the very best of our ability.  

For more information on Jonathan please visit his little spot on the web, http://www.JonathanMilam.com

     

The Hedge of God: Raising Again the Protection and Blessing of God in Our Lives

I was at a service recently where Prophetic Evangelist Gordon Winslow spoke on the hedge of Job and its benefit for us today.  The following are points that he made; I find them very worthy of consideration.  

First, the hedge that protected Job was first commented upon by satan.  Job 1:9-10, "9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?  10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land." (kjv)

It's nice to know that the hedge that God had around Job was signifcant enough that satan (I choose not to honor the name of satan with a capital S) was unable to penetrate it.

At this point, let me add a thought.  If Job was once so protected, what happened to allow the catastrophe that later occured to him?  And if God had a hedge of protection and bless around Job, why do some Christians suffer so greatly today?  Well, the answer would seem to be that God himself removed his hedge from Job.  The removal of the hedge was for personal, albeit most difficult, growth.  And it is for this same reason that we often find ourselves under attach today.  Back to the main points of the message by Gordon Winslow...

Evangelist Winslow then suggested five points to restore or rebuild a hedge of blessing and protection around our lives.  

1.  Believe in God's blessing and protection - and do not be ashamed.  Scriptures such as, Ps 34:7, "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them." (kjv) should encourage us to believe that God DOES want to protect and bless us.  Embrace a great hope and faith in God - this is the first step in 'the Hedge Blessing'.  

2.  Job's first loss was his livestock; satan wanted to remove Job's opportunity to sacrifice and give liberally to God.  The story of Job lets us know that he was a giving man; making sacrifices regularly.  Gordon Winslow here elaborated greatly on the importance of giving sacrificially.  

3.  Job 22:7 & 8, "27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.  28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways."  (kjv)  Prayer is the next element important in erecting and maintaining a hedge.  Draw close to God, walk uprightly before Him and grant him a reason to bless and protect you!

4.  From verse 27 above, "...pay thy vows...".  We need to go back to our beginning with God, examine the promises we made to Him and repay those!  Oh, the joy of promises kept!

5. From verse 28, above, "Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways."  So, once you've done the things above, begin talking about the blessing of the hedge!  'Decree it', as verse 28 says!  Live with the thought of God's blessing and protection lightening your days!  

"...The end of the Lord..." is how a New Testament writer referred to Jobs latter end; his time of blessing and renewal.  Evangelist Winslow went on to mention that the Old Testament law stated that a thief, if caught in the act, must restore twice what he was found stealing.  Job, after all his trial, was restored twice what he had in the beginning.  For every animal stolen - he received two.  The thief, satan, was found in the act of stealing and the reward to Job was two-fold!  Excellent thought, isn't it?  For everything that the thief (as Jesus called satan) may have taken from you - believe God for double! 

Again, very little of this is original and most is from scant notes made during the message (actually, a series of texts to my own phone).  There is great potential in the above thought, though, and I hope you find comfort, joy and blessing in it!  

The above message was preached at "The Pentecostals at Royalwood" by Gordon Winslow August 7, 2013;  http://www.royalwood.cc/

You may discover more about evangelist Jonathan Milam at www.JonathanMilam.com or https://twitter.com/JMinTX

Shall We Leave the Body Whole?

Early this morning I found myself praying for a minister I met just a few days ago.  Our meeting was by chance and certain time restraints prohibited somewhat.  Still, I felt our meeting was ordained of God and overshadowed by His spirit.  At any rate, just after awaking today I found myself praying for him, his family and church.

As I prayed I felt the Lord leading me to think upon an Old Testament story.  The story involved two mothers, two infants and a very wise king; Solomon.  One of the mothers, wearied by caring for her newborn during a time of famine, had lost the child to death one night.  Through the night, the agonized woman seized upon a dreadful idea: 'I'll take the live newborn of my roommate and leave my dead infant with the other mother...'  And so she did.

Can you imagine the sorrow of the good mother when she discovered a lifeless infant at her side?  Her sorrow then turned to amazement as she realized this might not have been her child - a switch had taken place!  Thousands of years ago, how would one prove the true parenthood of the living child?  The complexity of the case brought it swiftly to the wise King Solomon who shocked his court by calling for a sword.  Why would the King need a sword, the court had to wonder?  'I'll sever the child in half - then each mother can have half of the living child,' the King solemnly ruled.  (I Kings 3:16-28)

As his sword raised King Solomon noted the horror of the true mother as well as the wicked glee of the other.  The cry of the concerned parent confirmed what his eyes had already told him: the wise King could discern the true mother by her love for the child and her unquenchable determination to keep the child whole - and thus alive.

To us, then, what is this story supposed to reveal?  Is the Lord is leading us to understand that there are those present in the visible church who care not for the well being of the body of Christ but care only for their selfish, personal goals?  Are there those in the visible church who would rather see the Body of Christ divided than whole, who would rather see theie self-serving ideals furthered than to see the Body of Christ ministered to and becoming more whole and more holy?

Can we seek what we seek to gain our way, even when we think it is right, in a very low, subtle way?  Is it ever right to accomplish good  things in the wrong way?  

Do pray with me that we may feel the wise leading of God in these days and that we may contend with all diligence for a wholesome church!  

For more information on Jonathan please visit his little spot on the web, JonathanMilam.com

The Time of God's Coming to You

  "If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace-but…you

did not recognize the time of God's coming to you."  (Lk. 19:42-44, NIV)

Strange, isn't it?  Jerusalem suffered much loss because one day, just one day, they missed an opportunity for peace.  I don't know if it was the day taxes were due, or a day that elections were held day but I do know they didn't recognize the day that God reached out to them in a special way.  Talk about bad days...

I believe that timing is vastly important in the Kingdom of God; we need to, in the midst of all our strategic planning, remain very sensitive in allowing God to work in every aspect of our lives.  I recall speaking to one pastor about revival in his church.  "Well, he said slowly, "We can't have revival in the summer months because so many people go on vacation.  We can't have revival in the fall because we have some farmers in our church and they harvest then.  We can't have revival in December because of the Christmas confusion and January is hard on finances.  May never works because of school graduations..."  Needless to say, this pastor had a dwindling and depressed church; even God wasn't allowed opportunity there 8 months a year.  Thinking like this is perhaps what happened in our text: when God chose to work Jerusalem was not ready.  

At another time Jesus lamented similarly, "Jerusalem...how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate... (Lk. 13:34-35, kjv)  What a penalty; desolation is the result of that city not knowing the time of their spiritual opportunity!  

I recall one pastor having said, "We can become so occupied with the work of the Lord that we forget the Lord of the work!"  Very true - and this makes me want to stop and ask God, "Is there something that you want to do in my life, Lord?  Anything that I may have prevented you from doing by being distracted or otherwise concerned?"

I want to be ready always for the God's approach in my life!  

You may discover more about evangelist Jonathan Milam at www.JonathanMilam.com or https://twitter.com/JMinTX