I did a post recently called "Life After Lakeland: Sorting Out the Confusion."
Ed Stetzer - pastor, reseacher, church planter and author - did a great article reflecting on the current state of affairs at Lakelands - it is called "Evangelical Gullibility."
I really like this bit:
True revival is generally a messy affair. On the one hand abuses often accompany genuine works of God, and on the other hand much of what is called revival is nothing more than fanaticism. Courage is required to ask tough questions and do so with with grace and kindness, patience is necessary to wait and see if what is called revival bears lasting fruit, and theological discernment is critical for the church when it comes to awakenings and revival.
You can check out Ed's bio "here."
Posts
My latest book
3 years ago
1 comment:
Hey mate. Having no 'investment' in Lakeland prior to visiting there (like knowing all about the main players)the Bentley controversy had no impact on the proceedings...as far as I was aware. All I know was that the presence of God was very rich in the meetings - and manifest in different ways on each occasion. The preaching was on the money and very meaningful to me personally. I didn't know anything about the Bentley thing until I met a parking attendant who told me how many people left the meeting one night when he didn't show up as advertised. I ask the question. Who were they going to see? (Watch the ball, not the player son!)So if you lived in a bubble, like some of us foreigners do, you wouldn't have had any trouble- Heb 12:2. Anyway, after I heard about it the pastor did preach on Samson in relation to the controversy. It was a rather timely message and I found God's 'discernment' of Samson's morals especially 'lacking'. Why, He had the nerve to anoint Samson regardless! Anyway, the revivals' result on me personally was that God did something to my heart so that I can trust him completely. And while I didn't shake rattle or roll it didn't stop me from believing that good things were happening for those who were manifesting in the usual ways. I reckon if I did get the 'glory stick' and fall over sidewards I'd be good for about two weeks. After that I'd probably be watching internet porn in a moment of weakness. But what I got was better. "A heart to know Him." And I don't know how these commentators have got so much time to spend on critiquing Christendom. I bet they're the same people who say you don't have to go anywhere other than your living room to get a dose of Jesus. Yes, that can be true, but it denies a body of Biblical evidence which shows the lengths people will go to to get a touch from the Master. Some of us folks who aren't as clever or well connected have to go to the USA to see what God will do.
PS.
RE Lakeland. Thank God you live near a lake.
Post a Comment