Blind and Don't Know It

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Mary and Joseph Model Parents

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WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR THE CHURCH?

Back on June 30, 2008 I posted a blog entitled "Will We Allow The Church Of God In America To Die?". At that time I expressed my concern for the Church's health and well being based upon the reports I had heard at our North American Convention earlier in the month. Nothing has happened in these past five months to alleviate my concern.

I had the privilege of attending a unity service hosted by the First Church of God in Mount Sterling on Sunday, November 23. Our Director of National Ministries was the featured speaker. I had a chance to talk to Dr. Duncan for a considerable time before the service. He shared how desperate things are on a national level from the financial side of things. Eleven employment vacancies have not been filled and eight people were just given notice they will no longer have a job. This reduces the work force by nearly 25%. Unless things turn around quickly ministry itself will begin to be curtailed. Once that starts you begin to shrink your base for support.

The theme of Dr. Duncan's message Sunday night was on leadership and how things will only turn around through good, sound, Biblical leadership. In order for that type of leadership to be in place we must once again examine our roots and its message. At the forefront of our message a hundred years ago was the themes of holiness and unity. Holiness is not just a word. It is how we live and act and treat one another. Unity is not something we practice one time a year in a special service but it is an attitude that looks for opportunities to get together and do ministry together.

These qualities are sorely lacking in the Church today. I have made it a point for the past twenty plus years of trying to bring God's people together, especially our pastors and ministers. Shortly after moving to North Carolina in 1984 I found myself being thrust into positions of leadership within the larger Body of Christ. I do not think this was mere circumstance. I realize my personality lends itself to encourage people and I have tried to use this gift to encourage every pastor I can. It seems to be increasingly more difficult to get pastors to understand how much we need each other.

Our State Pastor, Randy Montgomery, has asked me to be a participant in the S.H.A.P.E. Program here in Kentucky as a coach. I look forward to this opportunity because this speaks to the very heart of something I am very passionate about. As Dr. Duncan stated in his message Sunday night, if we are to ever get the Church back on course in every area of ministry it must begin with leadership. Every pastor has a responsibility to God Almighty to encourage, uplift and hold accountable every person we can starting with our fellow pastors!

I must confess, I was sorely disappointed in the number of pastors who showed up for the service at Mount Sterling. Every pastor has someone who can fill their pulpit for them. I know our people expect us to be there for every service but some things are important enough to require our presences. In my opinion this was one of those services. At some point we are going to have to do more than talk about unity. I don't think many of us realize what is at stake. We think we can stand alone. We can't, not for very long. And what happens to the Church when we die?

Brothers and Sisters hear my heart. I love the Lord, His church and all of you. We are in trouble on every level. Many believe the Lord is very near to returning. We can not let there be a falling away from God at this time in the life of the Church. We need to be excited, energized, striving to reach as many people for Christ as we can in these last days!

Will you join me in praying for one another. I have several ministers I call by name before the Lord everyday. Will you join me in praying for those around you. Let's lift one another up. Let's look for ways to encourage our brother and sister. Let's stand our ground and fight the good fight of faith. All of those who went before us are counting on us. All those who are coming after us are depending upon us.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

THANKSGIVING

On November 27 , 2008 we will celebrate one of the days I always look forward to, Thanksgiving. Like many people, I have a lot of fond memories of Thanksgiving. As a boy growing up in rural Boyd County, Kentucky I, along with most of the boys in my area, would meet at the Stanley Kitchen Farm for a morning of rabbit hunting before our afternoon meal. We would have as many as ten boys to gather very early on those frosty mornings and begin our push on the local rabbit population. I never remember us killing very many rabbits but we always had a great time.

A little latter in my life, once I started dating my wife, and then for the first few years of our marriage, I would always have dinner with her family. They would have a crowd every year. My mother-in-law thought she had to feed everyone she knew. We ate in shifts and we men always ate the first shift. As soon as we were finished we headed for the TV and started watching the football games. Of course about half way through the second game we took another pass through the kitchen.

Upon moving to North Carolina we only made it home one time for Thanksgiving, the first year we were there. After that we celebrated Thanksgiving in North Carolina. We started a tradition of sorts. George and Peggy Foley who attended our church were also from Kentucky and our families had Thanksgiving together. A little later, Bret and Cindy Wood moved to our area from West Virginia and began attending our church. They too joined us at Thanksgiving. We always had a great time and as a result we built some very special relationships with those folks.

Through these experinces I came to learn that Thanksgiving is not about food, that is just an excuse to get together. Thanksgiving is about people, family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ. That is the real joy of Thanksgiving, celebrating life with people we love.

As I have written in previous blogs, God has blessed my life with some wonderful people, far to many to name. Everywhere I look in my memeory I see special people and I am reminded once again how blessed I have been all of my life.

My Father is dead, my Mom has a rare brain disease and is unable to eat, my oldest son lives in NE Ohio and my sisiter lives in North Carolina and both of them are unable to come home sooooo I am back at mother-in-law's. My father-in-law has been gone many years but we do have Tyler with us and yes, my mother-in-law still thinks she has to feed everyone she knows so we will have a house full again. I hope I still rate for the first shift at the table because I don't want to miss anymore of the game than is necessary!!!

Have a great Thanksgiving and God bless!!!!!

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

PRAYER AND FASTING STILL WORKS!

On Sunday, September 21, 2008 I asked my congregation to join me in prayer and fasting for forty days. My reason for this appeal was simple, I needed God's help in my life and ministry.

Allow me to give you some background. First of all I have not felt well physically. I had a triple heart bypass in April 2007 and for some reason I can't get back on "top of my game". (I have now been told I may have another heart blockage. This news comes from a stress test I took on October 13. I see my cardiologist on October 31.) Secondly I have been in limbo in regards to my vision for our congregation. When I first arrived at Meade Station we were able to purchase 43 acres of property across the street from our worship facilities. At the time many in our congregation felt the Lord had given us this property so we could relocate to more modern and friendly facilities. It seems however that all of our efforts have been blocked. My first thought was the devil was fighting us. But the more I prayed about it I began to see that it was not the devil standing in our way. Rather I came to the conclusion God was telling me now was not the right time to build. The recent downturn in our economy only reinforces my conclusion. I firmly believe the day will come when we can relocate into new facilities but now is not the time. Since this is where so much of my focus has been the past five years I had to wonder "what now Lord?"

It was at this point I knew I needed the help of my congregation. Thus on September 21 I asked the congregation to join me in forty days of prayer and fasting. My request was three fold. First I asked them to pray for my physical health. In conjunction with that I also asked them for help in shouldering the load of ministry our congregation demands. Finally I asked them to pray that God would give our congregation a united vision and sense of ministry.

So far the results have been tremendous. Thirteen people have come forward to help me with hospital visitation. Another eight people have felt a call to visit newcomers and prospective visitors. Three people have stepped up to help with children's church. Two additional people have agreed to help with our youth and one person has agreed to fill one of the biggest needs in our church. On top of all this we have had some outstanding services these past few weeks. People are visiting our altars and the Holy Spirit is moving in our services. Our fast will end on the last day of October. I am anxious to see what God has in store for us!

I have been very impressed by the number of people who accepted my challenge to fast and pray. The instructions were simple. I asked each person who could and would to fast one meal each day and to spend the time they normally would spend eating in prayer for the aforementioned concerns. The results so far have been wonderful and I believe the best is yet to come.

I am convinced God answers prayer and we are seeing Him do it again. Do you have a need in your life? I urge you to follow this same format and see if God will not move on your behalf.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

No Way Out? Open My Eyes, Lord!

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A LARGE PLACE

I have gone to church most of my life. I have been a christian for nearly 34 years. I have been a pastor for 28 years. Needless to say I have read the Bible a lot. I am not an authority on the Bible in spite of my years of reading and study but I am a student of the Bible. After all these years I am still amazed at how we can dig treasures out of the Word of God that we have never seen before.

Psalm 118 verse 5 proved to be such a verse to me. My Sunday night sermons this year have come from the Psalms. I am not preaching from the Psalms verse by verse or even Psalm by Psalm but I have worked my way through the Psalms beginning with Psalm 1 and preaching on passages that I feel would be helpful to our congregation.

A few weeks ago I found myself at Psalm 118. As I began to study the Psalm I was intrigued by verse 5. It reads as follows: "I called upon the Lord in distress: the Lord answered me, and set me in a large place." David is believed to be the author of this Psalm. He wrote this Psalm after experiencing a time in his life when he had been hotly pursued by his enemies and forsaken by his friends. Where could he go for help? Who could he turn to? It was in the midst of this dilemma that he remembered the mercy of God. Therefore he cried unto the Lord, the Lord heard him and the Lord answered him by setting him in a "large place". (You can listen to this message on this blog. It is entitled "The Mercy of God")

I have read this Psalm many, many times but I had never stopped to research what this "large place" meant. What I discovered has proved to be a blessing to me and to many other people these past few weeks. This "large place" is a spiritual place that only God can place us into. It is a place of three qualities. First it is a place of comfort. That is, it is a place where the weary soul can finally relax, be comforted, have his wounded heart, soul and mind tended to. A place where he can truly be refreshed and renewed. Secondly it is a safe place. Once a person enters this place with God the enemy can not break in and harm you any more. I illustrated it this way. When my son Tyler finally finished his enlistment in the Marine Corps he came home physically and emotionally battered by his two tours of duty in Iraq. Tyler saw a tremendous amount of combat and is the recipient of two Purple Hearts for combat wounds suffered. He was a bundle of nerves. He found it difficult to relax and it was almost impossible for him to sleep. I began to talk to him daily about the fact he was home. He was in daddy's house. No one could get to him. No one could harm him. He was safe! That is the kind of place represented by this large place. A place where the enemy can not get at us. Thirdly this large place is a place where we can truly be free. Do you remember how it was when you were a small child. You never questioned where your food came from or who paid the electric bill or if you would have clean clothes to wear the next day. You were able to live your life without fear or worry. You were free. That is the best way I know to describe this "large place". We just know that God is going to take care of us and all of our needs and we never question how He is going to do this.

The beauty of this "large place" is the fact that it is available to all of God's children. It is a place any of us can enter into with Him when we feel the world is caving in around us. I have been amazed since I preached this message as to how many people have been blessed by this thought.

Is your life in a state of turmoil right now? Do you wish you could run away from your problems but you know that is not possible? Then let me suggest that you begin to pray and ask God to take you into His "large place". Make time each day for prayer, study and meditation. Make the time to pour your heart out to God and give Him the time necessary to minister to your heart and soul and see if God won't give you the peace, hope and sense of purpose you now lack. See if He won't take you into His "large place" and minister to you and your needs as only He can.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

A Sanctified Church

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Faithful Stewards

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WHO WILL SPEAK FOR US?

On Friday July 25, 2008 a great servant of God and His Church passed from our midst, Dr. John W. Conley. Dr. Conley was was a great preacher and a great friend of preachers. He will be sorely missed by many people.

John Conley is the most recent great statesman the Church of God has lost in the last five years. A number of our great preachers and leaders have gone onto Heaven and they have left behind them a huge void that somehow needs to be filled. To say the Church of God suffers from a leadership crisis would be a gross understatement. It appears to me we are sorely lacking the type of individuals who have the name recognition among the Church as a whole and who has the overwhelming respect of the majority of our pastors to stand before us in times of upheaval or crisis and say, "This is the way we should go" and have an overwhelming majority of people agree with them and follow them and that person be right!

I vividly recall my first North Carolina General Assembly meeting. The people in attendance were wrangling over an issue that had been bothersome to them for quite some time. Being brand new in the State I had know idea what all the fuss was about but it was very obvious to me that several people were very passionate about the issue being discussed and no more than two of them could agree on any single point. I couldn't help but wonder what I had walked into. I had no idea who any of these people were and why this was such a big issue. After some time a gentleman in the back of the sanctuary asked to be recognized and was so recognized by the chairman. The gentleman stood to his feet and began to speak in a very even, sure voice. He was not upset. He was not emotional. He had simply been listening and assessing all the points of view that were being voiced on the matter at hand. In essence he stated he had been listening to all the different points of view and in his opinion he laid out very simply what he thought the Assembly should do. Everyone listened. More importantly everyone calmed down. What this man said made more sense than anything else that was being proposed. Someone made a motion to do what this good brother suggested and the motion passed overwhelmingly! The brother who stood and spoke was Forrest Plants, Senior Pastor of Hickory First Church of God. He had been in the state for many years and he had a proven track record with the Assembly members.

Such a person is what we are so sorely lacking on the national level at this current time. This is a common topic among pastors when we get together. People are very concerned for the future of the Church and we are floundering without the solid leadership we enjoyed in years past. I have been told by older ministers who are among those that have passed away that there was a time in Anderson when a contentious subject would arise in our national assembly and someone like Dr. Dale Oldham or Dr. Boyce Blackwelder could stand and speak and enjoy the respect and sentiment of those in attendance.

Who will replace the John Conleys, the O.L. Johnsons and the others we have lost in recent years? How can someone rise to their prominence in the Church today? Pastor Danny Goins and I discussed this very subject just yesterday during a chance meeting at the local hospital. Brother Goins has an interesting and valid opinion on this matter. He feels one of the reasons we no longer have people who enjoy the majority's respect as in days past is because we have no way of introducing our best and brightest to the Church as a whole. Years ago this was accomplished through our camp meetings and local church revivals. I think he is exactly right! Many of the people that come to my mind were great camp meeting and revival preachers. They went from place to place declaring the great message of the Church of God and people got behind them and their message. The vast majority of our congregations no longer host revival meetings. Furthermore our pastors no longer encourage attendance to camp meeting services and as a result camp meetings all across the country are dying.

These two trends are not so much the fault of the laity as it is of the pastors. If a pastor doesn't promote camp meeting people won't go. On the other hand if a pastor promotes camp meeting and people do go they almost always enjoy themselves immensely! They not only enjoy the services but they enjoy being with God's people. The same is true of revival meetings. When I was a child local congregations supported one another. We attended and participated in one anothers revival services. No more. Why? Are we afraid if we promote someone elses meeting we may lose some of our people to that host church? Are we so insecure that we think our people will hear better preaching than what they are accustomed to hearing at the home church? To me such thinking is carnal and childish. I came to the conclusion a long time ago that whatever church I pastor will never be "everyones cup of tea." Some will like what is served and stay and others will not like what is served and move on. That is life. Grow up and get over it!! There are much more important things at stake than our egos.

So I come back to my original question, who will speak for us, us being the majority of the church, those who have "seen the Church" and want to see the Church go forward in holiness and power? Church we need to pray for our leaders, both present and future. We need to plead with the Lord to raise up individuals who we can get behind and support. Men and women who will have the mind of Christ and a heart for God. Who will they be?

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

The Mercy of God

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TRULY GOD TAKES CARE OF US.

I was reminded yesterday how true it is that God watches over His children. When I arrived home from my office yesterday afternoon I went into my house, changed clothes, and went to a piece of property next door to mine that belongs to my mother-in-law with the intention of mowing the grass. Once I got on the riding mower, which is a 27 horse power lawn tractor, I realized the left front tire was nearly flat. Now I have a portable air compressor but a neighbor, that was much nearer, also has one. He and I often help each other out so I rode the mower across the road to his place and sought his assistance. Upon hearing my problem he plugged his compressor in, aired it up, which in turn made it possible for me to pump up my tire. Upon completing my task I said my goodbyes and started to leave. Now my neighbor lives on the side of a hill and I went down over the hill in high gear which I soon discovered was way to fast . I quickly lost control of the mower when it slid sideways on the embankment. Miraculously the mower did not turn over. It should have, but it didn't. I was thrown off the seat with my right leg on the mowing deck and my left leg wedged between the dash and the gear shift. I am scratched, bruised and sore but I could have been seriously injured.

I have a saying that I have used for years, "God takes care of those who don't have enough sense to take care of themselves." I know this is true because I have proven it to myself many times over the years. When I had my heart attack last year at Kentucky Lake I checked myself out of the hospital at Paducah and drove 400 miles the next day in order to get back home. When I had my heart catherization done a few days later they wouldn't let me up to walk for fear I would have a heart attack I was so plugged up!!! God takes care of those who don't have enough sense to take care of themselves!!! I could tell you many more stories but I won't bore you with much of my life.

My point is simple, God does take care of us and I praise Him for it. God has been so good to me down through the years. He has not only watched over me but He has met my every need. As a matter of fact when I now have a need in my life I do all I can in my power to meet that need but if my efforts are not enough I don't panic like I used to because I know God will come through for me. He always has and I believe He always will as long as I maintain my integrity before Him. This is not a privilege I exploit or take for granted but it is a privilege I know is real for God has proven Himself to me in this way many, many times.

Not only does God take care of me but I also know He always has my best interest at heart. I am convinced He wants me to enjoy life but He is constantly looking out for my well being. It is like He has given me a great big lawn to play in but He is always keeping His eye on me so I don't stray out of yard and into trouble. To me that is awesome!!!!

God does this for all of His children. He loves us all equally. He watches over us to bless us and to protect us. How about you my friend? Has God come to your rescue lately? If so be sure to share your story with someone else so they will know how great the God is that you serve and don't forget to praise Him for all he has done.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

A PERSON OF FAITH REMAINING FAITHFUL

This past week my thoughts kept going back to two popular Bible characters from the Old Testament, Joshua and Caleb. I have always been encouraged by the faith they displayed upon returning from spying out the land of Canaan with the other ten spies Moses sent into the land as recorded in Numbers 13. They stood in opposition to the recommendation made by the ten not to cross over Jordan and take the land the Lord had promised to them. Joshua and Caleb believed with all their hearts that God would give them victory over the inhabitants of the land and restore to them the land God had promised Abraham over four centuries before their time.

I am sure most of you know the outcome of this story. The people listened to the ten in spite of Joshua and Caleb's pleading to the contrary and as a result the Israelites were banished to the wilderness for forty years.

The thing that is most striking about Joshua and Caleb for me is the faithfulness they displayed over the rest of their lifetimes. In their heart of hearts they knew they were right concerning their report yet they endured the punishment of the wilderness along with the rest of the nation believing by faith that someday they would receive the inheritance promised them in Canaan. No one would have blamed them if they had thrown up their hands in disgust and left the camp. They could have taken what belonged to them and their families and struck out on their own and found somewhere else to settle far away from these weak, whining countrymen of theirs. But they did not. To the contrary they stayed the course and suffered through the next forty years as faithful servants of God. They did not complain. They did not cause problems. They did not instigate a petition against the leadership of their people. They simply trusted and served God faithfully for the next forty years.

In a time of God's own choosing, they as a nation, once again came to the banks of the Jordan River and God told them the time had come to cross over. The lesson for disobedience had been learned. Joshua the faithful servant was now at the helm of the people. He and Caleb were the only two men of fighting age from the original number of men who had fled Egypt that survived. They were now going to reap their reward for their faithfulness. Their perseverance is one of the greatest stories in the Bible. In my mind their faithfulness is more remarkable than their initial display of faith.

I have known many people who were both people of faith and people who were faithful. It seems that in each of the four congregations I have pastored over the past twenty eight years there have been people who have displayed this type of Godly character. They have faced great obstacles in their faith, they have weathered some great storms in their lives but they have remained faithful and God has blessed them in some wonderful ways. Church members who feasted on the memories of the past who trusted God through some tough days believing that even greater days were ahead. Wives who endured a lot of heartache at the hands of unbelieving husbands holding on to the faith that some day those same husbands would worship the Lord alongside them. Parents that refused to give up on an adult child that had been reared in the church but believed they knew better than Mom and Dad.

Many of us have exercised faith in times past. But that is not enough. We must also be faithful if we are to reap the reward God has in store for us. It is my desire to be faithful until the end. I do not want to be known for some solitary act of faith in my life when I die. No, I want to be known as a faithful servant of the Lord for the whole of my life. I want to leave behind an example my children and grandchildren can follow. I am not concerned with the accolades of men, I am concerned for the eternal well being of my loved ones. My greatest treasure in Heaven will be my wife, my children, my grandchildren and everyone else that God has given me the privilege to impact along this highway we call life. I am convinced the best way to accomplish that is to simply remain faithful to the Lord day by day by day until that final day on this earth comes for me.

How about you my friend? Are you faithful to the Lord each and every day? Are you pleased with the witness you display to those nearest to you? More importantly is God pleased with your witness and your faithfulness to Him?

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

Will We Allow The Church of God In America To Die?

During the week of June 22, 2008 I had the privilege of attending the North American Convention (NAC) of the Church of God. I arrived on Monday evening in time to attend the evening worship service and had the delightful experience of sharing the service with one of the pastors that I used to serve alongside of in Northeast Ohio.

The North American General Assembly of the Church of God (GA) convened at 8:15 am on Tuesday morning. As the first session began I was taken aback by how few people were in attendance compared to just a few years ago. I was unable to attend in 2006 due to my schedule and I missed last year due to my triple by-pass heart surgery. I am sure the drop off in attendance has been a gradual thing but having missed the past two years made the lack of attendance more noticeable to me. Back in the 1980's when I first started attending the GA it was not unusual to have 1200-1300 people in attendance. This was before provisions were made for congregational lay representatives to be allowed to vote. That change in our by-laws did not come about until the mid 1990's. I suppose we could potentially have 6000-7000 people eligible to vote in a GA today if everyone was in attendance.

As I sat in Reardon Auditorium that morning I couldn't help but notice all of the empty seats. I can remember one year when I and many other eligible voters had to sit in the balcony because there were not enough seats on the main floor. When a vote was taken during that session we had to come down to the main floor in order to be recognized.

The vote on our Annual Budget was taken on Wednesday morning as our by-laws call for. This is one of the most important items on our agenda each GA. This year there was less than 500 people present to vote. That for me was SHOCKING! It was hard to believe. Less than 500 people voted on a budget that impacts over 2200 congregations!

This lack of attendance begs the question, "Where have all the people gone?" As I stated earlier this decline in attendance has been taking place over a period of 15 years. It is the result of several factors. One: there has been a lot of dissatisfaction with the leadership of the Church over the past several years. My experience only goes back to 1985 so I am not aware of what might have happened prior to that time but I know that in the late 1980's a lot of controversy was swirling about Warner Press. As a result of the decisions that were made we lost Warner Press in the 1990's and when we did we lost a real treasure that had been a part of the Church of God Reformation Movement from its inception. This loss caused a lot of pain. A second decision of leadership that caused a lot of controversy was a study that was conducted by Leith Anderson. This study suggested that we completely restructure ourselves on a national level. The proposal of the study was adopted but it was not without grave reservations on a lot of people's part and it would appear our national leaders still struggle with this structure today. Then of course there was the infamous "homosexual" vote that was taken in the 1990's. A small group of people petitioned the business committee as allowed by the by-laws to have a vote on allowing homosexual ministers in the Church. This was voted down by an astronomical amount but the damage was done. It had gotten to the floor, something some of us never thought would happen. I mean how could it happen? We are the Church of God! Right? And then of course there was the failure of the Board of Church Extension. Millions of dollars were lost on speculative investments. Trusting congregations and individuals alike were duped by "church" leaders! How did this happen? How could it happen?

These things have taken a toll on the Church and consequently on the GA. But these are not the only things responsible for the lack of attendance. It is my observation that a number of our pastors have bought into the philosophy of other groups and other church leaders such as Bill Hybels and Rick Warren to name just two. Out of this mind set has come a disassociation with the Church of God. It would appear to me these pastors often lose a sense of allegiance to the Church of God. They still want to be recognized by our Movement but they want to "do" church like these other groups. The sad thing is it appears they often develop an "independent" spirit about themselves that insulates them from their fellow pastors and sister congregations.

This brings me to the third group in my observation and that is those pastors who are staunch traditionalist and who are close minded to doing anything differently than it was done say forty years ago. My biggest problem with this group is they sometimes seem to manifest a "holier than thou" attitude. They would want us to believe they are super spiritual. This attitude is just as divisive and destructive as the the aforementioned group. They too want to be recognized by the Church while they manifest themselves in ways that are totally contrary to the basic tenants of our teaching in regards to love and unity.

And finally we have a group of young ministers coming on who have never been exposed to the bigger picture of the Church. Their lack of participation is not entirely their fault. We older pastors who should have been mentoring these young ministers have failed them in not encouraging them to become a part of this aspect of the Church. We desperately need to begin to show a greater interest in our young ministers and take them under our wings so they can better understand and appreciate the larger church.

In addition to these things there is the big change in the camp meeting itself. With the demolition of Warner Auditorium we have been forced into the Wellness Center. I must confess it is nice to have air conditioning but the atmosphere is not conducive to camp meeting. We used to have 8000 people per night in attendance most every night some years ago and an overflow crowd on Wednesday night of 12,000-14,000, the night we commissioned our missionaries. Now we have less than 3000 people a service, far less than the combined total attendance of our two largest congregations in Anderson. Someone in the GA said NAC stood for "not a camp meeting". It sure feels as if they are correct! Something must be done to change this perception and if we would put our heads and resources together something could be done, of this I am certain. I am also certain the "loss" of Anderson Camp Meeting has had a huge impact on the GA attendance.

I came away from the NAC and the GA with the deep concern and belief that if we don't do something soon the Church of God as I have known it will die in just a few more years. If that happens what will be left? We will have a group of loosely associated congregations left to their own devices and their own vision for ministry. Without some accountability to one another we too will die in time. We can not and must not allow this great Movement to die. The only way to make sure that doesn't happen is to re-involve ourselves in the life of the Church. We need to be present to voice our approval on the things we agree with and to voice our disapproval on the things we don't agree with and be willing to offer alternative suggestions. Sticking our heads in the sand is not an option. Going our own way is to turn our backs on those who went before us and paid such a great price for us to enjoy what we do today.

I am urging every person who reads this blog to join with me in praying for the Church of God Reformation Movement. In order to be effective in our prayers we must also pray for our national leaders and out state and local leaders. We also must be willing to come alongside these brothers and sisters to help and encourage them in the work God has given them to do.

Will the Church of God in America die? It will if we don't take a genuine, biblical interest in her. Some people believe this can never happen. Open your eyes. It is happening and it is happening because we have allowed Satan to distract us with our pet grievances and/or independent spirit. Please my brothers and sisters I plead with you today, do not let the Church of God die or even diminish another iota on our watch. Lets do what must be done to make her strong once again!!!!

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

MY HERO

My hero was was born on July 3, 1919. He died on January 10, 1994. My hero was my Dad. He has been gone now for over fourteen years but I can honestly say there has not been a single day since his death that I have not thought of him.

He taught me so much. Not just how to do things but how to look at life, how to treat people, how to look at a problem or an opportunity and most of all how to trust the Lord.

My Dad grew up during difficult times. His father had a drinking problem and as a result my Dad left home when he was sixteen to live with his maternal grandparents. He loved those old people. They lived on a hillside farm in Lawrence County, Kentucky about seven miles from my current home. He joined the Navy in June 1942 and was assigned to the Armed Guard which was one of the most hazardous duties the Navy had during the Second World War. Two times his ships were sunk. On one of those occasions he was in a life boat with several of his companions for seven days before he was picked up by a rescue vehicle. He saw death face to face as a very young man. Daddy would never talk about his war experience. Naturally I was curious as a child but he always refused my questions. I guess the memories were to hard.

Dad loved the outdoors. I grew up around hunting dogs and guns. I guess my love for these things comes natural. He was also a great gardener. As a matter of fact he was known to many, and believed by many, to be the best gardener in our area. I have a lot of fond memories of my Dad and his old straw hat hoeing in the garden with a hoe his grandpa had made on his forge when my Dad was a young boy.

January 1966 was a turning point in my Dad's life for it was at that time he accepted Christ as his Savior. Dad's life would never be the same. How could it be!!!!! He couldn't get enough of the things of God. He would go far and wide to revival services. He would read his Bible on average two to three hours a day. He bought all kinds of commentaries and Bible study aids to help him get a better understanding of the scriptures. My Dad was a good man before he became a christian. He was a great man after he accepted Christ. No child could have ever had a better example.

My wife says the older I get the more like my Dad I become. Sometimes she is referring to my stubbornness but that is okay. My Dad wasn't perfect. But he had a lot more good qualities than bad. My hope is to be more like my Dad. He lived by a code of ethics that is so lacking today.

I have tried to instill in my boys some of the lessons my Dad taught me. For instance he always said to never borrow anything unless you absolutely had to and if you did borrow something always take it back better than you found it. I have always practiced that lesson. Another lesson he taught me was to always be respectful to other people, especially older people. I guess that is why I have such a fondness for older people even today.

My Dad was a person of great wisdom and he possessed common sense in abundance. Oh the times I have wished I could pick up the phone and call for his advise!!!

Father's Day is coming up this weekend. I sure miss my Dad. But he did something for me before he died that will make up for his absence. By giving his heart to Christ and living a christian life before me he gave me the assurance I will some day see him again. And by the grace of God I will. If you are a Dad have you given your children that same assurance? You should. You can. All you need to do is bow your head right now and ask God to forgive you of your sin and invite Jesus Christ to come into your hear to live and you can give your children the greatest gift a parent could ever give their child. Will you do that right now?

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

WHERE ARE WE HEADED?

A few days ago my wife and I visited a young couple from our church who had just celebrated the birth of their second child. Before our visit we stopped by the grocery store my brother-in-law owns in Ashland and picked up a few items we thought this young couple might enjoy. We left the store and then made our way to their house. In order to get to their house we had to drive past my mother's house, the house I grew up in and where I lived until I was 22 years old, and continued down that road for another four miles or so until we arrived at our destination.

We had a great visit with this couple and their two children. Upon leaving their house my wife wanted to drive back into Ashland so we could eat supper at Chick-Fil-A. Now our Chick-Fil-A is located on the extreme northwest side of Ashland and in order to get there from this young couple's house it was closer to drive on out their road (Hwy. 503) to where it intercepts with Hwy. 207 and turn right and go back to Ashland through Flatwoods. When I turned right onto 207 my wife immediately asked me "Are you sure we are going the right way?". What did she mean by asking me such a question as that?!!! We were in my "old backyard" so to speak. I know my way around that area as well as I know my way anywhere! Of course we were going the right way!!!

I continued to think about her question the rest of that day. As I thought about it I also thought about it in regards to other areas of my life. Naturally I thought about it in regards to the Church. When I thought of her question in light of the Church my heart was troubled. I love the Church. I owe the Church so much. But I fear the Church is terribly misunderstood and abused by so many people today. The Church as I see Her in scripture is alive and well. She is strong and resilient. She is holy, blameless, free of spot, blemish or wrinkle. Yet there are people who would like to drag the Church in directions contrary to God's will for Her. There are also many who hold a dim view of the Church because they do not understand the true Church, the Church of scripture.

The Church of God is safe! Make no mistake about that. Jesus said the gates of Hell itself could not prevail against Her. But the church that man contrives, the one man tries to parade before the world, is another matter all together. The scary thing about this is the fact that most people have never "seen" the Church of scripture which must be seen through eyes of faith. The only church they have ever seen is the one man has contrived and what is being touted as the church by man today is troubling to say the least.

Time nor space will not allow me to address this subject in any detail so I will not attempt to do so. But I do want to encourage you to search the scriptures so that you might learn the true identity of the Church, God's church, The Church of God. As you read and study the scriptures ask God to open your eyes of understanding so that you might truly see for yourself the Church in all Her glory, splendor, holiness and beauty. She is perfect,contrary to what many believe and teach today, without fault or flaw. How could she be any less? She is the Body of Christ. If Christ was perfect then His Body must be perfect. She is also portrayed in scripture as the "Bride of Christ". I cannot imagine Jesus being married to someone beneath Himself.

There are those who claim to have been harmed by the Church in all sorts of ways but I am of the opinion the Church, in the true scriptural sense, did not do any thing contrary to the way of God. Some who claim to be Her children may have acted in hurtful ways (I have been hurt by some such as these myself) but they were not of the Church with a capital "C". They were of the "church" which is an entirely different matter. That is where the problem lies. Far to few people can tell the difference between the Church and the church. To the unknowing eye there may not appear to be much difference between the two. But to those who have truly "seen the Church" there is no comparison.

So where is the Church headed? Is She going the right way? She sure is! She can go no other way but the right way!! She is on Her way to Heaven. After all She has an appointment to keep there some day! As for the church that so many people are wrapped up in today I have no idea where she is headed. I know this, many people are being led astray and hurt deeply by the false doctrines and practices of this church. And unfortunately most people do not understand the difference. What we must concern ourselves with is making sure we do know the difference between the Church of scripture and the church that man has contrived and that we keep our eyes on the Lord and our feet on the path that He would have us trod. If we do those two things then we will always be in the Church for we will be one of those who comprise the Body of Christ.

When God showed me the Church many years ago I realized I could never be happy with any thing else. In essence I was spoiled but spoiled in a good way. My prayer for you is that you too will see the Church of the scriptures and that you will strive to make Her all that God intends Her to be.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

NEW KNEES

This year has been an interesting year thus far because of something my wife has experienced. She has been given two new knees. I say given, that is not entirely true. I am sure they have cost a bundle but her health insurance has paid the majority of the expenses incurred. Lynn has dealt with really bad knees for the past ten years but there is now "light at the end of the tunnel" for her. What a joy it will be to get up in the mornings and be able to walk around free of pain. We are so anxious for the healing process to complete itself so she can have a part of her life back that she has not known for many years.

As a pastor of twenty eight years I have been involved in a lot of people's lives that have dealt with debilitating pain and/or handicaps that have robbed them of some aspect of their lives. These problems have touched both young and old alike. Some have suffered terribly.

As Christians we have both a promise and a hope of better days ahead of us in a place we call Heaven. It is a place to genuinely look forward to. I never realized how much so until my experience with my heart problem last year. On April 11 I suffered a "light" heart attack (Whatever a "light" heart attack is. It felt pretty "heavy" to me at the time!) For the better part of an hour I honestly thought I was going to die. I was saddened by the fact I was about to leave my family behind (or so I thought) but at the same time I felt a sense of peace that, to date, I have never been able to adequately describe to any one. I was ready to go! As a matter of fact for the next few weeks following that day I almost felt cheated (if that is the right word to use) that I didn't get to go. It would kind of been like someone telling a ten year old "We are going to Disney tomorrow" and then they didn't take you.

It is obvious that God had other plans for my life and I am excited to see the fulfilment of those plans. But the day will come when every born again Child of God will make it to Heaven and what a day that will be. Each of us will be given a new body, incorruptible, eternal, never to wear out again!! There will be a lot of new knees, hips, backs, etc. given out when we get to heaven some day.

I sincerely pray that each and every person who might read this blog has made the necessary preparation to go to Heaven some day. All one must do is acknowledge to one's self they are a sinner and confess the same to God and ask Him to forgive them of their sin and invite Jesus to come into their heart to live by faith and then you will be well on your way to making Heaven your home some day. And what a day that will be when we finally get there.

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

Old Friends

This past week I took eight other men with me (six from our congregation) to Concord, North Carolina for the car show that was held at Lowe's Motor Speedway. I had the good fortune to pastor the Branchview First Church of God in Concord for nearly ten years. The Lord blessed our time there in some remarkable ways. We saw a number of people won to Christ during those ten years. I naturally officiated a lot of weddings and funerals and dedicated a lot of babies. If memory serves me correctly we had about 45 babies born into the congregation during my stay. That is a lot of babies for a congregation that never exceeded 151 in average attendance for any year that we served there. Someone might wonder how that could be. You would need to understand how fluid the economy was there at that time. We would have maybe three or four new families move into our area from out of state while at the same time see the same number of families be transfered through their jobs and leave us. We got really good and unloading and loading moving vans!

One of the great things about my time there was the friends we made while we were there. Unfortunately many of them have passed on. One of the most notable people in my life was a friend I made there by the name of J.O. Fletcher. J.O. died nearly 19 years ago but many of the lessons I learned from watching his life still serves me well. One of the greatest of those lessons was the unwavering confidence that J.O. demonstrated in God's ability to take care of His Church. This was a lesson J.O. had learned from his walk with the Lord. On many occasions J.O. would reassure me everything would be okay when a problem arose because it was "GOD'S" Church and God would take care of the problem if we would only seek His face and allow the Holy Spirit to work.

J.O. is not the only friend I made while I was in North Carolina. There are several others such as Brett & Cindy Wood, Wimp & Bett Kindley, Bill & Atha Gray, Charles & Gladys Lambert, Frank & Barbara Patterson and a host of others.

Two of the best friends I have form that area did not attend our church, Clifford and Margaret Ferguson. They are dear christian people but they attended a Baptist church in the area. Clifford and I got acquainted through his sister Evelyn who did attend our church. We spent many hours behind Clifford's pack of beagle dogs, fixing fence, cutting firewood and doing a host of other things together. I moved from Concord on the 20th day of December, 1993 and yet during all those years Clifford and I have missed talking to each other only a few weeks in those 14 plus years.

I was reminded this past week how special all of those friendships have been to me down through the years. The same could be said of the other places I have served the Lord. All of this friendships came about because of our common relationship in Jesus Christ. He is my best friend and I have come to realize that almost every other great relationship I have with some one else is rooted in Him. These are people who really loved me. People who have prayed for me. People who wanted me to succeed. I was reminded last week how bland my life would be if it were not for my many christian friends. I was also reminded of the great contribution each of those friends have made to my life. I know where I would be without Christ but where would I be without my christian friends, nay more, much more than friends, my Brothers and Sisters in Christ?

I have learned this lesson: never take the people God has placed in your path for granted. Time may very well prove they are the greatest people you will ever know in this life!

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

NEW LIFE

We are about to embark upon a most beautiful time of year, Spring. I for one am looking forward to the coming of the Spring season. Our calendars tell us Spring is already here. The problem is, someone forgot to tell Mother Nature. It may be a little slow in getting here but it is coming.

For most of us Spring is synonymous with "new life". I am very blessed to live where I do especially during the Spring season. I live well out in the country surrounded by great tracks of woodland. In just a few days the hills around me will be covered in a glorious array of beauty. First the red bud trees will make their appearance. Then in a few days following the onset of the red buds the dogwood trees will blossom. Usually for just a few days both trees are in full bloom. When that time occurs there are few places more beautiful on planet earth than the hills surrounding my house.

Every year at this time I am reminded of the glory of "new life". And it is all because of God. He designed it and created it so we could enjoy it. There is another form of "new Life" that God designed and created so that we might enjoy it and that is the "new life" He offers us in His Son, Jesus Christ.

This coming October 20 I will have enjoyed 34 years of this "new life". There are many remarkable things about this experience of "new life" not the least of which is the fact it has never grown old to me. As a matter of fact each and every day brings something new to my mind or heart that causes me to marvel all over again at how great this "new life" in Christ really is! I am 54 years old in the flesh and 33 plus years old in my christian life but in my heart and spirit I still feel like a kid. And just like a child I still marvel at the things of God. I can not get beyond the "WOW FACTOR" when it comes to the Lord and the things He is doing all around me.

I carry a heavy burden on my heart however because of this "new life". I have a great desire to see my loved ones and friends, who don't know the Lord, to find what I have found in this "new life". For obvious reasons I cannot supply the names of those individuals on this site but you can be rest assured the Lord knows their names very well. Many of them I pray for diligently every day. I just keep clinging to the hope that some day they too will discover this wonderful "new life" in Christ. I look forward to the day the red buds and dogwoods "bloom in their hearts and souls" and they can experience the beauty of "new life" from within.

How about you my friend? Are you enjoying this "new life" in Christ? You can you know. All you need to do is acknowledge your need for the Savior, ask Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sin and invite Him to come and live in your heart by faith and you can experience this "new life" for yourself. I hope you will do that right now!

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

WHAT DID JESUS DO TODAY?

Holy Week or Passion Week. However you might refer to it this is in my opinion the greatest week of each year for the believer in Christ. I know from the general public's point of view Christmas gets far more attention than does Easter but for me there is no comparison. (See the article I penned for our March newsletter.)This is just a great time of year to be a christian!

As we live our lives this week do you ever wonder what Jesus was doing on that given day leading up to His crucifixion? The scriptures give us a lot of information and insight into His activities but they don't tell us everything. Do you ever wonder if He reflected on past events and cherished them once again in His mind and heart? Did He regret certain things? For instance did He regret the rich young ruler turning away from Him or the Pharisees failing to recognize Him as their Messiah? Do you ever wonder if He wished He could have had more time to spend with His mother or perhaps Peter and the other disciples? Perhaps He thought of the huge crowds of people he had ministerd to and wished He had another month or perhaps another year of ministry left in Him. There was so much more He could do!

Or do you ever wonder if instead of looking back in time He caught Himself over and over again loking into the future? Have you ever wondered if you yourself ever came to His mind? I mean is it possible that He may have said to Himself, " I must go to the Cross, Rob will need me."? It certainly is possible. As a matter of fact I think this latter scenario is probably more likely than the first scenario. He had to have felt He had finished all that the Father had given Him to do. His work was complete. All that was left to do was the things we read about during that final week. The greater work now existed in the Cross itself and all that lay on the other side of the Cross.

I have no way of knowing everything Jesus thought about on say Monday or Tuesday of that week but it is very possible He may have been thinking about you! As a matter of fact I believe there was little else on His mind at that point but all the countless millions of people who desperately needed Him to go to the Cross. I for one am so thankful He was obedient to the Father's master plan for your salvation and for mine. As a matter of fact He was the Father's ONLY PLAN!

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

WHAT'S MISSING?

For many years I have been hearing older christians say we need a moving of God's Spirit among God's people like we used to see in days gone by. If it is true (and I have no doubt it is) that the saints of old experienced something or enjoyed something of the Lord that we are not seeing in the church today then it is obvious that something is missing.

One thing we know for sure: God is the same today as He has always been. He has not changed nor is He going to change. So if something is missing it is missing on our end, not His end.

In my last posting I made a reference to the church I pastored in North Carolina from 1984 through 1993. The church was the Branchview First Church of God. This congregation came into existance in 1930 primarily through the efforts and prayers of four men and their families. They had attended a tent revival in Charlotte for several nights and was taken with the messages the evangelist was preaching on the church. They persuaded the evangelist to come to their city, Concord, North Carolina, some 25 miles from Charlotte, and hold a meeting there. A three week meeting was held and these men and their families left the Wesleyan Methodist church and "took their stand" with the Church of God. Upon their decision a brand new congregation was born.

Those first few years were very difficult. None of these men were men of substance in the worldly sence. The Great Depression had the entire country in its grip. Times were tough. But this new congregation flourished. How was this possible? They learned from necessity to totally rely on God! Out of their necessity and burning desire to fulfill God's will for their lives they developed a way of life that revolved around prayer and fasting.

I mentioned in my last posting this congregation regularly held all night prayer meetings. Now I do not want you to think this is something they did every week but it was something they did everytime the congregation was faced with a major problem, challenge or opportunity. Almost everyone in the church worked in the cotton mills that were scattered throughout the city. Most were owned by Mr. Charles Cannon and in those days Cannon Mills was the largest household textile manufacturer in the world. The mills ran around the clock. The members would come to the sanctuary and pray based upon their schedule. Those who worked day shift would come to the church and spend an hour or two in prayer before they went to work or they would stop by the church before they went home after work and pray. Those on evening shift would do the same as did those who worked the midnight shift. They firmly believed they would both find God's will for the life of their church and see God meet their needs if they sought after Him with all their heart.

In addition to the time they spent in prayer they would also fast. Fasting for them accomplished two things. One it had a spiritual sigifigance as fasting always does by bringing a person closer to God. Secondly they would take the money they did not use on food for that day and add it to their regular tithes and offerings to help support the ministry of the church. As a result of their faith and sacrifice God blessed the church in ways that they have never been blessed since that time in their history.

Somewhere along the way they grew to a place and level where they began to feel more comfortable in their faith and where the matters that confronted them did seem so urgent. Please do not misunderstand me. I am not being critical of this group of people. I love them dearly. I owe much to them for my christian and spiritual development. This change occured more than forty years prior to my arrival there. But on more than one occasion when we would be confronted with a challenge one of the older saints would tell me one of those great stories from their past how God had undertaken for them in times gone by once they had committed themselves to pray and fast. As a matter of fact it was while I pastored this congregation that I learned personally the value of fasting coupled with prayer.

Could it be this is what is really missing in our church and many of the other churches across this land and around our world? Could it be that the solution to our "power shortage" in the church is in our unwillingness to fast and pray?

This past Sunday morning I challenged our congregation to consider those things they would most like to see God do in their lives. Perhaps they have a child, spouse or some other loved one they would like to see saved. Maybe there is a problem in a relationship or a need for direction and guidance. Or perhaps there is a need to walk closer to the Lord. Whatever their need is I have asked them to pray and fast between now and our Spring Revival in April and see what God might do in our midst. Hopefully all of us are familiar with prayer but fasting may be new to some. Some may want to fast one whole day each week, abstaining fom all food and only drinking water or juice. Others may want to fast two to three days a week following the same routine as I just mentioned. Some find it easier to fast one meal a day for a certain amount of days per week. To me the key is this: coupling prayer with our fasting. This is what I have asked the congregation to do: however you decide to fast spend the time it normally takes you to eat that meal in prayer for the SPECIFIC ITEM you are concerned about. In other words this time of prayer must be in addition to your normal prayer time. If enough of our congregation will commit themselves to this endeavor I firmly believe we will see God do something of great signifigance in our individual lives and in our church family.

Will you take the challenge? Will you join us in prayer and fasting from the time you read this until April 13? What might we expect God to do? I can not say all that God might do but I can tell you this: IT WILL BE GOOD!!!

Just something to think about.

Being in the "right place".

We are doing a study of the life of Moses as contained in the Book of Exodus on Wednesday nights. This week we studied chapter 3, the chapter where God called Moses to Himself through the burning bush. This is such a powerful passage of scripture. As I shared with the congregation there are a number of great sermons contained in that one chapter. I will not take the time to post all the various thoughts I touched on in the service but there is one I think is worth some deeper attention.

You know the story. Moses was on the back side of the desert tending his father-in-law's sheep when he saw a most unusual sight. A bush was ablaze with fire yet the bush was not being consumed by the fire. Now Moses was a man of the outdoors. After all he was a shepherd and I am sure he had a campfire everynight for warmth and companionship. I have done a lot of camping myself and I have spent a number of nights alone in the woods or by a lake shore and there are few things as comforting as a campfire. Moses knew something about campfires. Yet this fire was unlike anything he had ever seen.

As he approached the fire God called his name twice. There is a beautiful message in that fact alone but that thought will have to wait for another time. God allowed Moses to come so far and then he was ordered to stop and to remove his sandals. The reason being, he was on holy ground. Now Moses was in a place where God could talk to him and tell him what He wanted Moses to do. He was in just the right place to hear from God. If Moses would have been any other place he would never have heard what God had to say to him. The right place was a place of God's choosing and Moses had to turn aside from the path he had been on and stand in the place of God's choosing to be able to hear from the Lord.

Could it be we don't hear from the Lord sometimes like we could because we are not in the right place? I am afraid we are guilty of wanting to meet God on our terms and on our turf. But God doesn't work that way. God wants to meet with us but we must always meet Him on His terms. If we want to hear from Heaven we must come to God in humility and submission where He is. Once we are in the right place, in the right Spirit we too will hear from God.

I believe God has much He wants to say to us. Once we are in the right place we will be able to talk to Him and we will be able to truly hear from heaven as the "old saints" used to talk about. When I pastored in North Carolina years ago the older saints used to talk about having all night prayer meetings and how God in turn did mighty things in their midst. I believe this happened because they were in the right place to hear from Him.

Where are you right now? Are you in the right place in your life to hear from God? You can be if you will look for Him and look for Him with all your heart!

Just something to think about.

Pastor Jordan

Brand New Blog

Hello all and welcome to the new Meade Station Blog. I'm hoping to have this blog from Pastor Rob weekly or daily as the mood strikes him. This is a great tool to keep us all informed in matters of our church. Check back daily to see what's up!