Rejection.

No one likes being rejected.

But, if you believe in God’s sovereignty, it’s never just those who rejected you saying NO!

It’s God saying no.

God has the power to MAKE them say yes if He wants.

For whatever reason, a rejected resume is God’s way of saying…

That church isn’t for you…

That job isn’t for you…

For whatever reason.

I admit that when I ‘tested the waters’ to see if Pastoring is a part of my purpose, that when the church chose someone else over me, my ‘pride’ wanted to take it personal. The devil wanted me to think I wasn’t good enough.

Many times I will run into members who will tell me, “I wish we had chosen you”.

Have I sometimes been ‘in my feelings’? Yes.

Have I sometimes felt jealous? Yes.

Have I sometimes felt not good enough? Yes.

Do I sometimes think I’ve published enough pieces for a lifetime of sermons? Yes.

But, my wife will often remind me, “That wasn’t for you.”.

I’ve even wondered if God wanted me to start a fellowship.

I also know that the role of Pastor isn’t for everyone.

As an associate minister and blogger, sometimes within church culture, when you are’t in a ‘fraternity of pastors’, they can make you feel less important…whether intentionally or unintentionally.

However, my Senior Pastor W. Michael Martin, told me that I can reach and influence many more singers than he does.

The Pastor who ordained me back in 1996, Dr. Lonnie Black, told me that many churches don’t want a Pastor that speaks on the range of topics that you do.

From my preaching ministry, to my blog, to my published music, just like anyone else…

I want it to be a blessing to millions upon millions…

I want it to be acknowledged…

I want it to be valued…

But, most of all I want it to please God.

So let me encourage anyone else who has felt rejected. God has not rejected you. Trust that everyone He will make sure everyone HE intends to benefit from your ministry will do so.

WHEN GOD USES THE ‘N-WORD’…

STOP WHINING & DO WHAT GOD CALLED YOU TO DO!

BE BLESSTIFIED!

It’s been said that we only use a small fraction of the human brain’s capacity. I believe that’s true – thus, we limit our abilities. If we were able to utilize our entire brain, we could possibly achieve what is believed to be superhuman.

In much the same way, I believe that many of us only know a fraction of who God is because we have limited ourselves through the lens of the perspective of the church culture in which we were ‘introduced’ to God.

It may be the church culture in which we were raised…

It may be the church culture we chose as an adult…

If you are a member of the Body of Christ, take a moment and think about your church culture.

Think about how you approach worship.

Think about how you approach ministry outside of the church.

Think about the music ministry.

Think about the prayers… what topics are addressed during the public prayers.

Think about the sermons… What topics are addressed? Through which perspective are they addressed? What topics are avoided?

Our worship can sometimes be influenced by our past…our socio-economic status…how we experience family…how we experience America, or what ever country in which you live.

Many times our prayers and expectations can be centered around…

Our health…

Our economic status…

Our social views…

Our political views…

Sometimes we can reduce God to a genie in a bottle.

Sometimes we can expect God to worship our hopes, dreams, desires, expectations, pains, worries, our viewpoints when our worship is centered around these things.

Get the picuture?

Some people equate worship music to exuberant shouting, while others equate it being reserved and quiet…why can’t it be both sometimes?

The bulk of some church culture’s worship is centered around crying, lamenting and asking God for help, while others mainly consists of thanking God and acknowledging the beauty of His creation.

Historical example…

Christians during the Civil Rights Movement were introduced to God through how their ancestors experienced America…this varied based on race, geography, etc.

This directly affected how they worshipped, prayed.

It affected what songs they chose for worship.

It affected how they approached social issues.

It affected how they approached politics.

And, this is how they introduced and introduce God to the present generation.

How will this generation introduce God to future generations?

God is a healer.

God is a deliverer.

God is a keeper.

God is a God of love and kindness.

God is a God of anger and wrath.

God IS!

Psalm 71:18 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Now also when I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation,
Your power to everyone who is to come.

Have you ‘experienced’ God from the perspective and context of…

Oppression?

Abuse?

Success?

Addiction?

Struggle?

How you perceive freedom?

This is why we have ‘images’ of Yeshua as White, Black, Mediterranean, Asian etc.

Don’t limit your relationship to God and definitely don’t limit Him when you share your faith.

CLIQUE-‘ISH’ IN THE CHURCH (YEP, ‘ISH’ IS A EUPHEMISM)…

WHEN WE MAKE CHURCH ABOUT US INSTEAD OF GOD…

WHEN WE GO TO CHURCH EXPECTING GOD TO WORSHIP US…

CIVIL RIGHTS & SOCIAL JUSTICE SHOULD BE ‘A’ PRIORITY BUT NOT ‘THE’ PRIORITY OF THE CHURCH…

QUICK FYI: 4 REASONS NEW MEMBERS QUIT COMING TO CHURCH…

7 ‘CHURCHY’ CLICHES THAT WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL OF HOW WE SAY…

BE BLESSTIFIED!