Pastor's Circle - Joseph Parker

Joseph Parker, Pastor of Trinity AME Church and Director of Outreach and Intercession at AFA, joined the Pastor's Circle to talk about the Word of God. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

What is the importance of the Word of God?

The Word of God is the mind and heart of God. As we teach that which God has commanded us to live by, it makes us productive and fruitful, whether we know it or not.

God's Word ministers to our mind, our body, and our spirit. It speaks to every aspect of life. 

In Mark chapter 4, the parable of the sower, everything centers around the Word of God. The devil knows he can't defeat it, so he focuses on getting it out of our lives.

Jesus said, "He that has ears to hear, let him hear." What are the implications of that?

After Jesus rose from the dead, he went to his disciples, cooked breakfast, and invited them, "Come and dine."

We think he's inviting them to breakfast, and he is, but he's also inviting them to feast on the Word of God. We often want to snack or nibble on it, but this is Jesus' invitation to us every day, to come and dine.

The Word is such a treasure, but many people don't realize that.

Is it worth reading the Word if you don't act on it?

God's Word is the Sword of the Spirit, it's our guidebook, it's our strength, it's our power.

There's all kinds of things we can do with it. We can read it, believe it, hear it, obey it, speak it, meditate on it. We can do any one of these things alone, but they all go hand in hand.

The Word is Jesus, and Jesus is in the Word. When an unbeliever reads the Word, he's interacting with Jesus.

It's important for us to read the Word, but to walk it out as well. A lot of believers trip up there. We read it, but we don't really believe what we've read. 

Deliberate obedience is an important part of our lives.

Pastor's Circle - Jerry Horner

Jerry Horner serves as the Executive Director of New Creation Ministries. He joined the Pastor's Circle to discuss the recent emphasis on having Jesus without "religion". Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

Can you come to Jesus without the Church?

People ought to realize that the Church is God's chosen instrument to carry out his plan for the redemption of the world.

The Church is so important that Jesus loved it and gave himself for it. There's no such thing in the New Testament as lone-sheep Christianity.

You never find the word saint in the singular in the New Testament. One of the most striking features of the New Testament is the body of believers. 

We're talking, of course, about the true Church.

What does it mean that Jesus and the Church are one?

A head must have a body. A head without a body doesn't accomplish much. Conversely, a body without a head is dead.

The Church is the body of Christ. The head gives the direction, the body carries out the desires of the head. We are one.

Why does the younger generation disdain the Church?

I think it's due to a misconception of what the Church is. Is it possible for a person to live without food, without air, without water, without nourishment? No.  

The world today seems to be dismissing the Church as a worn-out institution that is past its time. 

The farther we get from the New Testament picture of the Church, the more disdain the world will have for us.

But the Church will never die. The gates of hell will not prevail against it.

Pastor's Circle - Mitchell Tolle

Mitchell Tolle is the senior pastor of Man Of War Church of God in Lexington, KY, as well as an artist, speaker, and author. He joined the Pastor's Circle to discuss service to and beyond the church. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

Is there a certain power in bi-vocational pastors?

There's no question. First of all, we have very good company; the Apostle Paul was a tent-maker. We're out in the real world every day, not shut up in an office.

Also, I think it gives you a certain rapport with the people. We do not have a single full-time staff member at Man Of War. I think there is a strength in that.

All of the great revivals in history began in the marketplace, not inside the four walls of the church. Many times pastors don't even have friends who are not Christians, and I think that's a tragedy.

How imperative is it for believers to serve?

We cannot possibly begin to express the significance of that. The idea of stepping out from the crowd and getting into the game.

When David walked into the situation with Goliath, he was provoked by the question that confronts all of us: Is there not a cause? There is. The cause is that the world may know there is a God.

That need in all of us to serve God has come out in history by our serving idols, carving out of blocks of wood and stone. 

But David stepped from where he was, presented himself in service to the one true God, and God rewarded him with a great victory.

The reason we serve is that the world may know. There's an answer, there's an antidote, there's a Savior, there's a cross.

Spiritual gifts overlooked?

In the book of Romans, Paul actually lays out what some people might even think of as natural gifts. Leadership, encouragement, and so on.

We put more value on the gifts of tongues, or prophecy, or discernment. But all of the natural gifts are from God as well. 

Adam's gift wasn't to sing or preach; God simply wanted him to keep the garden.

Outside the church?

I don't think there is any such thing as a lone ranger. Even when you go outside the church, you're still operating as the body. 

So yes, all of those gifts are of use in the "marketplace" as well.

Pastor's Circle - Daniel Simmons

Dr. Daniel Simmons serves as the senior pastor of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He joined the Pastor's Circle to talk about spiritual gifts. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his segment.

 

How important are the gifts of the Spirit?

It is very interesting that you would ask that.  The last three sermons I have preached are on that very theme. 

 

God in his sovereign wisdom decides what the church needs and then gifts people to carry out the kingdom work.  

 

There is no aspect of the church or of kingdom mission that is unaffected by gifts of individual members.

How important is this idea of spiritual gifts in the smaller congregation?

The first congregation I pastored was a small church, only 35 members.  But I believe that congregation was just as important to God in the view of entire kingdom ministry.  

 

The gifts in that church are just as significant to work of the entire kingdom.

What is one of the biggest hindrances to finding your spiritual gifts?

We have to believe that these gifts are real.  God has given every believer a spiritual gift, but you need to believe that and accept that gift God has given you.  

 

We have a class at Mt. Zion that helps people understand what the gifts are and then gives them an inventory of the gifts.This helps people to employ their gifts.

What should a pastor do if they don't have these resources? 

Early in my ministry I realized that there were somethings that I did that I had a great passion for. I could work on them all day and not grow weary in them.  I loved doing what God had gifted me to do. 

 

Also, look around at spirit-led people and observe how God is moving in other spiritual people's lives.

What gifts are you seeing as most significant in your church right now?

Straight teaching to some of our young people that have not been raised in a Christian home.  

Another is the gift of worship, we have seen God moving in calling Mt. Zion to authentic worship.

What encourages people to go find out their own spiritual gift?

One thing is creating an atmosphere where if people come forward with their gifts they will be able to use those gifts in the church.  

 

We haven't always discovered the spiritual gifts that we thought we would, but God has surprised me.  

Can we end up celebrating some of these gifts at the expense of others?

Absolutely. Every pastor has his passion; he has his favorite gifts. 

 

One of my favorite gifts is singing, but I need to be careful that I don't overstep my desire to incorporate all the great singers in our church.  

 

That might give the impression that is all that the pastor is looking for.

Pastor's Circle - Gil McKee

Gil McKee, senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Tuscaloosa, joined the Pastor's Circle today to discuss giving at Christmas. Here are the "CliffsNotes" of his segment.

How important is service?

Absolutely important. Until we're serving, until we're using our gifts, I think we're actually robbing ourselves in the Christian life. 

I think it's important that we build up our brothers and sisters, but I think it's also important for ourselves. 

It's when we begin to serve them that we begin to benefit and have fulfillment in the Christian life. 

I think it's about living the way God has designed us. He has a purpose and a plan for each of our lives, and he has gifted us according to that design. 

When we serve, we are doing what we have been made to do, and I don't think there's any greater satisfaction.

Is serving inside the church the whole nine yards?

If we don't get outside of the church, if we don't go where people are, how are we ever going to reach them with the Gospel? 

Until we realize that the people we're called to touch are outside of our walls, we're never going to get out there and reach them.

Have we lost the service component of discipleship?

I'm afraid we have. There's nothing wrong with small groups; I think we need those. But Jesus used the small group to huddle up and then go out and serve. 

It's a little bit like football. I think we've forgotten that the huddle is for the purpose of running the play. We've gotten so comfortable with the huddle that we've just decided to stay there.

How should we be talking about spiritual gifts?

I think the bottom line is to get people in God's Word, to help them get an idea of what the gifts are, and even to help them realize they have gifts. For a lot of people, it's just a matter of recognition.

Pastor's Circle - Mark Durie

Dr. Mark Durie is the vicar of St. Mary's Anglican Church in Caulfield, Victoria, Australia. He came on The Matt Friedeman Show to discuss the spiritual impact of what we allow into our lives. Here are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

In your church, what kind of things do you encourage that promote a deeper spirituality?

One of the things I've found to be truly important is to be cleaned up. We come into church with all this baggage.

Obviously we need to repent, but how do we take that a step further? The process of cleaning up our lives is very important.

What are some influences that you've helped people deal with?

I've met some people who have a lot of trouble with gambling and things like that. A lot of times they had an experience when they were younger, and the imprint stayed on their lives.

I pray for them that God would not only take away the current problem, but also take away the imprint of that experience on their lives.

How do you "un-imprint"?

I think it's owning your own decisions, the things that you've bought into. Part of the key is things that you've come to believe that are false.

It's not just about rejecting the sin, it's rejecting the lies that Satan has brought into your life through the sin. Part of it is just a decision, but also a careful process of cutting off is very important.

What are some positive experiences that imprint on our lives?

Sometimes we encounter God unexpectedly and miraculously. Those experiences are important, and should be honored and treasured.

Peter's whole experience of realizing his own sin, and also God's grace and mercy had a huge impact on him. When we experience God's grace, we need to allow those experiences to shape us.

Are there any regular habits that leave an imprint?

I think it's to do with the way truth works. You can believe that something's true and know that it's right, but for that to really permeate your life, it's not enough just to have that one insight.

You have to nurture that in your life. We can claim what's good and healthy in our lives through meditating on what's true.

Pastor's Circle - Michael Catt

Michael Catt is the pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA. Dr. Catt joined The Matt Friedeman Show to talk about One Cry and America's need for revival. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

What is One Cry?

I've been in several meetings as this initiative was rolled out.

People from across the country have come together believing that this is the year to call the nation to revival.

It is a pivotal year.

How can we position ourselves for revival?

I think the first thing that we have to do is humble ourselves before God.

We have tried every program, and every scheme, and we've got the best technology in the world, but we still haven't seen an awakening in us like the revivals of the past.

One Cry is trying to get intercessors to bombard heaven, to try to get God to send revival to this nation.

Can technology hurt us rather than help us?

I think you're right. We are bombarded with noise, and I think it distracts us. We can tweet about God more than we can talk to him.

I think we need to be sure our first priority is having a relationship with Christ, and sharing that relationship with other people.

Is it dangerous to seek God's hand more than we seek his face?

Absolutely. We have limited revival to a meeting. We put revival on the calendar. Revival is where the people of God get their hearts right with God.

The reason the church is not impacting the culture is because carnal people don't care about lost people.

But when we get our hearts right, we will care about what God cares about. And one of the things he cares about is the lost.

What are some things that are keeping the Church from revival?

One is prayerlessness. The Church lacks power because it lacks prayer. When you study the history of revival, they have always been birthed in prayer and unapologetic preaching of the gospel.

The second thing is fear of man. We fear man more than we fear God, and it affects the way we live.

The third thing is pride. That's why you don't see people confessing and building relationships and getting right with each other. It's pride.

We call our sin a mistake, an error, a defect we were born with, but no matter what you call it, it's sin.

How can we make sure to seek revival for the right reasons?

I think it was Tozer who said, "When revival comes, some people who are in leadership in the Church will be disqualified." People have to decide either to go with God or to continue in mediocrity.

John Edwards was a leader in national revival, and he got fired from his church. Revival doesn't eliminate our problems, it just gives us another set. But they're better problems.

Pastor's Circle - Jeffrey Klick

Jeffrey Klick is the senior pastor of Hope Family Fellowship in Kansas City. He joined the Pastor's Circle to discuss ministry to the family. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

How does your church minister to families?

Part of what I think we need to do is to think outside the box of what we're currently doing.

Just about every study out there shows that we're losing our young people. Maybe we should refocus as to what we're really investing our time and money in.

Most pastors, if they're honest, realize that 90%  of their counseling stems from the destruction of the family. Surely there's more that we can do along those lines.

How can we become a discipleship church for families?

I think as pastors, we need to go back to Scripture to find our job description. There is a very narrow band of things we are to be focused on; prayer, ministry, devotion to the Word.

I would challenge people to ask themselves what's really important.

We need to reach out to the men in the congregation, the husbands and fathers, to encourage them to be the prophet-priests in their homes.

How can a pastor begin to minister to the men in his church?

I think you have to start spending time with them. Encourage them to take the message that we as pastors give them on a regular basis, and go and talk about it.

Urge them to start stepping into the God-given role that God has given them.

Pastor's Circle - Chris Lohrstorfer

Dr. Chris Lohrstorfer is the pastor of Hinds Independent Methodist Church and an adjunct professor at Wesley Biblical Seminary. He joined The Matt Friedeman Show to talk about Epiphany. Here are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

What is Epiphany?

It's actually an ancient feast going way back into the early centuries of Christianity. 

It commemorates the Magi coming to visit Christ. I think that story is important for a couple of reasons.

It's about the revealing of Christ to the Gentiles. The Magi come out of their pagan place to visit the King, and God was drawing them. 

It's a great picture of a God who wants to reveal himself.

What are some application points from this story?

First of all, I notice when the Magi come to Jerusalem, they ask for the King. But the people who should have seen him had not. It took the pagans coming in.

Second, Herod asked the religious leaders where the Messiah was born. Why didn't the religious leaders run to Bethlehem? 

I see the church in that. We say we believe, but we just sit there in the pew a lot of the time.

Another thing I see is that when those kings go and visit the Christ, they go back another way. And that's so true. When you see Christ, you cannot go back the way you came.

The primary thing I see in this text is that you cannot be king and worship the King. 

Now, the Magi weren't really kings, but when you look at them in contrast with Herod, they're willing to bow down to this baby who is King. Herod can't.

Because in order to worship him, in order to make him number one, you have to be something less than number one. 

When it really comes to giving him our lives, we have to lose our lives. And most of us would rather not.

This is going to cost you. It's going to matter in your life. The main problem is that we don't really want to lose anything when we receive revival.

People don't want to move out from the pew into the world, because it costs too much.

Pastor's Circle - Kevin Dodd

Kevin Dodd serves as senior pastor at Grant Avenue Baptist Church in Springfield, Missouri. He joined the Pastor's Circle to discuss . Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

How can a church get back to its purpose?

I think some of it comes back to getting back to some foundational things. 

What's our view of God? What's our view of his purpose? Why are we here? What has he called us to do?

I think sometimes we try to complicate so much, and sometimes we need to just strip away and get back to some basic things.

If you do that, it helps people knit together a little better. You see God's blessing, you see fruitfulness. It keeps taking you forward.

Why do we continue to do things when they've lost their effectiveness?

I think there are always programs or "ministries" that are legacied or institutionalized. 

Or even events; there are events that our church has done for decades that have lost their effectiveness in the community.

But something I've tried to present to our leadership since we came is that it's a question of whether we're effective.

I think we always need to be examining what we do, asking if it's effective, or glorifying, or even good stewardship. 

If not, even though it might be painful to us personally, let's move on and focus on our mission.

Pastor's Circle - Bill Ury

Dr. Bill Ury is Professor of Systematic Theology at Wesley Biblical Seminary and hosts the Hour of Holiness on AFR on Sunday mornings. He joined the Pastor's Circle to discuss the importance of forgiveness in our lives. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

How vital is a daily devotional life??

It's our life and breath. Without it, I don't think we can sustain any kind of vitality in our relationship with Jesus. 

It's the life's blood for anyone who has come to know Jesus and wants to know him more deeply.

We're all afraid of becoming legalists, but I would love to see a little more legalism in the churhc and a little less of the "anything goes" mentality.

I just finished reading the Bible, so I read the last chapter of Psalms, the last chapter of Proverbs, the last chapter of Malachi, and the last chapter of the Bible.

I was astonished by the common themes: praise, of course, but also incredible intimacy. 

The theme of fathers and children, the bride concept; the intimacy in both Testaments is incredible.

Why do people see daily devotions as legalistic?

I think it's our excuse. There's an aspect of the Judge coming into your life, but you're a child, you're a bride, you're a lover. 

Your response should be breathing back love and adoration and worship. Legalism is an excuse for us not to be about the hard work, and love is hard work.

What do we mean when we talk about the "means of grace"?

I think immediately of the way John Wesley talked about it. He said the means of grace are ways the Lord lets his grace into our lives.

But the means can quickly become an idol as well, taking communion and going to church.

Daily time in the Word is a means of accessing his grace in my life, no more and no less. Daily prayer, attending worship, the Lord's Supper, all of these are ways that God reveals his grace.

Memory of the Word is another means of grace. Singing the hymns of the Lord. Really anything we can do to draw closer to God.

Pastor's Circle - Rurel Ausley

Rurel Ausley, lead pastor of Niceville United Methodist Church, joined the Pastor's Circle to talk about the choices we make. Below are the "CliffsNotes" of his interview.

You're doing a sermon series on choices; what exactly is that about?

I've always been big on New Year's Resolutions. The choices that we make determine the direction we go, and who we are, and what happens to us.

What are some choices you've made that have impacted your life?

One choice is that I asked Jesus into my life. That changed everything I've ever done. Another choice would be marrying my wife. That has made the second most difference in my life.

Even today, I look at some choices I need to make this year; I think especially a new commitment to his Word.

That's a choice I need to make every day. When I do that, it makes a big difference in my day, because I sense his presence with me all day long. I need that.

I would say I need to work really hard to make sure I'm operating on my priorities. It's so easy to get sidetracked, to get trapped in other things.

What are ways that you've studied the Word of God?

One way I did for years, is that I read the Bible through every year. I've also just taken a book and spent some time in it. If your audience has never read the Bible through, I encourage them to do that.

On the prayer time, the most recent thing over the last four or five years for me has been contemplative prayer, trying to learn to just be silent before the Lord.

It slows me down, it gives me a sense that he's there, it gives me a sense of reality with him. I've enjoyed that, although I'm not really a "sit still" person.