Is God Going Out of Style?
Several months ago I had the privilege of appearing again on “Larry King Live.” He asked me a very poignant question, “Is this a Christian nation?” I immediately replied, “No. This is a nation with a lot of Christians in it.” Many times majority groups think that their views control the country, which for me as a Christian is a great idea. But what happens when and if the numbers switch and we aren’t the majority? The founding fathers created a democratic system that separated church from state so that, as a country, we could avoid the slippery slope of getting into the business of telling people what to believe. That is a job they left to be determined by the individual, the synagogue, the mosque and the church!
A country that has one national religion as its only compass is much more of a theocracy than a democracy. That kind of tyranny leads to witch burning, spiritual genocide, forced and fraudulent expressions of faith, and God knows what else. As wonderful as faith is, faith out of control can be lethal.
I love democracy because it is designed to keep the government from telling me when and how to serve communion, and it allows room for debate without dominance. Religious people will never agree on everything within or outside of the bounds of the church. Democracy allows that debate without polluting it further with political intervention as long as that debate doesn’t infringe on another human’s rights. Lately, it is my view that religion has become increasingly a servant to politics, and whenever a flame is needed to move a candidate or party closer to power, they ignite the flame of the faith community by playing on controversial issues and fear. This isn’t new religious jargon; it’s the same lingo that moved the civil rights movement forward. It disannulled the religious language that slave owners used to justify their hideous abuse of African men and women in our history. Communism enforced an atheistic view that denied its citizens the pursuit of an open practice of faith.
More wars have been fought over the name of God, the will of God and through the people of God than any other issue confronting mankind. Holy wars dominated the dark ages and filled the trenches of battle fields with the blood of young, hopeful men breaking the hearts of their parents - all for God
Recently, a very interesting article pointed to the decline of people of faith in this country. Aside from independent churches and Pentecostal groups, there is an alarmingly growing disinterest in faith. Why do you think these groups have seemingly escaped faith? According to recent statistics, faith in general has declined amongst Americans, and our citizens seem more and more disillusioned with it in any form. Only a few groups of faith seemed to be holding their own. Denominationalism seemed to be hemorrhaging, and this was beyond Christian groups, but also incorporated other forms of faith in general. In Luke 22:31 Jesus tells Simon that Satan has desired to sift him as wheat but that He prayed for him that his faith fail him not. There are many possibilities as to why the numbers looked so bleak. Here are a few for consideration. They aren’t all congruent; pick the ones that reflect your view or add your own:
- Religious people and their self-righteous piety have lost the respect of the secular world.
- We only show up to fight other people in the press, but never to love anyone or help anyone. We appear angry and militant.
- Or is it the opposite, we aren’t radical enough?
- We have not remained relevant in a society that is ever evolving.
- We have allowed our message to become contaminated with politics and self-interest.
- We are too focused on capitalism and greed.
- The numbers are lessening because the country is growing and constantly taking in new people and groups from other parts of the world.
- The coming generation isn’t raised with the faith views that we were as children.
- Historically, the more economically secure a society becomes, the less faith centered it is.
- Faith groups are locked behind stained glass windows while other groups and ideas have taken their messages to Hollywood and elsewhere, reaching people where they are, rather than asking people to come to them.
- The growing emphasis on education, which includes a more evolutionism approach to creation and a scientific view of the world, moves people from the ambiguous explanations of faith.
- America needs revival.
- Faith is leaving organized religion and becoming a matter of personal relationships that are seemingly more meaningful than associations incubated behind hallowed walls.
Now I am not saying that these are the reasons for the decline in faith, but rather possibilities. I want you to weigh in on it and share what you think contributes to the decline. Or do you think there isn’t a decline at all? Is it more aptly stated that our country has more diversity and with it comes the infusion of more and more people whose views are less traditional? Are we as people of faith losing our majority rule in this country? Has faith failed America as it threatened to do with Simon? Has it failed you? Are you less or more committed to your faith? If you are committed, are you less vocal about that faith? Do you witness more or less nowadays than people did when you were young? I would love to hear from non-Christians, agnostics, Christians, Jews, Muslims and any others who may be lurking in the shadows of my database. Thanks for thinking, writing and sharing. Ignorance is a curse to any people.
On a closing note, I wanted to let everyone know that my latest movie, Not Easily Broken, is being released on DVD today. You can pick it up anywhere movies are sold, or buy it online.
All my best,
Bishop T. D. Jakes
Thank you Bishop Jakes for bringing God back in style to all people!
I am 44 years old and I have been saved for nearly 40 years (He said come unto Me as a child…I took Him lieterally). I must say that over the past 5 years I have grown weary of organized religion. I still do go to church, but I am increasingly in search of deepening my personal walk with the Lord. I have witnessed so much hypocricy and greed within “the church” I wonder have I become disillusioned.
Yes I agree what you are seeing, but we as saints of Christ Jesus have to pray , bind, loose
and be alight. Don’t loose fouse being save by Christ Jesus is not a feeling but a fact . We
have to also let the devil know we will not conform but be transform by thw renewing of our
mind. So please pray with me in the name of Christ Jesus that God will set our brothers and
sisters free and that He take the blinders off the eyes of the unsave.
I’m 33 years old, divorced mother of two. I was raised by a single mother and deeply loving grandparents. It was not uncommon to be in church 3 days out of the week, the other 4 we ( our church family) were at my grandparents for Bible study, choir practice, or some type of youth outing! :) I learned the Word, to respect it and cherish it, from the seasoned saints ( my grandparent’s friends) and how to apply it through the good times and the bad. But now as that generation has gone on, I feel like my generation has forgotten about God. I too have seen how greed, status, and selfishness has changed that face of the church. I stop going for over two years because I was tired of the two faces of the church folk ( from the pulpit to the back door!). But now I have such a pull to return! Not just for me but to lay that foundation for my kids. My faith is the only thing that has kept me over the years ( child abuse/molestation, spousal abuse, depression). I want my kids to have the same joyful memories of church as I do. .
Powerful and thought provoking topic. The response that this a a nation with christians in it is so true in my opinion as well. The balance of powers and government through democracy is another crucial point as well. The decline or the Godless so call society I believe is due in part to the education and available information that is out in our society today. We have more to choose from at our disposal, and the doubt of God himself has crept in not only our society, but also our churches. Every plant that my heavenly Father have not planted SHALL be rooted up. When our parents and grandparents could barely read, they believed God and believed His prophet and so did they prosper in the things of faith. Now… Let’s keep the faith and make the Good News of Jesus Christ relevant to this generation, like it or not God is in His society!
One the greatest challenges with faithI think christians are facing has to do with satan knowing his time is winning up. I know for my self I am facing some adversity in my life that I could have never imagine. Some of this adversity leaves me crying fasting, and praying at the same time. my life seems like a nigthmere for which I am anxious to wake up from, however God has a plan but in the mean time I have no way out so my faith begin to crumblele when the intensity of satan and his cohorts meet me with more drama on top of the drama or should I say adversity that I am already dealing with. Satan is using this evil to cause mens heart to fail them because delivereance has not show up and here come some more testing of our faith with no relief, to be found. After all job was tested in the same manner therefore some of us can look forward to being tested in the same manner
Good afternoon Bishop Jakes,
I am a single mother and as of April 2007, a widow and I dont believe that God can ever go out of style. I am from The Bahamas, Nassau to be exact and in my country you hear about God EVERYDAY, despite the many tragedies that happen from time to time and the many unsaved people walking our streets. God is EVERYWHERE, and He can never disappear because He only lives through the eyes of man by His works, but He is always present in the hearts of those that believe in Him.
I do agree that there are so many distractions plaguing our society that keeping God a number one focus is a challenge, however, because we are not disciplined enough to stay grounded in His Word and determined enough to cloud the world with His Word and the testimony of those who have been delivered from satan’s peril, it seems as if God is being overshadowed, but this is not so.
I am only 25 and though I have had my challenges becoming a widow at 23 and being date raped at 15, struggling each day to take care of my children ALONE, I have not given up on God. He is not an on/off switch that I can just press to adjust how I feel about Him, though sometimes my choices in life and my way of living affects my relationship with Him. The reason I mentioned my struggles is to make this point: some people have to experience hardship to know God and what He can do in their lives; others automatically know Him through what they’ve been taught growing up and by His Word; there are also those that come to know Him by witnessing His works in action and so forth.
I feel some people want to accept things that are only beneficial to them and not use what they have recieved that may not seem beneficial to them, to the benefit of someone else they come in contact with. Although it seems like the world has changed so much from the Biblical times, it truly is alot like past times, except for the technological and fashion advancement of our modern generation.
It “seems” to some people as if God is going out of style, because there is so much negative around us, which we all know, is a result of a fallen world. The saying “when in Rome, do as the Romans do” is somewhat the mindset of some people. We must be mindful that the earthh is satan’s paradise, it is a sinful world, so what surrounds on this earth, will be sin, sin and more sin, thats the harsh reality of it all. On the otherhand, Heaven is a different story, God will never be placed on the back burner. Why? Because Heaven is for those who held firm in their beliefs in Him!
The problem with us today is that we MUST see to believe. In past times, when God spoke, regardless of how He spoke, MOST people obeyed! Not us, we must see someone crippled begin to walk or see someone who was blind, now able to see…yet at times when this happens, its still not enough for that person, because they would then give credit to surrounding circumstances for the person’s healing and not God.
Luke 18:8b{Nevertheless, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find FAITH on the earth?}
Judges 21:25{In those days there was no King in Israel (No Order) every man did what was right in his own eyes}
1.Anyone felt a breeze lately, dont know where it came from or where it went but you can FEEL it?
2. Anyone took a breathe lately, air mixed just right?
3. Last call,,,who evented the Chicken?
God go out of style.. Never, Its in the Blood, I thank God for such a profound Preacher, Teacher, such as Bishop Jakes, Church definetly out of style, Christians? Let the redeemed of the Lord ,,say so…
4.Love the foundation of the world, he keeps the sun in sky, the rivers flowing.
5. Everything in the earth accept{People} does what the Lord created it to do, Trees grow, sun gives light, water refreshes, restores, animals for food and clothing, People with Dominion, Power an Authority? We are destroying and devouring ourselves, God is the same yesterday, today and forevermore, he has not changed, Have You?
Peace and Blessings be upon you TD Jakes for allowing the spirit of the Living God to use you.
Is God going out of style? Well lets see, Did you breathe in air this morning? The sun, what holds it in the sky? More you say, I been wondering who evented the Chicken? Oh, the water how does it keep flowing? Still yet, the breeze, don’t know where it comes from or where it went, but this one thing holds true, You can feel It.
Thank God the Father, the Blood of the precious Lamb Christ, and the Holy Spirit , that they cant go out of Stlye, we will all go with it, as we are his style.
Bishop, thank you for this insightful blog. I agree with most of the possibilities for the decline of faith in this country. On a personal note, I am a Christian who is committed to my relationship with the Lord, but I have noticed that I don’t witness nearly as much as I used to. I’m ashamed to admit but it seems to be a “live and let live” mentality that I struggle with now. Our society has become so “politically correct” I feel like I’m intruding on people’s private life, time and their own ideaologies whereas before I truly felt like I was introducing them to Life itself. This used to not be so much of a struggle for me, but now it is. It seems to me that people used to be more welcoming of someone carrying the true banner of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but now the unbelieving give you their list of reasons why they live and believe the way they do before you have an opportunity to share with them. It’s a hostile environment sometimes. I just keep reminding myself that I will not be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because it is the power of God unto salvation.
Dear Bishop Jakes
I think your so on point we have come to that place in Math where Jesus said many would fall away with lifes issues and be more in love with money themselves and hate would be something we would see in our life time, its sad to see how many have left there walk with the Lord. I have been studing for the past 9 yrs to get ordained, And have finely got my ordination. I know God saves and we have to work hard no matter what is going on and though i have had people tell me as a women i shouldn’t I see that the need is greater then myself and I have to be faithful to the Lord no matter what the world thinks or does. thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord and helping other’s reach there God given potiental. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
Minister Nancy Hosek
you hit on all the points but the three main reasons are generational gap. education, and society. I am from west Africa and faith is the center of our lives even non-christian, but American society has had a great inpact on me, not for the better. i have faith but it is not as strong as it was.
Good evening Bishop,
What an honor to be allowed to comment on your article today. I believe that it depends on what region of the country you’re in that determines a lot of what people believe, however, in receiving my spiritual eyes, after really asserting my faith, I’ve found that there are more women that are faithful than men. I see a consistent reliance on money versus God and that is one of the most dangerous things to plague a society. Often times the ones with the most capitol are the ones that act the most ignorant, and I say that non-judgementally but based on facts. Our young people are hoarding wealth to the harm of themselves, as spoken in “Eclessiastes” and they don’t realize it. Faith that really causes one to excel is really not an easy acquisition, so for the few that have it, we must encourage them to do great things for God, so as to encourage others to step into there rightful places within the kingdom. If it wasn’t for your tape “Keep on Walking” I may very well have not received my spiritual anointing and the ability to bypass the things of this world and be blessed with the insight to fight the demons that were attacking me. I thank God for you daily and join you on enlightening the world to Gods amazing gifts and grace. I love you Bishop and may you and your family stay blessed forever.
Sincerely,
Anthony T. Stringfield
I THINK THAT IF WE LOOK AT FAITH THROUGH THE EYES OF NUMBERS THEN WE MIGHT SEE A DECLINE ACCORDING TO WHAT WE SEE BUT FAITH IS MUCH MORE THAN THAT, WHAT I THINK GOD IS DOING IS REVEILING TO US WHO TRULY UNDERSTAND WHAT HE IS DOING NOW.WHO TRUST IN HIM OR THINGS,HOUSES,BANKS,CARS AND HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT LOOSEING THEM APART FROM LOOSING HIM.FOR EXAMPLE JONAH AND HOW HE FELT WHEN GOD KILLED THE VINE IN JONAH 4. THE QUESTION IS THAT IS FAITH IN THE U.S.A.(THE VINE) MORE IMPORTANT THAN NINEVEH(THE WORLD)? FAITH HAS NOT AND WILL NOT FAIL,THE ANSWER WILL COME THROUGH PRAYER, FOR EXAMPLE DANIEL CHAPTER 9. THANK YOU.
Decline of Faith. I have read the reasons that were stated and all of them could contribute to people moving away from God. I have had conversations with people who are dissatisfied with “church” for the following reasons. Some are still made at God because a loved one died and He could have healed them. So, in this case we have hurt and unforgiveness. Our brothers and sisters in Christ can be cruel, arrogant, and very judgemental, especially if they feel that they have “arrived” since becoming a “someone” in the church. Jesus said to come as you are, but the “Church” doesn’t seem to share His opinion. If you smoke or do not dress appropriately, forget it! They want you to “clean up” before you come to church. I thought that that was the job of the Holy Spirit, not a judgement for the “Holy finger pointers”! They seem to have forgotten how to show the love of Christ. The “Chuch” is always wanting something from you, and not willing to give, whether prayer, a kind word, a listening ear, or financial help to those in need. People are tired of hearing about God’s love and not seeing it in God’s people. The actions of some of our respected ministers, no matter what denomination, has also turned people away from God. We are viewed as hypocrites when it come to our love walk. Not every Christian or church is this way, but there are more than a few out there making a bad name for those who trully love God and people. They preach about helping the widow and the orphan and don’t practice it. They talk about prayer and give long eloquent prayers with no sincerity. You come to them crying and in need of comforting and they give you a quick scripture and send you on your way. They won’t take a minute to pray with you, because they have a guest speaker and do not want things to run late. What is more important to God? They teach us that we are not to be in debt to anyone as they tell you to run to the phone with your credit card making it sound as if you can buy a miracle. Some ministries sound like a late night infomercial. To sum it up, I guess people do not feel that they need God because His people aren’t very different from the sinners. They just have more rules to follow. People have mistaken religion for relationship. If they had someone to show them God’s love who really had a relationship with God, then they would want what we have. Maybe we should all look inside of ourselves to see what kind of fruit that we are actually bearing. Less talk, no condemnation, and a spirit of humility might be a good place to start. Also, people need to know that bad things still happen to those who believe in God, but He will help you through it. I am living proof. In 2000, my husband died, followed by the death of my dad the next day and four years later the hostage taking of my son and some of his friends. The children survived the ordeal, but not the young man who took them. I too have been let down by the “Church”, but I still love God and give Him the praise for the fact that I am still here and have a sound mind. I would like to thank you Bishop for the many sermons that as you were preaching, I felt as if you were talking directly at me which gave me hope. Without good ministers such as yourself, I would have trully felt alone. I know that God is always with us, but sometimes we need to hear the Word from someone that we can see and believe really cares for those who are hurting. Thank you for all that you do and I will pray for you and your family.
this article is very helpful. the main factors affecting our faith now in the environment where i am lively is that of self interest, not reaching out to people and also that members feel like faith is failing them.
this leads me to ask the Bishop, what do you do when you feel like your faith is failing you?
it has always been my desire to be on the man of God’s blog
I have been very upset regarding the leaders. It seems as if there is a great fall in the way with the pastors. I know that we are supposed to keep our eyes on Jesus but we have a bond and a great love for our pastors, which is only human. I have been in several churches where the pastor has been taken down, the church closed down. That left us with no where to go. This is very discouraging. Not in God but in organized religions. The only thing that keeps me going is the scripture that says, God will raise up leaders, and gather them from the north, south, east and west. He will raise up a nation that shall obey.
This keeps me going. I believe in my heart that God has pastors of his own heart, that will love God and love God’s people. We just have not met them yet. If God said it, I don’t know where they are, but I believe it. I just hope and pray that I can see it and be a part of it.
Faith has never failed America neither has it failed me as a person. Faith simply, cannot fail as it is a divine force that is ever kinetic propelling people towards God’s design for them. America, pathetically is sitting on a precipice of moral aberration such that if people of faith do not intercede, we may go the way of Europe where Christianity has become old people’s. In as much as the founding fathers built America on a solid foundation of faith in God which is made manifest in our motto, “In God We Trust” and has given us a world known cognomen, “God’s Own Country”, they were circumspect enough to separate Church from State but that separation which has given us almost unlimited freedom, we have grossly abused and taken for granted. In the name of freedom, decadence, depravity, immorality, deliquency and villainy have enthroned themselves in our lives, in our homes, in our political landscape and in our social life, making America the center of all evil attraction. What we need to do at this critical time in history, knowing that the coming of Christ is at hand, is to expend all energy within us in prayer for God’s intervention in America because a morrally perverted nation cannot play effectively, the role we are born to play in world’s affairs. America must retrace her steps back to where our forefathers left us and that is an unequivocal faith in God. We are indeed, God’s instrument of peace and freedom for all the different peoples of the world. God bless America!!!
Amen and well said to Kingsley Ogbuji.
The clear and powerful comment so far!!!
May God shines on you again and again!!!
MB
Thanks Denise and Miguel
This is a very interesting article and Bishop Jakes you are to be commended for asking the question, “Is God going out style?”. The one area you touched upon that yells out to me is relevance. In the area in which I live it appears that the relevance factor is either not given much though or any consideration whatsoever.
If our churches aren’t relevant then how can we expect others to want to come to us. Throughout the gospels, we can clearly see that Jesus was relevant. He met people where they were, not by reducing himself to their level, but in a manner that allowed Him to open their eyes and desire to reach the levels He exhibited.
Adorned in our Sunday best as a means of portraying godliness serves to turn more people away as it has crept in like the wolf in sheeps clothing to say to those who do not have the suits, dresses and hats “you aren’t good enough to be here if you can’t wear a dress or if you do not have a suit to put on.” While some may not be saying this, their actions are speaking loud and clear.
In some cases denominationalism has allowed the dictates of man, rather than man being led by the dictates of the spirit, to feign spirituality, which has kept many people stuck in their thinking with regard to God. Thus church on Sunday has taken on the mode of “habit” for those who do not want to leave and for others it has ran them away.
In order for our churches to be all that Jesus intended for them to be (keeping in mind I’m talking about the people and not the pristine edifices that we enter in Sunday after Sunday), we must do as Jesus commanded Peter…”feed my sheep if you love me.” Shutting out the need to be relevant has, in my estimation, the potential to say “if you’re not like us, then too bad for you.” Instead our churches need to show others “how” to be just like them (provided their lives actually portray what they actually believe) by reaching them where they are and pointing them through God’s word in the right direction.
I minister to youth weekly, and I make it a point to keep the word as relevant as possible, without diliuting it so they will find that God is so much more than just a building, and that being a Christian is so much more than a title. It’s a lifestyle that’s in style.
For me, my faith is getting stronger and since reading Dr Myles Munroes book “Rediscovering The Kingdom” two years ago, I find it easier to “be” a witness and to voice my faith because people don’t reject the Kingdom message. What people have rejected is how we tell them Jesus is the only way without showing them the Kingdom.
My understanding of the Kingdom kept us in our home when we almost lost it, kept our daughter in School when they threatened to kick her out because we couldn’t keep up with the fees and, it has deepened our relationship with Jesus Christ as well as strengthening our faith.
I’ve argued for a long time that the Church building has become our prison and we actually can’t and won’t speak to people outside of these walls because we’re not comfortable mixing - some of us, unless we’re preaching. As Christians, we’ve removed ourselves from society due to our lack of understanding of the scripture “we’re in the world but not of it.”
I do believe a shift is happening right now and whilst there seems to be a falling away from faith, there are people who are beginning to understand how much influence they can have in the marketplace and this is where I believe revival will come. With this economic downturn, I believe we have the opportunity to speak to people’s hearts and see people change because the truth is, people are desperate for the truth and we have that message. We however have to learn how to vocalise it.
Blessings,
Trish
This is so true. We are about to have the opportunity of a lifetime, and it the churches current responsibility to Prepare and Educate their sheep! If we are fully prepared with a knowledge and understanding and are able to ’share’ this truth with those who are desperately searching due to this economic condition - we can reach these wonderful people in a NON OFFENSIVE, NON JUDGMENTAL, NON CONDESCENDING manner. Just open arms and acceptance because that is the way JESUS did it.
And the other problem, in my opinion, is that there aren’t enough hugs. People/society has this barrier to protect them from being emotionally weak. But the thing that will make me cry even just watching it at church…is when a person is really struggling w/a situation and is crying & upset, moved by the Holy Spirit, etc., and someone gives them a hug (and I’m talking a good hug, when you’re arms are wrapped around them and they can bury their face in your shoulder) and they begin to break down sobbing…..in their arms….Hugs from people, should be considered God’s personal hug….his comfort….that should make anyone feel better…instead of uncomfortable…..God is our Father..and what dad doesn’t want to hug their child sooooo tight when they are hurting??? Wouldn’t that be revolutionary if that’s all it took? :0) Just a thought….
-Faith groups are locked behind stained glass windows while other groups and ideas have taken their messages to Hollywood and elsewhere, reaching people where they are, rather than asking people to come to them.
There are many reasons why people resist faith in the true God Jesus Christ. But one of the biggest reason is the one listed above. Some Christians are afraid of the “secular” world that they forget to build the kingdom of God. There is even a debate over the pop, rock and rap Christian music, I have heard Christians argue that these genre’s are too “worldly”. What kind of sense does this make! These talented young and women are singing for the glory of God and adding to the kingdom of God. We need to reach those who need saving, by showing them the love, mercy and power of God, by bringing God and all of His glory to the unsaved.
Another thing: I am a new Christian, I was just saved by Jesus in Nov 08′. Before I was an agnostic/borderline atheist. While I was in the world, allowing the devil to fool me, I came across many Christians who were trying to add me to the Kingdom. Two people were horrible, they were not living by the standards of God or the fruit of the spirit. One was mean and angry (not towards me) and the other was a outright fool, lol. My point is AS A CHRISTIAN WE SHOULD WANT TO ADD TO THE KINGDOM, by living out the fruit of the spirirt. We cant come to people saying “God is the way” and living as if the devil is our father. Because I have God, and I tell everyone who I encounter about His peace and joy and how He is real and wonderful and glorious, I live this way. I am happy when I greet people at work, I am always eager to lend a helping hand, I show mercy to people, I listen to people, I encourage people. Because I represent my father God, I choose to love people even when Im correcting them. So lets as Christian rep. for our Father God, and make Him look good, as we add our unsaved and lost brothers and sisters to His kingdom.
Thank you Bishop,
As a Pastor of a small country church, I see a trend developing with our church leadership that could be deemed as ‘pandering’ to a certain people group rather than preaching the inerrant Word of God. I’ve explained this trend with an analogy that is fitting: If you were to take a restaurant that served bad, tasteless food and place it in the best demographic location, it really wouldn’t matter much simply because of the quality. Their business will suffer. On the other hand you can take a restaurant that serves the very best food and place it 40 miles from town, and people will flock to it no matter how far it is. What we see in our area is this: People are leaving the more prominent, ‘mega’ churches that offer tasteless, slanted preaching for the rural country churches that offer the real meat of the Word. In my particular situation, we are looking into the possibility of expanding our resources with a new building project because we are bursting at the seams. The people that frequent our church as visitors express a desire to go deeper with the Lord, and express some mild animosity towards their own church where the preaching has become biased, stale, and slanted towards a particular people group. The Pastors that don’t pander enough do not have any longevity with the church. The people want someone that will ‘tickle their ears’ (2nd Timothy 4:1-4)
Bishop your article hits it dead on, but what is the solution? Is it correct to say: “This is the beginning of the end as we know it?” God says to “Occupy till I come”. What more or what less as a born again christian can be done?
Hi Bishop Jakes, First Lady Ms Serita and Family & the entire Potters House Family,
A special hello from the Virgin Islands (BR). We pray for you all and enjoy your teaching of THE WORD OF GOD. and look forward to your visit again soon. Thank you for the monthly partner gifts
One major area of concern appears to be the adoption of atheism as a “state religion”. This is evidenced by the movement to remove any mention of God, particularly, the Christian God from public discourse. The vicious attacks against Sarah Palin from some highly visible quarters illustrates the point. She clearly stated that she is a woman of Christian faith. She has the unfortunate experience to have her daughter become pregnant out of wedlock, a trend that is becoming dominant in our society. Her daughter, from her own painful experience, has publically advocated abstinence as her preference in hindsight. Both Mrs. Palin and her daughter have been villified in the liberal media. It seems that the “anything goes” and leave the unwanted consequences to be shared by everyone, particularly those who are perceived to be rich, is in vogue. As a nation we are losing our moral and spiritual compass and are degenerating to the state where “every man does what is right in his own eyes”.
Good Morning Bishop T. D. Jakes…
A brief answer to this question about faith and me…I cannot lose the substance of things hoped for…and the evidence of things not seen…Its how I live…my faith is all I have, My faith is what I teach to my grandchildren, so they are able to see the hand of God move in all our situations good and bad, Faith is and remins alive here in this family dispite churches, and the world views, Faith is Bishop!!!!
All my Love,
Your Spiritual Daughter in Christ,
Nancy
It’s great to hear from you Bishop and I always look forward to your stimulating and challenging views. I concur with almost all your suggestions for the decline in faith but my top three have to be that:
1 - We have not remained relevant in a society that is ever evolving.
2 - We are too focused on capitalism and greed.
3 - Faith groups are locked behind stained glass windows while other groups and ideas have taken their messages to Hollywood and elsewhere, reaching people where they are, rather than asking people to come to them.
Having been a Christian for over 15 years two things have become prominent. The focus of christians (not all) on personal wealth and the way churches have increasingly become less relevant to society. While society has been changes, the church has largely stood still. I remember when I first got to London, some of the churches were quite innovative in what they were doing and they even attracted people who were not christians because of their creativity. Fifteen years on, they have not changed and are still doing what they did back then.
I also believe that the prosperity message has to a larger extent changed the focus of a lot of christians. Don’t get me wrong I do believe that chrisitans should prosper but so should everyone. Our churches have become places where people come to listen to a lot of preachers give them systems on how to acquire wealth.
But I do think the greatest challenge of the church is the fact that we have walked away from the vision Christ gave us. Before Christ left the earth he gave the church through His disciples a specific vision outlined in Matthew 28: 19 - 20. This vision we commonly call the great commision. What I see nowadays is that churches do a lot of good things and programmes but they hardly contribute to the vision Christ gave us. My question is why should God annoint what He has not sent us to do. If He sacrificed His son for us and gave us a vision and we decide to follow our own vision(s) obviously God is not going to bless what we do. So a lot of our churches have resorted to a lot of man made gimmicks to run our churches while they lack the presence and power of God.
I strongly believe that if all of us as Christians go back to doing what Christ told us to do, we will once again get God’s backing and power will return to the church. We are dealing with a creative and advanced world and nothing we do in the church mesmerises them. The only way we can really touch and win people is through God’s power working through us.
This is a tricky question and frankly I can only go by my own experience as to what decreased my faith. I had a lack of understanding of God, the things of God and how to read and discern between things that are spiritually linked to my mind and emotions and things that are purely physical. I couldn’t read the bible because I couldn’t except that God would send a plague to protect His people or send His people into war to protect their land or to seize a land. I only saw and therefore believed in a God that loved everybody and therefore when the world was saying anything goes (forget the ten commandments), God will forgive all things and you have to do nothing because its all just human nature I believed it. The more choices I made for the world the less and less of God’s presence I felt and knew in my own life. A persons choice to believe or not believe can be influenced by what they learn in school with theories of evolution and scientific approaches to understanding. Science is great, so don’t get me wrong. I believe in science but like all things it is a gift of God that often gets misused as the greatness of man at work in his world not a world given to man by God. I too wrapped God around my knowledge of evolution over what the Word said. I stopped going to church because church folk can be cruel, uppity and often in black churches I found (not a general statement but what I found) things are valued more then people. Even with the best parishoners the congregation…no thanks. In white churches you weren’t right if you weren’t white and they could only see a black person as an impoverished African not an equal…so degrading. So basically the churches didn’t practice what they preached and therefore if you needed spiritual help that help was not in the churches. I was astounded when God lead me to this ministry and Joyce Meyers ministry that the God I know was really being preached about and His word really taught. I was astounded. By that point in my life I had lived enough without Him at the helm to know that God can have a heavy hand and not just a gentle stroke and I was able to understand the vulnerability of one left to his/her own sin and devices and how destructive sin is and is meant to be upon our total lives.
However, even recognizing that, it is not the fault of the church when people want to do what they want to do because often the church can seem as something “in the way” of doing whatever pleases oneself. I had the opportunity as still a very young woman to sit in on a bible study and gain undertanding from aware Christians but I walked out because I could not except a God of responsible living and being and not one that just loved me and answered my prayers and thus everyone else too. Many people have a serious problem thinking that God has a select few. They misunderstand doing His will and knowing the blood to be putting oneself above others on the earth when it is just saying that I believe you God and prefer you over the world.
I’m sorry, I believe in separating politics from church because God wants people to choose Him not to be forced to choose Him. But this country without God through Jesus Christ as head is like any other place. What happens when our leadership decides it is no longer purposeful to have God on our money, in our schools, or identify themselves as Christians. I’m a Christian. I love Jesus Christ. When my leader doesn’t, he is not my leader. He’s just the head of where I’m at. Thank God, we still have a Christian leader. I feel sorry for the direction of the people in this land and the world because given tragedy, turmoil, consequences for wrong action, the many still choose their way and not God’s. That’s ultimately a soul decision not one any other man can make for you.
I do believe that people are losing faith, because they don’t have faith in Jesus, they put their faith in the people at church. The preacher preached blessings and the people seem to only be cursed, so they say God lied. But the truth is the false prophet lied not God. We have began to chase the wrong things. When I first got saved God gave me a special anointing to be a soul winner and a gospel rapper. Everywhere I preached or performed soul got saved. Instead of the leaders embracing that they put up road blocks, because they felt threaten. This is not in my mind neither, this is what happened to me. They told me I needed everything they had, but the truth is they needed what I had, because the anointing is what destroys the yokes. When I tried it their way, my ministry was not as effective, so now I’m back doing it Gods’ way. You got to have the Spirit of God deep down in the inside, before you can change the lives of people on the outside. You can only offer them what you have. Our leaders have money, but few have the power of God working on the inside, so they offer the people what they have. And money can’t save. I’ve meet and talked to you Bishop and I can say that you have the Spirit of God on the inside and money. That’s why the people love you. You got so much to offer. I fought my way back to that place in God where few go and the anointing has been restored. I thank God for giving me a second chance. My name is Ren Rock, a servant of the most high God. Thanks for your time and may God always bless you.
Bishop Jakes,
Great stimulus for discussion! I agree with a couple of points personally;
1.We are too focused on capitalism and greed.
Just about every church that you step into now, you receive the “Prosperity Doctrine” of ministry. I believe that the congregations are becoming disillusioned by this, because the majority still continue to struggle with finances. Every week you hear some minister saying that “We are not in a recession in Gods economy”, but the people in the pews still dont have enough ends to make things meet!
2.We only show up to fight other people in the press, but never to love anyone or help anyone. We appear angry and militant.
This ties in with the first!
3.The coming generation isn’t raised with the faith views that we were as children
4.America needs revival.
Now this may be real difficult for some Christians to understand, because i have been baptised a Christian, but I would prefer the term I am a woman who believes in God.
I have found that God is so much more than what the church has ever taught me, especially when it concerns being a Christian, people in general tend to look at things and agree with things only if they understand it.
I believe what needs to be brought back to the church is how to love ourselves, and nuture ourselves, only then will we ever truly know and understand the real beauty, purpose, and gift of life.
only then we will understand to really love and understand eachother regardless of our cultural, religious etc, differences.
Its weird on how Christians teach not to judge, but in my experience some Christians seem to think this does not apply to themselves.
I just want to say please can we get back to basics, in the church and teach people to look inside themselves, and pray for understanding into their own behaviours and attitute. We let past experiences sometime cloud our judgement and thinking, we need to ask God to help us to renew our spirit, and clean out our clutter.
God will answer your prayer and be prepared to be shown things about yourself that will shock you, sometimes the truth hurts, but its all part of a process to understand who you really are. I have done this and still going through this process it has taken me while and I have a feeling I still a long way to go, but ive made a start into trying understand myself with the help, guidence and love of God.
God loves each and every one of us, he is always with us and always will be. God does not have a preference or a favourite, God loves us all.
God Bless you.
xx
Bishop Jakes, I am apt to agree with you that it does seem that faith has been diminished. Most of us (45+) can remember when you did something wrong, there were consequences. Nowadays, it seems that bad behavior and backstabbing is not only applauded, but encouraged. I believe that is why our President (Barack Obama) has had such an impact on the world because he and his family display the virtues of what a real solid family is like that can pull together and still maintain their integrity. I belive there are other people in the public eye in and out of the pulpit who are looked up to, but have “let us down”. I believe that people in the pulpit sometimes have ulterior motives and I’ve been in churches where the minister has actually attacked (the character) or manipulated members for their own gain. People don’t go to church thinking I’d better watch my back or the pastor is going to throw me under the bus! In fact, that can keep them away and they would much rather choose to worship in the privacy of their prayer room at home either on TV or online. This isn’t a cut on ministers in general because I come from a background where my grandfather was a minister, I was married to a minister and the majority of my friends growing up were ministers. Yes, they are human but they have to realize they also have to live upright and flee even the appearance of sin. On the other hand, America loves to build up the underdog as high as possible just to bring them down with hard a hard thud and mock them. I think there is a myriad of reasons, but my faith looks up to Jesus The Christ and not man. If we could remember that and be delivered from people; who by the way can be used by any spirit that they allow to enter them, we can fly with the wings of eagles above the craziness and maybe someone seeing this will follow our example as we follow Christ.
In this time of recession, I know that my faith has increased. I put my trust in God & not man. So I still tithe & work faithfully in my local church. I have even accepted my call to preach the gospel. I just think that scripture is being fullfilled that there will be a great falling away. Is America a Christian country? No, it isn’t. But the intercessors have to stay on the wall wailing for America so that she can return to her first love. When we make prayer the foundation of the church, that’s when we will see God heal our land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
One more thing, many people are taught that the Bible has been changed too many times to be accurate and not to listen to TV ministries (evangelicals) because those on it are only out for money (cons) some are, but I know now that many aren’t. I had to still choose to hear God over my sin nature, over logic and reason and to hear what my own heart was saying to understand that though and make a faith decision through constant prayer to trust God’s leading over all else.
Thanks, Bishop. I can tell you that God is certainly in style as you are likewise. You never cease to impress me with your positive spirit, your knowledge of the Bible, and your extensive vocabulary. I often compare your word choice and delivery with people like President Barack Obama. Our Lord has blessed the world with unique presentation of the President and his family while it simultaneously improves speaking, writing, reading, and improved verbal test scores-a blessing, indeed. I will continue to listen to your
wisdom through your powerful words. Continued
Without faith I would be lost I will always have faith ,and trust in God with all of my heart. No matter what what going on in the world I know that the Lord will provide. I will pray for people that don’t know God. We’ve have to hold on to God unchanging hand. Thank you Bishop Jake for being who you are God be with you and your family. God has the whole world in his hands.
Wow Bishop,
I’m being challenged on so many perspectives here. I agree with so many of the analogies here, because as a result of furthering my faith in the midst of so many tumultuous trials, I’m beginning to see where true faith leads to an anointing that allows one to recognize evil spirits. I’ve been struggling for 25 years to get back to the place where God called me to evangelize to the world, and it’s been an uphill, frightening climb to get back. I’ve been leaning on God and the forgiveness of Christ to make a statement to the world about how great God truly is. I won’t go as far as to judge anyone’s church, because just as there are different baits used when you’re fishing, I believe God uses different bait for catching men. The problem is many folk don’t know what they’re fishing for, or what kind of fish they are for that matter. But I challenge each and every christian to run this race as if there the only one running and then they will truly make a difference in fulfilling the great commission. The responsibility is to those who have matured to break out of the box and deliver the God honest truth to a lost generation, no matter who’s doing what, get busy. Again I love you Bishop, and please anoint me with your prayers.
Sincerely,
Anthony T. Stringfield
As I read through the list of possible reasons for the decline in Christian faith one stood out more than others until I came to your last paragraph, “On a closing note, I wanted to let everyone know that my latest movie, Not Easily Broken, is being released on DVD today. You can pick it up anywhere movies are sold, or buy it online. “So then my answer changed and here it is: We are too focused on capitalism and greed. My question is, “Why is the gospel for sale?” Sometimes when I’m watching Potters Touch and the message is so riveting then it ends. the advertisements come and it seemed to me that I would have to “buy” the word. I faithfully tithe to my local church and I give offerings; so financially supporting the kingdom isn’t an issue for me. I have bought plenty of Bishop Jakes and others books and DVD’s but just for once I would love hear a message from Bishop Jakes on TV in its entirety. Don’t just wet my pallet to sale me.
“Is God going out of style?”
I do feel sometimes like Robyn, why sell the Gospel? I have been crushed after being blessed by the meontion of money, since my mind goes defensive thinking about bills and all the stuff that I want for myself. I also practice tithing to my local church and it is true that it tends to become a trend that there will be some advertisements for every single message that comes from Bishop TD Jakes, then again nobody is perfect. I know this isn’t the best argument, but we all fall short of our commitments at one point or another. This brings me back to the subject we are all so interested. Personally, I try to leave or forget about God because of everything happening or that happened, but He doesn’t seem to give up on me and for me, like the apostle Paul says, there’s nothing that can separate me from His love: Depression, Recession, Disbelief, Doubt, Lazyness, Jobless, I will take them all to Him since He is ok with that. I think the main issue is that we do not know who we are and who God is. It starts and ends with identity then actions can take place.
Robyn,
That is a fair question and I thought you deserved an answer. The reason the messages are for sale and not delivered free is that the time on television isn’t free. It can cost millions of dollars for a ministry to air on television at any decent hour. Like water, which is also free but for which we are billed because of the pipes and people it takes to get it to us, TV ministry has a bill to it that doesn’t start with you, the consumer but with us, the provider.
The “tease” of a short version message isn’t for the purpose of stimulating sales. We could buy an hour and show the entire message, but it would only double what is already an expensive bill that many ministries, mine included, have to pay to the networks to get on the air. Recently, my ministry, just as many others around the country, has had to lay off people from due to the bad economy. I agree that too much emphasis on money isn’t good that is why our show only airs 3 minutes or less of ads, or other announcements of up-coming events. Three minutes out of thirty minutes is a tithe of the show time. We hope that our viewers get enough to hear the crux of the message, and if not, the message is available to the parishioner free if they come to church service on Sunday. It is when one reaches beyond the pews by TV, which has a bill, or travels by air to speak, which is also an expense, that cost is involved. Most people do not think that the ministry has to pay for the time, TV personnel or shipping of product, but we do.
Trying to run a ministry with volunteers who work some other job doesn’t work efficiently, as volunteers lose interest over time, are usually not available during standard business hours, etc.
I hope this information helps to further this discussion.
All the best,
Bishop Jakes
God bless your family and ministry i am a senior and yes God is real with me and masses
i know and this makes us want to serve God and continue to be prayer warriors God to keep God real.. and in style .Keep preaching Gods word it is so wonderful. My parents kept it real and in style
and their parents before them did and we will continue to pass it down to the other
generations to keep GOD in style. BLESSINGS KEEP UP THE GOOD WORKS.
The movie we saw here was simply wonderful.
Hello Bishop Jakes,
First, I am sorry that you do not know that our country is a Republic. At least that is what our orginators designed. Also, if you will notice as you read statements by our founders that they always gave prayers in Jesus Christ name before they began their assembly meetings. The Constitution was formed after the Ten Commandments. Moses and the Ten Commandments are sculpted and sit above our Congress. Washington D C is full of reminders of the fact that we are a Christian Nation. Yes sir, we were formed for Christian freedom, freedom from Govt. domination. ie the Revolutionary War. Our learning institutions from their outset, such as Harvard was a Bible School when it orginated. Thus, we were formed as a Republic which is the purest form for allowing FREEDOM, the least amount of Govt. control.
When people have an accurate picture of our true History as Americans they can see clearly that the form of Govt that is taking place presently will be total Govt. control over our lives and our bank account.
The sad thing is that in our schools for several years now, they have not taught accurate history. It has been a part of Liberal Socialists agenda. If you will remember at one time we all knew that people who lived in the country that had a Communist agenda had infiltrated our schools, thus the changing of our History books and taking Jesus Christ out of our schools.
Today we are seeing the end of the Church Age and we will be walking into the true manifestation of THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
II Thess 1:10.
Thus there is a very necessary separation which many are not making; but those who are spiritually alert and spiritually sensitive are responding to. Jesus is knocking on the door of our spirit and telling us to come up into His presence and He will show us things to come.
Isaiah 60:1-3
“Arise shine; for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the Earth, and gross darkness over it’s people;
But the Lord shall arise upon you, and His Glory shall be seen on you. And the Gentiles shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.
Hello Mr. Bishop TD Jakes
I am been throught alot in life and i had to change my ways to better me and to better my family. I have to be an role modle for my 3years old son. I have faith in god. God is the reason why i am here today god is the reason why he blessed me with an marriage and kids. But i have faith strong faith, because thats theonly thing that keep me going every day. If i would not have the Lord and faith in my life i dont know where i would be today. I have an question what if your spouse dont have faith at all what could you do to make this person believe?
Hello, I think that the knowledge and the power of God is first unseen and unheard, it comes out of you at a time you least expect it, you can’t control it, for God is a Sprite. moving, living, breathing, peace, love, joy, these thing must be obtaine in the sprite, first. otherwise then it is you and not God in you reconsileing the world unto himself. How many people think that they can do anything without Sprite of GOD? Who will let God used their body today? The only one that know god is he that was shut up in GOD and decleared him.So the will to do GOOD can come through you but it’s realy not you, it is Christ in you the hope of glory. Knowing this let us cast down imaginations that keeps us from moving to the next leavel. HOPE then LOVE which is the more excalent way.As a Believer it is not up to the world to bless me, to be nice to me to treat me with kindness or to be good to me, BUT I made a GOOD confession to god and to the world that I am a child of GOD in CHRIST and must be a blessing, show kindness and do good to them that for spite fully used me.Noone has to be my friend but I am a friend to them, no one has to like me, but like them, no one has to help me but i will help them. Why because GOD did all this for me. I hope this helps someone. Give god a chance to do for others what he did for you.
I FEEL THAT BECAUSE LEADERSHIP HAS DECLINED, THIS UNFORTUNATELY HAS CAUSED A DECLINE I N THE TRUE FOLLOWERS. YOU ARE ARE A GREAT AND TRULY HONORABLE SERVANT, NOT BECAUSE I SAY SO BUT BECAUSE THE LORD SPOKE THIS TO BOTH MY WIFE AND I IN REGARDS TO YOU BISHOP JAKES. MANY PEOPLE HAVE JUST BEEN PLACED IN LEADERSHIP POSITIONS WITHOUT ANY ANOINTING WHICH DESTROYS THE YOKE, SO THIER FOLLOWERS HAVE LITTLE OR NO POWER AND WHEN THIS CONTIN UES TO BREED EVENTUALLY THE PEOPLE OF GOD NOT THE WORD OF GOD BECOME WATERED DOWN ALMOST TO NON EFFECT. PRIOR TO MY RETIREMENT IN 2007. I HAD SUCH A PASSION OF GOD WHERE I WORKED UNTIL PEOPLE TRIED TO LABEL ME CRAZY, BUT THE STRANGEST THING IS THAT EVERYBODY I NCLUDING SOME OF THE ADMINISTRATORS WOULD ASK ME TO PRAY FOR THEM, YES THEY WOULD ASK THE CRAZY MAN TO PRAY FOR THEM AND EVEN THOUGH SOMETI MES IN MY FLESH I DIDN’T WANT TO PRAY, AS A MAN OF GOD I DID AND DIVORCES WERE STOPPED, SOME WHO WERE IN TROUBLE WERE PRAYED OUT OF TROUBLE AND SOME WHO WERE SICK WERE HEALED IN SOME INSTANCES ALMOST I NSTANTLY. I FEEL PEOPLE HAVE BECOME I NTIMIDATED TO LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT JESUS IS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOUR, BUT I WASN’T AND EVEN THE HEAD BOSS KNEW THAT MY GOD WAS GOD. WHEN PEOPLE AS A WHOLE GET BACK TO SERVING JESUS IN THE REALNESS THEN AND ON LY THEN WILL THEY BE ABLE TO SAY, THEY WHO KNOW THEIR GOD WILL BE STRONG AND DO EXPLOITS. JESUS IS LORD, BUT HE WILL NOT DWELL IN UN CLEAN TEMPLES. HE IS NOT LOOKING FOR PERFECT PEOPLE, JUST SUBMITTED PEOPLE.
Bishop Jakes,
I thank God for you.
Recent generations seem to be easily persuaded. We don’t rely too much any more on what we were taught, if we had the fortunate opportunity to have parents who vested themselves in us. We seem to be easily persuaded by what is presented to be “new and fresh” especially if it is packaged to fulfill the deceitful nature by which it was sent.
I was fortunate to grow up in church. Although I had alot of questions, seeds of faith were planted so that I would ask questions and pursue the answers as I continue(d) to walk through adulthood.
All of your points are relevant.
Deception in America is rampant. We are led to believe that what we see actually is and that is not true. We have to want to seek the truth and be able to recognize truth when truth presents itself. False doctrines have caused people to not trust in a true and living God. People will buy a counterfeit, all the while wanting the real thing.
And so Christians who know and walk in the truth have a responsibility. We must get up from our confortable pews and while in our homes and on our jobs and in our businesses speak on the truth of who God really is and believe that as we speak, He will confirm everything He has spoken in His Word. Will everyone listen? No, but each one of us that walks in the truth can reach one with the truth and lift the Savior up. I believe He will do as He said and draw all men unto Himself.
The world is turning and changing and God remains the same yesterday and today. Greetings Bishop T. D Jakes. Thank you for opening us a perfect blog discussion that is hot and well heated on such a time as this. Pollution in Politics blowing into the Pulpits, an into the population of the world. I will try my best not to flow here as it is flowing inside my spirit. He called his name Noah, saying This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the LORD hath cursed (Genesis 5:29). Bible prophecy unfolding before our very lives. Remembering 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a hope, and a possible awakening for HEALING. In my opinion this world is in the birthing position to receive the coming of the Messiah. The earth is opening up to receive the celebration of the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. Reading in Lamentations 1:9-10 Her filthiness is in her skirts; she remembereth not her last end; therefore she came down wonderfully: she had no comforter. O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself. The adversary hath spread out his hand upon all her pleasant things: for she hath seen that the heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into thy congregation. Jeremiah asked if he had become vile (Lamentations 1:11). Distress, destruction, siege, appeal for forgiveness. Restoration (Romans 8:28)can yet manifest when the pulpits and altars lead the people into deeper prayer to involve the dwelling of the Holy Ghost, then the liberty of the Power of the Holy Ghost will evolve with a mature works. If there is no Power from on high, powerful words and plans will work. When the Power of the Holy Ghost and the saint stand united in agreement…walls will fall down. We got wrapped up in the material things and we rested in the very comfort (sleeping) while the enemy was busy building massive weapons of spiritual destruction. We should close the book on compromising, and stand up and go boldly to the Throne of God in prayer to bombard heaven. Our material world is shaking, because God is shaking us up to wake up! Things are tainted with greed, secrets and hidden agendas, but God is the same yesterday and today. Bishop T. D. Jakes, I believe the LORD is blessing a people that are bold and courageous in prayer and fasting with pure hearts and clean hands. There are people crying out to God with a passion for a move from God. I just heard the word recovery! Ezekiel 1:24-28 & Ezekiel 2:1-9
Is God Going Out Of Style?
I don’t think so! Unless we want to live the life of a Dead Man Walking (spiritually, mentally, emotionally, financially, and physically dead), then He had better not be going out of style in the life of any believer; and God needs to get “in style” in the lives of non-believers. A living relationship with a living God and an active faith in Him are what gives you an abundant life here on Earth. Yes, there are people that are unsaved and they LOOK to be prospering mentally, emotionally, financially and physically, but all you have to do is watch them and look at the things that they fill their life with. It will soon become obvious that they are living the life of a Dead Man Walking. There is a saying that every man has a God-Spot in their soul that only God can fill, which is very true. People try to fill it with a lot of other stuff and it never works. God is the only One with the blue-print of your life with your destiny on it. He knows why we were all created. So, if you wanna waste your life on Earth doing everything other than what God had in mind for you, then don’t walk with Him (p.s. – not a good idea). But, if you’re ready for your life to “blow up” and go to the next level, then walk with God, get to know Him and as you do, you’ll really get to know yourself.
I believe the biggest reason why the “popularity” of claiming a Faith or even living out a Faith is because too many people of Faith do not behave, sound, or think any differently than people who are unsaved. Basically, too many believers do not walk a spiritually upright (holy) life. So, non-believers do not see a reason to come to Faith in God, because there is no difference in how they live and how too many Christians act. It is because of this choke-hold of fleshly behavior in the Body of Christ, that we have lost our saltiness (effectiveness) in the Earth. If God puts you in a situation and nothing changes in a Kingdom direction, then what good are you? If you blend in with the unsaved and the only reason a person would know that you claim a Faith is because of that big ‘ol cross on your chest, not because of a Godly light shining from your life, then what good are you? If you cannot help someone else react in hard times the way God would have them react, instead of how the world would react, then what good are you? When seasonings or spices go bad or lose their flavor/savor, we get rid of them: toss them in the trash, pour it down the drain, or flush them down the toilet. We are made in the image and likeness of God. He is no different. . .
Revelation 3:15-16 (NKJV)
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.
Christians can do anything with God as our strength. That means that God can help us stand for Him and Biblical morality, and also help us to reclaim our saltiness (effectiveness) in this world again.
God bless you, Bishop Jakes
Your article gives much to chew on. I agree with your point with Larry King in that America is not a Christian nation. My view is that a Christian nation will display the fruits of the God it serves, especially the one of Agape Love.
Right now, the Church in America is in a transition before a shaking. By that I believe that God will invite the church in America to an extreme makeover. this is not to dilute the gospel but to change the heart motives of leaders and laity. Too many believers and leaders feel that the work of The gospel is in the hands of a few. this is not what the God of the Church had in mind. I do believe that it is to be a celebration of a God who loves people, has a group of imperfect sons to prove it(the church) and is looking for nations of people to be included in this celebration of life and hope
I think we as a Christian Body may have gotten too caught up in things which are not eternal and don’t matter. The strongholds of greed, sectarianism, racism, anti-semitism , and mysogyny are still wedged deeply into the minds of too many of God’s kids at least in this nation. Christian television and literature have become a battle ground where leaders take swipes at one another.
The unsaved and the prodigals notice our behavior even in the midst our denial. Yet it is in settings such as these that God comes in and does an incredible work of grace . There will come shakings of leaders and churches in the days ahead which will shake the american church as we know it, but it will open the door for a renaissance of faith in the land.
In spite of the views of some that God is finished with America, I do not share that. God does hate sin, but he loves nations. America holds a place in the heart of God as a special nation (though not the only special place on the globe). There will be a renaissance of the church which will finally break through the four walls and the denominationalism which has held her at bay from her purpose.
New fathers and mothers will arise from the midst who are not so much interested in reputation as they are in seeing that they nuture, bless, equip and release the potential that God has placed in the youngsters he will put in their charge. These are shaky days but they will turn out to be renaissance days as well.
If I read a central them thus far in all the comments to your question Bishop Jakes, it is that our hearts have grown cold and hard. By abuse, betrayal, rejection, on and on it goes, our hearts are freezing up. This is why one single act of kindness attracts so much attention on the streets, in the church, the stores, etc.. Kindness is becoming increasingly rare because it is associated most closely with love in our hearts for our fellow man/woman. We now have to be instructed to speak to our neighbor in church, less lone our neighbor next door outside the church. But JESUS said, “By this shall all men know that you are MY disciples..that you love one another.” I am guilty and convicted as I write this. I know what I have to do but I can’t do it without asking for HIS help and strength. And I’m not alone. That’s what we (the church) are most guilty of…lovelessness and not askng GOD for help to do it.
GOD Bless you for opening up this dialogue.
Greetings,
Bishop, you shared some very good possibilties. Unfortunately, we have become the sadducees and pharisees of old. Many of us act as if we have arrived, forgetting from where we have come from. We preach a set of rules and don’t follow them ourselves and look down on others when they fall short. We ask God for mercy, forgivenss and compassion but can not give it to others. We ask for forgiveness for the same things we judge others for doing. I agree that religious people and their self-righteous piety have lost the respect of the secular world. Instead of showing the love of Christ we condemn and judge the world. When Jesus himself said he did not come to condemn or judge the world he came to save it. I also agree that we have locked ourselves behind stained glass windows while other groups and ideas have taken their messages to Hollywood and elsewhere, reaching people where they are, rather than asking people to come to them. We have gotten so caught up in the confines of the walls of the buildings we call church that we have forgotten that we are to be the church. I believe that is not just America that needs revival, the church needs revival. We need to be revived to what we have been commissioned to do as believers. Love our God with all that we have, share the gospel of Jesus Christ, love our neighbors as we love ourselves and leave the judging to God.
I HAVE A QUESTION HOW CAN WE GET PEOPLE TO STOP BLAMING GOD AND START LOVING AND TRUSTING THE DESSIONS THAT GOD MAKES? IN TIMES OF TROUBLE THE QUESTION “WHERE IS? WHY DID AND HOW COULD GOD ALLOW SUCH A BAD THING TO HAPPEN”.WITHOUT A CLEARE VISSION OF HOW WE VIEW GOD IN OUR NATRUAL LIFE WE WILL HAVE AN UNCLEARE VIEW POINT IN OUR SUPERNATRUAL LIFE.
Hi Bishop Jakes,
Myself as a young Christina I tend to find it very difficult to try and minister The Word or share my testimonty without coming of as too “religious” . Within the Christian community it very easy to speak amongst each other what the Lord has done but you go to work or everyday settings and saying Jesus or What the Lord has done for you seems so “taboo” to many, they tend to label those who have an experience with God as fictional or ignorant. I went to The Lord in Prayer about this becuase I was finding I was being singled out for being a christian, especially working in the media industry. In speaking to The Lord I found that I can share my message with non bekieveres in a dialect that they can understand, Maybe they do not understand “Thus saith The Lord” But the will under stand, let me tell you what I went throught how it was similar to what your going throught and how my faith in Gos brought me out, then they are more keen to hearing my message.
Times have changed and its eveident our message has to be different but sometimes I still have to ask Where have the Faithful gone”
Joyfulin210,
Colleagues can think you are coming on ‘too religious’ if they think you are being judgemental. What I found most effective for me was to just live my life and go about my business and they began to notice the difference. I have been in this organiszation for eight years and they have not seen me change. My faith has stayed constant, my speeach gracious and my work ethic industrious. That speaks more about my faith than anything I can say to them. I had a workmate ask me if I ever feel down or go through problems because I always have a sunny outlook on life. I was then able to share that it is my faith which keeps me strong even when I face adveristy. They don’t talk trash when I am around and they don’t share their ‘funny’ emails with me. To me, that speaks of the testimony of my faith and that they recognize that I am not in their camp, that I have something special that they may not have. One colleague, has as a consequence changed and I believe she is getting close to the Kingdom of God.
GOD isn’t going out of style, I believe we are. As a believer I know first hand how GOD’s LOVE has picked me up and brought me out. I can’t deny my experience it has been a beautiful journey. JESUS is the best experience to ever come into my life and I can’t help but to introduce him to everyone I know and I don’t know. Key word is “introduce”! Belief is everything! I can’t convince anyone to know how wonderful and awesome JESUS is they have to first believe he is who he is. I haven’t always been in this position there was a time where I was other wise minded and GOD was the last thing on my mind. I always knew the typical things to do, pray before eating and go to church because that was the Sunday thing to do. I was defenitely missing relationship but in my mind that was relationship because that’s what I saw other people do. After knowing GOD for myself and understanding what it means to be “SAVED” I wanted to KNOW HIM and wanting to know more about anyone will require you to form a relationship, there’s no way around it. I know realize that the most of the BIBLE anyone will see is my life and for that reason alone I think it’s important to respresent the TRUE LOVE OF CHRIST in the way that it should be. How can others be influenced by the LOVE OF GOD if we don’t show it. GOD IS ALWAYS IN STYLE I BELIEVE WE SOMETIMES WEAR HIM THE WRONG WAY. We have to stay true to the blood of JESUS and allow for people to see in our own lives how true and mighty GOD is and be able to LOVE PEOPLE where they are. It was a time in my life where I needed just that and I believe that is how we will be effective.
Dear Bishop Jakes, Do you really believe that society is evolving? I see society moving away from God our Father and Creator into Darkness. Not evolving. By the way, where did we get that word?
It is time for all to really look at what they believe and sort it out with God because many are walking in ignorance of who God is and What God’s Plan is.
Regardless of what is taking place it His Plan that matters. He will fulfill His Plan and Purpose for Mankind and nothing is going to stop Him.
If God is taking down America it will be because the people in this country are moving away from Him and into Darkness.
If nothing else we can look at the laws that are being passed right now and see the ancient City of Sodom was in better shape than we have become and are going.
Greetings Bishop:
I believe in America we are heavily influenced by the media. The media never mentions Christ unless it is in a farcical, comedic, or anti-Christian way.
I strongly believe that people of faith should show, not tell, our beliefs through media - films, books, plays, that are high quality, creative and entertaining.
That is my goal as a writer of fiction. To bring real Christian drama to the mainstream.
Thank you,
TZA
I believe that God’s wisdom (Proverbs) is so tired of people using God for their convenience that she is not allowing the lukewarm people around her anymore, so they are turning cold. I think alot of people have forgotten about her, so in their despair for knowledge, wisdom and understanding, she is not there. My question to you is how many people you know actually seek wisdom as she instructs them to do? I know I do.
Sorry but the founding fathers most definitely did not want us to separate church and state. They did want us to worship freely but they very much believed God should be involved. If you research the US history you can see that God was involved in every aspect.
The separation of church and state is a legal and political principle derived from the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, which reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof . .” It is a prinipal just like some believe that the THEORY of evolution is a more than a theory.
If you study for yourself the history of our nation you will realize that in the beginning our country was founded on Christian principals.
You know I was thinking about the Power of God over everything that seems impossible. I thought of the days of Noah, and the flood. Then, I said to myself, All is well with the LORD. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. Listening to the news media, local and national - I hear questions and comments that continue to spread doubt, trouble, negatives and confusion. Such causes panic to those that are not anchored in the LORD. I’ve never experience the shaking of an earthquake, but I image that everything that was seemingly secure, now trembling, shaking and moving out of control is overwhelming. But an earthquake always end, and then you hear of another one, it ends as well. God is out of style for many, yes, this is true. But for me, God is the garment of praise and I put Him on everyday. He has the kind of style that has a spiritual personality, and a custom tailored style. When He created us in His Likeness and in His Image He gave us style, His style. God is in style, as the world seems to be embarking upon the style of Satan. God is in charge! He is the CEO that does not need a bailout from Washington. No vote required! The only thing it will cost is a change/action of heart. 2 Chronicles 7:14
Happy Passover Bishop Jakes and first lady. We are delighted to comment on that issue. As a pastor and prophetess, my husband and I have to agree with Claudia in her statement, when she mention about the commandments of God. The minds of the Christian American people have been seared in regard to the meaning and consequences of sin. Millions have no clue of what is right or wrong. Our God is a God of principles. The parents, teachers, schools and colleges, and even the churches, and leaders utterly failed in making clear the reality of God, and the meaning of His laws and the consequences of transgressing and disobeying them. God’s laws is His blue print for better society. And Yes! Our country is still a christian nation. In these last days I am wondering do a lots of these church-goers believe in the one true God and His inspired prophecies. Perhaps if they did they would do what He said to do. Matthew 19:17-Jesus told the young man how to receive eternal life, saying, “if you want to enter into life, keep My commandments”. And today the vast majority of professing Christians, and ministers argues with that statement God Bless you and family and the Potter’s House. We are learning and growing together.
Perhaps it is time for the those of faith to examine themselves. We did not get to this cross road over night. For ever person that packs a worship service seeking God or what ever deity they call on, there is a good portion of them still living contrary to their faith or belief system. Honestly the church world has become a mockery in the eyes of the world. Pastor has no meaning or reverence especially when there are so many that fall and fall greatly before all. The house of God is ofter disrespect by the same ones who worship in its halls. Religion has been reduced to a bumper sticker and a key chain - something you can apply and take off as you feel free. I cringe when ever I hear a politician use Faith to reel in voters. If you are headed to a “public office” usage of religion should not be your calling card. As far as the ‘church” is concerned once you take federal money or government money you now are Caesars church and it is only a matter of time for Caesar to come & collect. It is only a matter of time before your message on Sunday morning is now dictated by the whims of public policy rather that the will of God. Grace & Peace to all!
There seems to be a drifting away from God in America today. The reasons you list are definitely all plausible and there could be a combination of several reasons. As America becomes more diverse, it is necessary now to stand firm in our Christian faith. When I grew up, everyone shared a common belief. Today, there are many different forms of religion and each has a different doctrine, some very different. And today there is a louder voice from those who would declare there is no God. What has held my faith firm despite challenges and even mockery by others is the rememberance of all God has done for me. When I listen to those in higher education who would empirically explain everything, I feel a joy knowing that my God steps outside of what I can see and feel to exist.
Hello Bishop Jakes,
Excuse me for interrupting the flow of the comments. However, I must make a request - that you explain in detail the meaning of this sentence, “As wonderful as faith is, faith out of control can be lethal.”
See it something in this sentence - that made me (and a few others) thirst for more info.
Bishop, thank you in advance
P. S.
GOD will never go out of style; this world is his turf and we as a nation need to start sporting his style because our way is out of style!
The issues you raised have weighed heavy on my heart for some time now. Politicians using our faith and stirring fear in order to “galvanize” a certain group against another when in fact we are all one community and need to be encouraged to come together. I know Satan is busy and uses anyone who is a willing tool to keep us divided but I thank God for a man like you Bishop Jakes who is not afraid to stand out and say what is on your heart with love and courageously stand by it. I thank God for your gift sir.
Hello Bishop,
I personally feel that God will never go out of style, for he is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. I think religion has made it hard for people to come in from where they are. How can we plant the word of God in the hearts of people if we remain behind our stained glass windows and be judgemental of the very people that Jesus died for to be free? We must be walking epistles and go where the people are and not expect all of them to come to us. Hollywood and other venues should be used to get the message out there to the people that are lost. I don’t want to see anyone left behind and I feel it is the church’s business to be about our Father’s Business. If we truly possess the heart of God we must remember that he loves us unconditionally and is truly seeking to have a relationship with not just the saved but the unsaved. I remember where he met me and if it had not been for total strangers who approached me in grocery stores and other places I might still been wandering aimlessly, seeking and not finding the God that was calling me back to him.
First let me say one thing. TD Jakes, you sir are an anointed man of God. The messages you preach are probably the most relevant and piercing to the heart as any I have ever heard. May the Lord continue to bless you and your family richly for preaching and teaching the Word of God with such candor and fervor. I have watched your webcast over the past 3 weeks and absolutely love your sermons. The decline of faith in this country is real. I myself have fallen to it and I decided to return to the Lord and like the prodigal son, He welcomed me home. I believe the quick access we all have to anything the flesh desires we have become numb to the fact that God wants us to enjoy all of his creation. From food to clothes to relationships. We are so used to finding a quick way to satisfy our cravings that we have gotten so used to getting things quickly that our faith falters when we don’t receive from God what we think we need at the time we need it. Without the understanding that God has provided for us all that we need, we begin to grow impatient looking for the quick fix. We as Christians may see that non-believers are getting the very things we are waiting on the Lord for, causing us to look elsewhere. Instead of holding to our faith we start to look for our own way of getting or achieving that which we yearn to have. Trying to keep up with the Jones’
History is replete with examples of people turning away from God. Even the bible shows that the Israelites were better at turning away from God rather than turning to Him. That is an unfortunate human trait. But regardless of this human deficiency, God has ALWAYS remained relevant. We cannot always concentrate on turning the majority to God, because quite frankly, that is sometimes not possible. But we can always concentrate on ensuring that we are, as individuals tuned to God.
When I read this it gave me some hope. The reason being… You are a man of God and now I know that I am not the only Christian he feels this way. I have been driven away from “religion” because of politics. I feel that the republican party has hijacked my faith and I have been disillusioned because the majority of churches in my area and across the country have embraced this. Around here it is common for people to believe that you are not a good Christian if you voted for Barack Obama. We are frowned on. And the “Christians” who are most vocal about it are usually hateful, bigoted and make our followers look like a bunch of crazy hypocrites. I think that they have left Jesus out in the cold and use religion in order to guilt and scare people into voting for the republicans. They say they are anti-abortion but Bush was in office for eight years and what did they do about abortion? Nothing. I just feel that it’s all a lie to win votes from people who are either uneducated or just plain close-minded. All of this has really made me feel different about my faith and even question it. It’s a horrible feeling. I feel I lost one of my best friends because her church mixes politics with their sermon and I didn’t agree with it. Not only that, it is dividing this country in a way that frightens me. I worry for my two children. How far will this all go before it becomes some sort of holy war?
Thank you for speaking about this issue. It makes me feel a little more at ease knowing that I’m not alone in my feelings that religion/faith is going through some very big (bad) changes in the US. I thank God that I can watch your program and know that you wouldn’t judge me and turn me away because of who I voted for.
Sincerely
Bishop,
First thank you for engaging your audience in such a thought provoking conversation. As I viewed the list of reasons you suggested that lend themselves to God’s “lack of popularity in America”, I would have to say more than a few of them caught my attention.
First, I would like to point out that a subject with such depth could certainly not be answered with simplicity. There are many variations of faith, even within the confines of the Christian faith, therefore there are many variations of God according to one’s individual beliefs. As we study the country in which we live, we must take into account the myriad of diverse cultures which exist within our nation, even within those cultures the countless of religious practices that exist. Take those cultural practices intermixed with traditional American religious practices and you have an assortment of religions, and ideals.
I for one agree with you, in that, I too enjoy democracy. For the same laws that are put in place to govern are the same laws that protect. For those of us who chose to practice the Christian faith we are protected by the same laws of the individuals we choose judge and demonize. And yet find ourselves wondering why God is not popular.
I strongly believe we fail to have a world view. We choose to discredit individuals who do not practice our faith and ring true in our beliefs. We want to do away with those who do not view the traditional methods as the true and only means to reaching out to a dying nation.
We focus solely on religion rather than allowing an individual focus on relationship. Even this study reflects our traditional views in that it focuses on individuals who are church goers, and neglects individuals who are not attendees of ceremonial church services but rather, who have a relationship with God that reaches beyond the confines of traditionalism.
With that being said I would like to address some of the reasons I feel this culture in particular has moved away from the popularity of God.
1. We have not remained prevalent in a society that is ever evolving. Many churches have remained traditional while society has continued to evolve, I believe we could bring more people to God if we tapped into every resource available to display God to all people.
2. The coming generation wasn’t raised with the faith views that we were as children- Neither was the generation before that, or the generation before that, this reason simply restates the issue of evolving, as we live in an ever present society things are forever changing, the church has a responsibility to change with it. Our current society is highly influenced today by every region in the world, 20 years ago you could have a view on something and never read a book that challenged that view, that is not so today, we live in a society where information is readily available at the click of a button, we are constantly inundated with new ideals, thoughts, revelations, this generation views life from a world view rather than a societal or traditional view.
3.Faith is leaving organized religion and becoming a matter of personal relationships that are seemingly more meaningful than associations incubated behind hallow walls.- Many people are finding God for themselves, they are looking beyond the confines of the church walls to define who and what God is in their lives, they are digging deeper and desiring more in terms of relationship and that relationship is not defined by the church, these are the unaccounted for, when we discuss the disparities found with the popularity of God, we view religion and relationship individually when they should be viewed categorically. There are plenty of people who practice the Christian faith, and many other faiths for that matter, who do not attend church regularly but yet have healthy, and vibrant relationship with God. The traditionalist would ask how can that be, but again I return to the difference in the ways in which we view God today versus the ways in which we viewed him in generations before. Many have come to realize that albeit a great practice to dwell in fellowship with your brother in Christ, it is not necessity for your relationship.
It’s not that God is no longer popular, the ways in which attempt to spoon feed him to the world is no longer popular. When we begin to view our faith through the eyes of the world, then the eyes of the world will began to view our faith.
I was raised in the church. My grandmother was a church mother and I loved singing the hymns and feeling that one day when I was older I would do some wonderful things in the name of the Lord. As I grew older I began to view the church in a much more depressing light. My Mama, sisters,a dn I left our old church when my grandma died and we foudn a new one. It was all good at first for about the first 3 months but then I began to notice things. I notice how we weren’t accepted into the church cliques and how we were grinned at and spoken to but never invited into the church. We all joined but still there was this great divide and it wasn’t just us it was every new person who came to church and sometimes people who had been going to the church for 2-3 years. There was hypocrisy and materialism. I remember every sermon the pastor was talking about God giving him a brand new Rolls Royce and how we as believers should pray for our new houses and cars too. I wanted to be apart of the church at first but after a while going to church became tedious and a waste of time. The most heartbreaking thing is I saw my Mama put her all into the church. She gave and gave and never received one thing in return accept being talked about and taken for granted. We left that church when I was about 17 years old after 2 years of me wondering what we were there for. I never remembered my childhood church experience being that bad. But I was a child then and I didn’t know how bad church could be for you. We started to go to another church after my freshmen year and college and it was as bad if not worst than our old church. Maybe because the wounds were fresh from the old church and that made us more wary of churches in general so we looked for the faults in the new church.We found them alright. Once again my Mom got deeply involved and deeply hurt.She planned programs, gave money, bought a big screen tv, assisted the pastor whenever she was called(which was whenever the pastor needed anything) just like at he old church. She was once again left out of the church community and openly badmouthed by the so called saints of the church. We left that church too and no we have no church home. I’m not looking for one I am happy to say and I won’t look for one for a long time. I still believe in GOD, Jesus, and the Holy Ghost, but I also believe that I can find Satan just as easily in the church house as I can find him in the streets. I wish there was this all inclusive church where at least some people cared about you but I don’t believe it exists. I see too many selfish motives in church and unless my roommate goes to church I really don’t go because I always feel so defensive and I know if I let my guard down I can get hurt badly just like my Mom. This has greatly diminished my faith in God. i know we are not supposed to put our faith in men and I try not to but I can’t help but think that if what God’s word is actually doable then why can’t I seem to find anyone who is at least trying to do it. It’s to the point that I wonder if I will ever have the spiritual strength to try to live for God—-and how should I live for him when I have so many examples and the Word is interpreted in so many ways. When I have kids I have a very big decision to make: Let them get involved in the church or teach them about God, Jesus, etc without any church affiliation.
Hi Jasmine,
Thanks for sharing. I have had a similar experiences to your own and I, too, wonder how I will raise my future children. I have faith that everything changes, maybe not as we expect it, but that God will always provide. His Will shall be done. I have a feeling It won’t be done for my children the way it was done for me (being involved in a traditional church with a building), but perhaps that’s a good thing. I believe that change is inevitable, but good.
IS GOD GOING OUT OF STYLE. I SAY NO, HE’S THE SAME YESTERDAY,TODAY AND TOMMORROW. HIS FOLLOWER’S ARE GOING OUT OF STYLE THOUGH.
Thank you Bishop Jakes for allowing us this opportunity. It is truly an honor to be heard by one of the most relevent men in the faith today.
To many times we as preachers, teachers, pastors, evengelist, apostles or laity want to express our vast knowledge of the Word and insight into spiritual things. I want to keep this simple without trying to portray myself as an authority on the subject.
The New Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary defines faith in this manner:
FAITH - a belief in or confident attitude toward God, involving commitment to His will for one’s life.
It is in my opinion that in this definition lies the answer to the decline of Christianity in the United States.
More and more people claim to be Christian. I read in one poll that over 70% of America claimed to be Christian. Unfortunately, that is far from the truth. These are pseudo-Christians and not those who have a confident attitude toward God. We see this truth revealed in the fearful state most are in today.
To be a true Christian means that we so believe in God that we rely on Him and are committed to His will for our lives. Many are more committed to their own will than the will of God. For if we were truly had a confident attitude towards God we would not be so concerned about the economic state we are in, knowing that He will never leave us or forsake us. If we were truly committed to God we would fulfill the mandate on our lives to go into the world and make disciples, teaching them to observe everything that the Lord Jesus Christ has taught us in His Word.
Instead we have it backwards and we make disciples according to our will who will follow what we have decided the Bible is an authority on and that which we have said is no longer relevant. Many Christians today are discipling more along the lines of the Pharisees Jesus talked about “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.” Our traditions are more important than the Word of God. Funny, the Lord Jesus said the only thing that could make the Word–which is poweful and alive– of none effect is… tradition. We should committed to the Word and live by the Word–the whole Word.
While so many of the reasons you stated are contributing factors, I believe a lack of commitment to the will of God is the root of the problem. All of the other reasons are simply the fruit of a tree with a bad root system. It’s time to recommit our selves to the will of God for our lives and abandon our own will.
Thank you again Bishop for such an opportunity.
Sincerly,
Joe B. Adams Jr.
Bishop- This is a fascinating topic that you have opened the door on. I am probably considered radical by some but I think that people are tired of hearing how great and how powerful God is. I think that it is time to put up or shut up! People want to see the Holy Spirit manifested. Your statistics reflect that the pentecostal movement continues to grow. I am disappointed that the pentecostal movement is not doing more but I am proud of what they are accomplishing. I believe that they are moving away from denominationalism because of they have become too top heavy. Unfortunately, it has moved the church away from fathering and mothering and into corporate support. I think that the next great revival will be based on the Holy Spirit’s use of relationship. Those that are Christians will be brought back to being poured into and pouring into others. While those that are seeking the supernatural through tv, movies, wicca, new age, etc. will find their fulfillment in the combination of the Holy Spirit and those that are willing to invest in them. Sounds to me like the Book of Acts. God Bless!
Working while it is still day,
Pastor Jeff McCracken
I truly enjoyed your post. Thank you for using the wisdom God gave you.
I believe the Christian realm is losing its ground in America, sad to say. As we well know, there have been reports of many Americans leaving the Christian faith, this may well be due to our divisions in the church, uncertainty or what have you. But I myself am tired of fighting to help build the kingdom, not fighting unbelievers, but other Christians.
If we start to understand that this is not a competition but a warfare then maybe we will learn to become a unified body and set an example that the world wants to see and follow.
In His Everlasting Love,
Sis Diona
Andrews
Thank you Bishop for teaching me to have a relationship with Jesus and understanding the difference between that and attending church. I am forever grateful to God and to the gift that he gave to you of sharing the gospel.
Now the topic,
I have genuinely enjoyed reading these post and the perspectives/ points that each of you have made. I realize that each of you can only respond based on your experiences, points of view and personal reality, but it does not mean that you are right.
Isn’t that the point?
Just because it’s from your point of view does not make it so, and it’s that genuine concept that makes reading these post so intriguing:)
I am loving the topic and I love the discussion!
Please Continue……
Dear Bishop,
I feel kinda ugly writing to you and saying what I am gonna say. My grandma would smack my mouth if she were alive today. I was raised in a family that respected God and loved him. We all tried to be the best we could be to each other. Our parents and Grandparents loved us so sweetly and unconditionally and expected the same out of us. All the christian ladies I knew we so sweet and happy and had a smile for all of us kids. Even when they would scold us it would be so tender and we would know it was because they wanted us to be all that God called us to be. Christian men would remind us that Godly men were kind hearted and gentle yet hardworking and not ashamed. They lived in front of us a life that taught us that all of us are God’s children and you dont be ugly to someones children if you want to please them. In saying all this I want to paint a picture of kind, joyful, loving people that just watching them told you that God is faithful. Here is what I see now. I cant tell christian ladies from non believers. They have sour faces and look like they are being beat to death by the devil. How do you expect people to want to serve a God that you have no faith in? I dont attend church anymore. I am so tired of listening to people talk about how bad the kids are these days with there black clothes and piercings, and how woman have no respect for themselves because of the way they dress, how the gangs and drugs are taking over etc…But Bishop when we bow our heads to pray I dont hear them say “Use me God to help that young mother learn how important she is to you so she will respect herself” or how about “God bless those children who use those drugs to cover their pain”. I get so angry every time I walk into the church. Its like an elite club now days. I used to work part time at walmart on the weekends. We called sundays mean church lady day. They come in and only speak to each other. They look like they are so miserable. I dont worry about rent or utilities. I dont worry about tomarrow. I thank God everytime something makes me smile. All good things come from God. My daughter knows one thing above everything else. God loves her. She was raised in love. The last time my 17 year old daughter went to church the pastor said he would have an extra alter call the next sunday for all the people out of God’s will that voted for Obama and the homosexuals. She questioned everything I had ever taught her about God on the way home. I was so embarrassed to have called him my Pastor in front of her. What have I done? I have told Emily a million times that God is a big God, he does NOT need us to judge people for him. Where is the joy? Where is the happiness because God will take care of all our needs because we do what He has told us to do? I dont see it. My daughter says our neighbors that drink are nicer than the pastor and his wife across the street. That makes me sad. It is not an elite group that you get to pull out your christian card to get a discount somewhere and treat everyone around you like trash. I know why people dont want to take part in christianity. It has turned into a group called hypocrites. The only time you know they are Christians is when they are judging someone else, backbiting, or eating. How about the Sunday after church dinners? Now you go to a resturant on Sunday after church and you watch people who have all the dress part of it down. They get there food and woof it down with not even a thank you, the kids are acting crazy, they trash the place ,treat the waitress like a second class citizen and then get up and leave. The waitress cleans up the mess and of course no tip. I agree with people that stay home and watch your sermon on the net or a Joyce Meyer teaching or another teacher of their choice. Fake is not popular anymore. Kids these days are way smarter than we ever were. They see right through us. I truely believe that is the problem with kids these days. Too much fake. They need real people that say we are scared just like you guys but we have someone who watches over us so we dont have to live in that fear. He will protect you too. Not God loves everyone but you cant go to church with an earring in your eyebrow. Why? Why do we twist the message. Let them go to God anyway they want. All we have to do is intoduce them. God will fix what he wants to fix with them. Easter sunday is coming. I would love to look around my dad’s church and see all the goths and punks and skaters in town in their. But I wont. They have been taught by the way church people treat them that they are not welcome due to the way they dress. Church people are putting the devil outta work. I hear the devil this and the devil that but Bishop I believe we give the devil too much credit sometimes. I am sorry if what I have said is out of line. I dont mean any insult to you. I do watch and listen to your teachings. I am talking about what I see and hear and what I believe that has done to church attendence. Thank you Bishop for your work.
I think one of the reasons so many have lost their faith, or never really developed any to begin with, is we have grown lazy. We depend on popular authors and our pastors and others to tell us what God is saying. While there is nothing wrong with listening and learning from others I feel that so many times we get so busy listening to what God is telling others that we don’t hear what he is trying to say to us personally. As a result we are missing out on the close relationship he wants to have with us and that is essential to a strong faith.
One byproduct of this is that we go from bible study to bible study. We pray for each other to grow in faith. Yet nothing really changes. We grow disillusioned and we fade away. God is the author of our faith and unless we take the time to get to personally experience him and listen to his voice we won’t have the faith to stand against the allure of the world.
Bishop,
I am young woman but my parents, God rest their souls, raised me in the church. As I have observed over the years, I must say that I believe it all starts with the church and with us as Christians. Religion is treacherous and it has caused us to separate ourselves from love ones and saints over many years due to this so called personal satisfaction. We all claim we are all God’s children but will not assoicate or go to one anothers’ churches and fellowship due to religious segregation. We all are busy calling each other right and wrong over religion. We are to busy deciding which group we fit in becuase of religious segregation. I could go on and on with this but I know you hear me. I think Christians need to really get in the Word on personal note and see where it is that we fit in there. Lets stop letting the Pastor or religious representation define us. A preacher preaches to his congregation where there are a multitude of needs. However, when you have a relationship and a secret closet, God himself minsiters to you! The only group or family we should ever worry about being apart of is God’s.
We also have that self serving pleasure with in us that keeps us spread across the horizon instead of in God’s waters. I think we should be alarmed when we find ourselves satisfied! I think that we have taken God and edited him. We as a people do not really stand as sheep ready for the slaughter. We stand trying to dictate to God what we want from him instead of what he wants from us. I have come to the place where I do not want to go to God with my hand out, but to him offering myself up. He already said that he would do if for us and we go to him in question because we cannot understand the process. We stand in church and we hear the preacher say ask God for this or that and he will do it. We teach faith so stupidly. We set people up for failure because the message that most of us hear, makes it seem like God is this thing that wants you to be happy and have this robust life. I have never heard any of the people in the Bible searching for this so called happy, rich life that we beat ourselves to death over in today’s time. I think we have this lack of faith out there because we have failed in representing our Lord and Savior.
I have gotten frustrated as a wife, a mother, friend, student, etc. The Christian people are so unstable. Christians have developed two categories, the “us” and “them.” How in the world can we reach people on that level? Knowledge is power and the devil kicks our butts daily because we will not due our homework. We want to hear it on the radio, t.v., across the pulpit, etc. But I found him when I opened the BOOK (Bible) and began my own personal search. When I made it all personal with him. When I labored in prayer and fasting. When I reached beyond the normal style of what I see in Sunday morning service. When although my heart was breaking I refused to give up the fight. We did not go looking for him, but “I” had to do something. I would that people not get lost in what I call the godly form. He is so much more!
Politically I think Christians have tried to intertwine God and the world. Where are the Biblical ethics of church and the family? Where are the mothers of the church who are “supposed” to take the young girls under their wings and teach them the way? Where are the men and deacons to teach the young men? We are all scattered abroad and my heart grieves. We have prepared our on wasteland and have accepted the spiritual death of our love ones and friends and called it a norm! Where is our faith and what God do we serve? Every one is preaching money, prosperity, and all this other crap. The young people need to know how to be mothers and fathers, how to love our spouses or companions when we cannot understand them, what does love really have to do with it, what is the growing pain and which one was self inflicted, etc? We all ready know what not to do!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And my God everything bad that we go through is not for nothing. I have learned some of my best lessons, by picking myself back up and allowing the wound to heal. Turn off the judgement buttons people! I am a better woman today because I took the fall and had God to pick me up and dust me off.
I think that until we return to our first love, until we learn to love without limits, until we master Proverbs 3:5,6, till we destroy the divisions amongst us, till we can love our neighbor as much as we love ourselves, and until we can desire, seek and find the full knowledge of Christ we will continue to see faith dwendle away. It is not about us. Sometimes I think the biggest part of why we cannot take up our cross is because we cannot lay ourselves down. I know that I have been very guilty of letting the “I” and “me” get in my way. Lets really teach people about God and not the Sunday morning show. Let us pray for knowledge and wisdom and God’s divine will, not Lincolns, phat jobs, pretty men/women, big houses, winning the lottery, raises on our jobs, something new to satisfy the flesh, etc. God must laugh alot. I challenge people to tape yourself praying and then go back and listen. Listen close and see what you really hear. How much of what you ask for benefits the kingdom verses benefiting yourself. Becareful when you find yourself satisfied! Presentation is everything. People should ask themselves daily, how did I exemplify God today?
I have not personally seen a decline in faith - or belief in God - to the extent that my associates, acquaintances, friends and family all espouse openly and proudfully their belief in God. However several points as to why there is a decline resonated with me. They are:
1. Religious people their self righteous piety have lost the respect of the secular world.
2. We are too focused on capitalism and greed.
3. The numbers are lessening because the country is growing and constantly taking in new people and groups from other parts of the world.
4. Historically, the more economically secure a society becomes, the less faith centered it is.
5. The growing emphasis on education … a more evolutionism approach to creation … moves people from the ambiguous explanations of faith.
6. Faith is leaving orgaized religion becoming a matter of personal relationships that are … more meaningful than associations … behind hallowed walls.
These suggested reasons all point in some way to generalities of exclusion or the need for more authentic meaning. If there is a decline, we as Christians must foster an atmosphere of acceptance, tolerance shrouded in LOVE. Isnt’ that what Christ was all about? Trite, but LOVE conquers all. Imagine going to a foreign country and not speaking the languare (Hallelujia, Praise the Lord, Giving honor to God who is the head of my life) trying to fit in — not having someone reach out in HUMANness (Christ-like). Jesus was able to reach through, above and around the walls of separation maintaining His deity. The only “greed” he showed - if you will - was to - “draw all men…” Jn 12:32. He was also REAL, not covered in self-righteousness, but in the righteousness of the Father. There is no need, nor want of religious people and their shenanigans but a desire for a connection based on TRUTH “I am the way …” Jn 14:6. Who created the heavens and the earth? GOD — science is not a way to do away with Him - it is another way of understanding HIM. He said, “Let there be … and it was…” Gen 1:3 . How scientifically awesome!?!?! He is Creator of all people, all things. In HIS INFINITE WISDOM he created in us a logical and thinking mind to grasp and understand LIFE in a scientific sense understanding that HE CREATED ALL - he’s the FAITH behind the science! We can only rely on our faith in HIM - to increase our religious faith. So as we go about our daily lives let us be mindful that He is the author and creator of all. A seeming OR apparent decline in faith should usher us into living a Christ-like life, all we need is LOVE - “it is the first and greatest commandment…” Matt. 22:38 Lift high the cross….
Dear Bishop Jakes:
I hope that Lady Serita, your family and yourself are being blessed.
Thank you for the article on “Is God out of Style?”
For anyone to pose that question does not have a relationship with God and does not know God.
I am a strong faith in these trying times that we are facing.
Those who are true believers and read the word and discern who is real in their ministering god’s word and walking the walk and not just talking the talk can tell whether God is real by those people who believe in God and see how much following a pastor has and how much that person is touching lives by who reaches out to them.
Why is it that when the people of God is having trials and tribulations that the media can only recognized God’s people?
It is quite obvious what is “Out of Style”, this world’s system.
I refuse to give up my Faith! I refuse to give up God! He has been good in the midst of my trials and tribulations.
God has put some great Leaders in place.
Why is it that when people come into the church to be delivered that all they see is what they have done to others themselves.
This is what it is all about. Facing what you have done to others that you have not seen.
The main critics of the church are the same people that have been critics of others and have hurt others as well.
Do they really want God? Or they want a quick fix?
To walk with God is a process. Just as you go through trials and tribulations in the World, you are going to go through them in the Church. Only you are going through them under God’s house. He will handle those who are not of his will.
The problem with people that want to know God, they are coming in on the World’s perspective and not coming in with an open mind to learn.
The turmoil that is going on in the world is because of taking prayer out school, God’s law out of courthouses, people who are wicked in both high and low places.
If people not only rely on people’s word and seek to learn and read the bible, fore, it is written about these turbulent times.
If people would humble themselves to be teachable, then they would know that God Rules and Reigns! God is in Control. And that’s why the world is out of control. It is getting ready to be his Kingdom on Earth!
Thank you Bishop Jakes for your wisdom and knowledge and your prayers and for always delivering a word from God to help me to continue to keep the Faith!
May God Bless You, Lady Serita and Your Family! keep up the Good Fight of Faith.
Many Blessings to You and May God Continue to Bless You!
Your Spiritual Daughter
I believe that this is part of the “great falling away” that is described in the Bible. Although we do have large numbers of people coming in from other countries, we as Christians are the ones assimilating. I live in the Detroit area and I listen to a Christian station where the radio host plays a role called “Get Bob Saved” every once in a while. People call in and try to argue their point about God and you realize part of the problem is we are not witnessing. We don’t talk to people about God, we don’t go out of our way to help people, no one sees the love of the Lord shining through us, therefore no one is won over by our quite conversation.
Not that we spend the whole time doing humanitarian things and not preaching the Word, but the Bible says if I see my brother naked or hungry and it is in my hand to to something and I shut up my bowels to him, its wrong on my part (obvious paraphrase). In order to snatch someone out of the fire, we need to get close to it ourselves.
We have to be able to defend our Jesus where ever the fight comes. Not just at church, but at Mc Donald’s, the bus stop, the school, or the store. Other people are willing to die for their beliefs, but for some reason, we aren’t, we just assimilate with whatever is going then. God says homosexuality is wrong, but then states approve gay marriage and peole say what goes on in their bedroom is on them. God says killing in wrong, but then people say abortion is about a woman’s right to choose and its her body (ignoring the completley seperate body growing within her). Movies come out poking fun at Christians but no one boycotts. A cartoon in a news paper pokes fun and Muhammed and Muslims riot in other countries. We as Chritians to a large extent have allowed things to slide in our lives and unless something tragic (think 9-11) is happening, no one pays attention to us.
If we walk what we believe, we may see some change in this country. If we don’t, it can only get worse.
Does anyone remember that movie The Reaping? That is what society is starting to remind me of. Remember how they kept saying the little girl was evil because every time she would come in contact with them one of the seven plaques of Egypt would come upon the town. Then in the end it turned out she was an angel and the town was evil. They just wanted to try to get rid of her so that they could obviously continue on doing what they were doing. Well, it is Hollywood, but still when I look at our morals today and the painting of the church as evil and religion as a bringer of evil that is what society reminds me of. Except the little girl is God and the town is our society. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal so behind it all, these are spiritual battles.
Still, this country was indeed founded on Christian principles. It is engraved on our money, used to be in our schools (look at the schools now), the founding fathers were proud to acknowledge their Christianity. Our government’s allegiance to God is even engraved at the top of the National Monument. As a black American, I of course think of slavery being in full force as the people called themselves Christians and yes that was wrong. However, ultimately I say so what. They were Christians. Our government was Christians and ultimately that bondage broke because of a command for the constitution to live up to the principles it was founded on. God’s way will always prevail in the end.
I believe faith goes so far beyond allegiance to a country. The devoted Jews loved and feared God while living under Roman rule and in the Old Testament under Babylon. It did not change their faith or worship. God calls His people to Himself and I don’t care how you’re living in the moment, if you’re His you hear Him. You have to be accountable to your own way of living. Even the church will be cleaned of its hypocrites by the time God finishes separating those that are really His from those that are of the world. I will always pray for this country and all people. But in our own laws is being written an okay for same sex marriage. That is an abomination to God from God’s own mouth. Yes, we are to do our best to live at peace with everyone. Yes, we are to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we are not to call things God said are sinful good because they’ll make another comfortable with and in their sin. But this stuff started long ago with “free love.” STDs abound much now because the moral standards of the Bible are seen as more than people should have to bear in order to self gratify.
The church yes is responsible for spreading the message of the gospel but this country had that message long ago. It chose to leave it behind. When God’s plan for men doesn’t work for mans desire for sin (lust, power, greed, selfishness) then they leave His plan behind or modify to continue to call themselves righteous while sinning. I was dying from lack of knowledge and walking in ungodly council myself, but I see God as having relentlessly pursued me. As much as the enemy was out to destroy and blind me Jesus was ahead of Him constantly letting me know that, hey I am still here in the middle of your mess. I see Jesus as never allowing this sheep to stray so far that He could not send who or what needed to be sent to say, remember Me and keep me from being devoured or forgetting Him. He left strong knowledge of Him on my life that I could not deny His presence. His grace and mercy were always with me and when I finally gave up and understood He took me from darkness back into His light. Unbelievable
Thus, I have a real hard time believing that for everyone who has been given a measure of faith (and the Bible says we all have been given that) that He isn’t doing the same thing for them. Bishop Jakes on Larry King, Joel Osteen on Larry King, Joyce Meyer was on Good Morning America or one of those shows not long ago. People are getting God because God is sending out His messengers and His people whether through large ministries or us individually. None of us will ever be perfect, but we are made perfect through Him. Of course, the enemy is doing his share too to keep people deceived and turned away from God, but we are made of God. We know right from wrong and good from evil and we hear Him calling. Whether or not one answers is a choice that the church does not make on behalf of people. Noah still built the ark then got on it even though the people of his town thought him a fool as he warned them what was coming.
So is God going out of style…God is not a style or some fad! He is our Father, our creator. People are simply being allowed to fall away to their own sins.
Resource: Romans 1:17-32, Amplified Bible
My Dearest Bishop,
I love you, your Godly wisdom and the message you teach.
The organized church is caught up in tradition and ritual. It’s message is irrelevant and not very promising. In this dark world, people are in search of truth, hope and light. They want to know the God we serve, and who we are in relation to Him that we were made in the image of? How do we reach him and how do we become more like him? What is his plan for us? The organized church has become so bogged down in rhetoric and ritual to the point that the gospel is no longer being taught in its proper context, faith is just a word and the good news is gone. What is the good news about Christ? Folks no longer care to listen to empty messages based on rules, opinions and the beliefs of man. People are searching for the living word. The word that is sharper than a two-edged sword. The word that pierces the heart and transforms lives. The word that says I am your father, you are my child and I love you so much that I gave my only begotten son, to free you from the curse of the law so that you may live and live life more abundantly.
Take me to a place that shows the Father’s love, where Emmanuel is God with us and revealed in and through us. Our youths are rising up in search of this truth and they are finding it in the bible teaching churches and they are on fire for God. God has not gone out of style. Ritual, Rhetoric and Tradition are out of style. The church is shifting into it’s place as one body in Christ.
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’” 1 Cor. 1:18-19; “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God - that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord. 1 Cor. 1:30-31.
I think that what is being seen in the country as FAITH may have been really religion. Religion being a man made culture that exhibites certain behavior. FAITH would be trust in GOD to keep His Word and basing behavior on that FAITH in GOD.
Greetings Bishop T. D Jakes,
Thanks for your keen insight and extreme understanding and ability to say or write what many feel but cannot express the way you do. This subject is both complicated and simple. If this question was put before 20 scholars from 20 parts of the world you would get 20 different answers. Most of the replies I have read so far are from a biblical and personal point of view. Why people do what they do, believe what they believe, say what they say is very complicated. I sometimes say stuff and I do not know why I said it. It just came out.
Faith is like God, beyond our complete understanding but we know it is there. Every creature and every person has some measure of faith. The birds don’t say, “We might as well fly into the ocean because there will be no food tomorrow”. Every successful person there is had faith in something, God, themselves, their product, someone else, something.
The universe is evolving. The church has to also. The original church was designed to help keep man connected to God. Power and greed crept in and distorted the truth. We have to get back to the basic principles and blend them with the latest findings in science, history and biblical theology. LOVE and TRUTH is the key. God (Love) sent us Jesus (The Truth) so that we could find our way.
Praise the Lord.
We know that faith is a gift from God, and I believe that it is intimately personal thing between you and Him. However, how we express it is another thing entirely, whether through our testimony or our actions. We can say one thing, but too often do and/or express something else. Especially when in a crunch!
Fortunately, God is an equalizer. Today, with so much media, many poor people can hear and see for themselves the true acts and testimonies from the Lord in everyday life. No one person, group, or religion can hold sway what is in a man’s heart. Only God can.
In those nations where politics and illogical notions rise to the top through the various channels of media, it’s almost embarrasing that these people have begun to believe their own hype. They use every type of fallacious logic to sway the multitudes, and then proceed to drunkenly indulge themselves in the praise of those who they have emotionally swindled.
It is unfortunate that these fallacies of logic can also proceed from the pulpit. Not all pulpits, but enough of them, and unfortunately they are persuasive. I have seen it done for both political and financial gain. Many of these falacies appeal to one’s religious beliefs as well as to one’s allegience to their country, in order to get groups to vote a certain way, to hate other groups, churches, and other nationalities.
To be fully aware today, it would behoove all of us to learn the difference between Faith, and illogical spin. Most internet sites tell you what they are.
Whether one preaches, is into politics, or writes, knowing your audience also means knowing their faith and beliefs before one can make an appeal to them.
I feel that Leadership in general is not transparent (put on facades as if everyday is Sunday). I also believe that if others can see or know about the heartaches, pains, disappointments, and mistakes (most important) and not put it in a box for sinners only (like Job’s friends did) and make people feel intimidated or sinful then that would ease troubled souls. It troubles me to see Leaders make other feels like there was an effect for your sinful cause when suffering is a part of life period. It is only through suffering that God’s glory is revealed, celebrated, and appreciated just as Christ’s cross is the mystery that still baffle the world.
Dear Bishop,
I’m writing from the Africa Continent. Everything he have said is true, but I’d like to put the blame primarily at the feet of the Pentecostal church; especially some of the gospel according to the American church which the African church has imbibed and taken to a new height, hypocrisy in the pews and on the altar. I’ve been a born again christian for 12 years and have been
Why should people come to Christ when there’s so much hypocrisy in the pews and at the altar. Injustice, “Pastor worship”, sexual immorality at it’s highest, corruption and greed. Some of the orthodox chuches are begining to draw back their members who left fro Pentecostal churches, because people don’t want to hear about the cars and houses and blessings anymore. Not that they’re not good, but we’ve exalted them far above the knowledge and the hunger for God! They can get that without being Christians. All they need is to follow principles (e.g what you sow is what you reap).
They want to see Jesus, instead we’re showing them glamour. They need a real prophetic voice in this season and they need to be called to repentance when they sin. Instead we preach only the grace of God and never His justice.They want to be able to honour their pastor without having to treat him like a superstar. The’re searching hungrily for God and all we offer them is an image that doesn’t represent who our God really is.
Tell me, what answer does the church have for what is global meltdown? I dare say none. Did they see it coming? Of course not; except for a few discerening men of God. People need answers but the church has nothing to offer. Prophetic voices have been shut down and labelled old school or out of touch. No wonder the people are perishing… Just like in the days of old Jerusalem, the church is killing off its prophets and crying peace, peace when destruction is about to come?
Where is the power? Where is the hunger for the will of God? Where is the hunger for the Word of God? We have exegeted the power in the Word of God away. Nice sounding doctrines with no power; ever learning but never grasping the truth; tantalising our flesh without touching the heart of God.
Where is the love that is the true hallmark of Christianity (the disciples were known for their love for one another)? Where is the fear of God? Do the ‘red letter’ words of the Lord Jesus Christ mean anything anymore? Where is the glory? Where is the power?
God help us all…..
Bishop,
Totally agree with all of your points made.
(Just waitin’ for you to say ONE thing that I don’t agree with so I can debate ya)
My question is, at what point in history can we look back and say; “faith was working”. Just as the children of Israel went in and out of faith with the One True God….so it is today.
Therefore, I believe the decline of faith is as were in the days of the divided kingdom, Judah and Israel. There were kings which did not do what is right in the eyes of the Lord.
Some are afraid to be King…..like Zimba in Lion King.
And so it is today…..
We we are a “United Kingdom”….a “Unified BODY”….THEN we will see “faith at it’s best”.
Amen.
mlw
Good Afternoon Pastor Bishop,
No God is not going out of style. Let any of us get deep enough in trouble and HIS will be the only name we call on day and night. What has gone out of style is witnessing for JESUS. We have become strong in what we see ourselves do for us rather than acknowledging, if it had not been for the LORD! Radical praise, worship and belief in JESUS has gone out of style. To display any of these characteristics and you will be call drunk as the Christians in Act, if not a crack head or some form of substance abuser. We rely some much on the world view rather than the JESUS view we have lost vision of what the Holy Spirit really is or looks like.
Certainly, the influx of other beliefs is a probable cause but we Christians are more the cause. We only look like Christ on Sundays and not all week long. If you get to close to us you may even find that we look like but don’t smell, taste, sound or hear that way. The Holy Spirit has been reduced powereless and therefore, the movement of God among HIS people is hendered. Not stopped, but delayed. Not crippled, but sedated. A delayed and sedated Holy Spirit cause the lose of FAITH. Without FAITH we are homeless (disconnected from God), hopeless (not fed daily), helpless (lost on circular paths nowhere) and hungry (searching for what the world offers). We become members of the four-H club (headed to HELL) instead of members of the family of GOD, a peculiar people.
All road lead to Jesus! A good education with true comprehension dispells evolution and leave the trinity still “In Charge.”
When I read your blog for today, here is what questions came to mind:
In Revelation Chapter 2 & 3, it speaks of the Angel of the Church, the Church and what God is writing to the Angel of that particular church.
1) Are the Angels of those particular Seven Churches doing what God has instructed
them to do according to His Word.
2) Are the Angels of those particular Churches falling away from their original
instructions, or the last instructions that they received from God.
3) Is the Church a reflection of the Angel of the Church.
4) Are those who are falling away from the Church fulfilling something that was spoken
Prophetically.
5) Are those who are falling away from the Church lost. And if they are lost in there thinking
has the Angel of the Church, and those who are associated with that Church forgotten
what to do for those who have lost there way.
6) Is the Church influencing the world or is the world influencing the Church.
7) Will the Angels of the Churches put aside there differences and come together because of
the times.
Thank you Bishop for allowing me to have a voice,
Peace!
Bishop Jakes,
God cannot go out of style, it is not possible because style changes with the times. With God there is no existance of time he is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. But what I believe is we, the church are out of the style of God. We have left, the original blueprint that God laid out for us, to create an existance, that is comfortable for us. Our desire is not to please the Lord, it is to please ourselves! We are constantly spinning our wheels, trying to gain prosperity at any cost. We refuse to help our neighbor, We step on others to gain positions and status. We are UNGRATEFUL, for what God has already provided for us; We are not UNIFIED!
We need to prepare for the coming of the Lord! By that I mean sincere repentance, and rededication of our lives to the mission that Jesus commissioned us to continue. We should get off that merry-go-round of prosperity, and run to the lighthouse of SALVATION! So that we can show the world, the love of Christ, and the eternal future that has been planned for everyone, who believes, and has their FAITH in him. We CANNOT put our faith in man. By that I mean any human being; The President, Your Pastor or even you Bishop. We must trust in the Living God, The Alpha and the Omega, The Beginning and the End. The GOD that has a real HELL to put us in.
May God Continue To Bless Us All!
Good Morning Bishop,
I pray you, First Lady Jakes, and the children are well. I’m a member of The Potter’s House Church, and I must say it’s great to see you bring everything full circle. It’s great to see such a contemporary article addressing those “outside of the church walls”, however your preaching/teaching is filled with the HOLY GHOST power every Sunday morning that makes it evident that you are indeed a man that follows Christ. There is no mistaken that JESUS is King in our church! You’re loving people where they are without compromising the gospel message of salvation and the cross. Great job Sir…
This is indeed a “loaded” topic for discussion, and I don’t know If I can properly articulate my views in such a shot window of cyberspace. I agree that this has become a non Christian nation with Christians in it. Our fore fathers set a strong foundation of Christianity through prayer and their relationship with God. They didn’t have as much knowledge about the bible as we have today (lots of them couldn’t read), but they knew the voice of the Lord. America is so full of Pride and Arrogancy; and the misuse of knowledge has defiantly contributed to that (I Cor 8:1). Pride and Arrogance also makes it difficult to receive Love, and the word declares that God IS Love (1 John 4:17-18).
God is humbling our nation, and HE is the only one who can fix the mess we’ve made.
I believe the key is Christ- like Love, which can only be poured into someone that spends time with him (John 14: 21). The presence of God (faith) must be cultivated, maintained, and desired. People fight for what they want bad enough. So my question is, “Do we even want God anymore?” The idea of ‘Religion’ is dissipating and people don’t want religion, they want Jesus. One of the reasons that less of Jesus is being seen in the world is because the church promotes gifts and very little is said or taught about the fruit of the spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The church is sleeping and we should “wake up” and take our rightful place in doing the great commission as Jesus instructed. This may begin by getting out of our confort zone and talking to people we wouldn’t necessarly talk to or smiling when we may not feel like smiling, or giving that hug to a person that needs one even if their faith system doesn’t parrallel with ours (muslim, hindu, etc)…
It starts with seeing people’s hearts, and loving them where they are without agreeing with the things that grieve our King. There is a way to love people without judging them, and remaining in right standing with the Lord. It can be done with much prayer and committment.
I don’t know. These are all just thoughts I was compelled to share.
Prasie the lord Bishop T.D. Jakes
I have been a christian for quite sometime now well I am actually what they call a church baby, born and rasied in the church. I just wanted to thank you for over the years I have listened to your ministry and I see the annoiting that god has over your life. God bless!!!
Bishop Jakes, you are completely right Americans have lose their faith, because they are very greedy people. They only want God for what he gives to them, not who he really is. They want more and more. Americans are defined by what they have, not who they are. They have lose their intregrity, dignity, and self-worth. They only see themselves, by what they have. I never look at what people have, I do not care about materialistis things. I look at people’s character. I am in this world, but not of it. Keep up the Lord’s work. May he continue to Bless and Keep you and your family. Happy Easter!
Great Post Bishop,
There are alot of factors, but as a Generation Xer, the absence of fruit from our parent’s “faith”, I believe plays a large part in why younger generations maybe turning away from their parent’s “religion.”
Our parents seemed to confess alot of things that they didn’t quite possess, including character and integrity. And lack of authenticity is a huge turn-off. Not to disparage our parent’s (I had great ones, not perfect, but great), but as our society becomes more inclusive, the traditions of our parent’s do not allow for new approaches to actually “spread the gospel” (which is phrase you hardly ever hear anymore); I believe that younger christians are searching for more effective ways to spread the gospel but they are also relunctant to do so out of fear of their character not matching up with their message. I really do believe it is a case of “The Tree Being Cut Back” - The More Fruit, Much Fruit Syndrome..With that being said, I believe “The Church’s” best days are ahead. It won’t be like our parent’s or our grandparent’s faith where they experience More Faith, it will be a time of Much Faith.
It is a very complex issue (at least to the human mind….I don’t think God is unsure of what needs to happen) and I for one don’t have the answers and I am glad and I don’t have to; just be connected to The One who is The Answer…
Thanks For Allowing Me To Post,
-kelvin
It seems to me that we live in a time when so many people seem to have no sense. In a
sense then, it is easier to talk of what’s right and good and of things that have virtue, but
don’t expect people to change. Expect them to continue on their way as they go to hell,
though they could, if God grant them, the ability to repent and go to heaven.
It’s not easy to watch and see God do so much and people do so little for their salvation.
I suppose they don’t want to be saved. Maybe they don’t know the way they go.
In the future church, when people realize there is a way to reconcile others by the gospel of
Christ, because those oppressed by somebody else suffer and are willing to forgive and to
repent of their own sins as they become aware of them, rather than suffer in darkness in
a barron land, then they will come to those who understand something of justice, righteousnes, mercy and faith.
When they come in contact with a deliverer who is willing to plead their cause if it indeed is
just, and find one who will go with them to their abuser, state the matters at hand and without condemnation, ask if a thing is right, and if it is not, then ask for mercy, then they
will begin to see the light of the gospel of Christ.
Then we will begin to see that we have indeed lost our way, and that the way of God is
not within ourselves unless his name is Jesus, who has promised that he will never leave us
nor forsake us.
If they ever get stuck in the past, they will speak of the future, the way the church is going to
be, because it has a glorious future in Christ. The darkness will be far behind as we speed
into our future.
I don’t think God is going out of style. Personally, I’ve grown closer to God in the last 8 months. I’ve realized that what is hindering the faith is our own selfishness and preoccupation with stuff that keeps us busy, but not witnessing. People do watch us, and as I’ve gone through some difficult times in the last eight months, people have been amazed at my “strength” and ability to handle things. This gives me a great opportunity to witness to them because I have no strength but that which God gives me. I strongely believe that God is calling the faithful back to witness not just through bible verses, but through their testimony and through the life they live each day.
What some people don’t realize, however, is that it is a struggle each and every day to not give in to the flesh. They expect Christians to be perfect. But if we can teach them that no one is perfect, but Jesus, and that the Holy Spirit inside of us has to be called up each day in order to live a life that is pleasing to God, maybe they will see the hope that is in Jesus, the Christ.
I feel a stirring in my spirit of a revival. And, I continue to pray that God will use me as imperfect as I am for His Glory.
Good evening Bishop;
I am very glad that you have brought this topic up, it is well overdue. I find myself when telling others about the goodness of God,I will tell them that, we as Christian Americans must ask for forgiveness. We should humble ourselves, and ask the Lord for forgiveness of our sins. America has to repent of the sins that we have allowed to go on here. I believe that we have enough Christians to stand in the gap for others that may have went to far to the left. We have allowed many wrongs to go on inside many churches. I hear many of the people that aren’t Christians say, People outside the church show more love for one another than the people in the church. We must get back to our first love,and walk the walk.
Bishop,
I did watch how you responded to Larry King’s question and I do agree with you; we live in a country that has a lot of Christians in it but we are not a Christian nation. Because of this, I believe that the need for Evangelism has increased. Oral Roberts said a few years back that the church is not using the power that she has been given. I believe that to be the case. Furthermore, I believe the church is losing her passion and hunger for God…David wrote “as the deer pants after the water brook so my soul longs for you…” The messages that pastors need to preach, in America especially, should be to clarion call to the believer to seek God and ignite a hunger and passion for Him lik never befire.
The message of the Gospel that believer’s share with the non-believers needs to be one of love and forgiveness with much conviction because God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it but so that through Him, people might be saved. Bishop, you are a blessing. I have listened to you since I rededicated my life to Jesus Christ in 2002. The one thing that drew me and my younger brother to the screen was the passion and depth of the Word that you share and explain. Your message on the Tabernacle has really been a blessing, which can be used as an example here; That series you were preaching and teaching the Word and helping people understand it…that is what draws people; that is what bears fruit that remains; that is what needs to go forth inside and outside the four walls.
I don’t believe the church needs to attempt to be relevant; each time she does she usually compromises and compromise depletes the anointing she has been given. The church needs to have her own identity and that identity comes from believing who God says we are…”Chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people.”
Thanks Bishop,
Jonathan
The bible says there will be a falling away, that the wheat will be separated from the shaft. I believe that is what is happening. Satan is having a field day with the hardness of people’s hearts. Christians are compromising for the sake of political correctness and their own selfish desires. Trying to sugar coat sin, and sit on the fence instead of standing for Christ. The road is in deed narrow and hard so it is easier to and feels better (for the moment) to turn to the left or to the right and fit in with the crowd. We forget God’s promise that we cannot even imagine the paradise HE has for those who love and follow Him. Yes there is a falling away, and the bible said there would be.
Good morning Bishop,
I for one did not grow up in America nor where my parents ’saved’. I grew up in the Carribean with a very devout Catholic mom and a dad who thought God only existed in Church. I came to know Christ personally in the missionary Christian school my parents sent me to as I was growing up. From my own personal experiences and to reiterate what some of my fellow brethens in Christ have said, it is difficult to have faith and be faithful to God when everything one could possibly need is available at hand. In Haiti, I have met some of the most incredibly faithful people that I have found difficult to discover in America. Why is that? Maybe it is the money, the cars, the houses, the fame, ect…or maybe there’s so many ‘religions’ people don’t know which one is the right one…or maybe it’s the low tolerance for ‘old-fashioned’ Christian doctrines (no homosexuality, pre-marital sex, abortions, ect…). I can’t pinpoint exactly what it is. But this I do know, as said in Jude, we, the faithful ones, are warned that in the last times, there are godless men who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. These men will follow their own evil desires and not the Spirit of our Lord…many will go to the wide gate and ignore the narrow gate.
Stay blessed,
JM
BISHOP JAKES,
JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW YOU ARE RIGHT ON THE MONEY, WHEN IT COMES TO OUR DEMOCRACY. WHAT A SHAME IT IS TO USE GOD AS A TOOL, RATHER THAN LET GOD USE US. IT IS TIME US AS CHRISTIANS SEEK GOD, NOT GOD SEEKING US. WE ARE HIS PEOPLE AND HIS SHEEP BY HIS PASTURE!
REV. STEPHEN MAXWELL
Newsweek article, The Decline of Christian America
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583
Thanks Bishop Jakes for giving us your biblical perspective on this article.
Bishop, I believe it is similar to a time like…remember when everyone was calling you their Father? I recall that phase where every person I spoke with or heard speak of you say “my daddy Bishop Jakes”. Remember the Father’s day everyone at church placed their roses on you to honor you as their father and ended up using you as a pin cushion? Same principal here, you aren’t out of style and neither is God. As a matter of fact I also believe we have entered into a time when the world needs God and a relationship with Him, now more than ever with families being torn apart by divorce and abuse tied to the frustration of losing everything! For this same reason, people shouldn’t be too proud to shop at the Goodwill when they begin to make progress up the ladder of success…or shop the 70% off rack at their favorite department store. This is one of the ways the enemy sets people up for suicide, sickness, stress, or a nervous breakdown. Even when I had control of large sums of money it never made me too stiff-necked to slam on the breaks for a good garage sale, use coupons while grocery shopping, or frequenting the local used shops in search of a good bargain. I believe God is more “IN STYLE” now than ever! He is being preached throughout the entire globe. I compare our jobs as Prophets now to a product that is in high demand. We need to be extremely sensitive to the movement of the Holy Ghost, as prophets this is our greatest hour! Prophetically speaking, millions will begin crying out to God like never before, we need to be His hands extended, his mouthpiece, and use the feet He has given us to run and encourage the hurting and the lost. The time is now Bishop! We have to be ready for the harvest of souls that is ripe. Not people who were used to running the aisles at church because they were “so blessed” or the camera was on them…but rather a whole new generation of God’s children who are hungry for His presence and who have realized it’s not in the purse you carry, the shoes you sport, the car you drive, or the perfectly manicured and decorated house you live in. If you share it with a spouse you don’t even know anymore or even like or children who have been taught to disrespect you it’s a PRISON! Whatever the case, God is the answer! A life walking with the Holy Spirit is the answer! Jesus is the answer! God’s Word has the answers! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us Bishop and caring enough to hear what we’re thinking too. Peace and Happy Easter
Bishop I first want to thank you for being a blessing to all whom you , come in contact with. To respond I don’t think God has gone out od style. It is the people who have changed there, style.God is the same today tomrrow and forever. The things in our lives cause us to change. Our jobs, home life etc, but what happens is we think because our needs chnage we need to change the relationship we have with God. I found out the hard way that doing things without God ultimately leads to a failur, I got tired a long time ago of failing but never still paid attention that I was still doing it without God. Today I lost my job and I have a wife and small child at home, do I know where my next job is coming from? No but I kniw tha I have faith in God and dispite me not including him in things surrounding my life I know he has never failed me. We chang God doesn’t.
Bishop, I find that the question of whether God is out of style is a good one. Today there seems to be very little reverential fear of God. People are so guide and defined by who they think that they are or who other people think they are. People define themselves by what job or career choice they are in, who they know, and/or what they own. People do not let being a child of the most high God define all aspects of their lives and being. I wish to put it in a more simplistic way because I do not want to sound just religious. I am a person living my ordinary everyday life. Because I am God’s daughter, I have my supernatural Father guiding me through even the most mundane parts of my life. I have being a Christian all of my life, but I struggled trying to bridge the gap between what I had been taught and knowing that there had to be so much more than I was experiencing. I had some of the same thoughts as non-believers such as Christians do not suffer nor struggle. I grew up to learn that in the natural we all have some of the same experiences, but because of the supernatural we all do not experience the same promises. I still struggle with how to be godly and rigtheous(not holier than thou) in an ungodly world. So much of adult conversations are ungodly that much of the time I struggle to find what to converse with people about. My desire is to be able to speak with all people so that my righteousness shines through and glorify God without seeming to beat them over the head with my Bible until they submit or run far enough away.
I believe people lack Faith today because we are more prosperous and we are re-lying on ourselves and not God. We lack patient for going through and finishing the test. We are blessing ourselves and not allowing the guidance of God’s leadership. What is so hurtful to me and disppointing is that we have stop making a place for God in our lives. Nothing and no one can fill God’s spot. The current economical crisis is simply that it’s putting us on our knees and leading us to Christ. Finally, I look forward to the day when we as God’s people stop trying to impress one another and let God be God. I grieve in prayer for Bishops, Pastors, Evangelist, and ministry as a whole because the focus is mega and not the kingdom of God. The purpose is lost. We are not being prepared for the rapture and sin is being patched up instead of stamped out. We need a simultaneous worldwide repentance and prayer meeting, starting with the head of the body of christ. Lord have mercy on us
Bishop,
I am learning so much throughout the ministry, threw your anointed ministers, and one thing I experienced since I have been at the Potter’s House is some of the things I have learned throughout my life coming together like a big unsolved puzzle and I thank God for that. Be encouraged and have a blessed one.
The first thing that always comes to me is Jesus isn’t about religion, it is about a relationship. We need to preach His coming and really apply His Blood. More prayer and fasting, and yes, Americans need Revival!!!!!!!! But, it is written ” In the last days there will be a great falling away” and I believe we are closer then ever. Come Lord Jesus, Come!!!!!!!
Dear Beloved Bishop Jakes,
I pray that you can help me find the light. Yes like so many in our country today - these days are truly TRYING! As for me I have been laid off now for the past 16 months and I’ve lost hope.
I also beg you to PLEASE ask every woman, man and teenager to contact their House & Senate Representative (every day if possible) and create a tidal wave of support for getting this Bill - H.R. 1529 - The Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009 - signed into Law. This bill has died every year since 2002 in the Senate and/or White House. - H.R. 1529 - The Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009 would permit expungement of records of certain nonviolent criminal offenses. Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009 amends the federal criminal code to allow an individual to file a petition for expungement of a record of conviction for a nonviolent criminal offense if such individual has satisfied all the requirements and contributes to the safety and health of his/her family and/or community. Supporting H.R. 1529 The Second Chance for Ex-Offenders Act of 2009 will help first-time offenders with reducing recidivism through work, career advancement and satisfying employment opportunities for Ex-Offenders. In many cases, this lack of job stability perpetuates a cycle of poverty and other forms of disenfranchisement, becoming a major contributor to recidivism which in turn increases demands on the resources of the prison system and drives up costs. Without the possibility of expungement, first time offenders are doomed to a life of menial employment, government dependency or recidivism. Expungement as a legal remedy offers hope to those without access to decent employment.
Prayerfully yours,
Michelle
I think besides what comments have been mentioned here, that some people are interpeting the Bible or thinking and believeing what they themselves believe, that Hell is here on Earth. Among other things, I know what the Bible tells me and what it has to say about a lot of things, just since I have been doing a lot of reading in the past few months myself. I also know a lot of people that I never woild have actually believed that they would even attend the Church where I have started to going to Church in the past year.
Interestingly enough, we in South Africa are facing a very twisted version of this problem, we are experiencing an increase in people asking whether a former bishop, Dr. Mvume Dandala would be fitting to rule the country as he is a “man of the cloth.” it actually worries me how South Africa thinks that any other leader might be a better bet than the Christian alternative. I find that a lot of Christians are saying the right things, but not doing the right things. can the world be a lot more moral than it is, yes. Are the Christians ensuring that this happens, through their lifestyles… Well, I’ll leave that to you.
Brother TD Jakes thats a short, sweet yet effective summary of the reality as Ive experienced on the streets , just many people in general although my approach differs from recent outings as Ive take on Brother Myles Munroe kingdom apllication a new dimension of witnessing it has being so effective that I feel Dr Myles and yourself as friends have caught onto something that must be implemented . The Kingdom message works? in testifying of Kingdom it draws the focus of the hearers aways from institutionalised failures, religious anger, and hear me when I say this when people hit the person they 1st make contact with talk about Jesus. Automatically the reciever thinks we’re religious, which one are you ” mormon” JW’s, all those ones on Television who just want to hammer us with their sin, then on the streets beaten up Preachers hurt by institutionalism carry their hurt out there, all in all this supports many of what youve highlighted. It simply boils down to the message and when you talk Kingdom, Like USA, or some grand holiday spot you dont talk about the President/Prime minister they wont say Id love to go there, what do I do.. instead they’d say who george bush no thanks etc and sadly even people whom have started chats with Jesus same thing not Jesus fault, just the messengers and their message which is why Jesus masterfully knew there will be some preaching Jesus whom would sidetrack Gods people so understandably he points them to Kingdom, then it pulls their focus outside the box. Why? because as Myles says I testify this to be true, many Christians concept of Kingdom is shallow they have more understanding on their denomination than Kingdom. The whole focus of the Church is colonize the earth with their Church, denomination , this is wrong priority mega -churches etc sent out Church planters to build another Hillsong for example in the name of Jesus like other denominations and compeitiveness and dog eat dog mentality is created. I had one surfer say to me you know I believe, but my Church is when I paddle out to the waves, my community is out there, always a different surfer out there I just talk to them about God, we all sit on our boards wait for a wave sometimes one doesnt come for a half hour plenty of time to talk about God… it blew me away why? these people out there have more idea of what Kingdom is and colonization and they see the rubbish of what goes on within. Brother TD Jakes we look too much the Church at where people come from, and not what they can come into Kingdom not Church. When they walk in Inidgenous people for example , westerners say his/her has this spirit, some homeless or drunken man cant possibly be in my connect one would say, these connect groups nothing more than circle groups lets get him/her she owns a boat or lets start a boat connect, african connect that isnt connecting and yet no non-christians in their groups … All this commercialism that I must admit came out of USA yet Im encouraged by your prayer on the gaither band with you just recently watching it on youtube etc.
America is a great place but what many were deturbed about is when ” americans would say this America” and all the jargon of arrogancy broadcasted live as if no other country existed and this happened in Christian circles like USA was the place where God lives.
Anyhow we work together now, we are no better than those over east, south, North, wherever humilty must come at such a cost … but I will be honest Kingdom message seems to be the only message many out there open to and the only message that will be bring Church together which is why in agreement with Dr Myles it was Jesus only message, people must always direct their messages to Kingdom. Not say as we often hear isnt it great to be in Church ” hello” missed wrong agenda, wrong assignement, wrong focus, misplaced priority
God bless brother thanks for adding me to your face book
I am Kenneth Te Wano and thats my name on facebook
I am from New Zealand
I am now living in Perth until God directs me otherwise
Love you brother and God bless
No, God is not going out of style just the opposite. People are getting tired of the control and facades they face in the churches. We have many come into the churches and they come in hungry and thirsty and most cases broken hearted. We give them attitudes as if we have arrived, we forget where we came from, and what God has delivered us from. They do not want to party with you they want to worship with you. We need to be real and show them Jesus! The bible says, where the spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty. Let’s worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth! Let’s give them Jesus…They say love conquers all……Jesus is love…..with that said love never goes out of style in fact it draws the many seeking a place of refuge………Let’s make it real folks and do what we are called to do, reach and touch those that are lost, let’s make love your language, and make it real.
God is the same and we are his children and he loves us…this old world is just in a mess and we are all feeling the wrath of it’s tornado….we are just beat to death by it and awful things are happening to us and we are tired…but….we gotta get up…..this is our inheritance also…we own this place and these people are our brothers and neighbors…get up and go help your people rebuild as in a tornado…help them rebuild their faith and their lives….go love them….Jesus is coming for us soon…the worse it gets the closer we are to going home to be with the Lord….stay strong my brothers and sisters….God is going out of style…he is stylin and profilin and he is about to hit the run way….and when he does…you want to be in that party!!!!!!
READ ME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!READ ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!READ ME BISHOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!READ ME BISHOP!!!!!!!!!!! In response to why I feel their is definitely is a decline of people of faith in this country. I think Americans and people in general have escaped the faith. I am a Christian, and a women of deep faith . I will soon be entering seminary in august. First of all, besides your church Bishop Jakes, I have never in my 28 years of life known of a church that actually addresses the issues that we face as a evolving country. such as sexual abuse or incest rape, Gay marriage, racism or inequality among races in todays society, Divorce (exept for the recent movie Fire Proof, which addressed it) and children being born to teens from broken homes, or children being born out of wedlock. Because I am african American and this was a major issue in my family, I must say that the church rarely ever addresses absentee fathers in the black community, or the effects of absentee fathers in any community.Faith is viewed so different from when my mother was a child. When I grew up, I was being pressured to have sex at 16 yrs, but the church was silent on any sex issues,and today teens are being pressured at age 13, not because they are bad teens but because they come from broken homes, or learn sex education in the streets instead of heathy homes and churches. When the teen ends up pregnant the church is so judgemental, which my view is Christians sometimes mostly only show up to fight in the press but rarely do we attempt to minister to the real issues or show true love to the hurting people, we respond as if out of duty not love. Also evolution being taught as scientific fact to forming young minds have definitely hurt Americans in Christianity reaching the souls of are young people. Now I will tell you a bit of my own story. My father abandoned my family when I was 4 yrs old. I located him at age 26, and paid for my own airplane ticket to visit him. When my half young preteen sisters were gone with thier mother, and we were alone my father raped me. Now on top of all the anger I had for being abandoned which took me many years to forgive, and wash with God’s love, I have to deal with my father repeatedly raping me. I have so much anger and hatred towards that man. All I ever wanted was a father figure , a father to love me, but now I am left with pain, and memories I want to erase, but I can not drown out. I ask that for your prayers Bishop Jakes. It was your ministry that first introduced me to Jesus,and I respect, and look up to you . loved the movie Not Easily Broken, the title reminds me of me .
Reverend Jakes, I think many of us who watch you and others like you on television or now somewhat upset with the traditional old fashioned style baptist churches…You attempt to go back they are critics of the person’s past, present, clothing “why dont you join the choir or the usherboard?…” It is hard enough for a person who has been in the streets so to speak for a long time to just step foot in a church and then to be met with so much pressure and so little real support intimidates too many… So in actuality, we are not less religious just less likely to visit a conventional church when we can get so much intelligent, informative theological and relevant life sustaining knowledge from preachers such as yourself. I dont know how you got to where you are but it would seem to me that if we have 200 black churches in Cincinnati why arent all the preachers who dont have congragations such as yours binding together to make a strong army for the lord in there own area…and do what you do in this area there would be no need for all the foreclosures, the hunger, the education issues because together there wouldnt be anything they could not get for those in need…when the selflessness begins and really doing what God asks of preachers prevails instead of what they want to keep up with REVEREND JONES shall I say then more people will come back to church you see in times of distress such as slavery days the church was the prevailing source of strength it feed families, gave political knowledge and backed movements to change the nation now it seems so many are only backing movements that can build them new and bigger churches tobring in more income to still not really make monumental changes in our communities, black churches in cincinnati are not building large christian based education academies to help the disadvantaged youth or the so-called throw away youth. They are not utilizing their monies and intellect to make finance companies to help some of the families in the city that can not get conventional help as Fred Shuttlesworth used to do…when they are capable of much greater accomplishments to help in greater ways…When they recognize that families are in need of more than strong choirs and witty rhetoric in big fabulous spiritually empty shells…then they will return.
Dear Bishop Jakes,
I believe that “religion” has gone out of style…and it leads people to believe that “GOD” has gone out of style. Yet anyone that truly has a relationship with God knows that HE will NEVER go out of style, that would be like saying that breathing has gone out of style.
I know that this world believes that they (each country) is in control of it’s own destiny and that they alone can change life as they know it….how wrong could we possibly be. I have no Ph.D or for that fact any degree’s I just have a profound belief that God is the beginning, middle, and the end of my life, so I know that HE exists and will always exist long after this mortal coil has left the building!
Man in all of his knowledge and understanding has over thought everything, always looking for the loop-hole in life, and as I was once told; “if you go looking for trouble, you will find it”. My life view of God is that He is bigger than my imagination, yet He fits perfectly into my life leaving me enough room to grow and learn. Everytime I hear His word preached I learn something new and eye opening, makes me look at myself with more intense scrutiny before I look at someone else and find fault with them.
So, for all of the doubters, and half-hearted unbelivers God has not left us….we leave Him!
Thank you for keeping me inspired,
Oh my Bishop Jakes, the answer to this could take a long time. There are many things, however, I believe the first and most important thing is that we as Chrisitians have left our first love Christ and many of us are of non-effect. We don’t have a personal relationship with Christ. This is the beginning of the fall of Christianity in America. All the other things you’ve listed are important contributing factors.
I honestly believe God may be becoming out of stlye due to God becoming a side bar in the church and/or God is distorted. Case in point I cannot tell you how many times I have been to a church in which the Pastor and/or the traveling Evangelist has stated that the Lord had specifically told him/her that he was going to give a 300-500 fold return to any one who gives 100.00 or more today. I have even heard them say don’t worry about your gas bill give it today and the LAWD will give you a 500 fold return, and people run up there with money like they have just won the lottery, and far too many times the only one going home with the 500 fold money is the Preacher themselves. Then, the person who put his/her gas bill money in the offering get’s his /her lights cut off,and God goes out of style based on the distoration of God by the Preacher. I have even heard an Evangelist say the first one hundred people who bring me one thousand dollars are going to receive an Elijah annointing. So With the prosperity gospel God has become a slot machine (a distoration to say the least). Other distortions are that if you are poor or sick God is mad at you or you are under a curse, making the Gospel all about the me and never the we, sucessful Minstries are based upon numbers in pew not the display of imitators of Christ, more worshipping of the Preacher than God himself, etc, etc,.
In regard to Theocracy, according to the dictionary a theocracy is the following:
a form of government in which God or a deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, the God’s or deity’s laws being interpreted by the ecclesiastical authorities.
and
a word first used by Josephus to denote that the Jews were under the direct government of God himself. The nation was in all things subject to the will of their invisible King. All the people were the servants of Jehovah, who ruled over their public and private affairs, communicating to them his will through the medium of the prophets. They were the subjects of a heavenly, not of an earthly, king. They were Jehovah’s own subjects, ruled directly by him (comp. 1 Sam. 8:6-9).
It seems to me that at the very least Christians/the Body of Christ should be under a Theocracy form of government in our lives. If government in it’s most virgin definition is: the act or process of governing ; specifically : authoritative direction or control, then given the standing definition of government, shouldn’t then God be the Authoritive Director of the Christian’s life? Maybe God has gone out of style because we have given authoritive control to people, and things other than God himself and/or the so called Prophets of the faith ears have been clogged up with the whiles and demands of the world, that the word of God is being drowned out. I think if we had more Daniels, Shadracks, Meshacks and Abed-Negos in America and the world who refuse to bow down to the gold images of the Nebuchadnezzars in it, maybe God will not go out of style in years to come. I love America and its democratic profile, but my allegiance first and foremost is to God, and if there ever is a conflict or contrast between the commands of God and the laws of man, I will always stand on the side of God, given that God has already given us his manual (the Bible) and his Spirit to direct us.
Finally, Jesus has said “By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” God will become back in style when those inside and outside the church understand the basic definition and litmus test of a follower of Christ. Therefore, if one wants to know if anyone or thechurch is a true disciple of Christ, then they need to ask themselves does the person or the church have love for one another, if the answer is no, then don’t be discouraged they are NOT an Authentic Christian or follower of Christ, but if the answer is YES then connect with them because you can then integrate into a synergetic connection of the Holy Spirit which our Lord has given us to keep us connected with himself. And the Love of Christ will never go out of style to any who believe on the name of Jesus.
Peace and blessings to you Bishop Jakes and to All.
First, thank you for allowing God to flow through you in various capacities (including your empowering moments)!
Remembering Others
I think all of us should accept the wakeup call of being more open to not only hear but obey the word of God in evangelizing. I believe that God is transforming my life and I praise God for people like yourself that seem to be endless in how God births life through you.
I believe that life in general can threaten to get us all off of the things that are most important and that is following after that heartbeat of God not just for ourselves but for others as well, with a focus not on foolishness but on souls. I am a single parent and am facing some challenges that I now simply believe are distractions sent from hell to keep me off track and out of focus with what He really desires for me to do in my life.
I’d love to challenge those of us who have allowed the “struggle of survival” to bombard us (and I indeed know what it is) to not allow it to get us so focused on it until we neglect what we are really here for… GOD”S PURPOSE, to be about our father’s business and use all that He has given us for His glory as He lightens the way. I don’t know everything but I know who does and may this encourage others that are facing “real issues” right now. When you don’t know what to do don’t throw up your hands allow Him to hold your hand & He’ll see you through. I don’t know about anyone else but for me and my house God will never go out of style! I think perhaps some of us that appreciate how things “back in the day” should still keep in mind that God is a progressive God and if we can’t change with the trends then He is not the blame we are! It is our duty to keep God relevant, learn what we need to do so, and move forward. He can only flow through us as we hear from Him and obey Him. He’s always speaking and He’s always Rhema! The ball is in our court…! If we can “market everything else and make it relevant and in style surely we can do it for the gospel and this wonderful God that has given us freely all things to share!
May the grace of our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ lead us all into the path(s) that are most pleasing to him for our lives in accomplishing this flattering mission to influence and change the lives of others!
And I pray God’s continued grace and infinite blessings will continue to guide us through the critical seasons of our lives!
Bishop, I thank you for taking the time to influence me! Much respect to you, your ministry, and your family. Always!
I think faith has declined because those that are THE CHURCH, Christians, don’t do a good job being ambassadors. Christians are the meanest people I know. Even in our own church there are mean, rude and for no apparent reason hostile people. We are the problem, not the world. We have the responsibility to show the world the love of God yet we reject people if they are different , a different color, from a different area in the country, if they dress different. We are the church of rejection , not the church of reconciliation. We perpetuate the problem by putting in position people that have no experience, no education , and no track record in ministry . You would not send your child to a school with teachers that are called by God to teach but have not gone to school for it because the call is enough. Even when we see that a person is a problem in their position we leave them there to hurt people.We have become the servant that was given one talent and buried. We are the problem.
Bishop, your topic is uite thought provoking. I recently moved to Atlanta. Most Pastors uote membership in the thousands, but I don’t see them as I move about the city. I don’t think God is out of style. I think Christians have redifined what true Christianity is. We are content with going to church, participating in a ministry, but we are not willing to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. We are not willing to take up our Cross and follow Christ. I see it often, people professing to be Christians while gossiping or stepping on others like crabs in a barrel. Unbelievers see this and say to themselves I don’t want to be like them. Their worse than my enemy.
On the other hand, the bad economic times has contriibuted to the disbelief in the truth of God’s Word. My generation has not lived through any real hard times that we can remember. Babyboomers have sheltered us fromthe reality of the world. At one time or another there will be familne. My generation is unable to deal with this economic famine. Instead of remembering that the Word was written for our example, we have placed the Word to the side for the internet, financial shows, and every other bad news giver. Instead of standing on the promises of His Word to never leave us or forsake us and that He will supply all our needs according to His riches in Glory, we have chosen to believe the prince of the air-that we are in a recession and that things are really really bad. So we have fallen into adultery, drugs, alcoholism and depression to try to handle our situations instead of leaningon the Everlasting Word of God. Why would anyone want to follow a god that would cause his people to live the defeated life many Christians are now living. I was depressed for almost a year after my husband lost his job. But thanks be to God He delivered me. I am watching Christian marrigaes fall apart left and right. Mines was on the brink of failure. But I am choosing to believe God. We have to remember that we overcome by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of our testimony. The restoration of my marriage and the good job or business opportunity that will come my husbands way will be a testimony to someone who does not believe. God will get the glory.
You asked if God is going out of style?
I would have to say NO!
But let me give you a little background on me so that you can see why my influences make me think the way I do.
I am a 25 yr old young professional a nurse to be specific.I am a mother currently seperated from my husband. I consider myself Catholic and to many unknowingly people means christian as well. My spiritual side stems mostly from my fathers side Strict Italian Catholic upbringing. I was catholic educated even through some of my college schooling. I love the traditions of the catholic church, they showed me how to love God and to love humanity. They showed how to pray. My grandmother as well. However my family really never practiced the “god comes 1st” It was jus a mere sunday 1 hr traditionthat we must participate in weekly” However as I got older I saw a double standard to my religion and even sometimes my family who I considered even the most devout catholics. I am from St. Louis and even though progressed than most cities we are still not where we should be as far as race relations goes. We are still a very segergated city. I feel as those the catholic church has a lot of good teachings and models on how to live your life to being a good christian but the practicing of it isnt really upheld. I love my religion and it was my religion that taught me to fight for fairness and for the poor to look past a person present and see there potential and as a christian it is your obligation to bring and see the best in everybody. It was those teachings that help me find my husband. When we 1st met he had the same broken home upbringing I had. Our parents did the bare minimal to keep us alive but neither of us had real parental involvement. When I met him I had 2jobs he had just got fired we met in a Navy recruiting office. We were both very aware that we had less than the ideal home life and we both grew up in a less than desireable area of St. Louis. Our parents were messed up but we both knew we (indvidually) were not going to follow the path we had been led on this was finally our time we were going to graduate high school and break the negative ties of our environments to work as hard as we had to so that we woudl not ever have to live in the situations we saw our mothers put through. Our spirit and our will to have a changed lifestule was too strong. That was our common interest, but what had initally brough us together was a jog. We were in the office one day and my recruiting officerr said I had to work on my time with a 1 1/2 mile. Something you have to pass to finish bootcamp. I was nowhere near where i needed to be. My husband (not at the time though) said he would jog and help me condition he would jog w me everyday he knw how important it was to me. No man in my life had ever did what he did He took the time to help me work on something he knew was so important to me, he continuously motivated me. I was a stranger he had nothing to gain. Even though he wasnt brought up “christian” I was very impressed with his commitment to helping me. long story short. We got married. However when it came time for us to be a couple that goes to church We both felt akward for different reasons. Catholic school taught me to love everyone. But that day we went to church he was not allowed to participate alot into the mass because he was not baptised catholic much less any of the sacraments that we preformed. We talked afterwards I felt embarressed in front of my husband because the things I had told him of Jesus was not what he experienced coming to church with me. I was like how does a church i grew up to love. Treat people of other faiths that come to my church like 2nd class citizens by demonstrating they are not good enough for communion because the catholic church did not recongnized his 1st Communion or he wasnt baptized catholic. That was a hugh eye opener for me. It made me see my church as more of a country club than a house of God. Even in our gospel it tells of Jesus welcoming all in participating of the mass. So my disdain for the Catholic church has grown not only from that but for the political agenda as well, making me feel like i commited a sin as great as murder for voting for President Obama because his belief in Pro-Choice, which in fact personally I am against abortion but i see the other humane policies as well as foriegn policies aredifferent than the republican sides and that is what I am passionate about. As a healthcare worker health care should be for all not just the ones who can pay for it. It was the humanity he preached on that made me know this is who I want as leader of my country. But my church sees me as a murderer. There was a couple of times I would see you preaching in the morning when my tv would be on and I thought what a great message. How unjudgemental you came across and your messages had merit to them the scriptuals you spoke of where the same ones I grew up with and your message co incide with them. I seperated from my husband 2 years ago and It was very hard on me emotionallyand I prayed I saw more of your sermons on tv I even became a frequent visitor to this website and I will say your messages kept me sane. And as ashame as it is for me to admit how weak I once was, It kept me from commiting an act that I would never be able to take back. I am truly greatful for your non judgemental approach to the bible the way you really bring it to life. I really do love God and catholic church was what I was brought up to know. I would like to go to church on Sundays and be apart of a church but I really dont feel comfortable shopping around for churches it is so akward, I jus think of how uncomfortable my husband told me he felt after mass that one day and It is not something I look forward to doing so until then I will continue to watch you and yeah I sometimes cheat on you with Paula White and Joyce Meyers. Pray that I may get the nerve to actually walk into a non demonational church and participate I’ll get there though. God is not out of style I just think that its hard to be judge by others in the congergation that people like me need to get over.
I’m blessed able to be in the presence of our lord. At this phase of my life I’ve only seen what’s being allowed at this time for us to see. I can accept all these views respectively we need to agree on solutions right now. Not to fix the issues we are encountering but give guidance to thee children. For adults which all became after realizing our inner person that makes who we are today. Is it not the same reason JESUS came and left to return again which would establish a HOLY peace. So all would have that chance to get transformed from a creation being renewed. If not illustrated properly how does even the less fortunate decide what is fact over fiction. Is the true meaning of life only means hurry up and live your desired life style before He comes. We should all install in one another if you don’t love yourself then how can Jesus ever see if we would be able to love Him! He made that choice to see us enter into heaven when humanity believed in it not. So shall all stand or sit on these situations we have caused one way or another? “AMAN”
First and foremost, I would like to thank you for the many years of encouragement and teaching that you have brought into my life. I don’t have the words or the space to express what a blessing you t.v. presence has brought to my life. I agree with all of the points you touched on Bishop. I believe that it is a culmination of all of these things. I am 28 and it’s sad that people look at my walk as a christian (imperfect as it may be) and are pleasantly surprised to see someone my age in love with God. I have a slightly younger sister that was raised with the same spiritual and church upbringing as myself, and yet I see her being dangerously permiscuous and careless with her life. There is just a lifestyle that is promoted and embraced by our generation that has nothing to do with God other than thanking him for an award or praying to him before a game.
Secondly, we are a nation built on freedom which makes us great, but also requires that we be tolerant. Let me re-phrase that, we are required to be tolerent to non-christian sects, but apparently we as believers are met with constant intolerance. We are asked daily to conform to the rules or society and yet society views us as monsters and oppressors. Not saying that some of it isn’t unwarranted, but there is definitely a double standard. I live in Texas, for instance. Texas was put under a global spotlight last year, when over 100 children were taken from their homes at the polygamist compound in West Texas. The thing that angered me was the way the community was referred to as a cult. Anytime there is a group of christians sharing a lifestyle that is contrary to that of the general population, it is considered a cult. When non-believers do the same, it’s a free-love, peace-embracing commune.
We must continue to not only acknowledge, but promote diversity and freedom in this country, but we as christians need to stop apologizing for our faith. Those of us who are spiritually grounded need to stop serving the Lord in private, so that all of the world has as a better picture of the body of Christ than the extremist offer. I’m as guilty of it as anyone, but I’m ready to be loud with my love. We have a beautiful story to tell and a beautiful life to offer to those who would receive it and those who continue to struggle to hold on to it.
I never miss a movie that has anything to do with TDJakes so I relaxed and enjoyed this movie in touched me from beginning to end. After watching this movie I now decided what to do on Mothers Day this year. Instead of buying gifts that is materialistic I have decided to have all of my female family and freinds over for that day to sit back and watch this movie along with lunch at my home , afterwards I am going to open up the floor for comments and hope they walk away afterwards with positive knowledge for themselves
Hello Bishop Jakes! I have a question that does not actually pertain to the current topics. If you would, could you please explain to me what is the son of perdition mentioned in 2nd Thessalonians 2:3, and John 17:12? Is this actually a man (human being)?
I do believe God IS going out of style and I also believe christians ARE responsible for that. The sweetness and depth that religion and godliness used to hold has been watered down so much by self-centeredness, greed and egotism. Christians seem to put more faith in thmselves now, its as if they have put themselves in the position of God. Selfishness is also a major part of this, I can hardly meet a christian nowadays who really and genuinely care, and I mean to care without conditions…whatever god they do nowadays ahve some sort of motive behind it. i dont know, maybe I’m a bit biased/prejudiced since my encounters with christians so far has only left me bitter and repulsed.
Our eyes are to be ever focused on the cross. Nothing but the cross regardless of what happens or what we see come to pass. God has left nothing unknown to us. We know the world has to change to usher in the times that he has chosen for the revelation of the cross. The final hours. Darkness will have its reign. So regardless of what we see in the news or hear on TV, read in the papers from anyone be it anyone nothing matters but the Word of God, Jesus Christ and what we are to watch for in the end times. So don’t be frightened by anything. Trust God for all answers, not man. People are confused because good and evil are becoming more and more blurred. The times may be evil, but it is not by mistake. God has set in motion His will and it won’t be undone. Thanks be to God for the cross and the revelations that are to come through Jesus Christ. We see but we don’t see. A new order has dawned and many churches are going to fail. Pray for your brothers and sisters vigilantly. But God is going to win. He wants a unified church. Seek the Lord in all things. It is His will.
The 23 Psalm is for safety. I say it often.
God’s light shines upon His children. They are in His hands.
Is God going out of style? Thank you Bishop TD Jakes for your relevant question. I live in India, and I would like to put forth a few questions….all the points mentioned above are awesome.
What is style? What dictates style to this world? Are we proud to be a Christian? Are we bold enough to LIVE like Jesus? When Christians run toward Jesus, the world will sit up and take notice. When Christians run toward the world and it’s definition of “style” , then the question arises if God is out of style. Does that mean the Christian represents God. Oh — it must be the “Christian” out of style!
God is not out of style — its the Christian I guess….God is awesome — and He invented style. When the Christian stops trying to mimic the world and starts living Christ– He is in style. Ooh! That is what God wants. So the world’s style doesnt dictate the Christian, but the Christian dictates the world’s style. I sure hope you get it.
How much do we rely on the Holy Spirit these days? The “knowing about God and His ways” has become more popular than “knowing God” — which means me and myself can control God and His ways rather than knowing and having surrendered my all to Jesus. Which is a fulfillment of the Scripture which says ” in the last days men will become lovers of themselves…”
Which is what we are seeing today. Men being lovers of themselves. It calls for PRAYER and COMMUNION with the Holy Spirit for it is said, “not by power, nor by might, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”
I am a 38 years old man who came to accept Jesus as my savior only a little over a year ago. Afterwards, I ironically realized that the only reason I ultimately came to the Lord was simply because the consecuenses of my self centered life decisions led me to the realization that He was not in my life…Having said that ever since I began my walk with the Lord, I have not only been going to church on Sundays and reading the word as consistently as I can, but I have also began to walk through this journey of self-discovery about Who God & Jesus really are and what does He really want from us….One of the questions that I have had during this process has been “What was it that kept me away from the Lord most of my life? & How can I use my own answer to this question to help others to meet the Lord way before in their lives than I did?”
First, I would like to make it clear that I am only speaking on my own behalf and solely on my own experiences as a former non-christian. I truly believe that most of us, if not all of us, live our entire lives trying to fulfill that invisible yet powerful void in our beings. Consequentely, we live our entire earthly lives trying to avoid to feel that void. The problem is that if we are not ever tough by anyone where that void comes from and who it belongs to, then, we simply choose to blindly follow the crowd as how to avoid that void without realizing that all their methods are simply artificials. In other words, we get so cough up and deceived by each others example of how to avoid the void that in the process we fail to realized that we are nothing but a bunch of empty beings pretending that we know the answer to the problem of our voids. This is where our problem as a society, nation and humanity begings.
My personal opinion is that the declining of the faith comes from the constant growing of many diferent options and deceptions that we, our-very-selves, continue to create to avoid the void. Therefore, making the true answer to the problem of our void only just another option. Lastly but not least, I should also say that the declining of the faith also comes from a lot of us that knows the answer to the problem (JESUS) but are percived by others as arrogants because of the confidence they might have of our salvation and the way that we might aproach others about it, that is if we do that at all, or perhaps as hipocrates because although we have discovered the true answer to the problem we are still using many of the other options to avoid the void. So who is to say that we know the answer???
I dont think that God is going out of style. I think that Christians have become so much like the world that we have lost our ability to minister to them. They don’t see a difference between our character and their. Their are so many people saying that they are Christians but their lifestyle does not appear to be Christ-like. I believe that their are too many people in the church fighting for positions and titles that they forgot that we are suppose to Preach the Gospel to the WORLD not to EACH OTHER! We are to busy trying to “Make It” in ministry, when Christ is the only one that we are suppose to be promoting.
Blessings Bishop,
First I would like to tell you that my husband and I trully enjoy your preaching on t.v. Gods Hoky Spirit never fails to touch us both when we listen to you, and we thank you so much for allowing our Heavenly Father to use you in such an awesome manner.
Now to the topic at hand. It is in my opinion that faith has been lost or diluted even, due to people’s disenchantment with the churches. Christians are supposed to be there for one another. Instead we are to busy passing judgemnt and gossiping about things we have no business talking about. Our world in full of hurting people who are crying out everyday for love and understanding, but what have they found? Many sad to say have found people who will talk about them behind there backs instead of going and trying to help and guide them they feed them to the wolves. This goes on in churches all the time it seems and its such a tragedy. So then you end up with these hurting preople who are searching and seeking God and instead of finding God they find even more pain and much betrayal. One expects this kind of behavior out in the world but to have it in the church well alot of people are going to answer to God for this. I mean really we even have pastors, clergy and lay ministers who are some of the biggest instigators of these mean spirited acts. This only causes people to run, run as fast as they can not only from the church but from God. And why not they think if this is what this God is all about I don’t want any part of him or them that call themselves so called Christians. We all need to get back on our knees and beg God’s forgiveness and quit being team players for the opposition the devil.
To God Be The Glory For Ever and Ever. May all who read this be blessed and may the Holy Spirit bring conviction on your heart is you are one of those ones whose guilty of hurting another whose seeking Christ. May all be blessed in the Name and Blood of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Your Sister In Christ,
Kathy Kelly
Dear Bishop Jakes, I found your comments on the seperation of church and state interesting. Especially in that I believe it originally never was so. History tells us that many of the first colonial settlers were the second sons in families, thus they could not inherit their father’s property. Through the churches established in the colonies, the second sons entered politics. Not all the founding fathers were religious, but enough were to the point that the name of God was and is literally involved in every aspect of the courts, the laws, and so on. Even money has the name of God on it, although I’m not sure what God they were thinking of. However, Abraham Lincoln acknowledges the name of God in his Gettysburg address.
Satan has been trying to eliminate the name of God in every aspect of our lives since the beginning, but this is nothing new. The “successful” attempts of various organizations to change the laws and eliminate God is a latter story.
Yes, many atrocities have been committed in the various names of religions. However, God nor Jesus ever said that “religion” is our saving grace. Faith is our saving grace, and faith in God and trust in Jesus will not–I believe–let one true Christian harm another.
Jesus never wavered from his purpose nor the Good News. What I and others are seeing is that Christians are so busy trying to “talk and walk” like the world that others cannot see Jesus in us. So, they say why bother being religious.
Our wavering and wishy-washy-ness attitudes, both in churches and elsewhere, have opened the door to people’s souls so wide that Satan doesnt have to sneak in. He and his whole herd of angels have marched in at once with a 100 piece band announcing their presence.
Christians need to return to a single focus, which is God’s truth, brought to the world in live color in the form of Jesus Christ. He “never” altered His word nor His actions because it might hurt someone’s feelings. It was God’s truth or nothing.
And, that is how we are supposed to be walking.
First, let me say that I am glad this topic is being addressed by you, a general in the faith, as it is of concern to me. I think the first i had heard about this survey was about a month ago, and i was concerned about what should be done.
As to the cause, I believe there is more than one, and i don’t pretend to have an answer to the question. I, being 27 in a household consisting of my mother, twin brother and myself, live as the youngest son (by a minute) within an immediate family who on the whole is out of touch with faith. the rest of my estranged family, from the carribean mostly, are very religious (i mean that in both the positive and negative aspects of the word), and my mother and brother have lost touch with them, as have I. this is likely because my mother has not followed their “way”, and has clashed with them more than once. In fact, the only time we seem to get together is during the funerals. I attribute this estrangement in part to a religious mindset, rather than the spirit of love and acceptance that should be associated with the church. That, and the one link between the rest of the family and my mother, my grandmother, has been severed with her passing.
often I have found myself either discouraged or having to contend with either of the members of my immediate family on matters of faith. The answer would seem to be prayer and a display of love tempered with truth. I don’t pretend to know a sure answer though. i can only speak from my own experiences.
God knows though. I may add to this later. thank you for your input on this matter, Bishop Jakes.
To add to my previous post, I do agree with you on the point that this is not a “Christian Nation” per se. I am in agreement with a point of view often made clear by Dr. Myles Munroe, believing that there is only one legitimately “Christ-like” nation or government, that being the Kingdom of Heaven.
That said, our duty is to influence the world as ambassadors for this Kingdom. Whatever the cause may be that hinders our advance, we must believe that we have been given the power to overcome it, and we have the genius to overcome it because Omnipotence and Omniscience is on our side.
In the end, the responsibility for the present state and the ability to turn this tide, both lie with us.
Hi Daddy,
I’m glad you’re home from the Ukraine. I just wanted to talk to you about something totally unrelated to the subject matter of this Blog. April makes one full year that the Lord relocated us into your care. But I find myself wanting to know more about your struggles and your mantle. Is there any particular source you can direct me to? During service, I get little tidbits about your life that are forming a vague shadow…but I need more. I want to know how you held onto your faith when you got laid off at the factory. There’s alot of steps between there and here. Lately, I find myself secretly wanting to strip away the extras just to try and get a glimpse of what I really look like and where I really am in this faith walk. The perverbial “Adam where art thou?” I know I have a lot of promises from the Lord yet to be fulfilled. But I feel like the pursuit of the stuff (the house, the car, the desire for a husband) is getting in the way and distracting me from my pursuit of HIM. I haven’t obtained the materialization of all the blessing He promised me yet…but already I feel like my vision is blurred. I don’t want to take any detours, scenic routes or wrong exits planned by the enemy. I thought that you might be able to advise me….if not personally…the story of your life should be more than enough.
Monica
Bishop Jakes:
well i cant say i know everything or wish to, but i know how hard it’s to hold on to our faith. I was born and raised in church and told everyday by my parents to hold on and put my faith in God, but at times it so hard to hold on and not to quit. I know it’s going to be hard for us and we will go trials but how can we hold at a time you see so many leave the church your friends, family and people you trusted and look up to. You try to tell yourself that everything we will be alright but can it when things our hitting you from all sides. The thing i tell myself is that it will be alright cause you got God on your side so trust in God with all your heart. Put your faith in God who has control of everything!!!!
I’m a born again believer who was on fire for the Lord for about 15 years. My husband and I pastor a small church in a major city, and we have 1 child. Just recently i realized that my husband has been so mean to our child, emotionally & physically, which has caused sincere bitterness in her. I dont know why i didnt see this sooner, but for whatever reason i didnt. He has also been rather mean to me, but in a different way. Now that my eyes have opened, i am being told, by him, that if i leave i am not saved because we arent to get a divorce. Now i see that he is trying to change, but i feel that its a little too late. the last thing that i want to do is miss out on what God has for me, i still Love Jesus with all thats in me, but I have become bitter because of what i now realize has been mind control, and obvious misuse of power on the part of the folks that we’ve fellowshiped with. I want to leave, but I am afraid that God will be disappointed with me. What do I do???? I’m afraid that if i stay my child will resent me, and i certainly dont want that. can someone please help….
Marie,
I hope in the Lord that you are well…..First I’m sorry if I’m too direct to you in this matter since I don’t know you. I don’t mean to be judgemental but since you are asking for advice somehow I feel that the Lord asked me to tell you this. It seems to me that despite the fact that you are asking for help you have already made up your mind in this matter although deep inside you know that the decison you are about to make is againts the will of God.
I have just recently accepted the Lord as my savior…Before then I went through two divorces and now as I’m getting to know the word of God I fully understand that I should’ve never gotten divorce the first time to begin with. Like yourself I found myself thinking that things will turn out to be much better if I get divorce but instead everything only turned out to be much worse. The only diference between your situation and mines is the fact that I didn’t have God in my life and you do.
Marie the word of God is very clear when it comes down to this specific subject…You know the enemy has been using the same old tricks since the begining of our existance and unfortunally has been very succesful at it. Somehow we tend to fully victimize ourselves and shift all the blame to the other party but if you dig deep into the root you’ll find out that 10 out 10 times the blame should be equally distributed. You see, the Lord is not interesting on who’s fault it is but instead in obedience and reconciliation. He test us during our little time on earth just so we can grow, become more like Him and so we can see things more clear into his eternal perspective.
I do not have any idea what your marital problems are but based on what you have stated both of you are part of God’s family…Divorce is not the answer!!!
God bless,
Eduardo
Dear Bishop,
I don’t pretend in any way to know all the reasons behind the decline of Christianity in our country, but I do have some thoughts that come from my frame of reference and my environment.
To begin with I think this is a sign of the times we are in. The Word says that in the end men will be lovers of themselves. Selfishness has once again prevailed in our world. Selfishness opens the doors or maybe a better way to say it is selfishness closes the door and locks us in a prison. The prison of ourselves, and it’s task master is harsh and cruel much like the Egyptian soldiers of old. I am saddened at the rate of divorce and unrest and fear that all of us are experiencing now in a more intense, excelleratecd way. For those of us who believe and search for Him within all of the economic, fear intensity we are seeing it as the season that will thrust us forward as we press towards lifting our faith and focus above life circumstances.
And yet in the midst of all of that another enemy has come flying into our churches and that is church politics. You will do thin
Greetings Bishop Jakes! The movie was good, thank you for always keeping it real life, real classy and a real message. On the topic that you posted, it’s really interesting to think about. Recently, I’ve found myself “less vocal” about my faith, like you mentioned in your blog. It became such a battle with non-believers. They watched me and wondered, came and asked. Roughtly 5 years ago, people would seemingly melt as they listened to me talk about this wonderful God. Not so much in recent years. It’s like there is a fiesty, rebellious, “I don’t wanna hear it” thing going on. And there is an adamant defense to nothingess. And that nothingness is so much better than a God that allows…and a God who won’t allow…..
There is a definite change from where I’m sitting. I’m praying for us all and asking God to show me something. It’s difficult when I know that God is real and the nonbelievers around me know that God is real….to me. But they don’t seem to want to take the leap to find out He is real for themselves…
Definitely, I’ve noticed God is even less interesting now to those that weren’t interested to begin with.
Bishop,
I believe that the attacks of Satan and the constant bombardment of the media with all the negative images has caused a loss of hope. The people have God have been distracted with the cares of the world have weakened their ability to pray and stand strong in their faith. However, for those who truly believe in the MIGHTY POWER of God, their is no falling away from God. What we are challenged and provoked to do is to consecrate ourselves and seek God on a daily basis to pour out his spirit. It is our job to be the Salt of the earth and represent the Lord Jesus Christ. As we are going through our trials, it is important to wear a garment of PRAISE so that the rest of the world will see the joy. Living for the Lord has never been easy, however, if everyone who professes to know the name of Christ will stand up and represent the Lord in their own little arena, we can spread the faith. It only takes 1 to affect or infect a body of people. Christians or Believers need to stand for God in the schools, their jobs, the office environment, the grocery store, department store. We also need to increase our praying power, The POWER OF PRAYER is understated. Satan would like to make us believe that prayer does not work or that God is not a prayer answering God!! However, if we test and prove God in our own individual lives we will be the example to restore faith back to our homes, communities and country. God Bless You All.
Bishop I love you and 1st lady and miss you. Yenory T. orange
Bishop Jakes, God is going out of style because we as belivers want to look so pretty, perfect and all together to a world that already konws what we look like without that false skin of religous perfection. After we come to the Lord, we seem to find it so hard to just be ourselves in a world that needs just that from us. God is not out of style, it is we who are out of style with God. Don’t you think that a all powerful and knowing God would know how to stay in touch with His creation no matter what centruy we are living in. God is life itself. You can’t go anywhere else to find true life except to God. We need to stop trying to pretty ourselves and get on with the job of Acts 10:38. We can go about healing people mentally, spritually, and phyically through our friendships with others, in suring our faith in God, and those who are doctors can heal those who need their help.
What an awesome 8am (May 3rd) service today! What a glorious feeling it was to be led into a dance of praise by our Bishop. There is just something anointingly special about dancing before the Lord with your spiritual leader. And even as you led and challenged the congregation to give a seed-faith offering–when I participated in your God-led second call, I felt some type of release from my spirit. I can’t explain it further, but to say that I felt a devine connection to something great: peace, protection, favor.
Your phenomenal ministry products to me are the bible interpretation and revelation for the culture and times in which we live–more critical and controversal issues for such a time as this. You know Bishop, every topic you labor with and invest in touch us where we live: Surviving The Squeeze, Before You Do, Repositioning Yourself To Be Blessed, etc. I was amazed at so many great sermons of yours that I had missed as I reviewed a friend’s library of your DVDs, books, and CDs–just to name a few that got my attention–The 10 Commandments Of Working In A Hostile Environment, What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You, Yes You Can, Stick To The Plan, Victory-God Never Meant For You To Loose, Twisters! Nature’s Fury, Heirs, and one that is dear to my heart is The Tabernable. I would encourage everyone, especially every born again Christians to invest in all (but especially the following 2 items) which are the foundation of our faith, an eye-opener of who we are in God through Christ, and the power we possess as Christians–The Tabernacle and the most recent, From The Cross To Pentecost. Both–A Must Have.
it is convenient to go to the Bookstore at church or the website to shop for topics on issues that are related to what we are personally dealing with in our lives, but I would like to present an interest that may hopefully connect with your spirit and vision. i would love to be part of a TDjakes Bookclub. I can just imagine being part of a group who would purchase and read or view your ministry products and share with the congregationhow the featured book or DVD was a blessing. The membership would also be knowlegeable of all of your ministry products and would be able to direct members of specific need topics of there interest. Bishop, if you feel that such a bookclub would be of service to the local and internaltional church who may wonder if you have a teaching or preaching product on a specific need in their life, they would be able to get the answer through TDJakes Bookclub. May God continue to bless you to be a blessing. Shalom!
Dear Bishop,
I am exicted to finally find a way to speak to you with out knowing you. First let me start off with saying God bless you and your ministry. Like Jabez prayed, I pray that God broadens your ministry and have more oppprtunities to share the good news. I want to let you know that your ministry have indeed helped me in different situations, with my husband, with faith, and the word that you recieve from God is indeed powerfull; so I give Him all the praise for the wisdom he has deposited in you. Bishop, I have one very important question that I hope to recieve your response, I have always seen that preachers, evangelist always go to big cities and give the word that God has given them, for example California, and other places in the entire U.S., and praise God, His word is going to the ones who are thirsty and hungry, BUT many do not take the time to come here where I live. Now your question might be WELL WHERE DO YOU LIVE? I live in Las Vegas, NV. I dont know if preachers are scared of ’sin city” or they just dont find any importance to this state. But I do know one thing, there is a great need here, I KNOW GOD IS NOT OVERLOOKING US HERE,BUT WHY DOES EVERYONE ELSE NOT SEE US? My pastor is encouraging our church, and other churches are doing what they can, but why, the biggest names in our christian community not trying to make an impact here in Las Vegas?? I would love to see you here, or pastor Rod Parsley, or Jesse Duplantis here, and including others. Why is it that we stick to our own racial groups as christian, why don’t we mix and blend ’til the point that we cant tell who is from where. MY QUESTION IS would you come?? OR can an event be organized where many different leaders can come and praise God, and give a word that is despreately needed in Vegas? Would you even be interested in coming?
I believe that today’s high-tech, condense the message pretense does not evoke the believer to do self-study of the Word, with divine spiritual interpretation. While reading and listening to other’s interpretations and messages in enlightening and empowering, it does not compare to the Holy Spirit inspired revelation. In receiving these revelations, seeking first the Kingdom of God becomes a constant beconing call and allows us to refocus from self to selflessness and experience the miracles and great things he has in store for all of his righteous. God the Father in his infinite Wisdom, has left us the 2 greatest gifts known to man, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and the body of Christ needs to nurture and use these gifts in unison to launch His supernatural works in the world.
Bishop, in my opinion I believe that your theory is the most closely associated to correct on the subject than I could imagine. As a child growing up my parents (Father, mostly! Whose father was a Baptist minister) chose to send my brother and I to church, but would not attend themselves. Well, as a child I didn’t understand that they were using this time as alone time for themselves. (I was born in 1947 in E. ST. Louis, IllInois) My father was a World War II vet and hard worker. Going to night school while working full time during the day. Weekends he worked as a bartender at his brothers night club.
(I’m setting this up as mind sets during an era of the late forties into the fifties.) We moved to Milwaukee,Wisconsin in 1955. Which is where I first saw you live at Christian Faith church a
few years ago. Your fist time in this city and what you said to the congregation as an observation and feeling that God placed upon you as you flew over the city still reverberates in my mind through this day. “As you were so-ooo right. Don’t worry I’m going somewhere with this?
People are afraid about things that threaten there percieved way of life. We got so involved with the perception that America would continually get better. (Particularly as African-Americans) We lost sight of all of the sacrificies that our people had gone through to get us where we were only a few decades ago. And after the civil rights movement instead of relaxing the values that Dr. King, his philosophy, followers both religious and people of all orgins contributed to that movement. We relaxed with the crumbs that the government threw at us. Did not concentrate enough on education, coming together as a people, maintaining the important ties with the diverse peoples that began the changes the movement started.
So those incharge went about re-instituting the old ways in a different manner.
We the people see so much graf and corruption in government, and in so many other places of importance including the church, that faith and trust are difficult as a people. However, these are also thing that the “Book of Life” constant speaks of throughout the text isn’t it? Bishop through my following of the “Word” through your ministering (DVD’s) and movies my faith at age of almost 62, is stronger now than than ever. However, not merely through your ministering, but through God’s directing me to your preaching style and messages, as a result of a special gift of life the Lord gave me eight years ago.
My points are my father did not trust ministers as he thought they were all dishonest. Not as a result of his fathers ministry. As his father was a “Faith Healer” and would not take a dime for the gift the Lord gave him. He only collected canes and walkers and divices used by those he healed. However, the Lord blessed him with the abundance of everything, as those who he serviced freely gave to him as a result of their gratefulness. Just as people give to you for your teachings and instruction.
People such as yourself must continue to come together from all faiths and backgrounds and continue to spread the gospell around the world. I see and believe the “Word” as to what time it is in the world. And as is stipulated in the “Word” only so many will be saved. Continue to do your best Bishop as time is the factor now. Thank you for your service and continue the messages. Wish someday I could meet you in person and just talk to you briefly! Though I know that’s a very small chance of happening, it would truly be a blessing to my 15 and 16 year old sons. Again, thank you so much for following the direction that God has lead you instead of the path that satan was attempting to lead you down. We believers so need you.
I hope God is truely getting back into the church in style. In the past I have seen self-righteousness, self-justification and hipocrisy being worn as if that were to be the new
uniform. It doesn’t look good and should be exposed whenever it’s seen, going to that
one first in private whether by mail, e-mail, phone or in person. Whatever’s bad can’t look
good on us forever, for we know the Lord is coming.
Thank you for posting a blog, what a wonderful tool for insight. The decline of Christianity, it is a very serious question. This may have been written after President Obama declared us a non-Cjristian nation. So, with that now said, we as Christians need to re-evaluate where we stand, and what we are standing on. So many levels of commitment to church, so many levels of commitment period, from how many view friends, relationships, work ethics, all things in this nation became disposable, replacement parts for our bodies have even become readily available, for the right price of course. So, I believe that the ‘fear’ of God has been squashed. Reverential awe is hard to maintain when (some of) the leaders of his churches are so tainted, present company excluded of course. One apple spoiled can make the entire barrel seem very unappealing if it lays right on the top, right?
I heard brother Reinhard say this last Sunday, it was very powerful. When his daughter got lost, they went frantic looking for her, eventually they had to resort to soliciting the police for help, when they arrived at the station, there is their precious daughter, sitting quietly, nibbling on a free gift, a bowl of candies. She had no real idea of the drama, the frantic search, the dire circumstances, or the peril that she could have been in, she was absorbed in sampling of a variety of sweets, not even an outside idea that she was ‘lost’. We need revival, the real deal… with absolute integrity and righteousness restored, how can we change the worlds mindset on the value of the church if we as Christians don’t rise up to the uncompromising standard of the Word of a living God? I have been hurt by church members, they seem to be the worst offenders, we have all had those experiences, they are devils in sheeps clothing, inwardly being ravonous wolves. Right? We are to forgive those, bless those that curse us, walk in love regardless, and even so, is it easy? Nope. Jesus asked the most poignant question, when he returns, will he find faith in the earth? Keep fighting he good fight of faith, in the end, it’s all that we take with us. Everything else is His already.
Bridget
Luke 18:8
I believe Faith is the issue. Faith in Christ sustained us through patience in all areas of life. That is if we posses the faith of God. Faith has a astounding result that influences the world. Faith is not just pronounced through intellect and wisdom that human logic and articulation can determine, faith is love in action stationed and influenced by God. I see how the world and it’s spirit try to mimic the things of God yet to no avail shall it determine the power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Thank God for believing politicians and the men and women as yourself who place there love wholly in the truth of God’s word displayed through His love. We can have all faith that may even move mountains but if we lack the Agape love of God our faith is dead and destitute of God. Beloved let us pray that faith shall remain in the earth and that the Love of God shall increase through out the ages., Amen.
The simplicity of God’s truth is all wrapped up in This John 3:16!
Grace and peace be yours always as you continue to labor for His name’s sake
In Jesus,
Sandor.
I am a christian, but more importantly I have a relationship with God. I believe that statistics will always represent what the person who wrote the questionnaire will want it to represent. People now more than ever are looking for something, and as programs such as yourself, Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, etc are appearing on television across this country, people are coming to Christ in record numbers. Kindness starts with one person, but Love starts and ends with God. Please continue to spread the good news of Jesus Christ.
GBY
GOD WILL NEVER GET OUT OF FASHION. HE IS THE SAME CONTINOUSLY OR FOREVER. THEREFORE HE IS ENOUGH FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HIM. I AM IN BOTSWANA. A YOUNG MAN OF 24YEARS. THANKS DADY. GOD BLESS AND KEEP.
GOD WILL NEVER GET OUT OF FASHION. HE IS THE SAME CONTINOUSLY OR FOREVER. THEREFORE HE IS ENOUGH FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HIM. I AM IN BOTSWANA. A YOUNG MAN OF 24YEARS. THANKS DADY. GOD BLESS AND KEEP YOU.
We live in a country that defines sucess and happiness based on what we have or want to have. The problem is, what people might think they ought to have to be sucessful and/or happy has nothing to do with the teachings of our savior. Many people, to include many christians, believe that having a great job, a big house and a nice car is all we need to be happy and to be considered blessed by God.
Here in america many people who run to church, suppose to in record numbers, only do it, with the hope they can have all the things that I just mentioned, and the ones who already have those things, only run to church when they find themselves in the verge of losing those things. That’s the reason why those ministries who solely focus on earthly personal progress do so well, and the ones who only attempt to teach the word of God and about the kingdom of heaven of after life, just do fine; you see, it’s not comercially beneficial to only focus on our after life…So the question is: Being part of a country that has that kind of attitude; how can we really teach the real Jesus to people and at the same time be appealing to potentially future real Jesus followers?
The real Jesus was, and still is, someone who was never interested on himself, the same way He doesn’t want us to be interested only on ourselves. If that’s the case, since He was the Son of Man himself, how come He didn’t become the richest man that ever lived and/or the most politicly powerful man that ever existed…Oh, not to mention, why did He allowed anyone to kill him the way that they did…Instead, he opted to remain a poor and humble carpenter, basically a nobody to our wordly standards, who allow himself to be unfairly killed. All simply, for the glory and will of our heavenly Father… He did because He wanted to teach us that having all those things here on earth is not important at all, and only measuring our success and blessings based on what we have or might not have here and now, only make us selfish and not the people who our Father wanted us to be….Thank you Lord for your grace and mercy!!!
So the questions are: What makes a selfish christian any diferent from a selfish non-christian? If we so call christians, are so, only for our own beneficial selfish reasons; how can we claim that knowing Jesus separate us from darkness to light, if the light we want is the same light that the secular world wants?…
When we look after Jesus only for selfish reasons, we really never find the real Jesus, therefore, we continue to be selfish, and most importantly, not appealing at all to others. Instead, when we truly have a personal relationship with the Lord and tireless continue to seek after his truth; we find out that is not about receiving his blessing here on earth, but instead about giving blessings to others on his behave and for his glory. Only then, we could be diferent from the world, and truly be appealing to others.
Eddie
To me there is a decline in Christian faith because:
A) Too many parents do not pass their faith in God to their children. They set their children up for failure.
B) Some Christians make it difficult for other Christians to share their faith.
I have been witnessing to my boss (with my solid work performance, life lessons etc and giving God all the credit) and just when I want to point blank ask her to join me for a service at my church, she shares with me her frustration. She is taking graduate classes at a private religious Dallas university. One student on her group project is lazy and most of the time comes unprepared to class. Comes in late and does the least possible to study and prepare for the class presentation. Yet he continually mentions God and his faith and how he, a youth pastor, will be praying for everyone. My boss was disgusted with his behavior. She said to me, “I don’t need for him to pray for me. I needed to him to pull his own weight on the group project. And what makes me madder than hell (her words) is that he is getting the same grade that the rest of us got and he didn’t deserve it.”
I thought it best to wait and keep praying for another opportunity to share my faith with her.
I realize not all Christians are like this young man but there are enough out there to hinder the work and preaching of the gospel.
I struggle with attending church because it has become obsolete to my life.
I live in Dallas, and there are churches on every corner in the Black neighborhoods.
However, everything that goes on inside these religious buildings is all about increasing membership in efforts of collecting more money for whatever reason…..building new buildings, pastor’s anniversary, pastor’s salary, first lady’s day, etc etc etc.
They preach “canned” messages without any revelation or relevance…..
So they have become as obsolete as 8-track tapes, record-players, tethered-phones….
Now, Bishop Jakes has a church in this city……and the reason 30,000 people show up is because they were starving for a relevant word from someone with revelation!
However, it is often difficult for me to personally press my way through the huge crowds at PottersHouse….isn’t it a shame that in a city as large as Dallas, there’s only one church that I know of where the word of God is preached in a practical and yet spiritual application.
But Dallas is no different than most cities in this country…..lots of obsolete churches….so what’s the point in pledging allegiance to these religious zealots?……the beat goes on.
I read with great interest you blog entitled “Is God Going Out of Style?” As always you have expressed your thoughts with great clarity. You articulated well the notion that we are a nation where many people have different ideas about faith and religion. My concern with most evangelicals is the tone with which they choose to argue. Maybe it’s me but what I hear most times is a sentiment of fear. When I hear some of my Christian brothers they always seem to be intimidated and if I didn’t know any better I would think God was intimidated as well. I believe that we should share the gospel with power, conviction and with authority. If we are so intimitedated by what others believe then how are we going to ever reach them with the truth? I have a great job and I work with many Muslims and Hindus’ and Budists and some who don’t believe anything pass their own nose. I am never afraid of them or what they believe. God isn’t going to stop being God just because some men don’t believe Him. No, I don’t think God is going out of style. God is just (for the lack of a better term), dressed for a different part of the day. I don’t believe that it’s up to God to try to stay in style but rather that we should keep him in a garment of praise. Our praise should be continuous and incessant so that men will know that God is always doing something current and up to date, and contemporary. We should always be heard bragging and boasting about Him. No…God is not going out of style. See you at Manpower !!!
Hello,
In response to Mr. Jakes as well as the previous respondent Melissa, I want to first express my love to both of you as professed Christians.
Now, because of this love I must bring to light some of the people you just mentioned such as Joyce Meyer who claims the name-it-claim-it gospel rather than the “His will not mine” truth.
There are so many fantastic stories where people have been so down and flipped through channels or radio stations etc. and found you Mr. Jakes and gave their heart to the Lord. While individually these people are giving themselves to the Lord, they are also buying into your twist on the gospel.
There is absolute truth and the Bible is not a relative book where it all depends on what you get out of it. We must, as Christians read the Bible for all its worth and not for what we can get. There are two reasons why non-Christians see Christians as loose canons and out of touch with reality.
1. The truth is not always what people want to hear, so they turn away and even attempt to find ways to discredit the truth.
2. Pastors like yourself preach an altered truth. You teach that you can virtually have whatever you want. This is attractive to people who have nothing. However, by twisting scripture the way you have, you have devalued the most important focus: God’s will.
We don’t ask God to heal us so that we can believe that he is God. We ask for him to heal us if it is in his will to do so. We cannot say, “as long as I ask enough and believe enough I can twist his arm and he’ll do it.” God has a plan, and sometimes the plan includes suffering. Jesus never told us we would not suffer, but he did tell us that when we do, we have a comforter, the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not some pinata that we continuously hit until we get our candy, He is our comforter in the midst of trouble, he convicts us of our sin and leads us to our knees so that we recocnize our depravity and need for salvation.
Here are some examples in Scripture that show men of God bowing their head and mourning over their sins and great men of God like Isaiah and Paul mourning over their sinfulness:
“And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God, And said, O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to thee, my God: for our iniquities are increased over our head, and our trespass is grown up unto the heavens,” Ezra 9:5-6.
“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted,” Luke 18:9-14.
“I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes,” Job 42:5-6.
“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do…O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Romans 7:18-19, 24.
“Then said I, Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts,” Isaiah 6:5.
“Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word,” Isaiah 66:1-2.
“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. But he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire,” Matthew 3:11.
“The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed…When Jesus heard it, he marveled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel,” Mathew 8:8, 10.
So I beg you Mr. Jakes and those who follow him…please, study the Bible within its context with the Will of God in mind rather than what prosperity preachers falsly teach as our “entitlement to wealth and health. God is the focus, not us, God!
Ideed…”faith out of control can be lethal”
Faith in faith is lethal while faith in the Living God in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is complete.
So what faith do you speak of? We most certainly are lost if we place our faith in ourselves or in our own faith. When we do that, we show the world that we are arrogant and do not glorify the Father in heaven. We have to have faith in the one who is faithful, not that he will give us what we want at all times, but that he will sustain us in what we need for furthering His will instead of our own pockets.
Jesus was not wealthy! Read the Bible for the truth, not for what you want it to say. “It’s not disturbing that you are wealthy, but it’s very disturbing that you portray Jesus as being rich in order to justify your wealth. You describe Jesus as having been rich in order to support His disciples and their families during His ministry. You say the myth of the poor Jesus has to be destroyed because it’s holding people back. Indeed, Jesus Christ owns everything and possesses all power, authority, glory, honor, and majesty. In His earthly life, however, He became poor for our sakes (2 Cor. 8:9; Matt. 8:20). He laid aside His divine prerogatives and died on the cross, owning nothing, like a common criminal. In fact, archaeological excavations of Nazareth in the 1950s demonstrate that poor agricultural people occupied the village in Jesus’ day.” Jerry L. Buckner from the Christian Research Journal.
Jesus came to do the will of His father in heaven which was to save our souls! He did not need money to do this. Just the will of the Father in heaven. That is what makes his death on the cross, burial, and resurrection from the dead, a sufficient sacrifice for our sins. We are free from the bondage of sin, not from the suffering of poverty, physical ailment, or persecution. Love God because he first loved us…not because he’ll make you rich. Make yourself lowly and humble before him and he will make you rich beyond your understanding in eternity. Remember, I am not saying wealth is evil, but the concentration of wealth and power corrupts because it is a major form of idolatry. For those in his congregation, please be aware that his teaching about Christ’s supposed wealth, is false, as are a lot of the things he teaches. Do your research, read the Bible for all its worth, follow God’s reasoning and not your feelings.
God Bless all.
“Has faith failed America as it threatened to do with Simon? Has it failed you? Are you less or more committed to your faith? If you are committed, are you less vocal about that faith? Do you witness more or less nowadays than people did when you were young? I would love to hear from non-Christians, agnostics, Christians, Jews, Muslims and any others who may be lurking in the shadows of my database. Thanks for thinking, writing and sharing. Ignorance is a curse to any people.”
Allow me to test these comments my friend. Faith did not threaten to fail Simon. Simon failed to be faithful! In Jesus statment, “I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail” Jesus is asserting that his desire is for Peter to remain faithful, not that his faith is a force that controls him. You have twisted this scripture in that regard because of your word of faith background.
So faith will not fail us because it is not a power over us. We, however, as humans can and do fail to be faithful to the law of God which brings us to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ for his atonement for our sinfulness.
We are not to be committed to our faith!! What. That is redundant. Faith and committment coincide. We show our committment to God by being faithful to Him and obeying his word.
Ignorance is not a curse but it does threaten our culture when we have teachers who our pointing us to our own will rather than the Will of our Father who is in Heaven.
The promise of prosperity is an eternal promise. God never told us that we will never get sick or when we do that he will always heal us. The fall in Genesis brought death and suffering into this world and it will not end until we are all gone from the Earth. But, again I say, we have faith in God because he is faithful, that His will is good, whether we must go through suffering or not, He will be the one to heal us or not to heal us. This is not because he wants us to suffer but because His will and His plan is just and bad things can happen for His good, which is ultimatley our good as Christians who truly wish to glorify His name.
Of course He still performs miracles as He always has. But they happen only according to his will and plan and not by some “special” revelation false teachers like Benny Hinn, Kenneth Hagen, Todd Bentley and yes even you Mr. Jakes claim to receive.
You have done and said so much to downplay the historic Christian faith which is founded in the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that I cannot help but to bring it front and center becuase sometimes the greatest miracle of all is when we realize that he has given us the gift of humility!
Jesus loves you.
Please communicate His truth.
God bless you sir.
“Peace be with all of you who are in Christ.”
1 Peter 5:14 NLT
All this when the Scripture is so very clear: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). Our spiritual riches came only because he stripped and divested Himself of all earthly goods (Ephesians 1:3).
Enough said, I hope.
To say God is in style or out of style implies that He is subject to our feelings about Him. He is not. The infinite can never depend on the finite for validation. God is God whether we love Him or not. God loves us whether we love or not.
That said, I imagine the fractiousness of religiosity has turned many against God. When His representatives can’t agree on who He is and what is His will, and as the modern church spends more time teaching people to give money and expect money in return than it teaches about the saving power of the blood of Jesus, misled people will become hurt and disillusioned. They will give up on God.
There is nothing in the Bible that says “run around the sanctuary three times if you want a new house this year.” That’s a non-Christian African tradition.
There are too many examples of half-truths and outright lies, of paganism, humanism, animism, and other blasphemous -isms being taught in churches, causing the people of God to think they are following Christ when they are going in the opposite direction.
Religions developed because we all have a need to strengthen our faith by worshipping communally and to serve God by serving each other. This is a good thing, but it is bound to be frequently perverted because that is human nature.
Ultimately, faith is personal. We are each responsible for condition of our own souls. When God is out of style, you can be sure the human soul has gone out of style first.
Bishop Jakes…it’s an honor and privilege to respond to your question. Many times people, I believe go to church for the wrong reasons; at other times, the Word of God is compromised by pastors during teaching and preaching from the Holy Bible. We must realize God’s Word is not going to change to suit us. We maybe in the 21st century…The Holy Bible contents will not change. (example: How does the Holy Bible relate to inviting Masonry to celebrate St Johns Day at a church?).
As a child, my Mother taught me, my brothers, and sister the Word of God; assured we received the foundation. We went to church as well, attended Bible Study; God was/is the head of our home. We did not have much; my Father left her $2.00 sometimes a day to feed six children, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My Mother did this successfully, and then she ate whatever was left. She taught us never to love her more than God, and she had a song she taught us to sing. “Come By Here Lord”.
Life being just what it is can deflate you if we are not properly armored completely with His Word. It is not a matters of just knowing His Word; we must also do it which increases our belief and faith in God, (But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. James 1:22). The Bible teaches that the Word of God will never (paraphrasing) return void, He cannot lie, and we also have His promises. These are all prospering functional directions as it applies to the Word of God.
God continuously grows us into His ways to makes us better, providing, we have a relationship with Him and allow Him to do so. This is the “Good Part”; you will experience victory, blessings, definitely His Word.
The only way God goes out of style is if we allow it.
Bishop TD Jakes, thank you for allowing me to express my view and all that you do for the kingdom of GOD.
I agree to two:
1. america needs revival
2. the coming generation is not being raised with faith that we are all his children.
I am so sorry about point number two I could reach the top to remember exactly how you wrote it.
America was basically founded because of the freedom of religion. How the people have interpreted” the freedom of religion” is what has helped change people’s view of faith in this country. It was a historical moment when they took prayer out of school because of someone’s interpretation of “freedom of religion” and that was just the turning point. As years have passed, what one generation does the other one takes to another level and it has left the many generations from then til now to be confused as to which God to worship and has allowed people to interpret own faith and what it is to them. Yes, america needs revival. 4him sang this song:Basics of Life. This country needs a true awakening to who God is and what our country was established for.
As christian we know that it is prophetic to see this coming to pass. It is written and recorded in God’s word that God said ” will he find faith on the earth?” and the love of many will grow cold.” for me the love of many will grow means that many will lose their faith in him or turn away from him,. We as christian know to expect these things to happen. Though we see it with our eyes and know the end is near we (as a church across america) just sit by and we’re watching it come to pass. Instead of it being the right to worship and being the principle which is what our country was establish for and taught to our children, it has become a law on paper and something political for people to debate over, it’s a political issue, I read this quote: “the church must be reminded that it is not the master or the servant of the state, but rather the conscience of the state. It must be the guide, and the critic of the state and never it’s tool. If the church does not recapture it’s prophetic zeal, it will become an irrelevant social club without moral or spiritual authority.”-Martin Luther King, Jr. 1963 Strenght to Love
This quote was written 46 years ago by a man stood for what he believe in and was a believer.
Not being political just replying with my opinion.
With the ungodliness that we have seen in the past 5-10 years, it is imperative that we as leaders in this battle against the wiles of the devil, be strong and courageous. I have seen many great Christian leaders water-down their approach to sin. In the last 3-5 elections, we have seen our great leaders turn a deaf ear to the word of God, the Apostle Paul and the very teachings that would help our great country cope with this onslaught of sin. They say that a nation can take on the demeanor of it’s leader. We have not had Godly examples as of late. The current administration has opened the door for atheists to be included in the up-bringing of our children. Homosexuality has become an option for young adults, it has become accepted by government and by the general population. ……”Narrow is the way that leadeth to life and few there be that find it.” Enough is enough - we need to stand for the Word of God - stop being so scared to quote scripture - Paul and Silas ended up jail for this Message of the Gospel. We hide behind our choir battles, and our expensive Easter outfits, and crank our Kirk Franklin - and think our work is done. Not so! With examples like John the Baptist, Noah, Moses, Peter, Paul - I will not stand down! God bless.
We are in a new time and I think that the time should be embraced. Too often, I feel, we look back at the glory of the past, just as those in the past did. When do we enjoy the present? Today I see a world that is different from that of my grandmother, and while in the past I lamented such, I now embrace the possibility for change. Too often in the past, as faithful in churchgoing as our parents were, too many issues were left unchecked and ignored, i.e. child molestation, incest, rape, physical/verbal abuse from family members, some being the very same leaders of the church. In this new day and age many things are coming into the light. Homosexuality has come into the light to the point where homosexuals lead churches openly. I do not write about the “right” or “wrong” of homosexuality. I let God do His thing - He is the Judge. But there is something to be said about the fact that new generations do not feel the need as much anymore to keep things hidden. As inappropriate and, perhaps, distasteful others may see it, I think it is important that we see an issue fully before we even attempt prescribe it. Is it possible that today’s church is running too quickly to prescribe something it does not fully understand based on antiquated faith? The faith of our forefathers was wonderful and carried them through many challenges. But is it appropriate to carry that same faith today? The world has changed. I believe we should as well. Our forefathers changed their idea of religion based in the life circumstances they were living. Were they wrong to do so or progressive? We honor them today so fiercely for their bravery and ingenuity. Can we draw on that same bravery and ingenuity and create an even better, more God-loving world than they experienced? I believe we can, and I think that we would see wondrous and loving things in the Church if we did.
The report/article says there is a decline in religious institutions/church. People are becoming more spiritual not religious. I recently became a Buddhist, because the teachings are in line with what Jesus said and did. The religious fervor that’s being displayed today, is not what Jesus stood for. Just think people, most mainstream religions want to kill you if you disagree… black, white, gay, pro-choice, whatever… just don’t disagree. The dogma is corrosive and divisive. Why is love so difficult for you?
Hello,
This is just a short response to something NCSrpuill stated above.
“I do not write about the “right” or “wrong” of homosexuality. I let God do His thing - He is the Judge.”
God has judged homosexuality as being immoral just like all perversions of sexuality. So as a brother in Christ, please don’t be ashamed of stating that homosexuality is wrong. You are not passing judgement in that statement because God did “his thing” and put it in His word for us to read and know and correct our fellow brothers and sisters by.
That being said, though homosexuality is wrong, we are not called to hate people who are homosexuality, but love them by showing them that their sin is forgiven when they come to Christ recognizing that homosexuality is a sin and turn from it in repentance to Him.
We are never to hate sinners because we all are. But we are to hate sin and make our brothers and sisters aware of sin when they seem to deny that it is sin. This is not out of judgement but out of loving their souls. We cannot judge one another’s souls, but we can, and should, use the word of God to bring each other to Christ and encourage each other to listen to the Holy Spirits conviction of sin, driving us all to the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ.
You asked, “When do we enjoy the present?”
We are living in the present and we are to hang out with ordinary people as issued by Jesus, but by that he did not say, “enjoy the company of nonchristians by doing what they do”. In contrast he says we are the salt of the earth. If we were to “live for the day” so to speak, and do what everybody else is doing, following our desires rather than God’s word, we will indeed lose and have (because of faulty theology) indeed lost our saltiness.
But God’s word is true! It is infinite. And you have to read it for all its worth, rather than for what you want. Please, always give God the glory. Live for him and not for the time.
God bless all.
Thanks Anonymous for your reply.
First, about homosexuality. I hear what you say. I’ve heard it many times before. I think pretty much all homosexuals in the world know that homosexuality is considered a sin in many religions. If they were not told by ear they were threatened, beaten, abused and cast out to ensure they know that their lifestyle would not be tolerated. The question from homosexuals I have heard- “If my life is foul to the Father, why have I felt this way my entire life. I pray and pray, why does it not change?” Do I believe that there are people out there who are so sadistic that they would say or “act” homosexual when they know that in many places in the world it not only puts their lives at stake, but the lives of their families at stake - no. So, is it safe to say that the knowledge of homosexuality is out there and perhaps there are some people who have considered and tried not to be homosexual without success? I think, by whatever painful and tragic means, it has been so.
So now we get to the Love. Love is more than a word, it’s an action - a series of consistent and persistent actions to be exact. To me, God is Love and all-Wise. He created man. He knows all who act in homosexual activities are not the same, just like every person is not the same. Some were abused, misled, and some truly feel that they are a gender in the wrong body. There are even more possibilities that others may know better that I. Would I approach a rape victim who questions his/her worth and life for years with - “Your thoughts of committing suicide is a sin. Stop it.” Personally, I would not.
Where is the love? I would stop to help however I could, to comprehend him/her - to let him/her know that no one is judging them. I would love them through their process. Would I blame one who was misled into sexual immorality? Would I criticize one who is still figuring themselves out? Are we not all figuring ourselves out in one way or another. I am not so quick to give out death and damnation. We can never know the aspects of the lives of another until we ask. I think that Compassion requires us to walk in one’s shoes before we even think about telling them that they are walking in them incorrectly. We don’t even know how to walk in their shoes, let alone tell them they are doing it incorrectly. But too quickly, we look at a shell and judge and prescribe it before knowing what is going on. Consequently, we end up putting band-aids on gaping wounds and breeding self-hatred, denial, confusion, and fear. I do not believe such traits are of Our Father. He is love, and I stand by my belief - love attempts to comprehend and acts according to what is in the best interest - spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally - of the other person.
Now, if I may speak to your second response to my “When do we enjoy the present?” First, allow me to apologize because when I wrote the statement, I did not qualify it. I have said the same to many others and their own first responses have been “we cannot use that excuse to live like the world.”
I guess I have never seen the life that the “world” lives to be actually life. Of course, now the word life is up for definition, but perhaps you will comprehend how I see it in a bit. If we have given our lives completely to the Father, why can we not enjoy them as He would have us to and created us to have the ability to do? To live is to grow in His Love, to look beyond what you needed to move forward in the past, and look at how you can enjoy living amongst His Magnificent Presence today. Today provides new experiences and with the new experiences, we can receive new answers, deeper insights. We can grow in Him and be fulfilled. It is difficult to do that if we look to what our grandfathers did to give us the answers that we need in an age they probably could not have even fathomed. God is the same today, yesterday, tomorrow, and forever more, and, accordingly, I see me spending my entire life growing to act in Love like Him in all things. In order to be successful in that goal, I have to keep my mind open to new God Perspectives and change.
Lastly, I thank you for your thoughts and perspective. You may not comprehend me, but I ask that you do not assume that you know my walk or relationship with God because of some lines you read on a blog. I say this in response to:
“But God’s word is true! It is infinite. And you have to read it for all its worth, rather than for what you want. Please, always give God the glory. Live for him and not for the time.”
Perhaps foolishly, i will speak on behalf of 4EverGrace as well. Correct me if I’m wrong and you did not respond to her as well. I say only this - a person’s walk with God is personal. It may take them down paths they never would have foreseen. It may take them down paths that others do not fully comprehend. But God is God. And I believe HE is one relationship that a person can never forget having. I am not a Buddhist but I see many parallels in the teaching to that of Christianity. What you say about Buddhism is partially true - Jesus is not seen to be THE son of God. There is an idea that everyone, in a way, is the son/daughter of God, a belief shared by Christians. Jesus was seen to be a great Buddha, or teacher - a type of teacher that everyone can be upon attaining Enlightenment (pretty similar to following God’s word and praying to be like Jesus in every situation). Logically speaking, I do not see the connection of “Great prophet” to “false prophet” nor do I find Buddhists using the term prophets but perhaps you can enlighten me. The way I comprehend it, Buddhists do not question Jesus. From what I comprehend, Jesus is recognized as an Enlightened and Great one, but there is only one God (forgive me, I forget how Buddhists refer to the All-Powerful). Do not Christians also believe that there is one God and Jesus was His Son, the human embodiment of Him on Earth?
Leading from that, perhaps I can get some viewpoints about the Trinity. There is One God. Jesus was His Son. He taught others that they can be like Him if they hearken to the Holy Spirit, the gift that, according to the Bible, Jesus left for man. Some say Jesus is God, and others say Jesus is his Son and so He is God…
I have heard people say in one breath - Jesus was God and there is Only One. He has been in Heaven all the time. Okay. I can see God sent Himself down in human form, but He was still the One God. but this suggests to me that God has given us all the ability - through the Holy Spirit to be like Him on Earth. What do y’all think?
I have seen through studying Judaic, Buddhist, Hindi, Islamic history, the same ideas run through all of the faiths. I wonder if the focusing on the superficial differences between some religions and not recognizing the similarities is a “Divide and Conquer” move. God has the world in his hands, and I don’t believe
He allows things to happen without reason. Could it be that different religions are on earth, not to test man’s faith in adhering to one “true one” but to test man’s ability to see God’s Love and teachings in all the things He has created?
I welcome all thoughts!!! :0)
This is in response to 4evrGrace:
You said:
“4evrGrace on 19.06.2009 at 12:19 (Reply)
The report/article says there is a decline in religious institutions/church. People are becoming more spiritual not religious. I recently became a Buddhist, because the teachings are in line with what Jesus said and did. The religious fervor that’s being displayed today, is not what Jesus stood for. Just think people, most mainstream religions want to kill you if you disagree… black, white, gay, pro-choice, whatever… just don’t disagree. The dogma is corrosive and divisive. Why is love so difficult for you?”
I am so sorry that you were led away from the historic Christian faith because of people who do not portray the Bible correctly. I pray that God will touch your soul and bring you back to your first love, Him.
Now about your conversion to Buddhism, I take issue with the statement about this statement about Jesus:”The religious fervor that’s being displayed today, is not what Jesus stood for. Just think people, most mainstream religions want to kill you if you disagree… black, white, gay, pro-choice, whatever… just don’t disagree. The dogma is corrosive and divisive. Why is love so difficult for you?”
The problem is that Buddhism does not portray Jesus as the Son of God. Jesus however referred to himself as the Son of God. He is the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but through Him. Buddhism denys the deity of Christ. So if it is true that he was not the Son of God but merely a “great prophet” he is a false prophet, so either Buddhism has it wrong, or Jesus was a kook.
Hello all,
This response is directed toward NCSpruill.
Thank you so much for your response. I do appreciate the ability to discuss the reasons why we believe what we believe with gentleness and respect.
Please don’t misunderstand my reasons for writing what I did about homosexuality. I was not finger-pointing and saying “those sinners are going to hell” and never would I approach someone who is known to be homosexual with that pretense. The reason I stated that homosexual people need to be aware of their sin is because homosexuality is a temptation just as much as we are tempted to sin in our hearts when we lust after people who are not our spouses. This does not mean that I am saying we need to hold up signs saying “homosexuals are going to hell” or any ridiculous expression of that nature. You are right, I did not specify in my previous writing what I meant when I mentioned homosexuality. Homosexuality in itself is not a sin, since we are all attracted to people. However, the ACT of homosexuality and the lust of the heart as Jesus made plain for us, is a sin and is one we are all guilty of. The effective witness must approach someone who is homosexual but is seeking God gently, but not compromise the scripture in the name of “making someone FEEL ok”. That’s not Agape love. Agape love seeks the best good of the other person as translated from the Greek and is what the Apostle Paul taught was part of the great commission of our Savior Jesus Christ.
Agape love means that no matter how hard it may be for us to hear, we have to have people speak truth into our lives. The truth is that God (infallible) made us (totally fallible), loves us, gave his ONLY BEGOTTEN son to live, die on the cross, be buried, and rise again to be with the Father in heaven leaving the Holy Spirit behind to help us as we grow in our assurance of salvation through His grace alone and nothing we can ever do. The hard truth is that we are sinners and even after accepting Christ into our hearts and his transforming of our lives, we will still sin and we will still be the same person we have always been, but we will now live to glorify His holy name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our one true God in three distinct persons.
The truth is not something that will be politically correct because no one likes the idea of being held accountable for our actions. The truth says, we are accountable to God and must confess and repent to him in order to receive His salvation from the bondage of sin. We must have faith in the sufficiency of his death, burial, and resurrection to save our souls and we should want that for everyone else.
I was attacking not and will never attack homosexuals (or anyone) with crazy damnation rants. That does nothing but push people further away. I know, I was as far as could be from God. Then I got so low I could do nothing but go to his Word and decide for myself whether or not I was ready to submit to his will. But it took many people speaking truth into my life (and prayer) for me to finally discern his will for my life. However, when someone speaks to me about the reason for the hope within me, I will give the truth of the gospel and not a watered down account of the gospel geared only to boost a person’s self esteem.
Jesus most certainly did not need a self-esteem boost (as some false teachers have asserted) because He was and is and always will be the only BEGOTTEN of the Father, Son of God. We become sons and daughters of the most high when we accept his forgiveness of our sins and begin a relationship with him. But none of us has the claim of being BEGOTTEN of the Father in Heaven. This leads me into a statement that you made above that concerned me greatly.
You stated:
“I have heard people say in one breath - Jesus was God and there is Only One. He has been in Heaven all the time. Okay. I can see God sent Himself down in human form, but He was still the One God. But this suggests to me that God has given us all the ability - through the Holy Spirit to be like Him on Earth. What do y’all think? ”
Please do not think that what I am about to say is out of malice or anger or hate, but out of the love of those who claim to be brothers and sisters in Christ.
What you have stated is a gross misunderstanding of scripture and something taken out of context to make God say what he didn’t say. Many health and wealth gospel teachers teach this because it allows for the idea that we can do whatever we want. What this leaves out is the nature of the entirety of the Bible, to Glorify him alone, for His will not ours to be done.
Jesus was, is and always will be God the Son, just as God the Father is God and God the Holy Spirit is God. They are not “manifestations” of the one God, but they are all distinct in their deity. Any denials of the Trinity are heresies and true bible believing Christians need to run from them for the sake of their souls. This is not a statement of hate toward those who follow those teachers, simply of warning, because when they are confronted in their error, they turn in circles trying to justify what they stated. And the reason that belief is so damaging is that the Bible does not indicate that he “manifests” himself. This is not something that seemingly makes perfect sense to our attempts to figure it out, but it is true and found in the Holy Scriptures.
With regard to the Buddhism statements, I am mistaken and I ask for your forgiveness for some of my statements, mainly the one about how Buddhism states Jesus was a prophet. I was mixing Islam and Buddhism. Islam states that Jesus was a great prophet but denies the deity of Christ. Buddhism states that Jesus was a great teacher while its silence about Jesus deity is taken as a denial to most practicing Buddhists.
The reason I responded to 4evrGrace comment was not to berate them or attack in any way, but to defend the truth about Jesus. They stated that Buddhism is more in line with what Jesus taught. But Jesus taught that HE was God and HE had the ability to forgive sins which is an act that ONLY God can do. Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. This is historical and Jewish people will not even deny that he said that. This is the major matter that separates Christianity from all other religions. Again I state, if Buddhism is correct that Jesus was not God, then he was a crazy person. They say Jesus lived his life as a Buddhist and taught Buddhist ideals. This is historically inaccurate at the least.
Again I state. Any correction given here is not intended to anger (though it may), it is not intended to make anyone feel badly (though it may), and it is certainly not intended to illicit hate toward me or anyone who holds to biblical truth (though it may). Any correction given here is for the growth of anyone who gracefully reads this. I am not all knowing and I am not (never was never will be) perfect. I simply want us to point our hearts and minds to the truth given in the Word God has given ALL of us. And as long as we do not take it out of context, as long as we faithfully study it and submit to God in prayer, as long as we lift His name up and lower ours, he will provide us the discernment we need to understand him better.
My concluding statement to you is about your use of the term “new God Perspectives”. I’m not quite sure what you mean by that but, if there is any perspective that does not fit with the truth of scripture (not man’s law like the Pharisees) but with what is plainly communicated by the Word of God, then we are to ignore it since it is an attempt at deceiving us by the evil one.
I hope this finds you well and that God open to the true revelation of His word in the Bible.
Bishop,
Hi, Bishop, Serita & family. With my experience & hearing others in the community, we all have noticed that some of our local preachers are scared to dig deep into the word & tell it how it is when they preach to us. I may be wrong, but I believe deep in my heart that this is what’s going on. I have talked to other saints who says the same thing that I am saying. People are looking for a church where there is fire at. They may be digging deep into the word, but, they are leaving the main things out of the Bible, like how to Love, etc. They are too worried about losing there members, losing money and popularity. So, they only tell us what we want to hear & let us go home stuck. My husband & I study the WORD anyways, but what about the babes in Christ? What about those who are not saved yet? Some of us leave church and have not been fed. We have some preachers who are not on fire & the message is not getting out there like it supposed to be. The members are just sleeping now a days in the churches because there is no fire from some of these preachers. It is like, they are reading from the Bible & don’t explain it & then we pray & then service is over. That is what it seems like. Don’t get me wrong, some Sunday’s, they come with good revelation & the WORD is always good, but, we need our local pastors to quit being scared to tell it how it is in there preaching & I think peoples faith will get back right & peoples attitudes about church will get back where it supposed to be. You are a BLESSED pastor to listen to because you tell it how it is & my family & I feel like we left with something, even though we watch you on the internet & when you come to our city. You tell it how it is when you preach the WORD of GOD and you have such of a strong anointing on you. My husband & I sit in our seats crying or near crying just listening to you preach. This is what our churches need. To get back that fire. GOD BLESS you and your family. You and your family are continously in our prayers & we love ya’ll.
Thanks for the response, Anonymous. I think you made a wonderful point at the beginning about how your own life experiences led you to the Bible.
“I know, I was as far as could be from God. Then I got so low I could do nothing but go to his Word and decide for myself whether or not I was ready to submit to his will. But it took many people speaking truth into my life (and prayer) for me to finally discern his will for my life. However, when someone speaks to me about the reason for the hope within me, I will give the truth of the gospel and not a watered down account of the gospel geared only to boost a person’s self esteem.”
I am going to assume that you are not suggesting that my viewpoint is a “watered down gospel.” I only say such to say this as you pointed out in the previous quote - Subjective experiences. You have experiences. i have experiences. Everyone does not experience God the same way. Indeed, I have seen, including people like the woman who now practices Buddhism, people leave or be ignored by the Church, because they are told that they can only experience God the way people tell them to do so. And it does not work exactly the same way for some people. So maybe they feel lost and alone or rejected or turned off from Christianity and/or the Church (depending on the person they may see Christianity different from how different churches practice it). It would be great if they were encouraged to seek Him in the most unlikely of places as we find ourselves to be at points in our lives, after all He is God! He won’t change just because one experiences Him in a different way than someone else. And we certainly do not want people to feel they have to seek something else…
God is too vast to pigeonhole him, I feel. He permeates in everything, even when it seems that He “should” not be there because “sin” is present. I say, more of a reason for Him to be there and work His Wonder and Glory. I have seen Him work in drug houses and homes of chronic molestation, homes where no good Church folk refused to go or even speak of.
That said, I have attended church all of my life. My entire childhood was in, out, and surrounded by Church. I have read the Bible times over, been asked to teach it, and I have heard different interpretations, sometimes contradictory interpretations of the same scripture. Whether I thought the interpretations were contradictory did not change the fact that the interpretation positively encouraged and changed the lives of others. Maybe the scripture was not meant for me on those days, but I was blessed to witness its effects. I felt God was showing me that He can work and touch others even if we feel there was something “wrong” with the message or we did not get it for ourselves. Sometimes, I am there to say something and sometimes to say nothing. I imagine you know of what I speak - when stuff happens and you want to speak “truth” yet you feel your spirit telling you that it is not the right time? I’ve experienced that and always ended up glad I did not say something because it would have brought that person to despair or irrational anger because of their emotional state.
So, here comes the age-old question - who am I to say what is true for another person? In my experience, as that which I have described above, it is subjective, and if I attempted to inject my truth into a person who was fed by a different truth, I may do more harm than good. I completely agree with you that Love requires that the truth be told. However, Wisdom dictates how and when that truth is told, and then, of course, comprehending how that truth will change a person’s life depending on the person’s emotional state. I ask myself, am I willing to stay up and hold this person’s hand all night if this truth that I give them, though true, puts them on the verge of suicide because they were not in the emotional state to hear it? Or they comprehended it in a way that pushed them away rather than brought them closer to God? Some people come to church or this message board in such a fragile state. After all, life and death is in the power of the tongue. We would be responsible for their death. Like you said, we are only accountable to God. This does not deter me from speaking in general, only keeps me aware that with the dissemination of truth comes responsibility.
“The truth says, we are accountable to God and must confess and repent to him in order to receive His salvation from the bondage of sin”
We are only accountable to God. And God is everywhere, so I comprehend that we should be all around responsible, wise, and non-judgmental because we are not All-knowing God.
Quick true life story: I had a friend who went to church sporadically. She was searching for what God meant in her life, and was struggling be fully Christian because of past negative experiences with Christians (they judged her and looked down on her). Let’s call her Cary. I was her only Christian friend. I invited her to a get-together with me and four of my devout Christian friends. At the gathering, church, unsurprisingly, came into the conversation. Cary shared that she did not go to church regularly and why. I thought everything was fine until weeks after when Cary told me that she never wanted to hang out with my friends again (ANY of them, not just the 4) because my devout Christian friend that was sitting next to her (let’s call her Bridget) scooted away from her when she heard Cary did not go to church regularly. Furthermore, when it was time to pray before the meal, apparently Bridget reached over Cary to exclude her from the prayer. Cary refuses to attend Christian church to this day (four years later).
I think Bridget was practicing her interpretation of “shunning the appearance of evil” (what I gathered from a convo with her), but, in any case -
Being a living example is the best conversion tactic.
About the Trinity - I don’t think I was clear in my question about the Trinity. The question was just that - a question - not a statement. The Bible, itself I should point out as I believe we are both reading a translated Bible, is itself a product of various language interpretations. As a multi-lingual and multi-literate person, I know that interpreting from one language to another sometimes causes certain meanings to be lost. God discerns meaning to people subjectively - hence the power of prayer and study. Furthermore, as the Church itself seems to be divided in different denominations about the Trinity, I thought it was a viable question to ask.
But reasonably, whenever I ask about the Trinity it is difficult to answer. I consider the meaning in the Book of John and Jesus speaking of the Helper, Holy Spirit, or Spirit of Truth (see John 14 for reference) coming to aid His followers after his death.
God is Three and One…the very question of the Trinity. When I question, I am not asking to doubt it, but sincerely and honestly asking how others see it. A question sincerely meant to attain an answer.
What kind of aid does the Helper provide?
Though I think, Anonymous, maybe you gave your answer in your final statement:
“My concluding statement to you is about your use of the term “new God Perspectives”. I’m not quite sure what you mean by that but, if there is any perspective that does not fit with the truth of scripture (not man’s law like the Pharisees) but with what is plainly communicated by the Word of God, then we are to ignore it since it is an attempt at deceiving us by the evil one.”
“Plainly communicated by the word of God.” Plain and simple. Just words as is in the Bible, right? But is there only one way to interpret the Bible? My experience suggests otherwise, but maybe your experiences do not suggest the same. I hear that. How does the Helper as named by Jesus in John 14 sent to “teach in all things” fit in with your perspective? Sincerely and honestly - Just a question seeking an answer.
God-perspectives are just that, perspectives inspired wholly by God (seeing through God’s eyes).
General Question restate: What is the Trinity? How was it meant to inspire the everyday lives of Christians?
I have conversations about God My father who is in heaven all most everyday. You would be supprised at what people have to say about our GoD. It’s like they don’t have a clue as to how great he is and who he is!!! Most don’t feel the need to come to his temple to pray. They are convinced that as long as they pray at home it’s ok not to enter his temple!!! When I was a child my single mother and my loving grandmother took me to church often. I was in a Tom Thum Wedding when I was 4 years old. I cried the whole time “I don’t want to get married”. And what did I do when I was 16 years old, I got married, why I ask myself till this very day… I have always gone to church. I do however remember a time when I was sinning I did not go for 10 years. The Lord spoke to me and said enough is enough go to church. Then everyting I couldn’t see was shone to me, he took the blinder off my eyes. Every since that day I have been so greatful and thankful. My faith has grown by leaps and bounds I can feel the joy of the Lord when I wittness to others about my trials and tribulation the God has brought me through. God’s people should be running to meet him to know who he is to praise him and give him all the glory. Now I am 62 years old and attending Penn State University and taking classes at CCP. It is only by his grace that I am able to do this. I prayed to have a better job so I could buy a little house and a new car. And to be able to help some of my younger grandchildren which are 20 all tolal and 8 greatgrands. My six daughters are proud of me too. All I can say is that God is mercyful. Even in all my povery I am still rich, I am never hungry, I have a roof over my head, and I always have enough money to make ends meet. People have to have HOPE. THEY HAVE TO KEEP SEEKING THE LORD OUR GOD.
Thank you NC Spruill, the Trinity is most certainly a difficult subject to topple becuase there is a right and a wrong answer…and the wrong answer leads to many faulty, if not damaging, “understandings” of the nature of the God of whom we worship.
The Trinity is not what Mr. Jakes proposes which leads to his many heretical statements that damage what people think they know about the God of the Bible. Though many translations not interpretations have been created translating the Bible into language that different cultures and dialects can understand, meaning has not been lost. However, meaning does get lost when personal interpretations are made by pulling scripture out of its context to fit a personal longing. As long as we study God’s word within its context for all its worth we see that there is our one distinct God, in three different persons, entities, beings, not manifestations as Jakes teaches.
Trinity= One God - The Father of The Son and The Holy Spirit. Jakes almost gets it right but then he says they are only manifestations, as if God splits himself in 3 different ways. No. He is 3 persons distinctly in 1 God. While this may seem confusing and is certainly not a subject you bring up when witnessing to someone, it is the truth as scripture points out. Truth is not subjective. It is what it is. Jesus as God became a man and He is thus both fully divine and fully human.
Some people say the oneness of God is at the expense of His threeness, claiming there is onl one divine person. They say that this one person appears in different guises or masks, sometimes Father, sometimes Son, and sometimes Spirit. This is called modalism since it states that he changes modes. others state his threeness at the expense of His oneness, claiming each of th three divine persons is a distinct god. this is tritheism.
These views are at great odds with the Bible.
There is just one God (Dt 6:4), yet this God is three persons-Father, son, and Spirit (Mt 3:16-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-22). Simply because this is difficult or even impossible for us to understand does not make it a contradiction.
A contradiction involves saying that something is both true and false at the same time and in the same way. So if you say Jesus absolved our sins at the cross and also that Jesus did not absolve our sins at the cross, you are party to a contradiction. So if a Christian says there is 1 God and that 1 God is not 1 God that is a contradiction. Also if a Christian says there are three divine persons and that there are not three divine persons, that is also a contradiction. Christians, logically and biblically claim there is one God and there are three divine persons.
So then those who may cite the doctirne of the Trinity as contradictory are either confused as to what a contradiction is or simply misunderstand the nature of the doctrine.
The Trinity is so important in impacting our lives because if we affirm a contradiction such as God is one and shows himself in 3 different masks, then we are de-valuing the true nature of God and inadvertantly or blatantly denying his purpose in our lives, which is to Glorify Him alone.
Ok, phew, now that we have that out of the way, hopefully.
You stated, “You have experiences. i have experiences. Everyone does not experience God the same way.” God is not about our experiences. One is not saved by the way in which they “experience” God. Feelings and experiences often decieve those who are looking so hard to find something substantial and the next thing you know they are subscribing to pay $1000 a month to a ministery because a preacher said God promised them financial “INCREASE!” based on the amount they give. God never promised us that, in fact many times Jesus states how we will suffer because we follow Him and our Prosperity that is mentioned, when viewed within the context, is an eternal prosperity. We are told that we are not to hoard things for ourselves here, we can’t take it with us so why the need to acquire wealth rather than submit to the truth of God’s Word, his true promises of freedom from sin and eternal glory in His presence.
You also stated, “So, here comes the age-old question - who am I to say what is true for another person? In my experience, as that which I have described above, it is subjective, and if I attempted to inject my truth into a person who was fed by a different truth, I may do more harm than good. I completely agree with you that Love requires that the truth be told. However, Wisdom dictates how and when that truth is told, and then, of course, comprehending how that truth will change a person’s life depending on the person’s emotional state. I ask myself, am I willing to stay up and hold this person’s hand all night if this truth that I give them, though true, puts them on the verge of suicide because they were not in the emotional state to hear it? Or they comprehended it in a way that pushed them away rather than brought them closer to God? Some people come to church or this message board in such a fragile state. After all, life and death is in the power of the tongue. We would be responsible for their death. Like you said, we are only accountable to God. This does not deter me from speaking in general, only keeps me aware that with the dissemination of truth comes responsibility.”
I agree with you that we have to be very careful about the way we speak to different people and keep in mind their mental and emotional stabilty and absolutely, there are times when God gives us the wisdom to stay quiet. I have an ugly habit sometimes of trying to speak to someone about God who hasn’t invited the topic. My spouse keeps me abreast of this and by God’s good grace has helped me to be quiet when it is necessary. Sometimes I still flubb, but God can use those flubbs as seeds in a persons life, but I still have to repent to him.
Now with that said, I couldn’t help but notice you have a theme of using YOUR interpretations as the arbitor and finisher of God’s truth. This is SOOOOOOOOO incredibly dangerous as context must be heeded otherwise you are following another gospel that what has been given to use. As believers we must stand up to one another in love by correcting this error. Paul teaches about the dangers of following other gospels and people like Jakes are propogating such false gospels. My heart aches for the people who buy into all of it. A changed life because of a false teaching is no better of eternally speaking than the life prior to the false teaching. In fact, with the health and wealth gospels people are holding out for a miracle with God and are told that they are either too sinful or don’t have enough faith to be healed or to come out of poverty.
It’s amazing that you have witnessed God working in drug houses and the like. I do not believe that God does not do miracles and that He can’t do miracles through others. But I do know that God is the arbiter of His truth and we must earnestly seek His truth and not our own.
You speak of “my truth” and “your truth”. This is not an area in which we can unite. Witnessing and defending the faith, “once for all delivered to the saints” is not about any man’s truth for or against another man’s truth. But it is ALL about spreading God’s truth. The truth of the good news. Not that we can get rich by giving more, but that we can become children of the most high simply by surrendering the rest of our lives to him by repenting with a whole heart the sins we have committed. Then we will live in us as we are the temple of the Holy Spirit and rely on his guidance.
My guess is that you ask the postmodern question, how can we know anything? Maybe I’m wrong in assuming that and if so, I am sorry. But based on your idea of relativistic interpretation of scripture, that is my assumption.
Let me cite a segment from an article by a man named, Garrett DeWeese, “Surely knowledge is crucial in our day-to-day lives. We don’t trust a dentist who “believes” he can perform a needed tooth extraction, no matter how sincere his belief; we go to a dentist who KNOWS he can. We don’t rely on a friend’s hunch when wondering whether to take an umbrella; we listen to a meterorologist who has good reasons for his prediction. The prosecuting attorney (ideally) doesn’t try to get the jury to feel angry with the defendant’ she wants to establish the TRUTH of his guilt.
Similarly, in matters of religion, what should matter is knowledge ( and the verb to know) in at least 3 different senses. It refers to 1 propositional knowledge-knowing facts; 2 knowledge by acquaintance-knowing something or someone directly; and 3 skill knowledge-know how. …Christianity involves all three…Eternal life, Jesus said, is knowing God (Jn 17:3) this is knowledge by acquaintence and is more than knowledge of Bible facts or systematic theology. Jesus went on to say that eternal life is knowing “the One You have sent-Jesus Christ”. This involves knowing certain facts about Jesus of Nazareht and about His mission as Savior. So boh knowledge by acquaintance and propositional knowledge are involved…no skill is involved in becoming ac Christian. But growing in our faith involves learning how to study the Bible, how to think as Christians about decision making, how to pray how to share our faith, and so on.”
He goes on about different types of knowledge and how we get it wrong and right at times. The purpose is to show you and everyone reading, if anyone…haha, that truth is not left up to interpretation but is indeed what we count on as Christians. It is not what we want to think and not what others tell us, but is what is found in every book in the Bible. It has not gone out of style because it never was in style. Otherwise, there would have been no one willing to die to protect it. If truth were something we could discern for ourselves then we could put words and ideas in God’s mouth that he never said and never meant.
Again, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has given his very life, His Father in heaven sent him down here, He “condescended” to earth to show us the magnitude of love He has for everyone. He gave us the opportunity to join him as adopted brothers and sisters with him in the presence of the Almighty God who has left his Spirit to guide us and to comfort us through trials and suffering and to convict us of our sin, sending us to the foot of the cross.
There are no “new” God perspectives, but there is the plain and simple truth of the gospel which dispels lies and exposes frauds, even the sincere ones.
Again, any rebuke I give is through agape love, I do not seek to show off what I know but what is God’s truth which unites us eternally. “New” God perspectives will not unite us. But the historical and meaningful Word of God will always unite.
Life and Death is in the tongue, this scripture is not implying that we can speak death into someones life or speak resurrection from the dead. The death is a spiritual one and the life too is a spiritual one. It is not in the power that we exude through our words that physically or spiritully kills or heals but it is the love or lack of love that spritually kills or heals and is not of us but of Christ in us.
We are to speak the truth in love with gentleness and respect and that is what I pray for, gentleness and respect because the truth is there for the reading, gentleness and respect must be learned and I must say, I am always learning.
God bless you in his good providence.
Maybe it’s just time for a Revival………Holy Ghost have your way….GLORRRRRRRRRRRY to God
Debbie,
There certainly is a major need for real revival of God’s Word in truth being taught so that wolves in sheeps clothing such as Jakes, Benny Hinn, Creflo Dollar, Paul Crouch, Joyce Meyer, Joel Olsteen, etc etc etc. will cease misleading the church into believing what Scripture does not teach. We need to pay less attention to high profile characters and more attention to God’s revealed Word in the Bible. There has been a falling away of true biblical teaching in America and that is why we are seeing so much Godlessness latley.
God Bless you and the all who believe in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit - 3 distinct persons as our one and only God.
Anonymous, you have successfully broken down a new interpretation of the Trinity to me, and as I asked for people’s interpretations, I thank you for it. I am thoroughly convinced that we have two different understandings of the words “interpretation” and “perspective” and how they affect people’s lives. I am also convinced that we have had life experiences as Christians that lead us to see things differently. Mind you, I do not think one is right or wrong as I do not think “different” connotes an idea of “rightness” or “wrongness.” I believe it is possible to share a belief but see things differently. Would that we could meet in person and talk about this over a cup of tea, but alas, the anonymity that comes with blogging.
Wishing you God’s Grace, Peace, and Love
I guess the essential question I have here is…what belief is it that we share? And a better question is…why do we share such a belief if indeed we do share a belief.
The oneness pentecostal Jesus is a completely different Jesus from the savior presented in scripture. Please advise me on the biblical essentials of the belief of which we share.
Oneness Pentecostal? I had to look that up. I did not even know such a …denomination?…existed. So if you have questions about why one who calls themselves a follower of the Oneness Pentecostal belief, follows that belief – better that you find one to ask.
I am guessing that you are assuming that I am a follower of the oneness Pentecostal belief because I asked about the Trinity? Again, a question is not a statement of belief. A question is an inquiry.
At this point, it seems like you are looking to create division. I thought we both believed in the teachings and unconditional Love of Jesus Christ…I know I do.
I agree with the poster about the leaders failing to lead with Christ-like example as being a major problem. I don’t however agree that it is the people that he/she listed. I respect the ones that are listed, but, and have, in the past, watched them all religiously… no pun intended!
My problem has beenthat certain leaders that I’ve heard with my own hears in person during a service cussing or using slang terms so loosely just like the world does. Such as, “I’m madder than hell at the devil!” by a lady who I did respect highly, but, unfortunately do not any longer due to this and wearing attire that allowed her to fall out of her top basically showing entirely too much, while dressing just like the people she was trying draw to Christ where there were many high profile LA celebrities present. Makes no sense.
And then I heard her husband say how he goes to Starbucks in Tampa where prostitutes/strippers frequent evidently and how well endowed one of them was one day and that he didn’t lust, he just looked. He was acting like it was funny to be a little precocious or like he thought we would think it was funny and cute that he was so ga-ga over her breast. I was completely turned off to him as a preacher after that. The bad part was, my husband who has a problem with lust and “checking women out”, and my younger teenage son was there that service. And they both heard the wife using her worldly slang mentioned above, too, another service. Plus, she’s constantly saying pretty loose things, like the world does just to get them to associate with her I guess. It’s almost embarrassing when non-christians here her and wonder why she says the things she does, when it sounds just like people out on the street.
The things her and her husband said, made those serious problems that my son and husband have to deal with, seem like it was okay all of the sudden because the pastors do it. Ugh! All my hard work of trying to teach my son the right things in life by the bible’s standards and he doesn’t have my husband to look up to unfortunately since he’s a wavering christian, (no wonder). And then my son goes to church and they ruin it for him in 1 service each! How confusing is all of that? Especially for someone that has this problem and then they hear that and think, oh, than it ‘is’ okay. It just urked me so much!
How is that leading anyone to Christ? Do they think that fitting in or trying to appear cool or like the world attracts more people to Christ? I think it just attracts more people to identify with them and ‘distracts’ from the Christ they ’should’ see in them.
You can’t be setting standards and in leadership for Christ if you are going to dress, act and talk just like the heathens. Jesus said to go out into the world and to not be conformed by it. Go out into it shows me that we are coming from something better and higher, meaning higher standards in regard to how we present ourselves, too. We can go into the worldly places and be a witness, but, if we dress and talk with filth, how are we and who are we witnessing for? It just leads to confusion. It’s a confusing message.
Just this morning, I heard a younger Pastor saying to “Get the hell away from those people!” What’s this! Give me a break! That is so worldly and slang. I just can’t respect a leader that lowers himself like that to “fit in”, I guess. Or, is it just that he has no conviction to that type of language and lives like that, or worse, in his day to day living.
I don’t want to be fed by someone like that. Do you? I need someone that has higher standards than me, or at least equal that I can look up to and respect. I know preachers are human, but, they “are” called to lead. Leadership requires extremely high standards, especially when you are suppose to be an example of Christ. Not mediocrity. If everyone ran around acting like the world, but, preaching about God, then who would want Him. It makes Him appear common and like nothing better than what most people live everyday.
Where’s the reverence for Him he commands. Like using the Lord’s name in vain, such as “Oh my God!” or “Jesus!” as an exclaimation of grief, annoyance or excitement over something that has nothing to do with Him. It just shows no reverence for Him. Especially when a preacher is saying it. It makes God and his names, simple and common, like he doesn’t deserve respect. The bible clearly says not to use the Lord’s name in vain. I believe He even means not to use it carelessly like “Oh My God!”. And why say it so carelessly anyways, like it’s nothing? Use some other term instead, just in case you are wrong about saying it like that. Think about it…… How does that show God’s power, if we can’t even have power over our own mouths and he lives in us?!
The Holy Spirit is offended by such language, and I can’t even stand to hear it. I’m not saying that I am perfect, FAR from it, but, that is one thing I know for sure that offends the Holy Spirit. And with all due respect Bishop Jakes, I in no way mean to disrespect you. I am just giving an honest opinion about how I feel. I found it extremely hard to sit through all of the cussing in “Not Easily Broken.” We bought it expecting it to be a great movie mainly because you had something to do with it. And it was, the story anyways, except for the cussing. I just don’t get it. It would’ve been just as good, or actually better, if it didn’t have that in it. I understand that we need to reach certain people on their own level, but, if there were no cussing, I’m sure they would’ve still watched it. Unless it was because the ratings would have appeared too clean and it wouldn’t have caught their interest as much. Which that is a way of thinking we need to change anyways.
I just don’t understand how we can expect people to feel any type of anointing from a movie I’m sure was prayed for in that way to reach and touch people, when it was filled with such offensive language to the Holy Spirit, you know? How is that witnessing? What is it saying about the movie producers that want to draw people to Christ, but, make it seem just like the world? We shouldn’t be subjecting ourselves, nor the ones we want to save, to the worlds way in real actuality, just to get a point across. The Holy Spirit can do His thing even without all of the cussing and real life lust scenes. I mean, where are we relying on Him and His power if we think we have to lower our standards as christians to get a point across? It could’ve just as easily been made for people in those places to be able to identify with those characters without lowering what God expects out of us as christians. Maybe I’m missing something here.
As I’ve said, I have always respected you very much. You and Joel Osteen are the only 2 preachers my unsaved friend and her husband will even consider watching. I called them and told them to turn your broadcast on one day and her husband said he really liked you after that and I believe has watched you since then other times as well. But, can you please explain to me why all the cussing had to be in the movie? I really want to hear it from the horse’s mouth. I’m tired of trying to figure this stuff out on my own and really want to know why please. I believe we are entitled to an explaination since it goes against what we are taught to do and listen to or say. And I don’t have any idea how I’m suppose to explain it to my teens or unsaved friends when they say, “Well, it’s not any different than a regular movie.” Especially when they know that christians wrote it. I won’t even let me kids watch it due to that, nor do I want to anymore. Once was enough. If it weren’t for the cussing, we’d watch it more regularly though.
I just know leaders do indeed form the way people view things. And if our Christian leaders start to lower their values in order to help the unsaved feel that they can fit in with being a christian, than what is the point of being a christian?
What a good preacher you are. And like you, I like democracy too. But in your saying here that a theocracy is “tyranny,” “faith out of control,” you are forgetting that God, Yahweh, established the nation of Israel as a theocracy and required that Israel worship only him.
Servetus the Evangelical
Author of The Restitution of Jesus Christ
in the early 70’s as a lil girl we HAD to go to church, sing in the chior, etc. etc. etc. some times with parents some times without. the pentecostal movement and post vietnam worship produced much fanatical scenes in church; at the same time there was the post-civil rights movement, which really was the church because church leadership was all a black man could really count on for prestige and community upliftment. so btwn 70’s-late 80’s church was mostly community-based interacting with the schools and with local businesses—most folks were still married, moms were not as heavily in the work force as they are today, and you could pretty much have a glass of tea with you neighbor who remembered all of your children’s names. church had its issues with adultry, witchcraft, hustle and “do as I say not as I do” just as we do now, but folks were a little more decrete and at least seemed to want to repent and find intervention from “saved” friends and family. now, everthing is wide open and folks don’t know what to believe…it’s truly every man for himself. the adultry, witchcraft, black magic, hustling, special interest groups, etc. etc. etc. have gotten far worse and more comfortable with not being in the closet. heck, the more righteous you live you are actually threatened to stay in the closet or else…we’re at the end of the dispensation here, folks. this has been prophecied from way before you or I was born. It’s done, we are finished! Time is no more. Revivals are not going to cut it because the revivalists are all in bed with the devil! Question is, what are you going to do personally to get your own house in order and to work out your own salvation? It’s very personal now. The preachers cannot save you nor themselves. They never have. We made them gods and put the responsibility of our relationship with Christ on their shoulders. Leaders they are to be, but not gods! Church was meant to be a place of healing and spiritual education—not a corporate, tax-exempt club house where only the elite benefit. Let God arise and his enemies be scattered. Turn off the the noise and run for the hillls for yourselves and your children. The “church” has become an institution of money-changers and entertainers. The Beloved Bishop Jakes has taught us so well over the years, but not every one has his heart. He has served well. Now it’s your turn and responsiblity to grow up and eat strong meat and live right.
Peace!
I am 40 years old and have been raised in the church all of my life. My father and mother were both Deacon/Deaconess in the Southern Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. I have been around religion it seems forever and at 16 gave my life to Christ and was baptist. Now, I have not lived a Constant Christian life, so I will say that much and keep it very real. But the point is, I have met only one person in my life so far that absolutely moved me and made me to really want to seek God’s Grace. I was into AMWAY almost 10 plus years ago and my leadership was a dear friend of mines named Earl. Earl was married with beautiful wife and kids and this guy could you move you with his quiet presence. Earl was a devout Christian and he really did not say much about the Word nor did he preach to me much at all.. He was always just listening to my troubles and what I did over the weekend but he was so so quiet when it came to the Word. We would talk about Secular things all the time and I would go home with him and hang out with his family. But what really got me about this guy was that his quietness made me more curious then anything. He was always happy and never a frown. Always a pleasant word and I use to just want we he had..He moved me more then anyone Preaching to me about a whole bunch of something and not be just quiet and still…He moved me to want to seek on my own and read what the bible has to say..He made the most impact by his SILENCE…We need SILENCE/STILL/JUST LISTEN!!!
Alright NC Spruill.
I agree that I came on a little too strong. I certainly do not want to create division in the church. I simply want those who are truly seeking after him to know the truth rather than the fallacy that is being sold in its place.
I did make assumptions about you based on your questioning and that was incorrect of me. I apologize for that and ask your forgiveness. I am Christian, I am not Christ. And once again, I don’t know it all. But I do know what God has communicated to all of us and several times he warns us, directly through His only begotten son Jesus and through the apostles, that we are to test what we hear from others by the Bible to make sure it is of God. And when we go to the Bible to test it, we have to have an objective mind about it rather than a subjective, “I want it to say something that supports my view”.
In assuming that your share the oneness pentecostal theology that TD Jakes does, I sincerely apologize.
I try not to get so frustrated but it is a very sensitive issue with me since I was deeply involved in the Word of Faith movement and only by the Grace of God did it not ruin my life.
It is based on greed and not God’s will though the “pastors, bishops, apostles, etc.” would paint it differently, they are wolves in sheeps clothing and I have witnessed it first hand.
It is not a division of the church I call for Spruill. It is the unity that the truth of the gospel brings and one that even Jakes could find and preach about if he would only turn from his course of complete deception. And maybe he himself is deceived and truly believes he is following God. But giving people what there itching ears want to hear will not TRULY save their souls. It will just make them feel better which can be worse. There’s a difference between choosing to sacrificially laying down your sins in front of Jesus and choosing to die with him in submission, and feeling happy. Though there is great joy in completely submitting to him, it is not the same thing that this man Jakes is selling. Just be very wary I beg you.
God Bless you.
Anonymous,
I comprehend your passion, but be wary that when you speak you do not divert people from seeing God’s Love in you. What you identify to be passion can be equated to be anger which causes division, and anger is not of God. It seems like you have experienced things that have made you see some Christian leaders as “duping” their followers. I say this: God is Love, and He knows every being better than they know themselves. Out of every situation, God wins. He does not need to be angry, fearful, or divisive. He does not have to point, ridicule, belittle, or judge (by the way, I am not saying that you have done all these things, but rather highlighting the awesome Love power of God and His Son, Jesus Christ).
God is inculcated in EVERY SINGLE THING, even when things seem “wrong” and as much as you may disagree with the teachings of pastors such as T.D. Jakes, may I encourage you to see what Jakes does out of the eyes of Love. You may not agree with what he does and it does not seem like you would do things as he does it, but look at the many people he has helped. Now when I say this, I am NOT saying that I completely agree with TD Jakes and everything he does. Like you said that you are not Jesus Christ, neither is he. However, whether you deem his methods right or wrong, he has kindled hope in the lives of at least, millions who certainly have more than just “itching ears,” at least a few have relationships with God - please give God more credit. (Careful with your terminology because it does come off as judgmental and divisive - i.e. itching ears versus “those who want to know/live the truth,” but even you would admit that when we began to speak you believed you knew the truth of a matter and found you did not).
What Jakes does in the future is for us to see. However, what he has done so far is something that many would not even dream to uptake if they knew the sacrifices he made in his life in order to help people, and helping people always seem to come with sacrifices. Again, I don’t agree with everything he has done or is doing, but God’s Presence and Beauty is in Everything, and I see It in Him. I encourage you to read what Yolanda posted right before you. If God is telling you to speak out through blogs and/or whatever other form to tell people about the “deception of TD Jakes,” know that you have my complete support in your adherence to what God’s still, quiet voice is telling you to do and in your desire to build your relationship with Him. However, if you find yourself speaking out of anger and a desire to “do what is right” (which is not always what man comprehends to be what is God), I ask that you consider your ways because your passion can consume you and blind you from God’s Light. I know you believe you are adhering to the Bible, just know that as quickly as you identify TD Jakes to be a false prophet, just as quickly people may identify you as being a false prophet by dissuading people to hear what they feel to be messages from God. Relationships with God are personal and no one can tell another how it is supposed to look or sound. How many people REALLY believed that the burning bush told Moses to go free his people at the time that it happened? Even Zipporah was unsure about the message. The Bible tells us that Moses had to handle the lack of faith amongst the Jews even after their seeing awesome miracles first hand. Moses did not comprehend what was going on, let alone the Jews who were angry and disillusioned from being enslaved and simultaneously, “God’s Chosen.” What happened then, happens even now.
In short, BE LOVE and no one can question your motives.
Truly thinking of you with God’s Grace, Peace, and Love
P.S. I’m not sure how many complete sermons of TD Jakes you have listened to, but may I encourage you to listen to a number. I feel the wisest way to question a person is through comprehending them. Perhaps you can gain some comprehension, and thus be more successful in your mission if you did a bit more intense studying of these pastors as well as religions outside of Christianity. Empower yourself and your mission with knowledge.
God is with you
I REMMEBER A OLD SONG THAT HAS A SENTENCE THE BLOOD WILL NEVER LOOSE IT’S POWER. KEY WORD IS NEVER!!!!! STYLES WILL ALWAYS CHANGE. ” GOD, HE WELL NEVER CHANGE. HE IS, THE GREAT “I AM.” BUT SOMEBODY TOLD ME TO HOLD ONTO GOD’S UNCHANGING HAND. GOD IS NOT A FADE OR A PHASIS THAT PEOPLE USE TO BE INTO. WHAT GOD IS ABOUT IS EVERLASTING. THIS WORD, I FEEL BETTER DISCRIBES WHAT WE ASSURED OF BY CONTINUING TO FOLLOW AFTER GOD. AN EVERLASTING GOD, WHO PROVIDES FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN HIS SON EVERLASTING LIFE. YHE POWER OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS WILL NEVER NEVER LOOSE IT’S POWER. THE THOUGHT OF GOD, WILL NEVER LEAVE MANKIND. IT IS PERMINANTLY TO SEEK AFTER GOD. THE QUESTION IS WHAT gods ARE WE (MANKIND) SEEKING,? IS IT THE GREAT I AM, THE EVERLASTING GOD? HE NEVER LOOSES STYLE. HE IS FOEVER, AND FOREVER AND FOREVER……..AMEN
I am a 23 year old college graduate and growing up my mother started bringing us to church every sunday and slowly over the years we just stopped going. As I went off to college to take upon my own journey I always believed in God but certain events and scientific topics brought up in school made me question my faith. For a while I lived my life this way, questioning my faith and I became very lost and confused. About a year ago two close friends of mine the same age as I, had relaunched there faith. I was a bit resistant at first but slowl I found my way back into Gods arms. I’ve actually noticed this slow underground movement of young adults that are reconnecting with God and it’s without the help of our parents. I believe that God realizes that our world needs an uplift and he is touching so many young people along with people of all ages. It’s happening its just not as visible yet. I am closer to God then I’ve ever been before in my life and I have many friends that I sit with and have conversations about God and what his plans are for us, and how we can live up to his words. So i do agree possibilites for a loss in faith that have been stated in the blog, but I also want to say that a great movement of young Cristians is alive, we just aren’t organized and structured the same as in earlier days. We’re trying to find ways to use our creativity and technology to praise God. I am one of these young Christians and God has some pretty amazing things for me to share with the world, as he does for all of us. I love you all.
*Live with Love* and God Bless,
The reason for the unbelief among the masses of believers is because we have become fleshly, earthly, and very carnal and for this type of lifestyle you do not need faith at all. But in order to live a victorious life in Christ faith is a must. We can get unbelief inside of a building but we can’t get unbelief in Christ. For its in Christ through faith that we can obtain kingdom living, holy living, covenant living, and righteous living.
God Bless You
Dr. William Dewberry
love it, i’ll definitely be checking back for more info.
I do not agree at all. Everywhere I go, everyone I talk with has a deep, abiding faith in God. Most people I meet have a desire to live a more godly life, get to know God and learn their purpose in life.
I really like Jakes, but do not agree with his assessment at all.
Also, this nation was founded as a Christian nation. Our laws are based on Judeo-Christian principles. We could not have Democracy without the Christian principles. There is nothing in the Constitution about “separation of chuch and state.” This phrase was in a letter from Jefferson to the Danbury Baptist. The phrase was lifted from the letter and used in a judicial opinion and has been quoted ever since.
Once you lose Christian-based laws, you lose freedom and you lose democracy and the U.S. will no longer be the land that I love. It will be no different that all of the other corrupt and intolerant regimes on earth.