The faith choice before the Church today is to see ourselves and each other as leaders in a mission to wake up the world to the Spirit's presence, to testify that this "Christ" Spirit who walked the earth 2000 years ago is alive and present today through us. That Spirit is alive in so many surprising places in this world today. But there is a challenge to being leaders in such a mission. The challenge is to grow and, in truth, to change. The change this mission requires of us is to step forward rather than stand still, to trust who we are as a body in God rather than let our issues stand between us and God's presence, and to choose to let our fears and grief propel us forward on the journey rather than hold us back. What we receive is the Spirit.

            Recently, I saw a special TV program called To Hell and Back. It was about an Evangelical and Pentecostal minister named Carlton Pearson who attracted large crowds of people, and enjoyed great respect among his peers and followers. He was held up for praise by Presidents and other preachers alike. Then, one day, he had a revelation about Hell-that God would not send people to Hell, and that God's love through Jesus saves everyone! He became kind of a born-again universalist and, as a consequence, he lost everything: most of his followers, most of his money, his beautiful house in Tulsa, and his seat on the board of Oral Roberts University.

            One day, broken and confused, he received an invitation to speak to a small church in San Francisco. This was a congregation made up entirely of gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, and transgendered persons and street people. It was a very different crowd for him. After he spoke his new message to this group, he sat down. And that congregation came forward with a basin and a bowl. They washed his feet and prayed for him and he discovered for himself that, despite his years as a Pentecostal preacher, the Holy Spirit had now come upon him. He was now a witness in the city, in the suburb, and to the ends of the earth, even back in Tulsa.

            All we receive is the Spirit and that is all we need. That's where faith abides, within the Spirit of God, and that's where we live, too. God bless us, each one.

Thanks for continuing to bless me as we journey together.  

--Jack F. Price

To read more by Jack, be sure to order your copy of Finding Faith: Honest Answers about God, the Bible, and the Church Today at:  www.findingfaithnow.com or www.lulu.com/buy (download available)

The Book Tour Is Coming!

Friday, June 17                            Books Plus in Fernandina Beach, FL

Sunday, June 19                           New Vision Congregational Church, UCC, Yulee, FL

Wed.-Thursday, June 22-3          Mars Hill College, NC (Alliance of Baptists)   

Sunday, June 26                           Vienna Baptist Church, VA, 9:45am-12:30pm

Follow Jack on facebook and through e-mail updates on the tour!

(Still some dates open-contact Jack to schedule a book tour stop)

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