Getting Past the Past…

Four years ago when God brought me to Eastside, I found a Church of great people who had been deeply wounded. They had been struggling to hold their Church together and on top of that had to endure a negative reputation, (not because they did anything wrong; but simply because they stayed and didn’t abandon the ship). I knew the minute I met the leaders of this Church that something really good was at Eastside, it was just hard to see underneath the sadness. As a matter of fact, during my interview there was a time when I had a sense that the committee was broken and so we set the interview aside and began to pray for healing, and we cried together. I knew in that instant that God wanted me to come and lead our Church out of that sadness and into rejoicing.

There is nothing wrong with being sad. However, sadness needs to be a place we only visit and not where we live! I have discovered that many great treasures are hidden under sadness. Underneath sadness I have found people deeply committed to their faith and to their brothers and sisters in the Lord. I also found people willing to do whatever was necessary to help their Church make it through the tough days. There were also people looking for someone to love. All of those things are the making of a very successful Church. All that needed to happen was for the veil of sorrow to be lifted. And that is were the transforming power of God comes into the picture. God won’t let you live in your sadness. Here is a little secret a lot of Christians don’t know…God brings joy!

So after four years I can truly say that at Eastside Assembly of God we laugh. We like to have a good time. And we believe that when people find God; He brings joy and happiness into their life. I have watched as that curtain of sorrow has been lifted from people when they begin to sense the joy of the Lord. Every time I hear our Church laugh I know that God is doing something good to our hearts.

“A merry heart does good, like medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22) in other words it makes us feel better and brings healing to us!

Enduring Doctrine

So I have been preaching about doctrine lately, because I really believe that many of the issues that are arising in the church today are the result of Christians not knowing good doctrine. The Apostle Paul says, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” --2 Timothy 4:3-4.

There’s something I noticed in this passage, Paul says they will not ENDURE sound doctrine. And right there we see the problem; the church perceives doctrine as something to be endured. I don’t know about you but when I feel like something has to be endured I avoid it! Reminds me of peas, they may be good for you but when I eat them, I have to endure them, so I avoid them at all cost. And sadly, many believers feel the same way about doctrine.

But, we need to know church doctrine. Because without it we have no hope of living successfully as Christians. Did you know that the Bible was given to us for the express purpose of teaching us doctrine? Really! God sent us His Word so that we would know Him and know how to find the plan that He has for us! Here is something maybe you haven’t recognized about doctrine. Doctrine is the tool that we use to become the person God has created us to be. You will never find the will of God for your life outside of doctrine.

One last thing, Christianity is about relationship. And all relationships have rules or guidelines to be followed. So while we should be really focused on our relationship with God we should acknowledge the rules that come with that relationship. And doctrine helps us know those rules and helps us get closer to God and fulfill everything God has planned for us.

Ok, with all that said here is my commitment to you: As I teach and preach on doctrine I will try to find ways to make it exciting and not something to be endured! But know this every once in a while you have to eat your peas! (yuck)