The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director. Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year. God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started i...
You won't beeelieve what I am getting ready to tell you.
First let me set the stage. God is blessing so much on Wednesday nights. I am more excited about this than anything right now. God is doing stuff that is OFF THE CHAIN!
I was especially excited about tonight's Fusion. I knew God was going to do something special. It was truly our best night ever of ministry. People were expectant! They are more on time than ever...cause they can't wait to get there! Worship went awesome, then prayer and then the Word. I preached tonight on the subject "Fused for Burden Bearing." (Based on the passage of scripture that says "Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.") The main text was Galatians 6:1-5, although a lot of additional scripture was incorporated and some great illustrations to go with it as well as a song with multi media that went with the message. This was right before we got into our fusion groups (small groups of 10) for ministry. This is a time when each fusion group encourages and prays for one another.
A few minutes after getting into our groups, there was a great commotion in the sanctuary. A woman who was visiting, who is a local "minister" (and I use that term loosely) spoke up in Bill's fusion group and went on a 5-10 minute tirade (without coming up for air or letting anyone else talk/get a word in edgewise) and basically said that what I shared tonight were"philosophies" and that no one is called to bear another's burden, we are only called to get on our faces and fast and pray and receive whatever we need from God. She said Christians are not called to help each other, we just need to look to God. She said, "God has given me a message to preach here tonight."
Bill (group leader) was respectful about it but said that wasn't right according to scripture, and that they needed to stay on track in encouraging one another and having prayer for one another in the group. If you only knew Bill...he is the kindest, most gentle man. If he gets upset with you, you probably REALLY deserve it! I've never known anyone more gracious. Well, she didn't receive his re-direction. She went off. Totally. Loudly! Again she wasn't coming up for air and was determined to take over the group and hold it hostage. Later, Eddie and Debbie told me something to the effect that she went off trying to bring a message from Genesis to Revelation! Bill kindly tried to redirect her, but she wouldn't have it. He ran over to get me, at his wits end with her.
I came over and she went into telling me her ministry is that of an evangelist and that God had given her a message for the church and she was trying to give it but was being stifled. I said, "the Word has already been preached tonight and we don't need you to preach. It's time now to encourage one another and pray one for another."
She was very offended and cut me off and her voice escalated even more (EVERYONE in the sanctuary could hear this loud and clear) and she was saying that she was not going to be stopped from giving this word. She said "God invited me to come here and say this tonight." I said, "Well I didn't invite you." And she said, "What? I'm an ordained minister for 44 years and you need to come under my authority." I said, "No actually, you need to come under mine. I've been placed by God as the co-pastor of this church and if you are going to participate in this group, while you are here you you are going to respect mine and Bill's authority." She said, "no I won't! I'm under the authority of no man, or you. I am only under God!" I said, "well that's not going to work here." (She started shaking when I said that. She was so angry. Looking back I wish we had it on tape. It was surreal, you just had to be there.)
She rebutted that no, no, no, she was going to get up and preach and I said, "you're mistaken about that. You need to get in order right now." She stood there and would not listen and kept going on very loudly where EVERYONE in the sanctuary could hear her. So it was time to go to the next level. I emphatically stated, "you're out of order!! I'm sorry, but I am going to have to ask you need to leave now." She said, "you are immature! You don't understand the five fold ministry! I said, "Actually, I am operating in the five fold ministry right now. I'm the pastor here." Believe it or not, she was so stubborn, she wasn't going to leave without help and yelled back at me to "grow up!" as we were escorting her out the door. Pastor Trinity had to help me in literally escorting the lady out of the building!!!
Meanwhile as this loud confrontation was going on, those in the sanctuary had joined hands and were praying as she wasn't giving up without a fight! All the way while Pastor Trinity and I escorted her out of the building she is still loudly stating that I need to come under her authority...that she is older and has been ordained for 44 years...yada yada yada" and all this crazy stuff. As she is leaving out the other doors she shouts over her shoulder, "you have a lot of growing up to do, Deanna!" (are you laughing as hard as I am right now?) ** sigh ** And then her last word she shouted on the way out to her car was, "Shalom!" (What the heck?)
I went back in the sanctuary and the people were still holding hands and fervently interceding and praying. Then when they finished they said, "Pastor Deanna, where God is blessing, Satan's messing!" I said, "isn't that the truth!" Pastor T said, "get ready, because when an attack comes, it has a way of seriously uniting a church even more!"
We all agreed, it had been our best Fusion night yet, and the devil is seriously, seriously, seriously scared! The people were not deterred at all, in fact I think this fired them up more!! My leaders are PUMPED! The anointing has been flowing in an incredible way and it's only going to increase! Not only are"philosophies" not being preached, but the Word of God is going forth powerfully and people are being changed! The anointing is breaking the yoke of bondage! The enemy is so worried right now.
Tonight as soon as I got home, I got a bunch of encouraging e-mails about the power of God moving in our church and what people see happening, and just saying to press on. Thanks everybody! I will share one email that I got from Aimee Nunez:
Hi Pastor Deanna,
I just wanted to drop you a few lines of encouragement. First let me start by saying the devil has been hard at work this week trying to wreck tonight’s service. Secondly I appreciate all the time you spend preparing the lessons and want you to know I receive my encouragement and strength from God first, but also from your teaching and your blogs. The lady who came tonight was right she was sent there to bring a message. Doesn’t the Bible say the devil always tries to imitate God? Well I am guessing that her spiritual gift is not discernment. Don’t be discouraged know that God is with you and that we will be praying for you. You can always tell when a break through is coming by the devils attempts to bring you down.
Aimee
Deanna back again: I'm not upset in the least about this whole thing tonight, in fact I'm encouraged!!! It shows me how close to an incredible breakthrough we are! It shows me what a threat we are to the enemy! It shows me just how powerfully God is moving the mountains!!!! It shows me the greatness that is getting ready to be unleashed!!! And, Pastor T says, "and let's be real, now that it's over, it will also give us something to laugh about for a long, long time!''
So that was my night. How was yours?
First let me set the stage. God is blessing so much on Wednesday nights. I am more excited about this than anything right now. God is doing stuff that is OFF THE CHAIN!
I was especially excited about tonight's Fusion. I knew God was going to do something special. It was truly our best night ever of ministry. People were expectant! They are more on time than ever...cause they can't wait to get there! Worship went awesome, then prayer and then the Word. I preached tonight on the subject "Fused for Burden Bearing." (Based on the passage of scripture that says "Bear ye one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.") The main text was Galatians 6:1-5, although a lot of additional scripture was incorporated and some great illustrations to go with it as well as a song with multi media that went with the message. This was right before we got into our fusion groups (small groups of 10) for ministry. This is a time when each fusion group encourages and prays for one another.
A few minutes after getting into our groups, there was a great commotion in the sanctuary. A woman who was visiting, who is a local "minister" (and I use that term loosely) spoke up in Bill's fusion group and went on a 5-10 minute tirade (without coming up for air or letting anyone else talk/get a word in edgewise) and basically said that what I shared tonight were"philosophies" and that no one is called to bear another's burden, we are only called to get on our faces and fast and pray and receive whatever we need from God. She said Christians are not called to help each other, we just need to look to God. She said, "God has given me a message to preach here tonight."
Bill (group leader) was respectful about it but said that wasn't right according to scripture, and that they needed to stay on track in encouraging one another and having prayer for one another in the group. If you only knew Bill...he is the kindest, most gentle man. If he gets upset with you, you probably REALLY deserve it! I've never known anyone more gracious. Well, she didn't receive his re-direction. She went off. Totally. Loudly! Again she wasn't coming up for air and was determined to take over the group and hold it hostage. Later, Eddie and Debbie told me something to the effect that she went off trying to bring a message from Genesis to Revelation! Bill kindly tried to redirect her, but she wouldn't have it. He ran over to get me, at his wits end with her.
I came over and she went into telling me her ministry is that of an evangelist and that God had given her a message for the church and she was trying to give it but was being stifled. I said, "the Word has already been preached tonight and we don't need you to preach. It's time now to encourage one another and pray one for another."
She was very offended and cut me off and her voice escalated even more (EVERYONE in the sanctuary could hear this loud and clear) and she was saying that she was not going to be stopped from giving this word. She said "God invited me to come here and say this tonight." I said, "Well I didn't invite you." And she said, "What? I'm an ordained minister for 44 years and you need to come under my authority." I said, "No actually, you need to come under mine. I've been placed by God as the co-pastor of this church and if you are going to participate in this group, while you are here you you are going to respect mine and Bill's authority." She said, "no I won't! I'm under the authority of no man, or you. I am only under God!" I said, "well that's not going to work here." (She started shaking when I said that. She was so angry. Looking back I wish we had it on tape. It was surreal, you just had to be there.)
She rebutted that no, no, no, she was going to get up and preach and I said, "you're mistaken about that. You need to get in order right now." She stood there and would not listen and kept going on very loudly where EVERYONE in the sanctuary could hear her. So it was time to go to the next level. I emphatically stated, "you're out of order!! I'm sorry, but I am going to have to ask you need to leave now." She said, "you are immature! You don't understand the five fold ministry! I said, "Actually, I am operating in the five fold ministry right now. I'm the pastor here." Believe it or not, she was so stubborn, she wasn't going to leave without help and yelled back at me to "grow up!" as we were escorting her out the door. Pastor Trinity had to help me in literally escorting the lady out of the building!!!
Meanwhile as this loud confrontation was going on, those in the sanctuary had joined hands and were praying as she wasn't giving up without a fight! All the way while Pastor Trinity and I escorted her out of the building she is still loudly stating that I need to come under her authority...that she is older and has been ordained for 44 years...yada yada yada" and all this crazy stuff. As she is leaving out the other doors she shouts over her shoulder, "you have a lot of growing up to do, Deanna!" (are you laughing as hard as I am right now?) ** sigh ** And then her last word she shouted on the way out to her car was, "Shalom!" (What the heck?)
I went back in the sanctuary and the people were still holding hands and fervently interceding and praying. Then when they finished they said, "Pastor Deanna, where God is blessing, Satan's messing!" I said, "isn't that the truth!" Pastor T said, "get ready, because when an attack comes, it has a way of seriously uniting a church even more!"
We all agreed, it had been our best Fusion night yet, and the devil is seriously, seriously, seriously scared! The people were not deterred at all, in fact I think this fired them up more!! My leaders are PUMPED! The anointing has been flowing in an incredible way and it's only going to increase! Not only are"philosophies" not being preached, but the Word of God is going forth powerfully and people are being changed! The anointing is breaking the yoke of bondage! The enemy is so worried right now.
Tonight as soon as I got home, I got a bunch of encouraging e-mails about the power of God moving in our church and what people see happening, and just saying to press on. Thanks everybody! I will share one email that I got from Aimee Nunez:
Hi Pastor Deanna,
I just wanted to drop you a few lines of encouragement. First let me start by saying the devil has been hard at work this week trying to wreck tonight’s service. Secondly I appreciate all the time you spend preparing the lessons and want you to know I receive my encouragement and strength from God first, but also from your teaching and your blogs. The lady who came tonight was right she was sent there to bring a message. Doesn’t the Bible say the devil always tries to imitate God? Well I am guessing that her spiritual gift is not discernment. Don’t be discouraged know that God is with you and that we will be praying for you. You can always tell when a break through is coming by the devils attempts to bring you down.
Aimee
Deanna back again: I'm not upset in the least about this whole thing tonight, in fact I'm encouraged!!! It shows me how close to an incredible breakthrough we are! It shows me what a threat we are to the enemy! It shows me just how powerfully God is moving the mountains!!!! It shows me the greatness that is getting ready to be unleashed!!! And, Pastor T says, "and let's be real, now that it's over, it will also give us something to laugh about for a long, long time!''
So that was my night. How was yours?
Comments
Isn't it amazing what happens in church? Actually I believe our attendance will probably be higher next week due to this. I'm serious!
Yep, this lady has cousins not only in Alabama but all over the country, from what I've heard. :)
Go Northside! I'm so excited about what God is doing among y'all! Take that devil!
Man, see what flesh in operation nets you? Flesh ought to, "Die! Just die!" (Any Different World fans will recognize that line!)
Keep doing what you're doing!
Woohoo!
Talk about the devil being an idiot..."Hmm, God's moving at Northside - I think I know just how I can shut it down - I'll send a crazy lady! Yeah - that'll do it."
(Ironically, at the same time that was happening at your church last night, I was telling the story about Jesus being tempted in the wilderness and kicking Satan to the curb!)
Chronological age doesn't necessarily mean we are "wiser" . I can submit to people younger than myself especially when their lives reflect wisdom and I can tell that they listen to God. Lastly, you are in your place of authority and she is to submit to you! She was out of order and her mind. 2as1
Sean shared this quote with me that a pastor firend told him, "When God starts moving in your life satan will send people to your door and some will have Bibles." How true is that! I agree with Pastor T ~ you will have a long, long time to laugh about it.
Be Blessed,
Shelisa
P.S. I agree, this is one you are going to laugh at for a LONG time ;o)