What will the church look like in 10 years.

I had a great time at the Start conference. I was able to meet Leonard Sweet @lensweet , who happened to be from West Virginia. And, I was fortunate to meet with Pastor Choco @PastorChoco again who is the Shepard of the largest church in the Assemblies of God. Choco always makes this one point that may be controversial but I wholeheartedly agree with it: He says, “I can’t sacrifice the mission to buy a building!” Interestingly, he has the money to buy a building in Humboldt Park, which is located in Downtown Chicago. But, he argues that when you have an urban church you need to build campuses to help people rather than investing in a single church building. What is more amazing was the day before Lenard Sweet basically said the same thing. Both men come from different sides of the “railroad tracks” so to speak, but it seemed that God was speaking the same thing through both men even though they expressed what he was saying to them in different ways. What they both agreed upon was that the future church would be the church of the community and not a church on an island. Pastor Choco called it being a Pastor of the community. He believes that a Pastor is the shepherd of the community whether the people in that community goes to their church or not. Lenard Sweet called this concept the Artisan church. He referenced the term Swiss cheese. He added whether people know it or not in Switzerland there are specific types of cheese for each town. The cheese itself, in his words, “represent the manifestation of the town itself,” he believes the church that is effective in the future will do the same. They also agreed in the empowerment of the body of believers. For instance, Pastor Choco has a ministry where members of the church can have their own ministry as long as it is summited to the training and instruction of the church there exists 400 some ministries in his church. Lenard Sweet likewise argued that the future church will have people in it who have a ministry to the church and a ministry to the world. Great stuff. This was just a tidbit of what was shared. It was awesome and I was encouraged. Check out @MacDwyer http://twitpic.com/76m252

I have discovered the purpose of this life!!

The Holy Spirit revealed to a friend and me the other day while he was preparing for a debate what I believe the purpose of this life is. This same friend developed this idea and used it to defeat the head of the Minnesota Atheist Association in a debate. This truth I am about to tell you about, in my opinion, will revolutionize the church. And, I am not even joking. This truth, like salvation, ties the entire bible together. It is so simple, yet I believe if God reveals this truth to you, everything you have ever went through in life will make sense. It may be the biggest theological discovery in the last 100 years. This truth answers the one question skeptic’s use in their attempt to debunk the idea of a loving God. “How can a loving and all power God let evil exist? This truth gives purpose to pain and suffering. It answers the question of why sometimes God does not answer our prayers: Why we are not healed, or get the money we need, or the job we want. This truth even gives us clarity on why we have to turn the other cheek. It makes the beatitudes make sense. It even gives us clarity on why God allowed Adam and Eve eat the apple. It even gives clarity to why we have to obey Christ’s command even to the point of death. It even explains why Job had to suffer, why Joseph had to be betrayed, why David had to struggle before becoming king. This truth is depicted in every single story of the bible. Here is how my friend Pastor Marty Bownik interpreted what God said.

"Martin Bownik
God is more interested in our Character Development then He is our comfort or convenience. The tools He uses for it are the same tools Satan meant to destroy us with. Pain, suffering, and loss. God turned them around on Satan, and used these things to show that His followers how they can remain faithful in the midst of all these. He showed the pattern to follow. His Son Jesus Christ. How great is our God!!!"

What is the point of life? Character Development!!! Whose character? Christ’s. Everything in the bible points to this one truth. God wants to develop our character in this life so that we will be responsible to handle our obligations in the next. This is my mission in life.

Keep Moving Forward

Well, I am getting ready to head to the Minneapolis airport. Before I left Virginia I purchased a ticket back to Virginia so I could see my family again. It is my hope that I can do this once a month. I don't know how realistic this is, but I will do my best to see my loved ones every month until the end of this year. In January, things will start picking up with the church plant. I will get on the grind building a planting core team and raising funds. My goal will to have at least a strong 12 member core team, and I will also have a goal of raising at least $30,000 for the church plant itself. My intent is to build up momentum for launch service. Yet, before this starts I know God is doing something in my heart now. During this sabbatical I am reading a lot of books on purity. I know the Lord has lead me to this topic. Hebrews 12:14 states
Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. During these three months I pray that I can establish a solid theological and practical method of articulating God's heart for purity and ministering it to His people. It seems odd, but considering the consequences of not having it and the sordid condition our country is in, it is amazing that more Pastors are not speaking on it. It seems like many are afraid to touch it. Maybe they are afraid they will loose members? Maybe it is not a popular topic? May it is fear that their own struggles will be revealed? One thing is sure. WE all need it here in Minneapolis. Downtown Minneapolis is Amazing. I can't tell you how this cosmopolitan city resonates in my heart. It is so diverse. You can see some one driving around in a 6 figure automobile while simultaneously seeing immigrants from East Africa standing on the corner. The city makes you transparent. No pretenders here. People are not looking for a show. Their problems are to real. It seems like they are looking for answers. I pray that is why I am here. To give them the answer--Jesus. I will be attending the start conference next week when I return to Minneapolis. START is a three day campus event that exposes students and local pastors/leaders to the wide variety of church planters and church planting models. Guest speakers from across the nation led group sessions with NCU students and local church leaders, while also serving as the daily chapel speaker. START special guests included Herbert Cooper (People’s Church), Leonard Sweet (author, speaker), Wilfredo de Jesus (New Life Covenant Church), Brad Davis (Desert Springs Church), Rob Ketterling (River Valley Church), Peter Haas (Substance Church), and Trinity Jordan (Elevation Church). Nice plug right. http://www.northcentral.edu/news/11/10/start-conference

Anyway I am about to hit the shower, head to Caribou Coffee and then to the airport. I have about 5 hours flight time. I will then also head up to West Virginia at about 6pm. That will be about a 7 hour drive. I cant wait to see Dawniqua, the kids, and my parents...

Endure

Mary's Place

Things are going well in Minnesota. I have been putting job applications in everywhere. The economy is tough even for a fella with a MBA. I have a couple of leads: one at North Central University and the other at Minnesota Teen Challenge. While I am waiting on those to come through, I will have to find something to bring in revenue. I am staying with my great friend, Pastor Marty Bownik, Senior Pastor of the Edge Christian Fellowship in Rodgers MN-- http://www.edgecf.org/ I am on a Sabbatical from Ministry until January—that means I am on a break. I will start ministering again early sometime in January. It is interesting how many people remember me playing football for the Vikings. It’s been 11 years since I last played. I was asked at the gym to do a radio promo and an autograph session for a discount for a gym membership. It’s all good because it’s the first time in a while I have been able to associate with nonbelievers. If I am successful at getting them to come to church, I am going to try and hit every Anytime Fitness in the area and get people more people to come. I miss Dawniqua and I miss my kids. I will be seeing them this weekend, thank God. This morning, I was able to serve the homeless and transition shelter called Mary’s Place, which is located in Downtown Minneapolis right behind Target Field-- http://www.sharingandcaringhands.org/MarysPlace.htm. This ministry is amazing they serve three meals a day feeding 1,000 people daily. They also give out food clothes, and they also serve as a transitional home for single mothers. The place is awesome. What stood out the most was 94% of the donations they receive goes directly to helping people. WoW! Dawniqua and I have been discussing a similar ministry, but it will be specifically for women and children enslaved to sex trafficking. This will be a ministry “Endurance Church” will provide in addition to the normal kingdom expansion business. It is time to get busy. What is interesting is Minneapolis has the best social services programs in the country. And, during the recession people are moving in from all over the country because of them. However, they are afraid. Why? Because if we begin cutting back, as a country, social service programs may be the first to go, and these homeless people are thinking, “who will help us?” Help us Lord!
I am living life. I am a believer and I am stepping out in faith. I pray that God allows me to minister to the people of Minneapolis for years to come. Oh, Dawniqua met a lady at Regent who is from Minneapolis. She is in the divinity program. She is about to get married to Ron Henderson they call him Mr. Fitness. It is interesting how God is bringing all of these Athletes together…I wonder what He is up to…?

Leadership lessons learned through pain...and lived to tell about it!

Even as a Christian, when I hear the word leadership I begin to think of a great man who is strong, wise, moral, and brave. I’ve been conditioned to think this way about leadership from all of the comic books I used to read, the video games I used to play, and the Saturday morning cartoons I grew up watching. I idolized leaders like this. However, growing up, I never considered what it would be like to serve beneath one. It never crossed my mind because I always wanted to be the leader. Of course, I romanticized leadership, and growing up—nobility was the only internal value I perceived a good leader had to have. As I got older and moved from animation to live-action movies, the silver screen also supported the same ideology, whether it was Mel Gibson in Braveheart, or Gerald Butler in 300, the image of a good leader was always a strong, wise, and spiritually balanced individual. It seemed as though culture itself was constantly reinforcing the ideal leader in my mind. Yet, in the real world leadership is not that simple, and I was only being exposed to a small sample of what leadership really entailed. However, if I am honest, I have to acknowledge that I was presented a more realistic depiction of leadership all the while, and it came from the same comics, games, and cartoons I grew up watching; still, it was not from the good guys whom I idolized, but it derived from their enemies. Once again looking at the heroes whom I idolized as a child, I never saw any bickering or struggle for power among those who followed them. Yet, there was always a dichotomy of the leader-follower dynamic portrayed when it came to the “bad guys.” The only time I would notice a struggle for power or internal conflict would be in the enemy’s camp. It appeared that the followers in the bad guys’ camp had aspirations of their own, dreams of their own, and they had to be manipulated to stay in alignment with their leader’s plans. I never saw these kinds of leader-follower dynamics from the good guys. Yet, one thing was certain whether they were good or bad, one objective truth was always prevalent—the leaders I grew up watching were always depicted as charismatic. Outside of cinema, being a charismatic leader comes with many underlying forces, which most pictures did not depict. These forces cannot be underestimated; they determine when this style of leadership can be effective and who would be naturally successful in following a charismatic leader. Throughout history there have been charismatic leaders who have successfully influence many: Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., FDR, Gandhi, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe are just a few. On the surface, there does not seem to be obvious similarities or characteristics that resonate among all of them. Being a charismatic leader does not make one inherently good or bad, i.e. Adolf Hitler would be considered a charismatic leader. So the question is what makes a charismatic leader charismatic? A charismatic leader has the ability to inspire, a dominating personality, and the ability to communicate effectively. These leaders have unique visions and utilize innovative methods to achieve them. They make self-sacrifices, take personal risks, and sustain high prices to achieve the vision they espouse. These leaders have the ability to see rare opportunities and because of this gift they are often seen as extraordinary. Max Weber coined the term Charisma for this type of leader—Charisma, in its original language of Greek, means ``the gift of grace''. Often times, these leaders take on a mythological sociological persona, which probably influenced my understanding of leadership growing up. As I look back on my life, I ran into several charismatic leaders. Some of them were coaches, others were teachers, and several were even pastors. Even though the majority of these leaders were highly successful, I honestly can say I struggled following every one of them and often times I resembled followers in the “the bad guy camp” I grew up watching on TV. Looking back, I wish someone would have informed me of the proper way to follow a charismatic leader. If I would have had more information, I would have been a more effective follower. And, I might have shared in their success as well. Here is what I have learned over the last twenty years in my attempts to follow a charismatic leader. There can be only one charismatic leader at a time. In order to understand this phenomenon it is essential to recognize that a Charismatic leader elicits from their followers a great sense of reverence. Leadership scholar Gary Yukl believes this reverence for the leader results in a high level of trust and a high level of satisfaction from followers. He thinks the charismatic leader inspires their followers with emotional appeals; however, he interestingly notes that charismatics cannot utilize a consensus in planning or strategy because their followers would not consider them to be charismatic any longer. You have to understand that the charismatic leadership style only allows for one leader to shine at a time. Other leaders may be seen as rivals and be quickly removed from organizational hierarchy. Note the choice to remove a leader to eliminate competition is not immoral. It is simply a consequence of this leadership style. Charismatics are motivators, and scholar Robert J. House believes charismatic leaders use their charisma to inspire people to accomplish things collectively that otherwise seem impossible. House suggests the primary influence process is identification. Psychologists believe followers of charismatic leaders admire the leader’s lifestyle. Additionally, these same followers unconsciously take on the values of the leader as well. Psychologists also argue these followers often naïvely perceive that the leader’s beliefs are correct, and as a result they willingly obey the leader. This dynamic leads to feelings of affection for the leader, which results in emotional attachment in the mission of the group or organization. Interestingly, it is argued that these followers have high performance goals, and followers believe they can contribute to the success of the organization. Yet, followers have to understand that success in the organization will be attributed to the Charismatic leader’s effort and not to the follower’s ability. Yukl believes the motivational effects of the charismatic leader are more likely to occur when the leader’s vision is congruent with existing follower values and identities. He also added theorists think the unusual and seemingly irrational influence of some charismatic leaders who are “idolized as superhuman heroes or worshiped as a spiritual figure” are the result of personal identification with the leader. Yukl added this powerful personal identification of followers with the leader is described in terms of psychodynamic processes such as regression, transference, and projection. These concepts are essential to note. To briefly explain them, in regression the leader influences the follower to return to feelings they had in the past, within projection the leader projects an attribute i.e. faith to those that follow them, and finally with transference the leader’s confidence, for example, will be transferred to the follower. Therefore, the follower of a charismatic leader will often take on the emotional psyche of the leader whom they follow. Choose wisely whom you follow. The next concept I wish I would have understood was that in following a charismatic you have to put your own vision aside in order to relate to them successfully. A charismatic leader has a vision, and it is essential that leaders like this communicate their vision and convince people they have a role in bringing it to pass. You must know that everyone who follows this type of leader will be critiqued based upon their efforts to efficiently fulfill their role in supporting the leader’s vision. Yet, often various factors can hinder a follower from doing just that. For instance, it is natural to have aspirations, dreams, and the desire to be great. Yet, these longings can cause conflict if they are not mitigated when following a charismatic leader. For instance, conflict arises whenever a follower introduces an independent vision from the leader’s vision and as a result this “alternative vision” can be seen as an infection that undermines the vision, mission, and values the charismatic leader is espousing. Please don’t think that you are not allowed to dream as you follow a charismatic leader—no one should stop dreaming; however, you have to understand that some of those leadership dreams and ideas you may have are for another time. So keep your dreams to yourself. Scholars suggest that successful followers of a charismatic leader have a heightened sense of collective identity and thrive off of perceived group-task performance—this collective identity is developed by a sense of collective worth, which is termed collective efficacy. Yukl suggests collective efficacy is developed from a perception that is established as result of following a charismatic leader. This idea gives followers worth. The collective idea that gives followers of a charismatic leader worth is the opinion that they can accomplish exceptional feats by working together. Yukl goes on to add, when collective efficacy is high, people are more willing to cooperate with members of their group in a joint effort to carry out their mission. Thus, in order to follow a charismatic leader successfully you have to be willing to be a team player who is in harmony with the other followers—don’t try and stand out. Homogeneity, which means to be the same, is a goal among the followers of this type of leader. Here is a simile that illustrates this dynamic of charismatic leadership. Charismatic leadership resembles a conductor at a symphony orchestra: the conductor, who has the most important job at the symphony, does not even play an instrument but guides the beat of the music for the entire orchestra. Of course, there is only one conductor in an orchestra and likewise within this style of leadership, there is only one charismatic leader to every organization. You can be a leader in a charismatic organization, but you have to understand more than likely you will feel micromanaged. The last lesson I wish I would have understood in following a charismatic leader was that follower empowerment is understood as the result of the leaders charisma not the followers own individual ability. Scholar Warner Burke proposed that charismatic leaders empower by providing clarity of direction, but not just any direction but direction that embraces a higher purpose. Whether you are a great basketball player, spiritually mature, or an intellectual, while you are being led by a charismatic leader, the fruit of your labor will be credited to the leader and his or her charisma not your aptitude. This phenomenon is objective. For instance, it was not until Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book Team of Rivals that most Americans understood how competent Abraham Lincoln’s leadership cabinet was: William Henry Seward, Salmon Chase, and Edward Bates were some of the most competent men in the country at that time of his presidency. However, history does not credit them with the tacit and wisdom to simultaneously have helped Lincoln win the civil war and to end slavery. Lincoln alone gets the credit for that. You can study every charismatic leader that has lived and one thing will be certain—they were successful because of the competency of those who followed them, but none of their followers received any much credit for their success. However the truth is, their charisma may have drawn competent leadership, but it was their followers who allowed them to accomplish their goals. Charismatic leaders are influencers. And, these leaders have ability to make their followers feel like making a difference for the organization is empowering in itself. The charismatic leader has the gift of making their follower feel like their service to the vision of the organization gives meaning to their lives. What is interesting is that the gifts and skills you develop under a charismatic leader will be attributed to the leader giving you the motivation to rise up and to develop yourself for the purpose of fulfilling their vision and not necessarily for your own. This may be why many charismatics only utilize in-house talent to accomplish their goals. Outside talent don’t give the charismatic leader the perception that they inspired them to develop themselves. Nevertheless, empowerment research recognizes a sense of competence as being essential to feelings of empowerment. The more competent the followers of a charismatic leader the more competent the charismatic leader will be in the eyes of their followers. These leaders use a host of methods to empower people. Besides articulating, championing, and energizing a cause, charismatic leaders also empower by providing followers with information about their personal worth. To follow a charismatic leader means to commit your entire identity to the cause of the leader anything less than that will result in stress between the leader and the follower. You have to count the cost if you are going to follow a leader with this style of leadership. As a final point, charismatic leadership is neither good nor bad. It is simply one style of leadership that exists in the vast scope of leadership itself. Yet, one thing is certain, usually when we think of a great leader they are charismatic. For centuries, whether it is China, Africa, Asia or America, all cultures have exalted this style of leadership to almost mythological proportions. Moreover, there are some cultures who claim this style of leadership is the only form of leadership that is considered genuine. However, one must understand whether they are following a charismatic leader or they are a charismatic leader themselves, this type of leadership comes with many causative influences, which must be accounted for. These forces cannot be underestimated; they determine when this style of leadership can be helpful and when it can be dangerous. If I would have had this understanding twenty years ago, I would have had a much easier time understanding what real leadership entailed.

Crushed dreams and answered prayers!

In 1993, I was a graduating senior at South Charleston High School, which is a public school in South Charleston West Virginia. At that time, I was the West Virginia High School Football player of the year, and I was also nominated a blue-chip High School All-American by national sports reporters. I received a full football scholarship to Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach Florida where I played four years and eventually dominated my competition. I played so well I caught the eyes of many professional football scouts. I was projected to get drafted in the fourth round of the NFL draft to the Pittsburgh Steelers. At the mid-point of my senior year, only 4 quarterbacks had thrown the ball in my direction; I intercepted all four of them. Going into the second half of the season we were facing the best quarterback in our league, Howard University’s Ted White, who was eventually drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs. He held numerous records in our conference. Not only that, the year before he had thrown 7 touchdowns against us in a 63 – 13 rout. (None of those touchdowns where on me by the way) At the start of the game, the question of the day was how many touchdowns would Ted throw that day? Well, I am happy to say that Ted had the courage to throw my way, but like the other Quarterbacks that year who had dared to throw my way, I had picked him off just the same and revealed in the glory. Ted White was not simply a courageous man, but he was a determined one as well because his draft status was being judged based upon his performance in this very game. Thus, not to be shown up Ted threw another long bomb in my direction, yet this was my day, my year, my time, and I intercepted this record-breaking quarterback for a second time that day. Ted decided after the second interception he would not throw the ball in my direction again. So the test of wills had ended, and I had come out victorious. However, an interesting thing happened following the second interception, after extending my body to dive and snatch the ball out of the air and away from my opponent I stood up in the end zone to celebrate my victory with the traditional end zone dance. It was there in the middle of my celebratory dance my future was forever altered. As my body was gyrating and contorting I stretch, strained, and finally tore my groin in two pieces. Believe it or not, I was unaware I had injured myself until the next Monday in the training room. When I became aware my groin was ripped in two, a million questions came to my mind. But, the number one was Why God? I was a young Christian then, and I did not understand why God would do this to me. I barely finished out the rest of the football season, and as a result of my injury, my draft status plummeted. On draft day my name was not called. Fortunately, my agent made a couple of calls, and I was picked up as a free agent by the Minnesota Vikings, even though I was rehabbing intensely, my groin was still not healed. My situation looked beyond hopeless. I was called to tryout to make Minnesota’s 53 man roster even though they had drafted three other people who played my same position and picked up two other veteran players who also played my same position one of them being former Super Bowl MVP Larry Brown. Like I said, my situation was hopeless. Interestingly, I impressed the coaches more than any other player that year except for Randy Moss that is. There I was with one leg and trusting God that He would follow through on His promise. Do you know what happened next? I was cut. Yep, I was the last man cut on the roster. But, even though I was cut something inside of me would not allow me to trust my circumstances more than I was trusting in God’s promise. As soon as I return home from Minnesota I received a call from my agent that the Green bay Packer wanted to pick me up. Off I went to Green bay. I was the last man signed to the practice squad. I was there on the squad for two days when the unthinkable happened. The stating linebacker tore his ACL. When it happened I did not think anything about it. But, I soon realized because I was the last person to be picked up, I was the first person to be cut. The next day I was back in West Virginia. It was there that my mother reaffirmed to me that God told her that I would make it in the NFL. So, two weeks into the season who do you think called my house? The Minnesota Vikings called me back and asked me to play on their team. And, for the next two and a half years I did just that, starting the last six games of my career and even being named most valuable player for one of them.

How he saved me!

I was raised in the church. However at age 17 when I developed into an elite athlete my popularity led me away from what I knew to be true. The more popular I became the more distance grew between God and me. I eventually received a full scholarship to Bethune-Cookman College after Notre Dame denied me one. It was probably pride, but I refused to accept a scholarship from all the other FBS schools that offered me a one. Anyway, at Bethune I completely fell into a sinful lifestyle. However, during my dark days God sent a man named Brian Faircloth to try and bring me back to his love. Every time I would leave my dorm up to no good I would see Brain there telling me that, “God had a plan for my life.” I did not want to hear it. I wanted to sin; I felt that I needed the pleasure to alleviate the pain. However, God’s love is relentless. Brain would not leave me alone. It got so bad that when I was on one side of the campus Brain would see me and call out my name and all my friends would laugh and joke me. One day I had had enough. Brain came up to me again trying to win me back to God, and I cursed him out. Brain got the message and left me alone for about two weeks. One day as I was in my dorm playing video games he called me and told me that something was about to happen to me so he called to pray for me. During his prayer he began to speak in tongues. It was the second time I had heard them. And, for the first time in my life I heard God speak to me. He said, “Listen to him he is praying for you.” That night I went to a club. At the club a brutal fight broke out during the fight eight players were stabbed. One of them was stabbed to death. His name was Eric Samford. Ironically he went home a week before this event to see his mom and his daughter. While he was home his mom asked him why he had come home. And, he responded to his mom, “I don’t know? I just wanted to see you.” Sadly, Eric and all my teammates were injured because they followed me into the fray. I was a leader of the team. And, they were just following their leader into battle. As a result, one of them died and two others would never play football again. The interesting thing was that I was the one who was supposed to die. The killer was coming after me. I was fighting his friend. As we were fighting at the front of the club I heard gun shots screaming. My friend grabbed me at pushed me outside. As I looked around at the chaos I saw blood everywhere. But, the killer never made it to me. God spared my life. And, I believe it was Brain’s faithfulness and humility that God used to spared my life. That night I feel to my knees after hearing about Eric death and said to God, “Lord whatever you want from me, I will do.”

Preparation

I slept until almost 10 last night. I needed the rest. I need more; nevertheless, I will be looking for employment starting tomorrow. I am believing God for a variety of things right now. But, foremost among them is that my relationship with him will be the primary focus of my life from this point on. I know there are a lot of things I have to accomplish. But, none of them matter unless like Moses said,"If Thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence." I am not doing any Ministry for about three months. I need the time. I was told that I am currently facing 4 of the 10 most stressful things a person can face; my score fell into the range of sickness, death, suicide. And, as you can see I am still breathing -thank the lord for that. I am not sick-thank the Lord and Dawniqua Linyear for that, and I am not foolish enough to commit suicide. I have to much to do for those whom God loves. I am in a place of healing, a place of refuge. I am in no condition to give; I only need to receive. Being a Pentecostal I believe the Holy Spirit works through me an communicates with me. I will be writing everything that I believe God is telling me. Whom I will marry, What will be the name of my church, what denomination I will be under, how I should pray for my kids, Where I will be employed, How I will survive the winter, How I will get around with no car. I need God to move for me in all of these areas and more. I think the next Blog I will start with my testimony and the dream I had that changed my life forever.

Endure

Intertexture Analysis of Acts 2: The Divine Empowerment of Leaders in Early Christianity

 
Abstract
This intertextual analysis will examine the social-rhetorical use of Joel 2 in Luke’s depiction of Peter’s sermon on the day of Pentecost. This will be accomplished by comparing and contrasting Acts 2 with the intertext in Joel 2. Moreover, by examining Luke’s additions to the text we understand what Joel was communicating to his addressees, what Peter was asserting to his onlookers, and what Luke was attempting to highlight to his intended audience. Additionally, by comparing Acts 2:18 with Joel 2:29 and by examining Psalm 16 and Psalm 110:1 this paper will accentuate an understanding of how New Testament writers use Prophecy by means of social-critical analysis. This paper will conclude with an examination of leadership empowerment and how Luke’s depiction of empowered leadership relates to contemporary concepts of leadership models.








 
The Intertexture Context of Acts 2
Finley (1990) stated on the day of Pentecost Peter stood up to explain to a skeptical crowd exactly what had happened to the Christians [referencing the out pouring of the Holy Ghost]. In doing so, he cited the text of Joel with various changes. Peter had no hesitation about connecting the two texts, but numerous questions arise because the passages do not completely overlap in their contextual meaning. Socio-Rhetorical criticism will be the model used to interpret his intentions. Gasque (1989) stated, “In the words of Ernst Haenchen: By telling the history of apostolic times through many individual stories, the book [of Acts] primarily intends to edify the churches and thereby contribute its part in spreading the Word of God farther and farther, even to the ends of the earth” (p. 304). Most scholars agree that the book of Acts is a historical treatise based upon Luke’s preface in the gospel of Luke 1:1-4.
In comparing Luke-Acts to other historical works of literature he adds, “Prefaces to historiographical works included the conventional topoi of “the praise of history, the claim of impartiality and the permanent value of the subject.” Desilva stated, “The ancient reader of Acts would probably have understood this work as a piece of historiography. Moreover, Desilva (2010) suggested, “Other features shared by Luke-Acts with ancient historiography include “synchronisms” such as the ones found in Luke 3:1-2, the use of the genealogy of Jesus in ascending order back to an illustrious ancestor, which is typical of Greco-Roman histories, the use of summary statements and opportunities to effect smooth transitions between narratives, and an interest in how murky divine oracles worked themselves out in actual history. Desilva (2010) determined, “Acts would probably best be considered a monograph on the spread of the Gospel from Jerusalem to Rome, since this stream of events holds together the whole and is programmatically announced (Acts 1:8) and presented as the outworking of divine oracles at various points in the narrative (e.g., Acts 15:14-18) (Desilva, 349 – 350). Witherington (1998) concludes the contextualization by stating, Acts recounts for us in episodic fashion some of the events of importance for early Christianity that transpired between 30 and 60 BCE (p. 79).
Comparing Acts 2: 17 with the Intertext in Joel 2:28
In comparing Acts 2: 17 with the intertext in Joel 2:28 we see that Acts 2: 17 recites words from Joel written "with some additions and changes." In Acts, Peter’s rendition of Joel’s prophecy is longer. For instance, the clause, And they shall prophesy, and the phrase, AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, are not even included in the original prophetic declaration by Joel. These two embellishments add length to Peter’s rendering of the Old Testament prophecy. Moreover, in Joel 32b a statement of explanation indicated by the literary connective For, which is followed by a sentence of explanation that Luke does not include in Peter’s speech to his Jewish audience.
Additionally, the sequence of verses in Acts is altered from their original sequence in Joel; the two phrases Your old men will dream dreams and Your young men will see visions are inverted in Acts. Furthermore, the clause in Joel It will come about after this rewritten by Luke as AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS. Luke also adds the preference God says to the end of the rewritten phrase as well. DuPont (1964) indicated Luke, the writer of Luke-Acts, is not satisfied with transcribing his sources; he rewrites the text by putting the imprint of his vocabulary and his style everywhere (p. 166). Regarding Luke’s uses of the OT in Luke-Acts Witherington (1998) stated, “It is fair to say that Fitzmyer’s conclusion represents a rather broad consensus when he says, “ in [the] forty-five examples of OT quotations introduced explicitly by formulas …in no case is there a citation that follows the Hebrew MT rather than the Greek, when the latter differs from the Hebrew…Luke quotes the OT almost always in a form either corresponding to the LXX or close to it, and not according to the Hebrew MT (p.123).
Luke’s Additions to the Text
There is a change from "then afterward" in Joel 2 to "in the last days it will be" in Acts 2. Regarding Joel’s use of “then afterward” Finley (1990) stated Joel uses a striking expression to place the second part of his book in a later age. Finley (1990) stated this statement often introduces new prediction in the prophetic books: Jeremiah (46:26; 49:6) uses “then afterward” to refer to a time when the Gentile nations will be brought under God’s blessing. Finley (1990) cites Hos. 3:5 as a parallel passage: It refers to a time “afterward” when Israel will “return and seek Yahweh their God and David their king,” and the parallel phrase in the same verse mentions “the last days”.
Parsons (2008) commented the Joel citation has been modified by the addition of several significant terms and phrases that this new community itself is an eschatological sign underscored by the change from the rather nondescript “after these things” in the LXX text of Joel to in the last days (2:17). The Pentecost event is recast here as one of those wonders and signs (2:19) that will precede the coming of the great and marvelous day of the Lord (2:20). Finley (1990) argues “In the last days” may refer to a variety of events: in Gen. 49:1 it looks simply to Jacob’s future and according to 1 Pet. 1:20-21 the “last days” began with the first coming of Christ, Peter’s citation of Joel proves a further connecting link between the earlier prophecy and the events of Pentecost. Therefore, Finley (1990) argued Peter interpreted Joel’s “after this” as being “in the last days”.
Comparing Acts 2:18 with Joel 2:29
In comparing Acts 2:18 with Joel 2:29 Finley (1990) stated Acts has “upon My servants and upon My maidservants,” whereas MT has “the servants and the maidservants.” The Acts passage implies that the recipients of the Spirit are the Lord’s servants. This does not contradict Joel’s statement and is a legitimate extension of his general teaching. Witherington (1998) adds this Pentecost must be seen as an end-time event.
Notice also the addition of “my” to the LXX text in v.18, which turns “servants” into “my servants,” making them servants of God, not merely persons of low social status. Parsons (2008) adds the Christian prophet, Peter, stands in direct continuity with the prophet of old, Joel, who stands directly in line with God who is, we learn, the speaker The Word of the Lord is directly from God. This point is underscored by the next Lukan addition to the quotation at the end of 2:18: and they will prophesy. Stott (1990) adds this seems to be an umbrella-use of the verb ‘to prophesy’. That is the universal gift (the Spirit) will lead to a universal ministry (prophecy). If in its essence prophecy is God speaking, God making himself known by his Word, then certainly the Old Testament expectation was that in new Covenant days the knowledge of God would be universal, and the New Testament authors declare that this has been fulfilled through Christ.
The Social Intertexture of Acts 2:18
Trail (2001) stated among Greek women, only the immoral went unveiled. The veil was a sign of subjection to one’s husband. If the woman wore no veil it would bring disgrace on him. The veil was not worn until a woman was married—once married she could not go out without being properly covered. To do so disgraced her husband and he could use it as grounds for divorce. The veil was recognition of the authority of the man over her. It is possible that Luke was giving perspective to his audience in the letter without directly usurping social order. Yes, the husband had authority over his wife, yet because she is also filled with the spirit and had the gift of prophesying she should not be considered inferior to her husband, but she should also be recognized as a sister in Christ.
A Distinction in Acts 2:19-21 with Joel 2
Witherington (1998) stated perhaps we are meant to think of the signs “below” (blood, fire, thick smoke) as relating to the death of Jesus and the fire of the Spirit coming down on the disciples, but that still leaves v. 20 unaccounted for. More likely we should simply see vv. 19-20 as references to the final eschatological events before the end, and thus we are being told that the coming of Spirit is an eschatological event, indeed the inauguration of those end times, with more events to follow. Finley (1990) stated Peter stressed that God had performed “miracles and wonders and signs” through Jesus while He was present on earth “wonders and signs” being the same words Peter cited from Joe’s prophecy. Parsons (2008) stated the further additions of about and below are needed to complete the parallelism that the narrator has introduced with the additions of “signs.”
The phrase “wonders and signs” or “signs and wonders" is a refrain throughout the first half of Acts. Notice the recontextualization of Joel 2:28, "I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh" in Acts 2:33. Finley (1990) stated the extension of the promise of the Spirit to Gentiles was something new, but it was not inconsistent with Joel’s vision. As Paul would explain later, the Gentiles were like a wild olive branch grafted into the cultivated olive tree, which represents God’s chosen people, Israel (Rom. 11:17).
Witherington (1998) stated Peter is also a witness of the coming Spirit, and so he explains in v. 33 that it was the ascended Jesus who was given the promise of the Spirit, and sent it now on Pentecost. The audience themselves could attest to this last fact on the basis of what they had just seen and especially what they had heard. David did not ascend to send such a gift to God’s people. Stott (1990) argued we must be careful not to re-quote Joel’s prophecy as if we are still awaiting its fulfillment, or even as if its fulfillment has been only partial and we await some future and more complete fulfillment.
For this is not how Peter understood and applied the text. The whole Messianic era, which stretches between the two comings of Christ, is the age of the Spirit in which his ministry is of abundance. Kaiser (2001) commented we conclude that the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the last days has received a preliminary fulfillment in the series of events at Pentecost, Samaria, and Caesarea. But those events, and the subsequent baptisms of the Holy Spirit that take place whenever anyone receives Christ as Lord and Savior and is thereby ushered into the family of God, are all mere harbingers and samples of that final downpour that will come in the complex of events connected with Christ’s second return. However, these events—past, present, and future—make up one generic whole concept, for in the prophet’s view there is a wholeness and totality to what he sees.
Who is "the Lord"
In Joel YHWH is Lord (Finley) 1990 stated Joel seemed to be quoting Obad in which he clarifies the speaker with the comment “Just as YHWH says. Witherington (1990) states in some passages one could debate whether Jesus or God is the referent. This sort of ambiguity does not trouble Luke because in his view the terminology is fully appropriate when used of either God or Jesus, not least because she viewed Jesus as a proper object of worship and petitionary prayer. Parsons (2008) argued despite the emphasis on the death and resurrection of Jesus, this Christological formula has a thoroughly theocentric character. God performed the mighty works and wonders and signs through Jesus (2:22); God destroyed the pains of death and raised Jesus from the dead (2:24).
He went on to say and even though, Peter says to his audience, you crucified and killed [Jesus] by the hands of lawless [Romans], in reality even in Jesus’ death, God is in control: this Jesus was delivered up according to the fixed intention and for knowledge of God. Finley (1990) adds Peter was given new insight when he took the event Joel foresaw and linked it with the beginning of the new age of the Spirit. In other words, Joel saw the end point of the whole process, while Peter fixed his eyes on the onset. Hawkins (2011) stated Peter does not deal with the final fulfillment of Joel 2 in the coming day of national repentance following the signs in the heavens (Joel 2:30-31). These anticipated blessings of this event are dealt with in Joel 3 (chap. 4 in Heb.) (http://bible.org/seriespage/joel-introduction-outline-and-argument).
Intertextualization of Psalm 16
In Psalms 16 Williams says, “This is a prayer of trust for David.” Yet, Williams adds, this was also true of Jesus as a man during His earthly ministry. Kaiser (1980) stated while few commentators have laid much stress on the fact that the title designates David either as the author ("from David") or the one praised in the psalm ("to David"), Franz Delitzsch and E. W. Hengstenberg have listed numerous points of contact between the phrases used in this psalm and other better-known Davidic hymns. Bratcher & Reyburn (1991) argue there is no way of knowing who the psalmist is. P. 139 Craigie (1983) With respect to the initial meaning of the psalm, it is probable that this concluding section should not be interpreted either messianically or in terms of individual eschatology; but it should simply be contextualized for its intended audience.
The acute concern of the psalmist was an immediate crisis and an immediate deliverance (Kaiser et al, 1996, p. 158). In Psalm 4:4[5] David claims that he is Yahweh’s Hasid. Likewise, Psalm 89:19-20 connects David with this term: “Of all you spoke to your Hasid in a vision and said: ‘I have set the crown on a hero, I have exalted from the people a choice person. I have found David my servant [another messianic term] with my holy oil, and I have anointed him [a cognate term for Messiah]’. What else can we conclude but that David and Yahweh’s “Holy One” are one and the same (p. 265)?
Graigie (1983) with respect to its initial meaning is neither messianic nor eschatological in nature. Yet it is apparent that in the earliest Christian community, the psalm was given a messianic interpretation with respect to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (p. 158). Williams (1986) stated David speaks prophetically, beyond his own time and experience, of the messiah to come who will conquer death. The negative assertion in verse 10 means that God will not give the Messiah’s soul to “Sheol”, the place of the dead (p. 128). Sheol was conceived as a kind of underworld; the word is translated as hades.
Graigie (1983) In Sheol, persons were believed to exist in a form of semi-life, at rest, yet not in joy, for they had not the fullness of life which made possible the richness of relationship with the living God. Death was thus to be dreaded. The psalmist feared death, for in the state of Sheol there would be neither memory of God, nor the praise and worship of God (p. 93). Stott (1990) noted David could not have been referring to himself, when he wrote that God would not abandon him to the grave or let his Holy One see decay, because David had died and was buried, and his tomb was still in Jerusalem. Instead, being a prophet and remembering God’s promise to place a distinguished descendant on his throne, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ (pp. 30-31).
Who is the Holy One?
Trull (2004) stated Peter introduced the Psalm 16 quotation with three significant statements about Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Witherington stated that verse 22 introduces the subject of Jesus, and it is here that Peter begins to go on the offensive. Furthermore, Witherington adds, Jesus was accredited by God in several ways: (1) by deeds of power and wonders and signs God did through Jesus, and (2) by God’s raising him up from the dead, the ultimate divine validation. Notice, as Marshall points out, that the resurrection of Jesus is not argued for, it is simply proclaimed.
Following Peter’s quotation of Psalm 16:8-11 in Acts 2:25-28 he explained that David was speaking not of himself, but of the Messiah (vv. 29-32). Witherington (1998) added as was customary, since David’s name was appended to the psalm it is read as a comment by David, and Peter says David was commenting about Jesus’ experience. In this citation, then, Jesus is said never to lose sight of God even in death. Rather, Jesus’ flesh lived in hope, for God would not abandon his Holy One to the land of the dead or allow him to see corruption.
Trull (2004) suggested Peter made five important declarations that demonstrate the messianic reference in the psalm. First, Peter referred to the presence of David's tomb as proof that David could not have been speaking of his own physical resurrection. Second, David could speak of the future Messiah because David was a prophet. Third, David could speak of the Messiah because the Davidic Covenant involved a messianic hope. Fourth, David had prophetic insight into the future appearance of the Messiah. Fifth, Peter asserted that David spoke of the Messiah's resurrection in Psalm 16, specifically verse 10b. Graigie (1983) added there is a new ground for confidence for all mankind, for the untimely death of Jesus was consummated in resurrection; that resurrection offers hope to all who read the sermons of Peter and Paul, whether their deaths be timely or untimely. The psalmist wrote from a particular experience, and yet his words touched upon the experience of all mortal beings, namely the fear of death. It is a fear which must be controlled confidently if life is to be lived fully, yet it is a fear which can never be controlled absolutely. Yet its sting is removed in the new meaning of Ps 16: the terminal threat of Sheol was conquered in the resurrection of Jesus (p. 159)
Intertexualization of Psalm 110:1
Bateman (1992) stated Of the Psalms the NT used for theological purposes; two of the most prominent were Psalm 2 and Psalm 110. As royal psalms, both coronation hymns were employed in the Christian community to reflect on the identity of Jesus, to affirm the relative status of Jesus as the Davidic king, and to exalt Jesus as the very Son of God. Read Acts 2:32-35 and compare the recitation in 2:34-35 with Ps 110: 1. Bateman, (1992) believed the New Testament is a foundational factor in determining that Psalm 110 is a pre-exilic psalm spoken by David. Additionally, Trull (2004) stated according to Longenecker, Peter linked Psalm 16:8-11 and Psalm 110:1 through gezerah shawah. The two passages were connected through the shared phrase "at my right hand" (έκ δβξών μου). Peter then used them together to support the resurrection. The shared phrase indicated that the two "are to be treated together." Longenecker also holds that Peter used a pesher understanding of Psalm 16:8-11, thus leading to the introduction, "David said concerning him" (Δαυίδ λέγει elç αυτόν). This pesher interpretation allowed Peter to apply the psalm directly to Jesus. Longenecker then says that Peter did not literally interpret Psalm 16, but rather came to a meaning through Spirit-directed midrashic and pesher exegesis.
Luke’s Understating of Divine Empowerment
Luke’s understanding and use of the Old Testament concept of the divine empowerment of leaders to proclaim the legitimate leadership of both Jesus and the apostles was Christologically and Phenomenologically focused. Luke’s hermeneutical process was intended to take Messianic impressions of the Old Testament and with the back drop of the atoning sacrifice of Christ and the outpouring on the Holy Spirit and reinterpret them as accessible certainties to the reader of his writings. Luke’s focus of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit assisted in legitimizing the Old Testament prophetic oracles by recontexualizing them through the redemptive work of Christ.
For Luke the empowered leader was the idea of God for the fulfillment of his plan to “save the world”. We see in Luke-Acts, Luke depicts the Christian leader as empowered and guided by God, which enabled them to overcome the works of the devil for the expansion of the Kingdom. Luke’s intention was to make his readers aware that they were in the last days, and as a result to make them aware of the need of God’s ability, which was accessible by faith. Osborne (2006) stated Luke’s interpretation intend to show that Jesus is the one foretold in Scripture.
As H.G. Wells sated, “this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history.” Whether they were Jewish or gentile everyone who put their faith in Jesus received from God the gift of the Holy Spirit. Osborne (2006) stated the important theme of the Holy Spirit inaugurating the witness is seen in the Pentecost sermon of Acts 2:14-36 in which Joel 2:38-32 is used to undergird the outpouring of the Spirit “on all people” (v. 17), and even David spoke “by the Holy Spirit” (Acts 4:25). Fitzmyer (1998) suggested that because of Jesus Sacrifice the church was enabled to receive from God the one gift essential for it to fulfill its purpose—empowerment from the Holy Spirit. Luke’s focus on the empowering aspects of the Holy Spirit was intended not only to inspire believers to live above sin but to endow them to overcome the influence of the enemy by means of the Holy Spirit as well. This empowerment also included overcoming the various socio-economic issues that were present at that time as well. This power, according to Luke, is made available in Acts 2:17 to “all people.” The esoteric phenomenon of God’s empowerment was no longer regulated only to the spiritually elite Jew.
Finley (1990) stated The Acts passage implies that the recipients of the Spirit are the Lord’s servants. Yet, the servants of God had a very difficult road ahead of them if they were going to fulfill the Great Commission. Not only would believers face religious opposition, but they would face political, philosophical, financial, and military opposition as well. Empowerment was the key to their success. Luke’s interpretations of the Old Testament are contextualized to draw in the reader and to allow the reader to see how the scriptures touch and affect their own life. Luke consistently draws from the Old Testament and reinterprets them with Jesus Christ actions fulfilling their prophetic implications.
Principles of Leadership Empowerment
Empowerment behaviors refer to leader actions that emphasize the development of follower self-management or self-leadership skills (Pearce et al., 2003). Luke implied that the purpose of receiving the Holy Spirit was to “be witnesses unto the uttermost part of the earth." Like transformational leadership, we see leadership empowerment, by means of the Holy Ghost, motivates followers to work for goals instead of short-term self-interest and for achievement and self-actualization instead of security. (Bass, 1985) For Luke, leadership empowerment is essential in order to fulfill the great command of Christ, which is the vision of God (Matt 28). The empowered leader within the context of Luke contextualization expresses God’s vision by persuading followers to work hard to achieve the goals envisioned.
Bass (1997) stated the empowered leader has the responsibility to point to eternal rewards, which are the result of those who choose to labor for Christ. Like transformational leadership the empowered leader provides the follower with the motivation for hard work that is self-rewarding (internal) not necessarily materialistic. Bass (1997) also added various times Luke depicts Paul’s actions as disrupting social order. The empowered leader similar to the transformational leader will overhaul the entire philosophy, system, and culture of an organization. Bass (1997) remarked the fruit of the empowered leader is a life that is radically transformed by the power of God with a new moral disposition to radically obey the commands of Christ. The transformational leader uses and expounds upon attitudinal, charismatic, and transitive methods of leadership. The empowered leader may adhere to these methods, but ultimately he or she is dependent on the power of God.
Luke depicts the empowered leader as a responsible moral agent whom God entrusts to represent Him and expand the Kingdom of God. There were several aspects of the concept of Stewardship theory that were highlighted within Acts. Barney & Hesterly (2008) the stewardship theory suggests that managers, left on their own, will indeed act as responsible stewards of the assets they control. Luke depicts Paul’s leadership as one whose actions are based on inherent values as well as on those that are contractually induced (Barney & Hesterly, 2008). Moreover, Luke shows the inherent responsibility of being empowered by the Holy Spirit and the consequences of failing to do so. (Acts 13:11) Therefore, we can conclude that the power of God that resides in the empowered believer is to be used for the purposes of God and not for personal gain, which is in itself stewardship.
Conclusion
Ivancevich et al. (2008) stated the measure of effectiveness of leading, that no one is tired of reading and reflecting about, is results achieved. Thus, with this truth as a back drop, modern leadership in its various forms is trying to provide results. Achieving goals is still the goal of modern leadership concepts. Even though the focus of leadership studies is turning its attention to the follower instead of the leader, the fact remains if new concepts do not result in accomplished goals, they will not be considered viable.
Looking at Luke’s depiction of empowered leadership we see hierarchy and centralized leadership. This concept of leadership for the most part is considered outdated in leadership circles. Yet, the fact remains that within the intertextual analysis we see the one truism that exists, which has always existed when gauging effective leadership—results. We see that the empowered leader is the fulcrum for achieved results in the book of acts.
Whether it is by the Holy Spirit’s guidance or through the Holy Spirit’s power; we are consistently made aware that the empowering agent of the Holy Spirit is the occasion for results in Luke’s letters. The contrast between the actions of the disciples before and after the in dwelling Spirit highlights the dynamics of empowered leadership even more. Therefore, it can be deduced that empowered leadership which is only possible by the Holy Spirit is essential for successfully spreading God’s kingdom throughout the world.




 
References
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Burke, C. S., Stagl, K. S., Klein, C., Goodwin, G. F., Salas, E., Halpin, S. M. (2006) What type of leadership behaviors are functional in teams? The Leadership Quarterly, 17(3), pp. 288-307.
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Gasque, W. W. (1989). A history of the interpretation of the acts of the apostles. Hendrickson Publishing, Peabody, Massachusetts.
Kaiser, W. (1980). The promise to David in Psalm 16 and its application in Acts 2:25-33 and 13:32-37. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 23(3), 219-229. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
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Parsons, M. C. (2008). Commentaries on the new testament: Acts. Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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Trail, R. (2001). An exegetical summary of 1 corinthians. SIL International, Dallas, Texas.
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Trull, G. V. (2004). Views on Peter's use of Psalm 16:8-11 in Acts 2:25-32. Bibliotheca sacra, 161(642), 194-214. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
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Fall-owing the call...

Well, I am now in Minneapolis, MN. It took me about 24 hours to get here. I started out from Virginia stopped at my uncles house in Indianapolis, IN; I broke it up into two 12 hour days. The trip went fast; however, I noticed that I really struggled to get into God's presence during the trip. I know it is going to take time to get past the hurt of leaving my friends and loved ones. But, I think the distance I am experiencing from God is something deeper. I think I am going to have to push harder now to get into God's presence. I think this is the beginning of a "new level" of my relationship with God. I don't like the term new level. So to clarify my comment: I believe this is the beginning of a greater level of dependence on God. I don't know what that looks like, but I think that is part of the reason why I am up here.

Jeremiah 17:7-8

7 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. 8 He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

(What does complete dependence on God look like? And, how do you maintain it despite the ups and downs of life?)I need to see how far these wounds go down. (Lord you are a healer)I will start regimenting my fasting and praying along with my devotional times and working out. I need God now. I need to grow: I can't I lead anyone else into a vibrant relationship with Him unless I am there myself. With all that has happened I don't feel crushed but I do feel broken. I am going to be unloading the 20 foot U-haul truck tomorrow.

A broken vessel. Personal prophecy being fulfilled.

David was caught in a very uncomfortable position; however, he seemed to grasp a deep understanding of the unfolding drama in which he had been caught. He seemed to understand something that few of even the wisest men of his day understood. Something that in our day, when men are wiser still, even fewer understand.

And what was that?

God did not have--but wanted very much to have--men and women who would live in pain.

God wanted a broken vessel.


--Gene Edwards

A Tale of Three Kings

I got this personal prophecy on April 17 of 2010
Well I just had a Word from the Lord for you which I recieved when we sat in the same area during the worship. The Lord impressed upon me to share with you that the feeling of uneasiness and unrest that you have been feeling in your Spirit about the future of your life and ministry is from him. God is getting ready to uproot and re-position you but you will face great opposition even from those close to you. Trust your heart, act bold and launch out into the deep as you are entering a new season in your life and ministry. God has given you the Green light.

Since this Prophecy my wife left our marriage, my responsibilities at my place of employment were systematically taken from me, the individual who set up my non-profit stole my money for the non-profit, I could not get full custody of my kids, and I was called by God to plant a Church in Minneapolis, MN.

So here we go. I have answered the call of God once again. (Insert the serenity prayer here) I am leaving family, friends, to do what God created me to do. Even though my life has been radically changed in the last two years; God has not changed His mind regarding what he called me to accomplish. I am leaving Virginia with no Job, no car, no home, no marriage, without my children. The only thing I am leaving with is a Word from God. I realize that people will be upset for me communicating this, some will even say what I am doing is not biblical, but I believe that what I am going through is for God's glory and not my own. This is harddddd!!!!!! Man I miss my kids--terribly. I am struggling right now. I will be on the road tomorrow in a 20 foot U-Haul truck headed to Minneapolis. This is the most difficult thing that I have done in my entire life. I genuinely believe I am following God.

It seems that some churches are a plastic representation of what is depicted in the Bible. I know every church is not like that, but some are. I believe the things that God asks us to do requires love, authenticity, and sacrifice. I have not been perfect in these 36 years--far from it. Honestly, I will be going through counseling when I get up to Minnesota. I don't want to start this church off wrong. I need God's help to do this. If I do not continue to grow in my faith, this entire endeavor will fail. I need to walk in holiness, righteousness and peace. And, I need God's help to do so. The pain is real, but so is the power of God. Please keep me in your prayers. Please pray for my kids too...I would like to get full custody of them.