September 1st, 2011
10%... And No, We're Not Talking Tithes
I read the following recently as it was stated in Enrichment Magazine: "Researchers have discovered that, in American churches, the majority of personal evangelism is done by less than 10% of the congregation and almost all of that 10%, have been Christians for less than a year." Wow, this is an extremely sad statement! What this means is that those who are best suited to evangelize their cities... the veterans within the church... are NOT doing their job! And those who are new to the Lord, are really the ones doing the evangelism and are using the elementary knowledge that they've gained in their year long walk with the Lord to make an impact on their neighbors.
But, what if... Those veterans of the Lord... those warriors of the cross who have fought battles on their knee's for years and even decades... what if they were to join with those new Christians who are full of zeal? What if they took that youthful enthusiasm of a new Christian and combined it with those years of accumulated wisdom and knowledge of the veteran Christian and hit the streets for Jesus? Friends, the answer to that is plain, simple and to the point: we'd win our communities to Christ! So, what 10% are you?
Pastor Stevens
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August 15th, 2011
Procrastination
Wow, talk about letting time slip away from you! My last posting on the Pastors BLOG was in May. How in the world did this happen? How could I have been so delinquent in my duties?
I'll tell you how it happened, it's called: procrastination. Procrastination is when you know you have something important to do but, you put it off until tomorrow. When enough tommorrows have accumulated you get what I got... nearly three months without updating this important part of our web site(at least I hope it's important). Anyhow, a lot of us suffer from this condition, we do it with our housework, our bills, our plans for the future, etc. Left to fester like this long enough, we soon find ourselves with regrets.
Thanksfully, three months wasn't the worst and my regrets are being taken care of by this latest writing on the BLOG. However, I think it's important for us to remember what the Bible tells us: Why tarriest thou?... In other words, why are you putting it off? If there is something you know you need to do for Jesus today... why don't you do it? Tomorrow may be too late and you certainly don't want regets. See you soon! ~Pastor Stevens
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May 23, 2011
Half Way Through
Well, we're half way through the 49 Days and all I can say is: WOW! This weekends celebration of 10 Years on Roosevelt Avenue exploded with power as Evangelist Tim Greene and His wife Sister Lois Greene came from Atlanta, Geogia to minister under the annointing of God. Two people we're filled with the Holy Ghost, one was baptized in Jesus name, there were multiple healings, deliverences, restoration, out of this world worship and praise, blessings upon blessings as God honored our prayers, fastings and dedication!
I have never seen so much power of God move through our church since we planted ALC 18 years ago. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen that much power in some of our Wisconsin District camp meetings!... It was that GREAT! If you missed it, then you really missed it! If you haven't seen some of the pictures, go to the: "Our Pictures" page and check it out. I believe this is just the beginning and the best is on it's way. So, buckle in folks... the ride has just begun! PRAISE GOD!!!!
Pastor Stevens
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April 27, 2011
49 Days... Go Big Or Go What?
This last Sunday, Easter Sunday, began this year’s 49 Days from Easter to Pentecost Sunday. This year’s theme is: "Go Big or Go Home". This almost sounds like a rude statement on the surface so, let me explain. If you were a skateboarder, you would know exactly what this meant and what was expected of you. Among skateboarders, this phrase means that if you’re going to do a stunt, do it bigger, do it better, do what hasn't been done before or don't bother doing it at all. Or as our theme suggests, Go Big or Go Home.
Now, if skateboarders expect excellence, how much more should God expect the very best from us... His children? During the next 49 days, we're going to:
Go Big In Prayer
Go Big In Fasting
Go Big In Reading The Word
Go Big In Evangelism
Go Big In Worship & Praise
Go Big In Our Christian Walk
The Action Packs have been distributed, the 49 Days devotionals are in your hands.* Now, to see something BIG happen, it will require commitment on your part. You will only get out of the next 49 days, exactly what you put into it. Put little into it and there will be little results. Put a lot into it, and there will be BIG results, it's all up to you. So, will we see something big from you or are you going to go home the same way you came into this?
*(If you didn't get your Action Pack and Devotional, it’s not too late, pick them up on Thursday night or Sunday morning and get started on something BIG!)
Pastor Stevens
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April 17, 2011
What If There Is No God?
Every once in a while, I run into someone who tries to back me into the corner with the question: What if there is no God? They then continue with their thoughts that I then have wasted my life serving someone who does not exist. So, wouldn't I be disappointed to find out there really was no God. Now on the surface, that may seem like a good question with the exception that it's also not a well thought out question.
See, if there was no God and I then died, I really wouldn't find out that there was no God since He does not exist thus, there is no after life in which to contemplate my disappointment in finding out that there was no God.
So, my answer is always: What if there 'IS' a God? The look on people's faces is priceless as they realize, if there is a God, they are then in trouble. For they have doubted or questioned His existence and have not done anything to serve Him. Their answer is usually pretty lame but, it does get them thinking: What if there is a God... hmmmm, then I'm in danger of hell fire!
Of course, there is no question in my mind, I know there is a God. Psalm 14:1 says: "The fool has said in his heart there is no God..." While in Hebrews 3:4 is says: "For every house is builded by some man; but He that built all things is God." I guess I'm not too concerned about there not being a God, I'm looking forward to closing my eyes in this world and opening them in heaven to see my best friend: Jesus. As for the other guy? I guess he gets to contemplate these things somewhere else.
Pastor Stevens
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March 28, 2011
Grumpy People
Do you like grumpy people? Me neither. Yet we encounter them every day. At work, on the streets and even from the clerk who takes your money in the store but can't even crack a smile when they say: 'Thank you, come again.'
God did not create: Grumpy... He created: Joy! When you go to a business and your treated badly by a grumpy employee, do you want to go back there? Me neither. This world has way too much grump and not enough happy.
Can this apply to the church? If you were a visitor to the church would you come back if everyone frowned? If everyone ignored you? If everyone complained? Of course you wouldn't. This is just something to remember next time you ask yourself about what people see or hear or feel from your witness for Jesus.
Pastor Stevens
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March 13, 2011
Weapons Of Warfare
Peter Wagoner said: “The more deeply I dig beneath the surface of church growth principles, the more thoroughly convinced I become that the real battle is a spiritual battle and that our principle weapon is prayer.”
In 2 Corinthians 10:4 we are told that: “…the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;…” what the church doesn’t need is another program or another contest or another advertisement or a clever slogan to reach the lost. What the church needs is people getting down on their knees and praying for those who don’t know Christ as their Savior.
We… the church… have been given power through the Holy Ghost, to tear down strong holds of wickedness. To bind up the principalities of darkness that are in our: cities, work places and neighborhoods. We are to be using the most powerful weapon that we have: PRAYER!
We are reminded in the Word of God, that there is not a weapon of the enemy that is formed against us that will prosper(Isaiah 54:17). This happens as the result of prayer. When we realize that demons start running, that strongholds are torn down, that the gates of hell cannot prevail against us and that demons must leave those who you’re trying to reach with the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a result of our prayers… we become empowered!
This is why the scripture states so boldly: “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheth me.” (Philippians 4:23)
Pastor Stevens
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March 8th, 2011
Does It Really Matter?
Have you ever rented a video only to get it home and wished you hadn't gotten that movie? You pop it in the player, it starts up and some of the most foul language you ever heard starts spewing out of the actors mouths. The kids are there watching also... what do you do?
OK, so there are no kids and your home alone or with your spouse and you put in the same movie. Now, everyone knows that you don't talk like that, all your friends know that you won't tolerate someone speaking to you that way and you certainly wouldn't allow someone to talk like that in your house. Yet, the video is now in the player so... what do you do?
Let's ratchet this up a notch, you're watching the video and there are some rather improper images showing up on the screen... what do you do? Better yet, if the pastor showed up while you were watching this video, would you shut it off before he heard it or saw it? And if you did, why did you shut it off? Are you embarrassed? Did you not want pastor to think badly of you?
What if it were Jesus who walked into the room? How would you respond? Well, guess what, God is omnipresent so, Jesus is in the room with you even right now while your reading this silly blog of mine and He's there when you're watching that movie that you know you shouldn't be watching. Does it really matter? I guess this is just something to pray about before you watch that next movie, right?
Oh, and let me suggest that you pay close attention not only to the movie rating but, also pay attention to how your beliefs will be attacked or questioned in many of today's Hollywood movies. Sometimes it might just be better to get your nose into the Bible than into Hollywood.
Finally, let's apply this same thinking to everything else we do, if Jesus was physically standing next to you, would you do it or say it?
Pastor Stevens
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February 22nd, 2011
What If Today Were The Day?
Recently while reading our local newspaper, I read about a young man who had passed away. In the obituary, it was stated that he had died unexpectedly. A young life snuffed out way too soon without too many words to describe his short life.
What if today was your day? What if tomorrow, it was your obituary that everyone was reading? What would it say? Would it say that you were a fine Christian? Dedicated to God? Lover of mankind? Concerned about the Fathers business? A dedicated servant? Or would it read differently? Would there be anything really good to say about your walk with God?... Do you think these are tough questions to ask yourself?
I heard it said once: If you were charged with being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you? Hmmmm. It's sad that after an average of 70 years on this planet that our whole life comes down to a 'dash', that little mark on your tombstone between when you were born and when you died. That little 'dash' represents your whole life. What could be said about your dash? Was it fruitful?
In the end, it really doesn't matter what people think of your time on earth and your accomplishments. What matters is what God thinks about your time on earth... Now 'that's' a really tough question!
Pastor Stevens