On Friday I had the opportunity to join a group of church leaders to spend a few hours with Pastor Jim Cymbala from the Brooklyn Tabernacle. His book Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire was really influential in the formation of Church of the King.
Pastor Cymbala said several things that were really challenging. Here are a few thoughts that stood out to me.
- One sure way to grieve God is acting like a minister. God never uses actors. The Holy Spirit is gentle like a dove, and He will withdraw as soon as he sees something that's not real.
- Prayer is the engine that drives the church.
- He rejoices in and appreciates seasons of financial difficulty. When finances are tight it keeps us trusting God.
- When a professional golfer struggles, the first thing a coach will check is his grip. It seems so basic, but we never get past fundamentals. If your ministry feels like it's stalled, go back to the fundamentals of prayer and the Word.
- There's an important difference between Pentecostal sub-culture and New Testament Pentecostalism.
- We like to quote the past and predict the future, but we must care about what is, or isn't happening right now.
- Be careful that you don't have a vision for your church that is different than Jesus' vision for the church. If we all read the same New Testament, we all have a similar vision.
- Most ministers read the Bible looking for ammunition to affirm what they already believe. Instead, we should open Scripture with an open mind.
- Concerning church government--all forms work and all forms don't work. The difference is God. When he is present in the lives of the leaders there is health.
- The Holy Spirit is a person. He doesn't just fill you. He controls you.