The Church

Church isn’t where we meet. Church isn’t the building. Church is who we are. Church is the outworking of Jesus Christ. Why not show others its importance today at your place of worship.

Beware Lest We Forget (tar)Paper Houses

**Exactly one year ago today, this was the thought I posted. And as I look about, it is still the beat of my heart.**


"And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which He sware unto they fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,

And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;

Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” Deuteronomy 6:10-13

After reading these scriptures, I couldn't help but think: How many of us were involved in building the original church we attend? How many of us dug the wells of living water through our tears? How many of us took to the streets witnessing? Walked the aisles praying to supply an increase? Or spent sleepless nights carrying the burden originally set forth for our church? Probably very few of us but we sure are enjoying the increase and its rewards. We inherited blessings. But with the blessings, we've made changes to things that our predecessors sacrificed for. What things? How about removing our wooden altars at the church front (logic: need more room up front; tears of repentance can be shed anywhere; well, most need a place to kneel that allows them time to repent and to shed tears)? The removing of songs about the Blood from our services (logic: way too gory, the Blood was for Jesus, not us)? Excluding sermons that preach on hell (logic: Heaven makes people happy, hell depresses them)? Or how about our moving away from intercessory prayer (logic: too laboring, and "sincere" prayer works just as well, as long as it's done in the prayer room, God forbid the sanctuary)? The list of Whys and their "logic" could go on and on.

Don't you at times wonder that in our zealousness and need to do more (and have more) than the old churches, or the brothers and sisters down the street, or churches in other organizations that we’ve forgotten what the Lord really intended?

I’ve heard many stories of sacrifice over the years but I will write about one that is close to home. It was in 1943 when a young minister named Elder William (Bill) Garrett came to Goshen, California where my husband’s mom, dad, aunts and uncles lived. They had already received the revelation of God’s Truth, and desperately wanted a church to worship in. Times were hard, and with no money to rent a building, the congregation needed a plan. Elder Garrett talked my father-in-law into using an old never used 20 by 50 foot chicken house at the back of his property. The saints felt so blessed that Roy Hopper would say yes to its use that the brothers quickly begin preparing it for a house of worship. I can't help but wonder, would God mean that much to us today? Would we eagerly get a hen house ready to worship in? Would we proudly tar-paper the outside and stick cut-out letters on the side proclaiming its church name? (Don’t answer that – it may seriously reveal too much of our character). Well, the Lord blessed the Mt. Zion church family from day one for their efforts - and as the congregation grew, they purchased their own building.

Don't you wonder what type of people would be willing to worship in a chicken house; what type of services they had; what level of compassion they carried; and what was their prayer life like, etc. I think I can answer that in part because starting in the 1960s I witnessed first hand a group of people who stood strong in the face of every adversity and genuinely loved/cared for each other - and did they love God, never once charging Him foolishly. I remember in the early 60s (some 20 years after the original church started), seeing a group of ladies (my mother-in-law included) walk to the church to pray after the men went to work. They would go every morning, Monday-Friday, to pray for 2 to 3 hours each day. There is no doubt that it was those prayers that brought my husband and I to the Lord in 1969 for the home that I was raised in had a mother who justified going to church once a year on Easter Sunday, and a dad that was an atheist. I think the odds were stacked up against me, don’t you? Would I be safe to say if not for the sacrifice of those precious saints starting that small humble church in Goshen and being committed to prayer that I'd be lost and without God? Yes!

Now, here’s my soapbox proclamation: I’m concerned folks, I truly am. Have we lost our way? Have we come to the place where finances, homes, big churches, large congregations, recognition saddled with appointed positions, special programs, etc., are dimming our view? I pray not. However, do we take the scripture seriously? Do we truly appreciate those who forged the road before us? It was them, not us that blazed the trails, fought the battles, shed the tears, labored physically and spiritually, and sacrificed beyond measure for the church to be in the position it is today. The greatness of our churches comes from the men who started churches from scratch (no matter in what town). They are the ones that built, planted, and watered that we might have a place of worship to proclaim His precious gospel. Their labor of love feeds us. May we never forget the men who built (tar)paper houses (or started churches in tents, their homes, humble buildings, storefronts) - for they are our heritage, and through their selfless acts we are reaping.

Mt. Zion's First Pastor: Elder Bill Garrett,
his wife Ilene and daughter Barbara

Mt. Zion's Men of Vision: my father-in-law Roy Hopper,

Pastor Bill Garrett, Jesse Gilstrap and Clarence Gilstrap.
(not pictured, William Ashlock)

Mt. Zion's First Sunday School Group - 1943

Mt. Zion's First Fellowship Meeting
December 6, 1943

Give and then Give Some More

Gulp!

A Double Mask

"Do you not know that there comes a midnight hour when every one has to throw off his mask? Do you believe that life will always let itself be mocked? Do you think you can slip away a little before midnight in order to avoid this? Or are you not terrified by it? I have seen men in real life who so long deceived others that at last their true nature could not reveal itself...

In every man there is something which to a certain degree prevents him from becoming perfectly transparent to himself; and this may be the case in so high a degree, he may be so inexplicably woven into relationships of life which extend far beyond himself that he almost cannot reveal himself. But he who cannot reveal himself cannot love, and he who cannot love is the most unhappy man of all." Soren Kierkegaard

I was really drawn to the above quote. It addresses the double standard we are experiencing today and not talking about the government. I am referring to the Church World. Seems too many areas of life have a dark side, with so many wearing masks (i.e., living a so-called Christian life while having hidden agendas). Sadly, many have worn the masks for so long that they don't know right from wrong.

Oh Church, wake up - the world is watching us, our children are watching us, our brothers and sisters in the Lord are watching us. The midnight hour is near when everything will be revealed and made transparent. Let's not be found as partakers of deceit. Dear Lord, may we be transparent enough in our spirits to see ourselves as we really are each and every day.

Need a Squirt of Oil?

Basket Case?

Don't Like? Well, Change Then!

There's Been A Cancellation

Check Your Measurements

Huh?

Our House versus God's House

I’m not sure why I am writing this post today but I feel that it is something I need to do. Pain and suffering comes to all - and when it does, we must guard our soul, not allowing ourselves to move away from our Hope and our Redeemer.

"I will say unto God my rock, why hast thou forgotten me? Why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, where is thy God?" Psa 42:9-10

When suffering, there are times when it is extremely difficult to go to church. You would think in a crisis that the church would be the first place you'd want to retreat. In some cases, Yes. In others, No – and it's not that we don't love God, or want to be a part of His Glory, it's because the services sometimes go in directions contrary to our feelings. The problem is, we have this preconception that we know exactly what we need and when. When hurting, we say, today I don't need to laugh; today, I think I should cry, or vice versa.

Sometimes, if we are in a service that doesn't go as we believe it should, frustration (and sometimes anger) surfaces, and we want to scream "STOP, can't you feel my heartache, my pain? Don't you care?" At this point that we must get a hold of the situation, perhaps by excusing ourselves and stepping into the church foyer, the prayer room, or the churchyard to regroup. Myself, I had to wrestle with the fact that life goes on whether I want it to or not. No, it is not wrong to experience hostilities for it only confirms that we're human. However, it is wrong when we hold onto them and pet them, telling ourselves that we are entitled to them.

We must be careful when pain (and hurt) fills our mortal house. It is then that we must overcome our own self. We need (at least try) to pray even though we don't feel like it. We need to sing although the words ring hollow. We need to smile even though our heart is breaking. We must try to care even though we could care less. Whatever it takes to get our mortal house in sync with His House, we must do. If it means a thorough house cleaning - dusting, sweeping and mopping until we rid ourselves of any pity or resentment (or God forbid, hatred). Please be thankful that God entrusted you with that loved one, possession, job, or leadership role for a season or more. Just having it/them for awhile is better than never having at all. And in so many circumstances, it isn't you or God that removes, it is life. Life has a way of twisting us, turning us, squishing us (you add the rest).

May I say that it would be easier in difficult times to fold up our spirit than go through the motions of praise and worship, of sharing and caring; however, if we will honor God, in His House, during our losses, they will become the most precious times we'll ever know for we are with Him and nothing can touch us. The rages of fear are calmed, rejection is lifted and every evil flees. Our minds will regain control and bring peace (and who cares if it only lasts the length of the service. At least for a small while, we find solace). Eventually, the hour will come when what we feel in service goes home with us for perhaps an hour or two, then a day, a week, a month, then longer. That is, if we let it!

So today, why not allow your mortal house to begin its reunion with God's House. It starts just one praise, one prayer at a time.

Believe It? Believe It!!!

It’s the old Ship of Zion. . .it's the hope for the lost and the dying

It’s the soul saving station. . .it's the joy of my salvation
Well it’s the church triumphant oh lord. . .and it's built by the hand of the Lord.

I’m talking about a church in the Book of Revelation

It's built on the rock got a firm foundation

It's been through the flood, it’s been through the fire

and one of these days the church is going to move up higher

It’s the church triumphant oh lord. . .and it's built by the hand of the Lord

It's been through the flood. . .but the flood couldn’t harm it

It's been through the fire. . .but the fire couldn’t burn it

Been fed to the lions. . .but the lions couldn’t eat it

Fought a lot of wars. . .but never been defeated

It’s the church triumphant. . . and it's built by the hand of the Lord.

Bed? No! Church? Yes!

This is the day that the Lord hath made. . .

Go to church and check Him out.

Beware Lest We Forget (tar)Paper Houses

“And it shall be, when the Lord thy God shall have brought thee into the land which He sware unto they fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,

And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;

Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.” Deuteronomy 6:10-13

After reading these scriptures, I couldn't help but think: How many of us were involved in building the original church we attend? How many of us dug the wells of living water through our tears? How many of us took to the streets witnessing? Walked the aisles praying to supply an increase? Or spent sleepless nights carrying the burden originally set forth for our church? Probably very few of us but we sure are enjoying the increase and its rewards. We inherited blessings. But with the blessings, we've made changes to things that our predecessors sacrificed for. What things? How about removing our wooden altars at the church front (logic: need more room up front; tears of repentance can be shed anywhere)? The removing of songs about the Blood from our services (logic: way too gory, the Blood was for Jesus, not us)? Excluding sermons that preach on hell (logic: Heaven makes people happy, hell depresses them)? Or how about our moving away from intercessory prayer (logic: too laboring, and "sincere" prayer works just as well, as long as it's done in the prayer room, God forbid the sanctuary)? The list of Whys and their "logic" could go on and on.

Don't you at times wonder that in our zealousness and need to do more (and have more) than the old churches, or the brothers and sisters down the street, or churches in other organizations that we’ve forgotten what the Lord really intended?

I’ve heard many stories of sacrifice over the years but I will write about one that is close to home. It was in 1943 when a young minister named Elder William (Bill) Garrett came to Goshen, California where my husband’s mom, dad, aunts and uncles lived. They had already received the revelation of God’s Truth, and desperately wanted a church to worship in. Times were hard, and with no money to rent a building, the congregation needed a plan. Elder Garrett talked my father-in-law into using an old never used 20 by 50 foot chicken house at the back of his property. The saints felt so blessed that Roy Hopper would say yes to its use that the brothers quickly begin preparing it for a house of worship. I can't help but wonder, would God mean that much to us today? Would we eagerly get a hen house ready to worship in? Would we proudly tar-paper the outside and stick cut-out letters on the side proclaiming its church name? (Don’t answer that – it may seriously reveal too much of our character). Well, the Lord blessed the Mt. Zion church family from day one for their efforts - and only when my in-laws sold their property did the congregation need to move to another church location.

Don't you wonder what type of people would be willing to worship in a chicken house; what type of services they had; what level of compassion they carried; what was their prayer life like, etc. I think I can answer that in part because starting in the 1960s I witnessed first hand a group of people who stood strong in the face of every adversity and genuinely loved/cared for each other - and did they love God and never once charged Him foolishly. I remember in the early 60s (some 20 years after the original church started), seeing a group of ladies (my mother-in-law included) walk to the church to pray after the men went to work. They would go every morning, Monday-Friday, to pray for 2 to 3 hours each day. There is no doubt that it was those prayers that brought my husband and I to the Lord in 1969 because the home that I was raised in had a mother who justified going to church once a year on Easter Sunday, and a dad that was an atheist. I think the odds were stacked up against me, don’t you? Would I be safe to say if not for the sacrifice of those precious saints starting that small humble church in Goshen and being committed to prayer that I would be lost and without God?

Now, here’s my soapbox proclamation: I’m concerned folks, I truly am. Have we lost our way? Have we come to the place where finances, homes, big churches, large congregations, recognition saddled with appointed positions, special programs, etc., are dimming our view? I pray not. However, do we take the scripture seriously? Do we truly appreciate those who forged the road before us? It was them, not us that blazed the trails, fought the battles, shed the tears, labored physically and spiritually, and sacrificed beyond measure for the church to be in the position it is today. The greatness of our churches comes from the men who started churches from scratch (no matter in what town). They are the ones that built, planted, and watered that we might have a place of worship to proclaim His precious gospel. Their labor of love feeds us. May we never forget the men who built (tar)paper houses (or started churches in tents, their homes, humble buildings, storefronts) - for they are our heritage, and through their selfless acts we are reaping.

Mt. Zion's First Pastor: Elder Bill Garrett, his wife Ilene and daughter Barbara

Mt. Zion's Men of Vision: my father-in-law Roy Hopper, Pastor Bill Garrett, Jesse Gilstrap and Clarence Gilstrap. (not pictured, William Ashlock)

Mt. Zion's First Sunday School Group - 1943

Mt. Zion's First Fellowship Meeting - December 6, 1943

Let's Have Church

It's Sunday - got my dancing shoes on - so Let's Have Church.

Don't Forget to Pray

Sticks or Stones?

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me" is a great old playground phrase. However in real life, the non-play kind, we must make a choice as to whether we will be a stone OR a stick in the Lord's church. There's no "AND" allowing us to be both - we are either one or the other. Which type of Church Pillar do you plan to be?

One made of stone?

Or just a stick in the mud?

Why Worry?

Showdown at Revival Corral

We are all creatures of habit whether we realize it or not. We tend to take the position that things must always remain the same, not realizing how it will affect others. It could be time for a change. Think?