One Mission. One Movement.

- Dr. Wayman Ming Jr.

Loved ones, in less than two years, our PCG family from across the country and around the globe will gather  together in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex to “celebrate our past” and “seize our destiny.” A new chapter will be written—the “First Chapter of a 2^nd-CENTURY PCG.”

The night before Kimberly and I were elected to serve the PCG in the general bishop’s office, our Heavenly Father began downloading an overwhelming call to four words: One Mission—One Movement. With clarity, He began to say, “Become a voice for One Mission—One Movement and express the prophetic utterance that the PCG started as a missional movement in 1919, and must live again as a missional movement in 2019.”

Down through the years, I have studied our PCG history. When I served in the general secretary’s office, I notated the highlights of every convention written in the archives from 1919 to the present. In fact, when I studied the notes of our founding meeting held December 29-30 on Halstead Street in Chicago, Illinois, I noticed our undeniable and unwavering commitment to move toward God’s mission on earth.

The Notes – 1919 Founding Meeting in Chicago, IL 

(1) The name became “The Pentecostal Assemblies of the USA”

         (2) The Pentecostal Herald was recognized as the official paper with a circulation of perhaps three times that of any other Pentecostal
paper and was especially committed to “taking the gospel to those outside of Pentecost.”

(3) Delegates were seated with a voice and vote as representatives of their local assemblies.

(4) Ida Tribett was the first person ordained.

(5) Right hand of fellowship was extended to “The Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada.”

(6) Went on record to disapprove of any issues that divide and confuse God’s people to no profit and decided that “aggressive evangelism”
             be our motto.

(7) Resolved that “we shall not be confined…to those who are affiliated with us, and that we shall not discriminate against any member of the
             Body of Christ…”

(8) Resolved that we create a fund, which shall be known as the Home Missionary Fund, for the purpose of opening up works in new
              districts in the United States and supporting them until such time as the work can be put on a self-supporting basis and that this fund 
              shall be distributed at the discretion of the Executive Committee.

(9) Resolved that due attention be given to the foreign missionary work, and that by every available means through the General  Assembly
             and the Local Assemblies, we encourage and  assist the Foreign Missionary enterprise. The primary Scripture emphasized was
             “endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3).

(Reference: PCG Archives & Our Story, Aaron Wilson, pp. 75-82)

When we reflect on this first gathering, phrases such as “taking the gospel to those outside of Pentecost” and “aggressive evangelism” affirm our passion to live as an inclusive, grassroots movement of people committed to the mission of Christ. The statements of resolve that specified we would “open up works in new districts in the United States” and pursue “foreign missionary work,” clearly and specifically affirm our commitment to planting churches and reaching the world with the gospel. 

WHAT IS “ONE MISSION?”

The phrase “One Mission” is not novel or new because our PCG mission’s emphasis has been One Mission for the last few years. In essence, One Mission is not too complex and could be defined as…

• To win the lost and equip and send the found; to embody the
  mission of Christ in our world.

We simply engage our neighborhoods, communities, and world as Jesus did in the first century. We literally become salt and light (Matthew 5:14-16). Spiritually speaking, we live God’s mission statement to our world. 

Many churches and organizations have developed mission statements and rightly so, but what I am suggesting is that we’re not seeking to write a mission statement but rather live a mission statement. What would the PCG look like if every person, every church, every district, and every nation would embody the mission of Christ in their world?

When Kimberly and I were in Dallas, Texas, for the 2011 General Convention six years ago, our Father spoke ten words to us that forever changed our lives: “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” So I resigned from the general secretary’s office and followed God to figure out what those words really meant. Candidly, I didn’t really understand those words! I had pastored for years, traveled to over 40 nations of the world, and served in denominational leadership, but I didn’t really have a missional heart. I was “oiling the machinery” more than “moving in the mission” of Christ.

So God began to do such a work in my heart that I couldn’t help but share my faith. I would drive through my neighborhood and pray that every house would be baptized with the fire of God. I started teaching a Higher Living class that challenged people to move from their “head knowledge OF Christ” to a “heart passion IN Christ.” I was enthralled with challenging people to transition from seeing Jesus as their Savior to knowing Jesus as their Lord. I started closing just about every message I preached with a call to salvation. 

Through a commitment to personal evangelism, I introduced my next-door neighbor to Christ. Here was a man who grew up in the Church of the Latter Day Saints as a child and hadn’t donned the door of a church for over 40 years. He often chided, “If I ever attend a church, the church will be flattened by an earthquake.” Thankfully, my good friend accepted Christ five years ago and is still attending church to this day.

Over the past few months, I have been asking the question, “Do we have an organizational machine or a missional movement?” If the former is true, how do we change it?

Personally, I continue to be grieved when I come to our biennial conventions and hear reports that we have lost constituents, ministers, and churches from the previous biennium. If we truly look at the numbers, we haven’t gained ground over the past 50 years; we have lost ground.

How does each church and district relate over the last 5-10 years? Are we growing or declining? What is the high-water mark for the past five years? Is it right now or in the past? So again I must ask, “Are we living as an organizational machine or a missional movement?” Whatever the answer is, we must engage in a reformative process to become and live as a missional movement.  

In the month of November, I encouraged our denominational leaders and boards to begin with the following:

(1) We must seek God for a missional heart. 

Can we engage in some spiritual heart surgery until Christ awakens us with a missional heart? As the people of God, we must make a decision that anything less than sharing our faith and engaging in the mission of Christ is unacceptable. Consequently, all decisions and processes must begin filtering through the grid of winning the lost and equipping and sending the found. The solution that we seek in the Spirit must remain tethered to a missional heart.

(2) We must implement a strategic plan to multiply ministers and churches. 

Allow me to affirm the notion that “accidental church growth doesn’t work.” We must act intentionally to multiply our ministers and missionaries, plant new churches, and grow our existing churches.

(3) We must engage in every church’s and district’s growth. 

We must actively commit to not only seeing OUR churches and districts grow, but seeing ALL the churches and districts growing. We must move past the “me mindset” to the “we mindset.” The PCG will not experience reformation if we continue down a path of “my church, my district, and my movement.”

Several years ago, I made a conscious decision to get rid of the pronoun “my” and “mine” when talking about the mission of Christ. I stopped saying “my church” because it really wasn’t mine; it was His. I stopped saying, “my district” because it’s really wasn’t mine; it was His. I stopped saying, “my movement” because it really wasn’t mine; it was His. Fortunately, I realized that when I stopped saying “my” or “mine,” I removed the implication that others needed to come through me to be a part of “my” church, “my” district, or “my” movement. Most people truly desire to be a part of “our church,” “our district,” and “our movement” that ultimately belongs to Him. 

WHAT IS “ONE MOVEMENT?”

From the government’s perspective, we are a denomination. From a business perspective, we are an organization. From a church perspective, we are an affiliation. Yet, many of our leaders and pastors refer to the PCG as a “movement.” Ultimately, when the word “movement” is used, people get bright-eyed and sit forward in their chairs. The excitement of living as a grassroots movement of people who embody the mission of God in our world becomes palpable. Movement speaks to movement—moving toward God, moving in His mission, and moving with His Spirit.

Our history punctuates the notion that the PCG existed as a movement because of two essential characteristics—the unity and power of the Spirit. Earlier the theme verse of the 1919 founding meeting in Chicago was written: “Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace” (Ephesians 4:3). 

If we unveil the Greek meaning of this verse, the word “endeavor” (Gr. spoudazo) refers to a passionate pursuit or an accelerated pace. In other words, the Apostle Paul was challenging the Ephesian church to an all-out pursuit or purposeful expediency in keeping or preserving the unity of the Spirit. 

Furthermore, the word “unity” relates to our English word “unison.” Those who sing a verse and chorus of music in unison sing the same song on the same notes. Is it possible that we can sing the same song with the same notes? Is it possible that we can be so unified that we are living the mission of Christ in unison? Our PCG forefathers thought so because they emphasized the importance of accelerating our pace toward the unity of the Spirit.

The other primary component included the “power of the Spirit.” The PCG wasn’t birthed as any kind of movement, but as a “Pentecostal movement.” A theological rubric was formed that placed the power of the Holy Spirit at the epicenter of faith and practice. In other words, mission did not move without power—His power! The proclamation of the gospel was confirmed through signs and wonders.

So the definition of “One Mission—One Movement” is not really complex. It refers to a “unified movement of people who live the mission of Christ in our world through the power of the Spirit.” Or allow me to state it this way:

• The PCG must live as a unified movement of people who live the mission of Christ in our world through the power of 

  the Spirit.

For the last few years, we have said, “We are PCG.” This is a wonderful statement that speaks to our identity, but not to our destiny. As a 2^nd-Century PCG, we must return to our roots and live as a missional movement. Each person is a mission. Every church is a mission, and every PCG district or nation is a mission. So today…

Join with me as we: (1) Seek God for a missional heart; (2) implement a strategic plan to multiply ministers and missionaries; and (3) engage in every church’s and district’s growth. 

Join with me as we pursue “aggressive evangelism,” taking the gospel to those outside of Pentecost, opening up works in new districts in the United States, and “foreign missionary work.” 

Join with me as we become “a unified movement of people who live the mission of Christ in our world through the power of the Spirit.” Or, live as 

One Mission—One Movement.

Spiritual Awakenings by General Secretary Dan Coleman

Spiritual Awakenings

By. General Secretary Dan Coleman

    Great Spiritual Awakenings have swept the world over the centuries. They have changed lives and the very culture in which we live. During the month of February, I had the privilege to be in Charleston, South Carolina, to attend the annual PCCNA Conference, of which the Pentecostal Church of God is a member. Along with other members from the Prayer Commission, I visited the Anson Street Presbyterian Church, the location of one such Spiritual Awakening that took place not long ago.  

   It was at this church during the summer of 1857, a time when our nation was greatly divided over slavery, that black and white believers began a prayer meeting petitioning God to send a Spiritual Awakening while waiting for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Contrary to popular opinion, the first shot of the Civil War was not fired at Fort Sumter but within a praying congregation of Christians, who were seeking the Lord and not a political remedy. That shot came just a few blocks from the very harbor Fort Sumter guarded.

     For months, the congregants intentionally and patiently sought the Lord, and then one evening it happened. While in prayer, what felt like a surge of electricity struck Pastor John L. Girdeaux’s head and filled his entire being. Before he called the prayer meeting, he had preconceived within his own mind what God’s eventual visit would be like. He would then simply dismiss the prayer meeting and resume his regular preaching schedule. But something greater was happening – something beyond him, and this would not be dismissed. The pastor first heard, then looked up to behold the trembling and tears of the others. The Holy Spirit had come upon the entire congregation and there they were, 48 black Christians and 12 white Christians – 60 in all – with everyone weeping, worshiping, and praying for the souls of lost neighbors and loved ones.

     When God came to the corner of Anson and Calhoun Streets, a powerful chain reaction occurred. For the next eight weeks nightly meetings followed, reaching crowds numbering from 1,500 to 2,000. God visited Charleston as thousands from across the city and every background were saved. Congregations from every background grew. The spiritual atmosphere over Charleston was altered, and a window for revival had been opened to an entire nation. Revival historian Edwin Orr cites the great impact of this event, which preceded another very important event to be held more than 700 miles away. 

   The spiritual, ripple effect of God’s move in Charleston eventually reached New York City. Roughly 30,000 men were idle on the streets of New York and drunkenness was rampant. God raised up a praying 48-year-old businessman-turned-lay-city-missionary named Jeremiah Lanphier. This man had started a noon prayer meeting for New York businessmen at the North Dutch Church on Fulton Street in the Financial District of Manhattan in September 1857 (just a couple of blocks from what many years later came to be known as Ground Zero). 

     Out of a city of more than 1 million people, six people showed up a half hour late to that initial gathering. This small group decided to meet the next week and the number grew to 14. The next week there were 23. The following week there were 40. Within weeks there were thousands of business leaders meeting daily. God moved so powerfully that the prayer meeting spread across the nation. It is estimated that nearly 1 million people were converted out of a national population of 35 million over an 18-month period, including 10,000 weekly conversions in New York City for a season. If we had this kind of revival today, it would mean the conversion of 10 million people across America.

   Why are these and other powerful stories of Spiritual Awakenings so important today? Because it reminds us that God can do it again. God is still in the business of moving in Charleston and in New York City and all across the United States of America. He has done it before, and my prayer is that we would be the kind of people through whom he could do it again. So what do we do? Well, someone has to be a John Girdeaux or a Jeremiah Lanphier – someone has to pray. What about you or what about me? You could be the one that hits your knees on behalf of your city, on behalf of your community. You could be the one that helps lead the way in your own community. It has to start somewhere, and in 1857 it started with one, then six, and then thousands. And today, it may be back to one. That ONE might just be YOU! Prayer is the one thing more than anything else that connects us to God, but it also connects us to one another.  

     Many things have changed since 1857, but in many ways things are not so different. Today, the church is faced with many challenges. We are a nation in turmoil and in need for God to pour out the Holy Spirit on our broken, confused, and imperfect world. We are helpless and hopeless without Him. We need His grace and guidance, so that we can continue to focus on our mission and answer His call to go into the entire world to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.  

What Will A 2nd-Century PCG Look Like? By Dr. Wayman Ming Jr.

WHAT WILL A 2ND-CENTURY PCG LOOK LIKE?

Dr. Wayman Ming Jr.

The PCG remains positioned to write a brand new chapter of promise. In just two years, we will celebrate our PCG Centennial — 100 years of "Proclaiming Bible Truth in Pentecostal Power." Afterward, a 2nd-Century PCG will begin! What will a 2nd-Century PCG look like? Will it be missional? Will it be re-formational? Will be be transformational? Will we truly make a difference in this end-time harvest? For years, I have declared that God birthed the PCG with a unique contribution to make in America and around the world.

WE ARE PCG, but what does that mean for a 2nd-century PCG?

REFLECTING ON MY PAST

Kimberly and I are both products of the PCG. As a young boy of eight years old, I was called into full-time vocational ministry on the cement floor of the Michigan campground. As PYPA presidents, my parents, Wayman and Karen Ming, hauled my brothers and me all over the state of Michigan for nine years. I suppose my entire family continues to be huge fans of both the Detroit Lions and Tigers for that reason. I grew up attending junior and senior Bible Quiz matches, and my brothers and I participated in the early years of our Teen Talent Expos. 

Even though my wife, Kimberly,agrew up in an Assembly of God church, she consistently attended the Central California District rallies and camps. These experiences culminated when she attended and graduated from Messenger College with two bachelor degrees — one in Biblical Studies and another in Pastoral Ministries. As the Southern Missouri District women’s ministry director and then general secretary’s wife, she couldn’t help but develop an amazing love for the women’s leaders and women of the PCG. She was ordained in the Southern California District and will now be the first Messenger College graduate serving as the first lady of the PCG.

When I moved to Joplin, Missouri, in 1988 to teach at Messenger College, I was a 22-year-old kid who left everything behind because I loved the PCG. I was immediately adopted into the International Headquarters’ family, and the Gees and Minors were not just denominational leaders for Kimberly and me, but spiritual parents. They invested in us and challenged us to dream some dreams for God and the PCG. And we did! During the nearly 25 years we lived in Joplin, we dreamed that God would equip and empower a vibrant, life-giving movement to significantly impact America and the world.

Over the years, Kimberly and I have marveled at the way our lives have intersected with previous PCG general superintendents/bishops, their wives, and families. 

      • As lead pastors of Joplin Family Worship Center, we were blessed to pastor some of the amazing family of Bishop R. D. Heard — Charles and Alice Burkhart, Stephen and Melissa Perry, and their children. 

      • As a mentor and friend, Bishop Roy Chappell invested in us often. In fact, his daughter, Janiece Nye, served as my personal secretary for many years, and her husband, Bill, was one of my most trusted, loyal leaders at JFWC.

     • Of course Bishop James and Diana Gee were adopted parents, and we were so honored when our beloved friend Julie Gee invited us to speak at Bishop Gee’s funeral a few months ago.

     • As the district bishop of Southern Missouri, Kimberly and I were privileged to serve under the leadership of Bishop Phil and Sharon Redding. They were wonderful leaders and friends. 

     • Interestingly, my family grew up in Michigan with Bishop Charles and Barbara Mosier and their family. In fact, Bishop Mosier and I traveled together for three weeks overseas, and he introduced me to our amazing PCG family in Brazil and East Africa. 

     • My service as the general secretary alongside Bishop Charles and Janice Scott will always be highly regarded as they (and their family) remain dearly loved by Kimberly and me.

     • Finally, before we arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Bishop Loyd Naten actually held our adopted daughter, Grace Eden, in his hands when she was only four days old and saw her in person before we did. Bishop Naten and his wife, Trisha, and their family have been part of the Ming family for many years. 

VISIONEERING A MISSIONAL MOVEMENT

In the coming months, I will begin sharing the details of a strategic plan for a 2^nd-Century PCG. In faith, if I may be so bold, I am confident that a MANDATE has been placed before “all of us” to “Visioneer a Missional Movement.” Notice the phrase “all of us” because this mandate isn’t based on a man, but a mission. If our Lord tarries, “all of us” will experience the privilege of leaving lasting footprints for God’s glory.

As I pray about a 2^nd-Century PCG, I see re-formation written all over it. God will show up! God will do something supernatural in our midst! Without hesitation, we must move past our dependence upon ourselves and become absolutely dependent upon Him! We must be dependent upon Him to equip new ministers and missionaries for kingdom impact! We must be dependent upon Him to help us grow our churches, impact our cities, and empty Hell from our part of the world! We must be dependent upon Him to engage more unreached people groups and impact more nations around the world than ever before! Listen, loved ones, unless the Lord builds the house, we labor in vain who build it. 

In the near future, I am hopeful that we will begin to witness an extraordinary intentionality from our PCG leaders to filter everything through the grid of “missional impact.” The boat has already started turning in that direction with our commitment to “ONE MISSION,” but we must accelerate our pace and move past an emphasis on the PCG machine to the PCG Mission! 

We must repurpose our systems and strategies that reflect a “top-down mentality” to a “bottom-up mission.” We must establish actionable plans to equip ministers and missionaries, grow our existing churches, and plant new churches. I believe that one of the first steps toward accomplishing this will including transitioning the model of our current national office toward an International Mission Center. Candidly, we need to move from existing as an “American church with a Global Mission” to a “Global church with a Global Mission.” By God’s grace and power, these values will become intentional and incremental.  

BELIEVING FOR HIS PROMISE

Even though I am sharing some words that seem general and broad at this time, I want you to know that they are filled with God’s promise! In fact, I will be passionately working with our ministry directors, General Council, and General Board to develop the initial plans to incrementally implement two emphases over the next two years — celebrating our Centennial 

So I want to ask you to “believe for HIS promise.” Will you believe with me that God has a “fresh Pentecost” reserved for a 2^nd-Century PCG? Will you believe with me that we can turn our focus from the machine to the mission? Will you believe with me (as written in Ephesians 3:20) that God can do “exceedingly abundantly above” by His power working in us? 

During the last night of our 2017 Convention, I met little Maria Ramirez at the altar. What an extraordinary young lady from Arkansas! She was weeping before the Lord, and after we finished praying, I asked her, “What is your name, sweetheart?” She replied, “Maria Ramirez.” I said, “How old are you?” She said, “I am nine.” I continued, “Why did you come for the Convention?” She said, “I am in persuasive speaking because I want to be a preacher.” 

When she said that, I had a difficult time containing my tears. But finally I choked out the words, “Maria, I want you to know that when I think about you, I am going to pray for you.” Then she looked at me with all the boldness a nine-year-old could muster, and she said, “And I want you to know that I’m going to pray for you every night.” Afterward, she laid her hand on my shoulder and started praying fervently over me. That prayer was one of the most anointed prayers I’ve heard in a long time.

Loved ones, if you want to know what a 2^nd-Century PCG will look like, it will look like little nine-year-old Maria Ramirez fulfilling her calling. 

Thank you for allowing Kimberly and me to serve you and our PCG family during this divinely providential moment in the life of our church.

"IF I were GOD!"

By Loyd Naten

There are many experiences in life that we have not experienced and, therefore, we are unable to understand how those experiences will impact our lives. Yet, God understands them all. In fact, His love for us is such that He is aware of every emotion, every pain, or anxiety that any issue or challenge produces in our heart.

It is at these unexpected moments when we are caught off guard that our faith and confidence in God is tested. It is in these times that we tend to forget who God is and the promises He has made to each of us. Promises such as “I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you” (Heb. 13:5, NKJV). Or His statement which says, “There is a friend who sticks [to adhere or cling to] closer than a brother” (Pro. 18:24, NKJV).

Sometimes I’m surprised at my own lack of faith in God when confronted with the unexpected. I have a lapse of memory concerning what Paul told the Thessalonians:  “that no one should be shaken by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we are appointed to this” (1 Thess. 3:3, NKJV). What often happens is that we start living our lives from the circumstances we’re dealing with rather than from our position in Christ. We start looking at what the outcome will look like rather than how we’re dealing with the process, which really defines who we are and what we’re made of.

Depending on our level of faith in God, we will either turn to God for peace and assurance, or we start questioning God as to why He allowed these issues to come our way. We then set ourselves up as God by verbalizing how things should have been handled, as if we know better than God. Just a word of caution: there will be those times when your experience will contradict your theology . . . times when you come to realize you don’t know God, nor His word, as well as you thought you did.

Jesus knew His disciples failed to understand all He had just said to them—the news of His departure and of His approaching death; the announcement that one of their own would betray Christ (it pierced their hearts like a sharp arrow); or to hear that Peter, their spokesman, their rock of strength, their most prominent and boldest brother, highly beloved and trusted by the Master, part of Christ’s inner circle, would commit the deadly sin of denying their Master three times. It was unsettling to their spirits. The thought of these events was enough to scatter the disciples to the four winds.

Jesus knew that not only His disciples, but also each of us would be educated in the university of troubles, trials, difficulties, and adversities. To the disciples whose world was about to be turned upside down, Christ says, “Let not your heart be troubled” (John 14:1). God is saying that to each of us who are being tried by fire—who have been caught off-guard by heart-crushing circumstances—who are overwhelmed with loneliness, fear, and doubt—and whose dreams, hopes, and future have seemingly been shattered by the unexpected. We lose sight of life and the truths of God’s Words.

So, as with the disciples, Christ seeks immediately to fortify our hearts, to strengthen us against impending trouble, and to shelter us from every sorrow and perplexity that wastes no time in impacting our lives. How does Christ accomplish this? The fortification comes through faith in God. Christ says, “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe in Me.” We will all, on many occasions, be placed in a position where our faith in God is tested; it will be our faith that sustains us when it seems our world is falling apart.

Job’s perspective on life didn’t change until he beheld God as He truly is. Then you hear him say, “I know that you can do all things” (John 42:2, NKJV). Listen, God is trustworthy at all times no matter what the circumstances are.

Why?

By Randy Lawrence 

Having four children under the age of 6, the most popular question in our household without doubt is: 

"Why?" 

Young inquisitive minds are continually voicing (sometimes at a very high frequencies) their curious petitions to my wife and I as they try to figure out this thing we call life. On some days, my mind races with the exact same questions. Honestly, there are many days when I want to stand on my tippy toes and scream at the top of my lungs as my 3-year-old Cali does and yell, "WHY? DAD WHY?" 

Have you ever had those moments? Why this? Why that? Why did he have to die? Why this report? Why now? 

Ecclesiastes 3:1 says, "To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven." While this principle of God's Word at times might not be the most preferred method of human comfort, as believers we must hold on to the promise that God has a purpose and a season for all of life's "Whys". 

In 1 Kings 17 the prophet Elijah finds himself in an interesting season of life. After obeying the Lord's instructions to proclaim a drought to King Ahab, Elijah finds himself down by the Brook Cherith drinking from the brook and being fed by the ravens (as God has instructed). Life is going GREAT! Until we get to verse 7, "And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land." Boom! All of a sudden Elijah is thrust into a Why? moment. Just what do you do when the creek runs dry and the ravens won't fly? To seemingly add insult to injury, why is Elijah out of water? Because he followed the voice of the Lord instructing him to proclaim a drought, thats why! 

It's in these precarious season and moments in life when we are essentially faced with two options: we either can run TO GOD, or run FROM GOD. Spurgeon said, "The same sun that melts wax, hardens clay." The choices and decisions we make in these difficult, sometimes unbearable season in life often have the greatest impact on our unforeseeable future. In the face of the Whys that are staring us in the face, screaming at us in very high decibels, we must be sure that God will not leave us alone. The same voice that instructed Elijah to proclaim the drought is the same voice that comes to him in verse 9 instructing hime to "Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you." God hadn't forgotten about his boy Elijah. Likewise, while we are never guaranteed to have the answers to all of life's Whys, we do have the guarantee found in Hebrews 13:5, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 

Let me ask you an important Why? question, "Why go through these seasons alone?" In the difficult season of life, the enemy would love nothing more than to push us into isolation! He will use the Whys to try and isolate us from, God's Word, the voice of the Holy Spirit and the fellowship and support of believers. We will all face difficult seasons in life, and it is absolutely crucial in these moments that we refuse to take the somewhat attractive advice of the enemy to slip into isolation. So when the enemy comes with his deep dark suggestions of isolation, remind hime of the words of Christ in John 14:18, "I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you." 

You are not alone. We are not alone. We have all the help and support we need to face the all the Whys this life could possibly throw our way. To me, that is relevant. 

How long?

By Teena Skiles

I remember June 3, 2003 as if it were yesterday. I stood over my brother as he took his last breath on this earth. Alongside me were my sister-in-law, my uncle, and my husband. To this day I feel so privileged to be a witness of God’s divine presence in that room.

It was just moments before my brother’s passing that I had excused myself and frantically headed into the guest bedroom to hyperventilate—a first for me. With hands on my knees, heaving violently, the walls were crashing in. I could not control what was happening. My husband, Joe, had followed me into what felt as a dungeon. I remember him taking my hands and saying my name over and over, “Teena, it’s okay. Just breathe.” My eyes focused on his breathing routine, and I eventually mimicked a calm pattern of inhaling and exhaling. I really don’t know what triggered this reaction: maybe it was the fact that my parents had just left to purchase my brother’s, their son’s, burial lot, an unimaginable trip for a mom and dad.

I collected myself, opened the door, and stepped into the most beautiful presence of peace and serenity I have ever felt in my life. My spiritual eyes saw angels hovering in every corner. One angel was divinely assigned to our 8 ½-month-old baby girl and miraculously swayed her to sleep. Parents of babies “wired for sound” know a miracle when they see one. Was this the feeling of death? Peace? Stillness? Calmness? Quietness? Restfulness? If so, by faith I chose to accept what the Holy Spirit was showing me.

I stepped back into my brother’s room a different person than I was when I left. Whatever happened between my exit and re-entry validated my true belief. “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4:14, NKJV) “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:1, 2, NKJV); “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4, NKJV); The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7, NKJV).

Now, rewind seven years. It was a typical fall day in Missouri in October 1996 when I received the phone call that my brother had suffered a massive seizure. Days of testing proved he was the recipient of a fairly rare brain tumor. I was not there when he and his lovely wife had to ask his physician the questions, “How long will it take me to get better?” “How long will I have to stay in the hospital?” “How long until I have another seizure?” “How long will I have to take treatments?” “How long can I walk without using a cane, walker, or wheelchair?” “How long can I work and provide for my family?” “How long do I have to spend with my wife, my daughter, and my son?” “How long do I have to live?”

Maybe you have heard your loved ones ask the same question; or even, maybe you have had to ask. “How long?” I count myself blessed not to have had to roll such words off my tongue. But I must admit, I have asked my own painful “How long?” questions through the journey of losing a loved one.

1) How long do I grieve? How long do I question? These two subjects are a natural process and a natural response. Each question depends upon each individual’s season of life and season of spiritual life. For some, their “How longs?” may last for days, weeks, months, or even years. These questions can create an unhealthy dynamic, if not put to rest in due time. Grieving does not come by a play-by-play book or a prescription of, “if applied three times a day for four weeks you are cured.” In fact, I passed with flying colors on my college psychology test that listed the stages of grief defined by author and psychiatrist, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance. I wasn’t expecting to experience these stages; I was satisfied with just having the head knowledge. This death was my first close loved one. I had it in my mind that possibly a “Dances With Wolves”-moment would transpire. The chief of our family tribe would walk up to me and tell me that my mourning days were over. Fights with a fist seemed to accept the instruction well. This wasn’t the movies, which meant I had to rely on Someone higher than myself to write my healing script. Survivors that have loved ones depending on them most likely take their thoughts captive and strive to work through this process/response in a timely manner. We get into trouble when we believe we know ourselves better than God. His timing is perfect if you will allow Him to direct the grieving process.

2) How long do I feel guilty? This question has been my number one struggle. It tries to rear its ugly head still, all because I am the only child left. Why did this have to happen to my brother, the namesake of our family? He was a husband, a father, a provider, a son, a brother, an uncle, a friend, and a man who loved God with all his heart. The enemy saw a chance to pounce on my vulnerability. Never did my parents or sister-in-law portray this thought to me. This was a self-induced fight. I felt guilty for being healthy, for having a wonderful marriage, for laughing, for playing, for traveling, for living. Why is it that we listen to those voices in our head rather than the breath of God? Guilt began to build a wedge in my relationships with my family. One-sided, that is. The wedge was entirely in my mind, and the enemy would fabricate lies and stories and nonsense that I would actually believe! “Your parents would much rather have your brother on earth than you.” “Your sister-in-law doesn’t want you around; you’ll just remind her of what she doesn’t have anymore.” Lies, all lies. I allowed Satan to use the silence that sometimes is a result of loss against me. “Now you don’t have anything to talk about with your family.” “They don’t care; why should they?” I know I lost some precious moments with God because I didn’t believe and follow His Truth, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

As a survivor, I chose to capture my thoughts and renew my mind as Romans 12 instructs us. There’s healing in being together (even if there is silence); there’s healing in laughter; there’s healing in conversation; there’s healing by being present. When Jesus hung on the Cross and died for mankind, He took every ounce of guilt with him; guilt of sin, and for me, guilt of living, for it is Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

Once I overcame that guilt, Satan began to throw a different guilt dart at me: the guilt of not doing enough. “You should have been around more.” “You should have offered to help more.” “You should have done this . . . you should have done that.” Don’t think because you have overcome one hurdle in your race that the enemy will leave you alone. He will try every angle he can to keep your thoughts, your emotions, your spirit off of the One and only true God. It’s time to capture those thoughts! Don’t even crack open that door. Of course, there are a ton of things I would have done differently. But, our love and faith in God goes deep. When you remain in Him, He remains in you (John 15). When you go through grief, sometimes the only thing you know to do, or the only thing you can do, is just remain. And remain, we did. Our blue-collared family roots were and are anchored in the sure foundation of Jesus Christ, for we know His ways are higher than ours.

3) How long do I celebrate? Yes, I said celebrate! This year we will celebrate the 11th anniversary of my brother seeing Jesus face to face. Every June I am reminded of the atmosphere my brother made us promise we would create as we remembered and honored his life. “I don’t want a bunch of sobbing; it’s my life and I want it happy,” he said. My big brother taught me graciously throughout his sickness, even in his last days, of what life is truly about. We celebrate the fact that we have the opportunity to choose Christ as our Lord and Savior and, therefore, heaven as our eternal home. What exactly is there to celebrate? A future reunion. Birthdays (it just so happened God demonstrated His love toward our family by allowing our baby girl to share the same birthday as my brother). Every 21st of September you will see a bouquet of blue balloons sailing toward the heavens, delivering a message of love and perseverance. A celebration of life.

4) How long do I remember? One of my most favorite times in church is when we take communion. God knew we would forget; that’s why he said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” How can we forget the most sacrificial love given to mankind? But we all do. We intentionally remember through the sacred ceremony. In that same way we intentionally remember my brother—the boy, and my brother, the man, throughout the year, every year. I “tell on him” to my parents (my joke is that he can’t hurt me now); I listen to music we would blast through his 1970 blue Chevrolet truck speakers; I relive moments of playing snow football and Army soldiers; I stare at our childhood and grownup photos; I picture him sitting by the beach, meditating; I reminisce about him, his best friend, and Joe helping decorate for our parents’ 25th wedding anniversary (what was I thinking?!); I remember with my parents and my family what a precious man of God he was as we change the seasonal flowers on his tombstone. I want to always remember, so I must be intentional.

5) How long do I share my experience? Allow me to use Deuteronomy 11 from the New Living Translation as a guide for this answer. Beginning with verse 1, “You must love the Lord your God and obey all his requirements . . . Keep in mind that I am not talking now to your children, who have never experienced the discipline of the Lord your God or seen his greatness and his strong hand and powerful arm. They didn’t see the miraculous signs and wonders . . . They didn’t see what the Lord did . . . Your children didn’t see how the Lord cared for you . . . They didn’t see what he did to . . . But you have seen the Lord perform all these mighty deeds with your own eyes! . . . Teach them to your children. Talk about them . . . .” (verses 1- 7, 19).

As long as you have breath, share what you know about God and His strength during your weakest, loneliest, saddest, angriest, and heart-broken moments. Your experience will provide the help someone else may need to make it. A new family friend, Daren Lindley, prophetically exclaimed at a recent event, “The bread to feed the city is in the house.” My family and I had to rely on the Bread of Life, God’s Word, to get us through our painful experience. The Bread that fed us, can feed other individuals and other families that are struggling with the same “How long?” question. We must be an example to the next generation. My girls did not see what I saw, but they will because I will paint the picture for them to the best of my ability through celebrations, by intentionally remembering, by conversations, and by sharing the solid verse I stood on from Lamentations 3:19-25:

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.

I well remember them,

and my soul is downcast within me.

Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

I say to myself, ‘The Lord is my portion;

therefore I will wait for him.’

The Lord is good to those, whose hope is in him,

to the one who seeks him;"

The faith journey you walked through or are walking through allows the glory of God to be prevalent in all generations. We must include the next generation in our experiences with sorrow, pain, and death. It is by the word of our testimony that we are made overcomers (Rev. elation 12:11). Death is a part of life, but it’s not the end of life. We must remember who gave His life and that He is the giver of life.

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me? (Psalms 13:2)

Death may have sent you into a dungeon and saturated your mind with fear. Your hands may be on your knees; you’re bent over heaving in and out; you are spiritually hyperventilating. Breathe in; breathe out. Breathe God’s Word in; breathe God’s Word out. It’s going to be OK; you are going to make it. You are going to be a different man and woman of God than you were when you entered this day.

C. S. Lewis wrote in his work, A Grief Observed, “God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn't. In this trial He makes us occupy the dock, the witness box, and the bench all at once. He always knew that my temple was a house of cards. His only way of making me realize the fact was to knock it down.” For those of us who have sat or are sitting in death’s courtroom, Christ strikes the gavel and declares that it has been long enough.

Pentecostal Messenger Wins AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

The 2014 Evangelical Press Association awards were presented at the EPA annual convention in Anaheim, CA, on May 4-6. The awards honor the best work done in the industry during the 2013 calendar year. We are excited to announce to our Pentecostal Church of God family that The Pentecostal Messenger received the Award of Excellence in the Denominational Category, recognizing it as the top denominational print publication for the year 2013! The publication also received the Award of Merit in the category of Most Improved.

As you know The Pentecostal Messenger is and always has been an integral part of our history from our very inception in 1919. Thank you to everyone who has been involved in the publication process over the years and special thanks to you our readers who help make our publication what it is today. These awards belong to us all!

For a full list of EPA Awards for 2013, click here.