Revival Reunion

This message has been sitting here since Saturday night. I'm really sorry - there's just been one thing after another and I've not been able to get it finished.

I was watching the Bay of the Holy Spirit Revival: Reunion last night after work (I had recorded/Sky+ it on GOD TV) and I have to be totally honest with you, I wasn't exactly sure what I was watching. I'd been looking forward to the reunion (although I don't really like the use of that word - makes me think it's more about the people than anything else) for a couple of weeks and when it started, I struggled to get into the worship. Lindell Cooley was leading, and although I love him and think he's a great worshipper, for some reason I tend to respond more to female vocals. I think it also made a difference because I didn't know the first couple of songs very well. Lydia Stanly Marrow's voice and style of worship really hits me and I listen to her albums on a loop pretty much every day!

I'm glad I stuck it out, because the worship got better, in fact, I really enjoyed it. Pastor John Kilpatrick came out and spoke a little, and even though I've never actually met the man, I feel a connection to him. I love him like I love my own pastor - if I were ever to meet him, I think I'd just start chatting as if I'd known him forever! It may have something to do with the fact that our churches have become quite connected over the past couple of years.

Anyway, it seemed to cut fairly large chunks out of the meeting, I wasn't watching it live so they might have had to edit it or something. That was disappointing. Pastor Steve Hill then came out and started sharing. I'm not going to lie to you. I was confused. Although I think he had a relevant point to make, it seemed that it was more of a very long advertisement for his book. Don't get me wrong, the book sounds great and I'm definitely going to order it, but it just seemed quite strange to me, I don't know why.

He was talking about death and corpses, and I got his point, I really did, but it seemed that he was struggling to make it. The one part that I wanted to pick out of his message though, is this...

He had his assistant read a message from the pastor of a large church in the area. The pastor was saying a bunch of things, stating that "if you're not having fun, it's probably not God" - or something to that effect.**

I'm here to tell you, friends, that God doesn't care if you're having fun or not! That's not the aim of church. It's not the reason we go. Sure, we might enjoy our time there but it's not about us or what we can get from it. Sometimes it can feel like a sacrifice to go to church, and that's when we need to make sure we're going all the more, and praising through whatever is going on in our lives!

Do you think Jesus was having fun when He was here? When He was tried in the desert for 40 days? When He was run out of towns and villages? When His very best friends rejected and betrayed Him? How about when He was beaten and tortured, or nailed to that cross left to die an excruciating death?

I very much doubt it! Does that mean that it wasn't of God? No! Sometimes God asks us to do things which aren't fun - sometimes they're downright horrible - but we have to have faith that He knows best.

I can't believe that people are spouting this teaching, possibly to desperate, young, vulnerable or "baby Christians". If I had received that message, I have to say that I hope and pray that I would be bold enough to ask, "Where is this backed up in the Word? Where's your scriptural basis?" - In truth, I'm not confident that I would. We trust our pastors; we expect their words and messages to be anointed and true. I can't help but think that this is a desperate abuse of the position.

-Lisa

**Please be aware that I'm not attributing this to Pastor Steve Hill, I genuinely don't know who said it. Steve merely brought it into the light and he himself stated that it was wrongful, false teaching.